Mar 29, 2024

Northwest Kidney Centers

Hudson

Northwest Kidney Centers has hired Patricia Hudson as vice president of people and culture to support the non-profit dialysis provider's human resources efforts. In her new role, Hudson will provide strategic direction and leadership to align people initiatives and programs with Northwest Kidney Centers' overall business goals and vision. Hudson most recently directed human resources and operations at SEIU 775. She brings a wealth of experience in equity, diversity and inclusion, employee relations, labor relations, training and development, organizational strategy and design, succession planning, and performance management. Northwest Kidney Centers was founded in Seattle in 1962, and currently serves nearly 2,000 patients a year in 20 dialysis centers and eight hospitals in the Puget Sound region.

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson

Teresa Tallarita and Patrick Carter have joined Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson' s Estate Planning Practice Group. Tallarita's practice focuses on comprehensive estate planning as well as estate/probate administration. She is also experienced in commercial/residential real estate and business transactions. In addition, Teresa works closely with the firm's Family Law Practice Group and its clients to ensure their assets are distributed as intended and to protect parties involved through pre- and post-nuptial planning. Carter's primary practice areas are estate planning (including advanced gift and tax planning matters), trusts, estates/probate, guardianship, and tax law. He also works extensively with private family companies and their owners including related business and tax issues. Carter earned his LLM in taxation from the University of Washington. Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson was founded in Seattle over 50 years ago.

Starlux Airlines

Taiwan-based luxury carrier Starlux Airlines announced that it will expand its U.S. presence with the launch of nonstop flights from Seattle to Taipei, starting August 16, and reservations are now open for booking. This new route marks the airline's third U.S. gateway after Los Angeles and San Francisco, offering U.S. travelers direct flights to Taipei and connectivity to 21 Asian destinations. In addition, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is also the hub of Starlux's partner Alaska Airlines, enabling travelers bound for Asia to transfer upon arrival at the Seattle airport. The Seattle–Taipei flights will operate on Starlux's next generation Airbus A350. Starlux serves a total of 23 routes from Taiwan to the US, Japan, Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Mar 28, 2024

The Standard

Canfield

Manafi

Portland-based Standard Insurance Co. (The Standard) announced that Lauren Canfield, assistant vice president and actuary in Actuarial Transformation, will become vice president, corporate actuary and chief risk officer effective April 1. Canfield will also become a member of the company's management committee. Canfield will succeed Sally Manafi, vice president, corporate actuary and chief risk officer, who previously announced her decision to retire. Manafi, who retires March 31, joined The Standard in 1992. She led the development of the company's Asset Liability Management function and Enterprise Risk Management practice and served as the architect for The Standard's ongoing Actuarial Transformation. Manafi is also a member of the board of directors of Trillium Family Services. As vice president, corporate actuary and chief risk officer for StanCorp Financial Group, Standard Insurance Co. and The Standard Life Insurance Co. of New York, Canfield will be responsible for enterprise risk management, asset liability management and economic capital management. She will also hold responsibility for the integrity of the actuarial aspects of company financial statements and product pricing. Canfield joined The Standard in 2006, holding various actuarial roles at both Standard Insurance Co. and StanCorp Mortgage Investors. She subsequently held leadership roles of increasing responsibility in Employee Benefits and Corporate Actuarial, where, since 2020, as assistant vice president and actuary in Actuarial Transformation, she has been focused on the strategic process and technology decisions that will transform the actuarial function across The Standard. Canfield serves on the board of directors for Portland Piano International. Canfield graduated from the University of Portland with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and music and a minor in French. She is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group and its subsidiaries.

K&L Gates

Global law firm K&L Gates added Christine Jochim as a partner in its Environment, Land, and Natural Resources practice. An associate with K&L Gates from 2011-2015, Jochim rejoins the firm in its Seattle office from Suncor Energy (U.S.A.), where she served as senior legal counsel. With two decades of legal and public policy experience, Jochim focuses her practice primarily on the defense of complex enforcement actions involving alleged violations of state and federal environmental, health, and safety regulations. While serving in both in-house and private practice roles, Jochim has resolved environmental and other enforcement actions taken by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Interior, and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, among other regulatory agencies at both the state and federal levels. Throughout her career, she has represented clients in a range of legal forums, including state and federal courts, administrative tribunals, regulatory hearings, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Jochim also advises clients in environmental compliance, public policy, transactional due diligence, and permitting actions involving the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as well as other federal and state environmental statutes and regulations.

Mar 27, 2024

Strong Tower Consulting

Strong Tower Consulting, a Washington state-based management-consulting firm, announced that partner John Croswell has been named to the Staffing Industry Analysts 2024 Staffing 100 North America list of influential staffing leaders. Strong Tower is a certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise, and women comprise 75% of its workforce. It is also a 100% carbon-neutral company. Since 2021, Strong Tower has expanded its operations across the U.S. and Canada, securing partnerships with technology and Fortune 50 companies. Strong Tower has created programs to support women such as the Women's Leadership and Development Group and Returning Caregivers program, which provide formal and informal mentorship.

Icertis

Bellevue-based Icertis, the global provider of AI-powered contract intelligence, was named a winner in the 2024 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards program led by the Business Intelligence Group. Icertis was the only contract lifecycle management vendor selected for its commitment to AI innovation with the delivery of Icertis Copilots, featuring enterprise-grade generative AI applications that automate high-volume contract reviews, protect businesses from risk, and deliver data-driven insights to create value in commercial relationships. The Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards celebrate organizations, products, and people who bring AI to life and apply it to solve real problems. Icertis Copilots are now the fastest-growing products in the company's history, recently propelling Icertis above $250 million in annual recurring revenue. This recognition marks the second consecutive year that Icertis has been named an Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award winner.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet appointed Katie Rooney to its board of directors. Coinciding with Rooney's appointment, Brent Frei and Elena Gomez will be retiring from the Smartsheet board of directors effective June 18, 2024. As co-founder of Smartsheet, Frei played a core role in the inception and pre-IPO growth of the company. Gomez joined the Smartsheet board in advance of its IPO, and served over six years on the board's audit committee, five years as committee chair. Rooney is an experienced CFO, with global experience in finance, operations, business strategy, and investment banking. She is the chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Alight, a cloud-based human capital technology and services provider. Rooney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance from the University of Michigan. Smartsheet is an enterprise work management platform headquartered in Bellevue.