Nov 15, 1996

Safeco

W. Randall Stoddard, senior vice president of Safeco Property and Casualty Insurance Companies, has been appointed by the board of directors as chief operating officer. Stoddard will also take on the responsibility of president of the Safeco division, replacing Dan McLean who has announced his retirement effective June 30, 1997.

Piper Jaffray

John Cleaver and George Woodruff have joined the Tacoma office of Piper Jaffray Inc., a Minneapolic-based investment firm, as investment executives. Cleaver previously was a military veteran and training consultant with the U.S. Army. Woodruff was the president of the Woodruff Group.

Commercial Bank of Everett

The Commercial Bank of Everett, a multaully owned bank formed by Everett Mutual Savings Bank, opened last month. The new bank will focus on personalized banking services for small to mid-sized businesses and professionals in Snohomish County. Board Chairman George Newland said the new bank will fill a void left when large multi-state banks eliminated local small business lending and centralized it in out-of-state locations. Commercial Bank will service clients in any of the 10 branches of Everett Mutual Savings Bank. Dake Lyski is president, Mark Duffy is vice president and commercial loan officer, Richard Walker is commercial loan officer, Kim Fleming is client service manager and Cindy Heltne is client service specialist.

Northwest Lodging

Northwest Lodging is managing the all-suite Ramada Limited in Phoenix, its third move into the Southwest. Last month the Seattle-based hotel management company announced it would manage hotels in Texas and another in Phoenix. The company manages 16 properties in western states, specializing in Ramada and Howard Johnson inns and hotels.

Medalia HealthCare

Tom Cranney has joined Medalia HealthCare as manager for employee benefits and compensation.

Hammerquist & Saffel

The Seattle-based agency, Hammerquist & Saffel Creative Services, has announced the premiere of three television spots created for Partnership for a Drug Free America. H & S was selected by Partnership to create television work that would target 13 to 15 year olds who were considering trying marijuana. The television spots are scheduled to begin airing on network television stations across the country in late November.

AVI Company

The AVI Company, Bellingham, announced that Robert Marmaduke has completed certification in multimedia and video production at Vancouver Film School in British Columbia and 911 Media Center in Seattle. Applied Visual Imaging provides corporate marketing and communications multimedia.

Palazzo deMix

Palazzo deMix, a Seattle design and production company, recently hired new personnel: David Robinson, production manager; Nida Zada, graphic designer, and Emily Mueller, office manager. The firm specializes in film and video, print, Web and interactive media solutions.

Kobasic Hadley

Pat LeBaron, former creative director of JayRay, has joined Kobasic Hadley & Company as associate creative director. She also worked for J. Walter Thompson/New York for nine years.

Preg O'Donnell Sargeant & Gillett

Three partners resigned from the Seattle law firm of Oles Morrison & Rinker and have formed a new firm known as Preg O'Donnell Sargeant & Gillett. Theodore Preg, Mark O'Donnell and Robert Sargeant joined with Eric Gillett, a former associate with Oles Morrison in the new firm. Eileen McKillio, Evalyn Hodges and Theodore Schroth, also formerly with Oles Morrison, are associate attorneys with Preg O'Donnell.