Dec 22, 2005

MTM Luxury Lodging

MTM Luxury Lodging has picked the management team for Hotel 1000, a 120-room luxury hotel at First and Madison that is set to open June 26. The staff is Brian Flaherty, vice president and general manager; Jodi Forslund, director of sales and marketing; David Ornelas, controller; Matt Hagerman, director of rooms; Kini Sanborn Parente, associate director of sales; and Darrell Maxwell, food and beverage manager. Flaherty also will eventually assume leadership responsibilities within Seattle-based MTM.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

The Asian Counseling and Referral Service board of directors recently elected Janet Liang of Group Health Cooperative as board president. Liang is Group Health's executive vice president. The health and social service non-profit serves more than 18,000 King County residents a year. It is raising $19 million to build a new headquarters in the Rainier Valley. Other new officers are Rob Harris as vice president, Mitch Acevedo as secretary and Anita Rodgers as treasurer.

The Frause Group

The Frause Group, a Seattle-based public relations, marketing and business analysis firm, is offering businesses help in becoming more sustainable. Josh Chaitin, an account supervisor, is leading the effort for the firm. Services include assessment, analysis, plan development and training employees.

Dec 21, 2005

Labor Ready

Tacoma-based Labor Ready appointed Derrek Gafford as chief financial officer. Gafford replaces Steve Cooper, who became president in September and continued to serve as CFO while the company found a new CFO. Gafford was vice president of finance and accounting. The firm provides temporary employees for manual labor, light industrial and skilled construction jobs.

Qpass

Qpass, a Seattle-based mobile commerce software and solutions company, named Joe Murray vice president of worldwide professional services. He also will lead the global business process and content marketing and management services teams. Chris Cass was named vice president of worldwide content services. He will be responsible for maximizing revenues from the sale of digital content such as music, games and movies.

Pierce County

Pierce County Mental Health Advisory Board is seeking new members for its 15-member citizen board until Jan. 17. The board provides community input about mental health services in Pierce County, advocates for consumers, evaluates services and provides public information on county-funded services. For information call (253) 798-7202 or (800) 531-0508, or e-mail pchumsvcs@co.pierce.wa.us.

Dec 20, 2005

Jones Soda Co.

Jones Soda Co. appointed James M. Mullen as interim chief financial officer. Mullen will provide his services under a contract with the company. The company expects to hire a permanent CFO in the first quarter of 2006 and Mullen is a candidate. He was most recently vice president finance for aQuantive, Inc. Seattle-based Jones manufactures sodas.

Puget Sound PRSA

Art Merrick, senior counsel at Rockey Hill & Knowlton, received the Jay Rockey Lifetime Achievement Award from the Puget Sound chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Other award recipients were: Lynann Bradbury of Waggener Edstrom, PR Professional of the Year; Vivienne Phillips, Hugh Smith Community Service award; Jennifer Hawton of Publicis Dialog, PRSA New Member of the Year; and Tara Hazarian of the city of Tacoma and Tara Darrow of Plum Creek Timber, PRSA President's Award for Volunteerism.

Federal Reserve Bank

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco announced David K.Y. Tang, partner with the Seattle-based law firm Preston Gates & Ellis, has been designated chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's board of directors. T. Gary Rogers, chairman and CEO of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Holdings, in Oakland, Calif., is deputy chairman. The bank has branch offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Portland.