Feb 19, 2026

Alaska Airlines

Brookman

There's more to aviation-related real estate than runways. Alaska Airlines also has to manage its offices, logistics and airport leases. To that end, it recently announced that Ben Brookman has been promoted to VP of real estate and airport affairs. The airline's Shane Jones said in a statement, “This is a transformational moment for our airline, as we add new international destinations to our route map that our guests want, and elevate the experience at every step of their journey.” Alaska says it's investing more than $3 billion in hub airports. With subsidiaries including Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, the Alaska network now serves over 140 destinations, including 29 international markets.

Guardian Real Estate Services

Nagy

Based in Portland, Guardian Real Estate Services operates all around the West Coast. It's an occasional buyer and seller in our market. (One example? The 284-unit Royal Hills in Renton.) Active in mixed-use, multifamily and senior housing, Guardian recently announced that multifamily specialist Michael Nagy has joined the firm as senior VP of development. He makes the move from Wood Partners; before that, he was with Holland Partner Group. Guardian's Tom Brenneke said of the new hire, “As our acquisition and preservation activity continues to grow, it is important that our development capabilities evolve in step. Michael's leadership positions us well for the next phase of the platform.”

Seniors Helping Seniors

Garcia

Seniors Helping Seniors, a national franchisor of in-home care services, has announced a new expansion into Everett. This new location, led by local resident Peter Garcia, will also serve the surrounding Snohomish and Island county communities.

This marks the fourth location for the franchise in Washington, joining a network of over 200 franchise owners and 400 territories nationwide.

Garcia brings over 30 years of leadership experience to this role, having previously held multiple operations management roles at HSBC. His career in financial services supported U.S.-based credit card operations and international banking teams. After a successful tenure in the corporate world, Garcia felt a strong calling to transition into work rooted in community service and human connection.

At Seniors Helping Seniors, the organization distinguishes itself in the elder care industry through a peer-to-peer caregiving model. The company hires active seniors to provide care for their peers. Seniors Helping Seniors franchise system was founded by husband-and-wife duo Kiran and Philip Yocom.

Whatcom Community College

Tuininga

Whatcom Community College announced that Brad Tuininga has stepped into the role of executive director for the WCC Foundation. Tuininga comes to Whatcom Community College with experience in organizational leadership, advancement, fundraising and relationship building. He most recently served as the vice president of philanthropy at the Whatcom Community Foundation, where he led philanthropic services and community engagement. Much of his career has been spent within Washington's Community and Technical College System. Most recently, he served for eight and a half years as executive director of the Skagit Valley College Foundation, where he helped lead three major campaigns and significantly expanded donor engagement and philanthropic support. He also held leadership roles at Whatcom Community College Foundation and Bellingham Technical College Foundation, as well as the North Cascades Institute.

Feb 18, 2026

Boise Cascade

Forrey

Broesch

Boise Cascade has announced that Angella Broesch was promoted to senior vice president of Human Resources, and Chris Forrey was promoted to senior vice president of Finance & Investor Relations.

Broesch joined Boise Cascade in 2013 and was promoted to director of internal audit shortly after that. In late 2020, she moved to human resources and accepted the newly created role of director of total rewards. She continued progressing in other leadership roles in human resources before becoming vice president of human resources in February 2024. Broesch earned a bachelor's degree in business with an accounting emphasis from the University of Idaho. She currently serves on two boards, the University of Idaho Foundation and the Learning Lab.

Forrey joined Boise Cascade in 2005 and has held a series of progressive leadership roles on the finance team. Prior to being named vice president in May 2024, he was the senior director of finance. Forrey earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in taxation, both from Boise State University. He is a certified public accountant and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Treasure Valley.

Boise Cascade is a wholesale distributor of building materials and manufacturer of engineered wood products and plywood. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the company operates more than 60 distribution and manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada.

DPR Construction

Pratt

DPR Construction has appointed veteran technical builder Kelly Pratt to lead its Pacific Northwest Business Unit. Under Pratt's leadership, DPR Construction is bringing a sharper focus on collaboration, transparency, and innovative delivery strategies — helping clients advance healthcare, research and manufacturing projects while protecting value and delivering greater certainty in an evolving market. Pratt brings deep experience and a track record of delivering certainty on complex life sciences, healthcare and commercial projects across the Puget Sound, including the Lyell Manufacturing Facility and the eleven50 Eastlake tower which included eight concurrent tenant improvements. Pratt has been with DPR since 2006 and based in Seattle since 2017.

Feb 13, 2026

Highline College

Highline College has announced a new agreement with Central Washington University that allows graduates of Highline's Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management (BAS BM) program to pursue advanced degrees in business and accounting. The memorandum of understanding, finalized in December 2025, establishes a streamlined pathway into CWU's Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) programs. Students who have completed the BAS BM program at Highline College, or are in their last two quarters of the program, are eligible to apply for admission to CWU's MBA or MPA programs. Located in Des Moines, Highline College offers more than 100 degrees and certificates in high-demand career fields, included seven applied bachelor's degrees.

Busy Bees North America

Early childhood education provider Busy Bees North America (BBNA) is expanding into Washington state, with the addition of 13 early learning centers in the greater Seattle area, via the acquisition of seven Kids N Us Early Learning Schools and six Birch Tree Academy locations.

“We're thrilled to welcome both Kids N Us and Birch Tree Academy into the Busy Bees family,” said Darla Kestle, CEO of Busy Bees North America. “These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to giving every child the best start in life. Both organizations bring long‑standing reputations for providing nurturing, high‑quality early learning environments and our priority is to continue the exceptional education experiences for families across the region.”

“Joining Busy Bees is a great opportunity for not only our families but our educators to continue with giving the children in our schools quality early childhood education,” said Lori Blades, founder of Kids N Us.

“This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for Birch Tree Academy,” said NForrey, Founder of Birch Tree Academy. “With Busy Bees' support and shared values, we can reach more families and continue delivering innovative, high‑quality learning experiences.”

With the addition of the new locations, Busy Bees North America now operates 270 centers across the United States and Canada.