Sep 12, 2000

Sherman Homes

Bellevue's Sherman Homes has promoted Paul Underwood to general manager. He was previously operations manager for the company's Oregon and Washington divisions. Underwood has 17 years of industry experience, including stints as director of operations at American Pacific Communities in Vancouver and construction vice president for Polygon Northwest. He holds a bachelor's degree in construction management from Western Michigan University.

Sep 08, 2000

Avista

Spokane-based Avista Corp. announced key additions to the management team at the company's fuel cell technology subsidiary, Avista Labs. J. Michael Davis joins Avista Labs as chief executive officer; Kim Zentz becomes president and chief operating officer; and Frank Ignazzitto joins as vice president of marketing. Davis was with Kyocera Solar of Scottsdale, Ariz., and is serving his second term as president of the national Solar Energy Industries Association. Avista's fuel cell power system is targeted for residential and small commercial markets throughout the world.

Sep 06, 2000

Mastercraft Electric

A change has been made in top management at Mastercraft Electric of Seattle. Ken Hill has been promoted to president and Gary Darling, Mastercraft's founder, will remain with the company as chairman. Hill has been managing the electrical contractor's Auburn office for the past two years, overseeing several projects for the General Services Administration. He is now responsible for the daily operations of the entire company. Darling will focus on business development and estimating in his new role. He also will continue in an active role with the Associated Builders & Contractors of Western Washington, where he is immediate past president.

Opus Northwest

Rick Sanislo has been appointed construction superintendent at Opus Northwest. Sanislo will be specializing in tenant improvements at the Opus Center at Union Station, starting with a 200,000-square-foot build out. The company also announced Steve Rauf has been hired as an assistant project manager. He also is working on tenant improvements at the Opus Center. Opus Northwest is the regional operating entity of the Opus Group out of Minneapolis.

CDM

Camp Dresser & McKee has named Charles H. Bolton to lead the firm's development in the Pacific Northwest. Bolton is a senior vice president who has worked nearly 35 years for CDM, a global consulting, engineering, construction and operations firm. He has served as program manager or senior officer on hundreds of water, wastewater, stormwater and related water resource projects in the United States and internationally. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida. CDM is part of the CDM Philip team that is delivering the new Tolt treatment facilities for Seattle Public Utilities on a design/build/operate basis.

Walsh Construction

Walsh Construction has moved to a new location in Portland. The address is: 2905 S.W. First Ave., Portland, OR 97201. The company's phone number is (503) 222-4375.

Construction law

A conference on construction law will be held Sept. 21-22 in Seattle by The Seminar Group. Attendees will learn how to steer clear of costly construction disputes and resolve conflicts effectively and efficiently. They also will learn how to bid successfully for public and private contracts. The seminar includes a panel headed up by Bruce P. Babbitt of Jameson Babbitt Stites & Lombard and James F. Nagle of Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker. The event will be held at the Clarion Hotel near Sea-Tac Airport. Cost is $595. Government employees can attend for $515, and students can get in for $397.50. Multi-person discounts apply. For more information, call (206) 463-4400 or (800) 574-4852.

EIFS class

The Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau is offering an educational program on exterior insulation and finishing systems, focusing on completed EIFS buildings and their investigation, repair and maintenance. The program will be held 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 28 at the DoubleTree Hotel, 300 112th Ave. S.E., Bellevue. Attendees will learn how to distinguish between stucco, EIFS and drainage-EIFS structures and how to perform a diagnostic analysis of the exterior components, including windows, sealants and flashings. The program will also cover the use of diagnostic tools, such as moisture meters, the procedures for basic repairs for dents and cracks, and periodic maintenance such as cleaning and sealant replacement. The instructor is Bob Thomas, an internationally known EIFS consultant and president of CMD Associates of Seattle. Cost is $275 per person for the first attendee and $225 for any additional attendees from the same company. The fee includes all course materials, lunch, refreshments and a copy of "EIFS Inspection, Repair and Maintenance Guide" and "The EIFS Primer" by Thomas. For more information, contact the bureau at (206) 524-4243 or go on-line at http://www.nwcb.org.

Handling complaints

The Associated General Contractors of Washington Education Foundation is holding a Sept. 18 class in Tacoma for construction supervisors on how to handle complaints. Topics to be covered include how to handle the initial confrontation and interaction between the supervisor and the complainer, as well as how to proceed through the resolution process. Class will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $89. For more information, contact the Education Foundation at (206) 284-4500.

Safety summit

The September meeting of The Puget Sound Construction Safety Summit will celebrate the program's eighth anniversary, including the announcement of a grant from the state Department of Labor and Industries. The event will be held 9 a.m.-noon at the Aerospace Machinists Lodge, 9125 15th Place S., Seattle. Registration is not required. For more information, contact the Safety Summit c/o SMART, 1319 Dexter Ave. N., Suite 220, Seattle, WA 98109.

Plans and specs

The AGC of Washington Education Foundation is offering a course during September and October on reading plans and specifications. Attendees will learn how to find desired information in drawings, recognize symbols and terminology, and how plans are organized. Class is offered in Seattle or Tacoma. Class will be held 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in both locations. In Tacoma, class will be held Sept. 19-Oct. 19. In Seattle, class will be held Sept. 26-Oct. 26. Cost is $250. For more information, contact the Education Foundation at (206) 284-4500.

Fall protection

A seminar on fall protection will be held Sept. 14 in Kent by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington. Taught by Jon Havelock of Med-Tox Northwest and Joe Barr of Super Anchor Safety, the seminar will review fall protection standards, cover fall protection plans, show how and when to use fall restraint and arrest systems, and show how to use and maintain fall protection equipment. The program will be held 1-5 p.m. at the Simpson Strong-Tie facility, 22035 W. Valley Highway, Kent Centre. Cost is $65 for association members and $130 for non-members. Multi-person discounts apply for members, and those in the association's Retro Program can attend for free. The registration deadline is Sept. 11. For more information, contact the association at (425) 646-8000 or (800) 640-7789.

Ownership transition

A seminar on ownership transition for engineers, architects and environmental firms is being offered Sept. 28-29 in Tampa, Fla., by FMI Corp. Cost is $895. Multi-person discounts apply. For more information, contact FMI at (800) 877-1364; or go on-line at http://www.fminet.com.

Transit conference

"Rail-Volution 2000," a conference on building livable communities with transit, will be held Oct. 4-8 in Denver. The event will feature over 50 workshops organized around five central themes: financing, land use, transportation, coalition building and community development. Registration is $325 before Sept. 8. After that, it's $375. For more information, call (800) 788-7077 or go on-line at http://www.railvolution.com.

First aid/CPR

The ABC of Western Washington is holding a Sept. 16 class on first aid and CPR. Topics to be covered include: injury and illness assessment, bleeding and airway management, heart attacks and poisonings. Cost is $40 for association members and $80 for non-members. CPR only is $30 for members and $60 for non-members. For more information, contact the association at (425) 646-8000 or (800) 640-7789.

Construction 101

A seminar on the basics of construction is being offered Sept. 22 in Seattle by the AGC of Washington Education Foundation. The program will provide a basic overview of the industry, the rules and the players. The primary focus is on construction terminology, processes and practices. Class time is 8 a.m.-noon. Cost is $89. For more information, contact the Education Foundation at (206) 284-4500.

Annual meeting

The Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau is holding its annual meeting Sept. 22--24 in Victoria, B.C. The event gives members a chance to network with suppliers and business associates, learn about industry trends, meet bureau staff, and visit manufacturing mills in the region. The meeting includes a golf tournament. The meeting will be held at the Empress Hotel. Cost is $160. The golf tournament is another $100 a person. For more information, contact the bureau at (604) 462-8961.

AutoCAD

A class on AutoCAD for contractors is being offered Sept. 19 and 21 in Seattle by the AGC of Washington Education Foundation. Students will learn how to maneuver through the AutoCAD program, transfer and open files, and edit drawings. Class will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $155. For more information, contact the Education Foundation at (206) 284-4500