Jan 28, 2022

Stoel Rives

Spaith

Stoel Rives announced that Jennifer Spaith has joined its Intellectual Property practice group in Seattle as a partner. Spaith's practice focuses on serving companies and individuals pursuing robust IP strategies including complex patentable technology, as well as providing IP counsel in transactions in which intellectual property plays a significant role. She joins the firm from Dorsey & Whitney where she was a partner. Spaith represents companies at every scale developing technologies, including virtualized software systems, electronics, wireless communication systems, artificial intelligence and neural networks, artificial and virtual reality systems, LiDAR sensing systems, and clean or renewable energy technologies. She also conducts patent due diligence and post-transaction title transfer in diverse fields from optical systems to wireless communications, medical devices and treatments; prepares licenses and other agreements supporting IP transfers; and counsels clients on patent strategies, including expedited examination techniques, provisional applications, development of a global portfolio footprint, and preparation for patent assertion and defense. Spaith graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law.

Tacoma Venues & Events

Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli has appointed Adam Cook to the position of director, Tacoma Venues & Events (TVE), effective January 31, 2022. The Tacoma City Council confirmed the appointment on January 25. Cook has been interim department director for Tacoma Venues & Events since September 2021, leading the department through the re-opening of the Tacoma Dome, ongoing events at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, transitioning management at the city of Tacoma-owned theaters, and oversight of special events, the office of Arts & Cultural Vitality, and Tacoma Creates. As the city of Tacoma's director for TVE, Cook will be responsible for leading the operations and management of the city of Tacoma's public assembly facilities, including strategic partnerships to improve community access to diverse and creative citywide programming. Cook joined the city of Tacoma in 2019 as deputy director for Tacoma Venues & Events. He has more than 20 years' experience in venues and events, most recently as vice president of operations for Seafair.

Alaska Power & Telephone

Alaska Power & Telephone announced it has received environmental approvals for the SEALink fiber optic project undertaken by its subsidiary AP&T Wireless (APTW). In December of 2021, the US Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services (RUS) provided the SEALink project with environmental clearance, authorizing construction. Shortly after RUS environmental approvals, APTW executed a contract with Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke, a German subsidiary of the submarine cable manufacturer Prysmian Group, for supply and installation of the submarine fiber optic cable in 2022 – two years ahead of the project's original schedule. The SEALink project will create a 214-mile submarine fiber optic cable from Prince of Wales Island to Juneau, with an overland crossing on Mitkof Island through the community of Petersburg. The project also involves terrestrial network build-outs in the communities of Coffman Cove and Kasaan, which currently lack broadband service. The project is funded by a $24.5m grant from USDA Rural Utility Services, and over $7m in matching funds from APTW. Meanwhile, APTW has been making arrangements to begin constructing SEALink's terrestrial project features in 2022. It anticipates boring on Mitkof Island will begin in the coming weeks, followed by development of Mitkof-based aerial transport fiber. After that, AP&T will begin fiber-to-the home build-outs in the communities of Kasaan and Coffman Cove. Improved residential service should begin to become available in 2023.

Jan 27, 2022

Thayer Manca in $80M Denver deal

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Aurora is part of the greater Denver area, and Aurora is where local shop Thayer Manca Residential recently paid $80.5 million for the 319-unit Highland Point apartments. TMR announced the deal this week. Joe Manca said the money came from a new $88 million value-add fund, and that the investment was his first in Colorado. “Our fund structure allows our investors to commit capital in advance, but does not require them to provide capital up front,” he explained. “This allows us to continue looking at properties through the same conservative lens as we have the last 40-plus years, without the pressure to deploy capital sitting in an account.” Renovations and a likely new name will follow. Said Manca, “Our renovation will maximize the substantial unrealized growth potential of this institutional sized asset.” The apartments, at 16893 E. Arkansas Ave., are a five-minute drive east to Florida Station, then a 45-minute trip east to downtown Denver via light rail.

Kenmore confidential!

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Mark your calendars: NAIOP will hold a Feb. 9 networking event and property tour at Kevin Daniels' renovated Lodge at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore. Which, by some strange coincidence, NAIOP named Hospitality Development of the Year at its Night of the Stars event in November. Details and registration: naiopwa.memberclicks.net.

Vibrant Cities

Fung

After co-founding Vibrant Cities in 2016 with her two partners, the developer announced that its Ming Fung has been elevated from CFO to president. She said in a statement, “I am excited to be increasing my responsibilities as Vibrant Cities continues to grow and serve the dynamic communities to Seattle and Portland. Multifamily options are in demand in both markets.” Said CEO James Wong, “I'm grateful to have such wonderful partners that I can fully trust and be in the trenches with every day.” Founder Pui Leung continues as managing director. The firm's Phil Lam was also promoted to principal and director of finance; and Cindy Li becomes to corporate relations manager. The developer's current projects include two apartment buildings underway in Lower Queen Anne, totaling 220 units. It's also nearing completion on Pivot, with 95 units on Capitol Hill. The firm has six more projects in the pipeline.

Lasher Holzapfel

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson announced that attorneys James Blankenship and Joseph Evans have joined the firm. Blankenship joins the firm's Employment Law and Business Litigation practice groups. He represents and advises employers and employees in disputes involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, wage and hour claims and union matters. He also represents business entities in complex litigation, professional liability, and regulatory disputes. Evans joins the firm's Business Litigation group, bringing experience representing financial institutions and national lenders in consumer finance, commercial litigation and real estate matters. His practice has included representation in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts in Washington and Oregon. Lasher Holzapfel was founded 48 years ago in Seattle.

Carney Badley

Schalla

Susan Schalla has been elected to the board of directors and as director of associates at Carney Badley Spellman. Schalla has extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions on both the buy-side and sell-side, having successfully closed transactions with enterprise value up to $460 million. She has represented private equity firms in acquiring and selling portfolio companies, and has represented businesses in manufacturing, software, food and beverage, telecommunications, retail, consulting and professional services, and other industries.

Seyfarth

Sherwood

Douris

Meghan Douris and Ashley Sherwood have joined Seyfarth's Litigation department and Construction practice group as partners in the Seattle office. Previously, they served as construction partners at Oles Morrison. Joining Douris and Sherwood in their move to Seyfarth is associate Ryan Gilchrist. Seyfarth announced the formal launch of its Seattle office in 2020, the firm's first in the Pacific Northwest and fifth on the West Coast. Seyfarth's Seattle office is currently comprised of 30 lawyers, including 17 partners, from a cross-section of the firm's departments. Douris provides legal counsel to general contractors and subcontractors on a range of issues affecting their construction projects. Douris also helps organizations understand and secure government contracts in the construction and service industries. She founded Women Leaders in Construction and is a current member. Sherwood represents general contractors, subcontractors, and developers of all sizes on complex private and public construction projects at the state, federal, and international level. A past president of CREW Seattle, Sherwood currently serves on its board of directors and has held leadership positions since 2017. Gilchrist's practice spans construction, commercial litigation, real estate, and government contracts. With more than 900 lawyers across 17 offices, Seyfarth Shaw provides advisory, litigation, and transactional legal services to clients worldwide.

REVTech

Out of 70 applications from across the nation, Microsoft announced that REVTech, a local certified Woman / Veteran Owned Lakewood firm, is one of fifteen #BuildFor2030 Hackathon Heroes. REVTech's winning project, called Navigation Application (NAVApp), is currently deployed in the city of Seattle and gaining traction across the country. NAVApp assists both those experiencing homelessness, as well as city leaders and field technicians. The Microsoft #BuildFor2030 Hackathon seeks to drive transformative solutions and services into development to further the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities. The NAVApp works by creating real-time, secure, geo-accurate data by city employees and other service providers while at the same time being able to provide HIPAA compliant security and customized solutions for people experiencing homelessness. REVTech was founded in 2011 by husband and wife team RJ Naugle and Anne Sprute.