Apr 29, 1996

State Department of Agriculture

Eric Melton and Nellie Cheng have recently been hired as trade specialists by Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to strengthen the department's ability to help companies sell their products and services internationally. Melton will work with businesses along the I-82 corridor from Ellensburg through the Yakima Valley to the TriCities. He will focus on export-ready companies whose high-value commodities, processed products, or equipment/technology are good candidates for international sales. Cheng was recruited to direct Washington state's East Asia Program. Among her initial responsibilities will be establishing a Washington state trade office in Shanghai.

Seattle Times

Chef Kathy Casey will write a monthly column titled "Dishing" for the Seattle Times Food section beginning in June. Casey's column will include favorite dishes, food news from other regions and tips for hunting, growing, foraging and preparing foods unique to the Northwest.

Tukwila launches `The Lunch Bus'

Tukwila will inaugurate a mid-day shuttle demonstration project in the central business district for eight weeks beginning today. The free shuttle service is aimed at linking employers and workers in the area to local restaurants and retailers. The city hopes the bus will help ease mid-day traffic jams. The bus is a partnership between the city of Tukwila, Metro, the state Energy Office, Tukwila employers and the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce. Paratransit Company will provide the service from 11 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday.

Berk & Associates

Bonnie Berk was honored recently for her work on behalf of the child care community in Seattle. Berk is a public policy analyst and a project management consultant who volunteered her office's services to the Business/Child Care Partnership which facilitates partnerships and exchanges of resources between businesses and child care providers. She has helped three child care centers with financial management. Peggy Sullivan of Berk & Associates said she enjoys helping the center owners learn ways to make their jobs easier by simplifying payroll, setting up invoice tracking systems, creating financial reports and computerizing ledgers.

Apr 26, 1996

Washington State Department of Agriculture

Eric Melton and Nellie Cheng have recently been hired as trade specialists by Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to strengthen the departments ability to help companies sell their products and services internationally. Melton will work with businesses along the I-82 corridor from Elllensburg through the Yakima Valley to the TriCities. He will focus on export-ready companies whose high-value commodities, processed products, or equipment/technology are good candidates for international sales. Cheng was recruited to direct Washington State's East Asia Program. Among her initial responsibilities, Cheng is working to establish a Washington state trade office in Shanghai, China.

Seattle Times

Chef Kathy Casey will write a monthly column titled "Dishing" for the Seattle Times Food section beginning June 5, 1996. Casey's column will include favorite dishes, food news from other regions and tips for hunting, growing, foraging and preparing foods unique to the Northwest.

Elgin Syferd Public Relations

Mark Hooper has joined Elgin Syferd Public Relations (ESPR) as vice president. He will concentrate on international business for the agency. ESPR has also hired Candy Cox as a vice president in its Strategic Environmental Management Group. She will act as the new deputy program manager on the Environmental Protection Agency account. In addition, Heather Knox has been hired as an account executive for the Sports and Event Marketing Group at ESPR.

CF2GS

Bill Fritsch and Ron Christiansen, founders of advertising agency CF2GS, were named to the Seattle chapter of the American Merketing Association's "Marketing and Media Hall of Fame." Fritsch and Christiansen were selected in the Advertising/PR/Marketing Agency category because of their agency's phenomenal growth and its diversification of services.

Seafirst Bank

The Sumas Branch of Seafirst Bank moved its newly remodeled location at 444 B Cherry Street, Sumas. The project included the remodel of a 1700-square-foot existing block building. The general contractor of the project is Exxel Pacific Construction Inc. of Bellingham and the architect is Waterleaf Architects & Interiors.

Nowogroski Insurance Associates

Nowogroski Insurance Associates in cooperation with Foundation for Russian-American Economic development is hosting an internship for a Russian Business executive for five weeks. The project's aims are sharing U.S. culture, western business management practices and making new friendships. Nowogroski's intern is Guennadi Bitchkov who is 46 and owns 35 percent of an insurance agency in Sakhalin.

AgriPlan/Bizplan

Wayne Blair of Blair & Company has been appointed an Agriplan/Bizplan Provider in the Seattle area. AgriPlan/Bizplan allows qualifying farmers and small business owners to deduct 100 percent of their health insurance premiums and uninsured medical, dental and vision care expenses. Last year, AgriPlan/BizPlan saved the average participant over $1,800 in taxes.

Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce has announced the nomination of John R. Christiansen to its governing Board of Trustees for a three-year term beginning Sept. 1. Christiansen is a partner in the Seattle office of the Northwest regional law firm Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard. His practice emphasizes complex business and real property transactions and planning.

Lynnwood Mortgage Corporation

Lynnwood Mortgage Corp has announced the addition of two new loan officers, Kristin Blackmer and Michael Johnson, and an underwriter/loan officer, Jean Okubo, to its Northgate Branch which opens May 6. The Brach is located at 115th NE 100th Street, Suite 110, Seattle, WA 98125.

Preston Industrial Park

Benard Development Company announced that Ride, Inc. continues expansion in Building 3 of the I-90/Preston Industril Park, owned by Bernard. Ride manufactures, sells, and distributes, snowboards, bindings, and snowboard clothing world wide. Ride located its headquarters and warehouse/distribution center to Preston in April 1995, occupying 31,200 square feet of office and warehouse space. The company expanded in September 1995, adding 4,300 square feet of binding assembly space. In January 1996, Ride expanded again, adding 52,000 square feet of warehouse space. In April 1996, Ride started construction of additional tenant improvements that will bring its total occupied office, warehouse, and assembly space in Preston to approximately 100,000 square feet. Following the expansion now under construction by Ride, Inc., the Preston Industrial Park Will have more than 600,000 square feet of building space and 900 employees. Half of this building space is in the 1-90/Preston Industrial Park portion owned by Bernard Development Company.

Windermere

Sale associate Lee Lageschulte with Windermere Real Estate's Shoreline office was accepted for inclusion in the 1996 Who's Who in Residential Real Estate in North America, a directory of the top real estate sale executives in the United States and Canada. Effective May 1, Trails Ends Real Estate, with offices in Shady Cove and Eagle Point, Oregon, will affiliate with Windermere. The office will remain locally owned and operated.

RE/MAX

Tom Coleman has been awarded the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation by the Residential Sale Council of the Realtors National Marketing Institute, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

Road to Successful Homebuying

Cornerstone Home Loan Center is offering free homebuying seminars entitled "The Road to Successful Homebuying." Trained professionals from the mortgage, real estae, appraisal, title, and escrow industries will take attendees through the entire home buying process, covering topics such as qualifying for a loan, interest rates, various loan options, what to look for in a home, inspections, apprailsals, title insurance, and closing costs. The seminar will be held on May 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Cornerstone Home Loan Center, 906 Everett Mall Way, Fourth Floor, Everett. For more information call (206) 290-9400.

CREW

Commerical Real Estate Women-Northwest will host discussions of current legal topics at its May 22 breakfest. Topics include Unlawful Detainers, the Bankruptcy Maze, Environmental Issues, and the Arbitration Game. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend two discussions during the breakfest. The breakfast wil be held at the Harbor Club, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. The cost is $15 for members, $17.50 for non-members. For more information call 441-3966.

UW certificate program

UW Extention, a program of University of Washington Education Outreach, invites the public to attend a free information meeting about its Certificate Program in Commercial Real Estate on April 23, from noon to 1 p.m. The meeting will be held at the UW Extension Downtown, 1325 Fouth Ave., Suite 400. For more information call 543-2320.