Nov 15, 1996

Safeco

W. Randall Stoddard, senior vice president of Safeco Property and Casualty Insurance Companies, has been appointed by the board of directors as chief operating officer. Stoddard will also take on the responsibility of president of the Safeco division, replacing Dan McLean who has announced his retirement effective June 30, 1997.

Piper Jaffray

John Cleaver and George Woodruff have joined the Tacoma office of Piper Jaffray Inc., a Minneapolic-based investment firm, as investment executives. Cleaver previously was a military veteran and training consultant with the U.S. Army. Woodruff was the president of the Woodruff Group.

Commercial Bank of Everett

The Commercial Bank of Everett, a multaully owned bank formed by Everett Mutual Savings Bank, opened last month. The new bank will focus on personalized banking services for small to mid-sized businesses and professionals in Snohomish County. Board Chairman George Newland said the new bank will fill a void left when large multi-state banks eliminated local small business lending and centralized it in out-of-state locations. Commercial Bank will service clients in any of the 10 branches of Everett Mutual Savings Bank. Dake Lyski is president, Mark Duffy is vice president and commercial loan officer, Richard Walker is commercial loan officer, Kim Fleming is client service manager and Cindy Heltne is client service specialist.

Northwest Lodging

Northwest Lodging is managing the all-suite Ramada Limited in Phoenix, its third move into the Southwest. Last month the Seattle-based hotel management company announced it would manage hotels in Texas and another in Phoenix. The company manages 16 properties in western states, specializing in Ramada and Howard Johnson inns and hotels.

Medalia HealthCare

Tom Cranney has joined Medalia HealthCare as manager for employee benefits and compensation.

Hammerquist & Saffel

The Seattle-based agency, Hammerquist & Saffel Creative Services, has announced the premiere of three television spots created for Partnership for a Drug Free America. H & S was selected by Partnership to create television work that would target 13 to 15 year olds who were considering trying marijuana. The television spots are scheduled to begin airing on network television stations across the country in late November.

AVI Company

The AVI Company, Bellingham, announced that Robert Marmaduke has completed certification in multimedia and video production at Vancouver Film School in British Columbia and 911 Media Center in Seattle. Applied Visual Imaging provides corporate marketing and communications multimedia.

Palazzo deMix

Palazzo deMix, a Seattle design and production company, recently hired new personnel: David Robinson, production manager; Nida Zada, graphic designer, and Emily Mueller, office manager. The firm specializes in film and video, print, Web and interactive media solutions.

Kobasic Hadley

Pat LeBaron, former creative director of JayRay, has joined Kobasic Hadley & Company as associate creative director. She also worked for J. Walter Thompson/New York for nine years.

Preg O'Donnell Sargeant & Gillett

Three partners resigned from the Seattle law firm of Oles Morrison & Rinker and have formed a new firm known as Preg O'Donnell Sargeant & Gillett. Theodore Preg, Mark O'Donnell and Robert Sargeant joined with Eric Gillett, a former associate with Oles Morrison in the new firm. Eileen McKillio, Evalyn Hodges and Theodore Schroth, also formerly with Oles Morrison, are associate attorneys with Preg O'Donnell.

Windermere

Windermere Real Estate announced the addition of five sales associates. Joining Windermere-Lakeview is Christine Lewis. Joining the Capitol Hill office is Timothy Durkan and Jennie Carton. Lynn Hall and Cyndi Babbitt, both new to real estate, have joined the Redmond office.

AK Media/NW

AK Media/NW, formerly Ackerley Outdoor Advertising, announced the promotion of Frank Podany to the position of regional real estate manager. Podany started with AK Media/NW in 1993 and later became a real estate representative in the real estate department. In 1994, he was promoted to real estate manager for the Seattle market.

John L. Scott

John L. Scott announced Bill Hurme is vice president of a new division called New Solutions. Hurme has won more than 30 MAME and MIRM awards. He founded M.A.P. Realty, Inc. in 1979, specializing in marketing, promotion and sales for over 250 single family and multi-family communities, until selling the company in 1990.

Free homebuyer workshops

Cascade Bank and ERA Metropolitan Real Estate are teaming up to present a free homebuyers workshop Nov. 19 from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. The class will be held at the Cascade Bank Loan Center at 2828 Colby Avenue in Everett. Participants will receive information on FHA, VA, state bond and conventional financing, and will learn the 12 steps of buying a home. For more information contact Dan Hall at ERA Metropolitan Real Estate (206) 710-1188.

Kitsap County Housing Authority

Matt Ryan, chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority announced that the Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (ALHFA) of Washington D.C. has given its 1996 Meritorious Achievement Award to the housing authority for its development of Golden Tides II. The Silverdale project provides 44 units for extremely low and very low income senior households. Deitrich/Mithun is the architect. The Rafn Company was the general contractor and Sound Finance Group was the development consultant. All of the units serve seniors who make under $14,000 per year and 15 are set-aside for seniors who make less than $8,000 per year.

UW extension land use law series

The University of Washington Educational Outreach Extension program will be offering a three-course series in Land Use Law, beginning winter quarter. The courses are: Fundamentals of Land Use Law in Washington State (winter quarter); Process and Politics in Washington State (spring quarter); Case Studies in Land Use Projects and Permitting (summer quarter). For further information about this series, contact Trisha Dvorak at (206) 685-6443. To receive a copy of the winter quarter catalogue call (206) 543-2320.

Remodeling/rehab loan seminar

A seminar about remodeling/rehab home loan programs will be offered Nov. 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. The seminar will be held at Continental's Wedgewood Branch, 8200 35th Ave N.E. Homeowners, home buyers, investors, builders and real estate agents will learn how these programs can work for them. Admission is free. For reservations call Bob Fish at (206) 525-2862.

County extends property tax appeal

King County has extended the deadline to appeal property assessments. For assessment notices or valuation changes issued in 1996, a petition may be filed with the Board of Equalization on or before Dec. 31 or within 60 days after the notice was mailed, which ever is later. Property tax appeals are successful when a taxpayer can show that the property is assessed for more than the property could be expected to sell for. Appeal instructions are on the back of the postcard notice of value change. The 1996 assessment sets the value on which 1997 property taxes are based. The assessed value of the property multiplied by the tax rate will determine the tax due. Tax rates, which differ for the various districts within the county, will be established by January 1997.