Feb 07, 2000

Tully's Coffee

Tully's Coffee Corp., has appointed David Kubena as vice president of retail. Prior to working for Tully's, Kubena was the retail vice president for Seattle's Best Coffee. He will be responsible for the management of existing and future domestic retail cafes, as well as Tully's Coffee future development strategies.

Short, Cressman & Burgess

Samuel S. Chung was elected a member of the Seattle law office of Short, Cressman & Burgess. Chung, formerly of counsel to the firm, joined the firm in 1996 and concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and business litigation.

Snoqualmie Ridge

The Tournament Players Course at Snoqualmie Ridge in Snoqualmie announced the hiring of John Garcia as the golf club's director of membership and marketing. Garcia comes to Snoqualmie Ridge with more than nine years of sports marketing experience. Prior to joining the golf club, Garcia was membership sales and marketing director for The Golf Club of Oklahoma in Tulsa, Okla.

Mackie Designs

Mackie Designs, a Woodinville-based manufacturer of professional audio systems, announced that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Eastern Acoustic Works based in Whitinsville, Mass. in which Mackie Desins will purchase all shares of Eastern Acoustic Works. The move unites the two audio system manufacturers while both companies will continue to their primary energies on their individual markets, products and customer bases.

Immunex

Immunex, a Seattle-based biopharmaceutical company, announced that Craig Parker has joined the company as general manager for its special therapeutics business. Parker served as vice president and senior biotechnology analyst for Donaldson, Luftkin & Jenrette before prior to joining Immunex.

Feb 04, 2000

DDB announces new hires

The national advertising agency DDB's Seattle office announced several new hires and promotions. Marci Kearney was hired as a management supervisor on the Holland America account. Nancy Dickerson was promoted to public service supervisor in the agency's issues and advocacy group. Rosalind Sciammas was hired as a senior account executive in the issues and advocacy group. Leslie Cohan was hired as a senior account executive for the agency's EPA account. Ryan Mendenhall was promoted to senior planner in the media department. Mary Kaye Zanatta was hired as an account executive on the Holland America account. Eric Giger was promoted to account executive in the integrated marketing group. Alisha Snyder was promoted to broadcast negotiator in media. Sunny Lauritzen was hired as an account executive in the emerging technologies group.

Bader Martin Ross & Smith

Bader Martin Ross & Smith, a Seattle-based accounting and consulting firm, announced the hiring of several new employees. Terese Chase, Cathey Crowther, Carol Bacon, Helen Palumbarit and Susan Cornell joined the firm as paraprofessionals. Gwynne Laurente, David Lowen, Joy McNally, Brian Palmer, Stephen Lee, Diana Scantlebury, Susan Willingham, Nancy Zwieback and Lee Thelen joined the firm as a staff accountants. John Weswig joined the firm as a manager in the tax department. Cindy Wang joined the firm as an intern

Keystroke.com

Mortgage Technology has named Keystroke.com Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hausauer Top Mortgage Technologist of 1999. The Seattle technology pioneer became the first in the online lending industry to win the magazine's top honor two years in a row.

In addition, the magazine singled out Keystroke.com's universal lending platform for the first Stephen Fraser Memorial Award for Excellence in Technology. Judges said Keystroke.com's platform represents a breakthrough for the financial services industry by providing unprecedented speed and capacity for Web-based loan processing and decision-making. Fraser, who died last summer, created IMX Exchange, the first online Internet auction for wholesale loans. The technology has been emulated by such e-commerce giants as E-Bay and priceline.com.

"These awards serve as a benchmark that we are on the right track," said Hausauer, who founded Keystroke.com in 1995 when he bought the company from Seattle Northwest Securities. Keystroke.com was the first to offer a multi-lender mortgage Web site for consumers. Hausauer subsequently directed the technology to encompass an advanced rate decision engine used in the universal lending platform. Recently upgraded so it can process any kind of financial transaction from anywhere, the platform helps financial institutions migrate decisions and processing for loan products on the Web.

Among Keystroke.com customers are Washington Mutual, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Credit Corp., Bank United and Bank One.

Pinnacle Realty Management

Pinnacle Realty Management, a 4-year-old Seattle company, closed 65 miultifamily office and industrial transactions totaling more than $650 million in 1999. The company notes that its 30-person brokerage team accomplished this in a quiet real estate year devoid of REIT mania and Asian portfolio dumping.

"Our totals were slightly off 1998's record-setting performance, but in a relatively quiet year for brokerage, we more than held our own," said Executive Vice President Greg Beckel.

In 1999, Pinnacle brokered sales totaling 10,195 apartment units. Deals stretched across 19 states, four more than in 1998. The client base grew to include AIMCO, Equity Residential, Met Life and Principal Financial Group. More than half of the new owners asked Pinnacle to manage their properties. The brokerage's top transaction was a $205 million deal: Pinnacle represented Henderson Investors, which bought Mutual Benefits Life's four-state, 11-property portfolio.

Pinnacle manages more than 87,000 multifamily units and 9.8 million square feet of commercial space nationwide.

Winderemere

J.J. Johnston of Windermere Real Estate's Bellevue-Commons office has been named the 1999 Associate of the Year by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. Johnston is a 15-year Windermere veteran and who has served on the Master Builders Association's Board of Directors and is past chairman of the group's Sales and Marketing Council. The council recently won a national award under his leadership. He also is chairman of the group's annual Dream Playhouse community service program that raises money for local charities by raffling custom-built playhouses. In addition, Johnston has received four gold and 21 silver Master Builders' Merchandising and Marketing Excellence Awards.

John L. Scott

Marie Avalon is a new sales associate at John L. Scott Real Estate's Laurelhurst office in Seattle. According to the company, she has extensive experience with contracts, negotiations and creative problem solving.

Jack White Real Estate

Robin Spencer of Prudential Jack White Real Estate in Anchorage, Alaska, has received the eCertified designation from The Prudential Real Estate Affiliates Inc. It is awarded to sales associates who meet criteria and complete training that helps agents serve the real estate needs of online consumers.

Shari Boyd has been named to the President's Council at Prudential Jack White Real Estate. Boyd, a residential associate broker, will represent all of the company's residential sales staff on the council that discusses company policy and procedures.

GMAC

GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp., has arranged $9.12 million in permanent financing for two commercial properties in Seattle. Nickerson Investments LLC received an 8.64 percent fixed rate loan of $5.8 million with a 20-year amortization for Nickerson Self Storage, a 937-unit facility at 1216 W. Nickerson St. The 106,041-square-foot facility is on 2.43 acres. Stuart Oswald of the GMAC Seattle office arranged the transaction. Wallace Enterprises received a variable floating rate, permanent loan for $3.25 million with a 40-year amortization for the 91,657-square-foot Hussman Building, which is on 3.49 acres at 7272 First Ave. S. Ron Peterson of the Seattle office arranged the transaction.