Nov 08, 2001

Preston Gates & Ellis

Kevin H. Corrigan is the new human resources director at Preston Gates & Ellis. Previously he served as vice president of global human resources for Seattle-based eCharge.

American Safari Cruises

Jacox

American Safari Cruises has hired Tim Jacox as director of sales and marketing. Jacox was previously vice president of automotive services at AAA Washington. The company also promoted Fred Baruch to chief financial officer, Jayne Davis to director of operations and Tara Decrow to manager of inside sales and reservations. American Safari Cruises is based in Lynnwood.

Waters

Alex Nemeth is the new executive chef for Waters at the Woodmark Hotel on Lake Washington. He previously was the lead chef at Adriatica in Seattle. Waters features new American cuisine with seasonal and regional ingredients. The Woodmark Hotel is located at Carillon Point in Kirkland.

Association of Washington Business

Rep. Gary Chandler has been named vice president of governmental affairs for the Association of Washington Business. As vice president, Chandler will become the AWB's chief lobbyist and will direct its legislative and regulatory programs. In assuming the position, which begins on Dec. 1, Chandler will resign his legislative 13th District seat in Moses Lake and relocate to Olympia.

Classmates

Classmates appointed Randy Nargi, vice president of marketing; Glenn Godden, chief technology officer; and Wendy Dickerman, director of member care. Previously, Nargi was vice president of marketing at Mercata, Godden served as senior principal engineer and lead architect at Starlight Ventures and Dickerman was director of customer care and strategic operations at VoiceStream Wireless. Classmates is a personal networking service connecting friends, family and military colleagues.

Innovative Communications Technologies

David Kondel is returning to Seattle-based Innovative Communications Technologies as national sales manager. Kondel previously held the position at the company but left four months ago to pursue other interests. Based in Seattle, Innovative Communications Technologies develops and positions Global Private Telecommunications Networks for businesses.

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies

Tacoma Water has received a Gold Award for Competitiveness Achievement from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. The award is presented to 24 water utilities nationwide in recognition of publicly owned water utilities successfully addressing their changing, competitive business environments

Steelhead Capital

Steelhead Capital, a commercial real estate finance company out of San Francisco, opened a Seattle office, run by Rob Marshall. "In addition to permanent debt financing, we regularly structure transactions using high-leverage bridge loans, mezzanine debt, construction loans and straight equity," says the company, headed by principal Peter Slaugh. Marshall has worked for GE Capital, Pinnacle, GMAC Commercial Mortgage and, most recently, as vice president with American Property Financing. "We've seen a dramatic increase in market share (in the Seattle area) over the last two years, so adding a local office is a natural step for us to take," Slaugh said.

Apartment Association of Seattle

Wes Uhlman, former Seattle mayor, became a member of the board of the Apartment Association of Seattle and King County. Also elected to two-year board terms with Uhlman: Christopher Benis, John Downing, Peggy Ganson, Karyn Kuever, Vincent Mullaly, Lou Novak and Cindy Ripplinger. The association claims 2,700 members, two-thirds of whom own fewer than 10 rental units.

Windermere Real Estate

Kim O. Dales became a sales associate in Windermere's Sand Point office. Dales previously worked as a registered nurse at Children's Hospital. Jim Dickinson and Monte Johnson, previously with competitor John L. Scott Real Estate, joined Windermere's Eastlake office as sales associates. Sandy Blodgett, also a former registered nurse, joined the Eastlake office, too. Laura Miller became a sales associate in the Commercial Metro office. Miller comes from 12 years in restaurant management.

Housing Finance Commission

Heyward Watson, director of Fannie Mae's Washington State Partnership Office, received one of this year's Friend of Housing awards from the state Housing Finance Commission. The awards commend people in the state who work to improve affordable housing. David Cheal, counsel to the state Senate's Labor, Commerce and Financial Institutions Committee, also received the honor. Cheal was recognized for helping get legislation passed to benefit nursing homes and non-profits and to protect tenants.

Interim Community Development Association development director Ken Katahira was named a friend for the association's rehab of an International District building that provides low-income housing. Seattle Mortgage Co. loan officer Jose Hidalgo was honored for finding new ways to serve minorities, such as providing translated material. State Sen. Lisa Brown received the award for pushing legislation to promote affordable housing. Lastly, the South King County Multi-Service Center was named for innovations in emergency, transitional and rental housing.