Dec 20, 2001

Chelan County PUD

The acting general manager of the Chelan County Public Utility District has been named the new general manager. Charles J. Hosken will receive a base salary of $180,000 a year. He has served as acting general manager since the departure of Roger Braden in August.

Washington Dental Service Foundation

The Washington Dental Service’s board of directors increased funding for its public benefit agenda. The foundation’s budget for 2002 is set at $4 million, an increase of nearly $1 million. The foundation is responsible for all philanthropic activities supported by Washington Dental Service. New officers are: Jim Sledge, D.D.S., of Spokane, chair; Spencer Jilek, D.D.S, of Pasco, vice-chair; and Tracy Garland, president and CEO.

Seattle City Council

The Seattle City Council is seeking applications for an opening on the Public Safety Civil Service Commission. The 3-member commission administers the city's civil service appeal system for uniformed police officers and firefighters and has jurisdiction over employee appeals. Commission members receive a monthly honorarium of $400. Send a letter of interest and resume to: Seattle City Councilmember Jim Compton; Attn: George Allen, 600 Fourth Ave., 11th Floor; Seattle, WA 98104-1876. The deadline is Mon., Jan. 21, 2002, at 5 p.m.

Owen Media

Owen Media promoted Bilepo Scott to vice president and account director. Previously, she was an account supervisor. Before joining Owen, Scott was an account executive at Imagio Public Relations in Seattle and served as an aide for U.S. Senator Patty Murray. Owen Media provides public relations consulting to high-tech companies.

Seattle Goodwill

Seattle Goodwill announced its employment and training program was selected to receive a 2001 Corporate Jobs Challenge Recognition Award from the Urban Enterprise Center. The program was selected for outstanding efforts in hiring qualified minority individuals from six communities targeted by the Corporate Jobs Challenge. The project is designed to provide employment opportunities for individuals in the Central Area, Rainier Valley and Duwamish communities.

Expedia.com

Expedia.com has opened the Travel Right Cafe in Los Angeles International Airport, offering phone jacks enabling travelers with laptops to check e-mail or surf the Internet free of charge, power outlets to recharge batteries, and both bar and table seating. Expedia previously opened a cafe in San Jose International Airport.

The Westin Seattle

The Westin Seattle is the exclusive catering partner for the new $125 million Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, formerly known as the Seattle Center Opera House. McCaw Hall is scheduled to open in the summer of 2003. The Westin also will contribute sales and marketing teams, both on a national and local level. The projected revenue for this contract is expected to be over $2 million per year.

Excell Data

Donald Barbanell was appointed sales manager of consulting services for Excell Data Corp., a Bellevue-based information technology services provider. He will be responsible for development of the consulting practice

Verizon to sublease I-90 space

Verizon Wireless is about to put 78,255 square feet of office space up for lease on the Interstate 90 corridor.

The cellular phone company is vacating a Benaroya Co. building in Bellevue at 3600 136th Place S.E., on I-90's south side. The low-rise building is best known for housing some King County offices that moved to Renton before Verizon moved in, said Craig Hill, the Grubb & Ellis broker who will market the sublease space for Verizon.

Verizon operated its training center there, so putting it up for sublease means little movement of employees, Hill said. Verizon houses roughly 2,000 Puget Sound-area employees in five separate Eastgate office buildings along I-90. The company will spread training functions throughout those buildings.

Hill said he'll market the space without posting an asking rent rate, a strategy some employ in a declining market.

CB Richard Ellis

Joe Baldwin joined the Eastside office of CB Richard Ellis as an office leasing broker. The 10-year veteran lost his job as a Trammell Crow Co. broker this fall as part of Trammell layoffs. Baldwin is a CB vice president.

John L. Scott

Sauer

Martin Sauer became a new sales agent at John L. Scott Real Estate's Kent office. New to selling houses, Sauer holds an MBA from Washington State University. He previously worked for IBM and Integra Telecom.

Seattle-King County Association of Realtors

Fowler

Ron Fowler has become the 2002 president of the Seattle-King County Association of Realtors, for a one-year term. Fowler, a 30-year veteran of residential selling, works as an agent for John L. Scott Real Estate's Redmond office.

Outgoing president Pete Gomes of Windermere Real Estate South in Auburn received the Realtor of the Year award. Gomes retired from the Army in 1969, then from Boeing in 1990, when he went into home selling. During his year as association president, the group added more new members than in any other year, and it helped a statewide Real Estate Safety Council. Gomes and his wife of 51 years, both from Hawaii, have eight children, 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

The association honored Beverly Read of Windermere's Lake Forest Park office with its Realtor Achievement award. Philip Matricardi of Coldwell Banker Bain in Seattle was government affairs volunteer of the year. Mary Ann Vandergriff of Windermere-Fauntleroy received the community service award.

Peggy Long of Pro-Spec Home Inspections in Auburn was named affiliate of the year. Affiliate community service went to Sue Tarabochia of First American Title in Seattle. The Fremont Public Association took the Pacesetter Award, while the President's Award went to Roni Strupat of Windermere Real Estate South's referral services in Federal Way.

Windermere

Kevin Bohnert became a sales associate in Windermere Real Estate's Queen Anne office. Bohnert has been a customer service manager with American Airlines for the past 15 years.

Miriam Black joined the firm's Eastlake office. She was president of Pacific Training Network in Redmond. She's also a documentary film maker who produced the short film "Marching On," which was screened at the Seattle Film Festival.

Diane Lembo Talley moved up from assistant to sales associate in the firm's Ballard office. Talley earlier worked as a professional ballet dancer and instructor.