Dec 22, 2005

First American Title Insurance

Lance J. Grob of Lynnwood is First American Title Insurance Co.'s emerging market director for the Northwest. Initially he'll work on reaching minority and low- to moderate-income homebuyers. First American's Emerging Markets Program was launched in 2003. Grob helped establish a real estate company's first bilingual office.

GMAC Commercial Mortgage

GMAC Commercial Mortgage arranged $20.3 million in permanent, fixed-rate refinancing for Town Plaza, a 172,000-square-foot office building in Vancouver. GMAC Senior Vice President Joe Kimm of the Seattle office arranged the transaction through Artesia Mortgage for Tower Mall LLC.

John L. Scott Real Estate

Realtor Carolyn Heckman has joined the Bellevue North office of John L. Scott. New sales associates are Freddie Dixon and Ricky Mouw at the Highlands office; Brian Thayer, University Place; Jennifer Storm and Ray Bridges, Port Orchard; Caroline Urbina, Laurelhurst; Sondra Jackson and Belinda Leppa, Bellevue Downtown; Linda Purcell, Poulsbo; Kari Ewing, Vancouver East; Gene Wammer, Sammamish; Anna Dyrlaga, Federal Way; Cori Whitaker, Lynnwood Center; and Brent Comstock, Redmond.

CREW

Commercial Real Estate Women's 11:30 a.m. Jan. 12 lunch at the Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave., will feature a panel discussion about mixed-use development and what it means for downtown Seattle. Panelists are Kate Joncas, president of the Downtown Seattle Association, architect and developer Jim Mueller, Mike Scott of Callison Architecture and lawyer Jack McCullough of McCullough Hill. Cost is $35 for CREW members and $50 for others. Register by noon Jan. 9 at crewseattle.org or (206) 417-5580.

MTM Luxury Lodging

MTM Luxury Lodging has picked the management team for Hotel 1000, a 120-room luxury hotel at First and Madison that is set to open June 26. The staff is Brian Flaherty, vice president and general manager; Jodi Forslund, director of sales and marketing; David Ornelas, controller; Matt Hagerman, director of rooms; Kini Sanborn Parente, associate director of sales; and Darrell Maxwell, food and beverage manager. Flaherty also will eventually assume leadership responsibilities within Seattle-based MTM.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

The Asian Counseling and Referral Service board of directors recently elected Janet Liang of Group Health Cooperative as board president. Liang is Group Health's executive vice president. The health and social service non-profit serves more than 18,000 King County residents a year. It is raising $19 million to build a new headquarters in the Rainier Valley. Other new officers are Rob Harris as vice president, Mitch Acevedo as secretary and Anita Rodgers as treasurer.

The Frause Group

The Frause Group, a Seattle-based public relations, marketing and business analysis firm, is offering businesses help in becoming more sustainable. Josh Chaitin, an account supervisor, is leading the effort for the firm. Services include assessment, analysis, plan development and training employees.

Dec 21, 2005

Labor Ready

Tacoma-based Labor Ready appointed Derrek Gafford as chief financial officer. Gafford replaces Steve Cooper, who became president in September and continued to serve as CFO while the company found a new CFO. Gafford was vice president of finance and accounting. The firm provides temporary employees for manual labor, light industrial and skilled construction jobs.

Qpass

Qpass, a Seattle-based mobile commerce software and solutions company, named Joe Murray vice president of worldwide professional services. He also will lead the global business process and content marketing and management services teams. Chris Cass was named vice president of worldwide content services. He will be responsible for maximizing revenues from the sale of digital content such as music, games and movies.

Pierce County

Pierce County Mental Health Advisory Board is seeking new members for its 15-member citizen board until Jan. 17. The board provides community input about mental health services in Pierce County, advocates for consumers, evaluates services and provides public information on county-funded services. For information call (253) 798-7202 or (800) 531-0508, or e-mail pchumsvcs@co.pierce.wa.us.

McGranahan Architects

Eshenbaugh

Slater

McGranahan Architects recently added two designers to the staff. Sherry Eshenbaugh joined as project designer and Michael Slater as a project manager. Eshenbaugh is working on renovations at Lakewood High School, as well as renovations to the Cascade Building at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. Slater is providing project management services on a 20-story condo in downtown Tacoma.

MulvannyG2 Architecture

Suzumura

MulvannyG2 Architecture hired international retail design architect Chokaku Suzumura as principal of the retail environments group. Suzumura will lead the retail design team, focusing on mixed-use and specialty retail, as well as regional and lifestyle shopping center projects around the world. Suzumura will also mentor young staff members as the retail group grows. Suzumura has a portfolio of shopping centers, supermarkets and department stores.

Bucher, Willis & Ratliff

Latta

Riordan

The Seattle office of Bucher, Willis & Ratliff added business development specialist Marcy Latta and senior airport planner Charles Riordan. Latta will lead business development and public relations for the Seattle office. Riordan will help develop the Northwest aviation services market for BWR. The engineering, planning and architecture firm is based in Kansas City, Mo.

Berger/ABAM Engineers

Wells

Wiessner

Howard Wells and Cori Wiessner have joined Berger/ABAM Engineers at the office in Portland. Wells has 14 years of experience in structural, transportation and telecom engineering. His background includes structural analysis, design and construction services. Wiessner has six years of civil engineering experience and was previously employed by the Washington State Department of Transportation, Southwest Region, as a design engineer and construction inspector.

Walker Macy

Cochran

Johnson

Wolfe

Walker Macy recently promoted Chelsea Cochran, Ben Johnson and Colleen Wolfe to project managers. Cochran has focused on design and construction documentation, with an emphasis on sustainable design. Johnson's expertise includes campus planning, community planning, park planning and design, mixed-use, courtyards, stormwater features and trail mapping. Wolfe's experience includes master planning, urban site design, housing projects and public and private gardens.

Brown and Caldwell

The instrumentation and controls group of Brown and Caldwell recently added Wayne Strand, David Wagner and Karl Herrick to its Seattle office. Strand is a principal engineer with 20 years experience in controls systems. Wagner and Herrick joined the group as electrical and process control engineers. Scott Anschell joined the business consulting practice group and has experience with risk analysis and economic analysis on hydroelectric projects. Scott Tobiason was hired as a principal engineer for the water resources group. He has experience in airport water quality issues.

Callison Architecture

Callison added three health care design staff members. They are facility designer Jae Kim, associate principal; and design managers Bill Hutchinson and Jason McCleary, also associates. Kim has nine years of experience designing health care facilities worldwide. Hutchinson has 25 years experience in design and management of complex health care and research facilities, including Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland. McCleary's experience includes managing design, construction documentation and construction administration. His prior projects include Skagit Valley Hospital and Good Samaritan Cancer Center in Puyallup.

Wilbur Smith Associates

James L. Zimmerman Jr. has joined Wilbur Smith Associates as senior vice president and group manager of the western group based in Seattle. He will be responsible for meeting the group's 2005 net sales and revenue targets.