Oct 12, 2007

Columbia Bank

Columbia Bank in Tacoma announced Kevin Meabon and Kit Gerwels were promoted to vice president and Michelle Hill was promoted to assistant vice president. Meabon and Gerwels were commercial banking officers. Hill was a bank security manager.

Safeway

Greg Sparks, president of the Seattle Division of Safeway, will accept the 2007 Thomas Medal from Nobel laureate Lee Hartwell, president and director of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Oct 11, 2007

Davis Wright Tremaine

The Seattle office of law firm Davis Wright Tremaine hired Rachel E. Dobrow Stone. Dobrow Stone will work on advising health care entities on regulatory, compliance and transactional matters. She worked at Miller Nash.

Betts, Patterson & Mines

Seattle law firm Betts, Patterson & Mines hired Candace M. Minerich as an associate in the Complex Litigation Practice Group. Minerich will concentrate on construction defects and insurance defense.

Extraordinary Dining Society

Jake Kosseff will launch the Extraordinary Dining Society with its first event on Nov. 29. The society will offer a series of dinners featuring rare vintage wines and cuisine from local chefs that take place at different restaurants. The first event will be at The Herbfarm and will be a nine-course meal that costs $1,500 per person. Cost of other meals will vary based on food and wine served. Kosseff is a sommelier and operates a wine consulting business. For more information, e-mail Kosseff at dine@extraordinarydiningsociety.com.

The Blume Co.

The Blume Co. promoted Tara Raymond to director of marketing and community relations. The company is developing 1100 Eastlake, a speculative high-tech office and laboratory building scheduled to be completed in August of 2008. She will focus on marketing 1100 Eastlake and other projects. Raymond has worked at The Blume Co. for more than four years. Blume has 2 million square feet of projects completed or planned in the region.

ek Real Estate Group

ek Real Estate Group has added two agents. Brothers Larry and Dan Wilcynski bring 15 years' combined experience serving in-city home buyers and sellers. Larry Wilcynski spent nearly a decade at John L. Scott Real Estate. Dan Wilcynski began his real estate career five years ago at John L. Scott.

Pacific Retirement Services

Medford, Ore.-based Pacific Retirement Services, a not-for-profit developer and manager of retirement communities, promoted Jennifer Jacobs to vice president, media services. Jacobs has managed the firm's in-house advertising agency, which handles 50 retirement communities and service organizations in Oregon, Washington, California, and Texas. The company also hired Andrew (Andy) Ferchland as development manager. He was founder of Darkhorse Construction in Oregon City, Ore., and also worked for JCW, Inc., in Portland and Sunterra Resorts in Las Vegas.

REAPS meeting on Oct. 25

“Land and Distressed Commercial Properties” is the topic of the Oct. 25 REAPS meeting at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus from 7 to 10 p.m. The speakers are Jason Gilbert and Terry Hale. Cost is $15 for non-members and free for members. Reservations are recommended and can be made online at http://www.reapsweb.com. The speakers also will conduct a full-day seminar at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland on Saturday, Oct. 27. Register online go to http://www.reapsweb.com. Fee for advance reservation is $69 ($79 at the door). The Real Estate Association of Puget Sound is a not-for-profit that provides educational, informational and networking resources for real estate investors.