Apr 22, 2008

Group Health Cooperative

The health plan division of Group Health Cooperative hired Brenda Bruns as executive medical director. Bruns was chief medical officer for Health Net Health Plan of Oregon.

Electronic Evidence Discovery

Kirkland-based Electronic Evidence Discovery, an eDiscovery solutions company, hired Jeff Beard as senior consultant. Beard was the legal services IT manager with Caterpillar.

Nyhus Communications

Nyhus Communications, a Seattle-based public relations and public affairs firm, hired Laura McLeod as an account manager. McLeod will focus on real estate, community development and hospitality clients. She worked at Snohomish County.

Vela Systems

Vela Systems opened an office in Seattle to meet demand for its technology in the Northwest. The company uses software with a tablet PC to replace notebooks and tubes of drawings normally carried by construction personnel. Paul Spadoni is heading up the new office. Spadoni previously was an account executive for Autodesk and Constructware. He also founded Spadoni Construction, a tenant improvement contractor. Vela's new office serves Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and western Canada.

Insulfoam

Tacoma-based Insulfoam promoted Rich Holen to manager of strategic business development in the firm's Carlisle, Pa., office. In his new role, Holen is expanding Insulfoam's national markets, focusing on retail, commercial roofing and below-grade insulation opportunities. He previously served as general manager at the firm's Anderson, S.C., manufacturing facility. Insulfoam makes block-molded expanded polystyrene insulation.

Walsh Construction Co.

Walsh Construction Co. added Dennis Maples as a senior project manager in its Seattle office. Maples has more than 20 years of experience, with a 17-year background managing projects in the public and private sectors. His past work includes residential, education, commercial and historical renovations.

Apr 18, 2008

Everett Community College

Everett Community College has hired John Bonner as its first executive director for corporate training. He will lead the Continuing Education division, which includes customized training for business and industry, corporate training, lifelong learning and the College in the High School program. He worked on training programs while with Shoreline Community College and the University of Washington.

Kent Events Center

SMG, management company for the Kent Events Center, named Tim Higgins as general manager. He was general manager at San Jose State University's Spartan Stadium, general manager of the Stockton Arena and assistant general manager of Nationwide Arena in Ohio. The 6,025-seat arena will house the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds and open in January 2009.

InfoSpace

Bellevue-based InfoSpace promoted Michael Glover to vice president, business development. He joined the firm in 2000 as a business development manager before being promoted to director in 2004 and senior director in 2006. InfoSpace uses metasearch technology to combine the top results from several of the largest online search engines.

Utilities and Transportation Commission

The state hired a new director of pipeline safety to oversee safety programs and inspections of petroleum and natural-gas pipelines. Anne F. Soiza will join the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission April 21. She has managed the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement program. Her technical expertise is in chemical safety systems and emergency response.