Apr 08, 2009

Wilson Engineering

Wilson Engineering hired Michael F. Matthes as senior project manager in Bellingham. Matthes has 20 years of experience as a civil engineer and project manager at educational campuses, hospitals, commercial centers and residential communities in Florida, California and British Columbia. His expertise will expand Wilson's public infrastructure practice.

INCA Engineers

INCA Engineers promoted six employees to department and group managers in its Bellevue office. New department managers are Lisa Pierce, structural department manager; Sandy Glover, transportation department manager; and Hassan Tondravi, mechanical department manager. Perry Cole was promoted to deputy mechanical department manager. New group managers are Ahmet Ozkan, bridge and rail group manager, and James Costello, navigation group manager. Pierce is a manager with 20 years of engineering experience, specializing in structural studies, analysis and design. She has designed and managed large projects including navigation studies, lock designs, Panama Canal water saving basin concepts, bridges, deep foundations and prestressed and post-tensioned concrete structures. Glover has 20 years of experience in project management and design engineering for roadways, transit centers, parking lots, bridges and intersections. Tondravi has 40 years of mechanical design experience in hydroelectric power, pumping plants and other water resource and utility projects in the U.S. and abroad. Cole has 30 years of experience in planning, design and construction of hydroelectric and water resource projects, and is integral to developing the company's hydroelectric services. Ozkan has 19 years of experience designing concrete and steel bridges including segmental, truss, arch, cable-stayed, suspension and movable bridges for highway projects, light rail and freight rail projects, and pedestrian multi-use projects. He is leading a team of structural engineers to design a track bridge over the I-90 floating bridge that will be the world's first light rail vehicle crossing over a floating bridge. Costello has 19 years of experience in design for floating, float-in, and in-the-wet hydraulic structures.

Helix Design Group

Helix Design Group hired Jennifer Weddermann-Hay as an architect with particular focus on business development. Weddermann-Hay has 15 years of experience and her past projects include work at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, condominium projects in Tacoma, and office, higher education and retail projects. She is also an artist and welder, with public and private commissions including a large steel sculpture at the Landing at Hawks Prairie in Lacey.

Morton’s Steakhouse

Morton’s The Steakhouse Seattle promoted Liz Parker to assistant manager. Parker has worked in the restaurant industry for 12 years, nine of which have been at Morton’s Seattle where she has been bartender, server and captain. Morton’s The Steakhouse Seattle is at 1511 Sixth Ave.

RPI

Tukwila-based RPI, a digital image printing company, hired Susan Jackson as vice president of operations. Jackson was senior director of supply chain solutions centers for Philips Electronics North America Corp.

Spacecraft Clothing

Spacecraft Clothing, a designer of hand-crafted clothing and accessories for the snowboard and skate markets, hired Kari Cassidy-Diercks as chief operating officer. Cassidy-Diercks is a founder of the Northwest Next Leaders Council and Executive Women’s Roundtable.

Apr 07, 2009

Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

Rob Blethen has been named publisher of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. He has been associate publisher since September of 2008, and also was director of advertising for the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He will report to Seattle Times Washington Affiliate Newspaper President Michael Shepard. Blethen succeeds Larry Duthie. Duthie retired April 3.

State Department of Revenue

The Washington State Department of Revenue won both of the 2009 national awards announced by the Federation of Tax Administrators, one for its efforts to help taxpayers adjust to a major change to sales tax laws and another for innovative ethics training of its employees.

Workforce Development Council

Marléna Sessions will head the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The nonprofit workforce “think tank” and grant-making organization oversees a large system of employment and training in Seattle and King County. She will replace outgoing Chief Executive Officer Kris Stadelman. Sessions has been chief operations officer. The WDC's budget will increase to include federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding intended to get Americans back to work and to provide youth with summer job opportunities.

DBM Contractors

DBM Contractors hired Jeff Wharton as safety director to replace Bob Birdsall, who is retiring after 40 years with the company. Wharton brings 13 years of safety management experience and has a long history of field experience in construction. He earned a bachelor’s degree in safety and health management from Central Washington University and completed an internship with Sellen Construction. In his new role, Wharton is in charge of DBM’s corporate safety, health and environmental protection functions.

Express Construction

Bellevue’s Express Construction hired Greg Tozer as director of operations. Tozer has 22 years of industry experience on projects ranging from large commercial retail, office and mixed-use to government contracts for on-base military barracks and support facilities. At Express, he is responsible for the company’s safety program. He holds an associate’s degree in construction management from Renton Technical College and attended Central Washington University.

ABC of Western Washington

The Associated Builders & Contractors of Western Washington promoted Aran Buchan to vice president of government and labor affairs. Buchan had served as director of government affairs for the past 2.5 years. In addition to his lobbying work at the state level, he is in charge of ABC’s grassroots efforts, is the staff lead on state and federal PAC fundraising activities, helps members with their labor issues, and supports the chapter’s Government & Legal Affairs Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Central Washington University.

McKinstry

Michael R. Flores has become McKinstry’s director of Energy and Facility Services in the Southwest and is establishing the region’s primary headquarters in Dallas. Flores is the former vice president of Direct Energy’s Demand Response Business in North America. Seattle-based McKinstry is expanding its design-build, operate and maintain operations in the southern United States.

Puget Sound Energy

Three companies that won 2008 Energy Efficiency Action awards from Puget Sound Energy have repeated the honor for 2009. The winners include Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning of Seattle, Washington Energy Services of Seattle and Sunset Air of Lacey. The companies were cited for processing the most residential customer energy-efficiency rebates.

RMC/ACI

The RMC Research & Education Foundation formed a strategic partnership with the American Concrete Institute Foundation to identify research and educational needs within the concrete industry, particularly related to standards. The ACI Foundation is assisting RMC with the dissemination of its final reports and studies. RMC is based in Silver Spring, Md., while ACI is located in Farmington Hills, Mich