Apr 10, 2009

Heavy Restaurant Group

Heavy Restaurant Group hired Chef Mike Davis to head the kitchens of three restaurants set to open this year in Bellevue Towers: Purple Cafe & Wine Bar, Barrio and Bliss. Davis is founder, chef and owner of 26brix in Walla Walla.

Starbucks Coffee

Starbucks Coffee Co. hired Olden Lee as interim executive vice president, partner resources. He will oversee the strategy for human resources and succeeds Chet Kuchinad who resigned due to a family illness. Lee has been a director on Starbucks board since 2003 and previously worked for PepsiCo for 28 years.

Apr 09, 2009

GVA Kidder Mathews

GVA Kidder Mathews has launched a sustainability practice and merged with Bluegreen Consulting. The practice will offer consulting that encourages social, environmental and economic best practices, including sustainability assessments and LEED certification. It will be headed by Monica Smith, who will be senior vice president, Sustainability Practices. She has 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, project management and green building. Smith founded Bluegreen to offer sustainable development consulting for office buildings, commercial interiors and mixed-use projects. She was formerly a partner with Catapult Community Developers and was international real estate manager for Microsoft.

Coast/Sperry Van Ness

Josh Heyum has joined Coast/Sperry Van Ness as a retail, office, and industrial leasing and sales advisor.

NAIOP seminar on troubled times

The NAIOP spring seminar will be held April 15 at the Seattle Sheraton from 8 a.m. to noon. The topic is “Development and Asset Management Strategies in Troubled Times.” A panel will talk about past cycles and how to plan for the future. Shannon Underwood of Underwood Gartland Development will be the moderator. Speakers will include John W. Underwood of Underwood Gartland Development, John Teutsch of Teutsch Partners, Jim Potter of Kauri Investments, Bart Brynestad of Panattoni Development, David J. Gartland of Underwood Gartland Development, Jeff Davis of Davis Property & Investment and Rob Aigner of Harsch Investment Properties. For more information or to register go to http://www.naiop.org.

Real Estate Forum April 15

The Commercial Brokers Association, Washington State Board of Realtors and IREM will present a forum at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center April 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for commercial real estate agents, residential agents and property managers. Those who attend may receive 7.5 continuing education hours. In addition to general sessions, commercial sessions are offered on legal Issues, capital markets, purchase and sale agreements, leases, and 1031 exchanges. NAR Economist John Tuccillo will give an “Economic Outlook and Forecast for 2009-2010 Real Estate Markets: Residential and Commercial.” A lunch panel will cover “Financing Investment Properties in Today's Economic Climate.” For information call (800) 275-2522 or see http://www.commercialmls.com or http://www.warealtor.org.

World Trade Center Tacoma

The World Trade Center Tacoma hired Anthony Hemstad as executive director. Hemstad was recently a consultant and lobbyist, and was previously city manager in Maple Valley. He replaces James McMahan, who left the WTCT in late 2008.

Pedal Bike Tours

Pedal Bike Tours is open in Portland. The business offers door-to-door bike rental and guided tours that highlight the city's unique attributes like coffee houses, wine country, green architecture and historic neighborhoods. Pedal is located at 2249 N. Williams Ave. For more information, visit http://www.pedalbiketours.com.