May 08, 2009

Aqua Quip

Seattle-based Aqua Quip hired Katrina Basic as controller. Basic has 20 years of experience and previously served as controller at Seattle Pacific Industries, Zumiez and iFloor. Aqua Quip is a 50-year-old Seattle-based pool, spa and hearth products retailer with nine Puget Sound locations.

SiteCrafting

Greater Spokane Inc., the region's chamber of commerce and economic development council, said Tacoma's SiteCrafting has selected the Spokane area for corporate expansion. The Web site design and application company was founded in 1998 by Brian Forth. SiteCrafting will relocate two employees from its Tacoma division to launch the new operation, including General Manager Mike Ash.

Key Tronic

Key Tronic Corp., a provider of electronic manufacturing services in Spokane Valley, said Jack Oehlke has resigned as president and CEO due to health reasons. The board of directors has elected Craig Gates to replace him. Gates has been an employee since October of 1994.

Motricity

Motricity, a Bellevue-based provider of mobile data solutions and services, named Allyn Hebner chief financial officer. Hebner has 30 years of experience and worked at T-Mobile USA. Motricity also hired Jim Smith as chief operating officer, Richard Leigh as general counsel and Deepak Shawan as senior vice president of solutions and services.

May 07, 2009

Salish Lodge & Spa

The Salish Lodge & Spa hired Jack Strong as chef de cuisine of The Dining Room. Strong has 20 years of experience in the culinary industry and was recently chef de cuisine of Kai Restaurant in Chandler, Ariz.

Seattle Youth Violence Prevention

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced Mariko Lockhart will be the inaugural director of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. The effort, launched last year, focuses on about 800 youth most at risk in central, southeast and southwest Seattle. Lockhart was president and state director of Communities In Schools of New Jersey.

SBA Women in Business

Leslie Mackie, founder and head of Macrina Bakery & Cafe in Seattle, has been honored as the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2009 Washington State Women in Business Champion. Mackie is a leader on the national artisan baking scene and a community benefactor.

Colliers International

Doug Frye has been named chairman of the USA Board of Directors for Colliers International, a global affiliation of independently owned commercial real estate firms. Frye is president and chief executive officer of Colliers International in Seattle and has been associated with Colliers since 2001.

Home Realty

Carl Brecht has joined Home Realty as an associate broker. He graduated from the University of Washington Business School in 1975 and worked in real estate in the Midwest for a number of years. Home Realty has four locations and has initiated an expansion program.

Kennedy Associates

Seattle-based institutional real estate advisor Kennedy Associates added Charles “Chuck” Burd and John Clinton “Clint” Hinds to the executive team. They recently left Morgan Stanley's real estate separate account management business. Both will be based in Kennedy's Washington, D.C., office. Burd most recently directed the $8.5 billion real estate separate account business which Morgan Stanley elected to exit. Hinds will oversee the transfer of assets to Kennedy from the account he supervised while at Morgan Stanley. Kennedy has invested and managed $13 billion in development, redevelopment and existing properties in the United States.

Gardner Johnson

Gardner Johnson, LLC has changed its name to Gardner Economics, LLC. There has been no change in the management structure and the company will continue to provide advisory, planning and development services to real estate and related companies. More information is available at http://www.GardnerEconomics.com.

Coalition for the Homeless

The Washington State Coalition for the Homeless will hold its 19th annual conference May 13-15 at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver. Speakers will include Tulin Ozdeger and Eric Tars from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, and Janet Byrd of the Neighborhood Partnership Fund. Tracks will be offered on organization development, community building, 10-year plans and case management. Registration costs $275. For information contact Christine Johansen at christine@endhomelessnesswa.org or (253) 761-7446.

NAIOP South Sound meeting

The NAIOP South Sound breakfast meeting will be held Friday at the Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza, in Tacoma, starting with registration at 7:30 a.m. The topic is “Pathway to Recovery: Changes, Trends, and Opportunities in South Sound Local Government Land Use Policies and Procedures.” The panel will include department directors from Thurston County, Pierce County, DuPont and Puyallup talking about current developer incentives, vesting issues, design requirements and fees. Wayne Reisenauer of Blue Sky Development Services will moderate. To register go to http://www.naiopwa.org.