Dec 24, 2013

Hermanson Co.

McDonald

Kent-based mechanical contractor Hermanson Co. made Jason M. McDonald a partner and member of the leadership team. McDonald has been the company's estimating manager since 2011, where he improved project data tracking and estimating. He will continue to manage estimating and project cost information services, as well as project development, cost estimating and value engineering for select clients. McDonald formerly was mechanical estimating leader for both W.A. Botting Co. of Seattle and Sun Mechanical Contracting of Tucson, Ariz.

SMACNA-Western Washington

Reynolds

Jim Reynolds of PSF Mechanical was recently installed as president of SMACNA-Western Washington for a two-year term. Reynolds succeeds Doug Happe of Emerald Aire, who remains on the board as chapter councilor. Also elected to the 2014-15 board are Rick Hermanson of Hermanson Co. as vice president and Eric van der Veen of Holaday-Parks as secretary/treasurer. Newly elected trustees are Ned Gebert of McKinstry Co. and Tom Montgomery of ACCO Engineered Systems. Returning trustees are Brian Fluetsch of Sunset Air and Helga Rebitzer of Olympia Sheet Metal.

Port of Seattle, Sound Transit, WSDOT

The Port of Seattle, Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation recognized three companies with Champion of Inclusion awards at the Fourth Annual Prime Contractor & Consultant Champion Awards and Business After-Hours Reception. Each agency handed out an award at the event. The winners were: Regency Northwest Construction, from the Port of Seattle; Hoffman Construction Co., from Sound Transit; and Scarsella Brothers, from WSDOT.

Sound Transit

The Sound Transit Board of Directors elected King County Executive Dow Constantine chair for the next two years starting Jan. 1. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and Everett City Councilmember Paul Roberts will be vice chairs. In 2014 crews will begin the tunneling under the University of Washington and Roosevelt to Northgate. In 2015 the agency will begin construction of East Link.

KCTS 9

KCTS 9 hired Tom Cohen as vice president of content. Cohen will direct content production units, including broadcast, online and community engagement, as well as programming and distribution. He starts in January.

Dec 20, 2013

LifeWise Health Plan

Havens

Jim Havens has been promoted from vice president and general manager at Premera Blue Cross to president and CEO of LifeWise Health Plan of Washington, which has more than 100,000 members.

King County Library System

King County Library System said its long-time director, Bill Ptacek, has been named CEO of Calgary Public Library in Alberta, Canada, and will start that new job Feb. 1. He has led KCLS since 1989. In 1990, KCLS operated 36 libraries, and annual circulation was about nine million items. Annual circulation now is more than 22 million items, and KCLS typically shares one of the top three spots for highest circulating public libraries in the U.S. Julie Brand, director of Community Relations & Marketing, will serve as interim director until a new director is hired.

Dec 19, 2013

Bank of America

Bank of America said Anthony DiBlasi has been named market president for Seattle and state president for Washington. He will focus on strategy and oversee social responsibility activities including philanthropy, community development lending and investing, employee volunteerism, environmental initiatives, diversity efforts, and arts and culture projects. DiBlasi is director of the Evergreen Complex for Merrill Lynch U.S. Wealth Management and manages Washington and northern Idaho.

Marten Law

Brian Ferrasci-O'Malley has joined Marten Law. His practice focuses on environmental and natural resource litigation, permitting and review, helping clients with CERCLA, MTCA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Endangered Species Act issues. He was an environmental consultant involved in habitat restoration and conservation projects in Washington and Montana.

Colliers adds McKay and Chhan

Chhan

McKay

Colliers International added Tim McKay and Dan Chhan to the Seattle office as senior vice presidents. They specialize in multifamily investments, and have worked for a combined 13 years in the industry. They were last with Marcus and Millichap where they closed more than $120 million in sales. Colliers has more than 13,500 employees in 62 countries.

Seattle King County Realtors awards

Rippeteau

Seattle King County Realtors honored 11 brokers and companies this year. Jerry Rippeteau, a managing broker at Windermere Real Estate, was named Realtor of the Year. Barb Schwarz earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for staging homes. Other winners were Michael Goodheim, Commission Express of Western Washington; Thach Nguyen, Michael Orbino, Rachel Adler and Tyler McKenzie of John L. Scott Real Estate; Tina Mitchell, host of the Money Hour on 570 KVI; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Val Towler of Seattle King County Realtors; and Tina McDonough of Re/Max Select Real Estate. Seattle King County Realtors has more than 5,000 members and is a local affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

NAIOP South Sound forecast

Lynn Michaelis, senior economist and president of Strategic Economic Analysis, will give his 2014 outlook as part of NAIOP's South Sound Economic Forecast at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 23 in the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center at 1500 Broadway. A panel will talk about commercial real estate and where the market is headed. For information or to register, visit: http://www.naiopwa.org

Andover handles five big sales

Brokers from Andover Co./Corfac International have made five big sales in the last 90 days. Jeff Crane represented the seller of the Harrison Building, an 18,220-square-foot industrial building in Kent that sold for $1.8 million. Arne Svendsen represented the buyer of Bon Vista Apartments, a 15,000-square-foot building in Greenwood that is set to close early next year. Mike Hemphill represented the seller of a 7,800-square-foot office building in Kent that sold for $1.2 million. Dave Dunn represented Carpinito Farms LLC in buying 489 acres in Stevens County for $750,000. Jeff Crane represented the buyer of 3.15 acres of land in Kent that sold for $2.3 million. Andover Co./Corfac was established in 1978 and has 15 brokers who specialize in industrial, office and land in south King and Pierce counties.