Apr 21, 2015

Venture General Contracting

Brown

Carlstrom

Welsh

Weese

Seattle-based Venture General Contracting added Dan Weese as superintendent, Brian Welsh and Erin Carlstrom as project engineers, and Nate Brown as project manager. Weese has 16 years of construction experience in the hospitality, financial, education, medical and government industries. Welsh has seven years of experience in commercial, retail, repair and remediation, and tenant improvements. Carlstrom recently earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Washington State University, and has experience in historic and commercial building renovations. Brown has nine years of experience with multifamily, hospitality, rehabilitation, telecommunications and HVAC-TI projects.

Alston Construction

Alston Construction, a general contractor with 10 offices around the country, opened an office at 6840 Fort Dent Way in Seattle. Kevin Stilwell, a 29-year construction veteran, heads up the new office as vice president and general manager. Stilwell spent nearly 17 years as a leader at Turner Construction's Seattle office. Sacramento, California-based Alston offers general contracting, construction management and design-build services. Its projects range in size from $250,000 to more than $100 million.

Argus Pacific

Olathe, Kansas-based Terracon Consultants bought Argus Pacific and is keeping the Seattle-based company's 16 workers. Argus Pacific offers industrial hygiene consultation and training related to asbestos, lead, mold, hazardous waste, emergency response, and other occupational health and safety topics. Terracon is an engineering consultant with more than 3,500 employees in 150 offices in 42 states.

Port of Seattle

Julie Collins has joined the Port of Seattle's executive team as senior director of public affairs handling government relations, community outreach, strategic communications and airport public relations. She was chief external affairs officer at the Port of Tacoma and serves on the executive Due Diligence team to develop the Seaport Alliance.

Sakuma Family Businesses

Sakuma Family Businesses said Danny R. Weeden is the new president and CEO for the company, which includes Sakuma Bros. Farms, Sakuma Bros. Processing and Norcal Nursery. He succeeds Steven Sakuma, who will continue as chairman of the board. Weeden most recently with Oregon Cherry Growers and also worked at Olympic Foods in Spokane. Sakuma Bros. Farms said it will now will pay harvest pickers an hourly rate of $10/hour plus a production bonus.

Apr 17, 2015

StoveTop Restaurant Group

StoveTop Restaurant Group has signed an agreement to open eight Twin Peaks restaurants in Washington and Oregon. StoveTop is led by CEO Eric Houseman and Brad Clawson, who both worked for Red Robin Gourmet Burgers; and Craig and Michael Colby of The Colby Restaurant Group, which owns several restaurants. Twin Peaks was founded in 2005 near Dallas. The restaurants offer food and beer served in a “mountain sports lodge setting.” The chain has 68 locations in 24 states.

Perkins Coie

Perkins Coie said Thomas Hillier has joined its Commercial Litigation practice as senior counsel to focus on indigent defense pro bono matters, and support the white collar and investigations practice. He was federal public defender for the Western District of Washington for 32 years. Hillier won the Federal Bar Association Outstanding Service Award, the William O. Douglas Award from the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Angelo Petruss Award from the Washington Bar Association.

Apr 16, 2015

LoanStar promotes Morgan

Morgan

LoanStar Home Lending recently promoted Mikayla Morgan to marketing integration manager and coordinator of the marketing department. Morgan has been with the company since November 2013. Her title has been marketing coordinator and regional marketing manager. Morgan will continue to be a “marketing concierge” for LoanStar branches in Bellevue, Vancouver and Walla Walla. LoanStar is a Portland-based mortgage banking firm.

HUD awards $244,000 to two agencies

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $244,527 to two housing agencies in Washington. Washington State Housing Finance Commission got $232,053, and South Sound Outreach in Tacoma got $12,474. The money is part of more than $34 million that HUD recently awarded to 135 housing counseling agencies. HFC works with lenders, investors, developers and nonprofits to create and preserve affordable housing. South Sound Outreach helps homeless seniors, disabled people and others get services.

Berkshire adds Shelton firm

Prudential Northwest Real Estate Shelton has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' network, and will now be called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate Shelton. Kevin Cronquist owns the Shelton brokerage. He said the access to online tools and other resources will help his business grow in Mason County and beyond. Since its launch in September 2013, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has grown to nearly 35,000 agents and 1,100 offices in 47 states.

University of Oregon

Schill

Michael Schill, dean of the law school at University of Chicago, was named president of the University of Oregon. Schill was law school dean at the University of California, Los Angeles, and taught at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania. He has a law degree from Yale University. Shill will be the fifth leader in six years, replacing Interim President Scott Coltrane, who took over when Michael Gottfredson resigned after two years. UO is now led by an independent governing board.

City of Kirkland

Kirkland City Council has extended the contract for City Manager Kurt Triplett through 2020. Triplett was hired in 2010 as city manager. He oversees 10 departments and directs the City Manager's Office programs including neighborhood services, legislative advocacy, council relations, economic development, communications, tourism and volunteers. His annual salary is $184,468.