Oct 16, 2020

Smartsheet

Bellevue-based Smartsheet was recognized by Comparably for its company culture and workplace benefits. Smartsheet was awarded in categories for happiest employees, best companies for compensation, best companies for perks and benefits, and best companies for work-life balance. Comparably awards are derived from ratings anonymously provided by employees about their workplaces during a 12-month period. Winners are determined on employee feedback in nearly 20 culture metrics, from leadership and work environment to compensation and outlook.

Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technologies signed an agreement valued at $16 million with the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts for Tyler's Odyssey suite of technology products, including Odyssey Case Manager, Odyssey Clerk Edition, Odyssey Judge Edition, Tyler Supervision, and Odyssey File & Serve solutions. This agreement expands the use of Odyssey, already used for most of the state's superior courts, to include the courts of limited jurisdiction. Washington's limited jurisdiction courts process 2 million cases every year, approximately 87% of the state's judicial caseload. Tyler Technologies is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo acquired Clickagy, a provider of artificial intelligence-powered buyer intent data. Along with this acquisition, ZoomInfo is launching Streaming Intent, a solution that identifies companies with above-average search volume on business-to-business topics within minutes of their web activity. Clickagy was founded in 2013 and is based in Atlanta. The entire Clickagy firm is joining ZoomInfo, including founder and CEO Harry Maugans, who will serve as vice president of product management. ZoomInfo provides go-to-market intelligence solutions for more than 15,000 companies worldwide, and has an offices throughout the U.S., including Vancouver.

Lattice Semiconductor

Lattice Semiconductor announced that both its Lattice Propel design environment and Lattice CrossLink-NX won medals at the 2020 Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program Awards. Propel received a gold medal in the software category and CrossLink-NX won a bronze medal in the embedded computing category. Presented by WTWH Media, the LEAP Awards honor outstanding products for use in industrial application design. This year's winners were chosen by an independent panel of 14 industrial engineering and academic professionals. Lattice Semiconductor is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Oct 15, 2020

Liberty Bank

Preston

Liberty Bank, which recently changed its name from Liberty Bay Bank and expanded from Poulsbo to open a new office in Bellevue, has named investor Susan Preston to its board of directors. Preston is managing partner of SeaChange Fund. She taught in the MBA program at the University of Washington and is former chair and lead instructor for the Angel Resource Institute.

Takeda Pharmaceutical

Takeda Pharmaceutical, Accenture and Amazon Web Services have entered into a five-year agreement to accelerate Takeda's digital transformation. This collaboration will leverage cloud and data-driven insights to accelerate drug development, increase operational agility and reduce technology costs. Takeda is headquartered in Japan, Accenture is a professional services company, providing a range of services in strategy and consulting, technology and operations.

Alaska Power & Telephone

Alaska Power & Telephone Company (AP&T) announced that its subsidiary AP&T Wireless, has been selected to receive a $21,545,167 grant award through USDA Rural Utility Service's ReConnect grant program for the “SEALink” broadband project. AP&T will provide over $7 million in matching funds. Funds will be used to construct local networks which will provide high-speed broadband to all premises in Kasaan and Coffman Cove, and to develop and install an estimated 214-mile fiber optic cable between Prince of Wales Island, Petersburg, and Juneau.

Slow Grind Publishing

Seattle-based Slow Grind Media, the media production firm founded and led by NBA-All Star Isaiah Thomas, announced its expansion into publishing with Slow Grind Publishing. Hoops Heist written by Jon Finkel, will be the first offering under Slow Grind Publishing. The book will revolve around Seattle, the Super Sonics and the players who came from this region. Slow Grind Media was founded in 2016.

Bothell apartments receive $36M refi

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Dwight Capital announced late last month the provision of a nearly $36.2 refinancing loan for the Willina Ranch Apartments in Bothell. Dwight's Josh Sasouness and Josh Hoffman originated the transaction. The HUD loan also earned a Green Mortgage Insurance Premium (or MIP) reduction of 25 basis points, according to Dwight, which is based in New York City. The 175-unit Willina Ranch was developed in 2000 by R.D. Manning, which still owns the garden apartment complex, just west of Interstate 405.

Covington roadwork leads to future mixed-use

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Oakpointe Communities recently announced that preliminary work has begun to facilitate LakePointe, a phased development in Covington that could eventually have 1,500 homes. The future 214-acre project is also slated to include 850,000 square feet of retail, hospitality and office space. It'll replace the still-functioning Lakeside Gravel Mine at 18808 S.E. 256th St. (where that street meets Highway 18), with a new 20-acre lake at its center. That land is still owned by the Hawk family, which runs Lakeside. The state has approved a reclamation plan, and the city has approved development plans for LakePointe. Covington mayor Jeff Wagner said in a statement, “It's an honor to partner with Oakpointe Communities and the state of Washington to finally get the Covington Connector moving forward.” That work entails road improvements and extensions near state Route 516 and Highway 18. It's part of a city-state project to which the state has allocated $24 million. Work should last about a year.

Zillow

Adamski

Zillow Group recently announced that Kristina Adamski is a new VP of communications and public affairs. She makes the move from Nissan. Zillow said she'll lead teams dedicated to business and executive communications, financial communications, public affairs, industry communications, thought leadership, brand and market public relations and editorial content.