Aug 18, 2021

Convera

Patrick Gauthier, who most recently served as head of Amazon Pay, was announced as the future CEO of Convera, a new business-to-business cross-border payments and foreign exchange solutions provider. Upon closing of the recently announced acquisition of Western Union Business Solutions (WUBS) by Goldfinch Partners and The Baupost Group for $910 million, the business will be renamed Convera. Gauthier and a team of executives filling new roles in the independent company will join WUBS's executive team. Prior to Amazon, Gauthier held senior leadership roles at PayPal and Visa. In addition to the existing leadership team at WUBS, including Andrew Summerill who is expected to serve as chief financial officer following the close, Gauthier will be joined by the following executives taking up roles in the independent company, including: Dharmesh Syal, chief technology officer; Jody Visser, chief transformation officer; and Drew Weinstein, chief commercial officer. Goldfinch Partners' Sean Collins and Bill McNichols and The Baupost Group's Ryan Duffy will join Convera's board of directors. The transaction is expected to close in two stages. In the first closing, expected to be completed in early 2022, the WUBS business, excluding the business that is operated through Western Union International Bank in the European Union and United Kingdom, will transfer to Convera. In the second closing, expected to complete by mid-to-late 2022, the remaining business operated through Western Union International Bank in the European Union and United Kingdom will transfer.

Vouched

John Cao, co-founder and chief product and technology officer of Seattle-based Vouched, has left the company after five years to pursue other interests. The company is conducting a global search to finds its new chief technology officer. Vouched is proprietary artificial intelligence and computer vision that powers end-to-end visual identity verification and fraud detection online in real-time. An expert on more than 700 government-issued identity documents, including driver's licenses, passports, and permanent resident cards, Vouched helps banks, fintechs, cryptocurrency, gig and sharing companies, and hospital and healthcare providers verify users to provide access to critical services instantly.

NuScale Power

NuScale Power has signed a memorandum of understanding with Xcel Energy, a leading energy utility provider, to explore the feasibility of Xcel Energy serving as a plant operator at NuScale Plants. NuScale is a leader in developing advanced small modular reactors that are considered the next generation of carbon-free nuclear plants. NuScale is seeking an experienced nuclear plant operator to provide potential customers with the operational support needed to generate carbon-free energy using advanced reactor technology. Under the MOU, the two parties will examine the potential for Xcel Energy to become NuScale's preferred partner to provide a suite of operational power plant services to NuScale customers based on Xcel Energy's nuclear operational management systems. The MOU does not include a formal operating agreement, but it creates a framework for negotiating definitive agreements for Xcel Energy and NuScale to work together. NuScale is headquartered in Portland, and has offices in Corvallis, Oregon; Rockville, Maryland; Charlotte, North Carolina; Richland, Washington; and London. Xcel Energy is headquartered in Minneapolis.

The Watershed Company

Rogers

Frappier

The Watershed Company hired Kim Frappier, Environmental Planner/ISA Certified Arborist, and Heather Rogers, Planner/Geomorphologist, has become a Licensed Geologist. Frappier is an environmental planner and natural resources project manager with 12 years of experience. She assists the firm in developing technical documents for environmental plans and policies, permitting, forest health and management planning, and natural resource mitigation planning. Rogers has seven years of experience and can now provide clients with additional services including geologic and hydrogeologic assessment and channel migration zone identification and mapping. The Watershed Company provides natural resources assessment, mitigation and restoration design, environmental planning and permitting, stormwater monitoring, arborist, and landscape architecture services.

SMPS Seattle

Chapin

Babb

Crouse

Corley

Michie

Wortman

Bruenn

Sterling

Cochrun

Congdon

Coleman

SMPS Seattle announced their 2021/2022 Board of Directors. The board is as follows: Liz Wasson Coleman, CPSM, Johnston Architects, President, Jessica Congdon, President-Elect, Melanie Cochrun, CPSM, GLY Construction, Immediate Past-President, Ranjana Sterling, Blueline, Secretary, Mary Bruenn, NEXUS bec, Inc., Treasurer, Sarah Wortman, CPSM, GGLO, Director-At-Large: Education, Bill Michie, Lydig Construction, Director-At-Large: Professional Development, Jackie Corley, The Walsh Group, Director-At-Large: Special Events, Rebecca Crouse, David Evans and Associates, Director-At-Large: Membership, Stephanie Babb, Tri Star Team, Director-At-Large: Marketing, Sandy Chapin, UMC, Senior Advisor. The Society for Marketing Professional Services is a diverse community of marketing and business development professionals working together to move the A/E/C industries forward.

Allana Buick and Bers

Kirchev

Allana Buick and Bers hired David Kirchev as a Building Technologist for their Portland team. Kirchev has over two years of experience since graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Portland State University. His work has included designing hundreds of mechanical and stabilizing parts in AutoCAD and Solidworks, performing load modeling and stress testing, and collaborating as the primary engineer on multiple projects. His responsibilities will include building condition assessments, design development, construction management, generating corresponding evaluation reports, and drafting high-quality construction drawings. Allana Buick and Bers is an architectural engineering firm specializing in building envelope systems, roofing, waterproofing, building forensics, mechanical systems and testing.

Aug 17, 2021

Banner Bank

Luetjen

Miller

The Banner Bank executive leadership team announced the retirement of Craig Miller, executive vice president and general counsel for Banner Corporation and its subsidiaries. Sherrey Luetjen has been promoted to those positions effective immediately.

Miller joined Banner in 2016 as executive vice president and general counsel and later assumed the additional role of the company's ethics officer. Miller retires after more than 45 years practicing law, including having previously served as a senior litigation partner at Davis Wright Tremaine, in Seattle. Before her promotion, Luetjen was senior vice president and assistant general counsel. Last year, Luetjen was recognized as a Diligent 2020 Modern Governance 100 recipient. The world-wide award is presented to influential governance leaders for guiding their companies with strong governance practices and providing sharper insights for company leadership. Luetjen has more than 15 years of in-house legal counsel experience at financial services companies and additional related experience advising technology companies. Banner Bank is a Washington-chartered commercial bank that conducts business in Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho, and is part of Banner Corporation, a bank holding company headquartered in Walla Walla.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services announced a global collaboration with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to upgrade its technology infrastructure and develop and deliver new guest services across its 21 hotel brands—including Days Inn, La Quinta, Microtel, Ramada, Super 8, and Wyndham. Moving to AWS enables Wyndham to enhance business performance, reinvest approximately 45% of reduced data center operating costs, and shut down additional physical datacenters, putting it on track to achieve its goal of running 90% of its infrastructure in the cloud. The announcement is part of Wyndham's multiyear digital transformation and investment in technology that automates hotel reservations, supports its franchisees by helping simplify operations, and enhances the guest experience across Wyndham properties globally. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is one of the world's largest hotel franchising companies, with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries on six continents.

Comprehensive Wealth Management

Comprehensive Wealth Management's (CWM) lead advisor and certified financial planner practitioner Brian Lockett was named a 2020 Elite Advisor and recipient of the Two Million Dollar Club Award from Independent Financial Group (IFG). CWM also was recognized for having one of the top advisor websites out of approximately 100 IFG representatives. Lockett has been recognized as an IFG Elite Advisor each year since 2015. The award honors top advisors among the independent broker-dealer's more than 600 registered representatives, who serve clients across 40 U.S. states. Comprehensive Wealth Management is a Pacific Northwest wealth-management firm that partners with clients to achieve their financial goals as prudently as possible.

ABC of Western Washington

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington added Blue Trident and A/D & Sons Transportation Group as new members. Blue Trident is an architecture/engineering and construction services firm primarily working on federal projects. It has a local office, as well as offices in California and Florida. A/D & Sons is a Vancouver-based transportation and logistical services company.

Ritchie Bros.

Vancouver, B.C.-based heavy-equipment auctioneer Ritchie Bros. announced earlier this month that it will acquire Euro Auctions for about $1.08 billion in cash. Founded in 1998, Euro Auctions conducts unreserved heavy-equipment auctions with on-site and online bidding under the brands Euro Auctions and Yoder & Frey. It has over 200 employees in 14 countries. Ritchie says Euro Auctions has considerable presence across Europe and the Middle East, particularly in the U.K. and Germany, and will serve as a platform to accelerate international growth. Ritchie will finance the acquisition through existing cash and new debt. The deal is expected to close later this year or in early 2022.

MN Custom Homes

MN Custom Homes is donating the proceeds from the recent sale of a Bellevue home to the nonprofit Jubilee Reach for its in-school and community outreach programs. The homebuilder says 34 subcontractors and vendors contributed discounts and donations. MN Custom Homes staff and many of its subcontractors also volunteer during Jubilee's annual Service Days to refurbish homes for the elderly or disabled. Privately owned MN Custom Homes specializes in single-family, infill home sites on the Eastside. It was founded in Bellevue in 2011 by Shaun McFadden and Joe Naeseth.

Port of Seattle

The Port of Seattle is giving $2 million to organizations involved in the port's Opportunity Youth Initiative: Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Seattle Goodwill Industries, Seattle Parks Foundation, and Partner in Employment. The port's initiative provides underserved youth with jobs and skills training, with a focus on South Seattle and south King County. Urban League's Construction Trades Program provides youth with hands-on pre-apprenticeship construction training in building tiny homes. Seattle Goodwill and partners operate the Youth Aerospace Program, which helps youth build aviation-related workplace skills and then connects them with aviation jobs. Seattle Goodwill also works with Seattle Central College to provide the Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training program for youth looking for construction careers. Seattle Parks Foundation partners with others to focus on green jobs and maritime careers for youth. Partner in Employment works with Mid Puget Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group to conduct habitat restoration training for youths. Partner in Employment also works with Machinists Institute Youth Academy to provide training in aerospace and advanced manufacturing.