Jul 21, 2023

Amazon Literary Partnership

Amazon Literary Partnership announced nearly $1 million in grant and sponsorship funding to 93 literary nonprofits across the United States. Amazon Literary Partnership's funding includes support for groups that are working to empower diverse, marginalized, and underrepresented voices, helping writers to create, publish, learn, teach, experiment, and thrive. For the fifth year, Amazon Literary Partnership is working with the Academy of American Poets on the Poetry Fund and with the Community of Literary Magazine and Presses on the Literary Magazine Fund, each awarding more than 15 grants to poetry organizations and literary magazines. Amazon Literary Partnership has provided more than $16 million in funding to 160 organizations since 2009. The 2023 grants represent recipients in more than 40 states, including Clarion West, Seattle; Hugo House, Seattle; Literary Arts, Portland; Seattle Arts & Lectures, Seattle; Alaska Quarterly Review, Anchorage; Humanities Washington, Seattle; Poetry Northwest, Seattle; and Pongo Poetry Project, Seattle.

Energy Northwest

Energy Northwest and X-Energy Reactor Company, a developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation, signed a joint development agreement for up to 12 Xe-100 advanced small modular reactors in central Washington capable of generating up to a total of 960 megawatts of carbon-free electricity. Energy Northwest expects to bring the first Xe-100 module online by 2030. Energy Northwest owns or operates numerous clean energy generating facilities throughout the Northwest region of the United States, including Columbia Generating Station in Richland. Under the JDA, the Xe-100 project is expected to be developed at a site controlled by Energy Northwest adjacent to Columbia Generating Station. Energy Northwest and X-energy have engaged extensively on plans for an Xe-100 facility in central Washington since 2020. The JDA defines and details the scope, location, and schedule under which the commercial development of the project will move forward. The companies will also work together to determine the best approaches to licensing and regulatory matters, as well as the project delivery model. Energy Northwest is a Washington state public power joint operating agency and a provider of carbon-free electricity. Energy Northwest comprises 28 public power member utilities, serving more than 1.5 million customers.

Tanium

Kirkland-based Tanium has been named by Great Place To Work and Fortune as one of the 2023 Best Workplaces for Millennials. This marks Tanium's fourth consecutive annual placement. To determine the Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials List, Great Place To Work collected nearly 500,000 responses from millennials at eligible companies. Honorees are selected based on their ability to offer positive outcomes for employees regardless of job role, race, gender, sexual orientation, work status, or other demographic identifier. Tanium provides converged endpoint management (XEM), and is used to manage complex security and technology environments by integrating workflows across IT, Risk, Compliance, and Security into a single platform.

Jul 20, 2023

City of Tacoma

City Manager Elizabeth Pauli appointed Nicole Emery City Clerk effective Aug. 14. Emery will oversee the City Council's agenda and business meetings, the official record of all formal meetings of the City Council, and the incorporation of all passed ordinances into the Tacoma Municipal Code. She will also serve as the city of Tacoma's municipal election official, and assist in the initiative and referendum process. For nearly four years, Emery served as an office administrator in the City Manager's Office providing direct support to the Office of the Mayor with duties related to public records and public meeting administration and support. Prior to that position, she spent six years in the City Clerk's Office where she acquired first-hand experience supporting the City's Charter Review process, onboarding new staff, and finalizing the City Council's agenda and meetings. The City Clerk position is appointed by the City Manager pursuant to City of Tacoma Charter.

The Standard

The Standard promoted Tony Soble to regional vice president for Defined Contribution Investment Only sales, where he will work with advisors, outside platform wholesalers and third-party administrators. Soble has more than 17 years of experience in the retirement plan and financial services industry. He held previous roles at The Standard and as an advisor at Principal Financial Group and OneAmerica working with retirement plans supporting plan sponsors, participants, advisors and TPAs. Soble earned an Associate of Arts degree from Broward College in Florida, in addition to FINRA Series 6, Series 7 and NASAA 63 and 65 licenses. Soble also earned the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation. The Standard, based in Portland, is a family of businesses providing financial products and services for groups and individuals.

Perimetrics

Redmond-based Perimetrics, an artificial intelligence dental diagnostics company, announced the creation of its Clinical Advisory Board consisting of industry leaders in general dentistry, endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics. Made up of eight founding members, the Perimetrics Clinical Advisory Board will provide strategic and clinical insights as the company seeks regulatory approval for InnerView Technology, a dental diagnostic system to detect cracks, failing restorations and mobility in teeth. The Clinical Advisory Board Members include: Jeffrey Dalin, who practices general dentistry at his private practice in St. Louis; Jack Ferracane, professor and chair of the Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Biosciences at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland; Robert Kelly, professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut Health Sciences, Institute of Materials Science; Kenneth Malament, clinical professor of Dental Medicine and Prosthodontics at Tufts University; Linda Niessen, vice provost for Oral Health Affairs at Kansas City University, and founding dean and professor for the KCU College of Dental Medicine in Joplin, Missouri; Clifford Ruddle, founder and director of Advanced Endodontics, an educational organization focused on endodontic technologies and techniques; E. Todd Scheyer, board-certified periodontist at Perio Health Professionals in Houston; and John West, founder and practicing endodontist at the Center for Endodontics in Tacoma, and an affiliate associate professor at the University of Washington.

NAIOP focus on Fremont

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Circle Aug. 24 in your calendars. That's the date of NAIOP's annual Change Makers event. This year the focus will be on “how Seattle's neighborhoods are coming back from the pandemic, and encouraging sustainable practices around commuting and community building,” says NAIOP. The event will center on Fremont, the self-proclaimed center of the universe, and it'll take place at the handsome Fremont Crossing complex, just south across the Fremont Bridge in what's actually north Queen Anne. That project, which incorporates landmarked 1921 Bleitz Funeral Home (now fully leased), was designed by SkB Architects and built by Foushee. Newmark represents the vacant new west addition, and the NAIOP event will be held in its fourth-floor penthouse. Details and registration: naiopwa.org.

Harbor Custom Development

Habersetzer

Harbor Custom Development announced a raft of key personnel changes last week. First, the firm's founder and CEO Sterling Griffin announced his retirement at the annual shareholders meeting. Jeff Habersetzer will now serve as interim president and CEO. Griffin said in a statement, “I am confident in interim CEO Jeff Habersetzer's ability to manage this transition successfully. His determination and strategic vision for Harbor's future will provide the company with a solid platform for prosperity focused on enhancing shareholder value.” Second, four new promotions were announced. Yoshi Niino becomes chief accounting officer. Kyla Sawtell has been elevated to VP of operations. Mark Long is now VP of development and construction. And Jennifer Lang rises to VP of marketing.