Oct 10, 2023

RHD Enterprises

Garman

Beason

Construction industry veteran Kris Beason is the new CEO of RHD Enterprises. Beason assumed the role from RHD founder Rozanne Garman, who remains as president. Beason has over three decades of experience in construction management, holding executive roles at large construction companies that included Skanska and Mortenson. She has delivered complex projects for Fortune 500 companies and technology start-ups.

RHD says Beason will help with its expansion into the private sector, which is seeing increasing demand for diversity in contracting. As CEO, Beason will focus on client relationships, recruiting top talent and organizational effectiveness. Garman will manage the firm's finances, processes and culture, as she's done for the last 18 years.

“When I launched RHD in 2005, my vision was to create an inclusive company, where women and people of color would find a place to grow their careers by building challenging projects,” said Garman in a news release. “Since then, we've become a magnet, attracting highly skilled people who hit a ceiling at other construction firms.”

Tumwater-based RHD is made up of 50% women and 35% people of color. It focuses its work primarily in the Puget Sound region and recently opened an office in Redmond, but its geographical reach includes projects in Arizona, Montana and California. It works for both public agencies and private companies building office interiors, ground-up industrial facilities and complex renovations. RHD also operates a metal fabrication shop.

Power Systems West

Portland-based Power Systems West, a provider of industrial equipment and solutions, has become an authorized equipment dealer for Atlas Copco Power Technique. The deal brings Atlas Copco's equipment and technology to customers across all five of Power Systems West's branches in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions. Atlas Copco's equipment includes towable Tier 4 generators, energy storage systems, pumps and portable compressors. Power Systems West will also provide aftermarket parts and service for these lines.

Harbor Freight Tools

Steven Ratzlaff of Alaska won $50,000 as one of the 25 winners of the 2023 Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence contest sponsored by Harbor Freight Tools. Ratzlaff teaches the building trades at James T. Hutchison High School in Fairbanks. His program at the school will receive $35,000 of the prize, with Ratzlaff pocketing the remainder. California-based Harbor Freight Tools awarded $1.5 million in this year's contest. There were five grand prizes of $100,000 and 20 additional prizes of $50,000. Among the 50 finalists nationwide were local teachers Matthew Duerre of Enumclaw High School and Don Willson of Battle Ground High School. Over 1,000 applications were received this year for the contest, which recognizes outstanding instruction in skilled trades in U.S. public high schools that inspires students to learn a trade.

Sila

Sila, a next-generation battery materials company, announced it has appointed Rosendo Alvarado as the company's plant manager for its first mass scale production facility in Moses Lake. Alvarado, a Moses Lake native with over 30 years of industry experience, transitions from his role as head of operations at Sila.In his new role, Alvarado will oversee all aspects of the plant functions from staffing and commissioning to orchestrating operations and engineering support. He had a 26-year stint at REC Silicon, where he managed the REC Butte facility, and has experience in commissioning new technology, and plant startup operations at the REC Moses Lake facility. The Moses Lake plant is expected to begin production in 2025. As Sila continues to grow its operations in Moses Lake, the company expects to hire 100 to 500 full-time employees and is working with local high schools, vocational training programs, and community colleges to train and recruit talent for this location. Sila was founded in 2011. Major investors include 8VC, Bessemer Venture Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Coatue, In-Q-Tel, Matrix Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates.

Lattice

Lattice Semiconductor's Lattice Drive solution stack won a 2023 AutoTech Breakthrough Award. Honored in the “Automotive Infotainment Solution of the Year” category, Lattice Drive is designed to accelerate the development of advanced, flexible automotive system designs and applications. The Lattice Drive solution stack provides comprehensive application-specific solutions that combine reference platforms and designs, demos, IP building blocks, and FPGA design tools to accelerate automotive application development and time-to-market. Lattice Semiconductor is based in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Pierce County

The Pierce County Community Navigator team and the city of Lakewood are hosting a free Pierce County Thriving Together Small Business Resource event on Oct. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McGavick Conference Center at Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W. This event will offer small business owners and entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with Pierce County non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community lenders that offer small business support programs and services. Additional details are available at available at http://www.piercecountywa.gov/8165/Thriving-Together-Event

Oct 06, 2023

Snyder

Mullen

Snyder, a Pacific Northwest roofing and waterproofing company, announced a transition in ownership and control of the century-old company. CEO Josh Mullen will assume full ownership of Snyder, following a succession plan created in collaboration with the King family. The full purchase of shares represents a transition of the company's ownership and control from three surviving members of the King family to Mullen. The transition of ownership will have no impact on the day-to-day operations of Snyder or its business model, and underscores Snyder's commitment to local, independent control and expertise within its Oregon and Washington operations. Mullen is a long-time Snyder employee and has been the company's CEO since 2020. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Tigard, Oregon.

Smartsheet

Bellevue-based Smartsheet, an enterprise work management platform, has been named to Fast Company's annual list of Brands That Matter for 2023. Smartsheet was recognized as a top brand in the enterprise category for connecting people to its mission of empowering anyone to drive meaningful change through touchpoints like its world-first Sponsor X initiative and First Residence program, which elevate people and nonprofits doing impactful work in their communities, and its Power Your Process brand campaign, which encourages customers to drive meaningful change in their own work using the Smartsheet platform. The Brands That Matter list honors brands that communicate and demonstrate brand purpose. These companies and nonprofits have built cultural relevance and impact through compelling branding and efforts that naturally extend their presence into the community. Smartsheet launched the world-first Sponsor X initiative in 2022. Smartsheet brought Sponsor X to the United States Grand Prix with The Hidden Genius Project, who train and mentor Black male youth while tackling the misconception there's a lack of Black STEM talent. Most recently, Smartsheet and McLaren racing brought Sponsor X to the British Grand Prix with STEAM Co., a UK-based nonprofit that runs creativity sessions in primary schools and community fetes and festivals across England. With The First Residence, Smartsheet applied this approach to its partnership with Climate Pledge Arena and The Seattle Kraken. Smartsheet extended the signage, space, and visibility of its arena partnership to sponsor a new residency program for Native American artists at Climate Pledge Arena. The residency's first exhibition, “The Salmon People,” was curated by Matika Wilbur in collaboration with Puyallup artist Shaun Peterson. Fast Company, headquartered in New York, is a media brand dedicated to the intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business.