Apr 09, 2024

Digimarc

Digimarc, a global provider of digital watermarking technologies, named George Karamanos chief legal officer. Karamanos brings nearly two decades of legal leadership and experience advising technology companies including Google, X (formerly Twitter), Spotify, DataRobot and AppDynamics. Karamanos most recently served as CLO at ZipHQ, where he optimized the legal function for deal velocity and go-to-market acceleration. Digimarc also named Joel Meyer vice president of intellectual property and innovation strategy. Meyer previously served as Digimarc's chief legal officer. The company is based in Beaverton, Oregon.

The Standard

Butler

Portland-based Standard Insurance Co. (The Standard) hired Becky Butler as assistant vice president and actuary in Actuarial Transformation. In this role, Butler leads the strategic process, technology decisions and initiatives underway to reimagine and transform the actuarial functions across The Standard. Prior to joining The Standard, Butler led financial reporting, advanced analytics and data strategy for the group protection business at Lincoln Financial. She also has experience modernizing data platforms and leading strategic reporting transformation as well as actuarial, finance and data strategy expertise. Butler earned a bachelor's degree in actuarial mathematics and economics at the University of Michigan. She is also a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Icertis

Bellevue-based Icertis, a global provider of AI-powered contract intelligence, received the 360-degree rating from MGI Research in the firm's latest Contract Lifecycle Management Buyer's Guide, earning the top position among CLM vendors. More than 20 companies were evaluated against criteria such as market visibility and growth, innovation, potential to disrupt the market, ability to deliver value, and demonstrated success via customer and partner references. In addition to earning the highest composite score, Icertis outpaced competitors in solution strength, go-to-market approach, overall strategy, and ability to handle complexity and volume.

Sequoyah Electric

McElroy

Meehan

Neary

Curre

Kosney

Cruth

Jackson

Vogt

Hella

Steinmetz

Sequoyah Electric promoted Sean Kosney, Kyle Curre, Brian Neary, Buddy Meehan and Chris McElroy to principals; and Kristen Steinmetz, Roy Hella, Rick Vogt, Bruce Jackson, Ryan Cruth and Tim Ostlie to associates.

Ostlie

Kosney is chief financial officer, Curre is executive vice president of preconstruction, Neary is Industrial Division manager, and Meehan and McElroy are project executives. Steinmetz is controller, Hella is executive vice president of the Electrical Group, Vogt is field operations manager, Jackson is preconstruction project manager, Cruth is safety director and Ostlie is general superintendent. Sequoyah said the employees were promoted due to their exceptional leadership and contributions to the company. Redmond-based Sequoyah is an electrical and technologies contractor.

Harts Services

Tacoma-based Harts Services changed its name to Harts Plumbers, Electricians and HVAC Technicians in a rebranding effort as it launches new HVAC services. Harts was founded in 2013 as a plumbing and electrical company serving homeowners in the Tacoma and Seattle areas. A company news release says adding HVAC services helps it become a one-stop shop for homeowners.

Harbor Freight Tools

California-based Harbor Freight Tools is again offering $1.5 million in its Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence contest. This year, Harbor Freight plans to honor 25 outstanding public high school skilled trades teachers and their programs. Five grand prize winners will each get $100,000 and 20 others will get $50,000 each. Teachers can submit applications until May 3 to hftforschoolsprize.org. Finalists will be announced on June 11 and winners in the fall.

Apr 05, 2024

Symetra

Galda Joyce

Alexander

Symetra Financial appointed Soraya Alexander and April Galda Joyce to its board of directors. Alexander is chief operating officer of online fundraising platform GoFundMe and president of its subsidiary, Classy. Galda Joyce was most recently CEO and director of Beat Capital Partners Americas. At GoFundMe and Classy, Alexander oversees product, engineering, sales, marketing, technology and operations for the software division. Previously, Alexander was COO at Classy. As a member of the executive team, she played a key role in growing the company's valuation and market presence, resulting in its acquisition by GoFundMe. Prior to Classy, Alexander was with Dick's Sporting Goods as director of loyalty programs and as senior manager, where she led the company's omnichannel customer experience team. At Beat Capital Partners Americas, Galda Joyce established Beat's U.S. platform, capacity and initial managing general agents. She was previously a managing director with Global Atlantic Financial Group, where she held multiple executive roles, most recently as chief culture officer. She also served as one of two Global Atlantic directors at the Forethought Variable Insurance Trust, a $4 billion SEC-registered mutual fund complex. Galda Joyce began her career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York in 1999 before becoming a founding member of the predecessor to Global Atlantic, the Goldman Sachs Reinsurance Group. Symetra is a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue.

Wheelhouse DMG

Wheelhouse DMG hired Laura Chase as senior MarTech strategist. Chase was most recently senior director of web analytics and insights with Providence. Prior to her role at Providence, Chase held several senior roles in enterprise analytics and technology, including head of website testing and analytics for Amazon Web Services, director of digital analytics and optimization for T-Mobile, director of analytics for Overstock.com, senior vice president and global analytics best practices leader for Citi, and senior consultant with Adobe. Chase has experience in data strategy, MarTech, web analytics, and business intelligence in complex enterprises and highly regulated industries. Wheelhouse DMG is a health care digital marketing agency based in Seattle.

Revitalization Partners

Revitalization Partners, a Seattle-based restructuring and turnround company, announced that former corporate executive and senior advisor Richard von Riesen has joined the firm. Von Riesen has over 30 years of experience in CEO, COO and CFO roles as a senior financial, strategic planning and business development executive. His has experience in technology, retail, health care and aerospace, as well as the nonprofit sector. He recently served as executive chairman for a NASA-approved scientific imaging company working on the agency's spaceflight testing of launch and recovery systems. Over the past three decades, von Riesen has led a number of corporate and nonprofit restructurings. His international turnaround and restructuring experience includes advising organizations in London and Shanghai. He currently serves as an advisor to the CEO of a large historic site owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.