Aug 28, 2024

Architects West

Traw

Architects West has hired Justin Traw as an architectural designer. Traw joins the firm's Spokane office with over 13 years of experience in the architectural field. Previously with Collins Woerman in Spokane, Traw brings a wealth of experience across a variety of project types, including nursing school facilities, higher education, residential, and parking garages.

One of his current projects is the new Toyota of Helena dealership in Helena, Montana. Traw is a graduate of the University of Idaho, where he earned both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and his Masters of Architecture

DCI Engineers

Spaulding

Martinez

Woodcock

DCI Engineers has promoted the following individuals at its Seattle headquarters.

Tom Woodcock has been promoted to associate principal, business development manager.

Woodcock leads DCI's business development efforts throughout the Puget Sound region and since joining DCI has established and strengthened relationships across the AEC industry. Prior to joining the firm's corporate headquarters in December 2022, he built the Pacific Northwest market for Bisnow, an events and media company.

Woodcock employs a data-centric approach to drive business development strategy, heavily prioritizing relationships in the industry, and fostering an eco-system rooted in knowledge and connections around DCI.

Jessica Martinez has been promoted to associate, sustainability specialist.

Martinez leads DCI's on-the-ground efforts for the firm's sustainability services, which includes initiatives that support the SE 2050 Commitment. She has led numerous internal and external conversations that address embodied carbon in the built environment and helped launch DCI's Life Cycle Assessment sustainability services, which includes green building rating system documentation for standards like LEED, ILFI, Green Globes, & AEGB.

Erin Spaulding has been promoted to associate, communications manager.

Spaulding leads DCI's corporate communications and is heavily involved in both internal and external storytelling for the firm's 20-plus regional offices. Prior to joining DCI in 2016, she spent five years as a features writer for a newsweekly and contributed to several regional and national publications as a freelance writer, which she continues today. Spaulding is a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), a certified drone pilot, and spreadheads the firm's video/photography efforts.

Parametrix

Bauman

Jim Bauman has joined Parametrix as a principal consultant. He has nearly 40 years of experience in the industry, working on transportation and infrastructure projects including highways, airports, and transit.

Bauman comes to Parametrix from Kiewit Infrastructure Engineers where he served as a design manager and design discipline lead on design-build projects. His project experience has focused on the delivery of major transportation facilities, including light rail systems for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Jose, California; and Sound Transit in Federal Way, Washington. His highway projects include the I-405 widening project in Renton, Washington and the US 97 and US 20 North Bend Corridor in Oregon.

He has led design-build projects for state departments of transportation and transit agencies that range from $5 million to $2.5 billion. Bauman has served on industry design-build committees with the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation.

At Parametrix, Bauman will serve as the civil design lead for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, a multi-state effort to replace the I-5 bridge between Oregon and Washington.

Rolluda Architects

Sun

Jenkins

Gaspay

Pizaña

Bon Hoa

Rolluda Architects recently hired the following individuals.

Ming Hui Bon Hoa has been hired as a project architect.

Bon Hoa has deep work experience and broad exposure to different project types while working for architecture firms in Washington, DC, Virginia, Vancouver and Seattle. Her project portfolio includes hospitals, residential retail and commercial developments, recreation centers, and schools, encompassing all phases.

Bon Hoa graduated from Maryland State University with a bachelor's degree in architecture.

Christina Pizaña has been hired as a designer.

Pizaña has over two decades of experience in the architecture field. She has been involved in various projects, from community-based initiatives and mid-rise multi-family projects to school district developments. A California Polytechnic State University graduate, Pizaña finished a bachelor's degree in architecture with an emphasis on urban design.

Pizaña volunteers in organizations that promote equity and inclusivity in communities, such as the Seattle Design Review Board, Seattle LGBTQ Advisory Board, NOMA NW, RCCR, ERAC & CEAMP Advisory Committee, and Seattle Public Schools.

Jayson Gaspay has been hired as an assistant project coordinator.

Gaspay graduated with a BA in Philosophy and a minor in Diversity at the University of Washington. He's pursuing a career as a project management professional.

Prior to working at Rolluda Architects, he was a top performer in tech sales, a technical account manager at Amazon, and a part of Facebook's user experience research team testing Smartglasses, AR, and VR technology.

Rod Jenkins has been hired as a designer.

Jenkins work portfolio includes commercial, multifamily residences, single-family housing, warehouses, air cargo facilities, and industrial projects. He enjoys architecture work for schools, churches, assisted living facilities, and university housing. He is LEED certified and graduated from Portland State University.

Jian Sun has been hired as a designer.

Sun brings a new perspective to architecture through ten years of structural engineering work. He has a master's degree in architecture from the University of Washington and in-depth project engineering and management experience through his work at a Canadian firm. He aims to combine architecture and engineering design concepts to provide sustainable building spaces and environments.

Aug 27, 2024

Rock Project Management Services

Welsh-LaViers

Renton-based Rock Project Management Services hired Renee “Rae” Welsh-LaViers as business manager and accountant. She has more than 30 years of experience in accounting, procurement, contract negotiations and human resources. Welsh-LaViers has devoted her career to optimizing the financial success of companies whether in manufacturing, non-profit, or project management. Welsh-LaViers has donated much of her time to the Wounded Warrior Project, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the city of Enumclaw's Advisory Board.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services announced the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region. Developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and nonprofit organizations, will have greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from AWS data centers located in Malaysia. As part of its long-term commitment, AWS is planning to invest an estimated $6.2 billion in Malaysia through 2038. The construction and operation of the new AWS Region is estimated to support an average of more than 3,500 full-time equivalent jobs at external businesses annually through 2038. These jobs, including construction, facility maintenance, engineering, telecommunications, and others within the country's broader economy, will be part of the AWS supply chain in Malaysia. With the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region, AWS has 108 Availability Zones across 34 geographic regions, with announced plans to launch 18 more Availability Zones and six more AWS Regions in Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.

State of Alaska

Alaska is partnering with Omada Health, a virtual between-visit healthcare provider, to expand virtual care access to thousands of residents in rural areas across the state. The state's Fresh Start Campaign provides free health programs and resources to eligible residents, including Omada's prevention, hypertension, and diabetes behavior change programs. Through the Omada program, residents are matched with an Omada coach–and either a certified diabetes or hypertension specialist, depending on the program–to help them eat healthier, move more, lose weight, prevent or manage diabetes, and maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure. Omada Health is based in San Francisco.

Aug 23, 2024

Emerald Heights

For the 13th consecutive year, Emerald Heights, a senior living community in Redmond, received an ‘A-' rating from Fitch Ratings. The ‘A-' rating is a reflection of Emerald Heights' financial profile, market position, high occupancy rates, and growth opportunities. In 2023, Emerald Heights began construction on its new independent living facility, which opened in April 2024. Emerald Heights is now in process of constructing its assisted living expansion project which is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year with expected opening in 2025. The assisted living project, FirView, will offer 54 apartments, a new dining area, activity rooms, an outdoor patio, under-building parking, and a sky bridge to connect the main buildings. It has an approximate cost of $51 million. Overall, both projects have been largely on budget and on-time. Emerald Heights, sponsored by Emerald Communities, is a not-for-profit senior housing and services organization .

Otto

Otto, a startup building an intelligent and autonomous AI travel agent for business travelers, announced that it has raised a $6 million seed round led by Madrona Ventures, with participation from Direct Travel and angel investors from across the business travel industry, including Erik Blachford, former CEO of Expedia, IAC Travel and Couchsurfing; Barney Harford, former CEO of Orbitz and COO of Uber; and Hugh Crean, CEO of Operix and former CEO of Farecast (acquired by Microsoft). Otto's mission is to create a travel assistant that plans, books and supports you during your trip. Otto is an intelligent agent, utilizing the latest in AI models and methods, that learns from a business traveler their likes and preferences, from their favorite airline, specific flights, and preferred hotels to other travel details. Otto will also provide on-trip support as flights and plans change while in transit. Focused on the business traveler who doesn't have a contracted corporate travel partner, known as unmanaged business travelers, Otto will integrate with key service providers across the business travel industry, including Spotnana and Direct Travel. Steve Singh, the founder of business travel and expense leader SAP Concur and managing director at Madrona, worked with Madrona Venture Labs to conceive and prototype Otto. Singh led the investment for Madrona and will serve as the executive chairman. Michael Gulmann, Otto's founder and CEO, brings over a decade of travel industry product, marketing, and sales experience as the former chief product officer and SVP of marketing of Egencia and SVP/CPO of consumer products of Expedia Group. Otto is based in Seattle, and plans to bring its product to market in six to nine months.