Jan 07, 2025

NWCCA

Flinn

Knutson

Kahler

Orlosky

Mehrer

Sumison

Harris

The Northwest Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association has elected its officers for 2025, including Kurt Mehrer of Mehrer Drywall as board president. Other officers are vice-president Robert Orlosky of Olympic Interiors, and James Kahler of Northwest Partitions as secretary-treasurer. Directors are Greg Knutson of G.K. Knutson, Andrew Flinn of Firstline Systems, Rick Harris of Performance Contracting, and immediate past-president Nathan Sumsion of Western Partition. The NWCCA mission is to provide exceptional member services, harmonious labor relations through unified employer representation, and the advancement of industry standards to empower and strengthen signatory wall and ceiling contractors' businesses.

King County Superior Court

Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Susan Llorens to the King County Superior Court to fill one of the two new seats approved by the King County Council, effective Jan. 1. Llorens' nearly 20-year legal career includes serving as an assistant attorney general in multiple divisions of the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. Most recently, she has served as a section chief and appellate advisor of the agency's Complex Litigation Division, where she is responsible for opioid-related litigation and manages a team of attorneys and staff in support of that effort. She has also litigated other significant and complex civil cases related to violations of the Consumer Protection Act and the constitutionality of state statutes. Llorens has twice received the attorney genera's Excellence Award for her work. Llorens also previously served as a senior staff attorney for the Court of Appeals, Division I. In addition, Llorens has served as a pro tem judicial officer since 2014, including as a pro tem commissioner for King County Superior Court and a pro tem judge for Seattle Municipal Court. Llorens has presided over a broad range of matters, including those pertaining to dependent children, involuntary commitment proceedings, arraignments, trial setting and sentencing hearings. Llorens earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.

Jan 03, 2025

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson

Beecher

Blankenship

Good

Kusunose

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson appointed Taro Kusunose as its new managing principal. Kusunose has been a principal with the firm since 2008 and is a member of its Corporate & Business Law, Real Estate and Trademark Registration practice groups. He takes the reins from Mario Bianchi, under whose leadership the firm enjoyed sustained growth, celebrated its 50th anniversary, and began the process of a brand refresh. Additionally, Lasher Holzapfel elevated Desiree Good, James Blankenship and Brent Beecher to principals in the firm. Good practices in family law matters, including divorce, child custody, parenting, child support and legal separation. Blankenship is chair of the firm's Employment Law group and a member of Business Litigation Practice group, where he represents and advises employers and employees in disputes involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, wage and hour claims and compliance, and workplace policies. He also represents business entities in complex litigation, professional liability, and regulatory disputes. Beecher litigates a wide array of issues, focusing on trusts and estates, business disputes, insurance coverage and insurance bad faith issues. Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson was founded over 50 years ago in Seattle.

King County Superior Court

Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Jennifer Petersen to the King County Superior Court. She will replace retiring Judge Kristin Richardson, who will retire on Feb. 1. Petersen has focused her 20-year career primarily on representing the people as a trial attorney in the criminal and civil divisions of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. While serving in the criminal division, Petersen tried approximately 80 jury trials, including domestic violence, sexual assault and homicide cases. In the civil division, her practice focused on employment litigation. In addition, Petersen has worked to mentor younger lawyers in her office. She also served as a volunteer facilitator on her office's equity action group, which reviewed the office's filing and disposition standards through the lens of equity and social justice. Petersen earned her bachelor's degree from Central Washington University and her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.

Dec 24, 2024

Lamb Weston Holdings

Smith

Lamb Weston Holdings appointed Michael J. Smith, current chief operating officer of Lamb Weston, as president and chief executive officer and as a member of the company's board of directors, effective Jan. 3. Smith succeeds Thomas P. Werner, who is stepping down as CEO and as a member of the board. Werner will serve in an advisory role through Aug. 31 to ensure a smooth transition. Smith joined Lamb Weston in 2007, and has been chief operating officer since May 2023. Previously, Smith was Lamb Weston's senior vice president and general manager of food service, retail, marketing and innovation and senior vice president, growth and strategy. He holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. Lamb Weston is a supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world, and is headquartered in Eagle, Idaho.

State of Washington

Gov. Jay Inslee announced the short-term appointments of two judicial candidates who were elected to their positions in the November 2024 general election: Sal Mungia, as justice to the Supreme Court, and Mason County Superior Court Commissioner Tirsa Butler as judge to the Mason County Superior Court. Mungia won his campaign to succeed retiring Justice Susan Owens, and Butler won her campaign to succeed retiring Mason County Superior Court Judge Daniel Goodell. Both Justice Owens and Judge Goodell retire effective Dec. 31. By statute the newly elected judicial officers' terms do not begin until Jan. 13. Both candidates requested this short-term appointment so they can begin their work early. These appointments will run from Jan. 1 through Jan. 12, 2025.