Jan 15, 2025

Magnusson Klemencic Associates

Aswegan

Kevin Aswegan, a principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), has been named a Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Fellow by The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The designation recognizes accomplished SEI members as leaders and mentors in the structural engineering profession.

Aswegan's contributions to the engineering profession include authorship of the book, “Design and Performance of Tall Buildings for Wind,” and his industry leadership related to seismicity and performance-based design.

He is the leader of MKA's Performance-Based Design Technical Specialist Team (TST) and a member of the firm's Earthquake and Wind TSTs. His latest project, ATX Tower, for which he was structural project manager, is under construction in Austin, TX, and is the world's first high-rise tower to incorporate the ASCE Prestandard for Performance-Based Wind Design (PBWD). PBWD is revolutionizing how tall buildings are designed for wind loads, creating more reliable, lower-carbon, and less costly buildings.

With this designation, Aswegan joins fellow MKA SEI Fellows Ron Klemencic, chairman and CEO; John Hooper, senior principal; and Jon Magnusson, chairman emeritus.

PCS Structural Solutions

Mount

PCS Structural Solutions welcomed Christopher Mount as associate in the firm's Portland office and Christian Serrano as design engineer in the Seattle office.

Mount graduated with a master's in civil engineering from Texas A&M. He brings over 17 years structural engineering and client service experience.

Currently, Mount is providing structural project management for Sunset High School and Whitford Middle School Remodels and structural design for Hunts Point Residence.

Serrano is a graduate of the University of Washington. Serrano is currently working on structural design for the Lower Columbia College Center for Vocational & Transitional Studies and Commadore Options School and Ordway Elementary School Seismic Retrofits.

Reid Middleton, Inc.

Gaston

Shrope

Richey

Greisz

Wulff

Yerokhin

Haile

In Everett, Reid Middleton hired Ashley Wulff, as a marketing coordinator. Wulff will support marketing proposals efforts.

The Civil Engineering Group hired Jared Greisz as a designer II, Shayne Richey as a designer I, and Jason Shrope as a senior engineer. Greisz will focus on site development and drainage projects. Richey will work on transportation projects. Shrope brings 27 years of civil engineering experience.

The Structural Engineering Group hired John Paul Gaston as a designer II, Solomon Haile as a project engineer, and Ruvim Yerokhin as a designer I. Gaston was an intern at Reid Middleton and chose to join the firm after graduation. Haile brings nine years of structural engineering experience and Yerokhin has two years of structural engineering experience.

The Survey Group hired Ralph Hayden as a project surveyor and Rachelle Palmer as a survey technician. Hayden brings six years of surveying experience. Palmer will be focused on field survey work.

The Waterfront Group hired Jason Kikuta as a senior engineer. Kikuta has 19 years of waterfront engineering experience.

Jan 14, 2025

Badgley Phelps

Phelps

Thomas

Badgley Phelps Wealth Managers has appointed Tim Thomas as the firm's next chief investment officer, succeeding Steve Phelps. In January 2024, Phelps transitioned from his role as CEO after 25 years. He will remain a wealth manager and research analyst with the firm, focusing on building client relationships. Thomas joined Badgley Phelps in 2008 as an investment manager. His career spans more than 27 years in financial services and portfolio and investment management. Prior to his CIO appointment, Thomas served as the firm's director of research. He has taken on leadership responsibilities and specializes in security analysis and selection, portfolio construction, asset allocation, and alternative investments. “This smooth transition of leadership is a testament to our ability of empowering employees and placing them in the positions where they flourish the most,” said Badgley Phelps CEO and wealth manager Julie Parisio Roy. “Our roots at Badgley Phelps are in investments, and I'm confident this team will kick off the new year with the same dedicated service to our clients.” Based in the Pacific Northwest, Badgley Phelps has offices in Seattle, Idaho and Virginia, and serves clients nationwide. Badgley Phelps has been a Focus Financial partner firm since 2021.

DPR Construction

DPR Construction is making leadership transitions to support its growing operations in the northwest United States and California's Bay Area. Jack Poindexter will lead DPR's Northwest region, encompassing California's Bay Area, Sacramento, and Pacific Northwest business units, and will be a member of DPR's Leadership Team. Since joining DPR in 1999, Poindexter has worked across the United States on projects across core markets, including some of DPR's most significant Bay Area projects, such as UCSF Medical Center Mission Bay and the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. Since 2021, he has been integral in building DPR's self-perform work capabilities — including concrete, drywall and mass timber — while also building, expanding and scaling DPR's teams and services throughout the Northwest. DPR's Northwest Region is home to nearly 1,200 craft and admin employees. In 2025, DPR will open its new Silicon Valley office. This facility will house DPR's regional and corporate operations and a Prefabrication Assembly Facility, which will serve projects up and down the West Coast.

Jan 10, 2025

Mechanical Contractors Association

Leonard

Frank Leonard of the Key Mechanical was elected president of the board of directors of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington for the term 2025-2026. Other newly elected board members include Matt Campbell, vice president, General Mechanical; Geno Timmons, secretary/treasurer, Enviromech; and directors Maria Boyer, MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions; and Jennifer Koch, McKinstry Co. Jeff White of Holmberg Mechanical is the immediate past president. The Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington membership consists of union-signatory plumbing, piping and HVAC/R contractors throughout western Washington. The association’s mission includes developing and promoting the mechanical contracting industry and exploring and supporting industry best practices.

Jan 09, 2025

Kidder Mathews shares holiday bounty

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As 2024 came to an end, Kidder Mathews disclosed the amount raised in its first holiday giving fund: $81,145. The money went to Habitat for Humanity, Home Team Harvest and Feeding America. CEO Bill Frame said in a statement, “We have organized smaller fundraisers in the past, but we are thrilled to make a bigger difference this year through the foundation.” (That's the Kidder Mathews Foundation.) “It's incredible to see what we can accomplish when we combine our efforts, and we're excited to continue building on this tradition in the years ahead.”

Greystone finds over $33M for senior housing

Young

Greystone announced this week that it secured a $33.7 million refinancing package for a quartet of senior housing communities in Oregon. Those beneficiaries weren't specified. The firm's David Young led the effort, and said in a statement, “With recent Medicaid rate increases and capital expenditures completed on the communities, we were seeking to maximize proceeds for this debt request. We sourced a fitting lender after an extensive process working with banks, credit unions and unlevered, A/B tranched, and back-levered debt funds.”

Kidder Mathews

Kyle Graff

Andrew Graff

A little before Christmas, Kidder Mathews announced the hiring of Andrew Graff and Kyle Graff, now both senior VPs with the firm. They were until last month at NAI Puget Sound Properties. The two have deep experience in single-tenant net-lease properties, strip centers and retail pad sites. Andrew Graff said in a statement, “I joined Kidder Mathews because of their unparalleled support, industry expertise and investment sales platform.” Kyle Graff added, “This move opens some exciting opportunities to collaborate with industry experts and leverage the firm's resources, allowing us to share valuable insights and strategies that benefit our clients.”

JLL

Zejdlik

Just before the holidays, JLL shared the news that multifamily broker Casey Zejdlik had joined the firm as a senior director. He was previously with Northmarq, which had absorbed his old shop, CPX. JLL's Corey Marx said in a statement, “We're excited to welcome Casey to our team. His depth of knowledge and experience in multifamily real estate investment will be an asset to our private capital clients.” Said Zejdlik, “I am thrilled to join JLL's esteemed team and look forward to driving success within the multi-housing sector.”

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Schlosser

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) has appointed Jacob Schlosser as vice president of human resources. In this role, Schlosser will oversee all activities related to benefits, compensation and hiring as well as environmental health and safety, learning and development, and university relations. Schlosser began his career at SEL in 2004 as a human resources intern while a student at Washington State University. Over the next 12 years, he held various positions of increasing responsibility within the HR division. In 2017, he transitioned into the Manufacturing division, where he took on leadership of the SEL manufacturing operation in Lewiston, Idaho, before assuming his most recent role as a senior manufacturing director. Schlosser earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Washington State University. Pullman-based SEL invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world.

Ballard Spahr

Ballard Spahr and Lane Powell have completed their combination effective Jan. 1 — creating a firm of more than 750 lawyers in 18 U.S. offices. The combination will expand the firms' collective capabilities in litigation, corporate transactions, real estate, finance and intellectual property. The combined firm will operate under the Ballard Spahr name and will be led by its chair, Peter Michaud. Barbara Duffy, who served as Lane Powell's president, will serve on Ballard Spahr's Executive Committee. Patrick Franke will serve as board observer and co-leader of the firm's Corporate practice, alongside Ballard Spahr's Barbara Lano Rummel. To help introduce the market and Lane Powell clients to Ballard Spahr, the firm may be referred to as Ballard Spahr Lane Powell in the Pacific Northwest during a transition period. The combination will increase across-the-board service offerings in a number of key industries, including banking and finance, health care and senior living, transportation, and life sciences. It expands Ballard Spahr's geographic footprint into the Pacific Northwest, giving the firm new offices in Anchorage, Portland and Seattle. Seattle will be Ballard Spahr's largest office outside of Philadelphia. “Combining with Ballard enables us to bring a far greater range of services — and a national platform — to our clients,” said Duffy. “Ballard Spahr shares our values and our focus on holistic strategy, a team approach, and shared accountability. That has been a hallmark of Lane Powell for 150 years, and our clients can rest assured that it will continue after this combination.”

PSCSC

Mayor Bruce Harrell appointed Queniya Mays to the Public Safety Civil Service Commission (PSCSC). She began her three-year term on Jan. 1. Mays has over 18 years of expertise in human resources roles across the United States Army, city of Seattle, King County, and the state of Washington. In addition to her public service, Mays has contributed to the private and nonprofit sectors. As CEO of JL Consulting Group, and director of HR services and entrepreneurship at Vault89, she oversees programs that provide training and mentorship to previously incarcerated individuals.