Apr 16, 2025

Art Anderson

Phelps

Hogeberg

Frias

Lawson

Multidisciplinary engineering services firm Art Anderson has hired four new employees this month.

Ian Lawson has been hired as a naval architect/marine engineer. Lawson will work in the firm's Marine Team and be supporting projects focusing on vessel stability, structural analysis, and vessel constructability. He joins Art Anderson with five years of experience as a naval architect for Bristol Harbor Group, Inc based in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Oscar Quintero Frias joins Art Anderson as an electrical engineer. Frias will work in the firm's Architectural and Design Division and be responsible for electrical engineering and related services for a wide range of A&E project types. He brings 15 years of electrical experience as a general manager for the construction firm Games Y Frias S.A.S located in Bucaramanga, Columbia. Frias has also carried the title of electrical engineer inspector.

Erik Hogeberg has been hired as a senior designer and will work in the firm's CADD Division. He will be creating and modifying CAD models and 2D drawings in Revit, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Rhino, SolidWorks, and Civil 3D for a variety of project types. Hogeberg previously held the role as project engineer CAD designer at Sabyr Contractors, Inc based in Tacoma.

Mary Phelps was hired as an administrative assistant supporting general business operations and will assist Art Anderson's Operations Team and Engineering Teams on various projects. Phelps brings years of experience in operations and facilities for small and large companies.

PLS Engineering

Binta

PLS has added to its expanding CADD staff in Vancouver. James Binta comes to PLS with 30 years of CADD design and drafting experience. He is proficient in all versions of Autodesk, AutoCAD, and C3D software design programs. Past projects have included redline revisions for civil, water extension and structural drawings as a project manager. He has dealt with plans for residential, commercial, office buildings, and provided layout of water and sewer utility plans, site plans and grading plans. Binta has created plats of surveys and other deliverables like field data from topographic survey, as-builts, and boundary and ALTA surveys.

Parametrix

Johnson

Mark Johnson has joined Parametrix as a senior consultant. With over 30 years of experience in the transportation field, he has managed a wide variety of bridge, interchange, highway, culvert replacement, and marine projects throughout Washington state.

Johnson comes to Parametrix from Jacobs and has worked with clients such as the city of Seattle, Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State Ferries, and many local agencies. His project experience includes the Move Seattle Levy Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program, the Waterfront Seattle Program, I-90/SR 18 Diverging Diamond Interchange, and Seattle Ferry Terminal at Colman Dock.

At Parametrix, Johnson joins the firm’s bridge and structures practice. Based in Seattle, he will support transportation projects for state and local agencies.

Workpointe

Global furniture dealership Insidesource has merged with Pacific Northwest dealership Workpointe. This alliance positions the combined organizations as one of the largest furniture dealers in the region and among the top ten largest in the United States. Workpointe will become “Workpointe, An Insidesource Company” and be integrated into Insidesource global operations. The merger will provide elevated service capabilities with expanded product portfolios, and premium manufacturer partnerships including Allsteel, HON, Gunlocke and Kimball International “This merger is a game-changer for our presence in the market. It expands our capabilities while preserving our commitment to personalized service,” said Matt Arnold, president of Workpointe. “We will continue to serve our long-standing clients in the manner to which they are accustomed, now with the added strength of Insidesource’s global resources.” Workpointe delivers comprehensive commercial interior solutions across the Pacific Northwest, with specialized expertise serving institutional markets including K-12 schools, higher education facilities, and healthcare environments. With a team of 84 employees, the company provides tailored furniture, space planning, project management, storage, installation, and inventory services. Workpointe is headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Portland and Spokane. Headquartered in San Francisco, Insidesource is a premier Allsteel dealer and provider of workplace solutions, serving clients around the world since 1991.

Apr 15, 2025

Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials

Kwon

Peter Kwon, City of SeaTac councilmember, has been appointed as board liaison for the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) Constituency Group. One of National League of Cities (NLC) six constituency groups, Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials brings together Asian Pacific American municipal leaders to share best practices. Established within NLC in 1985, Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials is a caucus within NLC that provides municipal officials who identify and ally with the Asian Pacific American to connect with their colleagues in a forum to share ideas and develop leadership experience. Kwon served two terms as president of APAMO and is currently serving as the immediate past president. He was also elected to the NLC Board of Directors in November 2024 for a two-year term that began in January of this year.

Hart Insurance Agency

Inszone Insurance Services, a national provider of commercial, personal, and benefits insurance, has merged with Hart Insurance Agency, a personal lines insurance provider based in Federal Way. This strategic merger enhances Inszone's presence in Washington, further expanding its capabilities to deliver insurance solutions in the Pacific Northwest. Hart Insurance, founded in 1967, adopted its current name in 1991. The agency underwent several transformations before Susan Hendricks and her husband took ownership in 1991. Hart Insurance specializes primarily in personal lines, including home, auto, umbrella, and boat insurance. Hendrick shared her reasons for seeking out Inszone: “After my husband retired and with no one to continue the business, finding the right partner became essential. Inszone stood out due to their flexibility, resources, and aligned values. I appreciated that we could maintain our company culture while benefiting from their broader resources and support.” Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Sacramento, Inszone Insurance Services is a full-service insurance brokerage firm offering a wide range of property & casualty and employee benefits solutions.

Bellevue College

Bellevue College has been designated a Leader College by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility in their communities. “We are honored Achieving the Dream selected our institution as a Leader College,” said Bellevue College Provost Dr. Jess Clark. “Since joining ATD, Bellevue College has seen increased markers of student success and retention. We look forward to continuing our commitment to transforming the student experience so that all students will find success at Bellevue College.” Leader Colleges play an important role in accelerating the adoption of effective practices within the ATD Network and across higher education. They are recognized for the quality of their work in whole-college reform, resulting in increased completion rates for all students. Leader Colleges develop innovative ways to work with other colleges to share knowledge and facilitate an exchange of ideas about evidence-based reform strategies. Bellevue College is part of the ATD Network, made up of more than 300 colleges committed to supporting student success at their institutions and promoting economic vitality throughout their communities. Bellevue College has been a member of the ATD Network since 2017.

Apr 11, 2025

GridStor

Portland-based GridStor named Daniel Dedrick as the company's chief technology officer. Dedrick has more than 20 years of experience leading power system engineering, technology development, and project development across multiple energy technologies. He joined GridStor in 2022 and served most recently as the company's senior vice president of engineering, procurement, and construction and technical operations. As CTO, Dedrick will continue reporting to Chris Taylor, CEO of GridStor and will drive the company's technology strategy in alignment with business goals. He will oversee technical operations associated with GridStor's fast-growing portfolio of battery energy storage systems, including transmission and interconnection, EPC, project operations, and asset management. Tony Song, GridStor's vice president of EPC, will step into the role of senior vice president of EPC and add oversight of the company's project construction activities to his responsibilities for project engineering and technology selection. Prior to joining GridStor, Dedrick headed the EPC services and major equipment team at Clearway Energy Group. Dedrick holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. GridStor develops, acquires, and operates utility-scale, standalone battery storage projects primarily across North America.

Suncadia

As Suncadia celebrates its 25th anniversary, the year-round mountain resort community located 80 miles east of Seattle, announced a $40 million growth and development plan that will see an expansion of amenities and residential communities. The $4 million renovation of The Lodge at Suncadia, unveiled in May 2024, marked the beginning of numerous transformative projects set to revitalize and reimagine the resort in 2025 and beyond. Late summer 2024 also saw an expansion of its trail system, and the addition of a 455-foot pump track and playground at Nelson Farm. The centerpiece of these development plans is Suncadia Social, a new community hub that will debut in 2026. Located within walking distance of The Lodge, golf courses, fitness center, and spa, Suncadia Social will feature a variety of shops including grocery, home goods, outdoor gear, as well as restaurants, a wine bar, a coffee shop, new paved pathways, common green spaces, and communal firepits. Suncadia's residential community is also expanding with the development of new mountain bungalows and rowhouses, known as The Residences at Suncadia Social. Updates to guest rooms in The Lodge will begin in fall 2025, and upgrades to the outdoor sanctuary at Glade Spring Spa are scheduled for completion in winter 2025.