Aug 26, 1997

URS to buy Woodward-Clyde for $100M

SAN FRANCISCO -- URS Corp. of San Francisco plans to acquire Woodward-Clyde Group Inc. for $100 million in stock and cash, creating one of the largest engineering firms in the country, the companies announced last week. The deal calls for Denver-based Woodward-Clyde's shareholders to receive $65 million in URS common stock plus $35 million in cash, the companies said in a statement. The companies said the proposed merger will create the fifth-largest U.S. engineering firm, with revenues of about $800 million and more than 6,000 employees. The acquisition, scheduled to close in November, is not expected to have a material impact on URS fiscal 1998 earnings, they said. The transaction is subject to approval by stockholders of both companies as well as regulatory and other approvals. URS specializes in environmental, infrastructure and construction projects and operates 35 offices nationwide. Woodward-Clyde serves clients in the chemical, oil, pharmaceutical, mining and forest products industries, among others, and has 84 offices worldwide. Both companies have offices in Seattle.

Aug 22, 1997

Bogle & Gates

Bogle & Gates, a Seattle law firm, announced the additions of Michael J. Brown, Rebecca Dean, and Craig E. Schuman. Brown will join the firm as a member of the corporate finance and securities practice group; Dean has become of counsel to the firm's labor and employment law practice group; and Schuman serves as of counsel to the technology and intellectual property practice group.

Colliers

Mike Schreck has joined the Bellevue office of Colliers Macaulay Nicolls International as a commercial real estate broker. He specializes in industrial and high-tech properties. Schreck previously worked at CB Commercial.

Aug 19, 1997

Is Midwest air pollution heading east?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Eight Northeast states asked the Clinton administration Thursday to crack down on pollution from Midwest power plants, arguing that wind-borne emissions make it impossible for Northeastern cities to assure healthy air. The Environmental Protection Agency already has said it will direct states in the Midwest to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide coming from power plant smokestacks in an effort to deal with the problems of pollution traveling long distances. "We're really on the same track," Mary Nichols, assistant EPA administrator for air quality, said in an interview, referring to the petitions filed by the Northeast states. But governors from the eight states said they want to keep the heat on the EPA to assure that it acts to force cuts in emissions from smokestacks of coal-burning power plants in Ohio and other Midwest states. The downwind states asking the EPA to take action are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. "We're getting a significant amount of pollution from the Midwest because they're not complying with the Clean Air Act," said Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci. The issue of pollution traveling across state lines has been a source of contention between the two regions for years. Recently, a group of 37 states, after two years of study, concluded that drifting pollution that often travels hundreds of miles from state to state is a significant problem. But states such as Ohio -- as well as Midwestern utilities -- have accused Northeast officials of overstating the effect of pollution from their region. "We could shut down every power plant in Ohio and Northeastern states would still violate federal air quality standards," said Ohio Gov. George Voinovich. He maintained that computer modeling suggests that Ohio contributes less than 5 percent of the Northeast's smog problem. The American Electric Power Corp., one of the major Midwest utilities, called the complaints a smoke screen that attempts to ignore the "millions of cars and trucks that clog their roads." Nichols said the EPA plans to issue regulations in September directing states to curb their nitrogen oxide emissions by as much as 85 percent, with much of the reduction expected to come from power plants.

Aug 15, 1997

Peak Technologies

Peak Technologies Inc. of Bellingham, a diversified Internet software company, has signed a letter of intent for a $2 million financing commitment with Elliott Associates, a New York investment group with over 20 years experience funding growth companies. "The relationship with Elliott and the financing will give Peak additional expertise and funds to strengthen its market position. Financing proceeds will fund the launch of new Java-based software products targeting Internet performance and productivity," said Peak president, Doug Foster.

Aug 14, 1997

Max Sacks International

Max Sacks International, a Seattle-based sales management, consulting and training firm, announced the additions of Ruby Kidd as regional sales manager and Christine Klinner as administrative manager. Kidd will focus on bringing MSI's sales and marketing technologies to the Northwest business community. Klinner will be responsible for all office and administration functions.

Preston Gates & Ellis

Preston Gates & Ellis of Seattle, an international full-service law firm, announced the promotion of Lance W. Behnke as partner in the tax group. Several additions were also announced: Richard A. Moore as associate for litigation; Timothy E. Nielander, Priscilla L. Sulham and Chris Weinstein as associates for intellectual property; and Mark S. Britton as associate for securities.

Aug 13, 1997

Brumbaugh

William "Corky" Brown and Darwin Webb have recently been promoted to associate status with Brumbaugh & Associates. Both are registered landscape architects and senior project managers with over 13 years of local experience. Brown joined Brumbaugh & Associates in 1990 and has managed numerous projects for Microsoft, Boeing and Intel. He is currently working on design for the next phase of Intel's Dupont facility, and managing construction administration for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Microsoft Troon projects. Webb joined the firm last year after spending eight years with the Berger Partnership. He is currently working on design of the ATL expansion in Bothell, the Issaquah Highlands residential community and Safeco's corporate campus in Redmond. He is also managing residential projects throughout the Northwest.

ARIS Corporation

ARIS Corporation of Seattle, an information technology training and consulting company, has been selected by Microsoft to launch technical seminars on Site Server, one of the newest members of the Microsoft BackOffice family of products. The comprehensive two-day seminars will be held during August and September. In the seminar, corporate technology professionals will learn how to personalize sites to deliver the right content to the right people; stage and test business-critical content before deployment; manage and analyze how a site is being used; and build a high-impact electronic commerce site to sell products to customers or for use as a platform for business-to-business commerce applications.