Nov 27, 2018

Guidant Financial

Bellevue-based Guidant Financial in January will open an office in Boise at 9196 W. Emerald St. Jeremy Ames, president and co-founder of Guidant, will lead the new office, which is expected to have nearly 100 staff in 2-3 years working in sales, customer service and administration. Guidant provides financing for small businesses.

Global Health Care

Bellevue-based Global Health Care says it made a substantial investment in Cygnus Design of San Diego. The deal puts GHC founder/CEO Peter N. Grant on Cygnus' board, and Cygnus founder/CEO Steve Aitchison is now senior vice president for technology at GHC. Cygnus has worked with GHC since 1999, coordinating with internet technologies and marketing. GHC administers conferences, webinars and trade shows for the health care industry.

Nov 23, 2018

Stokes Lawrence

Duffy Romnor joined Stokes Lawrence as an associate in the Seattle office's Litigation practice, where she advises clients on employment law, intellectual property and general litigation. Stokes Lawrence also has an office in Yakima.

U-Haul

Grand Auto in Portland has become a dealer of U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment and moving supplies. Grand Auto is at 2400 N.E. 82nd Ave. Luda Ryabchuk owns Grand Auto.

Nov 21, 2018

UW Bothell

Carrie Tzou, an associate professor at the University of Washington Bothell School of Educational Studies, is the new director of the school's Goodlad Institute for Educational Renewal. Tzou takes over for professor Tom Bellamy, the founding director in 2008, who is moving to emeritus status. The institute works with school districts statewide, helping students become better citizens.

HomeStreet Bank

Seattle-based HomeStreet Bank signed a deal to acquire the San Marcos, California, branch of Silvergate Bank. Silvergate's chief banking officer, Dino D'Auria, and his staff are expected to become HomeStreet's San Diego commercial banking team. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2019. It will give HomeStreet five branches in San Diego County.

MOD Pizza

Seattle-based MOD Pizza on Friday will open its 400th location, in Kalispell, Montana. The 10-year-old company operates in 28 states and the United Kingdom.

Nov 20, 2018

TrueBlue

Willis

Lynch

Kahn

Owen

Staffing Industry Analysts named four executives at TrueBlue companies to its Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list. They are: Taryn Owen, president of TrueBlue's PeopleScout; Shannon Kahn, senior vice president of specialty services at PeopleReady; Loree Lynch, senior vice president of operations for Staff Management | SMX; and Kristy Willis, senior vice president and chief sales officer for PeopleReady. Tacoma-based TrueBlue operates several companies that provide workforce solutions.

Skilljar

Sandi Lin, CEO and co-founder of Seattle-based Skilljar, was named Top Woman Leader in SaaS for 2018 by The SaaS Report. The annual awards honor 50 women in SaaS, the software as a service industry. Skilljar is an online training software provider.

Coast Hotels

Coast Hotels added the 115-room Hilltop Inn in Pullman to the 10 properties it operates along the West Coast and Hawaii. The Pullman hotel was renamed Coast Hilltop Inn. Erin Wilson is general manager.

AWIP

Advancing Women in Product, a group empowering women product and tech leaders, launched a Seattle chapter. AWIP says 15 percent of its members are based in Seattle.