Jun 28, 2019

PNNL

Williams

Dr. Joseph Williams is the new director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Seattle office. Williams advised Gov. Jay Inslee for three years on tech industry policy. Before that, he was an executive with Microsoft and Sun Microsystems, and was dean of the School of Business, Government and Economics at Seattle Pacific University.

Leafly

Leafly, a Seattle-based cannabis technology company, hired Leslie Grandy as chief product officer. Grandy has led product development for Apple, T-Mobile, Best Buy and Discovery Communications. She also advised Starbucks, Oracle Utilities and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers on product development and customer experience.

Symetra

Bellevue-based Symetra Life Insurance Co. is the first founding partner and sponsor of the National Hockey League's 32nd franchise, New Arena at Seattle Center and Northgate Ice Centre. Symetra recently inked the deal with Oak View Group and Seattle Hockey Partners.

Washington Health Benefit Exchange

Jim Crawford is the new CFO of Washington Health Benefit Exchange, operator of the state's online health insurance marketplace Washington Healthplanfinder. Crawford has over two decades of public service, including senior level fiscal positions in state agencies, the Legislature and the governor's office. Most recently he was assistant director of the Budget Division of the state Office of Financial Management. He replaces Carole Holland, who is retiring after four years with the exchange and 26 years in the public sector.

Jun 27, 2019

Miller Nash Graham & Dunn

Twitchell

The law firm of Miller Nash Graham & Dunn added Brenton Twitchell in its Seattle office and Max Forer in its Portland office. Twitchell focuses on corporate transactional law, with clients in the biotech, technology, food and beverage, manufacturing, real estate and banking industries. Forer focuses on corporate, real estate and construction matters.

The Seattle Times

Sharon Pian Chan, vice president of innovation, product and development at The Seattle Times, is leaving the paper to join The New York Times. The Seattle Times says it is reorganizing Chan's role, adding product responsibility to Kati Erwert and promoting her to senior vice president. Business intelligence, formerly under Chan, has been assigned to Curtis Huber, senior director of audience. The paper is also seeking a vice president of development for community funding of public service journalism. Chan joined the Times in 1999 as a reporting intern.

Ryder System

Ryder System opened a 16,000-square-foot maintenance facility at 3919 88th St. N.E. in Marysville. The facility has nine work stations, two mobile maintenance units, an exterior covered truck wash bay and a rental counter for commercial vehicles. Ryder provides commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation and supply chain solutions.

Ernst & Young

Winners of 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year for the Pacific Northwest are Jordan Allen of Stay Alfred, Madeline Haydon of Nutpods, Alissa Leinonen of Gourmondo Co., Chris Moore of Concord Technologies, Kyle Stavig of Myers Container, Karl Siebrecht of Flexe, Rajeev Singh of Accolade and Jessie Woolley-Wilson of DreamBox Learning. All are eligible for the program's national awards. Ernst & Young is the program's founder.