Jan 02, 2020

Symetra

Symetra Life Insurance Co. promoted Mindi Work, Andrew Farrell, Phil Bouvier and Dennis Brewer to senior vice presidents. Work also became chief of strategy, a new role for the organization. She joined Symetra in 2006 from Ernst & Young and is a CPA at the Bellevue headquarters. Farrell leads the Retirement Division at the headquarters and is president of Symetra Securities, the company's broker-dealer. Bouvier is in charge of sales and marketing for the individual life insurance group in Massachusetts. Brewer is a senior actuary for the Benefits Division in Connecticut.

Glowforge

Seattle-based startup Glowforge appointed Renuka Ayer as CFO, Nate Kelly as COO and Dr. Maria Klawe as an independent director. Ayer previously worked in finance at GE and Ford. Kelly had stints at Facebook and Tesla. Klawe is president of Harvey Mudd College and former dean of engineering and professor of computer science at Princeton University. Glowforge makes 3D laser printers that cut and etch various materials.

F5 Networks

Seattle-based F5 Networks will pay $1 billion in cash for privately held Shape Security of Santa Clara, California. Shape protects banks, airlines, retailers and government agencies against fraud — including “credential stuffing attacks,” where cybercriminals use stolen passwords from third-party data breaches to take over other online accounts. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of this year.

Amazon

Seattle-based Amazon plans to open a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Deltona, Florida, that will create 500 full-time jobs paying at least $15 an hour. Workers will pick, pack and ship large customer items, such as sports equipment, patio furniture and bicycles. Seefried Industrial Properties is the project's developer.

Dec 31, 2019

Department of Ecology

Watson

Laura Watson is the new director of the state Department of Ecology. Watson was senior assistant attorney general in the Ecology Division of the Attorney General's Office, where she advised and represented Ecology's 10 environmental programs and the agency's administration. She also was deputy solicitor general in the Attorney General's Office. She replaces Maia Bellon, who led the agency for nearly seven years.

ExtraHop

In Seattle, ExtraHop hired Sri Sundaralingam as vice president of product and solutions marketing, and Phil Shigo as vice president of business development and strategic alliances. Sundaralingam was head of product marketing and go-to-market strategy for enterprise security at Symantec. Shigo was alliances executive at New Relic. ExtraHop is a provider of enterprise cyber analytics.

City of Seattle

The city of Seattle is accepting applications until Jan. 24 for several positions on the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, which helps implement the Pedestrian Master Plan. The board advises the mayor and city council, participates in planning and project development, evaluates policies, and makes recommendations to city departments. Seattle residents may apply by submitting a letter of interest and optional resume to Kadie Bell Sata at Kadie.Bell@Seattle.gov. Sata is at (206) 684-5884.

Idaho SBDC

The Idaho Small Business Development Center won a $100,000 Portable Assistance Program award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The money will be used to grow and retain small businesses in north-central Idaho. The center operates out of Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.