Jan 30, 2020

Housing Finance Commission

Rich Nafziger is a new member of the state Housing Finance Commission. Nafziger has worked as an economist in public policy for nearly 35 years and currently teaches economics and public policy at Seattle University's Institute for Public Service. He is serving a four-year term on the commission.

PSEB Group

Mike Egeck next week will step down as CEO of PSEB Group, the operating company for Eddie Bauer and PacSun. Egeck was CEO of Bellevue-based Eddie Bauer before taking the lead at PSEB. He is pursuing a new opportunity outside of the apparel industry and wants to be geographically closer to his family. He will remain as a PSEB shareholder and board member following the transition. PSEB director Jim Gulmi, a 30-year specialty retail veteran, will be interim CEO while the company's board seeks a permanent replacement.

Clearwater Paper

Arsen S. Kitch on April 1 will take over as CEO of Spokane-based Clearwater Paper. Kitch is senior vice president and general manager of the company's consumer products division. He will succeed Linda K. Massman, who will retire after serving as CEO for seven years. The company also announced that Alexander Toeldte will transition from board chair to independent executive chair to ensure an effective leadership transition. A search is underway for the next general manager of the consumer products division. Clearwater supplies private-label tissue to major retailers and wholesale distributors, and produces bleached paperboard.

Alliant

Travis Webb joined the Spokane office of Alliant's Employee Benefits Group as a vice president. Webb was an advisor with a Spokane-based employee benefits consulting firm. He also was a relief pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers for seven seasons. Alliant Insurance Services is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Amazon

Seattle-based Amazon will donate $2 million to two nonprofits working to make STEM and computer science education more accessible, equitable and meaningful for Washington state students. Half of the money is going to Washington STEM and the other half is going to Pacific Science Center, which will develop a new computer science curriculum and expand outreach to 200,000 students in low-income communities.

Jan 29, 2020

Northwest Kidney Centers

Cofinas Fox

Seattle-based Northwest Kidney Centers named Rebecca Cofinas Fox as its new president and CEO. Cofinas Fox built health care startup AristaMD and helped raise over $12 million in venture capital funding for it. Prior to that, she was corporate vice president for clinical services for Scripps Health. She starts March 23 at Northwest Kidney Centers and replaces Joyce F. Jackson, who led the company for 21 years.

Milepost Consulting

Jirikovic

Milepost Consulting promoted Tashina Jirikovic from content manager to senior content manager in its Seattle office. Jirikovic joined the company in 2013 and has been a project coordinator, consultant and senior consultant. Milepost advises companies on strategy and engagement.

Columbia Sportswear Co.

The board of Portland-based Columbia Sportswear Co. appointed Tim Boyle as chair and Andy Bryant as lead independent director. Boyle is president and CEO of Columbia. Bryant has been on the company's board since 2005 and chairs its nominating and corporate governance committee. He recently stepped down as board chair at Intel.

IOTAS

Portland startup IOTAS hired James Conrad Johnson as executive vice president of technology. Johnson was vice president of engineering at RealPage, and chief marketing officer and co-founder of Oaken Innovations, a tech startup for smart city initiatives. IOTAS helps landlords install and manage smart home devices.

Lazarus Naturals

Portland CBD producer Lazarus Naturals earned Current Good Manufacturing Practices certification for its new 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The certification shows regulatory compliance for safety in design, monitoring and control of manufacturing processes and facilities. The expanded facility allows Lazarus to triple production of its CBD tinctures, topical balms, massage oils, coconut oil and pet products in 2020.