Dec 31, 2025

CAST

Nguyen

CAST architecture has hired Vy Nguyen, a generalist architect with experience across diverse project types, including hospitality, healthcare, multifamily, and custom single-family residences. Nguyen has a Master of Architecture with an Urban Design Certificate, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, both from the University of Washington.

Säzän Group

McKinnon

Yamin

Gardner

Säzän Group recently added new team members in its Seattle and Portland offices.

Mark Gardner joins Säzän as director of engineering. Gardner brings three decades of experience leading service groups and design-build teams across biotech, commercial, corporate campus, and higher education markets. He will focus on aligning Säzän Group's work with client outcomes and on team building. He comes to the firm from McKinstry, where he most recently served as senior operations manager. His portfolio includes the WSU North Puget Sound Campus building in Everett and the Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse in Spokane.

Farid Yamin joins as a principal in the Portland office, where he leads the mechanical engineering team. Yamin has over four decades of experience in organizational and design management, overseeing engineering and construction activities of multidisciplinary teams across a variety of sectors, including transportation, semiconductor, life sciences, healthcare, and mission-critical facilities. Throughout his career, Yamin has advanced through key leadership roles such as mechanical lead, department manager, engineering manager, principal engineer and buildings/MEP practice lead for the western U.S. region.

Corey McKinnon joins as an associate principal. McKinnon brings more than 25 years of electrical design and engineering leadership experience across healthcare, mission-critical, industrial, logistics, and commercial markets in the Pacific Northwest. His experience in the design-build sector includes leading multidisciplinary teams and overseeing complex electrical systems from concept through construction. McKinnon most recently served as executive director of design at SeaTac Electric Design.

Dec 30, 2025

Capstone Accounting and Tax

Capstone Accounting and Tax has partnered with North Star Tax & Accounting, further expanding Capstone's presence in Washington with locations in Snohomish and Lynden. Capstone's acquisition of North Star aligns with its strategy to expand its footprint into new geographies by partnering with local firms. While North Star Tax & Accounting will integrate its operations under the Capstone brand, clients will continue to receive local service from the professionals they have come to know and trust. David Romano and Sheena Frenzel, leaders of North Star, will continue their practices as partners within Capstone. Founded in 2004, Capstone Accounting and Tax is a full-service accounting firm providing tax, accounting, and advisory services to businesses and individuals across the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West regions. Capstone is actively seeking to invest in small and mid-sized accounting, tax, bookkeeping and HR advisory practices nationally. Founded in 2008, North Star Tax and Accounting provides a full suite of tax and accounting services.

Phosio

Phosio named Andrew Grenville, former CEO of Inpria, to its board of directors. Grenville is a recognized leader in advanced materials and semiconductor innovation, with deep experience guiding materials platforms from early-stage development through manufacturing scale-up and strategic acquisition, including the successful sale of Inpria to JSR Corporation. As CEO of Inpria, Grenville led the commercialization of metal-oxide photoresist materials critical to next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. His leadership helped transform cutting-edge R&D into large-scale industrial adoption and a strategic exit. Joe O'Keeffe, executive chairman of Phosio, said, “Andrew's ability to bring breakthrough technologies to market and navigate strategic partnerships will be instrumental as Phosio accelerates customer engagement and commercialization.” Phosio, headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon, develops advanced lens coating materials that enable immersive visual experiences through lightweight AR eyewear.

Dec 24, 2025

John A. Martin & Associates

Nissen

Pacheco

John A. Martin & Associates recently announced the opening of a new office in downtown Seattle and the team members who will lead it.

Principal Kim Pacheco now manages the Seattle office. Her project experience covers a wide range of sectors including healthcare, education, telecommunications, aviation, civic, forensic investigation and commercial structures. Pacheco's vision for the Seattle office centers on applying the firm's national experience to benefit Pacific Northwest clients, and grow the firm's presence in the region.

Longtime Seattle resident John Nissen has practiced in the area for 30 years and is a principal at the firm. Nissen is a veteran structural engineer who brings creative expertise to everything he does. He manages a range of projects for long-term clients, including international telecommunications companies and information suppliers, among others. He serves as a mentor, sharing project approaches, advice and feedback on technical, career, and development questions.

Mayer/Reed

Warmouth

Drew

O'Brien

Simms

Landscape architect Shannon Simms has been promoted to principal at Mayer/Reed. In this role, she co-leads the firm's urban design and landscape architecture group alongside Principal Jeramie Shane. Simms is experienced in public open space design with particular expertise in multimodal streetscapes. She is currently engaged in efforts to reimagine downtown Portland as a livable neighborhood and strengthen its relationship with the Willamette River. Her recent projects include the Green Loop Concepts and West End Street Plazas in Portland, and the Riverwalk in St. Helens, Oregon.

Landscape architect Michael O'Brien has been promoted to associate. With more than 30 years of professional experience, O'Brien brings design and management expertise and is valued for his mentorship of emerging landscape architects. He focuses on site context, ecological function and human experience. O'Brien's recent projects include Oregon Health and Science University's Children's Hospital expansion and Errol Heights Park in Southeast Portland.

Senior visual communications designer Margaret Drew has been promoted to associate. Drew approaches planning and designing wayfinding systems with an eye to being inclusive and to informing, guiding and connecting people across differences in language and ability. Her recent work includes leading signage standards for Multnomah County Library's 15-branch system.

Content coordinator/editor Stefanie Warmouth has been named associate, in recognition of her vital role in quality control, and promoting Mayer/Reed's story and culture by providing copyediting and communications expertise. Warmouth's recent initiatives include managing the firm's social media presence, and project-managing its 2025 Portland Winter Light Festival installation at Mill Ends Park.

Washington DECA

Washington DECA is looking for business and community members to volunteer as judges at the 2026 Washington DECA State Career Development Conference, taking place Feb. 26–27 in downtown Bellevue. Nearly 6,000 high school students from across the state will convene to demonstrate their skills in more than 50 DECA competitive events spanning business, marketing, finance, hospitality, and entrepreneurship.

In addition to competition, the conference will offer over a dozen industry-led workshops, hands-on financial literacy simulations, and opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized credentials, providing a comprehensive, real-world learning experience.

The conference will be hosted at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue and the Meydenbauer Center, creating an environment where students engage directly with professionals and community volunteers while applying classroom learning to practical business challenges.

To learn more or sign up as a volunteer judge for the Washington DECA State Career Development Conference, visit http://www.wadeca.org/judge. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Dec 23, 2025

Hard Hats with Heart

Chang

The American Heart Association in Washington announced Marjorie Chang, director of business development at Hoffman Construction, as the 2026 chair for its Puget Sound Hard Hats with Heart initiative. As chair, Chang will work alongside fellow industry leaders to champion action-oriented conversations about employee health, engage tradespeople in healthy lifestyle activities and raise lifesaving funds for the American Heart Association. The Hard Hats with Heart initiative was designed to address the disproportionately high risk of cardiovascular disease that construction workers face compared to employees in other industries. This elevated risk stems from a combination of factors, including long work hours, high stress, poor nutrition, tobacco use and a lack of heart-strengthening exercise. More than 343,000 construction workers, or roughly 1 in 25, are already living with cardiovascular disease. The Hard Hats with Heart accomplishments will be celebrated at an annual event scheduled for May 21 at Block 41 in Seattle. For sponsorship information or to join the leadership team, contact Julia.Martin@heart.org. For more information about Hard Hats with Heart in the Puget Sound, visit http://www.heart.org/PugetSoundHHWH.

DexCare

Seattle-based DexCare named Rakshay Jain chief product officer. Jain brings product leadership focused on helping health systems treat more patients with existing resources as they continue to face physician shortages, growing demand, and rising costs. Jain has extensive experience leading product strategy, design and management, most recently overseeing a portfolio that grew 10 times over six years at Innovaccer, saving customers billions of dollars in healthcare spend. Over the past two years, he's launched multiple artificial intelligence copilots and agents to accelerate value transformation for healthcare systems. At Innovaccer, Jain led a major product portfolio and supported enterprise growth across dozens of health systems. He brings more than 15 years of experience in healthcare technology and consulting, including product leadership and advisory work with Guidehouse and PwC. DexCare is infrastructure for patient navigation. The platform connects scheduling data across EMRs, workflows, and access points so health systems can route patients to available care.