Nov 01, 2019

NanoString Technologies

Seattle-based NanoString Technologies added Dr. Don Kania to its board. Kania has over 25 years of experience in scientific research and development, global operations and manufacturing. Most recently he was CEO, president and board member of FEI Co. NanoString provides life science tools for research and diagnostic products.

TrueBlue

INvolve named Maggie Lower of TrueBlue to its OUTstanding 100 LGBT+ Executives List for 2019. Lower is chief marketing officer at Tacoma-based TrueBlue. This is the second consecutive year that Lower has made the list, which recognizes achievements of LGBT+ people and allies in business. INvolve is a global organization promoting inclusion in business. It has offices in New York City, London and Dublin.

Maven

Journalist Pat Forde joined Sports Illustrated as a senior writer. SI is owned by Seattle-based Maven, an expert-driven group media network platform. Forde's career spans more than three decades with the Louisville Courier-Journal, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports. At SI, he will continue to write his signature columns: Forde-Yard Dash (college football) and Forde Minutes (college basketball).

Skilljar

The SaaS Report recognized Skilljar CEO and co-founder Sandi Lin as a Top Women Leader in SaaS for 2019. This is the second year in a row that Lin has earned the award, which honors 50 women in the software-as-a-service industry. Skilljar is an online training software provider that was founded in 2013 in Seattle.

Mission Support Alliance

The Washington Fire Chiefs Association honored Joshua Wright as the 2019 Washington State Fire Mechanic of the Year. Wright is a fleet services mechanic with Hanford Site contractor Mission Support Alliance. He received the award for ensuring Hanford's firefighting equipment is ready for any emergency.

American Lending Center

Sleep Inn and Mainstay Suites Spokane Airport has opened in Spokane, with funding support through American Lending Center's EB-5 investments. ALC is an EB-5 regional center that helps investors navigate the EB-5 investment and immigration program to achieve green card status.

Oct 31, 2019

Christie's enters local real estate market

Though better known as an auction house, Christie's has opened a luxury real estate office in Seattle. It's being led by Scott Wasner — who makes the move from Realogics — and Kendra Ratcliff and Terry Sprague, who both come from Luxe Christie's International Real Estate in Portland.

(Editor's note: A earlier version of the story incorrectly said that Christie's International Real Estate entered the U.S. market last year.)

Colliers to lease Emerald retail

[enlarge]

Colliers has announced that its team of Xinxin Li and Ryan Marn will lease the two retail bays at the high-rise Emerald condominium, now under construction at 121 Stewart St. That 40-story, 265-unit project by Create World should open to residents next summer. It topped out in July. Hewitt is the architect and Andersen Construction is the general contractor.

Colliers says the two bays will have 730 and 3,907 square feet, the latter on the corner of Second Avenue, with two levels. Rates weren't announced. On the residential side, Polaris Pacific is marketing units at the Emerald, with prices ranging from around $400,000 to nearly $4 million, and sizes running from around 500 to 1,900 square feet.

(Editor's note: The story has been corrected to say the two retail bays will be leased, not sold.)

Historic district to elect board members

The International Special Review District Board election will be on Nov. 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bush Asia Hotel (409 Maynard Ave. S.). On the ballot for Position No. 1 are business owner Tuyen Than, contractor Russ Williams and developer/preservationist Tanya Woo. For Position No. 2, the candidates are garden manager Lizzy Baskerville and community activist Matt Chan. Terms are for two years; Woo is currently serving as an interim board member for a suddenly vacant position.

Thayer Manca does three big deals in S.W.

[enlarge]

In three recently announced apartment sales, local firm Thayer Manca Residential disclosed over $105 million in deals Arizona and New Mexico. In Albuquerque, TMR bought the 264-unit Circ Apartments and 200-unit Ottavo Apartments for a combined $60 million. About $4 million each has been invested in upgrades. And in Tempe, TMR recently sold the 266-unit Avia 266 for a little over $45.2 million; that was after about $4 million in upgrades. TMR has acquired that property in 2015 for $19.2 million. Joe Manca said in a statement, “We are very confident in the greater Phoenix market, and it remains a focus of ours as we continue to grow our portfolio.”

Carney Badley Spellman

Cosgrove

The Washington Defense Trial Lawyers awarded Rory Cosgrove of Carney Badley Spellman the Outstanding Litigation Associate award. Cosgrove focuses on appellate litigation in state and federal courts, including medical/legal malpractice, employment discrimination, personal injury, product liability and commercial law. The award goes to lawyers that have practiced seven years or less and follow the highest professional and ethical standards.

Leadership Skagit

Kathryn “Kate” Bennett will step down in December as director of Leadership Skagit, which promotes leadership in businesses and communities in Skagit County. Bennett is the program's first and only paid director, joining it in 2004. A search for her replacement is underway. Leadership Skagit is a program of the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County Foundation in partnership with Skagit Valley College.

Studio216

Seattle-based Studio216 changed its name to Altoura in a rebranding effort. The new name comes from the company's flagship extended reality product, Altoura XR, which is used for immersive sales and marketing, employee training and other things. The company will continue its professional services and digital content creation through the Studio216 name.

Ossia

Bellevue-based tech company Ossia formed a partnership with appliance maker Galanz to bring wireless power to the home. The companies will collaborate to build wireless power transmitters into a range of Galanz appliances including refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers, dehumidifiers and dishwashers. Ossia is the developer of the Cota wireless power system, which sends power to devices in a similar fashion to Wi-Fi.

Vacasa

Portland vacation rental management company Vacasa received $319 million in a strategic investment round led by technology investment firm Silver Lake. Existing investors Riverwood Capital, Level Equity and NewSpring also participated in the capital raise. Vacasa will use the money to expand into new markets and grow its real estate brokerage, which operates in key vacation rental markets throughout the country. The company says more and more buyers are looking to purchase vacation homes as an investment, with the intent to rent the property.