Mar 24, 2021

Olson Kundig

Parwani

Seattle-based Olson Kundig promoted COO/CFO Hemanshu Parwani to CEO. He will join the ownership group. Parwani has worked in international operations, corporate and strategic development for over 30 years as CEO, COO and CFO for international firms in the AEC industry. Since joining Olson Kundig in 2018, he has been responsible for directing operations and finance, including the firm's business and organizational development, human resources and finance departments, information technology and the administrative team. Previously, he was CEO for Wilson Associates, a global interior architecture firm, and chief operating officer of international operations for Aecom, a multinational engineering firm. Olson Kundig provides architecture, landscape architecture and interior design.

Sazan Group

Herron

Sazan Group promoted Reid Herron to associate. Herron has over 30 years of experience and will work to grow the Seattle team's K-12 market sector. His background includes mechanical system design and construction administration services. He is working on seismic and HVAC upgrades at North Beach Elementary School in Seattle and HVAC upgrades at Brier Terrace Middle School in Brier. Sazan Group provides MEP services and lighting, fire protection, and information technology system design.

MG2

Schmitz

Schneider

Seattle-based architecture and design firm MG2 promoted Janelle Schneider and Dave Schmitz to principal. Schneider has led teams for over 20 years, delivering design concepts for retail brands worldwide. With a background in in-store planning and project management, she has worked with clients such as Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, DSW and Allen Edmonds. Schmitz is a project management leader with over 30 years of experience in retail, shopping centers and mixed-use complexes. He is an architect who has worked on projects such as Washington Square in Portland and Westfield San Francisco Centre. He is working on Crossroads in Bellevue, which is transforming from a predominantly retail environment to a multifamily, mixed-use community.

Cushing Terrell

Walzak

Cushing Terrell hired Keith Walzak as its director of planning and landscape architecture. Walzak will focus on expanding the firm's urban development portfolio in the western United States, with special focus on Seattle, Denver, Austin and Boise. He has 35 years of experience in public and private sectors leading efforts to build communities through placemaking design. His experience includes serving as the integrated planning program manager for the Unified Port of San Diego, and leading urban design and planning programs for firms that include NBBJ, Nelsen Partners, Entranco Inc. (Aecom) and most recently VIA Architecture in Seattle. He is based in Cushing Terrell's Seattle office, but is moving in spring to the Denver office of the architecture, engineering and interior design firm.

TCF Architecture

Smith

TCF Architecture of Tacoma promoted Holli Smith to associate principal. Smith oversees and executes the firm's marketing efforts, while working as an interiors architect in the education studio. She worked on Seattle Public Schools' renovation of the historic Webster School; Tacoma Public Schools' Browns Point Elementary; and Tumwater School District's Peter G. Schmidt Elementary. TCF provides architecture, planning and interiors services.

BCRA

Amoth

Casteen

Comery

Barene

Johnson

Zimmerman

In Tacoma, BCRA hired Tauna Johnson as its first associate of opportunities + growth. It also hired Michael Barene as an associate of civil engineering, Rianna Comery as an associate of interior design, Andrew Casteen as an information systems associate, Jordan Amoth as an experiential graphic designer and Sophie Topping-Zimmerman as an associate of architecture. Johnson's professional background includes development, admissions and stewardship for nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties. Her education in social welfare will support her while serving in BCRA's recruitment efforts. She is a graduate of the University of Washington. Barene holds a bachelor's in civil engineering from Montana State University. He was an intern at KPFF Consulting Engineers where he worked on stormwater management and analysis. He will join the public works market. Comery is on BCRA's interior design team and will support the health care and education markets. She holds a bachelor of fine arts in interior design from George Fox University. Casteen was an IT help desk intern in BCRA's Tacoma office while earning a bachelor's in information technology from the University of Washington, Tacoma. He is working on coding automated reports which will aid the firm's project management and strategic planning efforts. Amoth was with IA Interior Architects. He has a background in workplace EGD, which will help support him while serving in the health care market. Topping-Zimmerman has a bachelor's in architecture from California Polytechnic State University. She will focus primarily on the multifamily market. BCRA provides architecture, interior design, civil engineering, structural engineering, land use planning and landscape architecture.

LRS Architects

Frank

Mileham

Portland-based LRS Architects promoted Steve Mileham and T. Paul Frank from managing principal to senior principal. They will focus on client development and mentoring staff. Mileham has been with the firm for 33 years and led the design of a number of its significant projects. His work has included Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville, Albany City Hall, Hillsboro Civic Center, New Seasons Market stores and the new 90,000-square-foot Wingspan Event Center in Hillsboro. Frank has been with LRS for 30 years and helped develop the auto, housing and retail studios. He has been principal designer for its senior housing projects. In 2007 he led the firm's expansion into China, spending 13 years focused on high-tech campus planning, senior housing and medical clinics. Most recently, he led the design of the $15 million mountaintop Sahale Lodge at Mount Hood, Oregon. LRS provides architecture, planning and interior design.

Tacoma Poet Laureate

The Tacoma Arts Commission has selected Lydia Valentine as Tacoma's 2021-2023 Poet Laureate. Over the next two years, Valentine will participate in and host public poetry readings, workshops and other community events to advance the literary arts in Tacoma. As a wrap-up to National Poetry Month, 2019-2021 Tacoma Poet Laureate Abby Murray and the Tacoma Arts Commission will host Pass the Torch, a virtual poetry event at which Valentine will officially be awarded the title. The free, public event will be held Thursday, April 22, from 6:00-7:15 pm on TV Tacoma, livestreamed on the city's Facebook page, and on Zoom. Valentine is a playwright and poet, director and dramaturg, editor and educator. Her first poetry collection, Brief Black Candles, was published in November 2020. Valentine is a faculty member of Northwest Indian College and Seattle Girls' School.

F5

Seattle-based F5 announced the appointment of two senior executives. Yvette Smith joins the company as senior vice president of customer success and business transformation, where she will lead a newly formed group combining both functions and multiple other teams into a single organization. Gail Coury, who joined F5 in 2018, has been promoted to senior vice president and chief information security officer. Coury will oversee the expansion of F5's cybersecurity organization with responsibility for F5's enterprise security, the security of the company's product and service offerings, and showcasing to customers and the industry the use of F5 security technologies. Smith comes to F5 from Microsoft where she most recently led the customer success programs for their commercial cloud business. Coury previously served as vice president and general manager of F5 Silverline, where she led product management, marketing, architecture, engineering, and customer success for F5's cloud-based Silverline managed service offerings. In their roles, both Smith and Coury report to Tom Fountain.

Clearwater Analytics

Clearwater Analytics, a SaaS solution for automated investment data aggregation, reconciliation, accounting, and reporting, announced that it has added financial services executive Kathleen Corbet to its board of directors. Corbet currently serves on the boards of MassMutual Financial Group, Waveny LifeCare Network, and BlackRock TCP Capital. She is the founder and principal of Cross Ridge Capital, a venture capital and management consulting firm for early-stage venture firms, government agencies, municipalities, and non-profit enterprises. Her career in financial services also includes serving as president of Standard & Poor's, CEO of the Alliance Fixed Income Division of AllianceBernstein, and executive vice president of Equitable Capital Management. Clearwater Analytics is headquartered in Boise.