Jan 06, 2023

Guardian Security Systems

Guardian Security Systems has acquired Absolute Security, a local independent security company. Family owned and in business since 2010, Mountlake Terrace-based Absolute has grown to serve over 1600 residential and business customers in western Washington. Guardian Security and its wholly owned subsidiary, Northwest Alarm Monitoring, together with 182 employees, is a family-owned and operated fire and security company with local monitoring in the SoDo District of Seattle. Guardian Security, founded in 1976 is in its second generation of family operation. Guardian is actively seeking strategic acquisitions from other locally owned fire or security alarm companies in the state of Washington. Ainsley Close is president of Guardian Security Systems, and Matthew Lombardi is the president and owner of Absolute Security Alarms.

Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman, a global plaintiffs' class-action law firm, promoted six attorneys – five of whom are women – to partner in 2023. The six attorneys come from across four of the firm's offices, representing a variety of practice areas. Jessica Thompson was promoted from Hagens Berman's flagship Seattle office. She joined the firm as a staff attorney working on the General Motors ignition switch litigation, which culminated in a $120 million settlement. Her practice focuses on discrimination, primarily in employment and school, and she is also currently involved in many of the firm's class actions. Hagens Berman was founded in Seattle in 1993, and has offices around the United States and in London.

Frazier Healthcare Partners

Frazier Healthcare Partners, a healthcare investment firm, promoted Kent Berkley and Ryan Lucero to partner on the Growth Buyout Investment team. Berkley joined Frazier in 2016 and represents Frazier on the boards of Caravel Autism Health and Effective School Solutions. Before coming to Frazier, Berkley spent four years with The Edgewater Funds in Chicago, and prior to that, he was with CIVC Partners. He holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Lucero also joined Frazier in 2016 and represents Frazier on the boards of Elevate Patient Financial Solutions, EPTAM Precision, and United Digestive. Before Frazier, Lucero spent five years with Kohlberg & Company in New York, and prior to that, he spent time at JPMorgan Chase and with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Lucero holds a BS from Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Management. Founded in 1991, Frazier Healthcare Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare sector. Frazier has offices in Seattle, and Menlo Park, California, and invests broadly across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Puyallup Tribe

The Puyallup Tribe has launched its own international logistics company, Tahoma Global Logistics. The new company will focus on land operations to leverage the Tribe's properties along the Blair Waterway in Tacoma, which were regained in the 1990 Land Claims Settlement. Initial services will include container movement, storage and maintenance, bulk material handling, heavy equipment fitting, transloading services, inspection, maintenance, and short-haul pickup and delivery trucking. The Tribe's property provides customers port access as well as registered foreign trade zone status. Tahoma Global Logistics is the latest in a series of economic development initiatives the Tribe has launched since 2020, when it opened its new $400 million Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma. In 2021, the Tribe announced a partnership with Amazon on a sort center, opened the EQC hotel in Tacoma, launched the BetMGM @ EQC sportsbook and opened a fourth Commencement Bay Cannabis store. In 2022, the Tribe announced partnerships with Kenmore Air to operate a seaplane service and with celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi to open a Native-inspired international cuisine waterfront restaurant. The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is a sovereign nation of more than 5,000 members and one of the largest employers in Pierce County.

Jan 05, 2023

Northmarq lends a hand to SEED

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In a year-end deal, Northmarq announced last month that it arranged a $15.2 million refinancing package for an affordable senior housing community run by Southeast Effective Development, or SEED. That's the 208-unit Courtland Place at Rainier Court, which was developed circa 2005. Stuart Oswald led the effort, for an FHA loan carrying a 35-year fixed rate. He said in a statement, “We are grateful for the opportunity to help SEED continue their mission of providing affordable housing in Southeast Seattle. This building is the first of a five-phase affordable housing development in the Columbia City neighborhood which SEED started over 15 years ago.” SEED plans to spend about $1.5 million on maintaining and improving the building; and it's separately planning the 49-unit Rainier Court V, the final phase of development at Rainier Court.

Stewart Title

Hainey

Stewart Title announced last month the hiring of industry veteran Rob Hainey. Stewart's Peter Johndrow said in a statement, “We're excited to have a name as trusted and recognized as Rob's become a part of our local team.” Said Hainey, “When you're a partner on transactions that will play a part in shaping where you work and live, you do your best to ensure that you provide the very best expertise, guidance and professionalism that you can.”

C&W and Greystone secure over $15M for Tacoma units

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What Koz Development calls Koz on MLK, with 161 units, opened last May a little northwest of downtown Tacoma, facing People's Park, on the north end of the Hilltop neighborhood. Koz acted as its own architect, with Deacon Construction as the builder. Work began in 2020, replacing an old church on the corner site. Now, with the six-story building almost fully leased, Cushman & Wakefield has brokered an over $15.7 million refinancing deal. C&W's Dave Karson, Chris Moyer, Paul Roeter, John Spreitzer and Jason Blankfein represented Koz. Michael Zampetti at Greystone originated the Fannie Mae loan, which is a 10-year, fixed-rate instrument, with full-term interest only. Moyer said of Koz, “The sponsor did an amazing job delivering a product that's both high quality and affordable in a strong market. As a result, we were able leverage the unique nature of the opportunity to get really advantageous loan terms.”

Pacific Program Management

Kapur

Among December's corporate moves, Pacific Program Management announced that Puja Kapur has joined the firm as VP for the West Region. She makes the move from IWG. Founded in 2009, PPM is a commercial real estate program and project management firm. Its Mark Wanic said in a statement, “The complex demands on businesses to have a strategic, nimble approach to their real estate and workplace needs continue to grow,” and cited Kapur's deep experience in the field. She added, “I am thrilled to join such a dynamic and entrepreneurial team.”

Lane Powell

Ohainle

McFate

Davis

Coughlan

Bass

Stebbins

Schaer

Puri

Lane Powell elected eight new shareholders in its Seattle and Portland offices. Katie Bass (Seattle) advises clients on complex civil litigation matters in highly regulated industries. John Coughlan (Seattle) advises clients on corporate and transactional matters from formation through exit, with an emphasis on capital strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. Coughlan is active in the Puget Sound startups community, serving as a Rule 9 supervising attorney for the University of Washington School of Law Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. Liz Davis (Portland) advises businesses and nonprofits on corporate and transactional matters including mergers and acquisitions, business formation, corporate reorganizations, succession planning, and general corporate counseling. Courtney McFate (Portland) provides strategic legal advice to clients regarding a wide variety of employment matters. Paul Ohainle (Seattle) counsels individuals and high net worth families on estate and gift planning, estate and trust administration, and business succession issues. Rishi Puri (Portland) provides strategic advice regarding a wide variety of employment matters, including employee data privacy. Puri advises clients with respect to claims involving discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, disability accommodation, ERISA and non-ERISA employee benefit claims, and wage/hour claims. He also serves as a Pro Bono Attorney for the ACLU. Aaron Schaer (Seattle) counsels clients on matters involving commercial litigation, class actions, health care law, franchise matters, and environmental law. Schaer serves on the board of trustees for the Frankel Jewish Academy. Hank Stebbins (Portland) represents public and private corporations in complex litigation and labor and employment matters in federal and state courts. His experience includes enforcing employment arbitration agreements, independent contractor agreements and discrimination claims, wage and hour class actions, and non-competition enforcement and trade secret litigation. Lane Powell was founded in 1875, and has nearly 180 attorneys across more than 35 practice areas and industry groups.

ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo's employees raised more than $400,000 during its 2022 Winter Donation Drive to support youth- and family-focused nonprofit organizations in their communities. The funds support organizations spanning six states and five countries. ZoomInfo's annual charitable campaign has raised nearly $3.7 million in cash and in-kind donations in its seven-year history. This year's donations support a dozen organizations, including the Evergreen Public Schools Family & Community Resource Centers near ZoomInfo's headquarters in Vancouver. The nonprofit organization supports the Evergreen Public Schools, working with the community to bridge the basic needs gap, foster innovative and engaging learning experiences, and maximize opportunities to ensure that all students have access to their most basic needs. ZoomInfo provides go-to-market software, data, and intelligence for more than 30,000 companies worldwide.