Jan 13, 2023

Carney Badley

Sempel

Carney Badley Spellman elected Teva Sempel as a shareholder. Sempel focuses his practice on guiding clients through high-stakes business and construction disputes. He represents clients at arbitration proceedings, in state and federal courts, and on appeal. He often litigates breach of contract and other business-related claims, including claims involving unfair trade practices, trade secrets, non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty. He handles all aspects of construction law litigation, including claims related to pay applications, liens, change orders, public bids, delays, construction defects, and design errors. Sempel also represents commercial property owners in unlawful detainer actions, shareholders/members in judicial dissolution actions, and businesses/individuals in lease disputes and receivership proceedings. In additional to his civil litigation practice, Sempel represents corporate clients in internal investigations, government investigations, and enforcement actions regarding business crimes and civil frauds, including healthcare, government contract, and financial institutions fraud. He defends individuals in cases involving allegations of public corruption, fraud, money laundering, structuring, and other financial crimes.

Strong Tower Consulting

Strong Tower Consulting, a Bellevue-based management-consulting firm, was named one of Washington's Best Companies to Work for in 2022 by Seattle Business magazine. This annual program was created by the magazine and Best Companies Group to recognize the best employers in Washington, benefiting the area's economy, workforce and businesses. Ranked No. 2 on the list, Strong Tower was recognized through an independent, third-party employee survey for its dedication to “inclusion consulting,” an approach that leverages the power of diversity to solve problems, as well as creating opportunities for women, and its ongoing commitment to operating as a carbon-neutral consulting firm. As a certified Disability-Owned Business, Strong Tower is expanding and diversifying its projects in Washington and the West Coast, working with Fortune 100 tech companies, as well as small to mid-sized businesses.

Russell Investments

Russell Investments' dedicated non-profit practice was selected by the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) to manage its $52 million portfolio. Assets have fully transitioned. As the partnership develops, Russell Investments will build custom institutional portfolios for MCCF's endowed and restricted portfolios. Russell Investments delivers investment advice and solutions to clients of all sizes with particular focus on endowments, foundations, defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, and healthcare systems. Headquartered in Seattle, Russell Investments has offices in 19 cities around the world, including in New York, London, Toronto, Tokyo, and Shanghai.

Silver Creek Capital

Seattle-based Silver Creek Capital Management announced that Jessica Hans has joined the firm as a managing director. Most recently, Hans served as investment director at UC Investments, focusing on the endowments and retirement plans of the University of California. Earlier in her career, she held roles at The Blackstone Group, Credit Suisse Securities (USA), and Bain & Company. At Silver Creek, Hans will focus on investments across non-corporate debt and real assets as the firm seeks to strategically grow its private credit and real assets portfolios. She will also serve as a member of the Silver Creek's investment committee and real assets investment committee. The addition of Hans follows the firm's recent promotion of Amy Wells to chief client officer. Wells has been a member of the Silver Creek team since 2006, serving as a managing director responsible for investor intake, client reporting, and technology processes. Silver Creek is an alternative investment boutique with a focus on private credit, hedge fund and real asset strategies, which include timber and aggregate reserves.

Jan 12, 2023

Mack loans $112M for 398 Rainier Valley units

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As the DJC reported in October, Venture General Contracting began demolition and ground work at 900 Rainier Ave. S., where Nitze-Stagen is developing an eight-story apartment project with 398 units. The unnamed project was designed by Jackson Main Architecture. The developer recently announced a $112 million construction loan from an affiliate of Mack Real Estate. Nitze-Stagen's Riley Coleman said in a statement, “The construction loan from MRECS, coupled with investments by our local Opportunity Zone investors, is a testament that private development, with a range of tools, can help meet our city's housing affordability gap.” Of the apartments, 41 will be affordable under the city's Mandatory Housing Affordability requirements, and 81 will be affordable under the city's Multifamily Tax Exemption program. Some will be affordable to households earning 40% of area median income. Pinnacle Partners is also part of the ownership. Completion is anticipated in early 2025. The building will open with public art created by Fulgencio Lazo.

New CCIM board members

Our state chapter of CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) recently announced the election of several new board members. They include incoming board president, Travis Baker of iCap Equity. He said in a statement, “Our organization is predicated on the success and impact of our members, and I look forward to continuing to provide value, grow and promote our chapter in the coming year.” Also new to the board are Devin Mecham of NAI Black, Andy Butler of Web Properties, Larry Eu of Great Earth Realty, Ernest Peralta of Lee & Associates and Jeffrey Rosen of Seattle Pacific Realty.

NAIOP surveys the South Sound

Jan. 24 will mark the annual economic forecast from NAIOP for the south Puget Sound area. The gathering will held at 11 a.m. at the Tacoma Convention Center. This year's panel discussion will be preceded by a presentation from by Stephen Lerch of the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The following four expert panelists will be Mike Wilkerson of ECONorthwest, Jeff Davis of Davis Property & Investment, Tess Wakasugi-Don of GLY and Mike Wood of Gantry. Details and registration: naiopwa.org.

Standard Insurance

Hughes

Queen

Portland-based Standard Insurance (The Standard) promoted Graeme Queen to assistant vice president of policy administration transformation and supplemental operations. Queen joined The Standard in 2008 as an IT manager. He served in a number of IT leadership roles and co-led the Voluntary Products program, which introduced The Standard's Supplemental products to the market. Subsequently, Queen led the Strategic Account Services department. Before joining the company, Queen led an application development team at PacifiCorp and has served in various IT, business and customer service roles. Additionally, Michelle Hughes has joined the company as assistant vice president of supplier management and governance. In her new role, Hughes will lead the company's procurement, supplier governance and business process outsourcing teams. Prior to joining The Standard, Hughes was at USAA, where she served in various leadership and procurement roles for 15 years. Her procurement career began in the Air Force, where she was a contracting specialist.

Carney Badley

Johnson

Carney Badley Spellman elected Randy Johnson as a shareholder. Johnson joined Carney in November 2015. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Washington State University, and graduated from Seattle University School of Law in May 2015. As a law student, Johnson worked for Carney Badley Spellman as a summer associate in 2013, spent the summer of 2014 in Olympia as an extern under the direction of Supreme Court Commissioner Narda Pierce, and in 2015 competed on Seattle University's 2015 National Appellate Advocacy Team, which won an ABA Regional Championship and advanced to the knock-out rounds of the National Competition. Johnson has experience litigating a variety of issues involving real estate development, commercial lease disputes, construction disputes, claims of unfair business practices, and personal injury. In addition to general litigation, Johnson is working to expand his practice into areas of law focused on helping businesses protect their market identity and intellectual property rights related to trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

City of Tacoma

At-Large Council Member Kristina Walker has been appointed to serve as Tacoma's deputy mayor in 2023. Walker currently is chair to the city council's infrastructure, planning and sustainability committee, vice chair of the government performance and finance committee, vice chair of the Pierce Transit board, vice chair of the joint municipal action committee, and on the Sound Transit board. Walker has served as an at-large council member since 2019. She succeeds Catherine Ushka.