Oct 13, 2023

Inland Northwest AGC

NWAGC representatives accepted the award at national construction conference in Washington, DC.

The Inland Northwest AGC received a national construction award this month which honors organizations for their outstanding contributions to the local and national construction industries. The NWAGC earned the AGC Chapter of the Year Award for 2023, which recognizes chapters for outstanding programming, tangible accomplishments and overall excellence throughout 2022 and 2023. The Inland Northwest AGC is a membership organization dedicated to advancing the needs of commercial construction contractors throughout Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, and this year implemented its Trade Up 2 Construction campaign highlighting local workers and bringing attention to career opportunities in construction. The chapter was recognized for its significant accomplishments in workforce development, PAC fundraising, and construction education. Representing almost 400 companies in the region, The Inland Northwest AGC chapter was founded in 1921, and is one of 89 chapters of the Associated General Contractors of America.

TrueBlue

Schweihs

Tacoma-based TrueBlue, a provider of specialized workforce solutions, announced that Carl Schweihs has been promoted to chief financial officer from his position as president & COO of TrueBlue’s PeopleManagement division effective October 30, 2023. Schweihs will succeed Derrek Gafford who, after nearly two decades as CFO, is leaving to pursue other opportunities. To ensure a smooth transition, Gafford will serve in an advisory capacity through the end of the year. Schweihs has been with TrueBlue since 2014. Preceding his current role, he served as senior vice president of strategic accounts and before that vice president of finance and controller. Schweihs joined the company as part of its acquisition of Seaton in 2014, prior to which he served in a variety of financial leadership roles at Seaton and Grant Thornton. In conjunction with Schweihs’ appointment as CFO, Jerry Wimer has been promoted to general manager of PeopleManagement’s on-site staffing business and will serve as acting president of PeopleManagement. Wimer has been with TrueBlue since the acquisition of Seaton in 2014, most recently serving as general manager and senior vice president of global operations for staff management | SMX, which he joined in 1996. In 2022, TrueBlue served 84,000 clients and connected approximately 611,000 people to work. Its PeopleReady segment offers on-demand, industrial staffing; PeopleManagement offers contingent, on-site industrial staffing and commercial driver services; and PeopleScout offers recruitment process outsourcing and managed service provider solutions to a wide variety of industries.

City of Bellevue

Miyake

After 33 years of service, Bellevue’s city manager Brad Miyake has announced his retirement. Miyake has worked at the city in a multitude of positions, including utilities director, budget manager, and most recently, city manager. His last day with the city will be December 1, 2023.

Oct 12, 2023

Gantry finds $30M for Lee Johnson

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Earlier this month, Gantry announced a successful refinancing deal for the Lee Johnson property in Kirkland. The lender wasn't named, but is evidently a life insurance company. The fixed-rate loan carries a nine-year term, with 30-year amortization. Gantry's effort was led by Mike Taylor and Demetri Koston. The latter said in a statement, “This is a generational operation with nearly 100 years of successful business history in the Kirkland and Seattle region.” Robert Jay of Lee Johnson said, “The Gantry team introduced our company to lending sources that we would not typically have worked with.” The deal again raises questions about Google's supposed intent to buy that 10-acre automotive property in Rose Hill, then develop about 1.5 million square feet for some 7,000 workers. And Lee Johnson has meanwhile been actively buying up new properties, recently completed a new building in Bothell — and is with Freiheit Architecture planning a large new facility in Totem Lake. And the city of Kirkland still hasn't approved an upzone for that Rose Hill strip along Northeast 85th Street.

Yacht club confidential!

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So Nov. 9 is the date for a NAIOP gathering in Tacoma to celebrate, but not tour, the top 10 projects in the south Puget Sound region. What are they? No one's saying, but they'll span multifamily, industrial, office and retail. So it's a mystery. The presentation will be led by Nick Ratzke of Neil Walter Co. and Bart Brynestad of Panattoni. The breakfast event begins at 8 a.m. at Tacoma Yacht Club. Details and registration: naiopwa.org.

M&M secures $10M for hotel refi

Marcus & Millichap recently announced its successful arrangement of a $10.5 million refinancing package for a 102-room Double Tree by Hilton hotel down in Olympia. The lender wasn't named. The deal was secure by Robert Bhat, in M&M's Miami office. He said in a statement, “The property is a high-performing Double Tree by Hilton hotel strategically located in downtown Olympia. Given the strength and experience of the borrower, we were able to secure a loan advancing 70% against total cost, including the property improvement plan required by Hilton, with a 7% interest rate.”

Explore Seattle Southside

Messey

Singh

Explore Seattle Southside (Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority), the regional destination marketing organization serving SeaTac, Tukwila, and Des Moines, added Navdeep Singh and Cindy Messey to its board of directors. The SeaTac City Council appoints RTA board members. Seven members are appointed directly, and four more are chosen from RTA board nominations. They represent various stakeholders including businesses, lodging, restaurants, retail, entertainment, and transportation. As the assistant general manager at Westfield Southcenter, Navdeep oversees relationships with over 240 stores and restaurants that occupy the 1.7 million square foot retail center. In this role, Navdeep manages retailer engagement programs, supports positive tenant relations, facilitates local community/non-profit outreach, and establishes service provider partnerships. Previously, Navdeep managed several security companies and currently is a franchise restaurant owner in Maple Valley. Navdeep is also a member of the board of directors at the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce. Messey began work at The Museum of Flight in 2007 and served as private events manager before moving into the role of director of sales and events. Messey graduated from Auburn University with a degree in marine biology. She spent the next three years aboard crab and fishing boats in the Bering Sea, collecting data and conducting research as a contractor for NOAA. She later spent eight years planning events and galas at the Pacific Science Center. Explore Seattle Southside was established in 1999.

Jensen Investment Management

Jensen Investment Management, a 100% employee-owned active equity investment management firm based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is celebrating its 35th anniversary. With a team of 40 employees, Jensen serves investors across institutional, intermediary and high-net-worth channels. Jensen portfolio manager Tyra Pratt was presented the “Rising Star” award at this year's With Intelligence Mutual Fund and ETF Awards, and the complany was named one of the “Best Places to Work” in 2022 by Pensions & Investments.

Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson

Seattle law firm Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson announced that it has achieved a Midsize Mansfield Certification. The certification, awarded by Diversity Lab, a research and consulting organization in legal diversity and inclusion, recognizes HCMP's role in promoting inclusivity in the legal community. To attain initial Midsize Mansfield Certification, HCMP underwent a review process, ensuring its commitment to affirmatively considering people from historically underrepresented groups, including women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities, for entry-level and lateral hiring, partnership promotions, significant firm leadership positions, and advancement opportunities. HCMP has also increased transparency in its leadership advancement criteria and processes. HCMP has been in business since 1971, and now employs over 50 attorneys and other professionals. It offers a broad array of legal services providing counsel to individuals and organizations in the Puget Sound region.