Nov 09, 2023

F5

Erwin

F5 appointed Tami Erwin to its board of directors. Erwin is a veteran telecommunications executive with extensive operational experience. Erwin will serve on the Audit & Risk Oversight and the Talent & Compensation Committees. Erwin's experience stems from her 35-year career at Verizon Communications, where she most recently served as executive vice president and CEO of Verizon Business, a position she held from 2019 to 2022. Previously, she served as executive vice president and chief operating officer from 2016 to 2019. Erwin began her career at Verizon in 1987 in customer service at what was then U.S. West. Her career includes leadership roles in all parts of Verizon including leading global sales and service for the company's core businesses and serving as chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless. Erwin currently serves as a director for John Deere and York Space Systems. She also is a member of the advisory council of Aptiv, an operating partner with Digital Gravity Infrastructure, a member of the CEO Advisory Council for Cohesity, a senior fellow of Mission Possible Partnership, and a champion in JOURNEY, a nonprofit that works to advance diversity at the top of the private sector. With Erwin's appointment, F5's board expands to 12 members, 11 of whom are independent. Seattle-based F5 is a multi-cloud application services and security company.

Parse Biosciences

Parse Biosciences, a provider of accessible and scalable single cell sequencing solutions, announced an agreement with India-based Spinco Biotech to further extend its reach in Asia. This is Parse's latest expansion in the region following an agreement last year with Research Instruments Pte Ltd to distribute its products in Southeast Asia. The company's agreement with Spinco Biotech will give researchers in India full access to its single cell portfolio. The agreement is a continuation of Parse's ongoing introduction of its products in international markets, which are also currently available in North America, Europe, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, and New Zealand. Spinco is a solution provider and distribution company, specializing in analytical and life science instrumentation. With technology developed at The University of Washington by co-founders Alex Rosenberg and Charles Roco, Parse has raised over $50 million in capital and is now used by over 1,000 customers across the world. Its headquarters and laboratory are based in Seattle's South Lake Union district.

Clean Energy Transition Institute

Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) added two team members, and secured new funding and contracts that will allow it to expand its rural and workforce-focused efforts. Jamie Ptacek is the new communications manager. Ptacek studied climate science at Bowdoin College. She spent the past decade at several nonprofit organizations advancing policy campaigns that worked at the intersection of climate change and social justice on the local, state, and national levels. Katie McNabb was named program and development assistant. She recently graduated from Western Washington University with degrees in journalism and English. McNabb worked as a reporter and editor for several publications, covering stories related to conservation and environmental issues. Both new hires will work help CETI achieve its mission to scale decarbonization and facilitate a clean energy transition across the Northwest. Additionally, CETI received several grants that will further its work to understand how an equitable clean energy transition might unfold in Northwest rural communities.

Nov 08, 2023

CollinsWoerman

In Seattle, CollinsWoerman hired Kiley Brennan as architectural designer. Brennan is an emerging professional and recent graduate from California Poly, San Luis Obispo. She has worked on net-zero residential and commercial designs in addition to several nonprofit projects. Brennan is passionate about sustainability in the built environment and is an active member of the firm's Committee of Responsible Design as well as the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity initiative groups.

SHKS Architects

Jette

Curran

Kelly

Zimmerman

Westen

Housley

Gaddis

Kraus

LeCompte

Pia Westen has been promoted to principal at SHKS Architects. Westen leads the practice focusing on architecture's role in responsible social and environmental design.

Cassidy Zimmerman, Sean Kelly, and David Curran have been promoted to senior associate.

Zimmerman works with residential and institutional projects where resource efficiency combines with inventive design. Kelly focuses on the spatial and construction opportunities presented by technically challenging projects. Curran leads the practice in design technology, digital design, and representing construction clearly.

Levi Jette, Carolyn LeCompte, Suzanne Kraus, Anastasia Gaddis, and Michael Housley have been promoted to associate.

Jette guides a range of public projects focusing on collaboration and communication as foundations for equitable design. LeCompte's design communication insights contribute to a range of public and community projects. Kraus focuses on institutional and residential projects that advance the unique characters of places while improving living and working spaces. Gaddis organizes SHKS's day-to-day operations, employee relationships, and strategic financial management. Housley focuses on historic building adaptations where alterations strengthen forward-looking uses.

King County Fire Marshal

Ricketts

Chris Ricketts retired last month after serving as the King County Building Official for 25 years and as the King County Fire Marshal for the past decade. Ricketts wore several management hats for the King County Permitting Division's Building Department, from reviewer to supervisor to manager. He worked on many unique and challenging projects, including ski lodges in the Cascades, large circus tents for the Cirque du Soleil show, amphitheaters, treehouses, straw-bale structures, and more than 50 public school structures. Ricketts has been the department representative for county emergency operations. He responded and investigated damages across unincorporated King County from fire, seismic activity, slides and snow. He has also represented King County and served on several boards and professional organizations concerning building and fire codes, sustainable construction and disaster response.

BECU

BECU, the country's fourth-largest credit union, appointed Jason Rudman as executive vice president and chief member and digital experience officer. In his role, Rudman will oversee BECU's member journey across all channels, including its Neighborhood Financial Centers, Contact Centers, ATMs and digital, working to deliver a cohesive experience across all member touchpoints. He will also lead marketing and communications. Rudman joins BECU with more than 20 years of financial services experience, including senior roles at USAA, KeyBank and American Express. Most recently, he served as chief customer officer at Finance of America, where he led the strategy and teams focused on digital experience, marketing, brand, product development, and strategic transformation. He earned his bachelor of arts degree from Middlesex University of London and an MBA from Baylor University.

State of Washington Tourism

State of Washington Tourism (SWT) announced the winners of its tourism awards at the recent State of Washington Tourism Conference. The awards recognize excellence in tourism work from around the state. Awards were presented for Outstanding Marketing Campaign, Rising Star in Tourism, Destination Stewardship and Tourism Hall of Leadership. The award for Outstanding Marketing Campaign was presented to Visit Walla Walla for its video series, "As Artists." The campaign, created in partnership with a local filmmaker, showcased the variety of artists living throughout the community and sharing why they chose to make Walla Walla their home.

The award for Rising Star in Tourism was presented to Shara Howard, communications manager at Visit Vancouver WA. The award is presented to a new industry professional or volunteer who has made outstanding contributions to the tourism efforts of a business, nonprofit organization, community, or tourism business segment. Nominees must have tenures in tourism of 5 years or less. The Destination Stewardship Award was presented to Embrace Whidbey and Camano Islands for Regenerative Places, a Community-Based Tourism Model. State of Washington Tourism also inducted two industry veterans into the Tourism Hall of Leadership. Mary Kay Nelson was recognized for her work with the Lewis County Visitors Bureau, Visit Rainier and the White Pass Scenic Byway. Marcus Yearout, retired owner of the ScenicWA guides, was recognized for his work to promote Washington state through guides at both the state and local level. State of Washington Tourism (the recently rebranded Washington Tourism Alliance) is an organization established by industry stakeholders with the mission of developing and sustaining Washington state destination tourism marketing. SWT procures and administers funds for state destination tourism marketing activities and creates and implements the strategic statewide destination marketing plan.