Jun 04, 2026

Lee & Associates

Knecht

Four years after joining Lee & Associates, Shane Knecht has been promoted to director of marketing, that firm recently announced. Its Andrea Johnson said in a statement, “Shane has consistently demonstrated creativity, professionalism and a deep commitment to supporting our brokers and growing our brand.” Knecht added, “I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with Lee & Associates.”

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

Pham

has been confirmed as director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, following a unanimous Seattle City Council vote on May 19.

Pham brings more than 14 years of experience in community development, equitable investment, and local policy. She previously served as executive director of Friends of Little Saigon, where she championed cultural and economic vitality while supporting small businesses and community-driven initiatives. She also serves on the boards of Historic South Downtown and the Crescent Collaborative.

A first-generation immigrant, Pham also brings both personal perspective and professional experience to her leadership.

Her appointment marks a full-circle moment: Pham joined the very first cohort of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' People's Academy for Community Engagement (PACE), a program designed to help community members understand how city government works and how to navigate it to create change.

As the department celebrates its 35th anniversary, the department says it looks forward to the next chapter of connecting people, strengthening neighborhoods, and ensuring residents have a voice in policy making and decisions that impact local communities.

Jun 03, 2026

Zum and Seattle Public Schools

Zum, a provider of student transportation, announced it will be continuing its partnership with Seattle Public Schools (SPS) for the 2026–2027 school year.

Working with SPS since 2022, Zum plans to significantly expand operations here for the upcoming academic year. The company will add more than 130 new routes, bringing its total operations to over 280, serving students across the entire district.

Zum uses its Connected Mobility Experience (CMX), an integrated technology and operations platform that connects vehicles, drivers and school administrators in real time to optimize efficiency and communication. Zum's CMX system is used across 17 states and serves more than 4,500 schools, including several of the nation's largest public school districts.

To accommodate the additional routes and a growing fleet of over 130 new school buses, Zum says it is opening a new local facility and scaling up its workforce.

The company says it is committed to maintaining service reliability and alleviating student transportation anxieties through rigorous driver training and competitive workforce retention strategies.

Jun 02, 2026

KIRO Newsradio

KIRO Newsradio announced that its news team has been honored with seven Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism.

Three of the honors reflect the team's consistent commitment to delivering timely, high-quality coverage across platforms: Overall Excellence — KIRO Newsradio; Newscast — Seattle's Morning News; Breaking News Coverage — Seattle ICE Protests Turn Violent.

In addition to these team achievements, several journalists received individual recognition for their outstanding storytelling and reporting: Excellence in Writing — The Charlie Harger Commentary by Charlie Harger; Hard News — The Boy In The Tent by Charlie Harger; Investigative Reporting — The Mayor's Letter by Charlie Harger; Sports Reporting — More Than A Home Run by Aaron Granillo.

“These awards are a testament to the dedication and passion our team brings to their work every day,” said Bryan Buckalew, director of News and Talk Programming for KIRO Newsradio. “From breaking news to in-depth investigations, our journalists are committed to informing and serving our community with accuracy, urgency, and integrity.”

The Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious honors in broadcast and digital journalism. They recognize excellence in news coverage that demonstrates the spirit of Edward R. Murrow's legacy of integrity and public service.

City of Kenmore

The city of Kenmore's “Let's Talk Kenmore” podcast won second place in the 2026 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards from the National Association of Government Communicators. This annual international awards program recognizes excellent government communication products and those who produce them.

“Let's Talk Kenmore” is a lighthearted podcast aimed at connecting listeners to their local government, and to demystifying the role of government in the city of Kenmore. The podcast was launched in April of 2024 and is hosted by city's Engineering Administrative Specialist Amber Clifton. The show covers a range of topics ranging anywhere from summer activities and recreation to what to expect at City Council meetings. It's available on the city's website or wherever you get your podcast.

May 29, 2026

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) announced the recipients of the SEL Scholarship Program for the 2026–27 academic year. This year, SEL awarded 15 scholarships — 13 valued at $5,000 and two at $2,500 — to outstanding students pursuing degrees in engineering and applied technology.

In addition to financial support, the SEL Scholarship Program reflects the long-standing commitment of SEL to education, innovation and empowering the next generation of engineers and technologists. By investing in students who demonstrate both technical promise and strong character, SEL aims to support future leaders who will help make electric power safer, more reliable and more economical.

Meet the scholars:

Bhavana Shree Pothuri, electrical engineering, Texas A&M University

Laura Harris, computer engineering, University of Idaho

Miram Elag, electrical engineering, Purdue University

Mason Heiner, electrical engineering, University of Idaho

Andrew Hunt, electrical engineering, Washington State University

Roslynn Movius, electrical engineering technology, Lewis-Clark State College

William Ingels, computer engineering, Michigan Technological University

Silas Smith, computer engineering, Colorado School of Mines

Jared McCrory, engineering, Whitworth University

Charles Liu, computer science, Washington State University

Chiagoziem Nzewi, electrical engineering, Drexel University

Mame Diop, electrical engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Scott Sagen, electrical engineering, Boise State University

Kolby Uhlenkott, electrical engineering, Montana Technological University

Micah Spencer, robotics and communications systems engineering technology, Idaho State University

SEL invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. This technology prevents blackouts and enables customers to improve power system reliability, safety and cost. SEL, a 100% employee-owned company that is headquartered in Pullman, has manufactured products in the United States since 1984 and now serves customers in 174 countries. SEL provides unmatched technical support, customer service and a 10-year worldwide warranty.

May 28, 2026

Skanska

Gabales

Skanska, a global construction and development firm, has hired Ivi Gabales as senior director-business development strategist for its Seattle office. Gabales brings nearly 20 years of experience across architecture, engineering, marketing and business development leadership in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, including roles at Rice Fergus Miller, Glumac and BCRA, as well as leading her own AEC consulting practice.

In her new role, Gabales will lead strategic business development initiatives focused on strengthening client relationships, expanding market opportunities, and supporting long-term growth across key sectors in the Pacific Northwest.

“Ivi's experience across the AEC industry, combined with her strong relationships throughout the region, makes her an important addition to our team,” said Don Kowalchuk, executive vice president and general manager, Skanska USA Building in Seattle. “She brings the strategic mindset and market understanding needed to help us build on our momentum in Seattle and identify new opportunities across the Pacific Northwest.”

Gabales began her career as an architect before moving into marketing and business development leadership.

Gabales holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of the Philippines and serves on the boards of the Seattle Architecture Foundation and the Filipino American Construction Professionals of the Northwest (FACPROS).

May 27, 2026

Port of Bremerton

The Port of Bremerton has been honored with the Washington Public Port Association's Community Outreach Award, recognizing the port's public outreach efforts tied to its Airport Feasibility Study.

The award highlights the port's commitment to transparency, accessibility, and meaningful public participation in evaluating the potential introduction of passenger and/or cargo service at Bremerton National Airport. This initiative displays long-term implications for both regional economic development and local quality of life, and in recognizing the significance of this project, the port prioritized robust community engagement from the onset.

The port used a multi-channel outreach strategy to ensure that residents and stakeholders of Kitsap County had opportunities to learn about the project and share feedback. These efforts included a community-wide survey that exceeded response expectations, a hybrid public open house, and ongoing communication through social media, newsletters and dedicated project websites. The port used these means to identify and directly address key community concerns, and those insights are helping shape the continued work of the study.