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

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.

Nov 07, 2023

DAT Freight & Analytics

Portland-based DAT Freight & Analytics appointed Brian Gill as its chief technology officer. Gill joins DAT from Nordstrom, where he served as senior vice president of technology and chief product officer. He drove technology product development at the company, including website and native apps, omni technology, services for search, order management, payments and credit, product catalog, inventory management and supply chain. Before Nordstrom, Gill was CTO and chief scientist at Hotwire and vice president of technology at Expedia. Founded in 1978, DAT operates a truckload freight marketplace, providing shippers, transportation brokers, carriers, news organizations and industry analysts information on market trends and data insights based on more than 400 million freight matches and a database of $150 billion in annual market transactions. DAT is a business unit of Roper Technologies.

BECU

BECU named Raquel Karls as executive vice president and chief people officer. In her new role, Karls is responsible for leading teams focused on talent, human resources and equity and inclusion. Karls will also develop and implement people and diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. Karls joins BECU with nearly 30 years of global HR experience, including senior roles at Outerwall, Expedia, Pepsi Bottling Company, and Starbucks. Most recently, she served as chief people officer for REI, where she was responsible for all facets of people and culture across the organization, including talent acquisition, compensation, employee events and people operations. BECU is the largest not-for-profit credit union in Washington and one of the top four financial cooperatives in the country.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross Northwest Region appointed Will Willis, Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Force (Retired) as its new director of service to the Armed Forces/International Services, which serves Washington and the five northern counties in Idaho. Willis will lead the region's Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces and International Services departments in providing Red Cross assistance to service members, veterans, and their families as well as families seeking reunification assistance and more through Red Cross International Services. Each year, the Red Cross Northwest Region provides thousands of services to the military community. From their first day of enlistment, service members are eligible for Red Cross assistance, including 24/7 emergency communications and access to financial support during emergencies, information and referral services, confidential reconnection, mind-body and resiliency workshops, military hospital and clinic programs, and veteran services.

Willis will also lead the region's International Services efforts. Will enlisted in 1986. He held numerous positions at the 715th Air Mobility Operations Group in Hawaii, and Headquarters Air Mobility Passenger Policy and Air Mobility Command's Inspector General's Office at Scott Air Force Base. Lastly, he served as the noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Operations for the J4 Directorate and as senior Air Force enlisted leader with the Special Operations Unit in Qatar. In 2016, Will joined the office of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell as her Military/Veterans Constituency Services Representative. He also advises Senator Cantwell on legislative issues as it pertains to military and veteran issues. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and donations from the American public to deliver its mission.