Jan 10, 2024

SeaShare

Lindoff

Bainbridge Island-based SeaShare, a nonprofit helping the seafood industry donate to hunger-relief efforts in the U.S., announced the appointment of Hannah Lindoff as executive director, effective April 1. Lindoff succeeds Jim Harmon, executive director, who will retire in August. Lindoff is a long-time executive at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), a public-private economic development partnership between the state of Alaska and Alaska's seafood industry. She is currently senior director of global marketing and strategy at ASMI, and has worked with the organization's international program for over 15 years. Lindoff has a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Washington and a master's degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Founded in 1994, SeaShare is the only U.S. nonprofit focused on seafood as a source of nutrition for food banks, and has distributed over 265 million servings.

City of University Place

Figueroa

Wood

The University Place City Council elected Council Member Javier Figueroa to serve as the city's new mayor and Council Member Ed Wood to serve as mayor pro tem. Both will occupy their new roles for the next two years, through the end of 2025. This change in leadership is standard practice in University Place, where the council sets the term for these positions on a two-year cycle. Figueroa served the last two years as mayor pro tem and also served as the city's mayor in 2016 and 2017. He has been a member of the University Place City Council since 2010 and serves on numerous regional organizations, including the executive boards of the Pierce County Regional Council and Puget Sound Regional Council. Wood was elected to the University Place City Council in 2021, beginning his term of service in November 2021. He has served the last two years as the city's finance committee chair. He has also been on the public safety advisory commission since 2010, serving as co-chair beginning in 2017, and serving as its chair in 2020 to 2021.

Gold Reserve

Following its earlier announcement that Rockne Timm will retire as CEO of Spokane-based Gold Reserve effective Feb. 13, the company announced further changes that will become effective upon Timm's retirement. James Coleman, currently executive chairman of Gold Reserve, will become president and chairman emeritus and continue his role as a senior executive of the company in that capacity. Robert Cohen, currently a director of Gold Reserve, will be appointed board chair. Timm will continue to serve as a director and advisor to Gold Reserve following his retirement. Gold Reserve's board is actively searching for a full-time CEO to manage the day-to-day affairs of the company.

Jan 09, 2024

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson announced that Julie Pendleton has been elevated to principal in the firm. Pendleton serves a wide variety of clients in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and trust and estates litigation. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago, and her J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law, where she earned CALI Awards for Excellence in both her constitutional law and capital punishment seminar courses, and was vice chair of the Moot Court Board. Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson was founded 50 years ago in Seattle. Areas of practice include business and tax law, divorce and family law, general civil litigation, creditors' rights and bankruptcy, employment law, estate planning, probate and related litigation, and real estate law.

5G Americas

5G Americas elected Ulf Ewaldsson, president of technology at T-Mobile US, as chair of its board of governors for 2024. Barbara Baffer, who is vice president of government and policy advocacy at Ericsson, has been re-elected as treasurer of the wireless trade association. Ewaldsson oversees the management and development of T-Mobile's wireless network, IT services and technology operations. Baffer, who has been with Ericsson for 33 years, manages the company's regulatory and legislative advocacy in the U.S. and Canada. She is also involved with leadership of several other industry organizations, including the Information Technology Industry Council, Tech Titans and TIA. 5G Americas, headquartered in Bellevue, is a trade organization composed of telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for the advancement of 5G throughout the Americas.

City of Redmond

The Redmond City Council appointed Ching-In Chen as Redmond's poet laureate for 2024-25. Chen was selected through a process that included applying to an open call, and individual interviews by the selection panel, Mayor Angela Birney and the City Council. Chen is a lifelong educator, community organizer and poet. Chen is an assistant professor teaching creative writing and performance classes at the University of Washington-Bothell, and the current poet-in-residence at Hugo House.

Jan 05, 2024

Lane Powell

Motta-Wurst

McCurdy

Johnson

Cooper

Clark

Patterson

Lane Powell announced that six attorneys have been elected shareholders of the firm.

Julia Clark counsels clients in all stages of commercial real estate, including structuring and forming joint ventures and other business entities, acquisitions, construction, financing, leasing and asset management, and dispositions. Clark represents developers, real estate investment trusts, property owners, landlords, tenants, and other businesses in the office, multifamily, mixed-use, retail, and hotel sectors. Clark received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her BA in Political Science and Spanish Literature from Northwestern University.

Noelle Cooper focuses her practice on acquisition and financing transactions and general corporate matters for health care clients. Cooper represents buyers and sellers of senior housing facilities in complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, sale/leasebacks, loan financings, joint ventures, general corporate and securities law issues, and health care regulatory compliance. Cooper received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and her bachelor's degree from Northwestern University.

Aaron C. Johnson represents multinational, U.S., and regional businesses in state and local tax matters including tax litigation, audit defense, appeals, and planning and structuring tax efficient transactions, and currently teaches federal tax at the University of Washington School of Law. Johnson received his LL.M in Taxation from the University of Washington School of Law, his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and his BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, cum laude, from the University of Washington.

Devon McCurdy represents clients in complex commercial litigation and advises them on regulatory compliance, including in matters related to antitrust, trademark, fraud, class actions, products liability, and constitutional law. McCurdy initially joined the firm as a Summer Associate and Associate, and then returned to the firm in 2019 after clerking for the Honorable Scott Matheson, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. McCurdy received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, his Ph.D. in History from the University of Washington, and his BA in history, magna cum laude with distinction, from Carleton College.

Chris Motta-Wurst advises employers and individuals on a wide variety of immigration-related issues. Motta-Wurst's approach to immigration provides businesses and their employees with counsel throughout the employment-based immigration lifecycle, including all types of employment-based temporary visas and green card processes. Motta-Wurst received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law and his BA in Economics and History from St. Lawrence University.

Kellen Patterson is an experienced commercial construction attorney, who handles the full range of dispute resolution and litigation proceedings, with a focus on achieving efficient and pragmatic solutions to clients' construction-related problems. She has wide-ranging experience handling all aspects of complex litigation, including pre-suit claims and negotiations, large-scale e-discovery, mediation, motions practice, and appeals. Patterson received her J.D. at the University of Washington School of Law and her B. Ed. in Elementary and Special Education Teaching Certificates, magna cum laude, at Gonzaga University.

Lane Powell opened its doors in 1875 and has grown to be one of the largest law firms headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 180 attorneys across more than 35 practice areas and industry groups.

Jan 04, 2024

Washington Wine Industry Foundation

Sara Higgins was named the new executive director of the Washington Wine Industry Foundation. Higgins brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership with a focus on planning, program management, and community outreach. “Sara's energy and drive combined with her nonprofit experience and familiarity with the wine industry are an excellent match for the Foundation,” said Bill Shibley, board chair, and senior agriculture officer, and vice president at Wheatland Bank, Pasco, Higgins is a Washington native, and has previously supported Foundation programs including the Party + Auction friend and fundraiser. As the Foundation's executive director, Higgins is responsible for implementing the board's strategic plan and developing and stewarding donor relations. Since 2002, the Foundation has been awarded over $3 million in grants supporting winemaking and winegrape growing, and awarded $480,000 in scholarships to over 250 viticulture and enology students. As only the second executive director in the organization's history, Higgins follows Vicky Scharlau who led the Foundation since its inception in 2000. Scharlau will continue in an of-counsel position, supporting federal and state grant management. The nonprofit Washington Wine Industry Foundation aims to foster a thriving Washington wine industry by investing scholarships, industry events, and sustainability such as pest control, clean plants, risk management, and safety.

Insight Distributing

Imperial Dade, a North American distributor of foodservice packaging supplies, industrial products, and janitorial supplies, has acquired Spokane-based Insight Distributing. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. With history dating back to 1941, Insight is owned and operated by Ken and Luke Pearlstein. The company's two locations will continue to service its customer base throughout Washington and Idaho, now with even a greater offering of products and solutions. Founded in 1935, Imperial Dade serves more than 120,000 customers across North America. Chairman Robert Tillis and CEO Jason Tillis assumed their roles in 2007.