Aug 27, 2024

Rock Project Management Services

Welsh-LaViers

Renton-based Rock Project Management Services hired Renee “Rae” Welsh-LaViers as business manager and accountant. She has more than 30 years of experience in accounting, procurement, contract negotiations and human resources. Welsh-LaViers has devoted her career to optimizing the financial success of companies whether in manufacturing, non-profit, or project management. Welsh-LaViers has donated much of her time to the Wounded Warrior Project, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the city of Enumclaw's Advisory Board.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services announced the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region. Developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and nonprofit organizations, will have greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from AWS data centers located in Malaysia. As part of its long-term commitment, AWS is planning to invest an estimated $6.2 billion in Malaysia through 2038. The construction and operation of the new AWS Region is estimated to support an average of more than 3,500 full-time equivalent jobs at external businesses annually through 2038. These jobs, including construction, facility maintenance, engineering, telecommunications, and others within the country's broader economy, will be part of the AWS supply chain in Malaysia. With the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region, AWS has 108 Availability Zones across 34 geographic regions, with announced plans to launch 18 more Availability Zones and six more AWS Regions in Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.

State of Alaska

Alaska is partnering with Omada Health, a virtual between-visit healthcare provider, to expand virtual care access to thousands of residents in rural areas across the state. The state's Fresh Start Campaign provides free health programs and resources to eligible residents, including Omada's prevention, hypertension, and diabetes behavior change programs. Through the Omada program, residents are matched with an Omada coach–and either a certified diabetes or hypertension specialist, depending on the program–to help them eat healthier, move more, lose weight, prevent or manage diabetes, and maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure. Omada Health is based in San Francisco.

Aug 23, 2024

Emerald Heights

For the 13th consecutive year, Emerald Heights, a senior living community in Redmond, received an ‘A-' rating from Fitch Ratings. The ‘A-' rating is a reflection of Emerald Heights' financial profile, market position, high occupancy rates, and growth opportunities. In 2023, Emerald Heights began construction on its new independent living facility, which opened in April 2024. Emerald Heights is now in process of constructing its assisted living expansion project which is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year with expected opening in 2025. The assisted living project, FirView, will offer 54 apartments, a new dining area, activity rooms, an outdoor patio, under-building parking, and a sky bridge to connect the main buildings. It has an approximate cost of $51 million. Overall, both projects have been largely on budget and on-time. Emerald Heights, sponsored by Emerald Communities, is a not-for-profit senior housing and services organization .

Otto

Otto, a startup building an intelligent and autonomous AI travel agent for business travelers, announced that it has raised a $6 million seed round led by Madrona Ventures, with participation from Direct Travel and angel investors from across the business travel industry, including Erik Blachford, former CEO of Expedia, IAC Travel and Couchsurfing; Barney Harford, former CEO of Orbitz and COO of Uber; and Hugh Crean, CEO of Operix and former CEO of Farecast (acquired by Microsoft). Otto's mission is to create a travel assistant that plans, books and supports you during your trip. Otto is an intelligent agent, utilizing the latest in AI models and methods, that learns from a business traveler their likes and preferences, from their favorite airline, specific flights, and preferred hotels to other travel details. Otto will also provide on-trip support as flights and plans change while in transit. Focused on the business traveler who doesn't have a contracted corporate travel partner, known as unmanaged business travelers, Otto will integrate with key service providers across the business travel industry, including Spotnana and Direct Travel. Steve Singh, the founder of business travel and expense leader SAP Concur and managing director at Madrona, worked with Madrona Venture Labs to conceive and prototype Otto. Singh led the investment for Madrona and will serve as the executive chairman. Michael Gulmann, Otto's founder and CEO, brings over a decade of travel industry product, marketing, and sales experience as the former chief product officer and SVP of marketing of Egencia and SVP/CPO of consumer products of Expedia Group. Otto is based in Seattle, and plans to bring its product to market in six to nine months.

Aug 22, 2024

Seattle Art Museum

Rio

Following an international search, Aaron Rio has joined Seattle Art Museum as its new Tateuchi Foundation curator of Japanese and Korean Art. He will oversee the museum's artistic program of Japanese and Korean art, including its collections and exhibitions at all three of SAM's sites (Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park). However, his role will primarily focus on the Seattle Asian Art Museum, SAM's original home and its current hub for Asian art and culture. Rio succeeds Xiaojin Wu, who served in the position from 2012 to 2022. SAM debuted the renovated and expanded Seattle Asian Art Museum in 2020, which included more and improved exhibition space, more programming space, and the new Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Conservation Center, the only studio in the western United States dedicated to the structural conservation of East Asian paintings. Since 2019, Rio has served as associate curator in the Department of Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Rio earned his PhD in Art History from Columbia University.

Pack Ventures

Ken Horenstein

Pack Ventures, an independently run venture capital fund, is collaborating with the University of Washington to boost innovation and support entrepreneurial ventures emerging from the university. This collaboration provides opportunities for Husky alumni to invest in promising startups and will help bolster the UW's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The collaboration between the UW and Pack Ventures was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year. As a result, Pack Ventures became a preferred venture partner of the UW and CoMotion, the university's collaborative innovation hub. Leveraging this relationship, Pack Ventures has launched its second fund, aiming to raise $30 million to invest in startups with UW affiliations. The fund has already attracted over 50 investors. The UW is among the top institutions in the nation for securing federal research funds, receiving more than $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2023. Ken Horenstein is the founder of Pack Ventures and a UW alumnus. To date, Pack Ventures has raised over $10 million from more than 100 investors and invested in 29 companies connected to the UW, including those founded by faculty, students and alumni.

Data I/O

Redmond-based Data I/O Corp. announced a chief executive officer transition plan, with industry veteran and current Data I/O board member William Wentworth to become president and CEO. Wentworth will replace Anthony Ambrose through a managed transition plan. Wentworth becomes president effective Sept. 1, and CEO effective Oct. 1. Wentworth comes to Data I/O with a wealth of industry experience spanning over 35 years, including private equity and M&A exposure. As the CEO of Source Electronics, he was a Data I/O customer and led the sale of controlling interest of Source Electronics to HIG Capital in 2001 and the company's subsequent sale to Avnet in 2008. More recently, as president and owner of Wentworth Advisors, he has consulted in the programming, IT, and private equity markets, focusing on expanding deal flow, performing due diligence and board service. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Data I/O since May 2023, serving as chair of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee and member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Ambrose served as CEO of Data I/O for 12 years. He will assist Wentworth during the transition period and will be available to consult for the company for the next 12 months. Wentworth will continue to serve on Data I/O's Board of Directors, although he will be reclassified from an independent member to an executive member. After Oct. 31, Ambrose will no longer be a member of the board following his retirement as CEO of the company.