Oct 09, 2024

Russell Investments

Russell Investments hired Shelly Heier as global head of institutional client service, a newly created role. Most recently, Heier served as president and senior consultant at Verus Investments. With 26 years of industry experience, Heier's role at Verus Investments included delivering both non-discretionary consulting and discretionary management services to institutional clients, including endowments, foundations, corporate pension plans, and public and multi-employer trusts. She also chaired Verus' OCIO Investment and Alternatives Investment Committees. Prior to Verus Investments, Heier started her career as a financial analyst for high-net-worth clients. In her new position, she will focus on enhancing the delivery of Russell Investments' holistic investment solutions and implementation services. Heier will lead a team of client chief investment officers, account executives, and client-service associates to strengthen and expand the firm's international institutional relationships. Heier will also work closely with Kevin Turner and Rachel Carroll, who are responsible for Russell Investments' North America consulting business. Heier, who reports to Lindy Freeman, managing director and global head of institutional at Russell Investments, is based in the firm's Seattle headquarters. Russell Investments has 16 offices in major financial centers including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, Milan, and Dubai.

Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum and the Betty Bowen Committee, chaired by Gary Glant, announced that Portland-based artist Samantha Yun Wall is the winner of the 2024 Betty Bowen Award. The juried award comes with an unrestricted cash award of $20,000 and a solo exhibition at SAM. Founded in 1977 to continue the legacy of arts advocate and supporter Betty Bowen (1918–1977), the annual award honors a Northwest artist for their original, exceptional, and compelling work. Wall was born in Seoul, and creates drawings that reflect her experience of navigating transcultural identity as a Black Korean immigrant. Her work has been exhibited throughout Washington and Oregon.

Oct 08, 2024

Skagit County Board of Commissioners

Negrila

The Skagit County Board of Commissioners appointed Monica Negrila as director of strategic initiatives. A new role within the Skagit County Commissioner's office, the director of strategic initiatives is responsible for shaping and executing the strategic direction and growth of Skagit County initiatives, starting with a focus on North Star. North Star is a public-private partnership between Skagit County, local cities, housing and healthcare providers, first responders, and other community leaders. Using a collaborative approach to pool resources, coordinate action, and streamline essential community services in housing and behavioral health, North Star is working to address chronic homelessness. Negrila brings extensive experience in behavioral health and human services, with a focus on strategic planning, program development, and community engagement in both the public and non-profit sectors. She joins Skagit County from the city of Issaquah, where she spent the last six years creating and implementing various programs to address systemic needs in human services, behavioral health, homelessness, equity and social justice. Among the initiatives she led were the creation of the city's Behavioral Health and Homeless Outreach Program, the Emergency Housing Program, and the development of the Equity Board. Before her role in Issaquah, Negrila served as the executive director of IKRON of Greater Seattle, an outpatient behavioral health organization in King County. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Bucharest, Romania, and a master's degree in mental health counseling from the University of Cincinnati. She is also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Substance Use Disorder Professional.

Alaska Airlines

Taiwan-based luxury carrier STARLUX Airlines has launched a codeshare partnership with Alaska Airlines. The codeshare is STARLUX's first, and initially covers eight domestic routes including Salt Lake City, San Diego, Phoenix, Portland, Las Vegas, Dallas, Denver, and Austin, Texas, — all to Seattle, operated by Alaska Airlines. Customers are now able to book from the eight cities and the connecting flights from Seattle to Taipei operated by STARLUX on a single ticket. STARLUX Airlines operates a total of 31 routes, covering a network across Asia, as well as three major cities on the U.S. West Coast: Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The Los Angeles route is set to increase from daily service to 10 flights per week starting Dec. 22, while the Seattle route will expand from three weekly to daily flights from March 1 of next year.

Oct 04, 2024

Lamb Weston

Prestage

Lamb Weston Holdings has appointed Norman Prestage to its board of directors. Prestage served as a partner at Ernst & Young until his retirement in June 2024. Prestage will also serve on the board's audit and finance committee. Prestage joined Ernst & Young in 1987, and during his career served as the global client service partner for large global public companies in the consumer products, foodservice, retail and risk management industries. He was a member of the Ernst & Young Americas Global Accounts Partner Group and served on the Ernst & Young Global Consumer Products Advisory Board. Prestage is a certified public accountant and has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame. Lamb Weston is a supplier of frozen potato, appetizer and vegetable products to restaurants and retailers around the world, and is based in Eagle, Idaho.

Lucent Law

Goodnow

Stromberg

Sullivan

Phoenix-based law firm Fennemore announced the launch of Project BlueWave, a technology initiative designed to revolutionize legal services through the integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and flat- and alternative-fee pricing. To accelerate this initiative, Fennemore is combining with Lucent Law, a technology-driven boutique law firm in Spokane. Lucent Law utilizes AI and automation to deliver flat-rate service offerings to clients. As part of its strategy, Fennemore has partnered with OpenAI, a global provider of generative AI. Fennemore plans to harness Lucent's knowledge to jumpstart many facets of its Project BlueWave, including its OpenAI infrastructure and a proprietary automation platform. Brett Sullivan and Spencer Stromberg are the co-founders of Lucent Law. Sullivan is also the managing partner of Fennemore's new Spokane office. Fennemore's combination with Lucent Law is its fifth in 2024. Its other four combinations have been in Seattle, San Diego, Sacramento, and Denver. In July, Fennemore announced Forward, a model that combines the firm's now 20 brick-and- mortar offices with a platform for a distributed workforce. Forward already supports legal professionals working in 44 cities across the United States. James Goodnow is the CEO of Fennemore.

WiSA Technologies

WiSA Technologies hired Stanley Mbugua as vice president of finance. In a planned transition, he will also assume the role of chief accounting officer, effective November 30, 2024. Mbugua was previously the chief accounting officer at Presto Automation, a California-based company which provides artificial intelligence and other automation solutions to restaurants. Prior that he was the chief accounting officer at Skillz, a mobile video game competition platform. Mbugua also served as chief accounting officer at Rimini Street, and as senior director and corporate controller at various other companies, including Lattice Semiconductor and Silicon Image. Mbugua is a certified public accountant and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Nairobi. WiSA Technologies is a provider of immersive, wireless sound technology for intelligent devices and next-generation home entertainment systems. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, with sales teams in Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, and California.

Oct 03, 2024

TRICO Companies

Allison

TRICO Companies, a design-build general contractor based in Burlington, hired Alan Allison as superintendent. Allison has over a decade of experience in the construction industry, specializing in structural-based concrete, earthwork, steel erection, and civil works, He has overseen complex interior and exterior buildouts, collaborating with subcontractors, architects, and engineers to ensure project success. Allison's expertise extends to contract buyout, formwork design, logistics, inspections, testing, and financial budgeting, with a strong commitment to sustainable and responsible practices. He is an advocate for environmentally conscious building, and incorporates LEED compliance and EHS standards into every project. Allison has certifications in Erosion & Sediment Control through the state Department of Ecology and OSHA 30, and has also attended Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas. TRICO Companies was founded in 1979, and has a national footprint, with licenses across Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, Mississippi, Tennessee and California. TRICO offers services spanning various industries and a wide range of projects and industries.

Maul Foster & Alongi

Maul Foster & Alongi, a Pacific Northwest multidisciplinary firm, has acquired Peak Sustainability Group, a Bellingham-based firm specializing in climate change and sustainability services. This partnership enables MFA to expand its services, offering enhanced capabilities and more integrated services for clients across all sectors MFA serves. Founded in 2011, Peak Sustainability Group helps public agencies and businesses with climate change planning, clean energy adoption, ecosystem protection, and organizational sustainability. Peak represents a diverse range of clients in local and state governments, tribes, ports, transportation authorities, educational entities, businesses, and the nonprofit sector. Peak, founded by David Roberts, will continue to serve clients across the Pacific Northwest. Maul Foster & Alongi provides environmental, planning, engineering, GIS and data analysis, communications, and health and safety services. Founded in 1996, MFA is 100% employee-owned and has expanded to include a staff of 140 across nine Pacific Northwest offices. MFA works with a variety of industries, including public agencies, forest products, solid waste, food processing, and heavy industry, offering tailored solutions to environmental and community challenges. Steve Taylor is the president of MFA.