Jan 29, 2025

AHBL

Pflueger

Sauter

Duncan

Dodos

Stickney

AHBL announced the promotions of key individuals on the team. The following team members have been promoted to associate principal: Nicole Stickney, a senior planning project manager in the Tri-Cities office, Christopher Dodos, a survey project manager in the Tacoma office, and Tyler Duncan, a survey project manager in the Tri-Cities office.

Two senior structural engineers have been promoted to senior associates: Andrea Sauter, a senior structural project manager in the Seattle office and Andy Pflueger, a senior structural project manager in the Tacoma office.

Stickney has been promoted to associate principal within the Planning Department. With 16 years of experience in land use planning, Stickney is a skilled and versatile planner, adept in all aspects of the field. She has contributed to a wide variety of planning and economic development projects for both public and private-sector clients across Washington state. Stickney brings specialized expertise in policy development, municipal code writing, environmental analysis, and development review.

Dodos has been promoted to associate principal within the Survey Department. Dodos began his career as a high school teacher after graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point with a B.S. in Russian and concentration in Environmental Engineering. He has over 11 years experience as a land surveyor and is licensed in Washington and Oregon as a Professional Land Surveyor. His expertise includes preparing topographic, boundary and post-construction as-built surveys and construction staking. Dodos is responsible for project scheduling in the field and office, managing the development of topographic and A.L.T.A. surveys, boundary line adjustments, records of survey, short and long plats, right-of-way surveys, and various formats of boundary surveys.

Duncan has been promoted to associate principal within the Survey Department. Duncan's career began 18 years ago at AHBL after graduating from WSU with his bachelor's degree. His experience has been as a surveyor in various capacities, rising through the ranks. Duncan is currently serving as AHBL's Tri-Cities survey project manager, where he coordinates and calculates survey projects, and supervises office production of staff and field crews. He is responsible for in-house production of survey maps and exhibits, topographic surveys, performing boundary calculations, writing legal descriptions, and leading on-call survey projects.

Sauter has been promoted to senior associate within the Structural Engineering Department. Sauter has 22 years' experience as a structural engineer working on a wide variety of project types, including K-12 schools, higher education facilities, medical office buildings, tribal and veterans administration facilities. This work has included new construction, tenant improvements, and seismic evaluation and retrofit. Sauter is a skilled communicator and is well versed in BIM and computer analysis methods. She is a DBIA certified professional and has considerable experience with pull planning, target value design, and other Lean Design principles. Her role as a senior associate will include providing client-focused structural solutions, utilizing her DBIA certification to evolve our Progressive D/B and D/B portfolios of work, as well as mentoring the structural engineering staff in our Puget Sound offices.

Pflueger has been promoted within the Structural Engineering Department. He has 27 years' experience working on a broad range of project types including military facilities, commercial office and industrial buildings, mixed-use developments, educational facilities, and public buildings. In addition to new construction, Pflueger has developed seismic upgrades for numerous facilities and has extensive experience with steel and post-tensioned concrete construction. He also brings extensive experience with the process and standards of federal government projects. Pflueger is AHBL's expert on structural analysis software and leads AHBL's BIM team and the development of structural CAD/BIM standards. His role as senior associate will include continued support of his clients in the mixed-use, commercial, and industrial markets and our Federal IDIQ and MATOC projects throughout Washington state.

Dark Light Design

Klingfus

Littleton

Dark Light Design announced the promotion of two team members. Oliver Littleton has been promoted to senior lighting designer, and Kerri Klingfus has been promoted to director of operations and marketing, and associate.

Littleton has been promoted in recognition of his consistent delivery of high-quality design solutions, contributions to creative project development, and efforts to improve firm-wide processes.

Klingfus has played a key role in managing the firm's operations and marketing efforts, ensuring efficiency and professionalism. Her contributions have supported the firm's growth and development. In her new role, she will continue managing operations, leading marketing initiatives, and contributing to strategic planning.

TAPCO Credit Union

TAPCO Credit Union has been recognized as one of America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. TAPCO received a 5-star rating, the highest rating in the recognition. TAPCO Credit Union has been serving Tacoma and Pierce County since 1934. “Being named to Newsweek's list of America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025 is a testament to our commitment to serving our members with integrity, innovation, and a deep connection to our community,” said Justin Martin, CEO at TAPCO Credit Union. The recognition by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group is the result of a comprehensive analysis of over 9,000 financial institutions across the United States, including more than 70,000 customer surveys and millions of social media reviews. With a mission to provide inclusive financial solutions, TAPCO offers a range of products and services tailored to meet the evolving needs of its members.

T-Mobile US

Belleuve-based T-Mobile US named Srinivasan Gopalan as its new chief operating officer. Gopalan will join T-Mobile US in his new role on March 1, 2025, reporting directly to CEO Mike Sievert, and will lead the company's technology initiatives and go-to-market operations across both Consumer and Business groups. Gopalan has served as a member of T-Mobile's Board of Directors for nearly four years, with his most recent term beginning in 2022. Gopalan has extensive global leadership experience in technology, telecommunications, and business operations. He has held senior leadership positions at organizations like Bharti Airtel in India, CapitalOne in the UK, Vodafone, T-Mobile UK where he contributed to the joint venture with Orange, and various roles at Deutsche Telekom, including having served as the managing director of Telekom Deutschland GmbH. The existing Senior Leadership Team will continue in their roles, and will all report directly to Gopalan upon his arrival.

MangoBoost

MangoBoost, a provider of system solutions designed to maximize AI data center efficiency, named Chanik Park as its chief commercial officer. Chanik brings over two decades of experience driving semiconductor research innovation and commercialization. He holds bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in computer engineering from Seoul National University. He began his career at Samsung Electronics in 2002. During his tenure, he held key leadership roles, including head of NAND Product Planning, Memory Business Planning team lead, and vice president of the Device Solutions Division's Americas Operations.“As MangoBoost continues to build its core product lineup, our focus has shifted to delivering the best solutions to existing clients while strategically identifying and engaging with new customers,” said CEO Jangwoo Kim. “Chanik has an impressive track record of spearheading innovative memory and storage product strategies and successfully serving major global clients. His extensive experience and leadership will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in driving MangoBoost's market expansion and long-term growth.”MangoBoost is headquartered in Bellevue.

Jan 28, 2025

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Lynch

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) has expanded into medical devices with the production of a tool for detecting the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Georgina Lynch recently joined SEL as principal scientist after inventing and leading the development of a prototype while at Washington State University. Lynch holds a PhD in neuroscience/psychology and has a background in speech-language pathology and more than 20 years of experience working with children with autism. “We are excited about Dr. Lynch's invention, and delighted that we can further its development, pursue approvals and begin production,” said Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, SEL founder and chairman of the board of the Pullman-based laboratories. SEL has created a medical devices team to pursue this new technology. The device, which can detect an atypical pupil light reflex and the likelihood of autism within 24 months of birth, is a handheld tool to be used by clinicians during well-child exams. Lynch and her team are working through the FDA regulatory and compliance requirements. SEL, a 100% employee-owned company, invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world.

City of Des Moines

Des Moines Mayor Traci Buxton has been elected 2025 president of the Sound Cities Association (SCA). SCA represents 38 King County cities and provides a regional voice for more than one million people. “Mayor Buxton is an outstanding leader for our region, and I am looking forward to great things at SCA under her leadership,” said Issaquah Mayor Mary Lou Pauly, who serves as immediate past president of SCA. Buxton was elected SCA president by the SCA Board of Directors, which consists of councilmembers and mayors in King County. Member cities include the King County cities with populations under 250,000. Buxton was first elected to the Des Moines City Council in 2017, and as mayor in 2024. First elected to the SCA Board of Directors in 2022, Buxton served as vice president in 2024. SCA was founded in the 1970s to help cities act locally and partner regionally to create vital, livable communities through advocacy, education, leadership, mutual support and networking.

Jan 23, 2025

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Nestegard

Whitehead

Schweitzer

Ed Schweitzer, president of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), has asked CEO Dave Whitehead to assume the role of president, and chief business and financial officer Joey Nestegard to assume the role of executive vice president. Schweitzer also requested his position be changed from president to founder and shared the following: “Dave and Joey are already doing an excellent job leading SEL, and at this point, I want to be contributing more as a mentor, inventor, collaborator and teacher. Their promotions recognize their leadership and our teamwork.” Schweitzer has set the strategic direction of SEL since its founding in 1984. He is known for his many contributions to the electric power industry as an engineer and inventor, as well as for his leadership and approach to business. Whitehead joined in 1994 as a hardware engineer. He led the Research & Development division for more than a decade before taking on the roles of chief operating officer and then chief executive officer. Nestegard joined the company in 2002 as a finance professional. Over the years, he has taken on increasing responsibilities, eventually becoming the chief business and financial officer in 2017. He is an advocate for the employee ownership model and its benefits for long-term decision making and business stability. He managed the SEL transition to 100% employee-owned in 2009. SEL invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. The company is headquartered in Pullman.

Pacific Retirement Services

Moody

Pacific Retirement Services (PRS) has named Ky Moody as executive director of Mirabella Seattle, one of its life plan communities located in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Moody has nearly 15 years of experience in continuing care retirement communities, including as regional director of operations with the Tutera Group in the Midwest and, most recently, executive director of a Lifespace community in South Florida. “Ky's enthusiasm, team-building skills, and extensive experience across all facets of senior living make him an outstanding fit for Mirabella Seattle,” says Alex Candalla, regional vice president of operations for PRS. Moody will oversee all aspects of Mirabella Seattle's full spectrum of care.

Smartsheet

Bellevue-based Smartsheet, an AI enhanced enterprise grade work management platform, announced the completion of its acquisition by funds managed by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners in a transaction valued at approximately $8.4 billion. The transaction was previously announced in September, and approved by Smartsheet stockholders on Dec. 9. With the completion of the take private transaction, Smartsheet stockholders are entitled to receive $56.50 in cash for each share of Smartsheet common stock they owned immediately prior to the closing. Smartsheet's stock has ceased trading, and the company is no longer listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Smartsheet, Blackstone and Vista will seek to invest to expand the company's collaborative work management solutions, and allow Smartsheet to scale its international business and make its products and expertise available to customers and partners worldwide. Qatalyst Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Smartsheet, and Fenwick & West as its legal counsel.