Dec 03, 2025

Downtown Seattle Association

The Downtown Seattle Association added three senior leaders who it says will guide key areas of the organization's work to create a healthy, vibrant downtown: Matt Gurney, chief operating officer; Chris Copacino, vice president of communications and marketing; and Dennis Sills, vice president of advocacy and economic development. Gurney, Copacino and Sills join John Scholes, president and CEO; Jennifer Casillas, VP, public realm and ambassador operations; Emily Bailor, chief of staff; and Alex Hudson, executive director of Commute Seattle, on the executive team. Gurney, who joined DSA in May as COO, oversees financial, human resources, regulatory and administrative functions for the organization. He spent much of his career in the social enterprise and nonprofit space, serving for more than 20 years in senior leadership roles with FareStart in downtown Seattle. Most recently, he served as CEO of Fort Worden Hospitality. Copacino, who took over as VP of communications and marketing in September, leads DSA's external communications, brand strategy and marketing efforts. He most recently served as executive director of business development for ad agency Copacino Fujikado, where he spent more than 21 years. He has worked with some of the region's most recognizable brands, including REI, the Seattle Mariners, Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Sills, who joined DSA earlier this month, brings two decades of experience in government relations and public policy, most recently serving as director of external affairs at Plymouth Housing. Sills also worked for Congresswoman Suzan DelBene after spending 10 years in Washington, D.C., serving as legislative director for Congressman G.K. Butterfield. Established in 1958, the Downtown Seattle Association is a nonprofit membership organization that also manages the Metropolitan Improvement District, a business-improvement area spanning 300 square blocks downtown.

Ascendent Demolition

Ascendent Demolition has expanded into the Mountain Region — bringing its experience, equipment, and culture to Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. With this expansion, Ascendent has brought on Nick Tidwell as demolition manager for the new region. Ascendent will continue its commitment to provide reliable demolition and site preparation services throughout the Northwest and beyond.

Dec 02, 2025

Starfire Sports

Starfire Sports, a Pacific Northwest hub for youth soccer and education, announced that veteran Seattle University head coach and Seattle Sounders FC broadcaster Peter Fewing has joined its board of directors. A member of the Pacific Northwest soccer community for more than four decades, Fewing brings experience as a coach, mentor, and champion for youth development. His career spans professional play with FC Seattle Storm; 29 seasons as head coach of the Seattle University Redhawks, where he guided the program to two national championships; a USL/PDL national title with the Kitsap Pumas in 2011; running Pete Fewing Soccer Camps since 1981 serving over 83,000 young athletes; and numerous leadership roles supporting youth and community soccer initiatives across the region. Fewing has also served as executive director of America SCORES Seattle, a nonprofit blending soccer and poetry to empower underserved youth. Since 2009, he has also been a voice in the broadcast booth for Seattle Sounders FC. Starfire Sports is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and families through soccer and educational programs. Located in Tukwila, Starfire's 54-acre campus attracts over 1.1 million visits annually, hosting a range of events and activities including youth soccer leagues, tournaments, team training, and professional matches. The Starfire STEM Academy serves students from Pre-K through sixth grade, while the campus also supports professional teams like the Seattle Reign, Tacoma Defiance, and Seattle Seawolves.

Alaska Communications

Alaska Communications has appointed John Sims, president of ENSTAR Natural Gas Co., to its board of directors. Born and raised in Eagle River, Sims brings deep Alaska roots and a lifelong commitment to serving the needs of Alaskans. Under his nearly two-decade leadership, ENSTAR has strengthened its role as an energy provider, emphasizing collaboration and resilience. Sims holds an MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Alaska Communications, an affiliate of ATN International, provides mission and life-critical communications infrastructure in Alaska. The company operates a statewide fiber network and a undersea fiber optic system that connects Alaska to the contiguous U.S.

Nov 28, 2025

State Supreme Court

Melody

Gov. Bob Ferguson made his first appointment to the Washington State Supreme Court on Monday, announcing that civil rights attorney Colleen Melody will replace retiring Justice Mary Yu. Melody will succeed Justice Yu following her retirement at the end of the year. “I have had the good fortune of knowing Justice Yu very well for a long time,” Ferguson said. “Justice Yu is a historic figure in our state and a trailblazer in many ways. She leaves an impressive legacy and very big shoes to fill on this Court.” Melody attended the University of Washington and the UW School of Law, where she graduated first in her class. Melody spent four years with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., investigating and litigating federal civil rights cases. Her work earned her the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding New Employee and the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights’ Special Commendation for Outstanding Service. In 2015, then Attorney General Ferguson hired her to lead the Washington State Attorney General’s Wing Luke Civil Rights Division. Melody presided over the division’s growth to 35 lawyers, investigators and professional staff, while also leading some of its most significant cases. Melody has also practiced before the Washington State Supreme Court. She was awarded the Legal Foundation of Washington’s Charles A. Goldmark Distinguished Service Award in 2018, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association Jack Wasserman Memorial Award in 2017. She received the Steward of Justice Award, the Attorney General’s highest honor, in 2018.

Nov 26, 2025

Department of Commerce

Chartock

Washington State Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyen appointed Andrea Chartock to lead the state's Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, a division of the state agency. Chartock was previously with the international development company DAI and has more than 25 years of experience in global economic development, spanning more than 30 countries. Chartock's experience includes supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to increase sales, jobs, exports, and attract investments. In her previous role, she implemented projects with U.S. Agency for International Development funding, and has led teams completing assessments to understand market opportunities and constraints to design and adaptively manage inclusive economic development programming. Chartock will lead the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness teams at Commerce, including industry sector development, circular economy, rural and marketing services, small business export assistance, small business finance and community support, finance and grant services, and contracts and procurement. She will serve on the agency's Executive Leadership Team. Chartock has a master's degree in international policy studies and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.

Perkins Coie

Perkins Coie has promoted eight lawyers to partner or senior counsel in its Seattle office, effective Jan. 1. Kevin Zeck was promoted to senior counsel in the Patent Litigation practice. Eric Ashcroft, Ruben Tyler Kendrick, Michelle Maley, Christian Marcelo, Nisha Nariya, Geoffrey Palachuk and Christopher Wassman were appointed to partner. Ashcroft is a member of the Federal Tax practice. He counsels clients on federal income tax matters related to complex business transactions, advising strategic acquirers, private equity sponsors, venture capital funds, emerging growth companies, public and private issuers of debt and equity, and high net-worth individuals. Kendrick is a member of the IP practice. He focuses on patent litigation in federal courts, post-grant proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and investigations at the International Trade Commission. Kendrick also maintains an active pro bono immigration practice. Maley is a member of the Product Liability Litigation practice. She represents manufacturers, retailers, and clients in contract and product liability disputes, and has experience in alternative dispute resolution and pro bono advocacy. Marcelo is a member of the Trademark, Copyright, Internet & Advertising practice, and litigates business disputes focusing on contracts, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright litigation, and manages large-scale enforcement programs protecting his client's IP rights. Nariya is a member of the Private Client Services practice. She advises high net-worth individuals and families on estate planning, tax strategies, fiduciary matters and family office structures. Palachuk is a member of the Construction practice. He represents public owners and private developers in all phases of commercial construction projects, managing disputes and developing risk mitigation strategies for large, complex developments. Wassman is a member of the Corporate practice. He counsels publicly traded and privately held companies on capital markets transactions, securities law compliance and corporate governance matters.

Nov 25, 2025

Ash Grove Cement

Southworth

Ash Grove Cement hired Phil Southworth as senior market manager. He will work from Ash Grove's Bellevue sales office, and his assigned territory will cover Western and Central Washington, along with the state of Alaska. Southworth comes to Ash Grove from Oldcastle Inc. CRH, where he was vice president of operations in charge of manufacturing concrete products. Southworth was awarded the Bronze Star for his leadership during military service in Iraq.

Washington State Court of Appeals

Hill

Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Tyson R. Hill to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III — his first appellate appointment since taking office in January. Hill's appointment, effective Jan. 1, fills the position being vacated by Judge George Fearing's retirement that date. Hill has more than two decades of legal experience as a superior court and district court judge, judge pro tempore, appellate attorney and prosecutor. He has served more than four years in his current role as Grant County Superior Court Judge in Ephrata, appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2021. He co-founded and presided over Grant County's first therapeutic drug court, and he has regularly served as a pro tem judge for the Court of Appeals, Division III. Prior to becoming a Superior Court Judge, Hill served more than seven years on the Grant County District Court bench. He also served four years as the Grant County Prosecutor's Office's lead appellate attorney, where he argued before Division III and the Washington State Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, he clerked for Washington State Supreme Court Justice James M. Johnson. Hill also worked as a consultant to the U.S. — China Economic & Security Review Commission. Hill earned his bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Washington.

Washington State Lottery

Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed Brian Bennett as the new director of Washington's Lottery. Bennett's experience spans more than three decades, including serving as mayor and a member of the City Council for the City of Burien and 16 years at the global technology company F5 Inc. Most recently, Bennett served as a vice president in F5's legal department, managing a team that supported sales and operations for the company. Bennett previously practiced law in Seattle, working with clients on technology, government, immigration and health care issues. He also worked as a legislative assistant in the Washington State Senate. Bennett is a graduate of the University of Washington, where he earned a degree in comparative literature. He earned his law degree from New York University. Outside of work, Bennett volunteers for the Ukrainian Association of Washington State, supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in Washington. Previously, Bennett chaired the Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee and served on Burien's Planning Commission. He also worked for a nonprofit environmental law firm in Ukraine and spent a year teaching English in Moscow, Russia.