Oct 21, 2025

Banner Bank

Oxford

Banner Bank has promoted Dan Oxford to executive vice president and chief risk officer. In his expanded role, Oxford will oversee enterprise-wide risk management, including enterprise risk, compliance, financial crimes, fraud, vendor risk, and credit review teams. Oxford, who joined Banner in 2010, will now chair the bank's Risk Management Oversight Committee. He previously served as senior vice president, risk services director & chief appraiser, and has held several leadership positions with increasing responsibilities during his 15-year tenure at the bank. Before joining Banner, Oxford worked in the real estate industry. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northwest University and an MBA from Gonzaga University. Oxford is also a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School and holds professional designations including Member of the Appraisal Institute and certified appraisal specialist. Banner Bank, headquartered in Walla Walla, operates in Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho. The bank is part of Banner Corporation, a $16.56 billion bank holding company.

Olalla Recovery Centers

Olalla Recovery Centers, a nonprofit substance abuse treatment provider serving the Puget Sound area, has announced Derek Murphy as its new executive director. Murphy steps into the role following the leadership of Christine Lynch, who guided the organization after the retirement of longtime chief executive Kevin Merrick. Murphy first joined Olalla Recovery Centers in 2017 as director of outpatient services at Gig Harbor Counseling, where he oversaw client care and programming for adults and adolescents. In 2020, he advanced to director of clinical services, overseeing treatment quality and program development across the organization. With a degree in psychology/counseling from Johnson State College, Murphy brings an extensive background that bridges both law enforcement and addiction recovery. A former law enforcement officer, he transitioned into social work and community-based advocacy, aligning his career with social justice and recovery-focused services. He is a federally qualified substance abuse professional and an active member of the Pierce County Opioid Task Force, helping shape regional responses to the opioid crisis. Founded in 1969, Olalla Recovery Centers provides inpatient and outpatient treatment programs through two programs: the Olalla Guest Lodge, a residential facility offering inpatient treatment and sub-acute detoxification services for adults, and the Gig Harbor Counseling program, which provides outpatient services for both adults and adolescents.

Oct 17, 2025

XCharge North America

XCharge North America, the North American subsidiary of XCHG Limited and a provider of high-power EV charging and battery-integrated solutions designed to strengthen the North American electrical grid, has formed a new partnership with Wildhorse Resort & Casino's Arrowhead Travel Plaza to deploy four, dual-dispenser GridLink chargers. This new deployment in Pendleton, Oregon, which brings XCharge NA's total U.S. footprint to 18 states, will provide Arrowhead Travel Plaza's growing EV customer base with a fast, efficient, and reliable charging experience and will also serve as the first solar-plus-storage DC fast-charging station in the state. This installation was strategically enabled by NetZero Energy which identified the initial opportunity for collaboration and provided essential services, including due diligence, system design, and comprehensive project management, acting as a pivotal partner in bringing this state-first deployment online. As part of the Wildhorse Resort & Casino enterprises on tribal lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Arrowhead Travel Plaza serves over 1.7 million vehicles on Interstate 84.

“This project supports the Tribe's dedication to sustainable practices and our mission to deliver a forward-thinking experience for all guests and travelers,” said Gary E. George, chief executive officer at Wildhorse Resort & Casino.

XCharge, founded in 2015, offers comprehensive EV charging solutions, which primarily include the DC fast chargers and the advanced battery-integrated DC fast chargers as well as its accompanying services. Founded in 2014, NetZero Energy is a Pacific Northwest–based company focused on advancing the EV charging market, providing turnkey solutions that bring projects from concept to completion.

City of Tacoma

The city of Tacoma's Community & Economic Development Department is offering a free workshop to help local entrepreneurs select, design, and permit physical business spaces that foster community and drive growth. The workshop — Space, Place, and People: Designing Business Spaces That Thrive — will take place on Nov. 5, from 3–5 p.m. at the Downtown Tacoma Public Library's Cascade Room (1102 Tacoma Ave. S). The workshop will feature practical insights from members of Tacoma's business community, including Kevin Lee of Third Space Cafe and Sonia Abenojar and Sergio Legon-Talamoni of the design firm La Union Studio. The workshop also provides direct access to subject matter experts who can help entrepreneurs navigate common challenges, from permitting to design. Additional information is available by contacting Dierdre Patterson at dpatterson3@tacoma.gov.

Oct 16, 2025

Bay Vista lands new tenant

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International Workplace Group announced a bevy of new co-work locations this summer, as the DJC then reported. Among those half dozen-plus flexible office hubs, a few more were slated to open this fall. Belltown's Bay Vista office tower — separate from the condos upstairs! — is notable among them. The offices were foreclosed last fall by the lender, Värde Partners, which is working with Bayspring Real Estate Partners to repopulate the space. On their behalf, Cushman & Wakefield has been representing the five podium office levels at 2815 Second Ave. IWG will open at Bay Vista next month using its Regus brand (other brands include Spaces, HQ and Signature). It didn't specify the office footprint, but the vacant fourth floor seems likely, with 16,035 square feet. Since the pandemic, for IWG and its competitors, the co-work niche has proven valuable for companies that shed leases and staff, then find themselves in need of short-term space.

Colliers finds $33M for Ballard duo

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As the DJC reported in April, Saratoga Capital then started on two facing Ballard apartment projects, east (pictured) and west, totaling about 124 units. GGLO is the architect and W.G. Clark the builder. Last month Colliers announced that it had arranged a $33 million construction loan for what are now dubbed The Pacific and The Cascades. Banner Bank was the lender, with the note carrying an initial three-year term. Colliers' Mark Plenge led the financing effort, and said in a statement, “So many ground-up new construction developments in the past two years have just not penciled out, but in this case Colliers Mortgage was able to negotiate the most favorable and lowest-cost terms from Banner Bank to enable this project to sensibly move forward.” Completion is expected in 2027.

Somm day my prince will come

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Whether you're a member of NAIOP Washington or not, you can enjoy a ticketed tour and wine tasting at the new Somm hotel at Woodinville's ongoing mixed-use Harvest development. The event begins at 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Attending will be some of the hotel/spa's prime backers, including Kurt Jensen from Jensen Davenport Architects, Kent Halvorson of KTM Construction and Matt Hagerman from Columbia Hospitality. Details and info: naiopwa.org

Urban Land Institute hosts coffee gathering

Next Tuesday morning, at 8:30 a.m. sharp on Oct. 21, ULI Northwest member or not, you can join a ULI coffee klatsch at Rainier Square's two-year-old Fonte Bar. (That's on the second level, at 401 Union St.) The friendly networking event typically lasts about an hour. Registration and details: northwest.uli.org

A bit more about Koz Uptown

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The 169-unit Koz Uptown apartments opened late last month, as the DJC first reported. (The ribbon snip followed two days later.) Now comes a bit more info from Koz and its partners. Goldman Sachs was a lender, and its Dan Alger said in a press release, “This development was a powerful example of how strategic investment and collaboration can deliver high-quality, affordable housing in vibrant neighborhoods.” MSquared, also of New York, was also a financial backer. Its Alicia Glen added, “This investment falls right in line with our philosophy to build high-quality housing that offers access to transit, jobs and essential resources.” Cushman & Wakefield's Chris Moyer led the financing effort for the developer. Koz was the architect, and Kirtley-Cole the builder.

Plainsight

Seattle-based Plainsight has appointed Venky Renganathan as its new chief technology officer. Renganathan is an enterprise technology leader with more than two decades of experience in retail and technology companies worldwide. In his new role at Plainsight, Renganathan will use this expertise to expand the company's infrastructure capabilities, enabling organizations to operationalize Vision AI. His focus will be on advancing Plainsight's ability to deliver enterprise scalable, end-to-end solutions that integrate into customers' existing ecosystems. Renganathan's career has been defined by building platforms at scale — ranging from Amazon's global marketplace systems to Amazon Web Services' infrastructure automation platforms. At AWS, he spearheaded the development of data center automation platforms, integrating hardware, software, and workflows to drive efficiency and reliability at global scale. At Quiet Platforms, he led the technical direction of programs aimed at consolidating numerous assets into a single, sharable logistics network. Most recently, at Fullbay, he helped deliver a complete, end-to-end shop management system that serves as the backbone of the commercial vehicle maintenance ecosystem.

Optimum Energy

Optimum Energy added two senior executives to its leadership team: Jeffrey Cepler, Sr. director, project development; and German W. Krug, vice president, financial analytics and modeling. Cepler, with nearly three decades in finance at firms including UBS and Citigroup, has structured complex transactions for investment-grade health systems nationwide. Krug joins Optimum with over 20 years of experience managing risk for structured energy and infrastructure deals, having recently led a modeling team that closed more than $1.5 billion in EaaS projects. Optimum Energy, headquartered in Seattle, offers holistic energy infrastructure optimization, providing comprehensive and integrated solutions to mission-critical facilities. It offers a full spectrum of services, from initial engineering and construction to ongoing maintenance, asset management, and Energy-as-a-Service offerings, to clients in the healthcare, higher education, and advanced manufacturing sectors.