People Watching
Published 3:15 pm Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Valley General CEO lands Skagit Health job
MOUNT VERNON — Mike Liepman, a veteran Northwest health care executive, will join Skagit Regional Health as chief operating officer in June.
Liepman is currently chief executive officer at Valley General Hospital, a 112-bed facility in Monroe, with more than 400 employees.
He will join Skagit Regional Health, which includes the 137-bed Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, and 10 clinic locations in Skagit, Island and north Snohomish counties.
“I have used Skagit Valley Hospital as an icon of what a medium-sized hospital can do if it really listens to its community and has a mission to grow and provide the best array and quality of services the region can support,” Liepman said.
MILL CREEK — Peoples Bank has promoted Bridget Barrington to vice president and Mill Creek branch manager. She joined the bank in 2006 to help open the bank’s Mill Creek office. Carol McDonald has been promoted to vice president and deposit operations manager. McDonald joined the bank in 2008. She helped open and develop the Snohomish Office as branch manager.
EVERETT — The International Association of Venue Managers has announced the nomination of Kim Bedier for second vice chair of their board of directors. Bedier is the general manager for Global Spectrum-managed Comcast Arena at Everett. She received the Corporate Executive of the Year Award from the Everett Area Chamber of Commerce and several Service Above Self Awards as a member of the Everett Rotary Club. If elected, Bedier will take office in July.
MILL CREEK — The National Retail Federation has announced that Jennifer Gunderson of My Garden Nursery in Mill Creek has been selected as a top 20 finalist for NRF’s This Is Retail nationwide video contest. The selection process will continue throughout April as the top 20 videos go head-to-head in a bracket-style tournament. You can vote for her video at www.retailmeansjobs.com.
EVERETT — Dustin Birashk, a certified public accountant and senior manager at Moss Adams LLP, has won the 2011 Brand Ambassador Award from PeopleMetrics, a leader in customer and employee engagement. Birashk was selected for the award because he received the largest number of customer accolades within the firm.
ARLINGTON — Robert Ziemer, PA-C, has become one of the first physician assistants to earn a new specialty credential from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Ziemer was awarded a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Emergency Medicine by meeting licensure, education and experience requirements and then passing an exam in the specialty. He is one of only 232 certified PAs to earn the credential in the program’s first year.
MONROE — Harmsen &Associates Inc. has announced that Michael Ryan has joined the civil engineering division of the company. He was previously the director of engineering and one of the principals of HBA Design Group LLC (formerly Higa Burkholder). Ryan’s current focus at Harmsen is on land development including roads, site utilities, water, sanitary sewer and storm-water management and control.
BOTHELL — University of Washington-Bothell professor of education Wayne Au has been awarded the 2012 Early Career Scholars Award by the Curriculum and Cultural Studies SIG of the American Educational Research Association. Au received his award at the annual meeting of AERA in Vancouver, B.C. Au’s academic interests broadly encompass critical education theory and teaching for social justice. His research focuses on educational equity, high-stakes testing, curriculum theory, educational policy studies and social-studies education. This work lead to the publication of his recent book, “Critical Curriculum Studies: Education, Consciousness, and the Politics of Knowing” (Routledge, 2011) as well as an upcoming article in Teachers College Record.
LYNNWOOD — Crane Co. has announced the appointment of Bob Tavares as president of the electronics group of Crane Aerospace and Electronics, and David Bender as president of the aerospace group of Crane Aerospace and Electronics. Previously, Bender was president of both the aerospace group and the electronics group. Before joining Crane, Tavares was president of e2V, a leading global provider of technology solutions for high-performance systems.
EVERETT — David Hajek has joined Coastal Community Bank as a senior relationship manager and vice president on the bank’s commercial lending team. Hajek, who has more than 20 years of banking experience, is working at the Everett branch but will be based in Monroe to provide commercial loan and other services to east Snohomish County businesses and customers.
EDMONDS — Jossey-Bass (an imprint of Wiley) has published a book by Edmonds resident Ray Olitt. “Peer Power: Transforming Workplace Relationships” was co-written with Seattle resident Cynthia Clay. The book promotes interpersonal collaboration at work by discussing how to work with and change the behavior of peers.
ARLINGTON — Washington state Department of Transportation Aviation has hired Robert Hodgman as capital improvement project planner for WSDOT’s Aviation Division in Arlington. He served 24 years in the Army and Army National Guard, with eight years of experience in capital facilities management. This included responsibilities as the project manager for the design and construction of a $24 million aviation capital project at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He has experience with budget and policy development, programming capital projects, and knowledge of federal aviation regulations. Hodgman has held a commercial pilot rating for more than 20 years, has more than 17 years of aviation operations experience, and is rated in UH-1, OH-58 and CH-47 helicopters.
EVERETT — Everett Community College nursing instructor Helen Behan has been inducted into the Washington State Nurses Association Hall of Fame. Behan, who became a nurse in 1951 and has educated nurses for more than 35 years, was one of six nurses selected. She joined EvCC in 1973, where she developed the Career Mobility Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse program. Despite officially retiring in 1993, Behan continues to teach part time at EvCC.
EVERETT — Alison Rodgers has joined Enginuity Advantage of Everett as a talent-acquisition partner. Rodgers has 15 years of human-resources and recruiting experience.
EVERETT — Steve Meyer, founder, president and CEO of Fedelta Care Solutions, a home-care, senior-housing and care management company serving Everett and other Puget Sound-area communities, has been named to the board of directors of the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
STEVENS PASS — John Gifford, general manager of Stevens Pass Mountain Resort LLC, has stepped aside after leading the resort for 10 years. He considering a position as an adviser to the board of directors. Bill Bourton, the resort’s current director of financial and human services, will serve as interim general manager. The rest of the resort’s senior management team will continue in their current capacities.
EDMONDS — Edmonds resident Maria Montalvo recently received an award at the White House. The executive director of the Our Family for Families First Foundation accepted the People’s Choice Winner award in the Joining Forces Community Challenge. Montalvo and husband, Strom Peterson, co-own the Resident Cheesemonger in downtown Edmonds and are actively involved in community organizations.
LYNNWOOD — Karen Wilson has joined HomeStreet Bank as a mortgage loan officer. She is based in the bank’s Lynnwood East lending office. HomeStreet Bank is one of the largest community banks in the Northwest.
EVERETT — Melissa Holiman has joined Coastal Community Bank. She will provide banking services to individuals and businesses at the bank’s office in downtown Everett. Holiman has more than 35 years experience and most recently was a personal banking officer in private banking at Frontier Bank. A Snohomish County native, Holiman is also active in the local community.
MILL CREEK — Zipfizz Healthy Energy/Sport Drink Mix of Mill Creek has announced that two-time Pro Bowl football player Marshawn Lynch is the first athlete to join the company’s team. Lynch will appear in marketing and advertising campaigns and act as a brand ambassador. Zipfizz is also committed to working with Lynch’s charity Fam 1st Family Foundation.
LYNNWOOD — Jim Latourelle has joined The Bank of Washington as a commercial loan officer. He works at the bank’s branch located at 1250 NW Mall St., Issaquah. Latourelle has more than 11 years of experience in the banking industry. Before joining The Bank of Washington, he was a regional business development officer with Bank of America.
BOTHELL — Robin Lake was named director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at UW-Bothell, effective March 1. Lake has served an integral role in CRPE’s success for many years, which will help ensure a seamless transition. Since 1993, CRPE has conducted independent research and policy analysis on a range of K-12 public education reform issues, including choice and charters, finance, productivity, teachers, urban district reform, leadership and state and federal reform. Lake assumes the role held by CRPE Founder and Research Professor Paul T. Hill, who says Lake helped him build CRPE into a highly productive, well-respected research center.
BOTHELL — UW-Bothell has hired Ina Zajac as its new communications specialist. She will be responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive annual communication plan to guide the university’s publication and media relations functions. Zajac has more than 13 years of experience leading communications and media relations efforts. Most recently, Zajac worked at Tactual Communications where she developed content for the University of Washington Alumni Association and Arizona State University Alumni Association.
SEATTLE — Charlie Earl, executive director for the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, has announced his plan to retire, effective July 31. Earl’s career has spanned more than 40 years in a variety of government capacities. Most recently, he worked for six years as executive director of the state community college system, and seven years as president of Everett Community College.
OLYMPIA — The Association of Washington Business has presented 10th Legislative District state Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, with its 2011 Cornerstone Award. The award was given for her support and voting record for policies that encourage job growth and improve the state’s business climate. Bailey has received the award eight times since 2003.
OLYMPIA — Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond and Oregon Director of Transportation Matt Garrett have selected John Sibold to fill a new position of Cascade Rail Corridor director. Sibold has been the rail and marine director at the Washington state Department of Transportation since August and will continue to focus on improving the reliability of passenger-rail service and managing the state’s freight lines.
The Northwest Region of Keller Williams Realty Inc. has announced that Joe Spencer has been appointed area director for the northwest region. A 32-year veteran of real estate, Spencer most recently led John L. Scott Real Estate, where he was president and COO for eight years. Prior to that, he worked with Coldwell Banker Bain Real Estate for 20 years, nine of which he served as COO.
