Liberty Insurance names new CEO

Liberty Northwest Insurance Corp.'s president and chief executive officer Tony Ferronato retired in January. Matt Nickerson will become the president and chief executive officer effective January 1, 2005. Nickerson brings 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, having begun his career with Liberty Mutual Group in 1983. He joined Liberty Northwest in October 2001 and has served as executive vice president and chief operating officer since June 2003.

Mike Roberts, P.E., has joined Carter & Burgess as a senior project manager with the Transportation Programs Group in Seattle.

Roberts is a member of the American Public Works Association and currently serves as chair of the construction management committee within the APWA. He also is a member of the Construction Management Association of America.

Robyn Sinquefield also joined the firm, as a transit planner with the Transportation Programs Group in Seattle. Prior to Carter & Burgess, Sinquefield was with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration.

Emick Howard & Seibert, Inc. announced the addition of three employees to its staff: King Choi as project manager and architect, Ki Nam as intern architect, and Tyler Eschmeyer as intern architect.

Choi has joined the firm as project manager and architect. Nam has joined the firm as intern architect. Highlights of past work include Port of Seattle, Stadium High School and Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. Nam is currently finishing his architect exams. Eschmeyer also joined the firm as intern architect. Past work includes the McKenna Elementary School and Yelm Education Center.

Otak Inc., has promoted M. Fares Kekhia to principal. Kekhia, a professional engineer in Oregon and Washington, has been closely involved in several of Otak's recent mixed-use and multifamily-housing projects, including Vancouvercenter in Vancouver, Wash. and Hamilton West in Portland. Kekhia is a member of the America Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Lease Crutcher Lewis (Lewis) recently promoted Tim Urben to project manager. Urben has been in construction since 1991, and at Lewis since 1995, focusing on education and office projects, including: OSU Richardson Hall, Century High School and Imlay Elementary School.

BERGER/ABAM Engineers Inc. welcomes Terry Paananen's career in transportation spans over 28 years. He specializes in the planning, design, and construction of complex, multifaceted roadway and bridge projects in the Northwest's unique environment. Paananen is currently working on BERGER/ABAM's Lincoln Avenue grade separation project for the Port of Tacoma.

Michael McCormick, FAICP, Olympia, Joe Tovar, FAICP, Seattle, and Rebecca Perkins, Woodinville, have been honored by the Washington Chapter American Planning Association with special citations awarded annually for excellence in planning.

McCormick was given the President's Award for Distinguished Service to the Chapter. He has been active and effective in working with legislative matters on behalf of the chapter. The award culminates from his efforts on the Growth Management Act Working Group, the Livable Washington Blue Ribbon Panel, and the chapter's legislative committee. Tovar, FAICP, was given the Myer R. "Mike" Wolfe Award for his contributions to the advancement of the planning profession. He has been affiliated with the planning profession for almost 30 years, serving several years as the planning director for the City of Kirkland. The third award, the Barbara Grace Award, was awarded to Perkins for "unsung diligence promoting the ideal of planning through service to the public".