Group Mackenzie, a Seattle architecture and interior design firm with broad experience in public and private projects, announced the hiring of Reidar Dittmann, Jr., AIA and Valerie Robbins. Dittmann has joined Group Mackenzie's Seattle office as a senior project architect/project manager. He is currently working on several corporate and commercial tenant improvement projects in downtown Seattle: law firms, the headquarters of a charitable foundation, and a fine art reproduction and distribution company. Robbins has joined Group Mackenzie's Seattle office as a job captain.

John McBride joined Sequoyah Electric as senior project manager for Sequoyah's special projects and tenant improvement division. John has over 30 years experience in the electrical field.

Lease Crutcher Lewis (Lewis) announced the promotion of Bart Ricketts to general manager of the firm's Portland. In his ten years with the company, Ricketts has provided project management and senior project management for many of the firm's major projects including University of Oregon's Lillis Business Complex, the Multnomah Building, Pacific University Student Library, Minnesota Hotel Renovation and University Center. Most recently, he has contributed to the management of Lewis' Portland operations as director of preconstruction. In his new role as general manager, Ricketts will provide corporate oversight and contract negotiation for projects in Oregon and Southwest Washington. In addition, he is responsible for business development and operations management.

DCI Engineers, civil and structural consulting engineers announced the addition of Darren Simpson, P.E., as the civil department manager of its Bellevue office and the promotion of Damon Smith, of its Spokane office, to associate. Simpson joins DCI Engineers with more than 20 years of professional experience. Damon Smith joined DCI Engineers in 2000 as head of the civil engineering department in the Spokane office. A graduate of Washington State University, Smith has 18 years of experience and is licensed in Washington, Idaho and Montana. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is an Allied Gold member of the American Institute of Architects.

MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions was recently recognized for its outstanding safety and health record by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA). MMFS received the Second Place SMACNA Safety Excellence Award in the over 500,000 man-hour category in this national competition.

"Receiving this award demonstrates MacMiller's ongoing commitment to safety," stated Steve Lovely, EVP Operations. "We believe all incidents and injuries are preventable, and we continue to strive for zero injuries."

Leah Benson recently joined Sparling's marketing department as a marketing communications specialist. Benson is a LEED® Accredited Professional and has done marketing for the A/E/C industry since 2001. Her responsibilities include the production of qualification packages and marketing collateral, and coordination of client presentations for the firm. Benson graduated from Franklin Pierce College with a bachelor's degree in Marketing.

Jessica Whitten, business manager for Schlecht Construction has been elected to the post of president for the Lower Columbia Contractors Association (LCCA). Whitten has been a longtime active member of LCCA, serving in a number of committees and chapter leadership roles. LCCA is a trade association representing the interests of construction professionals located in Cowlitz County and surrounding areas. LCCA is affiliated with the Building Industry Association of Washington and the National Association of Homebuilders.

Gray Purcell, Inc., a commercial general contractor, announced the addition of Ryan McGuire as project manager. McGuire has over five years of design-build, construction management, hard-bid, negotiated, and fast-track construction project experience.

Sefton Oxford has joined Rushforth Construction Co., Inc. as a project manager. He has more than 41 years of construction management experience. His 41 year career has spanned a spectrum of construction projects (in nine countries) which include many types of buildings (housing, hospital, hotel, casino and high rise construction), commercial development, dam projects, industrial plans, harbor, dock, and cargo terminal construction, and highways.

BLRB Architects, p.s. promoted architect John Wegener, AIA to principal. Wegener has over 25 years of extensive expertise in the development and design of educational facilities ranging from K-12 to higher education. He has managed more than $140 million in school work on behalf of BLRB. Projects include the award-winning Mount Tahoma High School for the Tacoma School District. He is currently serving as project manager for the Highline School District' new Mount Rainier High School.

Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), a civil and structural engineering firm in Seattle, recently announced its 2005 promotions. Matt Corsi was promoted to vice president. He is the leader of MKA's parking specialist group and an active participant in the concrete specialist group. Andy Fry, one of MKA's LEED-accredited professionals, was promoted to senior associate. He leads the continuing education committee and is active in the firm's professional development series.

Brook Jacksha, a civil site engineer, was promoted to senior associate. Jacksha leads MKA's civil urban infill specialist group, providing expertise in urban sites and shoring.

Owen Kohashi, also promoted to senior associate, is a senior member of MKA's performing arts specialist group. Kohashi is lead engineer on a $25 million, 600-seat theater in Dallas, Tx.

Brad Cameron was promoted to associate. He is a founding associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers' Architectural Engineering Institute. Scott Erickson, also active in MKA's housing and hospitality market sector, was promoted to associate.

Steven Haluschak, another civil site engineer, was also promoted to associate. He leads MKA's civil campus specialist group and brings experience in low-impact design, habitat enhancement, and field and park improvement. Lastly, Tom Rines was appointed associate. He specializes in projects that are environmentally friendly and projects that expose the structural framing as part of the architecture.

Cathy Smith has been named Engineering Group Leader at Golder Associates Inc. An associate, as well as senior engineer in the Redmond, Wash. office, Smith has been with Golder for 12 years. She joined the company as an intern in 1993 while completing her bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Washington, and became an associate last year. She is experienced in hydrology, hydraulics and the planning and design of water-related civil and environmental projects.

Emick Howard & Seibert, Inc. (EH&S) announced the addition of three employees to its staff: Paul Biondolillo as a strategic retail designer, Clifford Hasert as project architect and manager, and Claudia Lopez Ross as retail designer. "These new hires are vital to our expanding retail practice," says Jack Emick, Principal and Founding Shareholder.

Paul Biondolillo, Associate AIA, joins EH&S as a strategic retail designer. Biondolillo has a background creating retail environments for national brands that include Bebé, Bostonian, Clarks, Helly Hansen, Nike, Radio Shack, Russell Athletic, and Starbucks. Prior to this, Biondolillo designed sets for media giants Disney and NBC. Biondolillo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Clifford Hasert, a licensed architect in the state of Washington with 24 years experience, joins the firm as a project architect and manager. Hasert's project background includes Unigard Corporate headquarters, Cabot Cabot and Forbes Center, the Denver Airport, the Salt Lake City Airport, The Grove Hotel & Ice Hockey Arena, the Kent Space Center, and Costco. Hasert earned a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts, in Fine Arts, from Washington State University.

Claudia Lopez Ross joins the firm as a retail designer experienced with national and multi-national retail brands, such as Crate & Barrel, Oscar de la Renta, Polo, Club Monaco, and Esprit. Ross earned a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the Universidad Cristobal Colon, Mexico, and a Master's degree in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington.