Hatton / Otak / ZGF

Otak, Inc. has added seven new professionals in five offices during the past month, addressing both professional and administrative topics. The seven new employees’ areas of expertise include architecture, planning, engineering, survey and corporate finance.

In the Puget Sound area, Otak welcomed two professionals each to its Seattle and Kirkland offices. In Seattle, Jonathan Wood and Ethan Chang joined Otak’s Architecture practice. Wood, who has 11 years of architecture experience, has been lead architect and designer for projects ranging from retail stores and a medical clinic to mixed-use and residential developments throughout the Northwest. Chang, meanwhile, comes to Otak with 12 years of experience designing and managing projects across the country. Most recently he was employed by a large multidisciplinary firm in Bellevue, Washington.

In Kirkland, Xiao Wu joined as an engineering designer focused on Transportation, and Kristen Clem joined the firm’s Development Services team as a Planner. Wu has experience engineering structural elements for the telecommunications industry, while Clem has conducted site analyses and facilitated multiple public-involvement sessions, including one session focused on educating the public about green-building principles.

On the Oregon coast, HLB-Otak’s Gearhart and Manzanita offices hired one new Field Survey Technician each. Nathan Malkemus joined the Gearhart office, while Christopher Woodward has begun working in Manzanita. Both men will assist with a variety of survey projects along the Oregon and Southwest Washington coast. And in the firm’s headquarters in Lake Oswego, Paul Strassmaier was named Director of Finance. Strassmaier, who spent the past eight years as Chief Financial Officer for a regional architecture firm, joins Otak with more than 20 years of accounting and office-management experience.

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP (ZGF), announced it has strengthened its design team with six new employees, bringing the total Seattle office headcount to 96. The office had added 22 new employees this year to support its diverse project portfolio.

New Associate, Sean C. Kendig, IIDA, NCIDQ Certified, brings over 12 years of experience to the interiors group where he is working on the Washington Athletic Club Renovation.

Denise Sico has joined the interiors group as an Associate where she is working on the Providence Everett Medical Center. Prior to joining ZGF she worked at SkB in Seattle as a senior interior designer and project manager. Previously, she worked at Callison Architecture for ten years on projects including Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe's new office interiors in Seattle.

Marc Chavez has joined ZGF as a specifications writer and Associate Partner. Prior to joining ZGF, Chavez worked at CollinsWoerman as a senior specifications writer and architect.

Greg Putney has transferred from ZGF's Los Angeles office as an Associate Partner where he worked on the UC San Diego Cancer Center, the UC Riverside Biological Sciences Building, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.  Adrienne Watkins has joined the architectural group and is working on the 5th and Columbia project. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor in Architecture.  Crystal Passi joined ZGF as a student intern to work on The Evergreen State College Master Plan project.

Michael Marshall has joined Hatton Godat Pantier, Olympia, as a senior engineer technician. Marshall has 17 years of experience in the industry which includes Structural Engineering Draftsman, Civil Engineering CAD Technician and Civil Engineering Technician. 

DBM Contractors, Inc. (DBM) has hired Bryce Neikamp as a design engineer. He is responsible for researching and designing earth retention structures including temporary and permanent shoring as well as micropile and drilled shaft construction based on geotechnical and structural data.