Nautilus CEO Gregg Hammann steps down
Gregg Hammann has stepped down from his position as Nautilus Inc. president and chief executive officer, as well as resigning his seat on the company’s board, effective immediately. Robert S. Falcone, the company’s current lead independent director, will serve as chairman and will also fill the role of president and chief executive officer on an interim basis, effective immediately.
The independent directors have formed a search committee and will begin the search for a new chief executive officer.
Falcone is the president and CEO of GCR Custom Research, served as Chief Financial Officer of Nike Inc. and was a partner of Price Waterhouse LLP. He is a board member and former audit committee chairman of RadioShack Corp.
Port reaches settlement over Fort Vancouver Plywood
The Vancouver Port Commission today authorized Executive Director Larry Paulson to sign settlement documents with three parties, ending litigation over reimbursement for the environmental cleanup at the former site of Fort Vancouver Plywood. The settlement agreements amount to $1.9 million from the parties.
Under terms of the settlements, the port will receive $1.5 million from Fort Vancouver Plywood and Texaco and $400,000 from Wausau.
Photo studio snaps up grand prize award
Brush Prairie-based photography studio took top honors at the McKenna Pro Tiny Tots and Big Kid Shots national children’s photography contest.
On top of a grand prize award, owner-photographers Rick and Monica Davis and staff photographer Andrea Mannello took two first-place, two second-place and one third-place awards. They competed against nearly 800 entries.
Sivad’s winning photos can be viewed at www.dillydallywinners.photoherald.com.
REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT
Parkview condos selling well
After six weeks on the market, about half of the 112 apartments-turned-condominiums for sale at Parkview at Vancouvercenter were sold.
The condos – across the street from Esther Short Park to the east – range from studios to two-bedroom units and are priced from $114,900 to $364,900.
The two-bedroom units have been the top sellers, and selling agents are pleasantly surprised by the quick sales. Many of the residents who previously rented the apartments bought them as condos – uncommon, according to the leasing team.
Papa Murphy’s celebrates 1,000 stores
Papa Murphy’s International has become the fifth largest chain in the country based on number of U.S. locations. The 1,000th Papa Murphy’s store is located in San Antonio, a new market for the company. Earlier this year Papa Murphy’s signed an Area Development Agreement with Pizza Makers of San Antonio Inc. to open 16 stores over the next four years.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Vancouver Port Commission approves rail project change order
The Vancouver Port Commission authorized staff to award a change order for project management and construction services for the execution of the Schedule 1 Rail Project.
The commission’s action authorized Executive Director Larry Paulson to sign a change order to a contract with David Evans & Assoc. to extend services to include construction services on Schedule 1 of the Port of Vancouver’s West Vancouver Freight Access Project. The change order increases the contract by $492,020, for a not-to-exceed total of $2,034,259.
Services provided by David Evans include project management for design and constructability, project close-out and sub-consultant services for surveying, staking and grade checking.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
New Edge wins deal with Express Check Advance
New Edge Networks said it won a contract to build and manage a private communications network for Express Check Advance LLC, one of the largest payday cash advance services in the Southeast. New Edge expects to complete installation by the end of August.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
State unemployment up
Washington’s unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in July from June’s rate of 4.5 percent, according to the state Employment Security Department.
The number of non-agricultural jobs grew by 7,800 last month. But the labor force grew faster. That pushed Washington’s unemployment rate up slightly, although it still remains near historic lows.
The pace of growth among various industries was mixed in July, but gains far outpaced losses. Industries with the largest employment growth in July were government, with 2,600 new jobs, professional and business services, up 1,500, and manufacturing, with 1,000 new jobs.
In Washington, the construction industry remains a top job producer. Construction payrolls increased by 500 in July and have not declined since July 2006. Among major industry sectors, the largest declines were reported in leisure and hospitality, down 700, retail trade, down 200, and education and health services, down 100.
Since July 2006, 89,100 net new jobs were created in Washington.
Clark trustees approve Knight
The Clark College Board of Trustees unanimously approved a contract naming Robert K. Knight as president of the college, effective Aug. 3.
The contract runs through Aug. 31, 2010, and Knight will earn $163,000 annually.
Knight joined the community college in 2004 as vice president of administrative services and was named interim president in September 2006. He earned an engineering degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an executive MBA at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Knight has served as a member of the downtown Vancouver Rotary board, Boys and Girls Club board, Congressman Brian Baird’s military academy selection committee and as chair of the board of the Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Red Cross.
