SB Profiles
Executive Q&A: Expedia’s New CEO on Travel, Trump and Transition
Mark Okerstrom lays out his plan for Expedia.
JOURNEYMAN: CEO Mark Okerstrom joined Expedia in 2006 as SVP for corporate development and became CFO and EVP of operations in 2011. Photo by John Vicory. This article appears in print in the December 2017 issue. Click here for a free subscription. During the past decade, Mark Okerstrom has risen through the ranks at Expedia,…
How an Amazon Insider is Doing His Part to Combat Homelessness
Thanks to John Schoettler, who has led Amazon's philanthropic efforts, a former Travelodge is now a temporary housing building for families in need.
Looking out his window at the vibrant skyline of a city hes helped shape, the last thing youd expect to be on John Schoettlers mind are homeless people. As Amazons vice president for global real estate and facilities, his job is to create environments for Amazon employees. Instead of an isolated corporate campus, the company…
Q&A: John Bennett on Revitalizing the ‘Last Bastion of Reality in Seattle’
For more than 20 years, John Bennett has been restoring historic buildings all over the city, and working to revive Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.
ON A MISSION: Since 1996, John Bennett has been intent upon revitalizing Georgetown. He helped found the Georgetown Merchants Association and the Friends of Georgetown History. Photo by John Vicory. John Bennett grew up in northern Virginia and moved to Seattle in 1974. He has worked as a carpenter, locksmith, ditch digger, antiques buyer/seller and…
Dan and Nancy Evans Deliver Inspiring Speeches Accepting Lifetime Achievement Award
Watch the former governor and first lady discuss the importance of service, the value of listening and what it takes to make a difference as they accept their award at the Community Impact Awards in Seattle.
Daniel J. and Nancy Bell Evans, the former governor and first lady of Washington, respectively, are co-recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Seattle Business magazines Community Impact Awards program. They were honored October 26 at the annual Community Impact Awards dinner at the Museum of History & Industry. After a special congratulatory video from…
Earth, Wind and Fire: Q&A with Artist Dante Marioni
The world-renowned Seattle glass artist reflects on success and symmetry.
FAMILY RESEMBLANCE: In addition to being the son of a famous glass artist, Dante Marioni has two well-known uncles in the arts trade: painter Joseph Marioni and conceptual artist Tom Marioni. World-renowned glass artist Dante Marioni lives and works in Seattle. The son of American studio glass pioneer Paul Marioni, he first held a blowpipe…
Executive Q&A: Laura Orvidas, Amazon Head of Consumer Electronics
Laura Orvidas, a woman executive likely to join the top group at Amazon, reflects on tech, service and fulfillment.
ALWAYS LEARNING: Laura Orvidas likes to be outside. I mountain bike, I run, I ski, she says. And I just started taking sailing lessons. Amazon doesnt have many women in its senior management ranks. Among those likely to crack the top group one day is Laura Orvidas, whose tenure at Amazon features a remarkable breadth…
3 Questions Every CEO Should Ask About Estate Planning
CEO Adviser: As a Washington resident, are your arrangements up to date?
Have you updated your will in the past five years? Are your beneficiary designations up to date? Do your loved ones know how to access important documents and account information if they need to? We all should be able to answer yes to these questions, but many executives cant and getting to yes and making…
Executive Q+A: Caryn G. Mathes of KUOW
President and general manager Caryn G. Mathes steers KUOW through tumultuous times.
At 19, Caryn G. Mathes parlayed a deep, resonant voice and considerable journalism chops into a weeknight anchor position on WTHI-TV in her hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana. Mathes moved to commercial radio before transitioning to public radio at WDET in Detroit for 21 years and WAMU in Washington, D.C., for eight. She came to…
Coffee with Guppy: A Woman of Vision
Nancy chats with eyewear entrepreneur Arlene Phillips.
ARLENE PHILLIPS owns Ottica Seattle, an eyewear boutique she opened 15 years ago at First Avenue and Lenora Street in downtown Seattle. Starting this business was a great risk, she confides, because Id never owned a business before. I was in between kids and decided that rather than go find a job, I would give…
Off the Clock Profile #10: Karl Moehring
CEO of Washington Shoe Company, Kent
EDITORS NOTE: This is one in a monthly series of miniprofiles featuring local executives off the clock. EXECUTIVES NAME, TITLE AND COMPANY NAME.Karl Moehring, CEO, Washington Shoe Company TELL US WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS BUSINESS.Washington Shoe Company is a family-owned, family-focused footwear company, offering mostly rubber-based shoes and boots….
Off the Clock Profile #8: Rebekah Bastian
VP of Product, Zillow Group, Seattle
EDITORS NOTE: This is one in a monthly series of miniprofiles featuring local executives off the clock. EXECUTIVES NAME, TITLE AND COMPANY NAME.Rebekah Bastian, VP of product, Zillow Group TELL US WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS BUSINESS.Zillow is the leading real estate and rental marketplace, dedicated to empowering consumers with…
Off the Clock Profile #6: Erin Baker
CEO, Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods, Bellingham
EDITORS NOTE: This is one in a monthly series of miniprofiles featuring local executives off the clock. EXECUTIVES NAME, TITLE AND COMPANY NAME.Erin Baker, CEO, Erin Bakers Wholesome Baked Goods TELL US WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS BUSINESS.My company, Erin Bakers Wholesome Baked Goods, hand bakes and distributes breakfast goods…
Executive Q+A with Jim Kerr of D.A. Davidson Companies
CEO learned some tough lessons early in life.
With grit and determination, Jim Kerr, who never finished college, has helped build D.A. Davidson Companies, a Great Falls, Montana-based employee-owned firm, into a financial services powerhouse with 1,330 employees in 22 states and $44 billion under management. EARLY YEARS: I grew up in Oregon, where my dad made and lost several fortunes doing everything…