The Arts Commission of the City of Olympia invites local artists and arts organizations to join a free monthly community arts roundtable that will give participants the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences and create strong local support for their work.  The next meeting is at 6 p.m. March 1 in the Olympia Timberland Library meeting room, 313 8th Ave SE.  The topic is Costume Design and the guest speaker is Mishka Navarre-Huff, costume shop manager at the University of Puget Sound. 

Saint Martin's University is hosting a Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges – Army Department on March 2 at the University's Norman Worthington Conference Center. The one-day workshop will discuss elements of degree networks, outreach, recruiting, and "after service" opportunities. The workshop will be limited to 70 institutional attendees so advance registration is recommended. For more information, or to sign up,  contact Judith Loomer or Cruz Arroyo.

Chef Bill Trudnowski and wife, Monique, owners of Tacoma's Adriatic Grill, Italian Cuisine & Wine Bar, have established a scholarship endowment that will help fund Clover Park's Culinary Arts Program.  To launch the endowment, the eatery is having a "Party for Culinary Arts Education" from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Feb. 27 at  4201 South Steele St. The event includes food stations, hand-passed appetizers, a selection of complimentary wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages. Guests must be 21 to attend. Tickets to the event are $100/per guest. Call:  (253) 475-6000 (RSVP is required). A no-host full bar will also be available for guests.

The Arts Commission of the City of Olympia invites local artists and arts organizations to join a free monthly community arts roundtable that will have participants exchanging ideas, sharing experiences and creating strong local support for their work. The next meeting is at 6 p.m. March 1 in the Olympia Timberland Library meeting room, 313 8th Ave SE.  The topic is Costume Design and the guest speaker is Mishka Navarre-Huff, costume shop manager at the University of Puget Sound.

The Business Examiner's first Who's Who? event provided the opportunity for about 120 South Sound business professionals to mingle and network with each other.

The mixer also celebrated the BE's 2010 Book of Lists. The event's participants were offered opportunities to get informed about the benefits of using the Book of Lists and to meet the Business Examiner's new editor, Mike Boyd.

Vadium Technology Inc. is entering into a sales agent and reseller agreement with Grupo Colvista.

Grupo Colvista is the largest government systems integrator in Colombia and a leader in providing advanced technology, complex solutions to the information technology, military and law enforcement markets.

The Business Examiner will host its first Who's Who? event Wednesday evening. Attendees will learn about the benefits of using the 2010 Book of Lists and have the opportunity to meet BE's new editor, Mike Boyd.

There also will be time to network with fellow South Sound business leaders.

The Boeing Co. has delivered the last of four KC-767 aerial refueling tankers to the Japan Ministry of Defense.

Boeing's partner on the Japan Tanker program, Itochu Corp., handed over the KC-767 advanced tanker to Japan Ministry of Defense officials. Assigned to the 1st Airlift Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at Komaki Air Base, it is the third consecutive KC-767 tanker to be delivered to Boeing's Japan customer within the contracted schedule and budget.

The Boeing Co. has been chosen to provide systems design, development and testing services for the U.S. Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System.

IBCS is part of the Army's modernization effort; it will integrate current and future air and missile defense systems into a common battle command system.

Boeing and partner Bell Helicopter delivered two MV-22 Osprey Containerized Flight Training Devices to the U.S. Marines at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California during the last quarter of 2009.

The CFTD trains aircrew on basic aircraft familiarization and handling qualities, systems/sub-systems operation, communication, malfunctions, day and night flying, use of night vision goggles, formation flying, aerial refueling and landing on ships.

The Boeing Co. said today that the U.S. government has received a Letter of Request from India's Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force about the potential acquisition of 10 C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifters.

UPDATE: WSDOT announced that all lanes and ramps at SR 512 and I-5 are open to traffic. Westbound SR 512 left turns are open to South Tacoma Way.

Those commuting home from work in the Tacoma and Lakewood area today may encounter slowdowns due to the memorial for slain Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Renninger, and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards being held at Tacoma Dome.

More bystanders showed for the procession this morning than planners had anticipated, as residents wanted to show their respect and appreciation to the victims' families and law enforcement personnel.

The Dec. 7th edition of Business Examiner includes the annual compilation of major employers in the South Sound, using information provided by economic development agencies and other sources.

Not surprisingly, U.S. Army jobs at Fort Lewis -- both military and civilian -- comprise the largest of 84 employers on the list with 42,231 jobs.

Shannon Collins will be joining the Kent Chamber of Commerce staff as Membership Director with Susie Cushen taking on a new position in Membership Development. Collins has worked with the Kent group and earlier, with Thurston County Chamber.

KeyBank has hired Tom Peterson as vice president and senior trust administrator for the South Puget Sound District. Most recently, he was the trust branch manager at U.S. Bank in Olympia where he has lived for 27 years.

To help restore Washington state's populations of endangered Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa), approximately 80 frogs – weighing up to two ounces – will be released back to nature on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation next week.

Kent Chamber of Commerce has a Marketing Tool Box Seminar this Wednesday, Oct. 14, beginning at 8 a.m. at Allied Waste Services' conference room. The topic is "Referral Sources -- Who are You a Solution For?  (Let Them Know)." It's free for members, $10 for others. Here is the link for more information and registration.

Claudia Malone, SPHR, principal of an HR training and consulting firm Malone & Associates, will speak on "Workforce Readiness: What is it and What do we need to do?" This workshop is Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 a.m. at C.I. Shenanigan's restaurant in Tacoma. More information is posted here.

Agility, one of the world's leading providers of integrated logistics to businesses and governments, secured a 300,000-square-foot lease at First Park Meridian Campus in Lacey.

Monte Decker of CB Richard Ellis co-brokered the deal with Eamon McCrann from Lincoln Property Co. on behalf of the tenant. The lease marks the largest industrial deal of new space in the Puget Sound for 2009.

Operation Homefront will join groups across America to host a Freedom Walk in remembrance of the terrorist attacks of 2001.

The two-mile Freedom Walk will begin and end at Thea Park in Tacoma, and there is no cost to participate.

Tacoma-headquartered BCRA began in the spring of 1989 as a three-person, start-up firm providing architectural and design services. Today, its 170 staff members occupy offices in Tacoma, Wenatchee, Seattle and Alexandria, Va., creatively blending art and science into cutting-edge design services.

2 Watch Monitoring in Tacoma announced the addition of two new members to its team. Steve Moore, general manager of Steve's Monitoring in Spokane is partnering with 2 Watch to expand its Eastern Washington and Idaho markets. John McGowan joins the firm as the new senior vice president of operations. He comes from the shipping and freight industry, having strong leadership skills and expertise in managing and administering effective operations of a company.

Eric Wisch has been named the manager of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Pacific Cascade Region. Wisch will oversee DNR programs throughout the region, which includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties and southeast Grays Harbor County. The region includes the cities of Olympia and Vancouver. From its headquarters in Castlerock, DNR's Pacific Cascade Region manages some 480,000 acres of forest, agriculture and urban lands that generate non-tax revenue for public schools, universities, counties and other trust beneficiaries.

Business Examiner, the South Sound business information and marketing resource, is introducing a new benefit to support regional business connections and job growth.

As the job market has tightened and available talent pool has grown, we believe it is important for BE to help businesses and professionals connect with potential new hires by listing job opportunities and leads. We are offering complimentary employment recruitment and job postings in our print journal and on our Web site.