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Media Contact:
Sharon Couts
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
425.499.1723

Master Builders Association Hires Kathleen Sims, Former Weyerhaeuser Executive, as its New Executive Director

Bellevue, Wash—March 1, 2018—The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) announced the selection of Kathleen (Kat) Sims as its new executive director. Sims is the first woman to lead the association in its 109-year history. As the former vice president of environmental affairs, sustainability, and corporate responsibility of Weyerhaeuser Company, she is an influential leader accustomed to the building industry. She begins her new role Monday, March 5.

“Kat’s depth and breadth of experience as an executive, real estate attorney, and coalition builder will be a tremendous asset for our association,” said Erich Armbruster, the association’s board president. “She will be an excellent representative for Master Builders Association as we expand our influence with regional leaders in addressing the growth and critical housing issues facing our region. I could not be more pleased that such an exceptional leader is taking the helm.”

Sims is a seasoned attorney specializing in real estate law, with more than 10 years of in-house business management expertise. Prior to her most recent position at Weyerhaeuser, Sims worked as vice president of government affairs at Plum Creek Timber Company Inc., which merged with Weyerhaeuser in 2016. She also served as senior director of sustainability and senior director, real estate law at Plum Creek. Early in her career, Sims was a partner at Alston, Courtnage & Bassetti LLP and an associate attorney at Foster, Pepper & Shefelman LLP (now Foster Pepper), where she provided strategic legal advice to developers, landowners, and lenders.

“Developing adequate housing is vital to the health of our region and the Master Builders Association needs to be at the table as discussions are made that impact housing availability,” said Sims. “I’m looking forward to forging new partnerships and locking arms with the association’s leadership, members, and staff to help solve critical issues affecting our communities.”

“Having an opportunity to engage an experienced leader with Kathleen’s credentials is a terrific outcome for our association,” said Mike Walsh, MBAKS 2017 board president and head of the executive search committee.  “Kat has sound judgement and common sense and will be an effective voice for Master Builders Association.”

About MBAKS

Founded in 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties has grown to become the largest residential homebuilders association in the United States. With nearly 3,000 member companies, the association is dedicated to membership value, housing advocacy, community service, and financial stewardship throughout the Puget Sound region.

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By Kate Wagner, Curbed Seattle

Until around 2007, McMansions mostly borrowed the forms of traditional architecture, producing vinyl Georgian estates and foam Mediterranean villas.

But in the last 10 years, this has begun to change: McMansions are now being constructed in architectural styles from the 20th century, specifically modernism. We are witnessing the birth and the proliferation of modernist McMansions: McModerns.

Though McModerns are commonly found in the places where modernism itself thrives—indoor-outdoor climates like the West Coast and the Southwest, and near liberal cities on the East Coast—they are also beginning to pop up in burgeoning tech hotbeds south of the Mason-Dixon, such as central North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. McModern houses are following the trail left behind by NPR, Chipotle, and MacBook Pros: They've become popular with younger, tech-savvier, and more highly educated individuals.

This week, new member Nils Christian, METIS Construction Inc., tells us how his company takes advantage of member benefits like GRIP and the MBA Health Trust.

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