Zillow Group Promotes Leaders, Strengthens Rental Market Position
In a move to bolster its leadership and strategic initiatives, Seattle-based Zillow Group has promoted two key executives to senior vice president positions. Michael Sherman, who has led Zillow’s rental unit since 2017, is now the Senior Vice President of Zillow Rentals. Sherman has been instrumental in driving the company’s rental platform forward, and his promotion comes at a time when Zillow is making significant strides in the rental market. Earlier this month, Zillow announced an exclusive agreement with Redfin to provide multifamily rental listings on Redfin’s platforms, including Rent.com and ApartmentGuide.com. This deal, valued at $100 million, underscores Zillow’s commitment to expanding its presence in the rental space. The company highlighted that the rental market is a growing opportunity, with more households moving into rentals than purchasing homes in recent years.
Cynthia Taylor has also been promoted to Senior Vice President of Agent Software and Advertising. Taylor has been with Zillow for over a decade and has played a crucial role in shaping the company’s product and business operations, particularly in areas focused on agents and the real estate industry. Her promotion reflects Zillow’s focus on enhancing its offerings for real estate professionals and further solidifying its position as a leader in the real estate technology space.
Executive Leadership Changes Across Tech and Beyond
In other executive leadership news, Ali Dasdan, the Chief Technology Officer of ZoomInfo Technologies, is resigning from his role to pursue a new opportunity. Dasdan, who joined the Vancouver, Wash.-based software development company in 2023, is expected to leave next month. Prior to ZoomInfo, he held a leadership role at Atlassian. His departure marks a significant change in the company’s technical leadership as it continues to grow and evolve in the data intelligence space.
Meanwhile, Aziz Benmalek, a longtime Microsoft veteran, has been appointed CEO and board director of Aeris, a Chicago-based company that facilitates device connectivity via cellular networks. Benmalek spent 22 years at Microsoft, where he last served as Vice President of Worldwide Cloud Services and Hosting. After leaving Microsoft in 2018, he held leadership roles at ConnectWise, Sage, and Splunk. His expertise in cloud services and hosting will likely be instrumental in driving Aeris’s growth and innovation in the IoT and connected devices space.
Seattle-based grocery retail tech startup Swiftly has also expanded its executive team with the addition of two new C-suite leaders. Keith Kirk, previously at Instacart and other companies like Postmates and OpenTable, has joined as Chief Financial Officer. Anthony Viglietti, who served as president of theSkimm and held roles at Univision Communications and Viacom, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. These hires come after Swiftly’s $100 million funding round in 2022, which propelled the company to unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.
Leadership Transitions and New Opportunities
Eric Dresselhuys has stepped down as CEO and member of the board of directors for Oregon-based battery company ESS. Dresselhuys led the long-duration energy storage company for four years, during which ESS went public in 2020. His resignation comes at a time when the company is navigating challenges in the energy storage market. Kelly Goodman, ESS’s Vice President of Legal, has taken on the role of interim CEO, supported by CFO Tony Rabb and EVP of Engineering Ben Heng. Dresselhuys expressed pride in the company’s accomplishments and confidence in its future leadership in the long-duration energy storage (LDES) industry.
In other leadership news, Steve Mullin is set to leave his role as president of the Washington Roundtable after nearly three decades. The nonprofit organization, which advocates for public policy on behalf of the state’s business leaders, has championed major infrastructure investments, sustainable fiscal policies, and education initiatives under Mullin’s leadership. The Roundtable is working with a global executive search firm to find his successor. Julie Sandler, managing director at Pioneer Square Labs, will serve as the organization’s chair this year.
Expanding Roles in Communications and Technology
Erika Shaffer, who spent over 12 years as director of strategic communications for Madrona Venture Group, is joining Terray Therapeutics as Senior Director of Strategic Communications. Terray, a biotech company developing small molecule therapeutics, is one of Madrona’s portfolio companies. Shaffer, who will remain in Seattle, expressed excitement about the opportunity to focus more on the intersection of AI and biology, an area Madrona has been increasingly active in over the past five years.
Harshitha Amit, a seasoned engineering leader, has launched HA Arts, a Seattle-area startup focused on enhancing accessibility and personalization in fine art through AI. Amit, who previously led engineering efforts at Stripe and spent 12 years at Microsoft working on machine learning initiatives for Azure, emphasized that HA Arts aims to complement human creativity rather than replace it. The startup represents a new frontier in commissioned artwork, combining AI-driven storytelling with the artistic touch of human creators.
Health Insurance and Sales Leadership Expansions
Health insurance provider Regence has expanded its sales leadership roles in Washington and Oregon. Stacy Crim, previously VP of small business in Washington, has been promoted to Vice President of the Washington market, with added responsibilities for account management. Stephanie Walker, who served as VP of key accounts in Washington, is now Vice President for the state’s Health Care Authority (HCA) and public sector, overseeing all public-sector accounts. Tracy Olsen, Director of New Sales in Oregon, has also taken on sales responsibilities in Washington, building on his 12 years of experience with Regence.
New Ventures and Rebranding in Tech
SingleFile Technologies has appointed Mindy Lauck as Chief Product Officer. Lauck, who has held multiple CEO roles and founded sparkleblue, a strategic advisory firm for startups, brings a wealth of experience to the role. SingleFile, which emerged from Pioneer Square Labs six years ago, recently announced a $9 million funding round. Meanwhile, Trovares, a Seattle-based startup analyzing data in graph formats, has rebranded as Rocketgraph and named Brock Alston as its new CEO. Alston, who joins from Alpha Consulting Services, will lead the company as it continues to innovate in data analytics. Founder Jim Rottsolk, previously CEO of Cray, will transition to chairman of the board.
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network has named Yalda Moshiri as Program Director of Angel Oregon, a initiative supporting early-stage entrepreneurs statewide. Moshiri, co-founder and CEO of Portland-based startup SaF, brings her entrepreneurial expertise to the role. Her experience in building and leading a concierge startup will likely prove invaluable in fostering innovation and growth among Oregon’s entrepreneurial community.
