Key Takeaways:
- Seattle tech and security firm, F5, announced Christopher Burger as their new chief information security officer (CISO).
- Gopi Prashanth takes the mantle of chief AI and agentic scientist at Auger, a supply chain technology startup.
- The Washington Research Foundation’s president and CEO, Tom Daniel, revealed plans to retire.
- Vishal Bhargava secures a partial term on the Bellevue City Council.
- Josh Vitello joins Yoodli as their first head of Go-to-Market (GTM).
- Caddi, a Seattle startup, introduced two founding engineers – Conner Ingram and Dallas Slaughter.
- Steven Ashby steps down as director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory after a decade-long tenure.
Christopher Burger Takes Charge as F5’s New CISO
Former Slalom executive, Christopher Burger, has been appointed as the new chief information security officer for F5, a well-established networking and security firm based in Seattle. Burger expressed his enthusiasm on LinkedIn, acknowledging F5’s commitment to application delivery and security over the past 30 years. Formerly serving as Slalom’s CISO, Burger boasts esteemed security leadership roles at companies like Russell Investments, Clearwire, and Corbis. In its official statement, F5 lauded Burger’s abundant experience in handling today’s multifaceted security domain.
Chief AI Scientist Role at Auger Snapped up by Gopi Prashanth
Gopi Prashanth has joined supply chain technology startup Auger, launching on as chief AI and agentic scientist. The company was developed by former Amazon heavyweight, Dave Clark, and initiated a $100 million Series A round last month. Prashanth, who has previously worked with Salesforce, Amazon, Microsoft, and Landing AI, also co-founded FutureForward. His decision to join Auger was driven by the company’s ambitious mission to overhaul business operation methods by streamlining supply chain data into an agentic operating system.
President and CEO of Washington Research Foundation to Retire
Tom Daniel, the current president and CEO of the Washington Research Foundation (WRF), is stepping down from his role this fall. Daniel has contributed significantly to various ventures in Washington state, strengthening the local life sciences ecosystem. Before his stint at WRF, Daniel served as a professor at the University of Washington for nearly four decades and led the institution’s Department of Biology.
Vishal Bhargava Joins Bellevue City Council
Amazon director of product management, Vishal Bhargava, has been selected for a partial term on the Bellevue City Council. This follows council member John Stokes‘ decision to leave his seat next month. Bhargava, who also serves on Bellevue’s Planning Commission, brings a wealth of experience in urban planning and community service to the table.
Josh Vitello Takes Reins as Yoodli’s GTM Head
Josh Vitello, an executive with experience at Salesforce and Tableau, will spearhead Go-to-Market operations at Seattle-based software platform, Yoodli. The company’s unique platform employs speech analysis to propose improvements on communication skills. Yoodli’s CEO Varun Puri praised Vitello’s experience, authenticity, and sense of humor as valuable assets to the company.
Caddi Welcomes Founding Engineers Conner Ingram and Dallas Slaughter
Seattle startup Caddi has added two founding engineers to its team – Conner Ingram and Dallas Slaughter. Both previously worked at AgentSync and Tavour. Caddi, which operates in the automation of basic business operations using generative AI, recently emerged from stealth backed by a $5 million seed capital.
Changes at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Steven Ashby announced his decision to step down as the director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The lab, which partakes in research & development activities across clean energy, environmental cleanup, and other advanced fields, hasn’t yet announced Ashby’s successor. With a stellar four-decade-long career with the DOE, Ashby leaves substantial shoes to fill.
