Brian Ross
Managing Partner
Brian leads YarrowBay's team of accomplished professionals and drives the
company's focus on creating lasting value for its partners, customers, and
the communities where it operates. He and his team consistently take challenging
projects from vision to reality, delivering innovative, resourceful product
with uncompromising excellence.
Brian co-founded the organization in 2001 and brings decades of business
experience with a strong emphasis on real estate to its leadership.
His background encompasses all aspects of the land and project development
process, including experience as a custom homebuilder. Prior to founding
YarrowBay, he directed land acquisition
and subsequent development for a prominent Eastside firm.
As managing partner, Brian takes a hands-on approach to working with
YarrowBay's clients and community stakeholders. He recognizes the importance
and value of a highly competent team and has brought top professionals from
all over the region together to plan and execute the company's projects.
Relationships are a key component in YarrowBay's success, and Brian is
committed to building long-term associations that are based on respect,
honesty, and performance that exceeds expectations. It's a core value
and simply "the right way to do business" for this organization.
A lifelong Eastside resident, Brian continues to be active in local community
affairs and is a long time member of the Master Builders Association. He makes
his home in Kirkland with his wife, Kim, and their two daughters.
Alan Boeker
General Manager
Alan Boeker has a passion for and a wealth of experience in creating successful communities and building homes with great consumer appeal.
As founding president of the Los Angeles division of Standard Pacific Homes (NYSE: SPF), a national, publicly traded development and building company, Boeker led initiatives to meet the growing need for high-density, urban in-fill housing. Projects of note include five vertically integrated, mixed-use buildings in Playa Vista; urban redevelopment projects in Pasadena; and the Redwood Lofts in Los Angeles. Boeker grew the division from a staff of three to more than 85 employees with deliveries of more than 400 units per year and revenues exceeding $250 million annually.
Prior to his tenure at Standard Pacific Homes, Boeker was the director of residential land development at Playa Capital Company, the master developer for Playa Vista, a 6,500-unit urban master plan. Boeker oversaw the publication of community design guidelines for all commercial and residential components, developed comprehensive sustainable design programs, and directed the design of eight, first-phase projects and subsequent delivery of finished lots to builders. Other aspects of the plan included rental housing, community buildings, retail, extensive public gathering areas, and a fire station. In the earlier stages of his career, Boeker served as senior project manager for New Urban West, Inc. In a partnership with Chevron Land and Development, he led company efforts in entitlement and development of a new 3,500-unit master plan in Huntington Beach, California. His management responsibilities included the characterization, clean-up and closure documentation of heavy hydrocarbon contamination on many parcels. Additionally, he recruited, hired and mentored project managers who each were responsible for three to five neighborhood developments. In 2007 Boeker became President of Port Blakely Communities where he was responsible for crafting a reorganization strategy to reposition retail holdings at Issaquah Highlands and seek other opportunities across the Puget Sound. His role included interfacing with civic groups and local government, as well as providing counsel to the senior management team and to company Board of Directors.
Boeker holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Nevada and a master’s degree of business administration in real estate from National University in San Diego. Active in the community, he served for many years on the Westside Urban Forum in Los Angeles. In addition, he is a member of the Urban Land Institute. Outside of work, Boeker and his family enjoy recreational boating on the Puget Sound.
Colin Lund
Director of Development
Colin specializes in Land Development Strategy, Project Negotiation, and Project and Consultant Management on behalf of Yarrow Bay Communities, following a successful career as Director of Planning for Triad Associates. His responsibilities at Yarrow Bay include overseeing all pre-development activity and management of its land development staff.
He has a broad background and wide range of experience in all facets of land and project development, including work in the public sector as a planner for the City of Pasadena and the Orange County Transportation Commission.
Among Colin's notable accomplishments are authoring and negotiating a development agreement for the Talus Master Planned Community in Issaquah, and his expertise in comprehensive feasibility analyses, entitlement strategies, and project representation during public processes. Colin is an active ULI Member and serves on a District Council.
Colin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban & Regional Planning at California Polytechnic University and holds a Transportation Analysis Certificate from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also completed Executive Leadership Training at Harvard University. He and his family reside in Woodinville.
Kevin Thomas
Senior Site Designer/Landscape Architect
Kevin brings over 15 years of land use planning and site design experience to
YarrowBay Communities. His work has contributed to the success of numerous
residential projects throughout the Puget Sound region, including The Farm at
Woods Creek, Outlook Ridge, and most recently, Bridges.
Kevin's strengths include his ability to work through the three-dimensional
challenges of highly constrained sites, which are common in the Puget Sound area.
He consistently provides thoughtful, innovative solutions in determining the
highest and best use for a site to maximize its potential.
At the same time, Kevin understands that creating quality communities is not
just about the numbers. It's about neighborhoods where people live and play,
and it's about creating value that sustains and enhances the quality of life
for residents as well as the community at large. Kevin brings his personal
talents and commitment to this mission, which drives all of YarrowBay's operations.
Kevin is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture and Master's degree in Landscape Architecture.
He and his family make their home in Mill Creek.
Sterling Hamilton
Senior Financial Analyst
Sterling Hamilton is a financial and market analyst who has worked and consulted in land use planning and sustainability practices for the past six years. Mr. Hamilton has conducted regional economic analysis, market research and financial analysis for a wide variety of public institutions and private businesses. Sterling’s broad experience has led him to a passion for land use issues and the intelligent means for growth in the Puget Sound region.
Sterling’s analytical work stems from his strong ability to approach his quantitative tasks with an eye for creativity. Sterling understands that the way forward in any economic climate may not always be clear, but that creative problem solving is both beneficial and even necessary in finding optimal solutions to complex real estate and land use opportunities.
Sterling spent the early part of his career working in affordable housing and, while in Seattle, he worked as an associate project manager for HomeSight. He still maintains strong relationships with the many men and women of the non-profit development sector. Through these relationships and his own experiences, Sterling aspires to maintain the ideals of housing as a means to individual wealth and security for all peoples of our region. Sterling obtained his Master’s degree from the University of Washington in Urban Design and Planning, studying under George Rolfe in the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies. Sterling’s education has helped to shape his understanding of both public and private interests in the development process.
Prior to joining Yarrow Bay, Sterling completed several market studies for Built Green® Washington which have been utilized by many “green” organizations in understanding the value of environmental certifications for homes in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. These studies were the first of their kind and led to Sterling’s presentation of his findings in a panel discussion at Built Green Washington’s annual conference on sustainability. Sterling’s ability to provide objective economic analysis to a growing number of “green collar” professionals has aided to the overall understanding of the correlation of market realities and new ideas.
Sterling is an active naturalist and outdoor enthusiast, making regular trips to the mountains and the ocean where he enjoys many of the sports they provide. Sterling lives with his wife in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle.
Megan Nelson
Director of Legal Affairs
Megan is a graduate of Stanford Law School. Her education also includes a double major in Economics and Government from Claremont McKenna College in southern California. Prior to joining YarrowBay, Megan was an attorney at a preeminent real estate, land use and environmental law firm in the Pacific Northwest. During that time, Megan counseled private and municipal clients on a wide range of real estate, land use, and environmental matters, including purchase and sale transactions, critical areas and shorelines regulations, the State Environmental Policy Act, and the Growth Management Act.
Megan brings this experience to her work at YarrowBay. She supports the organization's needs in legal and regulatory matters, from working with local jurisdictions in project entitlement processes to structuring complex land transactions. Megan takes an collaborative approach to her work, including managing outside counsel, thus keeping her energy high and focusing on optimal performance.
Outside her professional life, Megan serves as a board member for Habitat for Humanity of East King County. Megan lives with her husband Ryan in northeast Seattle and enjoys horseback riding and collecting Washington wines.
Michael Huey, P.E.
Project Manager
As a Professional Engineer (PE), Michael brings extensive development and
engineering experience in both the public and private sectors to YarrowBay,
where he manages large residential development projects.
He served as an engineer for Snohomish County, providing civil engineering design
on capital improvement projects, reviewing land use applications and construction
plans for compliance, and coordinating technical support among county departments,
other governmental agencies, and outside consultants.
Michael joined a prominent regional civil engineering firm Triad as a Project
Engineer in 2002, managing civil design, plan preparation, consultant coordination,
and client communication for large residential and commercial developments until
he moved to YarrowBay in 2005.
His background, technical expertise, and his focus on preventing development issues
make Michael a valued team member in moving YarrowBay's projects efficiently
through the approval and construction processes.
He holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington and
is active in the Master Builders Association and Professional Consultants of
Snohomish County (PCSC).
Ryan J. Kohlmann, AICP
Senior Project Manager
Ryan has worked in the field of planning and land development for over ten years.
Before joining YarrowBay, Ryan worked as a Senior Planner with the City of
Issaquah's Major Development Review Team (MDRT) reviewing the communities of
Issaquah Highlands and Talus. He brings extensive experience from the public
sector focusing on affordable housing, project management, permitting, and design
review.
Ryan's strengths include the ability to understand local comprehensive planning
and development regulations, and manage complex permit and review processes. He
also brings a trained eye for good urban design as well as a skilled background
in developing creative and innovative solutions to today'
s development world, including working on Built Green® and LEED® certified projects.
His broad experience in master-planned communities will help drive YarrowBay's
efforts in Black Diamond's new ventures.
Ryan is a graduate of the University of Washington with a B.A. in Planning.
He is also an active member in the American Planning Association, the American
Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and a Young Leader in the Urban Land
Institute (ULI). He and his family make their home in Sammamish.
Ryan Kemp
Senior Project Manager
Ryan Kemp joined YarrowBay in March 2007, and focuses his efforts on project planning and entitlement, consultant management, construction processes, and market research.
Mr. Kemp’s key talents include effective communication skills, thorough understanding of development regulations, and the ability to build strong working relationships with local jurisdictions and stakeholders.
Prior to joining YarrowBay, Ryan worked in land acquisition and project management for a residential land development and home building firm in Pierce County, WA.
A Young Leader member of the Urban Land Institute, Mr. Kemp holds a BA degree in Business Administration with a focus in Real Estate from Washington State University. While attending WSU, he was an analyst for the Washington Center for Real Estate Research.
Ryan and his wife Lyndee reside in Kirkland.
Missy Gallagher
Contracts and Accounting Administrator
Missy has an extensive background in financial and cost accounting as well as
significant public sector experience. She contributes valuable insights and helps
identify solutions to the challenges private companies and municipalities face in their shared community building efforts.
Her experience includes nearly eight years with the City of Issaquah's Public
Works Engineering Department, where she managed complex, multi-year water,
stormwater, sewer, and transportation budgets. She was also the grant management
Specialist and facilitated three successful federal audits with the State
Auditor's Office related to transportation projects.
Working closely with the Major Development Review Team in the Engineering
Department, she was also responsible for the cost tracking of Issaquah's two
new Urban Villages, managing developer billings with extensive cost breakdowns.
In the private sector, Missy worked for a commercial sheet metal contractor and
an asbestos abatement firm as a full charge bookkeeper.
She will work under the YarrowBay Communities umbrella, where her focus will be
cost control management and reporting, and operations for the company's Black
Diamond projects.
Missy and her two daughters make their home in Black Diamond.
Douglas O. Duncanson
Director of Operations
Doug is in charge of the vertical side of the company’s homebuilding operations. Doug brings a twenty-plus year reputation for high-quality production homebuilding, using his skills to strengthen every member of the team.
Doug understands the value of integrity, teamwork and service. His extensive project management skills are focused on production efficiency, quality assurance, cost controls, and customer satisfaction. As someone who has walked through hundreds of homes with their new buyers, he has developed an intense instinct for customer satisfaction and post-sale customer service. Doug has proven himself under fire, managing high-volume new home construction operations for well known regional and national homebuilding companies.
From the beginning—by properly siting each home on its lot—to the final customer walk-through, Doug uses his communications skills, teambuilding abilities, and deep production knowledge to add value all along the way.
Doug is a graduate of the University of Washington, with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.
Doug and his wife live in Redmond, Washington, celebrating the fact their children are grown and on their own.
Sean L. Johnsrud
Director of Sales and Marketing
For nearly 20 years Sean has been creating and leading the teams responsible for the marketing and sales of new homes. His background includes extensive research and consulting on the land acquisition and feasibility sides of the new home business, giving him an excellent perspective on how to best add value to a company’s bottom line.
In his positions as a senior marketing executive with two respected Northwest home building companies, Sean developed and executed overall corporate and community marketing plans, recruited, trained and motivated professional sales teams. His work resulted in both increased market share and increased profitability. When the 2007 real estate downturn hit, Sean was able to provide a swift restructure of marketing and sales strategies that resulted in not only survival, but keeping his builder in the Top 15 in market share.
While working with a major brokerage specializing in New Construction sales, Sean advised multiple homebuilders on issues from site selection to marketing to sales team recruitment and management.
In his current position, Sean is responsible for creating and executing innovative marketing plans, staffing, training, managing sales operations, and working closely with the company Operations Department to assure homebuyer satisfaction.
Sean is a graduate of Central Washington University with degrees in Economics and Business Finance.
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