As the owner and sole proprietor of SECO Development, Michael’s experience stretches over

three decades; he has been purchasing and building real estate since 1980. SECO Development

has been recognized as one of the most successful mixed-use development companies in the

Seattle and Puget Sound region with over 38 years as a significant landowner in Seattle,

Bellevue, Kirkland, and Renton.

As a principal in SECO Development, Michael is intimately involved in all aspects of

development and is personally in charge of acquisitions and dispositions. He is involved in

design, marketing, and financing while maintaining strong relationships with the cities in which

he builds. Michael has a unique ability to identify opportunities and formulate a vision that is

consistent with municipalities, local neighborhoods, and financial institutions. With Michael’s

direction, ability to identify good sites, and work closely with communities, SECO Development

has vested entitlements in record time and created economically viable and profitable

developments resulting in vibrant communities in the Puget Sound.

As head of Hermanson’s Owner Direct Solutions team, Jacob Besagno oversees the coordination of Service, Owner Direct Projects, and TAB, Controls & Commissioning departments. Together these branches of Hermanson’s full range of mechanical capabilities offer building owners holistic approaches to facility needs with the goal of improving occupant comfort and controlling overall operational costs.

Steve Straus is the President of Glumac, a sustainability-focused building engineering and commissioning firm founded in 1971. Since 2000, he has grown the firm three-fold while holding true to its mission to design “Green Buildings that Work.” As such, he leads a firm where all Principals and Associate Principals are LEED Accredited Professionals focused on making a real impact on conserving our natural resources for projects big and small. With sustainable design as its guide, Glumac has become a leader in the green building industry, having hundreds of LEED-certified projects in its portfolio, and is now helping lead the growing green building industry in Asia.

Since graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Steve has been passionate about environmental issues and design. Today, he is a mechanical engineer with a focus on sustainable design and carries a proven track record of actual energy costs below modeled estimates.

A primary area of Steve’s focus is in the innovative and efficient design of higher education facilities and ensuring the delivery of great environments that enhance learning and productivity. Steve has worked on projects for various college campuses throughout the West Coast, including projects for the California State system, the University of California system, local community college districts, and private universities such as the University of Southern California, Stanford University, and the California Institute of Technology.

Since 2017, Steve has led Glumac’s joining Tetra Tech, and established its High Performance Buildings Group. Working with Cosentini and Norman, Disney & Young, the High Performance Buildings Group is establishing an alliance of 1,500 engineers focused on the cutting edge of sustainable and resilient design in the built environment.