MILL CREEK GATEWAY
A P L A N N E D C O M M U N I T Y
The People Behind the Vision
Development & Planning Team
MC Gateway Team
Ownership & Management
Harrison Family
Songbird Enterprises/ Founding Partner
The Harrison Family moved to Walla Walla in 2000 and spent years restoring and creating the Abeja Winery and Inn. They sold majority interest to Columbia Hospitality in 2018 but retain a 25% stake. Ken, former CEO/Chairman of Portland General Electric, has led numerous community projects across the Northwest. The Harrisons have also supported the Power House Theatre, Shakespeare Walla Walla, Blue Mountain Humane Society, Marcus Whitman Hotel, and the Blue Mountain Community Foundation.
Judith Shulman, JD
Songbird Enterprises/ Co-Manager
For the past decade, Judith has managed real estate, winery, and investment projects for Abeja and the Harrison Family. A Yale law graduate, she became Partner at Davis Wright in Seattle and later Of Counsel to Foster Pepper in Walla Walla. She founded PHAROS Corporation, providing real estate acquisition services to government, railroads, and utilities, and served as Sr. VP and Director of Real Estate Services for HDR/PHAROS. She is also co-owner/manager of DAMA Wines.
Chuck Hill
Columbia Hospitality / Co-Manager
As President of Columbia Hospitality Real Estate, Chuck leads real estate development and supports business development and company growth through various investment initiatives. He previously served as CEO of Pistol Creek Company and Controller for Lowe Enterprises Northwest, and began his career as an auditor and CPA with KPMG. Chuck holds a B.S. in accounting from Purdue University.
Jacob Coburn
Columbia Hospitality / Co-Manager
Jacob has been Area Director of Facilities for Columbia Hospitality since 2023 and Property Manager for Abeja since 2012. Previously a Project Manager for Ketelsen Construction, he lives along the Mill Creek corridor and is an active volunteer firefighter for Walla Walla County Fire District #4 and a member of Bluewood Ski Patrol.
Sandy White
Songbird Enterprises / Executive Assistant
A Walla Walla native, Sandy has served as executive assistant to the Harrison family for the past eight years. Bringing deep local roots and extensive operational expertise, she plays a vital role in coordinating the team behind this future development—keeping the partners, managers, and consultants aligned as the vision for Mill Creek Gateway takes shape.
Key Planning Consultants
Planning & Engineering
Murray Hutchins
Lead Planner / Geyer Coburn Hutchins (GCH)
GCH is a planning and landscape architecture firm creating innovative, environmentally sensitive, and financially sound places worldwide. A founding partner, Murray has worked in mixed-use, residential community, and resort planning for over three decades on projects across North America and beyond.
Michael Melder
PE
Scott Shumaker
PE
Apex Companies, LLC
Civil & Environmental Engineering / formerly PBS Engineering & Environmental
For more than 40 years, Apex Pacific Northwest has served Washington and Oregon with engineering, sustainability, environmental services, health and safety, natural resources, surveying, landscape architecture, planning, and public involvement.
millcreekgatewaycommunity.com
Development & Planning Team