8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                           ---------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

                                  May 12, 2005

                         BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

                                    Maryland
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                                     0-21886
                                (SEC File Number)

                                   52-0812977
                        (IRS Employer Identification No.)

         4724 S.W. Macadam Avenue
         Portland, Oregon                                    97239
         (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:

                                 (503) 220-0988

      Check the  appropriate  box below if the Form 8-K  filing is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

|_|   Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))






Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Principal Officers;  Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

      On May 12, 2005, the Board of Directors of Barrett Business Services, Inc.
("BBSI"),  elected Michael L. Elich, age 40, as the Company's Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer, a newly-created position. Mr. Elich was BBSI's Director
of Business Development since joining the Company in October 2001. For more than
two years prior to October 2001,  Mr. Elich served as Executive  Vice  President
and Chief Operating  Officer of Skills  Resource  Training  Center  ("SRTC"),  a
staffing services company with offices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

      BBSI acquired  substantially  all the assets of SRTC effective  January 1,
2004, pursuant to arm's-length negotiations. Mr. Elich owns approximately 14% of
the outstanding  capital stock of SRTC. BBSI paid $3,000,000 in cash to SRTC for
its assets and  noncompete  agreements  with  SRTC's  shareholders  and has also
recorded an estimated total of 52,800 shares of BBSI's common stock with a value
of $778,000 as of December 31, 2004, for issuance pursuant to earnout provisions
included in the acquisition agreement with SRTC.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      99.1  Press release dated May 16, 2005.



                                   SIGNATURES

            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                    BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.



Dated:  May 16, 2005                By:  /s/ Michael D. Mulholland
                                         --------------------------------------
                                         Michael D. Mulholland
                                         Vice President - Finance

EX-99

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                            Contact:    William W. Sherertz
                                                             President and
                                                             Chief Executive
                                                             Officer

                                                 Telephone:  (503) 220-0988

                     BBSI Names Michael Elich Vice President
                           and Chief Operating Officer

      PORTLAND,  OREGON, May 16, 2005 - Barrett Business Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:
BBSI)  announced today that the Company's board of directors has elected Michael
L. Elich as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.  Mr. Elich has served as
BBSI's  Director of Business  Development  since  joining the Company in October
2001.  Prior to BBSI,  Mr. Elich served as Executive  Vice  President  and Chief
Operating  Officer for Skills Resource  Training  Center,  a company acquired by
BBSI in January  2004.  Mr. Elich holds a B.S.  degree in Economics and Business
from Montana State University.

      BBSI  provides  human  resource  management  solutions  to large and small
companies throughout many regions of the United States.

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