Business Pulse magazine July | August 2021 by Business Pulse magazine

BUSINESS PULSE

JULY/AUGUST 2021

THE PULSE OF WHATCOM COUNTY

Lynden Sheet Metal going strong

With 81 years under its belt, the company is doing something right Company President Bobbi Kreider

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JULY/AUGUST 2021 VOL. 46 NO. 4

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VOL. 46 | NO. 4 PUBLISHER Whatcom Business Alliance EDITOR Matthew Anderson CONTRIBUTING Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy WRITERS Dustin McKissen Kyra Planetz Lorraine Wilde GUEST COLUMNISTS Jason Hagey Todd Kooiman Erika Lautenbach Adam Lervik Patti Rowlson ART DIRECTOR Whitney Pearce PHOTOGRAPHY Tiffany Brooks EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Chase Cover Photo by Tiffany Brooks

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WBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: BOARD CHAIR: John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric Inc. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Pam Brady, Director NW Gov’t & Public Affairs, BP Cherry Point; John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric Inc.; Doug Thomas, President/CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage; Josh Turrell, Partner, Larson Gross PLLC; Josh Wright, VP/Broker, Bell-Anderson Insurance BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Tyler Byrd, CEO, Red Rokk Interactive; Jane Carten, President, Saturna Capital; Andy Enfield, Vice President, Enfield Farms; Bryant Engebretson, Managing Principal, Tradewinds Capital; Jon Ensch, Commercial Banking Officer, Peoples Bank; Mitch Faber, Partner, Adelstein Sharpe & Serka; Sandy Keathley, Former Owner, K & K Industries; Tony Larson, President, Barlean’s; Laura McKinney, NW Gov’t Affairs & Public Relations, Alcoa-Intalco Works; Nicole Newton, Semiahmoo Resort/Golf/Spa; Becky Raney, Former Owner, Print & Copy Factory; Sarah Rothenbuhler, Owner/CEO, Birch Equipment; Patti Rowlson, Founder/ Marketing Director, Bellingham PR & Communications; Galen Smith, Operations Manager/Owner, Coldstream Farms; Billy VanZanten, CEO, Western Refinery Services For editorial comments and suggestions, write info@whatcombusinessalliance.com. The magazine is published bimonthly at 3111 Newmarket St., Ste. 106, Bellingham WA 98226. (360) 746.0418. Yearly subscription rate is $25 (US). For digital subscription, visit businesspulse.com. Entire contents copyrighted ©2021 Business Pulse. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Business Pulse, 3111 Newmarket St. Ste. 106, Bellingham WA 98226

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

IN THIS ISSUE 11

LYNDEN SHEET METAL In business for 81 years, they are still going strong with sales quadrupling over the past 10 years.

14 RUNNING A FAMILY COMPANY?

Here are five things you need to know from locally-owned family businesses that have made prosperity a cornerstone of our local economy.

18 SUPPLY CHAIN LINCHPIN

Despite 2020’s hurdles, the team behind Kam-Way Transportation have kept U.S. and Canadian supply chains open and moving.

ANNUAL TOP 100 PRIVATE COMPANIES

Prolonged shutdowns. Remote workforces. You name it, COVID brought it. But this year’s list of Whatcom County’s Top 100 (based on 2020 sales) shows these companies managed to successfully wade through one of the toughest years in our history.

35 BOATING IN THE SALISH SEA

Look for additional content online at businesspulse.com

The Salish Sea and San Juan Islands are among the planet’s prettiest places. The boater’s paradise is more accessible than you think.

COLUMNS 41 Managing supply

51 Review of Grizzly

45 Hybrid workplaces

53 Five things I’ve learned

shortages during uncertain times

can boost employee efficiency

49 Pandemic networking

slump? Try dusting off your LinkedIn profile

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

founder autobiography, A Bad Case of Capitalism about Whatcom County businesses during a pandemic

55 Worker shortage

emerges as top issue as pandemic eases

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BP UP FRONT

The past 18 months have shown that we can overcome any challenge On behalf of Business Pulse and the Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA), I can confidently say our team is proud to bring readers an issue that celebrates the amazing companies and leaders we have right here in Whatcom County. This issue specifically celebrates our annual list of the Top 100 private companies in Whatcom County. The last year and a half has given Whatcom County businesses more challenges than anyone could ever realistically expect to handle. The pandemic, lockdowns, fear and uncertainty created what is and was a once-ina-lifetime economic environment that we are thrilled to leave behind. Yet, despite the obstacles, many companies in Whatcom County thrived. One hundred of those companies are featured on this list. Others receive specific attention in this month’s features. On Page 11, Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy profiles Lynden Sheet Metal, a Whatcom County staple for over 80 years. On Page 18, Lorraine Wilde tells us how Kam-Way Transportation has helped keep U.S. and Canadian supply chains moving, despite the ongoing closures.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

The pandemic, lockdowns, fear and uncertainty created what is and was a once-in-alifetime economic environment that we are thrilled to leave behind. Yet, despite the obstacles, many companies in Whatcom County thrived. But that isn’t all. This month’s issue also includes lessons learned from family-owned companies on how family businesses can become multigenerational legacies, another feature on how the Salish Sea is far more accessible than many boaters think, and columns on freshening your LinkedIn profile, how hybrid workplaces

can improve employee efficiency, five things we can learn about Whatcom County businesses because of the pandemic, and how the worker shortage is affecting local business. We also review A Bad Case of Capitalism, the just-released autobiography of Grizzly Industrial founder Shiraz Balolia. If you know Shiraz, you’ll know why this is a must-read. If you don’t know Shiraz, chapter titles like “Good Cop, Bad Cop, Feds in My Home” should make you want to hop on Amazon and order it right away. We highly recommend it. The Annual Top 100 is always a great source of pride for Business Pulse and the group of people who pull this issue together — for good reason. Every prior list helped show the innovation and talent that makes Whatcom County prosperous. But this year, the list also highlights the resiliency and tenacity that helped our economy weather what may have been the most challenging event in our community ever. This issue also reflects the dynamism of the Whatcom County economy. We are not “just” an economy built on industrial businesses like Lynden Sheet Metal and Kam-Way Transportation. And we are not “just” a tourism

economy built around the beauty and adventure of outdoor activities like boating in the Salish Sea. We are both — and that type of economic diversity is the foundation of a prosperous community. A year ago, we weren’t sure when — or if — the pandemic and lockdowns would ever end. While the disease is still out there, vaccinations and commonsense public health practices mean that our economy can once again be an engine of prosperity for Whatcom County families. For that to happen, local businesses must be allowed to achieve their full potential. While you’ve probably heard this in these pages before, we cannot say it strongly enough: Advocacy is the key to maintaining and expanding Whatcom County’s economic diversity. A prosperous economy with thriving businesses also plays a critical role in addressing challenges such as homelessness and affordable housing. A strong business sector is simply the most accessible and best solution to many of our most pressing community challenges. But, if we survived and even occasionally thrived during this pandemic, we can certainly overcome any other challenge. Especially if we harness the grit and determination captured in the pages of this month’s issue.

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Barbara Chase, Executive Director Whatcom Business Alliance

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

BP NEWSMAKERS

Scott Hume

Terry Federer

Salish Wealth Management moves to new Barkley District location Salish Wealth Management, a Bellingham-based financial services firm managing more than $300 million in assets, moved June 9 to a new location in the Barkley District. Salish Wealth Management is now in the Washington Federal Bank building at 2122 Barkley Blvd., Suite 200. Located at the intersection with Woburn Street, the new location offers easy access and free parking. “Barkley Village is our favorite part of town, and we worked hard to find a way to stay here,” said Scott Hume, company president and founder. “Our clients are going to love the new space.” Financial advisors Hume, Ted Newman and Aretha Ryan offer more than 60 years of experience in comprehensive financial services. Go to: www.salishwm.com. Terry Federer joins All American Marine as business development manager The owners of All American Marine are proud to announce the appointment of Terry Federer as the organization’s business development manager. Federer takes over the role from Ron Wille, who was recently appointed president and COO. Federer recently left his position as director of Alaska’s Maritime Training Center, a department of Alaska’s Vocational Technical Education Center and a

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

David Judge

Nathan Leigh

division of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. AMTC is the largest, most comprehensive maritime training school in Alaska and one of the leaders in the nation. AMTC trains and certifies more than 1,100 mariners annually for employment in the maritime industry. Prior to joining AAM, Terry had over a decade of experience operating AAM-constructed Teknicraft catamarans in Alaska. In addition, his maritime career also includes experience on research ships, fast ferries and tugboats. Terry also will be leaving his captain position at Major Marine Tours in Seward, Alaska. Major Marine Tours has recently accepted delivery of its first hydrofoil-assisted catamaran designed and built by All American Marine. In his new role as business development manager at All American Marine, Federer will focus on the continued expansion of the company’s presence in the national and international maritime markets. This expansion and commitment to innovation includes the company currently completing the first hydrogen-powered passenger vessel in the U.S. and the expansion of its customer base into U.S. territories.

RMC Architects new hires and promotions David Judge, AIA, has joined RMC Architects as a project architect. Judge received a Bachelor of Science in architecture in 2010 from A. Alfred

Christopher Mead

Jason Willliard

Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. He received a Master of Architecture in 2018 from the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington, specializing in materials and fabrication. He brings this focus to his projects, using renewable resources and premanufacturing to cut down on construction time and materials waste on site. For RMC, Judge will utilize his knowledge of cross-laminated timber design and construction while working on the Bellingham Public Schools district office building. He has volunteered with the Peace Corps and Architects Without Borders and is looking forward to using his skills as a designer at RMC to help address homelessness and improve the quality of life in the Bellingham community. Nathan Leigh has joined RMC Architects as a design professional. Leigh graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a minor in planning, public policy and management. His architectural studies focused on sustainability and how buildings impact communities. For RMC, Leigh will be working on two Bellingham projects: an addition to the Whatcom County Courthouse and phase two of Cordata Park. He is a recipient of the Freeman Fellowship for study in Asia, where he worked as a graphic and web designer for Youth Education for Development

and Peace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Leigh also provided volunteer design consultation and documentation services on educational projects in Cambodia. He believes that his philanthropic experience gained abroad will complement RMC’s passion for community-focused building design. Christopher Mead, AIA, LEED AP, has been promoted to associate. Since joining RMC in 2005, Mead has distinguished himself as an approachable and trusted project leader and mentor. He has worked on a variety of project types for the firm, including the recently completed multicultural center at Western Washington University — a collaborative project with Opsis Architecture. His affinity for multifamily housing has led to his contribution on projects such as Walton Place One and Two and Eleanor Place, in downtown Bellingham, and Cornerstone, in Barkley Village. Jason Williard, AIA, LEED AP, has been promoted to associate. Williard’s role at RMC has evolved since joining the firm in 2006, as he has demonstrated both a commitment to the long-term success of the firm and an affable leadership style. He has worked on some of RMC’s most notable projects, including Peoples Bank in the Barkley Financial District, the Rocket Building in the Fairhaven Historic District, Spring Street Landing on the Friday Harbor Waterfront, and the Bellingham Public Schools district office building, currently in progress. Go to: www.rmcarchitects.com.

Photos from left, 1) Barron COO Brad Barron, Chris Cano and Barron CEO John Barron and Dina Moore and 2) Barron CEO John Barron, Dina Moore and Barron COO Brad Barron.

Barron awards $5,000 scholarships to 2 studying building trades at BTC to feel confident that the trades are Barron Heating AC Electrical & accessible to them,” Moore said. “I Plumbing recently awarded $5,000 want to set an example, along with scholarships to Bellingham residents the other women that have already Chris Cano and Dina Moore. The grants will help these students obtain pursued HVAC jobs, and grow into a confident technician.” family-wage jobs in the building “Barron is dedicated to supporting trades without incurring significant the trades in our community and education debt. beyond,” said John Barron, company The Dan L. Barron Trades Scholarowner. His father, the late Dan Barron, ship aims to provide opportunities founded Barron Heating nearly 50 to individuals looking to enter the years ago. heating, ventilation, air conditioning, “We do this by providing living refrigeration, electrical or plumbing wage, trades-based jobs for 160-plus trades and begin a successful career families (and counting) across five journey for themselves and their counties; offering the Dan L. Barron families. Trades Scholarships for Bellingham Cano is studying to become an Technical College; and directly trainelectrician. “My goal is to be involved ing a future generation of essential in green energy installation,” Cano said. “Solar power is a rapidly growing workers in our very own Barron Technician School through both traditionsource for energy, and I believe it is al apprenticeships and a cutting-edge the best way for me to provide for future generations, including my son.” training school encompassing all Moore is pursuing a career as an mechanical, electrical and plumbing HVAC technician. “My goal is to create trades.” Go to: www.barronheating.com. a safe and welcoming space for other women to explore technical jobs and Port Fairhaven Fish-n-Chips is now serving up Northwest favorites such as cod, halibut, clams, shrimp and calamari, with seating inside the terminal and outdoors on pier-side picnic tables. You can enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine as you watch the boats come and go. Bellingham’s newest casual dining experience is a relaxing way to enjoy a family-friendly, affordably priced meal with the best views in town. Go to: www.fairhavenfish.com.

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W H A T C O M

C O U N T Y

Title sponsor: Wells Fargo Bank

Lynden Sheet Metal must be doing something right. The HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, metal fabrication and electrical company has been in business 81 years and is going strong, with sales quadrupling over the past 10 years to $13 million.

PHOTO: Tiffany Brooks

Lynden Sheet Metal going strong Venerable company keeps powering up Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy Considering that just 21% of American companies make it to their 20th anniversary, Lynden Sheet Metal is breathing rarefied air indeed. The company wants to grow more. Earlier this summer at LSM on Evergreen Street in Lynden, Conex shipping/storage containers and even a party tent were up outside to add storage space. There’s talk of putting up another permanent building, maybe 8,000 square feet, at the company’s present location. The existing building is 12,000 square feet on the ground level (the fabrication shop) and another 6,000 square feet on the mezzanine (offices). Before COVID-19, the company had 58 employees. Earlier this summer, it had 70 and was hoping to hire five more. Company President Bobbi Kreider started in the office in 1996 and is

now the majority owner and the dayto-day, hands-on general manager. Phil VanderVeen, head of HVAC and refrigeration service and repair, and Ken Keck, head of metal fabrication and welding, are partial owners buying into the business gradually. The company’s biggest revenue generators, in order, are HVAC installation, HVAC and refrigeration service and repair, plumbing, metal fabrication and welding, and electrical, added in 2020. All serve commercial and residential customers (except electrical, which serves residential only) in new construction and remodels. “We work on commercial walkin coolers and freezers and any sort of commercial kitchen equipment,” Kreider said. “We have rental coolers and freezers for events if someone’s equipment is down.” The metal fabrication division does

From left to right: Ken Keck, Bobbi Kreider and Phil VanderVeen.

anything from small fix-it jobs to stairs, handrails, awnings and countertops. “This is big in the Northwest for commercial kitchen hood installations, as we provide an all-inclusive package, including design, engineering, submittals, permits, installation, plumbing and electrical,” Kreider said. “This allows the customer to deal with one contractor versus several.” LSM’s customers include homeowners, landlords, realtors, business owners, restaurants, contractors, food processing plants, hospitals and assisted living (“any customer looking to install or upgrade,” Kreider said). The company grew as it added plumbing and refrigeration, making LSM more of a one-stop shop, Kreider said. “Now, by adding the electrical division, we really have closed the gap and can take care of all the mechanical systems in a home.”

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

History LSM was founded in 1940 by John Wynstra and Pete Douma, with about four employees, including the founders, Kreider said. As well as wood-burning furnaces, LSM designed an oil furnace that was efficient for that time. “People loved them, and we still have many of those furnaces in use decades later,” she said. Kreider’s father was a sheet metal worker whose work for Haskell Cor-

poration took him to Alaska for months at a time. That was hard on a family man. “My uncle Dennis Clark, who was John Wynstra’s nephew, worked at LSM, and my dad approached him to go into partnership and purchase LSM in 1977, as John and Pete were ready to retire,” Kreider said. At that time, LSM had about 10 employees. “My mom worked in the office. My husband started working there in 1990,

PHOTO: Tiffany Brooks

A conversation among owners In 2001, Phil VanderVeen was 18 years old and working as “the clean-up kid” at Lynden Sheet Metal. “I’d worked here two weeks, and I was having a terrible day,” VanderVeen remembered. “Bob (Bob Crabtree, company owner then and father of current owner Bobbi Kreider) asked if I was doing OK. I said, ‘Not really.’ Bob stayed and talked with me, a new kid, for 45 minutes. Who does that? Stops and talks with a new kid, takes 45 minutes out of his day? “I wanted to be part of it.” Today, VanderVeen and Ken Keck, both department heads at LSM, represent the fourth generation of LSM owners. Though they are not related to Bobbi Kreider or the owners preceding her, Kreider said she calls them fourth generation because the team feels like family. VanderVeen and Keck each own 10% now; the plan is for them to be full owners by 2035.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

“I’ve worked at other places, big places,” Keck said. “You come in here and it’s different: how you’re talked to, how you’re treated. We get to carry that on. “We have the same morals, values, and objectives,” Keck said. “We’re all open-minded, so it works. My personality is, I love to grow something, build something, put my energy into something. Doing that, I’m serving the Lord as well. I feel God put me in this place.” “God had a plan for the three of us,” VanderVeen said. “We’re open to it. We get to serve this community with the talents he gave us.” “I’m a planner,” Kreider said. “I want to know what direction things are going. It’s a good partnership.” “Bobbi saw something in us,” Keck said. “Boy, did we fool her!” And the conversation ends with a laugh.

and I started in the office in 1996. “My Uncle Dennis retired in 2000, and my parents retired in 2010.” LSM’s first home was on Third Street in Lynden, next to The Dutch Treat restaurant. In 1980, the company moved out of town (it was out of town then, but now it’s right in town, Kreider said) to 8123 Guide Meridian, next to a facility occupied by S&H Auto Parts and owned by Hinton Chevrolet Buick. In the late ’90s, with the Guide about to be widened, the owner approached LSM and offered to put up a new building for LSM, if LSM would give him their existing building. “It was a win-win,” Kreider said. Hinton gained a building next door to his existing location and LSM moved into the new building at 837 Evergreen St. “That was in 1998, and we have been on Evergreen Street ever since,” Kreider said. LSM established its plumbing division with the purchase of Alpha Plumbing in 2008. Over the years, LSM’s heating and cooling businesses have been driven by the fluctuating prices of various fuels or increasingly efficient equipment. Heating systems that use fossil fuels such as natural gas, propane and oil are being phased out in new construction, and current utility rebates encourage owners of existing homes to switch to heat pumps, Kreider said. “The nice thing about heat pumps is, they’re the most efficient way to heat a home and they serve as air conditioners as well, so they provide year-round comfort.” People VanderVeen started with LSM out of high school 20 years ago. Keck joined the company in 2010. Britton

Brink, head of HVAC installation, started as the “clean-up kid” while in school and has been with LSM 21 years. Chris Pace, head of plumbing, joined LSM 10 years ago. Janel Schuyleman, office and HR manager, has been with LSM four years. Today’s challenges include finding enough people who want to enter the trades, Kreider said. “It’s extremely hard to find hard workers, let alone qualified ones. Most businesses in the trades would say the No. 1 issue holding them back from growing is the lack of skilled workers.” Ending thoughts “Our industry is all about making people comfortable in their spaces,” Kreider said. “It never ceases to amaze me that people will spend so much on pretty finishes like quartz

and their longevity. Our estimator has been here 42 years, and many have been here 10 to 20 years, plus a few who literally worked here from age 18 to retirement. I’m proud to provide a work environment where people want to stay. I’m proud that customers place their trust in us to do a good job.” PHOTO: Tiffany Brooks

or wood floors but only try to do the most basic heating and cooling system. Our thinking is, ‘How beautiful will that house feel when you’re too cold in winter and too hot in summer and paying more than you should in utilities?’ “I enjoy what I do. We truly have the best crew, which makes it fun ... I mean that from the bottom of my heart. “I’m proudest of our team of people

The future Fewer than 1% of companies make it to their 100th birthday, according to census data. Will LSM? Research shows that companies who groom successors early are much more likely to survive and thrive. Lynden Sheet Metal, with 81 years under its belt and VanderVeen and Keck on track to own the company entirely by 2035, looks set to join that elite group. ■

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BP FEATURE

Running a family company? Here are five things you need to know Dustin McKissen Family. You can’t live with them, and ... (long, uncomfortable pause). If you thought what came next was, “you can’t live without them,” then consider yourself lucky. While many of us love our families, making a relationship work doesn’t get easier simply because two people share DNA. In fact, shared DNA often can make a tense situation — like working together — even more difficult. Navigating the sometimes-choppy waters of family-owned companies can be hard. It can also be worth it. Many of Whatcom County’s most

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

successful companies and many of the entries in this year’s Business Pulse Top 100 are family owned and managed. While working with family can be hard, the passion present in family companies can propel businesses to unheard-of success. Just ask Hershey, Ford Motor Company, or all the super-wealthy Walton children. Your family’s company might not be on the Top 100, but here are a few things you can learn from some of Whatcom County’s most successful family-owned companies.

Have defined roles and responsibilities. Being a family-owned company doesn’t mean that a coat of arms with your last name sits atop the org chart in the space where the bubbles for “CEO” and “COO” normally go. You still need to create a structure that plays to your team’s strengths while minimizing weaknesses. “My father, James Hall, started the company in 1992,” said Kelsey Van Miert, president of customer relations for Northwest Health Care Linen. “We provide medical laundry services

to 14 hospitals and about 450 clinics and surgery centers in the Puget Sound area. My brother and I are second generation owners. We have about 110 employees.” Van Miert focuses on external activities, including customer relations, while her brother focuses on operations. These specified roles give the siblings separate spheres of authority while playing to their professional strengths. It must work, because Northwest Health Care Linen is one of the fastest growing companies in Whatcom County, and Van Miert and her brother get along well. “My brother and I share an office,” said Van Miert. “We are already a tight family, and keeping good professional boundaries will help maintain those relationships outside of work.” Rick Adelstein, president of Louis Auto Glass, agreed it’s good advice to keep family business relationships and personal relationships separate. “We all get along on a personal and professional level,” he said. “We do work at it all the time.” The Adelstein family has owned and operated Louis Auto Glass for four generations. Don’t let things fester. Businesses of any size and structure require frequent, honest, transparent communication — but in a family-owned company, good communication becomes even more important. Keeping everyone informed and focused is key, Adelstein said. “Everything comes down to communication,” said Brent Cowden, president and general manager of Cowden Gravel & Ready Mix and Cowden Brothers Trucking. “Be open, transparent, and clearly talk through any issues that come up. You can’t let

them fester. Don’t let little things become big things. If you do, they can be much more complicated.” While communicating in a family company can be hard, Cowden and his relatives have made it work. The company has been in business since 1945 and has roughly 150 employees. But making a family dynamic work in a professional environment requires more than just communication for communication’s sake. “Sometimes I’ve found that we don’t talk to each other the same way we do non-family members,” said Cowden. “That’s inevitable, but it’s important to remember that talking to a family member in a professional context still requires professionalism.” That jerk down the hall might be your brother — but if he is also your vice president of sales, be cautious before taking the gloves off. Require the next generation to gain experiences elsewhere before assuming a leadership role at your company. One of the worst things you can do for your family business? Hand the keys to the company over to inexperienced employees solely because they are family members. “The people at the top of a family company really put a lot of heart into their work,” said Van Miert. “You’re really carrying on your family’s legacy. If you take the idea of legacy seriously, then you really need to make sure they are just as qualified as anyone else.” For well-run family companies, guarding the family legacy requires going out in the world and seeing the challenges and opportunities that exist beyond the world you’ve always known.

“My brother and I both worked in other industries before we came here,” Van Miert said. “We knew we wanted to be involved in the family business, but we still needed outside experience. My father told us that if we wanted to get involved in the family business, then we had to go out, get experience, and bring something to the table. He would not hire us just because of our last name.” John Barron, owner of Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing, said his No. 1 advice for a family member is to get experience elsewhere first. “It’s good for the family member personally to find validation outside the family business, to prove himself or herself elsewhere.” His company, founded in 1972, is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. “Learn from other jobs, and get enough life experience, to know that this (family business) is where you want to be.” If they want to succeed, family companies are no different from any other company. They have to hire the best possible candidate. If your only qualification is that you grew up calling the CEO “Mom,” then you’re not ready to lead your family’s business. Have an expansive definition of the word “family.” In a family company, there is family ... then there is everyone else. While non-family members understand the distinction, it is crucial that leadership do what they can to expand the definition of “family.” “Work to ensure that everyone, employees and family, feels like a part of the family,” Adelstein said. One of the best things about a family-owned company is realizing that employees who’ve been with you for

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

a lot of pride in knowing we make a many years are part of your family Don’t lose sight of how difference.” fortunate you are. now, too, he added. Running a family company is “exWhile family-owned companies Van Miert agreed. “The best part of being in a family face specific and often difficult ob- tremely rewarding” and worth all the business is that you really take care stacles, the rewards far outweigh the struggles on the way to success, Adelstein said. of everybody,” she said. “We look at challenges. Kelsey Van Miert couldn’t agree “The best part is the hometown feeleveryone who works for us as part of the family. It isn’t just that my brother ing,” Cowden said. “Our company has more. “Running a family business has its and I are the family and our employees been a part of this community since work for us. The whole place is a big the Second World War. We’ve seen moments. I can’t stress good commuWhatcom County, our employees and nication enough. In the end, though, family. That’s how we view it.” All family companies face a unique their families grow and change. It’s it really is a special experience. My challenge. The idea that there is a hard to describe the feeling of pride brother and I have been able to spend select group of insiders with special that creates, but that really is the sin- much of our career growing our family privileges is baked into the company’s gle word I would use to describe the legacy and supporting our communiDNA. There is no avoiding it. The only benefit of running a successful family ty. Even with the occasional difficulty, effective way to manage it is to follow company. There is just an enormous building something that matters with the people you love is wonderful.” the examples set by companies that are sense of pride.” We pair our presses with a Fast-Track Die Cutting system to Adelstein referenced the same feelThat word, “pride,” comes up fredoing this well. deliver unparalleled turnaround! ing. The best things about being part If you want to succeed as a family quently among family businesses. “Having our own business gives us of a family-owned company, he said, company, then the entire company has the flexibility to give back to our com- include enjoying working with your to become family. munities,” Adelstein said. “We take family, getting to see them daily, and knowing your work and contributions will outlive you. Barron said he’s equally proud of both his sons. One came to work for the family business after seven years’ work experience elsewhere, and the AMS Print won’t slow you down other pursued a career in the medical when your beverage is ready to field. be bottled or canned. “The key is to understand their natural talents. They’ve got to love what they do; they’ve got to have a passion for it.” Building a family company is noDon’t just take our word for it! toriously difficult — but it can work. The Business Pulse Top 100 is full of AMS Label is a trusted label provider we can count on! families who’ve created businesses that They deliver our labels in a timely manner with the quality we need. AMS is quick to respond to a request, have made prosperity a cornerstone of turn our orders around in 48 hours often and when the Northwest Washington economy. asked they go the extra mile. We feel lucky to have found AMS and without a doubt they are a great partner to If you follow the advice of leaders our brewery. like Brent Cowden, Kelsey Van Miert, I highly recommend AMS Label! Mari Kemper Rick Adelstein and John Barron, your Chuckanut Brewery family company can do the same. ■ PRINT LOCAL. Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy contributed 360-332-2500 • AMS-PRINT.COM to this article.

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BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

Supply chain linchpin Kam-Way Transportation, Inc. has probably moved the products you’ve purchased Lorraine Wilde

hen it comes to global shipping, the past couple of years

may have been among the most challenging times to

date. Whether it’s at the grocery, hardware or pet store, we’ve all been affected in one way or another by the added strain of the pandemic on our shipping industry. Pandemic buying, global food shortages, border restrictions and even cargo theft were just a few of the additional challenges 18

imposed globally by COVID-19.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

Despite these hurdles, the team behind Kam-Way Transportation have used the company’s extensive fleet and trained drivers to push through the constantly evolving limitations to keep U.S. and Canadian supply chains open and moving. They have been able to help keep food and goods in our stores while also growing their business, providing and creating new jobs, giving back to nonprofits and even increasing public awareness about human trafficking. From humble beginnings to national and international transportation pillar Back in the mid-2000s, Kam-Way’s founder and CEO, Kam Sihota, and his wife and Kam-Way human resources director, Harneet Sihota, were living in Fresno, California. Kam Sihota had grown up in the transportation industry. That’s where his dream was born to develop a respected brand in the industry that would provide innovative solutions for produce and retail transportation throughout the U.S. and Canada. To realize that dream, the pair began exploring opportunities in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, because Harneet was originally from Vancouver, north of the border. Then, in 2007, changes in the value of the Canadian dollar gave them the opportunity they’d been searching for. The Canadian dollar made history that year by becoming roughly equal to the U.S. dollar for the first time since the mid-1970s. “That created a situation where there weren’t as many Canadian trucks heading to the U.S.,” Kam Sihota said. “We discovered a huge demand for trucks to ship products into Canada. We found our niche. We used

U.S. trucks to haul freight to Blaine, and then drivers licensed to cross the border would transfer the load to its Canadian destination. We were just in the right place at the right time. By April 2008, we’d established our own freight brokerage in Blaine.” If you’re not familiar, brokerage serves as the shipping go-between — the company that hires owner-operators, who own their own trucks, to pick up and drop off trailers full of goods. The broker handles all the administrative work associated with drivers and vehicles, ensuring safe, legal and reliable delivery, freeing the shipper and receiver to focus on their own businesses. To date, Kam-Way has expanded its brokerage network to include about 35 contractors, totaling more than 7,700 carriers throughout the U.S. and Canada. “It was around 2012 that we gradually expanded to also develop an asset-based trucking company as well,” Harneet Sihota said. “We established our terminal and fleet headquarters in Sumner, where we hire and train our own team of drivers.” Although the company got its start shipping to Canada, it quickly expanded to move food and retail products across the U.S. as well. “If you’ve shopped at Costco, WinCo, Walmart, Albertsons or Kroger, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve purchased something that our business indirectly helped put there,” Kam Sihota said. “We serve as the intermediary between the growers, packers, retailers, manufacturers or shippers and their distribution centers and stores.” The range of goods transported by Kam-Way is about as expansive as your imagination. From fresh and frozen produce, furniture and pet supplies to live fish, building materials and paper

products — you name it, they’ve probably shipped it. And Kam-Way continues to expand its capabilities and network. “We’ve acquired two companies in the last three years,” Kam Sihota said. Kam-Way’s fleet now includes more than 150 trucks, 500 dry vans and 360 trailers, with more than 80 that are refrigerated. Staff: the secret to success “We’ve scaled from a team of three in 2008 to more than 275 driving and non-driving staff today,” Kam Sihota said. That includes the addition of Kam-Way’s vice president of sales and operations, Money Singh, who joined the team in 2014 and is now a partner in the business. “Money is strategic and forward-thinking. He has played a significant role in expanding our customer base, having helped us move about 400,000 shipments to date,” Kam Sihota said. “Today, about 90% of our business involves moving shipments throughout the U.S. That includes about 1,200 to 2,500 brokerage shipments per month.” By 2018 Kam-Way had reached reported revenue of more than $79 million. Kam-Way has developed training and incentive-based programs to educate, retain and unify driving and non-driving teams. “Our culture is very important to us,” Harneet Sihota said. “Shipping can be a stressful industry. Logistics has so many moving parts. We started as a small family company, and even though we’ve grown so much, those values that our company was originally founded on and the way we treat our people remains so important to us. Our goal has been to continuously improve and grow. We want this to be

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

Way’s shipping of pet supplies increased significantly in response to the growth of “pandemic pets” — a rise in the adoption of companion animals. Driving over COVID-19 “Being in this together, Kam-Way hurdles had to come up with our own ways to “No matter where you are in the navigate and respond to almost daily world, everyone has been affected in changes in customer demands, public one way or another by the pandemic. needs and shifting regulations,” Kam We had customers that had to com- Sihota said. “The key takeaways from pletely shut down, and some drivers the pandemic are that we have to and employees were afraid to work,” change fast, be fluid and flexible, and Kam Sihota said. “So many things had understand how we are serving our to change early last year — the way customers and staff strategically. We’ve our customers ship and interact with had to become very responsive to the our drivers, the way we interacted in unexpected.” the office — but because we were a key As have companies in many sectors piece of the food and retail sector, it of the workforce, Kam-Way has faced was our job, our opportunity, to keep a shortage of drivers — influenced by everyone supplied.” closed trucking schools, driver fear Some areas of the business grew in and health issues and a host of other response to the shifting needs of stay- factors. The company also has expeat-home workers. For example, Kam- rienced delays in the delivery of new trucks and trailers due to slowdowns in manufacturing. Those national hurdles have increased the cost of Flexible, managed solutions, safe and secure shipping goods in general, which has resulted in an increase in the cost of the goods themselves nationally and internationally. Since 1946 “We’ve instituted driver pay increases across the board and will likely have another round of increases to both retain existing drivers and help us grow,” Kam Sihota said. “We plan to add 90 power units (tractors for hauling trailers) to our existing 150 in the coming year. We have to have good drivers to get these new trucks into action.”

a place where people want to come to work every day.” That dedication to staff includes supporting employees in their pursuit of individual education goals, training workers on the latest software and shipping technology and helping them develop their managerial skills. “We also really look in the mirror and welcome employee feedback,” Kam Sihota said. “Every person that has worked for our company over the past 13 years has left some lasting footprint. We want to make sure everyone here has an equal opportunity to grow, develop and succeed.” Kam-Way also participates in Whatcom Business Alliance’s YES Whatcom program, which was created to raise awareness of career options, hands-on learning experiences, paid internships and apprenticeship programs available at Whatcom County

organizations. These opportunities connect youth with local careers while also contributing to the area economy.

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Giving back while fostering social responsibility Giving back to the community is a key priority for Kam-Way. The company has instituted new programs and partnered with organizations to use the business to help and thank others.

“We take a dollar for every load we’ve brokered or hauled and put it toward a good cause. That might include local animal shelters, the Blaine Food Bank, Blaine Boys and Girls Club and other charities that our employees choose.” –Kam Sihota

“We take a dollar for every load we’ve brokered or hauled and put it toward a good cause,” Kam Sihota said. “That might include local animal shelters, the Blaine Food Bank, Blaine Boys and Girls Club and other charities that our employees choose.” Using its trucks as mobile billboards, through a partnership with the Washington State Patrol’s Homeward Bound Program, Kam-Way has used 14 trailers since 2018 to feature missing children posters with age progressions to mobilize the driving public in the search. The trailers also spotlight Be the Match, a program that connects bone marrow donors with those in need. For Memorial Day 2021, KamWay unveiled five additional trailers that recognize the service of veterans and active-duty military. Kam-Way also pays an additional premium to drivers who are military veterans. “We are also proud sponsors of Truckers Against Trafficking,” said Harneet Sihota, who facilitates KamWay’s social responsibility efforts. “We use their content to train all of our drivers and internal staff to help raise awareness and help prevent the

exploitation of women and girls. They are the eyes and ears on the road and in the truck stops. They’ve learned how to spot the signs and use an app to report anything suspicious. It’s not just third-world countries. It’s happening here and everywhere. We’re doing whatever we can to help and bring hope to these families.” An eye on the horizon: more sustainable transportation Shipping uses a lot of fuel, but KamWay is always looking for ways to increase fuel efficiency and reduce the company’s carbon footprint. “We work with our drivers to focus on fuel economy, and that includes looking at the state of the art,” said Kam Sihota. “We’re excitedly waiting for Tesla to produce its electric truck. Slated for 2023, we’ve ordered two electric trucks from Daimler that will serve short-range use in the Puget Sound area. We’ll begin testing, this August, real-time use of a hydrogen fuel cell truck in California, in collaboration with one of our clients. We’re always looking toward the future.” Both Kam-Way’s brokerage and fleet are participants in the U.S. Envi-

ronmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Program. The system tracks, documents and shares information about fuel use and freight emissions across supply chains in order to help improve transportation efficiency nationally and globally, long-term. Although Kam-Way has experienced growing pains, operational challenges and other hurdles over the years, it has helped keep the U.S., Canada and global supply chains open and moving for 13 years, even growing and providing valuable jobs during a global pandemic. Kam-Way is currently in negotiations to acquire additional companies, and Kam Sihota says the company would like to increase revenue by 15% to 20% in the coming years. “We will continue to innovate and grow organically and through acquisitions in this ever-changing world while trying to never lose sight of who we are and why we’re growing,” Kam Sihota said. “It’s really all about our dream of building an amazing company that is respected by our driving staff, our customers and contract carriers and the public we serve.” ■

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

PRIVATE COMPANIES

IN WHATCOM COUNTY Based on 2020 sales.

$3.5 billion in sales and 22,000 local jobs This year marks our most inspiring “Annual Top 100” yet. Every company on this list suffered through prolonged shutdowns that left workforces feeling isolated and often overwhelmed. The past year and a half also forced every business on this list to navigate an ever-changing array of public health regulations and restrictions, not to mention law and order challenges. Still, every company on this list thrived and, in the process, become a role model for the entire Whatcom County business community. Every business on this list also learned valuable lessons from the pandemic, such as the undeniable fact that companies that treat employees well during hard times will continue to attract talent — even when the war for talent heats up. With 97% of companies on this list saying they plan on hiring in the coming year, that battle for talent is about to get really, really warm. One other lesson from this year’s Annual Top 100? Inspiration, like talent, can come from anywhere. It is a vast understatement to say that the companies on this list have helped inspire our community. Simply put, their tenacity has showed why the words “prosperity and community” go hand in hand. They will continue to inspire us as our

With 97% of companies on this list saying they plan on hiring in the coming year, the battle for talent is about to get really, really warm. economy returns to full strength. The Annual Top 100 is not just a list celebrating the most profitable companies in Whatcom County. Much of the success these companies have is continuously reinvested back into our community. Because of that, the Top 100 is really a celebration of what makes Whatcom County special. The beauty, tenacity, innovation and resiliency on display throughout this list shows exactly what we are made of. Hopefully, next year’s list will discuss the amazing prosperity Whatcom County is known for, without any mention of the pandemic. In the meantime, let’s celebrate the inspiration that makes prosperity (and our community) possible.

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

FOUNDED

EMPLOYEES REGION

TOTAL 210

TOP EXECUTIVE(S)

SALES

LOCATION

Kevin DeVries

$350M+

Exxel Pacific Inc

Bellingham

1989

100

Grizzly Industrial Inc

Bellingham

1983

300

Dawson Construction Inc

Bellingham

1967

144

269

Pete Dawson

Hempler Foods Group LLC

Ferndale

1934

140

Stephen Bates

Peoples Bank

Bellingham

1921

280

452

Charles LeCocq

CHS Northwest

Lynden

1941

150

260

Don Eucker, GM

Axiom Construction & Consulting LLC

Lynden

2001

180

300+

Timothy Koetje

Dewey Griffin Subaru

Bellingham

1967

Allen Meyer / Marlene Burke Meyer

IMCO General Construction Inc

Ferndale

1978

160

Tyler Kimberley

Kam-Way Transportation Inc.

Blaine

2008

230

Kam Sihota

Samson Rope Technologies Inc

Ferndale

1878

200

300

Christian Rheault

Smith Gardens

Bellingham

1901

175

1100

Eric Smith

Trans-Ocean Products

Bellingham

1985

243

250

Murry Park

Hardware Sales Inc

Bellingham

1962

134

144

Jerry McClellan/ Tye McClellan

The Markets LLC

Bellingham

2008

300

360

Kevin Weatherill

Alaskan Leader Fisheries

Lynden

1991

140

Rob Wurm

Healthy Pet

Ferndale

1985

146

August DeLuca

Roger Jobs Motors - Porsche Bellingham

Bellingham

1985

Roger Jobs

Seeking Health

Bellingham

2010

Dr. Ben Lynch

Scholten’s Equipment Inc

Lynden

1980

Duane Scholten

Brooks Manufacturing Co

Bellingham

1935

John Ferlin

Cowden Gravel & Ready Mix

Bellingham

1945

135

140

Brent Cowden

WRS

Ferndale

1990

200

225

Bill VanZanten

Farmers Equipment Company

Lynden

1935

Kevin Pawlowski

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

Shiraz Balolia

$90 - $200M

COMPANY

$60 - $89M

2020 RANK

$40 - $59M

2021 RANK

DARITECH #40

‘Allowing farmers to keep farming.’ Daritech adds efficiency to the dairy world Kyra Planetz

With innovations in technology, such as the equipment Daritech produces, farm owners don’t have to rely as much on manual labor anymore.

What started as a local dairy service company in the early 1990s has grown to serve not only the Whatcom County community but the rest of the United States and Canada as well. Founded by Dave DeWaard, Daritech Inc. is now run by his son, Ryan DeWaard. The family-owned company prides itself on tradition and innovation. In the early days, Daritech began as a dealer for other companies’ equipment. But when the company expanded in 1999, building a larger facility in Lynden, it began to manufacture equipment for harvesting milk and handling manure. Now with two locations in Washington and one in Idaho, Daritech helps farmers throughout the country and beyond improve their efficiency. “We’re giving the family farm new tools and capabilities to get a lot more work done,” Ryan said, “but doing it in such a way that allows them to have a different lifestyle because of

technology.” Ryan described how family farms used to operate, with all family members working from sunup to sundown. But with innovations in technology, such as the equipment Daritech produces, farm owners don’t have to rely as much on manual labor anymore. Inventions such as robotic milkers, for example, make operating a dairy farm more efficient.Though Daritech continued to stay in business during the onset of the pandemic, Ryan said the biggest challenge was finding new personnel. Now that Whatcom County has entered Phase Three, however, the company has added employees. The Lynden facility has been maximized to run as efficiently as possible. Throughout the pandemic and beyond, Ryan said his greatest joy continues to be helping dairy farmers fulfill their dreams. For now, Daritech will continue the rewarding work of “allowing farmers to keep farming.”

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

LOCATION

FOUNDED

EMPLOYEES

TOP EXECUTIVE(S)

REGION

TOTAL

Mills Electric Inc

Bellingham

1911

150

John Huntley

ProPack Logistics US LLC

Blaine

1991

220

Alex Snyder

Walton Beverage Co.

Ferndale

1931

125

Les Blouin

Saturna Capital Corp

Bellingham

1989

Jane Carten

Andgar Corporation

Ferndale

1973

145

160

Todd Kunzman

Barlean’s Organic Oils

Ferndale

1989

124

Bruce Barlean

Brim Tractor Company Inc

Lynden

1966

Dan Brim

DeWaard and Bode

Bellingham

1946

Jerry Roorda

Bellingham Ford Lincoln

Bellingham

1908

Julian Greening

Mt. Baker Imaging/ Northwest Radiologists

Bellingham

1965

160

Dr. David Cahalan

Seafood Producers Cooperative

Bellingham

1944

125

Norm Pillen

Tiger Construction Ltd

Everson

1974

Scott Isenhart

Jansen Inc

Bellingham

1952

Grant Jansen

Bellingham

1926

Paul Razore

Bellingham

1988

James A. Gebhardt

Bellingham

1950

Dean Shintaffer

DariTech Inc

Lynden

1990

Ryan DeWaard

Hollander Hospitality, LLC

Bellingham

1996

416

Mike and Mark Hollander

Blythe Plumbing & Heating

Bellingham

1904

124

David C. Morse III

Louws Truss

Ferndale

1952

B. J. Louws

Bellingham

1989

Shiraz Balolia

Ferndale

1973

158

160

John Barron

100

Western Forest Products

Bellingham

1981

Terry L Dawn

Infusion Solutions Inc

Bellingham

2009

Rowena Birnel

Hoagland Pharmacy

Bellingham

1981

Carson Huntoon

Bellingham Cold Storage

Bellingham

1946

175

180

Doug Thomas

(Formerly Diehl Ford)

Sanitary Service Company Inc Strider Construction Co Inc Sound Beverage Distributors Inc

(Formerly Hollander Investments Inc)

Woodstock International Inc Barron Heating & Air Conditioning

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

SALES

$40 - $59M

COMPANY

$30 - $39M

2020 RANK

$20 - $29M

2021 RANK

BELLINGHAM MILLWORK SUPPLY CO #62

Specializing in client satisfaction Bellingham Millwork aims to please Kyra Planetz What sets Bellingham Millwork Supply Co. apart from other building suppliers is the company’s commitment to customer care. The family-owned business opened its doors in 1993 with one building and six employees. Nearly 30 years later, the company has expanded to four warehouses and sells “virtually everything in building products,” owner Dick Campbell said. Bellingham Millwork offers everything from cabinetry to molding, for customers completing home improvement projects and contractors working on large-scale assignments. Campbell said a large portion of the business handles special orders, but what Bellingham Millwork truly specializes in is client satisfaction. “Customer service is what we have to offer; it’s our biggest strong suit, along with the quality products that we sell,” Campbell said. “But we want to make sure that when the customer leaves here, they’re happy — they’ve got what they want and they feel like they’ve been treated properly.”

Though some obstacles — namely, the escalating price of lumber and a brief closure during the onset of the pandemic — could have deterred Bellingham Millwork, the business remains as busy as ever. Much of the retail public took up home improvement projects during quarantine, and though the company’s doors were closed, Bellingham Millwork continued to take pickup orders during the first two months of the pandemic. “People aren’t traveling, flying or eating out,” Campbell said. “So, they have income set aside and they’re spending it on their houses.” The most rewarding part of owning Bellingham Millwork, Campbell said, is working with his staff. The level of service they provide to customers always puts a smile on his face. Campbell invites the public to stop by and see what his company is all about. As for future plans, Campbell said he’s happy with the way things are. “I don’t want to be huge,” Campbell said. “I just want to be good at what we do.”

“Customer service is what we have to offer; it’s our biggest strong suit, along with the quality products that we sell.” –Dick Campbell

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

LOCATION

FOUNDED

EMPLOYEES

TOP EXECUTIVE(S)

REGION

TOTAL

MSNW Group, LLC

Ferndale

1995

305

Terell Weg

Bramble Berry

Bellingham

1998

100

110

Anne-Marie Faiola

Bellingham Yacht Sales Inc

Bellingham

1984

Heather and Matt Ouilette

Allsop Inc

Bellingham

1964

Ryan Allsop

Birch Equipment Rental & Sales

Bellingham

1972

Sarah Rothenbuhler

Chuckanut Bay Foods

Blaine

2008

155

Jim Gibson David Loeppky Matt Roth

Larson Gross CPAs & Consultants

Bellingham

1949

116

Kelli Visser

Emergency Reporting

Bellingham

2003

134

David Nokes

TriVan Truck Body

Ferndale

2003

Marty VanDriel

Lister Chain & Forge Inc

Blaine

1911

Michael Stobbart

Woods Coffee

Lynden

2002

120

260

Wes Herman / Kelly Spiker

All American Marine Inc

Bellingham

1987

Ron Wille

WesSpur Tree Equipment Inc.

Bellingham

2004

Ryan Aarstol

Bellingham Millwork Supply

Bellingham

1993

Dick Campbell

Wood Stone Corp

Bellingham

1990

Chris Trout

Roosendaal-Honcoop Construction Inc

Bellingham

1979

Gary Honcoop

A.L.R.T. Corporation

Everson

1990

William Westergreen

Lynden Sheet Metal Inc

Lynden

1940

Bobbi Kreider

Northwest Health Care Linen

Bellingham

1992

110

115

Kelsey Van Miert & Evan Hall

Credo Construction

Bellingham

2001

Todd Lapinsky

Whatcom Land Title

Bellingham

1982

Colleen C. Baldwin

The Comphy Co.

Ferndale

2003

Mia Richardson

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

SALES

$20 - $29M

COMPANY

$15 - $19M

2020 RANK

$10 - $14M

2021 RANK

FAT-CAT FISH #73

Waste not, want not Bellingham company turns seafood byproduct into community support Kyra Planetz In 2017, Andy Vitaljic, a Bellingham fishing industry entrepreneur, had a problem he needed to solve. Fish byproduct from the seafood processing plant he operated had to be hauled away at cost. He told his wife, Erin Vitaljic, about the issue, and they soon devised a solution: to convert the fish byproduct into a premium product for pet consumption. “We took a problem and turned it into a win-win,” Erin Vitaljic said of the idea to transform waste into a profitable company. Making their dream a reality, they founded Fat-Cat Fish, with Erin Vitaljic owning and operating the company. Fat-Cat Fish processes and sells pet food made from premium, sustainably sourced salmon and white fish products. The company, which sells throughout the United States, believes in feeding pets nothing but the best — both healthy and tasty food — as the owner’s biggest passion has always been to help animals. Four years in, the company is growing, and business continues to boom despite the pandemic. At the Bell-

ingham plant in 2020, Fat-Cat Fish produced 17 million pounds and is on track to produce 30 million pounds by the end of this year, according to Erin Vitaljic. The company has also begun to export internationally, to Thailand and Australia. She attributes the success, in part, to Fat-Cat Fish continuing to operate as an essential business and the increase in pet adoptions during quarantine.The most rewarding part of the company’s success, Erin Vitaljic said, is giving back to the Whatcom community. Fat-Cat Fish works closely with Christ the King Community Church and the Whatcom Humane Society, donating funds to support people and animals throughout the county.“The financial gains have enabled me to do a lot of philanthropic work,” Erin Vitaljic said. “Andy is the same way. That’s our biggest joy: to be successful so that we can be a blessing to others.” Next year, Erin hopes to increase Fat-Cat Fish’s annual capacity to 45 million pounds in the Bellingham plant alone and continue to give back to the community she loves.

“We took a problem and turned it into a win-win.” –Erin Vitaljic

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

COMPANY

LOCATION

FOUNDED

EMPLOYEES

TOP EXECUTIVE(S)

REGION

TOTAL

Skeers Construction

Bellingham

1985

Dick Skeers

Talbot Real Estate

Bellingham

1990

Michael Bayless

Fat-Cat Fish Company

Bellingham

2008

Erin Vitaljic

Totally Chocolate Inc

Blaine

1993

Ken Strong

2020 Solutions

Bellingham

2014

Joseph DiGiugno

Hytech Roofing

Bellingham

1952

Dan Gross

Simple Box Storage

Lynden

1997

Ross Black

Natural Way Chiropractic

Bellingham

1995

Dr. Eddie Hansen

American Canadian Fisheries

Bellingham

1985

Andy Vitaljic

Northwest Marine Industries

Bellingham

2012

Ryan Binning

Signs Plus

Bellingham

1992

Jim Sutterfield

VSH CPAs

Bellingham

1997

Jessica Waggoner

Reichhardt & Ebe Engineering, Inc.

Lynden

1993

Luis Ponce

Rollo Van Slyke Insurance Agency Inc

Bellingham

1987

Rollo Van Slyke

Signature Plastics LLC

Custer

2001

Bob Guenser

Innotech Process Equipmt

Lynden

2012

Tim Kaptein

Trico Office Interiors

Bellingham

1951

J.R. Rawitzer

Team Technology

Bellingham

2005

Patty Seaman

King Health Associates

Bellingham

2015

Karen King

Pacific Continental Realty

Bellingham

1975

KC Coonc Ryan A Martin

SALES

$5 - $9M

2020 RANK

$1 - $4M

2021 RANK

We at Business Pulse magazine believe the following companies qualify for the list based on previous years but were unable to confirm their numbers as of press time: Haggen Inc, Anvil Corporation, Haskell Corporation, Faithlife Corporation, Superfeet Worldwide Inc, Faber Construction and Mt. Baker Products. Whatcom County also had several previously listed company headquarters relocate, which made them ineligible for the current Top 100 listing: Alpha Technologies, Coleman Oil, Harris Pacific NW, LTI Inc, Specified Fittings and Walter E Nelson Co.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

INNOTECH #86

Innotech helps shape agriculture in Whatcom County Tim Kaptein grows company from garage to warehouse Kyra Planetz

What started as an idea transitioned into a smallbusiness venture and has now turned into a largescale family company.

Tim Kaptein grew up in the metal industry, watching his father run a fabrication shop throughout his childhood. That upbringing shaped Kaptein, who started his own manufacturing company, Innotech Process Equipment, in 2012. The company began in his garage and has now grown to a large facility in Bellingham, with 17 employees. For the most part, Innotech manufactures stainless steel and conveyor equipment for companies within the food processing sector. Though Innotech has shipped its equipment as far as Australia and the Netherlands, its biggest customers within Whatcom County are berry growers and other companies in the agriculture industry. Kaptein works closely with clients to develop the right equipment based on their needs. One of the most rewarding parts of his job, Kaptein said, is solving his customers’ problems. “You see it conceptually, but then actually having it built and run like it’s supposed to is always satisfying,” Kaptein said.

As more industries are looking to eliminate human labor in production, Innotech has expanded to produce more automated and software-run equipment. Innotech also has added this equipment to its own manufacturing facility. Kaptein said this has been one of the biggest changes in terms of growth. Despite the pandemic, it’s nearly business as usual at Innotech. The facility remained open due to its status as an essential business facilitating food production. One change to which the company had to adapt was rising costs and shortages of raw materials. Kaptein said he had to decide whether to stockpile as many materials as possible at a high price or wait until prices subsided. This juggling act has been a challenge, but Innotech remains prosperous.What started as an idea transitioned into a small-business venture and has now turned into a large-scale family company. Whatever the future may hold, Innotech continues to facilitate agriculture in Whatcom County and beyond.

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CONGRAT U

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

ULATIONS to all the companies for their contributions to our local community!

R E N T.

B U Y.

M O VE .

1 . 8 5 5 . 8 5 5 . 4 B O X

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“

WECU keeps pace with our growing business and helps improve our processes. ELKE STEVENS

Ethos West Construction 34

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WECU.COM/BUSINESS

FEATURE BP

Boating in the Salish Sea Boater’s paradise is more accessible than you think Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy If you live here, you live in one of the world’s premier boating destinations. The Salish Sea and San Juan Islands are among the planet’s prettiest places. Yet most residents rarely get out on the water. The following stories illuminate different aspects of our recreational boating scene. The stories are not comprehensive; the topic, like the Salish Sea itself, is vast. Think of these stories as the literary equivalent of dipping your toes in the water.

Grab your lifejacket and pack a picnic — we’re going boating.

Local boating instructor wins national award Graham Hunter is among ‘the best of our best’ Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy Mention recreational boating with just about anybody in these parts, and sooner or later Graham Hunter’s name will come up. The Blaine resident, who’s taught boating here since 2007, recently won national recognition for instruction. Hunter teaches via the Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron, the local chapter of the national United States Power Squadrons, sometimes called America’s Boating Club. In a virtual ceremony presenting the award, Bill McManimen, national education officer with USPS, said this award — the group’s highest honor — is for “the best of our best.” He added that

Hunter’s students had sent “thousands of words of recognition” in praise of their teacher. Unbeknownst to Hunter, Deborah Frost of the Bellingham chapter had put together a team of members to assemble the application. “I was completely surprised when the national education officer called to tell me about the award,” Hunter said. “It really is an amazing honor.” The award is called the Charles F. Chapman Award for Excellence in Teaching. Hunter also received the Carl Mahnken Award, a similar honor but for Washington state, a few

months earlier. Hunter’s favorite Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron courses to teach are America’s Boating Course, engine maintenance and navigation. Hunter and his wife, Donna, bought a 30-foot sailboat in 1989, took the BSPS basic boating course, and joined the squadron. After he retired in 2004 from his career as an airline pilot, Hunter and his wife took one boating course after another. With friends, he formed a sailing school in Blaine, running that from 2008 to 2013. Getting out on the water here is easier than you’d think, he said. Start with the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven or visit the Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron website at http:// www.boatingisfun.org/. ■

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

No boat? No problem Organizations that help would-be boaters get on the water include Carefree Boat Club Seattle, now with a location at Bellingham’s Squalicum Harbor. Members receive the use of boats, free on-the-water training, dock staff service, social activities, and access to Carefree Boat Clubs nationally.

The non-profit Community Boating Center in Fairhaven provides safety and skills education and rents small sailboats, dinghies, paddleboards and rowboats. It also organizes outings and offers mooring buoys and dry moorage for non-motorized vessels. https://www.boatingcenter.org.

Courtesy photo

Full of surprises Bellingham Yacht Club is in its 96th year Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy The venerable Bellingham Yacht Club, founded in 1925 by a guy who sailed from New York to Bellingham by way of the Panama Canal, is full of surprises: You don’t have to own a boat to join; you don’t have to be sponsored to join; and the club’s deluxe facility on S. Harbor Loop Drive contains three event venues that anyone, member or not, can rent for weddings and classes and such. “This club is about people who enjoy boating, who are interested in having a good time and getting to know people in the community,” said Cathy Herbold, a 30-year-plus sailor and rear commodore (treasurer) at the club. The Bellingham Yacht Club offers youth sailing summer camps and organizes races, regattas, cruises and social events. It is the primary sponsor of the area’s high school sailing team, which is open to students in eighth through 12th grade throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County, no sailing experience or club membership required.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | JUL/AUG 2021

“Thanks to our membership and good stewardship, we are financially stable. Volunteers are the backbone of this club. They are the key to our future.” –Cathy Herbold

That the club is thriving, with 300plus members in its 96th year, is a testament to its responses to change. In 1998, when the club and similar organizations were struggling financially, it laid off paid employees and became all-volunteer. That change, made under then-Commodore Chuck McCord, saved the club from closure. In 2009-2010, the facility’s remodel, under then-Commodore Pete Foti, succeeded largely due to volunteers. The current commodore is Shaun Thompson. Today, that the club is all-volunteer means events such as the “club scrub”

see members rolling up their sleeves and washing floor-to-ceiling windows themselves — the better to appreciate those waterfront views. Whether your event is intimate or large, the Bellingham Yacht Club has the location for you, Herbold said. The Marina Room is elegant for celebrations or meetings, with access to a deck that opens to the bay. The waterfall in the space is a much-admired work of art. The Commodores Room can be a bride-ready room or small meeting space. The Ward Room is an informal meeting space with an entertainment area. “What surprises people is the variety of options available to the public as non-members,” Herbold said. The past year was challenging due to COVID-19, but “thanks to our membership and good stewardship, we are financially stable,” Herbold said. “Volunteers are the backbone of this club. They are the key to our future.” ■

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Leslie Guelker-Cone, former commander of Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron, in the San Juan islands. (courtesy Guelker-Cone)

Hooked on boating Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy The Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron’s mission is boater education and safety, though it also organizes cruises and social activities. With hundreds if not thousands of recreational boaters here, all sharing the waters with the local fishing fleet and other commercial vessels, knowing the rules is paramount. The volunteer organization offers a variety of courses, beginning with the well-known America’s Boating Course (http://www.boatingisfun.org/ education.asp). That course qualifies the participant for the Washington State Boater Education Card, required to operate any boat powered by 15 horsepower or more. The Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron sweetens the deal by including an optional 4-hour on-the-water segment. The Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron also offers classes in boat handling, seamanship, navigation, marine electrical systems, engine maintenance, weather and cruise planning, as well as seminars on emergencies, knots and anchoring.

In the 1950s, a group of boating enthusiasts led by Herb Hearsey realized the value of boating education and formed the Bellingham squadron, said Graham Hunter, an instructor with the squadron. The local group received its charter from the national United States Power Squadrons in 1959. “In the 1950s, boating accidents were astoundingly high compared to today,” Hunter said. Education distinguishes the Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron. “I joined initially because of the emphasis on education,” said Michael Guelker-Cone, a former commander of the squadron, who’s currently the secretary, newsletter editor and historian. “I stayed because I made so many boating friends who’ve become an amazing resource for continuing to learn. “I enjoy being out on the water, seeing the world from a different angle, being surprised by nature at almost every turn. My wife and I thought about buying a cabin somewhere, but that requires you to go back to the same place every time.”

The couple’s boat is now that ‘cabin,’ Guelker-Cone said, and it always has a million-dollar view. The Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron, with 130 members, operates on income from classes and member dues ($88 for an individual and $132 for a family each year). The local squadron’s current commander is Tom Dalgliesh. The national organization has 20,000 members in 300 squadrons.The Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron offers free vessel safety checks. Boaters have the opportunity to fix any issues before receiving a sticker that indicates to local law enforcement that the boat meets regulations. “Find a friend with a boat and get them to take you out on the water,” Guelker-Cone said. “Contact the Community Boating Center to try small vessels such as kayaks or sailboats. Take a class to meet other boaters and see if this is going to be a passion for you.” Judging from his experience, you may be hooked. ■

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FINANCE BP

Helping Washington businesses manage supply shortages Loans can bring flexibility and stability to businesses during an uncertain time Adam Lervik As the world emerges from the shadow of the pandemic, many industries are finding unexpected challenges as they seek to return to a level of normalcy. A global semiconductor shortage, mounting labor shortages and inflated commodity prices are byproducts of a rapid rise in consumer demand that global supply chains are not yet poised to meet. “Our clients in the residential construction industry are experiencing dramatic increases in input prices and extended turnaround times on delivery of certain building components,” said Adam Lervik, senior vice president and lending programs manager at Peoples Bank. “To date, limited housing inventory has driven market price appreciation to outpace the increase in input costs.” Asset-based lines of credit for businesses In manufacturing industries, businesses are working to rebuild depleted inventory levels to meet rising demand. This increased demand for commodities has further contributed to materials shortages in many industries. Businesses in manufacturing and some retailing industries may be able to utilize an asset-based operating line of credit to support larger than typical acquisitions of materials. Examples include an opportunity to make a bulk purchase of a material that has been in short supply or strategic acquisition of inventory in advance of a scheduled vendor price increase. “I’m working with a number of small- and medium-sized businesses right now to adjust their lending strategy so they can build inventory levels and react quickly to market op-

portunities,” Lervik said. “I’d advise any business that has a short-term capital need because of the current environment to talk with their banker and evaluate an existing or prospective borrowing structure. I’m hopeful that with time, supply chain issues will ease, and recent price increases will largely prove to be transitory.” Asset-based lines of credit have lending commitments that fluctuate monthly based on a borrower’s underlying inventory and accounts receivable levels. Banks offer advance rates into raw materials and some finished goods inventories ranging “I’m hopeful that with time, from 40% supply chain issues will ease, to 65% and recent price increases will that are aligned largely prove to be transitory.” with the salability and price stability of the underlying inventory. Commodity-based raw materials such as dimensional lumber and steel historically command higher advance rates due to their broad use and liquid markets. Accounts receivable advance rates typically range from 70% to 75% and vary based on factors such as the quality of the borrower’s customer base, the presence of concentrations, delinquency volume and trends, and dilution. Peoples Bank offers a full suite of products and services for small and medium-sized businesses. Please contact a local lender to learn how we can assist you with a financial solution that is right for your business. ■ Adam Lervik is the lending programs manager at Peoples Bank. He was born and raised in Whatcom County and lives in Bellingham with his wife and three children.

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BOOK REVIEW BP

Grizzly founder publishes book, A Bad Case of Capitalism Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy In July 2020, Shiraz Balolia began writing his autobiography. The founder of Grizzly Industrial, a machinery and tools company with annual sales in nine figures, had recently transitioned from president of his company to the less hands-on position of CEO and chairman. Balolia wasn’t exactly retiring, but at age 67, he was ready to spend less time at work and more on his beloved hobbies of advanced woodworking and world-championship shooting. On a whim that month, he decided to become an author, too. Five months later, his 287-page book, with its glossy cover and full-color photos, was published and being purchased by readers worldwide. To say that Balolia is a fast worker is an understatement. The business magazine Inc. wrote a story about him in 1996, headlined “While You’re Reading This, He’s Starting Another Company” in which Balolia says, “I see opportunities out there that are so easy, I can’t help myself… I have a bad case of capitalism.” Now his candid and riveting autobiography, “A Bad Case of Capitalism” (Amazon, Kindle) shares the inside, personal story of an immigrant from a third-world country who started with nothing and eventually launched 29 businesses, 16 of which he still owns. Balolia was born in Kenya to parents of Indian heritage, and left Kenya in 1972 for Vancouver, Canada. He started his first company at age 23 in 1975 in Vancouver. He founded Grizzly in Bellingham in 1983, moving here with his wife and two children, and gaining United States citizenship. In 1989, he launched Woodstock International to sell product to other dealers, and continued to expand, adding facilities in Pennsylvania and Missouri. Today Grizzly and Woodstock have 300 employees (mostly in the United States), more than 860,000 square feet of warehouse space on 68 acres, and offices in Taiwan and Shanghai. The company’s customers range from the home-based shop to Boeing, Ford Motor Company, NASA, and the U.S. military.

Company headquarters remain in Bellingham. He dedicated his book to “the reader who has a dream,” writing “This book is meant to energize young and older minds alike, and dispel thoughts that you cannot be successful without outside help. Everyone has inner strength that can be brought out.” As the book’s back cover says, his remarkable story of romance, courtroom drama, failure and success takes the reader on a wild ride from India to Kenya to Congo to Canada to America. An excerpt from Chapter 3, on the Congo-Uganda border, in 1966 at age 14: About 45 minutes later, one of the border guards exited the hut. Clutching a bottle in one hand and rifle in the other, he veered toward me. I sat motionless in the old truck. A couple other guards, laughing, stumbled out of the hut after him. Some of the women paused to watch. It was later now, and the children had vanished. “Hey. You!” he yelled at me through the open driver’s side window, waving the bottle, sloshing the liquid. “Come out! Come with me! “Why?” I asked. “Where? Where are we going?” “Get out of the lorry and I will show you!” he barked, swigging from the bottle. I slid off the bench seat and jumped down onto the dirt road. He pointed to a girl, about my age, leaning against the hut. She was smiling at me. “That’s your bibi (wife),” the guard said. ■ Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy is a freelance journalist who assisted Balolia with his book.

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FINANCE BP

Hybrid workplaces can boost employee efficiency, engagement Todd Kooiman, CPA

Hybrid workplace models that combine in-office and remote work likely will replace conventional workplace norms, evolving how companies manage business operations, employees and client experiences. These models offer stronger adoption of cloud services and better security infrastructures and collaboration tools, making companies more flexible and on-demand. More importantly, they can transform offices into collaboration sites intended for team building and innovation. How COVID-19 has accelerated hybrid models The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that remote workplaces introduce efficiencies. This makes hybrid models attractive to many businesses that want to retain and improve upon their remote offerings to attract talent and boost financial results. For these businesses, becoming a hybrid workplace will be a faster transition than it would’ve been before the pandemic; they already have the remote and in-office resources needed to hit the ground running.The pandemic also has

changed the perception of remote work; it’s now normalized and built into many job descriptions. Employers can stay competitive by aligning with this shift. Pros and cons of hybrid workplaces Hybrid models provide clear opportunities and challenges. Benefits: • Cost effectiveness. Companies can save cash by reducing office size and accommodations. • Employee satisfaction. Flexible work options improve employee engagement and satisfaction. • Hiring options. Employers can onboard stronger candidates by hiring from a larger pool. • Productivity. Employees often are more productive when working remotely. Drawbacks: • Collaboration. Remote work can slow collaboration and decision-making. • Equipment and comfort. Supplying setups for remote employees can be difficult and expensive. • Client interactions. Remote interactions can hinder strong client relationships.

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• Training. Ineffective training can slow onboarding and career progression. Impacts on cybersecurity A work-from-anywhere model can make it harder to protect employee, customer and supplier data. To combat this, companies can strengthen cybersecurity practices by implementing employee fraud-awareness trainings, penetration testing, robotics and automation. Strategies to support remote employees To build a strong hybrid team, managers must find creative ways to coach and support remote employees, such as consistent team and career-progress check-ins, continued education opportunities, no-camera days and

remote-management trainings.On a broader scale, companies can reposition their rewards programs, highlighting remote work’s health and wellness benefits. They also can provide subsidies for home office equipment, meal delivery services and other perks. Effects on compensation and taxes To provide equitable salaries, companies should regularly review remote employees’ cities of residence and associated costs of living. Employers should also consider state tax liability. After the South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. United States Supreme Court case in 2018, many states passed income, payroll, sales and property tax laws that impact the following: • Employee multistate filings.

Out-of-state employees may need to file personal income tax returns in multiple states. • State nexus and foreign-permanent establishment. Employers often must file additional tax returns and make U.S. foreign activity disclosures for employees in foreign jurisdictions. • Home office programs. Employers that subsidize employees’ home office equipment may need to pay property taxes in various states and counties. Next steps When strategically implemented, hybrid workforce models can help companies boost employee engagement and productivity while lowering costs. To learn how to successfully adopt a hybrid model, contact a consulting professional. ■ Jennifer Price, partner, has provided professional services since 1999. She conducts audits for not-for-profit colleges and universities, foundations, energy organizations and more. She can be reached at 503-478-2209 or jennifer.price@mossadams.com.

Aaron Martinez, director, works with companies ranging from closely held businesses to multibillion-dollar corporations, improving performance and growth. Aaron can be reached at 206-245-5560 or aaron.martinez@mossadams.com Todd Kooiman, partner, has practiced public accounting since 1995. He provides strategic tax planning solutions at federal, state, local and multistate levels. He can be reached at 360-685-2261 or todd.kooiman@mossadams.com. Assurance, tax and consulting offered through Moss Adams LLP. Investment advisory services offered through Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC.

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Bellwether Ballroom Recently Expanded to Host up to 550 Guests! Whether you’re planning a corporate retreat, multiday conference or grand celebration event, Hotel Bellwether offers a variety of premier meeting space for 10 to 550 guests. The newly completed and renovated Bellwether Ballroom now accommodates up to 550 guests receptionstyle with a waterfront patio – perfect for a fresh-air break or scenic reception hour. ‘Tis the season…to book your holiday party! It’s never too early to start planning your company holiday party for a truly festive, merry and bright event. Prime dates still available in November and December.

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MARKETING BP

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Pandemic networking slump? Try dusting off your LinkedIn profile Patti Rowlson If you feel like business networking opportunities and your circle of influence shrank during the pandemic, now may be a great time to set up or dust off your LinkedIn profile. It’s time to connect with some fresh faces and work to build your network, virtually. LinkedIn has grown! The social media platform now has more than 756 million members in 200 countries and territories around the globe. That puts a lot of business professionals at your fingertips. Here are seven tips that can help launch or reboot your LinkedIn networking efforts:Unless you’re a super user, the free version of LinkedIn will work just fine to grow and expand your network. I use the free version and so do the clients who ask Bellingham PR & Communications for help developing profiles and posting status updates on their LinkedIn accounts. Set up or refresh your profile. Make sure that your list of skills and accomplishments are well-defined; add a recent

professional photo to your profile. Ask a client or two to leave you a recommendation. Develop a simple content marketing plan. It can be just a paragraph or two that outlines the types of information you want to share on LinkedIn. Content may include links to blog posts on your company website, industry articles about trending topics, select job openings. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is for business networking. Refrain from creating status updates that are too personal in nature. Make sure that the business you represent also has a company page on the platform. Content can be posted on the company page, and then you can share it through your personal profile. That will help raise awareness of the brand and extend the reach of messaging. Utilize keywords and hashtags. Using appropriate keywords and hashtags in your profile and in the status updates you share can help you and your business get discovered by LinkedIn users who are searching for what you offer. Join a local business or global industry group. Use LinkedIn Groups as a public forum to discuss topics and trends

JUL/AUG 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

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with other leaders and industry experts. Groups also are a great place for you to showcase your professional expertise and build a network of people who share similar interests. Use positive networking skills. Refrain from immediately sending sales messages or a request to “meet for coffee so I can pick your brain” to new connections. That tactic can hurt your personal brand. In a recent online group conversation with local business leaders, some expressed frustration with the people who used this type of aggressive marketing tactics on LinkedIn. Real networking relationships evolve over time. Users who stand out in positive ways on LinkedIn do so by commenting on status updates that their connections share. They try to learn about their business and look for opportunities to offer something of value to others — giving before asking for something in return. These seven tips should help you expand your network, position your brand in positive ways and provide opportunities for much-needed business networking in the days ahead.If you are a business leader who values LinkedIn for its networking opportunities but find managing your profile or company page to be too time consuming, know that LinkedIn marketing is a task that can be delegated or outsourced to a trusted partner. ■ Patti Rowlson is the founder and communications director at Bellingham PR & Communications in Bellingham. Since 2009, she has helped small businesses and large corporations manage public relations and communications for a variety of stakeholders. Patti has been recognized for her work in the community by being named Most Valuable Player, Small Business of the Year finalist and Professional Woman of the Year finalist. She currently serves on the board of the Whatcom Business Alliance. Visit https://bellinghampr.com.

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COVID-19 BP

Five things I’ve learned about Whatcom County businesses during a pandemic from Erika Lautenbach, Whatcom County Health Department director On March 18, 2020, I reported to work on my first day as the new Whatcom County Health Department director as a pandemic loomed over our community. Just days later, we all went home under the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. I traded an empty office with still-unopened moving boxes for a cobbled together office space in my home. This was the start of a long, 16-month (or was it 16 years?) journey that brings us to where we are today. You know this story, as do we all, in every frustrating, heartbreaking and excruciating detail. I have a background in public health, and my work requires close engagement and partnership with the community. I never expected, however, how much I would come to rely on all the non-public health partners that emerged during the public health emergency. As we all know, no event operates in a vacuum. We’ve watched the many waves and ripples of impacts on our community, ranging from mental health and isolation to economic impacts. One tug too far in our collective security blanket unravels the yarn in other corners of the material. As I reflect on the past 16 months, I want to share five reflections of our business community here in Whatcom County. Whatcom County businesses are creative and resilient. Every business had to change in some way to adapt to COVID-19. Whether you were fully closed, busy as ever, or somewhere in between, the impacts of COVID-19 on staffing, operations, supply chain, parenting employees, finances, policies, practices and customers cannot be understated. And in response? You bought tents and heaters, found creative ways to serve customers without seeing them in person, built remote work options on the fly,

“There is a resilience to this community that inspires us to recognize problems and dig into issues to try to identify solutions.” changed cleaning and hygiene practices throughout your operations, and quickly and continuously communicated with your staff and customers. The department’s guidance team was impressed by your foresight and creativity during calls to problem-solve innovative solutions while staying within the state guidelines. Whatcom County businesses pivoted (I’m retiring this overused word post-pandemic) and persevered, and I hope you will come back stronger than ever. Whatcom County businesses are partners and relationship-builders. Within a week of announcing a countywide employer support task force last May, we had more than 140 applications from business owners and operators all over the county. There were 18 different industry and business sectors represented and actively participating in the task force. They banded together to support each other and work with our department on developing guidelines, signage, video and written toolkits, and online forums during the most challenging, uncertain time many of you had ever faced. And many of the task force members did all of this in partnership with their industry competitors. Even more impressive, some of the sector groups continue to meet and support each other one year later. Whatcom County businesses ask questions and expect information and results. Businesses kept my co-workers and me on our toes and working at our highest level. Early on, so much of the information was confusing and often contradictory for all of us as we

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learned more about the virus. You asked for the “why” behind decisions, asked for supporting information and data, and insisted on answers when information or guidance didn’t align with state or local laws. (Some of you also asked for my resignation, and I will continue to strive to earn your trust and respect.) You prompted us to be more communicative, clearer in our guidance, and more measured and inclusive in our decision-making. Whatcom County businesses are supporters and champions of staff. The phones started ringing early in the pandemic, at night, on weekends, and every time in between. Business leaders flooded the lines and even my cell phone with questions about how to keep staff safe, what they could do to protect their

workplace, whom to call if an employee was sick, and where they could find plexiglass, masks and better ventilation systems. You were ambitious and proactive in your methods and policies to protect staff, and you were effective partners with the Health Department in containing the spread of the virus in your workplaces. Over the course of the pandemic, our business response team has worked with more than 1,000 businesses who’ve had questions or a case, and we’ve been impressed and grateful for your continued focus on a safe and healthy workplace. Whatcom County businesses are leaders in tackling community issues. There is a resilience to this community that inspires us to recognize problems and dig into issues to try to identify

solutions. Working with parenting employees required you to quickly navigate the community’s childcare system and become leaders in advocating for more child care. You also also have sought out options and solutions to create more affordable housing for employees and to encourage new industry. While solving those complex issues may not be part of your “day job” or business model, your leadership has moved the conversations and partnerships forward. I have learned from all of you over the past 16 months. I respect and admire your work and innovation, and I look forward to the collective impact we can make on our community’s toughest challenges, together. ■ Erika Lautenbach, Whatcom County Health Department director. You can reach her by emailing elautenb@co.whatcom.wa.us.

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POLICY BP

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Worker shortage emerges as top issue as pandemic eases Available workers per job cut in half recently Jason Hagey As Washington emerges from the pandemic, one of the biggest challenges facing many employers is finding enough qualified workers. It’s a dramatic shift from a year ago, when businesses were forced to close their doors to slow the spread of the virus, leading to an unprecedented surge

in unemployment. Today, many business restrictions related to COVID-19 are either gone or going away soon, and unless something is done to address the escalating workforce crisis, it will be a drag on long-term economic recovery. “A lack of skilled and qualified workers was a big issue for many employers prior to the pandemic,” said Kris Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Business. “The pandemic has exposed and magnified the issue, as it has so many others.” The numbers tell the story. The state Department of

Commerce recovery dashboard shows that weekly job postings increased sharply in Washington after the first of the year, reversing the steep declines that began in March 2020. Restaurants, hotels, trucking companies and other employers report that they can’t find enough people to fill all the openings. ObservAs the economy continues to ers point to recover, it’s clear that we’re multiple facin a race for talent. The states tors at play, and regions with the strongest including economies will be the ones enhanced with the most skilled and unemployeducated workers. ment, lack of child care, and health concerns. But with so many jobs available now, it’s time to end the suspension of the job search requirement for those receiving unemployment insurance benefits. An important long-term solution is to connect young

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people with real-world, work-based learning opportunities that will prepare them for high-growth careers. WBA’s YES Whatcom (www. yeswhatcom.com), helps prepare the emergent workforce and connect them

with local employers. The Washington Workforce Portal, a project of the AWB Institute, is doing just that in two pilot efforts underway in Spokane and the Tri-Cities. The workforce shortage isn’t just

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an issue in Washington. Recently, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a nationwide initiative called America Works that’s aimed at mobilizing industry and government to address the growing worker shortage crisis throughout the country. New surveys and data show there are now half as many available workers for every open job across the country (1.4 available workers per opening) as the historical average over the last 20 years (2.8). In some industries, there are more open jobs than job seekers. The issue has gained urgency in the past month as vaccine distribution increased, but an AWB survey showed it was already emerging as an issue in April. Nearly 42% of respondents identified a lack of qualified workers as one of the most important issues facing their business. The America Works agenda identifies several solutions, including immigration reform, expanding employer-led education and training programs and expanding access to child care for working parents. Since the start of the pandemic, employers have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and innovate. It’s clear the need for those skills isn’t going away even after it fades away. As the economy continues to recover, it’s also clear that we’re in a race for talent. The states and regions with the strongest economies will be the ones with the most skilled and educated workers. ■ Jason Hagey is the director of communications at the Association of Washington Business. Prior to joining AWB, he was a reporter at The News Tribune in Tacoma where he covered local government, state politics, courts and breaking news, among other assignments. Hagey is a native of Portland, Oregon, and a graduate of Portland State University.

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Business Pulse magazine July | August 2021

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