April
2018
Volume 10, Issue 4
Business Connection Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce
Housing Opportunities for Southwest Washington received Workforce Southwest Washington's Excellence in Building Workforce Partnerships Award. For more details see page 10.
Workforce Southwest Washington names Kevin Perkey new CEO Workforce Southwest Washington (WSW) is
pleased to announce Kevin Perkey has been selected to be the nonprofit’s new CEO beginning July 1.
Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Team Bill Marcum, CEO Amy Hallock Project Manager Pam Fierst Visitor Information Center and Office Manager
Kelso Longview Business Connection is published monthly by the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce 105 N. Minor Road • Kelso, WA 98626 • 360-423-8400 kelsolongviewchamber.org To advertise, call Bill Marcum, 360-423-8400 or email bmarcum@ kelsolongviewchamber.org Ad Deadline: 20th of each month
Perkey currently oversees adult and collaborative grant programs at WSW and joined the organization in June 2017. Before coming to WSW, Perkey was CEO of South Central Pennsylvania Works (SCPa Works), a regional workforce development board investing more than $12 million of public workforce development funds across an eight-county region of Pennsylvania. Prior to SCPa Works, Perkey was director of youth programs at the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has also held positions in a nonprofit technology services organization that delivered cloud-based application development, GIS analysis and community business intelligence services to the nonprofit sector. Perkey has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s in public administration and nonprofit management, both from the University of Pittsburgh. He has served in leadership roles on several boards, most recently serving on the board of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Workforce Development Council. “Kevin’s years of experience in the private sector and as CEO of a workforce board and Director of Youth Programs gives him the background and foundation to hit the ground running,” said John Vanderkin WSW board chair. “We look forward to his leadership
as WSW continues to fulfill its mission to prepare and promote a skilled and adaptive workforce for a thriving economy in southwest Washington.” Perkey will replace Jeanne Bennett, who is retiring after six years with the Kevin Perkey organization. During Bennett’s tenure, WSW sought and received millions of dollars in competitive grant funds, enabling it to provide numerous workforce training programs, including YouthBuild, YouthWorks, LEAP (a partnership with the Clark County Jail), Career Connect WA and the South Kelso Youth Construction Project, among others. WSW has also been instrumental in launching career fairs for high school students in Wahkiakum, Clark and Cowlitz counties, shifting workforce programs to an industry focus to ensure local companies have the skilled workers they need and job seekers receive training in sectors projected to grow in the future. “I’m thrilled to be part of such an innovative and forward-thinking organization,” said Perkey. “Under Jeanne’s leadership, WSW has become a true community asset and I’m looking forward to keeping our momentum going as we enter our next phase of growth.” Since its founding in 2002, the nonprofit organization has invested more than $82.3 million in programs that help employers recruit workers and provide job training to adults and youth.
Cowlitz Wahkiakum Council of Governments By Bill Fashing Executive Director
News from the Economic Census to local Career Connected Learning
Economic Census Most of the adult population is aware of the U.S. Population Census and its many uses, fewer people are aware of the separate economic census that is taken every five years. Responses to the Economic Census are due by June 12. The requested data is required by law to be submitted by all businesses. You can get a general overview of the program by reviewing their Frequently Asked Questions. Every business should have recently received a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau outlining the program. The Economic Census requests the following information for each business location: • Employer Identification Number • Physical Location • Primary Business Activity • Sales Receipts or Revenue • Employment and Payroll • Industry specific questions There are resources for businesses available at the Economic Census website. The Census Bureau publishes three types of information on business activity. Uses of data can be found on the Economic Census website. These include: • Monthly and quarterly small survey sample that provide timely data on a variety of topics • Annual surveys have larger sample sizes and provide some trend data. • Every five years (including this year) the census measures all business and the resulting information provides a comprehensive assortment of data. One of the key tools you might want to be aware of is the Economic Census – Census Business Builder. You can find an assortment of infor-
mation to help you start or grow your business at this site. You can also get regional data on your business sector. Career Connected Learning The Council of Governments Economic Development program, along with several partners, is hosting Rural Pathways to Prosperity from 9 a.m. to noon on May 9 at the Cowlitz County Event Center. The event will include video connections with 15 communities around the state and is provided by Washington State University – University Extension. The program will include video conference keynote presentations on Career Connected Learning and local discussions of the topic. The event is part of a two-time award-winning program that will allow participants to focus on local workforce needs and solutions. Speakers include Brent Parton, deputy director for the Center on Education and Skills, New America, and Chris Reykdal, superintendent, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The focus of the event is to help the community find ways to support the employability of rural youth. This might include skill development and real-life experiences to link to and prosper for future careers. Business involvement is essential to the event and to the long-term success of your youth. This is a follow-up session to the 2017 Governor’s Summit on Career Connected Learning. It is designed to strengthen connections between business and education. This is a great opportunity for businesses to engage and learn more about their role and assets in connecting with the education system to build a strong foundation for the youth of the region. Registration for the event will be available after publication date, but you can go to http://waruralprosperity.wsu.edu/ to register by midApril. Business participation is critical to the success of this program. Your input is needed to help connect our youth, and the education process to the needs of the business community.
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1413 Commerce Ave. 2 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
360-575-9804
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Calendar Monday April 9 – Noon-1:30pm Legislative Wrap Up Mill City Grill, Longview $15 for lunch
Tuesday April 10 – Noon Chamber Executive Board Mill City Grill, Longview
Wednesday April 11 – 7:30am Education Foundation
Thursday April 12 – 7:30am Ambassadors Meeting Columbia Bank
Tuesday April 17 – 5:30-7:30pm Business After Hours Columbia Bank
April 17 – Noon Chamber Board Meeting Mill City Grill, Longview
Cowlitz Economic Development Council By Ted Sprague CEO
The case for utilizing a Foreign Trade Zone Back in an age before social media and a mobile phone in every hand, the Cowlitz Economic Development Council (CEDC) and its partners took on a daunting task to create a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in Cowlitz County. The year was 1983 and the regulations governing FTZs were complex and rigorous. It took the cooperation and compromise of public and private sector partners to determine what areas of the county should be included in the zone, who would administer the zone and how the zone could be best utilized. Due to their hard work and determination, FTZ property was established under FTZ No. 120 and is administered by the CEDC. Like many programs in government, some years the FTZ has been used by several companies and some years less, but it has proven to be a useful tool for those companies importing products and either exporting them back out of the United States or saving on duties while the products are in the FTZ. The top three uses of an FTZ are: 1) Deferral, reduction, or elimination of certain duties. FTZs allow the most duty deferral of any kind of customs program. Companies can bring goods into the FTZ without duties or most fees, including exemption from inventory tax. 2) Relief from inverted tariffs. In some cases, tariffs on U.S. component items or raw materials have a higher duty rate than the finished product, putting a U.S. manufacturer at a cost disadvantage to an importer. However, by participating in an FTZ, the U.S. manufacturer pays whichever duty is lower. In many cases the tariff of the manufactured good is zero, eliminating any costs associated with importing raw materials and goods. There is no way to take advantage of inverted tariffs without operating in an FTZ. 3) Duty exemption on re-exports. Since an FTZ is considered outside the commerce of the United States and U.S. Customs, a company importing components or raw material into the FTZ doesn’t pay customs duty until it enters U.S. commerce. If the good is exported from the FTZ, no customs duty is due. Lately we have seen an increase of attention paid to federal trade policy, including increased tariffs on certain goods imported from specific companies. These policies can have significant impact on manufacturers. One solution to these turbulent economic shifts would be to apply to be included in an FTZ. The FTZ is not free and there are specific fees associated with applying, in addition, your company must be located within the boundaries of an existing FTZ, which are currently within the Port of Longview, Port of Kalama and City of Longview. Any expansion of the FTZ would simply add to the cost and time to process the application, but it can be done. If you would like more information on this program, please contact me at the CEDC – 360-4239921.
Friday April 27 – 4:30pm Ribbon Cutting The Children's Museum
Every Wednesday Chamber Connections KEDO/1400 AM or 99.1 FM 3-4pm Stream live at www.kedoam.com
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 3
2018 Small Business
BOOT CAMP 2018 Series begins Friday, May 4 Friday Mornings ★ Lower Columbia College
7:30 am - 9 am ★ Heritage Room at LCC - Admin. Bldg.
HUMAN RESOURCES six pack May 4 May 11 May 18 May 25 June 1
Sponsored by:
Washington Paid Family Leave Jan. 2019 – Every business and Every employee Facilitator: Employment Securities, TBA Drug Testing Today – Marijuana included, not included? Facilitator: Carly McMains, CIC Credit, President of SHRM Having difficult conversations - Ways to coach up or coach out!?! Facilitator: Teedara Garn, Cowlitz PUD Hiring Qualified Candidates – How to interview to get the best candidate Facilitator: Donna Hughes and Frank Meza, WorkSource Workplace Harassment – It’s not what you know it is, what you should have known. Facilitator: James Sikora, Landerholm
June 8 Employee Handbook, Update it. - With Legislative updates to paid sick leave and family leave - you need to update your employee handbook, NOW. Facilitator: Nicole Tideman, Walstead Mertsching Law offices
No pricing change since 2013! $100 Members ★ $160 Non-Members this is Truth in Advertising ‘Tools you can use to help you immediately’. The Kelso Longview ❝ Now Chamber of Commerce hit the nail on the head with their most recent Business Boot Camp. As an
administrator and business owner with over 25 years leadership experience, I walked away every week with new tools, inspiration, motivation and a desire to strive to improve my business by leaps and bounds. The courses were well planned, the content was interesting, relevant, informative, inspiring,, thought provoking and challenging. I can not say that I have ever spent so little and received so much. I can not wait until the next series. The best investment in my business I have ever made. Barbara A. Sudar • Administrator Longview Urology Owner/Partner: Estetica Day Spa
❞
360-423-8400
www.kelsolongviewchamber.org
Chamber CEO’s Message By Bill Marcum
Upcoming Boot Camp series puts latest human resource issues front and center Have you been to one of our Boot Camp sessions? We are currently finishing our six-part series on Boardsmanship 101, which is for those business people who have been asked to serve on a nonprofit board thinking it is just “an hour” a month responsibility. This six-class workshop is designed to help you as a board member know your responsibilities, ask the right questions and understand how to best participate in the organization’s strategic direction. We have only two sessions left, April 6 and April 13, at 7:30 a.m. in the Heritage Room in the Lower Columbia College administration building. The April 6 class is Facilitating and Leading Meetings (Robert’s Rules). Who will be guiding your nonprofit organization next year? Are you ready to lead a board? Follow the bylaws of the organization? Do you understand Robert’s Rules? I serve on six different boards and honestly you would be amazed at the lack of understanding of Robert’s Rules of Order? Help yourself or your incoming president to be ready for the leadership role he or she will be assuming. I always believe it is up to me as the executive director or CEO to make sure my president looks good and provides the leadership the Chamber needs for the next year. The final class April 13 is Working as a Team, not always an easy task as you bring 15 to 40 board members together to lead your organization through the next few years of challenges. Frank McShane with Square Peg Consulting will walk you through the steps of working together for the betterment of the organization as ONE voice. If you have not registered your next board chair or president you should. For $25 you can bring up to three board members, call the Chamber, 360-423-8400, to get signed up. Our second series Human Resources Small Business Boot Camp starts May 4 and runs through June 8. There have been numerous legislative changes passed during the past year and a half that will dramatically affect your business and your employees. The minimum wage goes up to $12 in January and $13.50 in January of 2020. Paid sick leave started this past January and in January 2019, Washington’s Paid Family Leave bill goes into effect. That is why Small Business Boot Camp, class number 101, kicks off our HR series with Washington Paid Family Leave January 2019 – every business and every employee, May 4. A representative from the Employment Securities Department (ESD) will be facilitating this class and explaining how it works, how the employer and employee
funds are collected by ESD and how they will be distributed if one of your employees has a qualifying event. You don’t want to miss this class... it will impact every employee and every business in Washington. May 11, Drug Testing Today – Marijuana included in your test? Not included? Facilitated by Carly McMains with CIC Credit and current president of Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM). May 18, Having Difficult Conversations – Ways to coach up or coach out! Facilitated by Teedara Garn, HR specialist with Cowlitz PUD. May 25, Hiring Qualified Candidates – How to interview to get the best candidate? Facilitated by Donna Hughes and Frank Meza, WorkSource. June 1, Workplace Harassment – It’s not what you know; it is what you should have known. Facilitated by attorney James Sikora of Landerholm. June 8, Employee Handbook, Update It! – With legislative updates to paid sick leave and paid family leave you need to update your employee handbook, NOW. Attorney Nicole Tideman, Walstead Mertsching law offices, will be facilitating. Your small business needs to understand how all these issues impact your business. Be prepared, learn, and put policies and procedures in place to protect your business and employees. The future of your business may rest on your knowledge of the issue and how you as the owner handle it. The cost in unchanged $100 (member price) to bring up to three people from your business to gain more knowledge to ensure business success and profitability. Call the Chamber at 360-423-8400 to reserve your spot. A special thank you to our volunteer facilitators so far this year. These classes could not happen if not for your willingness to help our small business owners and managers continue to upgrade their knowledge and grow their businesses. Two very important sponsors for the past two years have been Fibre Federal Credit Union and WorkSource Washington. Their contributions help offset some of the course costs throughout the year and help us to keep the participation cost down to about $5 per person. Thank you. April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 5
Cowlitz County Commissioners By Dennis Weber & Joe Gardner
Commerce clause, new era for 911, landfill update and rails to trails Patently unconstitutional attempts by Washington state officials to regulate interstate commerce and restrict foreign trade was the topic of an excellent article in Forbes magazine, a reprint of which was handed out at last month’s Chamber board meeting. It focused on the Millennium Bulk Terminal – Longview (MBT-L) proposed coal-export facility currently crawling its way through the permitting pipeline. You can download that article at https://www.forbes. com/sites/wlf/2018/03/19/washington-state-officials-usurp-federalauthority-with-crusade-to-block-export-terminal/. It echoed arguments made by Commissioner Dennis Weber with members of Congress and their staff during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. “Not only are state officials cherry-picking statements from environmental impact statement, they are not following reasonable procedures,” he charged. “They continue to ‘make the perfect, the enemy of the good’ as they pursue their more subversive ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ approach to killing off all fossil fuel projects.” Late last month the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) did ask County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jurvakainen to file a “friend of the Court” brief joining MBT-L’s federal lawsuit against the state of Washington. “The state’s course of inaction is a roadblock to the County’s plans for economic development, regardless of whether Millennium gets permitted or not,” Weber continued. “Other potential investors are getting mixed signals from the state and have been asking why they should even bother to consider Washington state.” A new era for Cowlitz 911 emergency communications began last
month when the BOCC formed a new public authority to take over the operations of that essential public service. By creating this new agency, commissioners actually streamlined decision-making, replacing the original three-agency governance structure with a single nine-member board. This should pave the way for moving 911 operations out of the Hall of Justice basement, which is behind dikes but below the flood plain of the Cowlitz. They also hired consultant Stephen Reineke to serve as transition manager for the balance of this year. Reineke facilitated discussions between user groups, city administrators, and fire commissioners to frame the proposal, which is similar to many other models throughout Washington state. He explained that the next step will be the segregation of assets, to determine which items remain with Cowlitz County (current landlord) and which capital assets were purchased by Cowlitz 911 user fees. Radio towers throughout the region have a mixture of equipment from 911, state agencies and other county departments, as well as private leaseholders. In addition, Reineke will begin planning for a new facility, most likely co-located above the floodplain with the County’s Department of Emergency Management. Another complex task will be negotiating the new authority’s impact on current 911 employees who now have a contract with Cowlitz County. Headquarters Landfill management choices narrowed during interviews of the five finalists selected from the original eight compaFor more County Commissioners, see page 7
Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Linda DiLembo, President
Clayton J. Bartness, DC Longview Chiropractic Clinic
Nick Lemiere Edward Jones
Ken Botero Longview City Council
Chris Roewe Woodford Commercial Real Estate
Neil Zick, Treasurer
Bob Crisman Gallery of Diamonds
Tom Rozwod NORPAC/Weyerhaeuser
Michael Claxton, Legal Counsel
Wendy Hutchinson Millennium Bulk Terminals
Ted Sprague Cowlitz Economic Development Council
Lance Welch, Past President PeaceHealth-St. John
Marlene Johanson Heritage Bank
Steve Taylor Kelso City Manager
Chris Bailey Lower Columbia College
Wendy Kosloski Teague's Interiors
Dennis Weber Cowlitz County Commissioner
Three Rivers Mall
Frank Panarra, President Elect Foster Farms
Bianca Lemmons, Vice President Cowlitz County Title Twin City Bank
Walstead Mertsching
6 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
County Commissioners, continued from page 6 nies who submitted qualifications: Waste Management, Waste Control, Waste Connections, Recology, and Republic/Rabanco. A review committee including Commissioner Arne Mortensen, Chief of Staff Axel Swanson, Finance Director Kurt Williams, and Special Counsel Steve DiJulio, as well as Wayne Wooster, a representative from the County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee, completed interviews but no recommendation was available by press time. DiJulio is considered the state’s foremost legal authority on solid waste landfills and has been guiding this process as a special deputy prosecutor. The group is using information from the financial assessment prepared by consultant Moss-Adams in trying to determine the best criteria for monetizing revenues from landfill operations while preserving lower rates for Cowlitz County residents and meeting increasingly stringent environmental rules and regulations set by the state of Washington. A local company who made the cut withdrew from the interviews, preferring to renegotiate their current contract rather than a totally new one. Rails to Trails negotiation prep continues by an ad hoc committee facilitated by Building and Planning Director Elaine Placido. At the committee’s request, the BOCC asked the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) for an additional 180 days to complete the negotiations. The STB last summer ordered Patriot to stop removing rails and ties until historic and ecological consultations were made and gave 180 days for negotiations with local governments interested
in forming a “railbank” to protect the rights-of-way for future rail use. Both the cities of Longview and Kelso and the Port of Longview have expressed interest and have representatives joining citizens on Placido’s work group. Citizens include a retired Weyerhaeuser forester Jay Holland, an avid local bicyclist Steve Harvey, and an activist from Toutle, Darcy Mitchum, who is also on the County’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. A lot of research on deeds and easements for the Patriot Rail route from Ocean Beach Highway to Weyerhaeuser’s abandoned Green Mountain Mill near South Toutle Road has been conducted. Patriot actually owned the underlying property from Ocean Beach Highway to its junction with the mainline near Rocky Point. The widest portions parallel Westside Highway are remnants of Long-Bell’s original LP&N logging railroad. Beyond that, Patriot has easements over Weyerhaeuser property. The STB has jurisdiction because Patriot declared the entire route to be a “common carrier.” Federal law governs abandonment of common carrier rail lines. The Rails to Trails concept provides important access points to the South Silver Lake Community Forest Trust for which the County has applied. The Forest Trust, if granted by the state of Washington, would be managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and create a permanent working forest buffer between the Headquarters Landfill and the south shore of Silver Lake.
LeeRoy Parcel Manager/LPO leeroy@cascade-title.com
Alison Peters Bonnie Woodruff Diane Kenneway Dennis Bird Escrow Officer/LPO Escrow Officer/LPO Escrow Assistant Senior Title Officer alison@cascade-title.com bonnie@cascade-title.com diane@cascade-title.com dennis@cascade-title.com
Lindsey McTimmonds Marketing/Recording recording@cascade-title.com
1425 Maple St. Longview, WA 98632 360.425.2950 www.cascade-title.com
Connie Bjornstrom Receptionist/Typist connie@cascade-title.com
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 7
City of Kelso
City of Longview
By City Manager Steve Taylor
By City Councilman Ken Botero
Plan delivers map to quality spaces
City enhances recreational areas
After much anticipation, Kelso’s Community Development Department unveiled the City’s new Park Facility Plan at the March 6 regular council meeting. The plan, under development for the past year, identified priorities for improvements at existing city parks such as the Rotary Skate Park and Lads and Lassies Neighborhood Park, and delivered a master plan for the transformation of Catlin Rotary Spray Park into a versatile public space that attracts visitors throughout the year. Additionally, the planning effort highlighted opportunities to convert various undeveloped open spaces like Rhododendron Garden in North Kelso and Scot Hollow Park in Butler Acres into neighborhood playlots where the current lack of amenities are painfully obvious.
Greetings from the City of Longview, Washington, a city with a dream and the jewel of southwest Washington. It’s a beautiful time of the year here in the Northwest and in our beautiful city. After several years of positive experiences and hard work Longview is stepping up to its promise of building a quality of place for our citizens. Just recently our community has had the opportunity to step into the high-tech industry, opening doors for bringing more specialized employment to our region. We have had the opportunity to be well noted for our association with the timber industry. And, as with all good things, maybe we are opening new doors and a new
Setting aside the Catlin Park Master Plan, the plan made four priority recommendations:
vision, like yes, we can DO better, and here it is.
1. Lads and Lassies – invest in current maintenance and acquire additional land to support a vibrant neighborhood park.
of the community and their desires, which include the opening of
2. Rhododendron Garden – convert unused space into neighborhood playlot and reduce the significant service gap in North Kelso.
Sacajawea. We are working on a program that our citizens brought
3. Rotary Skate Park – master plan this well-used site to address siting of restroom facilities, drainage challenges and pedestrian connections between the upper and lower portions of the park.
Along with our promises comes the ability to listen to the citizens great walking trails throughout the community other than Lake forward concerning local transportation and the implementation of bicycle paths and trails in the community, and the latest a very popular program is working with our local citizens and businesses
4. Mill Street Riverfront Park and Coweeman River Trailhead – master plan for Cowlitz and Coweeman river access amenities to best take advantage of the two beautiful water assets that define Kelso’s landscape. Potential for canoe/kayak launches and enhancements to both dike trails.
to provide extended physical facilities in the area in the form of an
The Catlin Park preferred option master plan would activate the park with year-round uses including playgrounds for children of all ages, multipurpose sport court, community garden beds and picnic/ grill area. Pedestrian and vehicular access improvements would be incorporated, and fencing would be provided in key locations to enhance safety for children. Installation of new windows and doors on the east side of Catlin Hall and a patio addition will strengthen the on-site connection between the senior center and remainder of the park.
and recreation activities and arts with the Columbia Theatre, Stage-
updated athletic facility. If you enjoy the beautiful outdoors of the Northwest, Longview can, and will, provide you the opportunity to enjoy positive family experiences. There are many more exciting activities including golf on a premier golf course, many, many parks works and Lower Columbia College, just to name a few. With the exciting activities for you and your families also comes the possibility for creating new and thriving businesses that will cater to our local citizens. If you are looking to become part of an exciting program that enhances family life, creates a quality of place, and provides a feeling of pride, come on over. You will find a positive rela-
So, how much will all this cost? Given the variety of possibilities, a conservative estimate of all the improvements would be between $1.5 and $2 million. No small sum, but the plan breaks down the list into many “bite-size” projects which allows participation by volunteers and service groups in the region. Together, the City and Kelso community can improve its public spaces and create the “quality of place” necessary to support current and future generations.
tionship with our local Chamber of Commerce with the outstanding
The Draft Parks Plan can be viewed at http://www.kelso.gov/news/ city-kelso-park-plan. Comments should be sent to tbaraconi@kelso.gov.
quality of place that welcomes you and your family with open arms.
8 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
service of Bill Marcum and his staff, our new City Manager Kurt Sacha and Economic Development Director Joe Philips and their staff, and a positive and active city council ready to bring you into the fold. Bragging, you bet. I see a wonderful and positive community with a dream that will become reality in the short term and a positive (Your business is also very welcome.)
2018 Legislative Wrap-Up Monday, April 9th Noon - 1:30pm Mill City Grill, Longview
Jim Walsh
Dean Takko
John Braun th
Representative, 19 Legislative District
th
State Senator 20 Legislative District
Brian Blake th
State Senator 19 Legislative District
Clay Hill Government Affairs Director Hill served as policy analyst for the House Republican Caucus, specializing in tax policy issues, from 2013 to 2017. In addition to tax policy, he has provided policy analysis for members of the Technology & Economic Development Committee and previously served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.
Representative, 19th Legislative District
The 2018 legislative session ended on time... As most observers had expected, lawmakers were able to wrap up their work on time. And, aided by the $1.3 billion revenue boost provided in the February revenue forecast, they were able to fund their budget priorities without a general tax increase. What is your priority??
Mill City Grill will be serving a variety of fresh sandwiches, green salad, house made chips and fresh baked chocolate chip cookie buffet. Also included is a water station and iced tea. You do not need to purchase lunch to attend, but we hope you will.
$15 all inclusive
105 Minor Rd Kelso, Washington 360-423-8400 www.kelsolongviewchamber.org
Workforce Southwest Washington By Julia Maglione Communications Manager
Cowlitz County organizations awarded for Excellence in Workforce Development Three local organizations recently received Excellence in Workforce Development Awards from Workforce Southwest Washington. “Business engagement in creating and implementing workforce development programs is critical for the growth and sustainability of our region,” said Workforce Southwest Washington CEO Jeanne Bennett. Two firms – Life Works and Red Leaf Organic Coffee – received the Innovation in Workforce Development Award for their strong engagement in the community and creation of opportunities for jobs and career pathway exploration. • Red Leaf Organic Coffee began business in Woodland in 2008 with an espresso stand and now has four locations in Kelso and Longview. During its growth and expansion, owners Ray and Melissa Vandervalk have maintained a focus on their staff, hiring the right candidates, providing a variety of training and offering promotions. Red Leaf is committed to its staff and to helping them maintain employment. When an employee sustained an injury that made it impossible for her to continue in her position, Red Leaf sought out ways to retain her and provided training so she could work in a different area of the business. Red Leaf offers opportunities to all ages in the community and mentors youth in soft skills which are essential in the workplace. The company also participates in career fairs, providing valuable information to attendees on resume review, interview practice, career information and guidance on maintaining excellence in the workplace. Red Leaf is a good example of what happens when a business is focused on workforce training, providing great employees, high-quality products, a friendly, professional staff in a welcoming space – the employees make sure the customer and the community come first. • Since 1980, the nonprofit Life Works has served the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Life Works’ Vocational Department specializes in finding these individuals meaningful employment. Life Works’ Vocational Department collaborates with numerous businesses and programs to help change lives, one job at a time. The Vocational Department assists people with a variety of barriers to obtain and maintain employment in the community, providing employers with capable and dedicated employees. Through partnerships with organizations like Developmental Disabilities Administration, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Department of Services for the Blind, Life Works opens doors to amazing opportunities for individuals. By enabling individuals to experience work and learn valuable skills, Life Works creates innovative workforce opportunities that may otherwise have been unavailable. Its employment services offer hope, pride and self-confidence to an under-served and important segment of our community. For more WSW Awards, see page 11 10 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
Life Works, HOSWW and Red Leaf Organic Coffee earned Excellence in Workforce Development Awards.
We’re better than a bank.
We’re a family.
WSW Awards, continued from page 10 • Housing Opportunities for Southwest Washington (HOSWWA) received the Excellence in Building Workforce Partnerships Award for its efforts to assist homeless veterans and their families with housing, supportive services and employment services. In 2006, HOSWWA collaborated with local Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Vets, AmeriCorps, Veterans Affairs, Partners in Careers and WorkSource to establish a plan to assist homeless veterans. The plan resulted in creation of the Veteran Integration Program (VIP) which, through partnerships with communitybased organizations and engagement in the community, is helping to break the cycle of homelessness among veterans. VIP provides case management, food, transportation, volunteer and employment services, rental and financial education, access to computers, health care and housing vouchers to help homeless veterans find and maintain affordable housing. Through VIP, veterans can participate in community service and volunteer opportunities that improve their career prospects by enhancing their resume, giving them work-related skills and work references and providing a forum to network with future potential employers. VIP has earned the respect and gratitude of the veterans and partners they serve. HOSWWA promotes collaboration and cooperation between various organizations, showing that building a stronger community helps everyone. “The award recipients have demonstrated strong commitment to providing job and career opportunities that improve the skills of our workforce and enable companies to hire local skilled talent,” continued Bennett.
Mark & Kerri Scroggins Fibre Family Members since 1992
360.423.8750 • 1.800.205.7872 www.fibrecu.com Federally insured by NCUA
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 11
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Business Name: ____________________________________________ Phone: ____________________ Contact Name: ________________________________________ Cell: __________________________ Address: City: ___________________________________________________________Zip_________ Email: ____________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________ Number of Issues: 12 month agreement Invoice Credit card
Check
Plus Web Ad: 300W X 100H. Ads can be changed monthly. Signature__________________________________
Ad Rep Signature___________________________
Business and Tourism Expo
Building Bridges
Elam's Home Furnishings and Sleep Center set up a cozy area to meet and greet at the Chamber's Business and Tourism Expo March 7 at the Cowlitz County Events Center.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
Jose from Foster Farms plays nerf baseball at the Cowlitz Black Bears booth and Paul Morin with Port of Kalama gets a little help with a drawing.
Koelsch decided to start the baseball season early with a game that kept everyone entertained.
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 13
BIG ENOUGH TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE!
Food & Drinks Networking Prizes Fun
TUESDAY, APRIL 17 5:30 TO 7:30 PM 1225 Washington Way, Longview We make a point of supporting the communities we serve, because without community, there is no Columbia Bank. $15 in Advance $20 at the Door www.kelsolongviewchamber.org
Business After Hours
Ian Thompson with Lower Columbia Garden flashes a special ticket.
Barrel of Fun
Jack and Janel opened the doors of J Barrel House for our March Business After Hours event March 13.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
Monica Hastings of Umpqua Bank and Lonnie Knowles grabbed some goodies.
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 15
Discover!
www.portofkalama.com
What is the economic impact of Port of Kalama?
Visit Us Today! http://portofkalama.com/discover-economic-impact-port-kalama/
Mind Your Own Business (at the Library) By Chris Skaugset Director – Longview Public Library
Library 'Hub' opens for business March is practically over and I’m sure nearly all of your March Madness brackets were broken early on, so I’d like to turn your attention to something more exciting, the latest business-related news here at the Longview Public Library. We are pleased to announce the opening of the new Small Business Hub located on the main floor of the library. The Small Business Hub is a partnership of small business building organizations in and around Longview to provide all the information and tools you need to start or grow your own small business. The City of Longview’s Community Development and Finance Departments, Kelso/Longview Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Development Center, SCORE Vancouver, Lower Columbia College, Cowlitz Economic Development Council, Cowlitz Asset Building Coalition, WorkSource, Red Canoe, Fibre Federal Credit Union, and the Washington Department of Commerce have partnered with the Longview library to provide a starting point for entrepreneurs to find the information, resources, and contacts they need to successfully start and grow a business. The Small Business Hub print collection emphasizes start ups, finances, and management and growth with a number of titles, some that have been profiled here in the past and others that will be in the future. Located nearby is a computer dedicated to accessing all of the small business research databases that will help you identify competitors, sources of supply, sales prospects, demographics, and industry trends. The databases include ProQuest and Reference USA and there are staff who will be able to show you how to use the various databases. Our newest database is the Small Business Builder which will even help you create printable business and financial plans for your new venture. The library offers small businesses and entrepreneurs many more resources including seminars from SCORE, WorkSource, Red Canoe, and Fibre Federal, public Internet access computers with Microsoft Office software, document scanning, copying and printing capability, meeting rooms, projectors and screens for checkout, free Wi-Fi, and current business journals and periodicals. Also, let me remind you that Longview business owners can get a library card for their business. You do not need to live in Longview to be able to checkout materials, download digital materials, and access databases from your home or business. Just bring in your Longview business license and a picture ID. All of the downloadable materials and online databases can then be accessed from the library’s website at longviewlibrary.org. If you have any questions or would like to get a tour of the space and the library’s small business resources, you can call Elizabeth Partridge at 360-442-5321 or reach her by email at elizabeth.partridge@ci.longview.wa.us. As part of our Small Business Hub opening, we are hosting a Small Business Information Panel. Starting a small business takes time, energy, and the right information. Where do you start? What do you need? How do you do it? Come to the Longview Public Library April 23 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to get answers to your questions about starting and growing your small business including: planning, zoning,
permitting, financing, training, marketing, and more. Experts will be on hand to give you the answers you need. Representatives from the City of Longview, SCORE Vancouver, Lower Columbia College, Kelso/Longview Chamber of Commerce, Red Canoe, Fibre Federal, and more will be able to answer your questions and give you the information you are looking for. Learn what each organization does and how you can get help and guidance through any phase of your business building activities. Each panel member will describe what the department or organization he/she belongs to does or can do and then the audience will be given the opportunity to ask their questions. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the who, what, where, and how of starting or growing their own business. In addition, here are a couple of the latest small business titles that you can find in the Small Business Hub. The first is “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine” written by Mike Michalowicz. He offers his simple, counterintuitive cash management solution that he believes will help small businesses break out of the death spiral and achieve profitability. Conventional accounting uses the logical formula: Sales - Expenses = Profit. The problem is, in Michalowicz’s mind, that businesses are run by humans, and humans aren't always logical. Michalowicz, a serial entrepreneur has developed a behavioral approach to accounting to flip the formula: Sales - Profit = Expenses. Using his Profit First system, readers will learn that by following four simple principles that they can simplify accounting and make it easier to manage a profitable business by looking at bank account balances; that a small, profitable business can be worth much more than a large business surviving on its top line; and that businesses that attain early and sustained profitability have a better shot at achieving long-term growth. Supported by case studies, and filled with practical, step-by-step advice, Michalowicz has written a book that even if you don’t agree with his system, it might make you think about your business in an entirely different way. The second book is Dale Partridge’s “Launch Your Dream: A 30 Day Plan to Turn Your Passion into Your Profession”. Bestselling author and serial entrepreneur Partridge provides a concrete, easily executed plan for readers looking to start a business that he believes will result in greater freedom, a stronger family, and healthier finances. Partridge has helped thousands of people launch new startup businesses through his highly acclaimed Startup Camp program. In this book he distills the essence of that course into a practical, 30day journey for readers looking to follow their passions and realize their dreams. In clear, easily grasped steps, he teaches readers how to hone their ideas, build an audience, construct an online presence, launch a business, master social media, craft a beautiful brand, and create experiences that keep customers from ever considering competitors. Sharing, what he terms, time-saving “smartcuts” to make readers more efficient, Partridge also helps them identify and resolve business-killing blind spots. Again, even if you don’t necessarily agree with his system, it will make you think about it differently. April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 17
Business Toolbox By Jerry D. Petrick Certified Business Advisor
How to get BIG profits from small changes Time for spring cleaning – including for our businesses. What if we used the changing of the seasons to change our approach to get some impressive impacts? There has always been a debate about what approach to use to improve profit/process in business. One school of thought is to select the area/product/service with the highest potential for cost reduction; sales improvement; price increase and leap head first into that area. This becomes an opportunity to rally the organization around a focused effort and thus seems simple and aligning. A competing approach is to work more broadly at making incremental improvements across multiple lines of activity (sales, costs, overhead, margins, profits) to create smaller, sustainable improvements and process changes. Because the highly focused “all hands on deck” approach is so dependent on your specific situation and goals I won’t attempt to address or depict it here – rather, I will show a simple example of what an incremental approach might do for your business. Please keep in mind that these actions are not mutually exclusive; your employees could be confused in implementation. So, what I suggest is to start with a simple set of goals: • Increase prices 1 percent • Increase volume sold 1 percent • Reduce direct costs 1 percent
way. Try it…you will become a fan!
• Reduce overhead costs 1 percent
Go ahead and do the calculations with your own figures for your own business. This is powerful and easy to implement TODAY!
Don’t laugh! Business owners look at me like I’ve just grown three heads – how could changing ANYTHING ONLY 1 percent make any meaningful improvement in my business’ profitability? Despite the fact these goals seem ridiculously easy, how many businesses have actually implemented even one of them? Have YOU taken any of these actions in your business? What if you actually focused on doing them all simultaneously? Well, here is an example of what just a 1% +1% -1% -1% program of profit improvement steps can achieve:
For planning purposes, just take your most recent quarterly financial results and see what they would have looked like if you had implemented the 1+1-1-1 approach. What would your 1+11-1 = ? 10%/15%/22%/45%? More? If you want help looking at your own situation drop me an email and we will schedule time to review your own situation and develop some projections and a plan. Enjoy a happy, profitable spring!
See graph in next column As you can see in this example, the results can be much more meaningful than you might imagine. The way the combination of small improvements works is similar to the concept of compound interest. No matter your industry or market, the math works the same 18 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
This article was prepared by Jerry Petrick, MBA, certified business adviser with the Washington State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Longview. Jerry provides no-cost, confidential business advisory services by appointment. He can be reached via email jerry.petrick@wsbdc.org
By Chuck Nau Retail Consultant and Sales and Managment Trainier – Murray & Nau, Inc.
Becoming One of the Best of the Best When business is tough to get and the economic environment
she’s honest, and acts in her company’s behalf when she should
continues to be challenging, we may often find ourselves asking
and our interests when she should. She anticipates problems that
the question, “Will this be an effective option, whether a product
may occur and works to minimize their impact on our working
or service offering, for my client?” Maybe we are asking the wrong
relationship.
question. The better question might be, “Am I being an effective (solution offering) sales or marketing consultant for my client, particularly now, in this constantly changing economic environment?”
• He is prepared whenever he works with us, understanding the value of time, using his and ours efficiently and effectively. He is familiar with our budgets, calendars, sale events and the overall decision-making process. He is always thinking in terms of a plan
How do you know? Who would you ask?
or strategy, has an objective in mind, and rarely, if ever, discusses
During 30-plus years of interacting with retailers, small business
just one opportunity or solution.
owners, service providers, product managers, ad agency decision
• She sells from top to bottom; including everyone involved in
makers, senior management and others involved in the buying
the planning and decision making process. She helps solve our
and supplying process, I have had many discussions about what
marketing challenges and problems, overcoming obstacles, and
is expected of a superior (...and successful!) sales or marketing
building on our successes. She keeps our entire team aware of any
consultant. It did not matter if these were local storeowners in
changes (at her company, with the company, in the market, out-
small markets or national retailers and ad agencies – the following
side the market) and regularly reviews with us her overall com-
qualities consistently surfaced as benchmarks of a topnotch sales
pany story.
or marketing consultant. • She is knowledgeable about us – our company, our products, our history, our people and the way we are organized, our customers, and our goals and strategies to achieve them. She is an idea person, helping us visualize how her offerings can best be utilized to fill our needs. She thinks strategically...challenging us with more strategic ideas and possibilities.
Last but not least, a topnotch sales or marketing consultant doesn’t sell. Rather, he rolls up his sleeves and works to understand what his client is trying to accomplish. Helping them realize their goal and strategies through creative problem solving develops a long-term partnership between his company and the client’s organization that benefits them both.
• He gives reasons why his company’s products, including but not limited to, websites, both his and others, should play an important role in our marketing strategy. He supports his reasons with research, testimonials, special features and opportunities.
© Murray & Nau, Inc. Chuck Nau of Murray and Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based con-
He involves us in understanding the value of his product or
sultant and sales and management trainer. He is a 25-year veter-
service offerings. He continually feeds us promotional material,
an of advertising, sales, media and management, who knows and
updated market information and new product rollouts (social
understands the everyday challenges of starting up, growing, and
and mobile media possibilities) thereby positively reinforcing
surviving in today’s ever changing retail climate. He has spoken to
our involvement with and investment in many of his company’s
and conducted workshops for a number of local retail and chamber
offerings.
organizations, national publishing groups, national retailers and
• She is an account manager, not a salesperson. She is our point person for all of our contacts or dealings with her company and any related supplier. She’s enthusiastic and likes what she is doing;
manufacturers, state press associations, and newspaper groups. Comments and questions are welcome and may be directed to Chuck via email: murnau@nwlink.com or at 425-603-0984. April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 19
Tickets are $25 per person. Each ticket includes 5 pairings of cupcakes from Frosting the Town with wine from Roland Wines or beer from Five Dons Brewing Co. There are limited tickets available so get them early! To purchase your ticket, visit kelsolongviewchamber.org or call 360-423-8400 All proceeds go to scholarships for Cowlitz County students pursuing higher education.
THURSDAY APRIL 26, 2018 5PM - 7PM | 21+ EVENT Roland Wines 1106 Florida Street Longview, WA 98632
Lower Columbia Professionals
Doing Time
Shawn Green with ServPro spent some time behind bars in an effort to raise money for student scholarships during the Lower Columbia Professionals Cattywampus Carnival March 15 at the Cowlitz Valley Moose Lodge. The event earned more than $1,000
What is Trisha Wilson, 100 Women Who Care, up to with all those tickets?
Akeyla Thill with Guild Mortgage aims to sink a winner.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 21
Lower Columbia College By Chris Bailey President
Because of you students succeed An educated workforce is the cornerstone of any successful com-
tion. She completed her degree and is now working in our commu-
munity. For the first time in decades, the open door to affordable and
nity. Our ability to intervene at a critical time in the student’s life
accessible education is at risk. Textbook costs alone can exceed $900.
helped keep her on track. Today she is a proud LCC alum and living
Fortunately, Lower Columbia College has developed a nationally ac-
a happy, healthy and productive life.
claimed program called Student Success. This program allows cam-
I am so grateful to the community for the response to the Students
pus counselors to identify and award small grants to students who
in Need campaign, which has been incredible so far. Last year, The
may be in jeopardy of not graduating because they are a few hundred
Daily News set a goal of $40,000 for its second annual campaign to
dollars short of the funds they need for tuition, books, childcare, or
support LCC’s Student Success Fund. The final tally came to nearly
transportation.
$47,000, well over the original goal! This year TDN raised its target
In order to help bridge the gap, The Daily News and you, our tre-
to $50,000. Your contribution to the Students in Need campaign,
mendous community, stepped in to support the future of Cowlitz
large or small, holds the potential to change a life and make an im-
County with the Students in Need campaign. One hundred percent of contributions raised through the campaign go to the LCC Student Success Fund. Administered by counselors at LCC, the fund was cre-
pact in your community for years to come. Because of you, we are creating a brighter future for our community, and making investment in education. Thank you.
ated in response to numerous requests from students for emergency assistance. The average student award from the fund is less than
eBill
$500, and benefits students who are most at-risk for dropping out of college due to financial hardship. Since launching the Student Success Fund in 2012, the LCC Foundation has distributed more than $320,000 in emergency grants to help nearly 700 students in need. These one-time grants have meant the difference between success and failure for many students who are either continuing their education or have become proud college graduates. If you were one of The Daily News readers who donated to the Students in Need campaign in the past, I would like to offer my
Sign up TODAY
Receiveit
$
5
cred
heartfelt thanks. The students thank you, too. Your gift impacts not only the student, but also their family and in turn our community. I am incredibly inspired by those students who have shared their stories with me and the impact your gift has made on them. One of those stories is of a student who was progressing well until a dire medical condition made her choose between buying her books for that quarter and buying her medication. The small amount of money given to her from the Student Success Fund allowed her to buy her books and continue her studies while battling her medical condi22 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
computer. tablet. phone. sign up today at 360.423.2210 or https://www.cowlitzpud.org/ebill
Kelso School District
Longview Public Schools
Kelso High School Principal John Gummel
Superintendent Dan Zorn
Assessments driven decisions The mission of the Kelso School District is to prepare every student for living, learning and achieving success as a citizen of our changing world. Using data and assessments to understand how to best address the needs of our students is critical to realizing this mission. For data to be useful, it must be relevant, clear, and accessible. When data is used effectively, care is taken to keep all three of those characteristics in mind. For example, data regarding progress of English Language Learners (ELLs) is used to determine needed areas of professional development. The ELL Instructional Coach regularly shares student data with administrators, the ELL Team, and other coaches and counselors. That data is then synthesized with other information to help frame individual, departmental, and/or whole group conversations with teachers so that the instructional needs of students can be addressed and met. In various programs at Kelso High School, monthly meetings are held to review student progress on every student. From these meetings, we decide what types of supports each student needs to be successful. This could include tutoring, phone calls, or the development of a student growth plan. For example, the administrative team looks at student performance data on a weekly basis. This timely information serves as point of discussion between administrators and teachers. Data is also the basis for the selection of students selected for the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) elective class, where the Site Team Coordinator and counselor create spreadsheets for the selection committee which notes information from a wide range of sources including test scores, reading levels, demographic information, discipline, and attendance. One of the school’s largest systems is the master schedule. At the end of each trimester, sections of core classes are modified based on course completion data so that students have the opportunity for immediate remediation in the next term. For students in alternative education programs like the Kelso Virtual Academy (KVA), the Alternative Learning Team (ALE) meets monthly to determine each students’ level of adequate progress and create a game plan as needed for individual supports. A similar system is also used for special education, ELL, and AVID students. It is important to note that in each of these systems and processes, student voice and input is an expected part of the data collected and used to drive school responses. Because data and student needs are constantly changing, systems exist in many areas and on multiple levels to collect this information and use it to drive structures, practices, and interventions.
We are all educators The week of March 12-16 was Education Support Professionals Week. We joined the rest of our state and nation in honoring the vast contributions our support professionals provide the students of our district. These educators are essential partners. They provide service that transcends nearly every aspect of the education and support given our students, their families, and our community. These individuals keep our schools clean, our lawns mowed, and our children fed. They provide endless hours of classroom support to our students and their teachers, helping to fill opportunity and learning gaps. Our support professionals keep our technology running and assure our students have a secure and healthy environment in which they can learn. Our students are transported safely and given specialized care through the expert and selfless commitment of our education support professionals. In our schools, we are all educators. We simply play different roles as we seek to provide the most responsive and effective education for the students we serve. I urge each of you to also see yourselves as educators of our children. The example you provide, the support you demonstrate, and the love you share plays an integral role in shaping the lives and the future of the students of our community. Your encouragement, time, guidance, and kindness is an essential component in determining the quality of the education our children receive. Thank you for your continued commitment to our kids and our schools.
1157 3rd Avenue, Suite 218
1157 Longview, 3rd Avenue, WA Suite 98632 218 1157 3rd360.952.3100 Avenue, Suite 218 Longview, WA 98632 Longview, WA 98632 www.amadaseniorcare.com 360.952.3100 360.952.3100 www.amadaseniorcare.com www.amadaseniorcare.com April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 23
Ribbon Cutting
It was a sunny day for our ribbon cutting ceremony with Burchett Law Firm, which specializes in criminal defense. They have more than 30 years combined experience. They also do probate.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
Ambassadors and Harry the sasquatch turned out March 28 as the Chamber hosted Brenda Courser of Rose Valley Executive Rentals for a ribbon cutting.
The Chamber welcomed Strand Insurance into the fold March 28.
24 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
New Members Add your business to our growing membership – Call 360-423-8400 Today!
WCHS Kelso Treatment Solutions Nicole Smith 305 Pacific Avenue S., Suite C Kelso, WA 98626 360-425-5378
EYE Clothing Company, LLC Roberto Gonzalez 8700 N.E. Vancouver Mall Vancouver, WA 98662 360-560-562-5069
Twin City Laundry, LLC Rick & Martha Morrison 1208 Washington Way Suite 110 Longview, WA 98632 713-202-4047
Etch This and That Darren Ingraham P.O. Box 309 Longview, WA 98632 360-353-5028
Life Flight Network Cindy McGrath 22285 Yellow Gate Lane, Suite 102 Aurora, OR 97002 541-280-1224
Lexi’s Pizza Pub Brigette Bottorff 273 John Street Kelso, WA 98626 425-516-9501
Norman Insurance Agency Carol Norman 945 Washington Way, No. 141 Longview, WA 98632 360-577-0052
PNW Metal Recycling Eric Enquist 3500 Hoehne Avenue Longview, WA 98632 206-510-1786
Business Association with opportunities to promote trade through Chamber socials, special events and committee participation. • Annual Meeting and Banquet • Networking Events • Committee Participation • Business Contacts • Quarterly Membership
Representation through action committees, candidate forums and up-to-date action alerts. • Legislative Representation • Issues Tracking and Information • Task Forces • Candidate Forums • Legislative Update Breakfast • Demographics Publication
Meetings • Civic Representation • Monthly Business After Hours
Business Services include marketing for your business, referrals and access to Chamber publications and research data. • Mailing Labels • Membership Window Decals • Member Referrals • Ribbon Cutting • Website Links • Member to Member Discounts • Membership Directory • Tax Deduction • Newsletter • Business Card Display • Use of Chamber Logo
Packages Basic Membership Package – $275 or $26 per month. Bronze Membership Package – $500 or $46.66 per month. Silver Membership Package – $1,000 or $86.33 per month. Gold Membership Package – $2,500 or $211.33 per month. Platinum Membership Package – $5,000 or $416.66 per month. Diamond Club Membership Package – $10,000 or $834 per month. Nonprofit Package – $180 or $18 per month. April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 25
PeaceHealth St. John – Wellness in the Workplace Susie Griffin Wellness Services Coordinator
Ascertain your current assets I’ve been a personal trainer for more than 26 years. Regardless of shape, size, ability, age or gender, I always ask the same three questions of my clients: 1) Where have you been? 2) Where are you now? and 3) Where do you want to go? Their answers to these introspective questions will not only help to construct a destination, but most importantly, load their toolbox with tools that will grow their personal strengths and lessen their lesser strengths. As a result of these changes, the preconstructed destination can change; in fact, it most often does. What once served, as a seemingly distant destination now does not. It is time to ascertain your current assets. This is true in our workplace as well. When was the last time you updated your curriculum vitae or resume? How does your resume answer the three questions? Have you ever incorporated these questions in a one-on-one or employee review with your reports?
garnered in your past positions? What personal strengths did you utilize? How did you recognize, address and lessen your lesser strengths? What did you learn? 2) Where are you now? What creative things are you doing in your current role? In what ways are you standing out and being outstanding? Who are you positively impacting, inspiring and/or mentoring? Would your reports, leadership, colleagues agree with your answers? How are you improving the business’ bottom line? 3) Where do you want to go? What will leverage your skills, challenge your strengths and at the same time, give you tools to lessen your lesser strengths?
1) Where have you been? What accomplishments, achievements and accolades have you
For more PeaceHealth, see page 27
Love your new life Losing weight can help you move well, breathe easier and reverse some health conditions. What’s not to love?
Weight loss surgery n Nutrition advice Medically supervised program peacehealth.org/ weight
26 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
PeaceHealth, continued from page 26 What excites and inspires you? On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 eliciting a yawn and 10 eliciting a heart in the throat response), what constitutes a 7? Reflecting on our current skill sets and highlighting them in our resume, every six months, helps to build our confidence for success in future challenging endeavors. Asking and answering these questions consistently and honestly, helps to evoke the greatest potential from not only ourselves but our reports as well. Incorporating these, or other evocative questions like it in your
one on ones, daily conversations and employee reviews, open up dialogue, build trust, and engage employees. In this millennial filled work culture, where job longevity is an average of 2.4 years, an engaged employee population is a healthy asset. Good luck.
Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2013), Schein, Edgar H.
Your Locally Owned and Operated Community Bank • Checking, Savings and CDs • Business Loans • Construction Loans • SBA Loans 729 Vandercook Way, Longview
(360) 414-4101 www.twincitybank.com
There’s a Difference. April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 27
Chamber Connection
March Madness
The studio at BiCoastal Media hosted a number of guests like Grace Quick with Grace's Bridal Boutique for our weekly Chamber Connections segment. Hosts Amy Hallock and Russ Chittock also welcomed new member Roberto Gonzalez with EYE Clothing Company and Cindy and Karinsa with the Dino Doozer Foundation.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
“Your Chamber Connection” EVERY Wednesday Hosts of the Show: Carey Mackey, Red Canoe Credit Union; Karen Sisson, Stewart Title; and Russ Chittock, Enlivant Would you like an opportunity to be on Your Chamber Connection or to have more information about the qualifications of an open house or ribbon cutting? Contact Bill or Amy at the Chamber 360-423-8400 28 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
Chamber Connection
The fun continued when Lindsey Cope of the Cowlitz Economic Development Council and Brooke Fisher with United Way joined hosts Carey Mackey and Karen Sisson.
Stream live at www.kedoam.com Local guest and current events
Carey and Karen also spent time with new Chamber members Bridgett Bottorff of Lexi's Pizza Pub and Brenda Courser of Rose Valley Executive Rentals.
April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 29
March Ambassador of the Month Carrie Medack Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation
Mortgage officer lends her skills to Chamber This is the second time in the past six months Carrie Medack has earned the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassador of the Month honor. She was last chosen in October. Medack is a mortgage loan officer with Diamond Residential Mortgage, where she believes in walking each customer through the origination process and remaining actively involved with them through closing. She tries to make the process painless and is motivated by the smile on a customer’s face as she hands them the keys to their new home. She has been a mortgage lending professional since 1998 and a Chamber Ambassador since 1991. She donned a red coat as a way to network with other business leaders. In addition to her Chamber Ambassador duties, Medack is a member of the Kelso-Longview Elks, Ladies of the Elks, where, from time to time, she shows off her hidden talent of lip-synch performances. Chamber Ambassadors, known as the Red Coats, are an integral
part of the Chamber of Commerce. The Ambassador team is made up of active Chamber volunteers whose responsibilities include meeting and greeting at Chamber events, welcoming new members and assisting at ribbon cuttings and community events. Ambassadors juggle busy professional careers while making time to assist the Chamber at a variety of events year long. If you would be interested in wearing a red coat and representing the Chamber, contact CEO Bill Marcum at the Chamber office.
We look forward to handling your next real estate transaction. Our Escrow Team… Why Our Service is the Difference!
alize peci ng s e W movi in os pian
Residential & Commercial
Since 1982, Cowlitz County Title has been the trusted company the community turns to when buying, selling or refinancing a property. Whether you need title, escrow or property search information, come in for our exceptionalservice. Leave with the secure confidence that your real estate investment is properly insured and protected. Title Insurance Escrow Service ■ Residential & Commercial ■ 1031 Exchange ■ Locally Owned
Bianca Lemmons VP/Manager/LPO
Deanna Cornelison Escrow Officer/LPO
Shelby Caufman Escrow Officer /LPO
Linda Comley Escrow Officer/LPO
Kristy Norman Escrow Assistant
Tryphena Dalton Escrow Assistant
Phuong Stanyer Escrow Assistant
■
360-992-8702 ancmovers.com 30 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | April 2018
■
1159 14th Avenue, Longview, WA 98632 ■ Phone: 360.423.5330 ■ www.cowlitztitle.com
Welcome Back!
The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to give a SHOUT OUT and a big THANK YOU to the following loyal members for renewing their partnership with us.
Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce Interstate Wood Products, Inc. Kalama Chamber of Commerce Lower Columbia CAP M & R Painting, Inc. Mint Valley Federal Credit Union Newrock Homes, Inc. Northwest Auto Specialist, Inc. Retirement Strategies Silver Star Sports Bar & Grill Superior Tire Service, Inc. Woodland Chamber of Commerce
Business & Corporation Law
Attorney Michael Claxton Licensed in WA & OR
Attorney Brian Brault LL.M. in Taxation
Walstead Mertsching serves businesses of many sizes and in various stages of development. Whether your company is a small sole proprietorship or a large corporation, we can provide assistance and guidance. Utilizing a solutions-oriented approach toward achieving defined objectives, our goal is to allow our clients to successfully execute their business plans. • Formation, Reorganization, and Dissolution • Mergers and Acquisitions • Purchases and Sales • Succession Planning
WALSTEAD MERTSCHING AT TO R N E Y S AT L AW
A Full Service Civil Law Firm for over 90 Years CIVIC CENTER BUILDING, 3RD FLOOR 1700 HUDSON ST., LONGVIEW, WA
(360) 423-5220 Longview www.walstead.com April 2018 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 31