May
2019
Business Connection
Volume 11, Issue 5
Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber's Pillars of Strength and Crystal Apple Awards drew 275 for dinner and the ceremony.
Connection to Community Pulls at Heartstrings
Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Team Bill Marcum, CEO Amy Hallock Project Manager Pam Fierst Office Manager Joelle Wilson Social Media Services
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
I
t would be an exaggeration to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the Cowlitz County Event Center during the Kelso Longview Chamber’s Pillars of Strength and Crystal Apple Awards May 1, but it was close. The annual event to honor the community’s business and education leaders proved emotional. “The theme last night when people were giving their speeches was about people and community and I think that is why so many got emotional,” said Amy Hallock, the Chamber’s project manager and ceremony organizer. “We live in a community with so many amazing people and when you take about 275 of them put them in the same room it’s kind of emotional thing.” In the business categories, J Squared Barrel House was named Small Business of the Year while Red Leaf Coffee earned Large Business of the Year honors. The award for Small Nonprofit of the Year went to Children’s Discovery Museum. United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties took home the Large For more Awards, see page 3
Lifetime Achievement winner Gail Wells, who is retiring from Longview Schools, and Community Leader of the Year Chris Bailey of Lower Columbia College.
Congratulations To All the Nominees! PILLARS OF STRENGTH
&
CRYSTAL APPLE
AWARDS K-12 Support Person of the Year
Higher Education Teacher of the Year
Rising Star Award
Christy Alumbaugh, RA Long HS
Brad Benjamin, LCC
Josh Carter, KLOG, KUKN, The Wave
Deb Bergman, Robert Gray
Gina Challed, LCC
Kelly Godden, Specialty Rents & Events
Carissa Contreras, Kelso HS
Becky Connolly, LCC
Marc Silva, Columbia Bank
(Winner)
(Winner)
Teedara Garn, Cowlitz PUD
Jeanne Kerns, Discovery HS
Dr. Courtney Shah, LCC
(Winner)
Workforce Education Best Practice Signature Transport
Small Non-Profit of the Year
Alisa Shipley, Kessler Elementary K-12 Teacher of the Year Diondra Beck, Mark Morris HS
(Winner)
Tangi Bennett, Wallace Elementary Cody Brogan, Kelso HS Wendy Droke, Kelso HS Michael Fajardo, RA Long HS Jennifer Godinho-Hefley, RA Long Marla Green, Kelso School District Daniel Hartley, Kelso HS
(Winner) Becky Richards, Wallace Elementary Gerri Schooling, RA Long HS Mary Sundberg, Robert Gray K-12 Administrator of the Year
Dr. Elizabeth West, Longview Schools (Winner) Higher Ed. Support Person of the Year Angel Ruvalcaba, LCC (Winner) Nichole Seroshek, LCC
Longview Outdoor Gallery
Express Employment J Squared Barrel House (Winner) Summerland Catering Twin City Laundry
Large Non-Profit of the Year Goodwill Industries Kelso Longview Elks United Way of Cowlitz & Wahkiakum Counties (Winner)
Large Business of the Year Bob’s Sporting Goods
Service Organization of the Year
Interfor of Longview
100 Women and 100 Men Who Care
Millennium Bulk Terminals
(Winner)
Newrock Homes
Altrusa of Longview-Kelso
Red Leaf Coffee
Pioneer Lions Club of Longview
(Winner)
Rotary Club of Kelso Rotary Club of Longview
Noma Hudson, Kessler Elementary Scott Merzoian, Monticello MS
(Winner) Life Flight Network
Small Business of the Year
Patricia Hopkins, CVG Elementary JD Ott, RA Long HS
Children’s Discovery Museum
Business Individual of the Year Bruce Pollock, Bicoastal Media
Community Leader of the Year
(Winner)
Chris Bailey, LCC
Carey Mackey, Red Canoe Credit Union
(Winner)
John Paul, KLOG, KUKN, The Wave
Ted Sprague, Cowlitz Economic Development Council
(Winner) Lisa Straughan, Express Employment Professionals
Jeff Wilson, Port of Longview
Awards, continued from page 1
The Chamber Education Committee and Lower Columbia Professionals handed out 15 scholarships totalling $25,000.
Nonprofit of the Year trophy and 100 Women and 100 Men Who Care were presented with Service Organization of the Year. Individual honors went to: Bruce Pollock, Bicoastal Media, and John Paul, KLOG/ KUKN/The Wave, Business Individual of the Year; Teedara Garn, Cowlitz PUD, Rising Star Award; and Chris Bailey, LCC, Community Leader of the Year. Bicoastal Media and KUKN/KLOG/The Wave, along with PeaceHealth, C’s Photography and Foster Farms sponsored the evening. R.A. Long High School’s JD Ott was named Teacher of the Year. Other honors went to: Carissa Contreras, Kelso High School, K-12 Support Person of the Year; Elizabeth West, Longview Schools, K-12 Administrator of the Year; Angel Ruvalcaba, Lower Columbia College (LCC) Higher Education Support Person of the Year; Becky Connolly, LCC, Higher Education Teacher of the Year; and Signature Transport, Workforce Education Best Practice. Many tears were dabbed from cheeks when the Chamber Education Committee and the Lower Columbia Professionals (LCP) presented 15 local graduating seniors with $25,000 in scholarships, $20,000 of the total raised throughout 2018 by LCP members. Hallock, who is also an LCP member, said it’s hard to contain the joy at that point in the evening. “To see the kids there collecting their big checks always gets me a little teary-eyed because we are making a difference, and so are each one of the educators, nonprofits, businesses and service organizations that
PUD's Teedara Garn was named 2019 Rising Star.
were in that room. “It’s nice to hear you are appreciated and your hard work isn’t going unnoticed even though most of these people wouldn’t do a thing different even if they never got a pat on the back.” May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 3
Cowlitz County Commissioners By Dennis Weber
Outpouring of Support for Fallen Deputy
The tragic news of the death of Cowlitz County Deputy Sheriff Justin DeRosier swept across the county last month and spurred an unprecedented flood of support and sympathy for the DeRosier family and for law enforcement/first responder agencies. In conversations with other deputies and with Sheriff Brad Thurman, it was apparent that this degree of support made quite an impact. As one deputy admitted, “We get rather jaded in this profession because of the people we are always dealing with. So the community’s response has been overwhelming and reassuring.” If you or your employees participated in any of the many events honoring Deputy DeRosier and his legacy, thank you so much. If you watched the procession or the memorial service at the University of Portland’s Chiles Center, you have shared in that solemn occasion. The folks responsible for organizing the entire event, the Behind the Badge Foundation, deserves a lot of credit for a near perfect blend of solemn, formal rituals and bagpipe traditions with the more informal and human side of DeRosier. And Master of Ceremonies Kirc Roland, Kelso radio personality, also gets kudos for his sensitive, but comforting and engaging explanations and anecdotes. Even when he choked up a little, it was so appropriate. The service was filled with poignant testimonies about Deputy DeRosier from former bosses, family friends, colleagues, and lifelong buddies and included a lot of humorous stories that reflected
well on Deputy DeRosier’s personality. But the tears really began when his widow Katie was escorted down center court holding their 6-month-old daughter Lilly, sleeping so peacefully on her shoulder. As she passed each row, wave after wave of attendees reached for pockets and purses to pull out Kleenex. Through all the tears and laughter, the audience gained a new respect for Deputy DeRosier, his passion for law enforcement and for family, his sense of humor and his loyalty to school and community. Thousands of people from across the nation and the Pacific Northwest took part in honoring Deputy DeRosier’s ultimate sacrifice, the first deputy killed in action in the county’s 165-year history. They lined the procession route through Longview and Kelso and watched from overpasses along I-5 from Kelso to Portland. Hundreds watched live broadcasts locally and nearly 4,600 watched from their seats at the University’s Chiles Center. Among those paying their respects were U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler and Washington State Secretary of State Kim Wyman, plus at least five state legislators, including Reps. Brain Blake, Larry Hoff, Ed Orcutt, and Jim Walsh and Sen. Dean Takko, as well as representatives from Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and numerous county and other local officials. Rest in peace, Justin DeRosier. You may be gone, but you’ll never be forgotten.
Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Frank Panarra, President
Ken Botero Longview City Council
Bruce Pollock Bicoastal Media
Bianca Lemmons, President Elect Cowlitz County Title
Bob Crisman Gallery of Diamonds
Tom Rozwod NORPAC
Chris Roewe, Vice President Woodford Commercial Real Estate
Rich Gushman Gibbs & Olson
Ted Sprague Cowlitz Economic Development Council
Neil Zick, Treasurer Twin City Bank
Marlene Johanson Heritage Bank
Lisa Straughan Express Employment Professionals
Michael Claxton, Legal Counsel
Wendy Kosloski Teague's Interiors
Michael Vorse Minuteman Press
Foster Farms
Walstead Mertsching
Nick Lemiere, Executive Board Edward Jones
Nancy Malone Mayor of Kelso Cherelle Montanye St. John/PeaceHealth
4 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Dennis Weber Cowlitz County Commissioner
Discover!
www.portofkalama.com
Did you know the Port collaborates to educate students on local careers? Did you know that businesses at the Port of Kalama employ more than 1,100 people? When you drive by the Port you may not see a lot of people or corporate neon signs, but Port of Kalama businesses combine to create a formidable employment community in Cowlitz County. From family-owned ventures to Fortune 500 companies, there are over 30 industries conducting global business and commerce including import/export, manufacturing, marketing, welding and fabrication, steel manufacturing, recycling, trucking and myriad other commercial and industrial enterprises. They choose Kalama for its ideal location in the heart of the Pacific Northwest and proximity to highway, railroad and the Columbia River Through work at the Kalama Career Fair and ongoing engagement of Port businesses in educational programs, the Port of Kalama continues to build close relationships between students, the faculty of Kalama Schools and the Port’s business community. “We have a strong commitment to our community—we exist to create economic opportunity for our region, now and into the future,” says Mark Wilson, executive director at the Port of Kalama and a collaborative partner of the Kalama Career Fair. “We want to help create a balanced opportunity for students to learn about a range of careers and business opportunities—there are amazing jobs right here and businesses that offer world-class advantages in Kalama.” One eager Port business partner and Career Fair participant is Rob Rich, vice president of marine services at Shaver Transportation. “I want students to know what is expected of them when they seek a job—they need a high school education, they need to demonstrate that they are capable of learning and that they can take direction,” says Rich. “And I’d encourage other Port businesses to join us—it’s so important to reach out to these kids while they are in high school to offer them job exposure and help them to discover their passion. It’s the best time to help them along their life career path.”
https://portofkalama.com/discover-the-portcollaborates-with-schools-and-businesses-toeducate-students-on-career-opportunities-righthere-at-home/
Chamber CEO’s Message By Bill Marcum
Advertising Opportunity with the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce There’s an advertising opportunity available in this Chamber newsletter – The ads you see throughout this Business Connection, our monthly, digital newsletter, cost between $50 and $400 depending on the size of the ad and the frequency it runs. The pricing is not designed around making lots of money for the Chamber. As the Business Connection title implies, it is designed to give Chamber members the opportunity to advertise business to business; to promote your business to employees of other businesses efficiently, effectively and without breaking the bank. The Chamber newsletter is published around the first of each month and distributed electronically to our members. Members of our larger businesses – the county, cities, school districts and Lower Columbia College – all forward the electronic version to their staff via email. The total distribution is estimated today at 6,200 copies. Each newsletter ranges between 30 and 50 pages. Today’s 33-page newsletter is packed with more than 13 guest columns focused on business, government, education and news. The pricing also in-
cludes your ad on the Chamber’s website at no additional charge. The Chamber website tallies between 4,500 and 6,500 page views per month. What makes that 2,000 difference in views? Events mainly. Chamber events, events happening within our communities like the Go Fourth Festival, Squirrel Fest, and the largest contributor in any one-month period, is sQuatch Fest, which jumps our page views in January to more than 8,000. Take a look www.kelsolongviewchamber.org your ad could be a part of all the pages of the Chamber website. You will notice the ads rotate in the top right and lower right position. For as little as $600 your business card-sized ad could appear in 12 editions of the newsletter and 12 months on the Chamber’s website. In the world of advertising, this is a steal... If you are interested in additional information about advertising in the Kelso Longview Chamber newsletter please contact with me at 360-423-8400 or bmarcum@kelsolongviewchamber.org.
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
6 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
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Calendar Wednesday May 1 – 5pm Education and Business Awards Cowlitz County Event Center
Thursday May 2 – 7:30-8:30am Ambassadors Meeting Columbia Bank
Tuesday May 14 – 5:30-7:30pm Business After Hours Lifeworks
Friday May 17 – 7:30am Small Business Boot Camp Leadership Training Series Lower Columbia College
Monday May 20 – Noon Chamber Executive Board Mill City Grill
Tuesday May 21 – Noon Chamber Board Meeting Mill City Grill
Monday May 27
Lower Columbia College By Chris Bailey President
A Brief History of the Early Years of Lower Columbia College Lower Columbia College (LCC) was created, quickly, in 1934, in the heart of the Great Depression. It involved the work of a group of folks with the University of Washington and many local citizens who collected money to start the school. The local Kiwanis group was actively involved in the formation. The first formal community meeting about interest in creating the college was held on May 3, 1934 at the Monticello Hotel. Approximately 150 members of the community showed up. The first “Board of Regents” was elected on June 11, 1934 at a second community meeting held for that purpose. Formal fundraising efforts in July 1934 included “going door-todoor,” formation of a ukulele band, and putting on a parade and a “pep rally.” The latter events involved a bonfire. A few thousand dollars were “scraped together” to start the school. The Board of Regents gave the institution its name, “Lower Columbia Junior College.” LCJC had no campus. A few rooms at the new R.A. Long High School were rented for classroom space and LCJC was born. Registration of the initial students occurred at local businesses, including ones in Longview, Kelso, Kalama and Castle Rock. LCJC opened its doors and held its first assembly on October 2, 1934. The accounts vary as to how many applicants there were for that first cohort, but it appears there were 53
students enrolled in the first classes at LCJC. There were seven graduates in the first graduation ceremony in 1936. The college was accredited by the University of Washington at the end of its second year. Still without a campus, LCJC soon outgrew R.A. Long High School and expanded its classes primarily to the Longview Public Library and at businesses downtown. In 1942, the Longview Company sold LCJC 26 acres of land on the site of its present campus. Unfortunately, the college had no money at that time for buildings. The Main Building was finally constructed on the site in 1950. Many buildings soon followed, and the college currently has 26 buildings on its 38-acre site. In 1945, LCJC became an accredited “junior college.” It was then part of the Longview School District. In 1961, through legislative action, our college officially became a “community college.” Then in 1967, our current community college system was set up by the legislature and Lower Columbia College was formally separated from the Longview School District. Today, LCC serves more than 5,000 people each year and has received many state and national recognitions. In its long tenure, Lower Columbia College has had just 12 presidents, and I am very proud to be a small part of its remarkable history.
Chamber Office Closed Memorial Day
Every Wednesday Chamber Connections KEDO/1400 AM or 99.1 FM 3-4pm Stream live at www.kedoam.com
May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 7
The Executive Corner By Frank McShane Square Peg Consulting
Promotion Decisions – Past or Future?
Promoting someone is one of the most important people-decisions you make in managing your business. You are risking more responsibility and higher levels of results with the person. You are investing more money in them. Most of all, you are entrusting them with a larger role in impacting your business. It’s worth thinking through the rationales we use when deciding to promote someone, especially to a leadership position.
Compounding the issues associated with these types of promotion decisions is the reluctance of the managers who made them to admit the mistake. Rather than making a change, they keep hoping the person will adjust and maybe absorb some people skills, either through training or coaching. In short, they just keep pounding that square peg into a round hole.
While I have seen many successful promotions, I have also seen many that just did not work out as hoped. Either the individual just couldn’t perform in a different role or they never rose to the demands of leadership. When analyzing the causes of these misfires, a definite pattern became clear.
Look to the Future
Relying on the Past In several manufacturing and supply chain companies, it was apparent that many of the supervisory promotions were based on choosing the best operator. Little thought had been given to the requirements of the new leadership role. The person’s previous technical and operating skills and experience didn’t prepare them for the communication, engagement, planning, and coordination requirements of a supervisory role. The worst cases arose when the individual had been promoted to supervise their previous peers, who were often their friends. Establishing clear expectations and an objective view of the performance of their previous co-workers wasn’t possible. In a number of sales departments, the best sales person is often promoted to be a sales manager. This is an example of two strikes on one pitch – you lose your best sales person and create a mediocre sales manager. Engineering and technology companies also struggle with these issues. They recruit people with exceptional technical, analytical, and problemsolving skills, who perform well in those. Then they are faced with promoting the best technician to now be a leader of people. That neither comes naturally nor have they been trained in those skills.
By no means should you ignore past performance when assessing candidates for promotion. However, don’t let that be the primary determination. Rather, focus on the requirements of the new role. Here are some questions to consider: • How many people will the promoted employee be managing? • What is the skill and experience level of those people? • How much change from past practices will be required? • How established are the processes and procedures their team will be executing? • How much planning and problem-solving will be required? • What level of communication and engagement will be necessary among the team? These are not easy questions to answer but are essential in defining the requirements of the new role and the traits necessary for success. The answers may point to promoting the less-than-best performer from the previous role, someone who has met expectations but also has the most potential in the new job. Creating Other Paths Many companies have had to address the issue of how to recognize the outstanding performers who are not necessarily suited for promotion to supervision. They have created more technical paths to encourage growth and career progress. Engineers might move from Engineer 1 to 2, 3, 4 or to Senior Engineer, Lead Engineer, etc. Similar paths have been established for operators and technicians. It is important that these are more than just titles. The challenges and scope of responsibility needs to increase at each step. Opportunities to lead by example through the quality and innovation of their work adds meaning and value to each step. Promotion decisions are essential for growing businesses. More weight should be given to the individual’s potential in the new role rather than their past performance.
Residential & Commercial gro.n.control@gmail.com
8 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Frank McShane is president of Square Peg Consulting. For questions or comments, please contact him at fvm@SqrPegConsulting.com or 360-5621077.
Cowlitz Economic Development Council By Ted Sprague CEO
A Big Win for the Port of Woodland The Port of Woodland, as intervener in a case between the Columbia Riverkeeper and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, won in court on April 16 to obtain the necessary land for speculative development in the Port District. In Judge Gary Bashor’s ruling, he stated that the transfer of land ownership from one public entity to another is exempt and exempt from the SEPA review, the DNR’s determination of the Determination on No Significance does not erase the exemption, the determination was not arbitrary, capricious, or unlawful nor is it clearly erroneous and therefore the Court denies the appeal and upholds DNR’s Resolution 1507 for the sale of the property to the Port of Woodland.
WDFW, an unauthorized agreement. The claims that the Port had known development plans were found to be misplaced and misleading regarding the snowballing effect creating inertia for future development stating, “in this case the transaction is purely a land sale. There is no permitting decisions, planning decisions, etc. being addressed,” further adding, “Should any future development be proposed, it will be subject to a full EIS,” stated in Judge Bashor’s ruling.
“It’s been a long drawn out process and we appreciate the Court’s ruling which allows the Port to move ahead. We commend all those who have supported the Port in this process including our local legislative members like Rep. DeBolt,” stated Commissioner Paul Cline on behalf of the Port Commission.
“The Court’s ruling defends the Port and the DNR that we followed all procedures and requirements for this land transaction. We are pleased by Judge Bashor’s ruling and continue to plan for the possibility of development along the Columbia River to create jobs and bring industrial development to 154 acres at Austin Point that the Port has owned for close to 60 years. The Port will continue to meet our mission through the proper processes, procedures, planning and development per our County, State and Federal requirements,” stated Port Executive Director Jennifer Wray-Keene.
The Columbia Riverkeeper appealed the SEPA decision of the land acquisition approved by the DNR Board in 2017. In the ruling, Judge Bashor identified that the bird release site was not between the legal landowner, the DNR and the agency, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, rather it was entered into the tenant and the
This ruling is a confirmation that the Port of Woodland and other agencies acted correctly throughout the transaction. The denial of this appeal is an excellent decision and now we can focus on the potential development for significant future job creation and capital investment!
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May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 9
City of Kelso
City of Longview
By Councilman David Futcher
By City Councilman Ken Botero
Law enforcement quality is obvious This space has been used more than a few times to praise the quality law enforcement in Kelso, and recent events have again reinforced the excellence we have come to expect in our local law enforcement agencies. One of the worst tragedies that have struck local first responders occurred when CCSO Deputy Justin DeRosier was recently killed in what at least felt like an ambush. His commitment to service and willingness to put himself into dangerous situations for our benefit will not be forgotten. A tragedy like this sends waves through the community, especially through law enforcement officers and their families, who are harshly reminded that any seemingly innocuous call they take might end up like Justin’s did. It isn’t an easy time for these officers, and the support that our community has shown has helped provide comfort and a sense of encouragement. In other communities, you might see very different responses to events like this, or to the subsequent shooting of the deputy’s killer by members of Kelso’s police department. I believe that the positive outpourings of sentiment and resources are directly tied to the relationships built by all of the agencies in our community, and exemplified by Kelso’s own department. Chief Andrew Hamilton is currently the longest-tenured leader of a law enforcement agency in the county. He has worked to build positive relationships with the other agencies in the community, meeting regularly with the chiefs and sheriff, resulting in a mutual aid commitment that strengthens all departments. Kelso has long operated a police department staffed by individuals who are certainly not on the job just to carry a weapon and throw their weight around. Chief Hamilton and his staff have invested significant resources into finding the kind of officers that share the goal of serving the public. A chief of a neighboring department commented to me that where he had worked in the past, cooperation was largely nonexistent, and that the mutual support police agencies provide in Cowlitz County was a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to have that kind of an outside perspective. We can take what we have for granted, but become better as a community when we take the time to appreciate our strengths, and the people that contribute to them. Thank you, my law enforcement friends. 10 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
City beautiful backdrop for spring Greetings on this beautiful spring day, and a very happy welcome to the longer days, warmer weather and everyone’s happy attitudes. What a wonderful time of the year. The trees are providing their beautiful canopies. The flowers are blooming and displaying their many awesome colors. The lawns in the community are coming alive with vibrant green, and even the weeds are showing their colors. Here in the Jewel of southwest Washington, also known as Longview, Mother Nature is providing an awesome and exciting feeling of true happiness. Not only Mother Nature but also our local residents and visitors have stepped up to make the season something special. Sit back and take a look at our community and its citizens all pitching in to provide for our Quality of Place. With the beautiful changing of seasons here in Longview we see the doors opening to many family activities that promise an exciting season of happiness and adventure. We are proud to extend a hardy welcome to parents and grandparents as they partake in the joy of watching the youth in our community in their spring and summer activities such as youth baseball, softball, soccer, swimming and junior golf. There is also the opportunity to partake in the world of baseball, catching the action at a Black Bears’ game or a Lower Columbia College contest. And who wouldn’t be proud to see someone special in a junior league baseball or softball game. There are fantastic summer camp activities, not only for youth, but the entire family. Let’s get together and take a walk around the city and enjoy the beautiful neighborhoods, attend the awesome concerts at Lake Sacajawea, or the newly revamped R.A. Long Park, and while you’re there stop in and have some pizza or dinner at our historical Monticello Hotel. You might even want to take a stroll down our historic downtown with its sculptures and the Columbia Theatre. Getting hungry with all this walking? There are plenty of quality restaurants in the area. Don’t forget our local small businesses in the area are waiting to serve you with pride. You might even want to visit our mall or take up the challenge of beating the odds at the Mint Valley Golf Course or the Longview Country Club. I would invite all of you, residents as well as visitors, to take a piece of paper, and draw a line down the middle. In the left hand column write, “What I like in Longview.” On the right jot down “My dislikes in Longview.” I would be willing to bet you will have much more to write on the left side than you do on the right. Welcome to Longview. Yes, we do have some negatives, but the positives outweigh them, and prove that we, Longview, are a proud bunch of eager citizens with a dream of our Quality of Place for all. Join us for a new adventure. Do I love Longview? You betcha.
Our Current Project
Renaud Electic is moving into the Searing Building. They have hired Mountain View Commercial Contracting to do all the improvements. Searing closed its doors after nearly 50 years and another long time Longview business, Renaud Electric, is moving from its location of more than 55 years to the Searing location. Mountain View Commercial Contracting is doing all the construction necessary to make that transition a smooth one.
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By Chuck Nau Retail Consultant and Sales and Managment Trainier – Murray & Nau, Inc.
It’s NOT about Perfection ... It’s ALL about Progress! One Step at a Time in Your Adventure In today’s changing and challenging economic environment, it’s becoming more and more apparent to all of us the benefits of developing a positive, can do attitude. Yes, you may have bloodied your nose over the past few years, but let’s step back for a moment and get reacquainted with some day-to-day, benefit-producing habits. Let’s review each of these habits and explore incorporating them into your day-to-day activities, helping to assure your ongoing personal growth and business success. As you go forward, consider the process of growth to be an adventure, a journey or an opportunity to learn and practice some different strategies. As you begin, let yourself enjoy the journey, have some fun, allow yourself to stumble now and again, but, most of all, stick with it...the longer the better and the better you’ll get! Here are some guideposts to help you along the way... Relax...Challenge yourself and strive to be the best of the best, but recognize that anxiety is common and is brought on by fear of failure. Overcome this fear by taking action, moving forward a step at a time and remembering…when you are uncomfortable, you are growing! Be Patient With Yourself...Don’t be too critical and don’t give up if your first efforts did not achieve what you had hoped for. Judge your skill acquisition in terms of its continuing improvement, looking for progress not perfection. Michelangelo, when asked about the source of his genius, replied, “Genius is patience.” One Step at a Time...Learn one new skill rather than tackling everything at once. It’s not how many steps...rather it’s the direction you are headed that counts most. Tackle smaller challenges or clients first, then as you gain experience and confidence (... which comes through doing), broaden your challenges or client development. It’s better to approach smaller challenges or clients and succeed, and be encouraged to continue, than to approach larger clients, fail and be discouraged and tempted not to continue. Start With Questions...It’s ALL about questions. Don’t tell to sell ASK potential customers questions, questions about themselves, their business, their customers, their goals. ASK questions! Questions help people open up…Questions demand answers... Questions put YOU in control...Questions give you valuable information. Nothing I SAY today will teach me anything, if I am going to learn something today I need to LISTEN! NOs!...Understand them and use them to your advantage. When a potential client tells you “no”, be sure you understand, 12 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
asking questions, what prompted the “no”? As for you, guard your time, today (e.g. in the present!) and tomorrow, by giving yourself permission to tell yourself and others “no” so your time, your valuable time, is not carelessly given away. Accept Your Mistakes...When things do not go the way you had hoped or planned, pause for a moment and ask yourself these two questions...“What did I do right?” and “If all things were the same, what would I do differently the next time?” Build on your successes, rather than learning from your mistakes! Focus on designing the future, NOT redesigning on the past. Use The Correct Tools...Whether it’s your business, your employees, your suppliers, friends, or family...use experience, theirs and yours, PLUS constructive feedback and criticism to enhance and maximize your day-to-day efforts and success. Don’t rely only on your tools at hand. Invest in yourself with different experiences, looking for the teaching moment (...asking questions), in continuing education and volunteer opportunities outside of your business. Practice your newly acquired skills with friends and acquaintances, so they will become natural to you day in and day out. Lighten Up...Fear of failure may cause you to subconsciously push too hard, to “white knuckle” sell to that customer or client. Anticipate minor setbacks, have fun and laugh at yourself. You can do it! You know you can! Be patient... Good luck? It’s simply where preparation meets opportunity! Don’t Overlook the Obvious...Don’t go too far away from your existing customers and clients in search of the next new bigger client over the horizon. You may just lose your perception of that existing customer or client and not realize that had you asked they would have happily said yes to a larger and larger (dollar) commitment to your business or service. Step Back...Much like an artist, develop your depth perception and judgment. In other words, the longer your view, the smaller things become. Teach yourself to regularly and frequently “step back” and look at the big picture, your overall account customer or client profile rather than always intently focusing on each and every account. Where are you going? What are you trying to achieve? What are you attempting to manage? Asking yourself similar questions and pausing to take an overview will ensure that you do not stray very far before you realize you’re making a mistake or focusing on the wrong customers or clients or the wrong areas of opportunity. Don’t forget, like some of the best symphonies, some of the best small business careers are unfinished! Enhancing your strengths... For more Nau, see page 15
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Kelso School District
Longview Public Schools
Superintendent Mary Beth Tack
Superintendent Dan Zorn
The importance of Early Learning
Your capital bond questions answered
In the Kelso School District, we’re seeing a steady decline in the number of kids coming to school ready for kindergarten. In fact, this school year the number of children who entered kindergarten meeting expectations in all six areas of development is at an all-time low of 11.4 percent. To give you some perspective, in Longview School District that number is 25.4 percent, state-wide it’s 44.9 percent, and in Vancouver School District it’s 56 percent.
During the recent digital Thoughtexchange process, community members voiced their thoughts about the upcoming capital bond measure and asked numerous good questions. Answers to these questions follow. For more information about the capital bond visit www.longviewschools.com.
The six areas of development measured for kindergarten readiness are cognitive, language, literacy, math, physical, and social emotional. This year, we had more than twice as many students (24 percent) showing readiness in zero areas of development than we had showing readiness in all six.
Will every school get some type of improvement? Yes. Every elementary, middle and high school will receive safety and security updates and facilities will get major repair issues fixed. The high schools will receive career technical/vocational facility remodels and new machinery and tools to bring programs up to industry standards.
Some of the ways lack of readiness shows up is in a student’s ability (or not) to walk in lines, self-regulate, work with others, identify letters, or recognize their own name when it’s written.
What specific “Large Repair Projects” would the bond measure include? The bond measure will include repair projects at every school in the district based on need. Not every school will receive the same level or number of repairs since some schools, like Olympic Elementary, has greater need.
Why does this matter? The importance of early learning cannot be overstated. Research from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing found that students entering kindergarten who were behind in their social-behavioral development were up to 80 percent more likely to be held back a grade level and to receive extra educational supports. They were also up to seven times more likely to be suspended or expelled at least once. The research also shows that a lack of kindergarten readiness takes a larger toll, including added expenses for special education and the juvenile justice system. Early learning is one of our top district priorities. In addition to providing additional supports for teachers to meet kids where they are, we’re working on ways to help more kids come to kindergarten ready to learn. One of the main issues we’re facing in Kelso is a lack of space for Head Start programs. Those programs serve at risk families and support them in meeting the six areas of child development that determine kindergarten readiness. We’re looking for more space so Head Start programs can serve all the eligible families in our district. Another area of focus is looking for grants to fund training for all local pre-K and day care programs. The trainings would give providers and teachers the tools to support kids in their social-emotional and academic readiness. Meanwhile, we’re monitoring the gaps and adapting kindergarten classes with increased social-emotional learning (SEL) tools. We’re implementing more positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) strategies to help kids with behavior, self-regulation, and setting schoolwide expectations. Next year, all elementary schools in the district will be AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) schools. This will provide school-wide academic strategies to help our kids succeed. The success, safety, and well-being of our students is always at the top of our list. The more we can support early learning, as a community, the better our children will be. For more information about what children should know before entering kindergarten, visit https://www.ortingschools.org/Page/391. 14 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
When is the vote for this bond? The 18-day voting period begins on Oct. 18 and runs through Election Day – Nov. 5.
In general, schools will receive one or all of new roof and drainage/irrigation repairs, concrete and asphalt repair, interior and exterior lighting upgrades, flooring replacement, HVAC replacement, electrical and plumbing repairs, and gym floor replacements. What vocational upgrades does the bond measure include? Existing classrooms and work spaces will be remodeled, new tools and equipment purchased and the programs brought up to industry standard. This will help us to improve upon our medical science, robotics, welding, construction technology, and information technology program offerings. What percentage of this funding will support college and career readiness upgrades/facilities for our graduates? $8.4 million or 7.3 percent of the bond funding will directly support career and college readiness. All of the upgrades will improve the learning environments of all of our students thereby improving the education provided our students whether they are career or college bound. Building larger new elementary schools to accommodate growth in west Longview is a great idea. How much larger will they be? Currently Mint Valley Elementary serves about 430 students; the new, larger school will serve 540 students. Northlake currently serves about 330 kids and will be built to serve 540 students. What is the plan for the use of portable classrooms? The plan is to reduce the use of portable classrooms as much as possible. Increasing the capacity of both Mint Valley and Northlake to 540 students per school will eliminate portable classroom use at the two schools. Redrawing attendance boundaries will help other schools reduce portable classroom usage. Are we spending the money on the right schools? Should the district ask for more money and address more elementary schools? In 2017, For more Longview Schools, see page 15
Longview Schools, continued from page 14 the school board approved a bond package of $121.9 million and it failed. Since then 14 community input sessions were held, and a scientific community survey and digital ThoughtExchange survey was completed. The significant community feedback along with the failed 2017 bond measure lead the school board to approve a lower cost bond package. Why include a stadium in the bond measure? Based on feedback from community members, the Athletic Facilities Taskforce, district employees, and considering the current condition of the stadium, the Facilities Advisory Committee recommended stadium upgrades as a part of the bond measure. The updated stadium and field will serve both girls’ and boys’ athletics and our physical education programs. If you have questions about the upcoming bond, please contact me at: dzorn@longview.k12.wa.us. We will get you answers and include them in our FAQ document that can be found on our website. Thank you for supporting Longview Public Schools.
Cracking The Code To Business Solutions "Our business loves doing banking through Fibre Federal. Whoever greets us at the counter or over the phone is always cheerful and helpful. Fibre genuinely cares about our business and helping us succeed.“ -Robbie Neal, Owner Puzzle Quest
Nau, continued from page 12 Minimizing your weaknesses is a challenge. It is also hard work. But the rewards are hard earned and well deserved. If you expect the best...you’ll get the best! Have fun!...and Good luck! © Murray & Nau, Inc. Chuck Nau of Murray and Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based consultant and sales and management trainer. He is a 25-year veteran of advertising, sales, media and management, who knows and understands the everyday challenges of starting up, growing, and surviving in today’s ever changing retail climate. He has spoken to and conducted workshops for a number of local retail and chamber organizations, national publishing groups, national retailers and 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.
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Business Toolbox By Jerry D. Petrick Certified Business Adviser
Addressing Financial Stress Continued... Last month we talked about how to address the common condition of LOW OR DECLINING CASH in your business – specifically, we tackled your inventory levels and how to understand your current levels and what they should be to improve your cash flow.
Now we’ll identify the TARGET level of A/R you should have. Grab your pencil, P&L, and Balance Sheet and we will walk through a quick example showing how you can identify the amount of excess A/R you have.
This month we take up the second most common issue impacting your cash – your Accounts Receivable (A/R) levels. I will take you through an example of how you can use your own financial statements to analyze your current A/R situation and how you can radically improve your cash flow by managing you’re A/R more deliberately.
Note: This is a very similar set of calculations to those we made last month when we determined your excess and target INVENTORY levels.
As a refresher, here are the primary causes of low or declining levels of cash:
IF: CREDIT SALES (Total Sales – Cash Sales [From P&L])/ A/R (Average A/R level for the year From Balance Sheet) = # of A/R Turns THEN: Credit Sales / # of A/R Turns = A/R ($)
High Current Liabilities => need for cash to pay bills and expenses depleting available cash.
Too Much Inventory => cash in the form of excess inventory causes multiple issues including need for borrowing, shrinkage, damage, high hidden costs (insurance, cycle counting, obsolescence etc.)
Credit Sales = $2,160,000
A/R = $270,000 (From Balance Sheet)
Target # of inventory turns (industry standard) = 8.5
Too Much Customer Credit (Accounts Receivable) => choosing to be the “bank” can be a very costly decision especially as it impacts your cash flow, flexibility, and increased risk.
$270,000/8.5 = $254,000 (Target A/R level)
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CASH LEVELS If your business has Accounts Receivable [money owed to you for sales made in the past] then you have “decided” to become a “bank”. It’s amazing how many businesses commonly extend credit/payment terms to their customers without consciously recognizing they are now in a different business => they are now also bankers. My experience is that most business owners are not trained as bankers; more specifically, as lenders. So, they are engaging in lending decisions on a regular basis whenever they sell goods or services without requiring full payment at the time of delivery. If you find yourself in this “accidental banker” situation you may want to pay special attention to the analysis below to confirm the condition of your A/R and the impact those receivables are having on your cash. Let’s walk through some calculations you can easily make on your own business to determine the health of your credit granting activities. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ANALYSIS Let’s determine your A/R status (I’ll show the details of the calculations below):
A/R Turns
Credit Sales/Target # of A/RTurns = Target A/R Level ($)
Example:
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE?
A/R from Balance Sheet = $270,000
[Minus]
Target inventory from above = $254,000
Excess A/R
$16,000
EXCESS A/R IN DAYS $16,000/2 days = $8,000 per day This excess A/R is tying up your cash, which increases the pressure on your cash flow for things like payroll and inventory. When we look at the real impacts of our selling/credit practices and base the decisions, at least in part, based on impacts to cash flow and cash levels there are some clues that will guide us to better cash management. In my next article I will explore the impacts of price-volumecosts on your profitability. If this type of this type of analysis would be useful for your business please contact the Small Business Development Center for no cost, confidential technical assistance for your business.
A/R Days (360
days/# of turns) Your Company 8 45 Industry Std (Target)
8.5
43
Difference
(.5 turns)
(2 days)
This article was prepared by Jerry Petrick, MBA, and Certified Business Adviser with the Washington State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Longview. Jerry provides nocost, confidential business advisory services by appointment. He can be reached via email jerry.petrick@wsbdc.org May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 17
Cowlitz Wahkiakum Council of Governments By Bill Fashing Executive Director
Preparing For a Complete 2020 Census Count The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments will be coordinating a Complete Count Committee (CCC) for the 2020 Census. The committee will include representative from both Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. Complete Count Committees are volunteer committees established to increase awareness and motivate residents to respond to the 2020 Census. CCCs serve as state and local “census ambassador” groups that play an integral part in ensuring a complete and accurate count of the community in the 2020 Census. Success of the census depends on community involvement at every level. The U.S. Census Bureau cannot conduct the 2020 Census alone. The goals of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum CCC are: to increase the selfresponse rate for households responding online, by phone, or mailing back their questionnaire through a focused, structured, neighborto-neighbor program; to utilize the local knowledge, expertise, and influence of each Complete Count Committee member to design and implement a census awareness campaign targeted to the community; and to bring together a cross section of community members whose focus is 2020 Census awareness. The population totals from the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The population totals also affect funding in your community, and data collected in the
census help decision makers know how your community is changing. Approximately $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to communities each year based on census count data. Call to Action: Please notify our office of your interest to serve on the committee at the contact information below. Business interests are encouraged to participate. Want to explore more about the census? The census has a huge variety of programs available to you. Click here for the Measuring American Series of videos. Here is a link to the Statistics in Schools Program. The Statistics in Schools program provides resources for teaching and learning with real life data. Explore the site for standards-aligned, classroom-ready activities. Or for the more business minded here is a link to the Survey of Business Owners and Self-Employed Persons. The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments is a multipurpose association of governments that delivers a diverse array of federal, state and local programs, including transportation and economic development planning, while fulfilling its primary function as a regional planning organization. Questions may be directed to Bill Fashing at CWCOG by mail at Administration Annex / 207 North 4th Ave., Kelso, WA 98626, via email to bfashing@cwcog.org.
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There’s a Difference. 18 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Longview and Kelso Downtowners By Lindsey Cope President
April Showers Bring May Flowers
After Memorial Day, our 31 gorgeous flower baskets courtesy of the generosity of Real Living Real Estate Group will be delivered and hung in partnership with the City of Longview. We are so grateful to the team at Real Living for supporting the Longview Downtowners and beautification of our district! Don’t miss out on the First Thursday events going on downtown. The Broadway Gallery hosts its monthly First Thursday event featuring ceramic artist Adrienne Stacey, music by Keith Hinyard and refreshments starting at 5 p.m. May 2. Also, walk down the block and enjoy a play on First Thursday – our First Thirst-Day where participating stores will have extended hours and will offer refreshments and/or snacks! Come take a stroll to enjoy the Longview Outdoor Gallery, pop into the Broadway Gallery, and see what fun finds you can discover in downtown Longview! Everyone is welcome to attend the Longview Downtowner’s annual meeting at 8 a.m. May 9 at the Creekside Café. We will hold our 3 p.m. meeting at Mill City Grill; however voting on bylaws and new officers will only take place at the 8 a.m. meeting. Last, but certainly not least, we are THRILLED to announce our June event: A GREAT DAY DOWNTOWN on June 29. A GREAT DAY DOWNTOWN will be an entire day of events for all ages. Below you will find the tentative schedule of events: 9 AM-3 PM Columbia River Corvette's annual Bow Tie Bash Car Show on Commerce, Broadway, Maple.
4 PM-6 PM Free Family Movie at the Roxy Theater – parental supervision required. Limited sponsorships are available now! This event will attract thousands of local people and those from outside of the area to benefit all of Cowlitz County. You can contact me at the Cowlitz Economic Development Council at cope@cowlitzedc.com for more information. We can’t wait to see you downtown!
Kelso Downtowners Kelso is home to many individuals and businesses who harbor a deep love for our little town and work tirelessly to improve it. Some of those people were able to join us last month at our second meeting despite it being spring break! There were more new faces and such a positive energy to make downtown Kelso all that it can be! The City of Kelso announced the hanging of new banners! You can see the proofs of those that will be displayed on our Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/kdrakelsowa Shortly after the banners are hung, flower baskets from the city and businesses will begin to make an appearance. Flowers are such a great and easy way to enhance beautification and celebrate the sunnier months! Thank you to the City of Kelso, Kelso Windemere, and those who help obtain, hang, water, and maintain those baskets! Slug Bugs
10 AM-4 PM
We would love to invite you to the sixth annual Avery’s Air-Cooled VW Show-N-Shine on May 18. This is the largest nontrophy VW event in the Northwest. “This is a fun-filled, family-centric event featuring vintage VW vehicles; games, raffles, engine-blow, food, and after-show cruise,” www.averysaircooled.com states. The show starts at 9 a.m. and at 2 p.m. there’s a cruise through town.
Longview Downtowners Shop Local sales/promotions/raffles and more – downtown businesses
The Kelso Rotary Chuck Wagon will be at Avery’s, but don’t forget we have a variety of places to eat, places to shop and things to do:
11:15 AM-12:15 PM
Food
Shopping
Entertainment
THE GREAT RACE – first wave of antique cars from The Great Race for lunch stop at Mill City Grill
• Grounds for
• Watkins Tractor
•Kelso Theater Pub
Opportunity
• Metro Tackle & More
* Puzzle Quest
• El Portillo
• Paisley Duck Quilting
• Cowlitz Co. Museum
10 AM-4 PM Longview Downtowners Pop-up Market inside Realty One Pacifica Group
Noon-7 PM J Squared Barrel House/Longview Downtowners Beer Garden 12:15 PM-1:15 PM THE GREAT RACE – second wave of antique cars from The Great Race for lunch stop at Mill City Grill 1 PM-3 PM Free Family Movie at the Roxy Theater – parental supervision required. 1:15 PM-2:15 PM THE GREAT RACE – third wave of antique cars from The Great Race for lunch stop at Mill City Grill
• The Backstage Café • Read a Book
• Glazy Days
• Tim’s Timber Tavern
• LJ’s Furness Drug
• Three Rivers Mall
• Cap’n Yoby’s
• Stripper Antiques
• The Family Room
• Sora Sushi • LaFavorites
Our next Downtown Kelso meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m. May 2 at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum. These meetings are open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to foster a community that is friendly to existing and new businesses, work toward projects that will enhance beautification, and to be supportive of each other by being good neighbors. We hope you will join us. May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 19
Mind Your Own Business (at the Library) By Elizabeth Partridge Longview Public Library
Small Business Civic Engagement Can Build Relationships and Strengthen Morale Civic engagement is more than politics and elections. Civic engagement is also getting involved in your community and being a part of how decisions are made around you. Why should a small business become involved in civic engagement? Community involvement is about building character within your business, showing employees and clients that you care about your community, developing empathy and ethics, and it is a great way to bring new people to your business. Studies have shown that employees like to feel they contribute to more than just a company’s bottom line. Many successful small businesses maintain a consistent and high level of engagement with their communities. Some benefits of small business civic engagement include building relationships with your employees, improving your local community, strengthening your company’s reputation, developing marketing opportunities, boosting morale, and establishing connections in a new way. Small businesses rely on their local community and economy to thrive. In order to ensure the community and economy are healthy; businesses can support them in various ways. Civic engage-
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20 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
ment through volunteering and helping organizations and causes you believe in not only raises your business profile; it will help the community and people around you. How can your small business get involved? Here is a short list of some ideas – but there are many ways to get involved: •
Attend local events: Set up a table, meet the people.
•
Volunteer: Find organizations to support, encourage your employees to volunteer.
•
Become a community board member: There are many organizations out there that need leadership support. Find one you are interested in and see if you can help on the board.
•
Work with and support other business owners: Join organizations and groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the Longview Downtowners.
•
Sponsor a team or organization: For a small investment, you can support a local team or organization and get great exposure.
Don’t forget to take advantage of your social media connections. Facebook, Twitter, and your email are all wonderful tools for spreading the word about your own activities, but also sharing information that helps build your community. You can announce upcoming events and opportunities for local organizations you support and put out calls for help when needed. The Longview Public Library invites you to the Civic Engagement Corner to learn how to get more involved and engaged in our community. You can explore books about civics, history, politics, character building, ethics, and strengthening the community. You can learn how to run for one of the 70 offices open for filing in Cowlitz County and where to get more information about becoming an elected official. You can get information about local organizations that need your help through volunteering or donations. You can also make plans to participate in our community discussion with Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau and Steven Stehr’s presentation, “Is Truth Really Dead in America?” 6-8 p.m. May 20. The Civic Engagement Corner is next to the new nonfiction collection on the main floor of the library. The collection and activities will continue to evolve and promote opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute to our community in meaningful ways. You can help develop the collection and increase community conversations. Your small business is a part of this community and being engaged in community activities will make your networks even stronger. If you have ideas for material that should be included, programs that would benefit our community, or suggestions for small business involvement, please let us know. You can contact me at 360-442-5321 or email elizabethp@mylongview.com. I would love to hear from you.
Wellness in the Workplace By Susie Griffin Corporate and Personal Health Services
The Perks of On-site Massage Services Last year at this time, I wrote and submitted this article for the Chamber newsletter. A recent meeting prompted me to refresh and resubmit it. In the meeting, the human resources specialist, manager and director were sharing what most of the organization’s employees were asking for: massage therapy. These laborers, who worked with heavy materials and machinery, wanted relief from their musculoskeletal pain and stiffness. Their musculoskeletal complaints paralleled where the majority of their claims and costs were coming from: musculoskeletal injury and disability. It is not typical to think of an employee as an athlete. That word is more commonly thrown around in locker rooms, pools, gyms, or on courts and fields. However, if you work at Boeing, that word is part of a program aimed at positively affecting the company’s worksite injuries and overall production statistics. The Industrial Athlete program incorporates not only physical conditioning and rehabilitation, but also deep tissue intervention therapists whose massage techniques help to improve the physical resilience of its employees. Boeing has had more than 30,000 of its employees go through the program since its inception in 2005.1 In 97.6 percent of the visits; the employee reported a reduction in discomfort after the massage therapy treatment.1 Pain reduction is just one of the positive effects of massage. As the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) reports, research has shown a reduction of anxiety, depression, blood pressure, and resting heart rate while improving immune function and quality of sleep.2 All of these measurable symptoms and feelings are deterrents from and distractions of the productivity of body and mind. Massaging stuck soft tissue mechanically breaks up fascial adhesions, allowing more movement between, across and through tissues and structures. This results in increased range of movement of muscle, bone, blood and nerve impulses.
Stuck soft tissue not only affects body movement efficiency, but brain efficiency as well. The ability to focus, memorize and form decisions is severely altered. A similar situation happens in the tech world. “Thrashing” is the term used to describe a computers memory system that is overwhelmed with input, causing it to become stuck, trying to figure out what to do next. However, the simple act of placing oneself on a massage table, with the employees’ head in the face cradle, incites the positive aspect of the “Ostrich Effect.” The past, current and future negative events, situations, and hypothetical “what ifs” go away. The employee can let go, lessening restrictions of body and mind, feeling rested, relaxed and relieved. Boosted morale is another unexpected return on investment a company receives when offering massage to its employees. Employees who feel that their company is looking out for their health and safety elicit loyalty and commitment. Increased productivity is exponentially increased when turnover is reduced, and employees stay. In one Forbes’ article, increased productivity from employee’s improved mood and stress relief, was one of the most cited reasons that companies chose to offer worksite massage.3 Whether you are competing on the fields or on the courts, in the meeting rooms or on Skype calls, the benefit of massage is one of little risk and big gain.
1
https://www.boeing.com/features/innovation-quarterly/dec2016/feature-
technology-ind-athlete.page 2
https://www.amtamassage.org/approved_position_statements/Massage-
Can-Improve-Health-and-Wellness.html 3
https://www.forbes.com/sites/raquelbaldelomar/2016/04/01/5-reasons-
executives-should-schedule-a-massage-today/#24455f5e3b15
Congratulations to Kristy on your advancement to Jr. Escrow Officer!
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Kristy Norman joined Cowlitz County Title in 2013 as an Escrow Assistant. Kristy’s love for the industry, along with her knowledge and bubbly personality will provide for an exceptional experience to you and your clients. Please congratulate Kristy by directing your next transaction to her and see how “Service is the Difference” at Cowlitz County Title. 1159 14th Avenue, Longview, WA 98632 Phone: 360.423.5330 • Fax: 360.423.5932 • www.cowlitztitle.com
May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 21
Ribbon Cuttings
Teaming Up Ryan Schoppe and Kyle Strum are front and center at the Alpha Partners' ribbon cutting.
Kristi Barber, Sandy Fromm, Katie Dillinger and the Academy Mortgage staff.
A ribbon cutting was the perfect way for Mayor Don Jensen and Parks and Recreation's Jen Wills to show off the renovations at Mint Valley Golf Course and enjoy its grand reopening.
22 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Ribbon Cuttings
Home Store The Habitat for Humanity Store is celebrating 10 years of service to the Kelso community. The funds generated from the sale of donated items helps Habitat for Humanity meet its mission seeking to put God's love into action.
Patrick Locbe and Toni Cooper were among the members of the Longview Early Words Toastmasters Club No. 3657 on hand for the ceremony welcoming them into the Chamber.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 23
Business After Hours
Learning Environment Our Business After Hours, hosted by Three Rivers Christian School, included good food and tours of the facilities, inside and out. The school is partnering with WSU Extension and Lower Columbia School Gardens to expand its agricultural program.
See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.
May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 25
New Members Add your business to our growing membership – Call 360-423-8400 Today!
Academy Mortgage Corporation Sandy Fromm 209 W Main St., Ste., 103 Kelso, WA 98626 360-577-6000 Sandy.fromm@academymortgage.com Dutch Bros Coffee Mark Luna 905 Ocean Beach Hwy. Longview, WA 98632 541-230-0730 kelso@dutchbros.com Wood Family Heating, LLC Ian Wood 107 Church St., Ste. A Kelso, WA 98626 360-200-6090 Woodfamilyheatting@gmail.com
Reality One Group – Pam & Darrell Whittle Pam & Darrell Whittle 1322 Commerce Ave. Longview, WA 98632 360-560-3885 pambwhit@gmail.com Windermere – Sue Lantz Ian Wood 209 W. Main St. Kelso, WA 98626 360-751-5158 slantz@windermere.com
Northwest Staffing Resources Deborah Higdon 851 6th Ave. Portland, OR 97205 360-314-8187 dhigdon@nwstaffing.com Cowlitz Boat & RV Storage Steve Dahl 1751 13th Ave. Kelso, WA 98626 360-578-0961 info@cowlitzboatandrvstorage.com
Empowered Health and Wellness Lynsie Harriman 803 Vandercook Way, Ste. 6E Longview, WA 98632 360-562-7266 empoweredhealthpnw@gmail.com
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 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 26 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
• Business Card Display • Use of Chamber Logo 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
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.
2019 January 15: Specialty Rents February 12: Port of Longview March 12: Business and Tourism Expo April 9: Three Rivers Christian School May 14: Lifeworks June 11: Antidote July 9: Three Rivers Eye Center August 13: Monticello Park Prestige September 11: Silver Star October 8: Steele Chapel November 12: Stewart Title December 10: Holiday Mixer
Chamber Connection
Volunteers Needed
Greg and Sheryl from Community Home Health & Hospice are looking for volunteers!
Chamber Connection host Carey Mackey of Red Canoe and Heather Snyder of Fibre Federal talk about Free Shred Day.
28 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Monica Hastings with Umpqua Bank.
Chamber Connection
Kids' Club
Bob Koenig and members of the CVG Robotics Club
Robert Truck with Applebee's.
Katie Keaton with Bicoastal Media. Paul Youman, director of Pathways 2020.
“Your Chamber Connection� EVERY Wednesday
Stream live at www.kedoam.com Local guest and current events
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 May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 29
April Ambassador of the Month Diane Craft Koelsch Senior Communities
Community Lies at Heart of Honoree's Efforts Longtime Chamber of Commerce member Diane Craft earns our April Ambassador of the Month honor.
Diane loves spending time with family, friends and she is very involved with her grandchildren.
“She has been an Ambassador forever, and had served on the Chamber board for many years,” said Amy Hallock, Chamber project manager. “She is a true asset to the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce.”
“Diane thank you for all you do for us and the community,” Chamber bookkeeper and Visitor Information Center Manager Pam Fierst said.
Indeed, Diane, who serves a public relations role for Koelsch Senior Communities, joined the Chamber out of high school and at one time held the board president position. She is a third generation Longview resident and 2010 Ambassador of the Year recipient. In addition to her work with the Chamber, Diane stays busy with other community organizations like Early Edition Rotary, Women’s Affaire, Salvation Army’s Angel Tree, PeaceHealth Lower Columbia Cancer Center and Relay for Life.
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.
Right Care. Right Here. Primary Care n Emergency Department Specialty Clinics n Obstetrics/Gynecology
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center 1615 Delaware Street, Longview
peacehealth.org/longview
30 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | May 2019
Columbia Theatre
ALWAYS IN MOTION!
MARVELOUS MAY EVENTS: Saturday, May 4th 7:30 p.m. HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN: THE MUSIC OF JUDY GARLAND AND BARBRA STREISAND Stage Door Concert Tickets $50 Sunday, May 5th 2:00 p.m. THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH Rainy Months Series for Kids! Tickets $7 each or 6 for $30
Thurs., May 9th 2:00 & 7:00 p.m THE MOUSE THAT ROARED Classic Film Series Tickets $8
COMING THIS SUMMER: For the first time in its history the Columbia Theatre will extend its programming into the summer. June 24-29 MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE: GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Summer Theatre Workshop. 60 kids, 6 days, a whole lot of fun! July 1-31 HALCYON SHOWS Aerial Artists in residence at the Columbia Theatre. 12 Summer performances plus class sessions including Hand Balancing, Beginning Aerial and more. August 16th 7:30 p.m. BEST OF THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY COMPETITION Feeling a little bit “Squirrelly?” Join us the night before “Squirrel Fest” for a load of laughs featuring past winners of the Seattle International Comedy Competition.
For more information: 360.575.TIXX (8499) • www.columbiatheatre.com
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Kelso-Longview Business Connection monthly newsletter is published the first of each month, posted electronically on our website and over 6,400 emailed to local business professionals, city and county officials. To be included in this monthly email, call the Chamber office at 360-423-8400.
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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.
Biggs Insurance Services Clay Bartness Comcast Dick Hannah Toyota Fred Meyer, Inc. Heritage Bank – Kelso McCord Bros. Nissan Dodge Millennium Bulk Terminals Minuteman Press Servpro of Longview/Kelso Sierra Pacific Mortgage Twin City Bank Waste Control Recycling, Inc. Woodford Commercial Real Estate
May 2019 | Kelso Longview Business Connection | 33