September 2014 Luncheon Speakers
Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce luncheon meetings are held at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St., at noon each Monday, federal holidays excluded. Everyone is welcome!
Sept. 1 – Labor Day Holiday
No meeting today. Enjoy the holiday weekend.
Sept. 8 - Keven Elliff
Elliff of Windridge Solutions talks about recent changes by the major Internet search providers and how to use them to your advantage. Sponsor Korean Women’s Association
Sept.15 - Travis Berglund & Tabitha Miller
Putting aside some money for the proverbial rainy day is something everyone aspires to do and few people actually accomplish in time to retire. This First Federal team will talk about how you can save for the future. Sponsor Jefferson Healthcare
Sept. 22 Michael D’Alessandro
The Executive Director of Northwinds Arts Center talks about Port Townsend’s downtown center for the arts. Sponsor Peninsula Credit Union
Sept. 29 - PUD candidate forum
Kenneth Collins and Tony DeLeo talk about their vision for Jefferson County’s Public Utility District. Sponsor Kristin Manwaring Insurance
Standing up for educational excellence We need more internships, mentors, training opportunities
By Amanda Funaro Last week I received a letter informing families that our school district, and the vast majority of school districts in Washington, are now classified as “failing” by the Federal government. Without getting into the details of the fight around policy and metrics, in the simplest terms, schools in our state are labeled as failing because our state is not adhering to a federal mandate for standardized evaluations of teachers and students alike. As a parent of a student in our schools, an advocate for improvement of public education, and your Chamber President, like many of you my first reaction was that of concern. “Failing” is a scary word, and beyond the weight of the label I have concerns about the impacts that designation brings for funding and quality of education for our children in general and for my 7-year-old daughter specifically.
After a pause, I was also inspired - inspired to live in a community that values our schools enough to already be on the path to a solution. While we are largely powerless in the larger fight between the Federal and State education systems, our community has moved past the argument to focus on the central question: “How can we best prepare our children for the world?” Ours is a very small district with remarkable teachers, a dedicated staff, thoughtful administrators and a community working together to make sure that our schools and students are thriving by metrics too important to be measured by standardized tests alone. Our schools, our students, need to be prepared to deliver something greater. The district and this community are working together to ensure excellence in each student. It takes a village, and our village challenges our students to do well in classes and also participate in community service, internships and work preparation. To do this we need the businesses to step forward -- to support excellence
Hands on learning is part of the idea behind the Maritime Discovery Schools initiative. The Chamber encourages business to find ways to help improve local school programs. in education, get engaged, to Schools (MDS) initiative that provide internships and training has brought together our loopportunities, and to appreciate cal business community, the the teachers and staff who work nonprofit sector and the Port with our children every day to Townsend schools in an effort help them grow into effective to tie learning to the real world. and thriving adults. The MDS initiative has a 5-year Last year the school board plan being led by Sarah Rubenadopted a new vision known stein – former Blue Heron math as the Maritime Discovery Continued on Page 2
Education: Businesses stepping up
Chamber staff and Ambassador’s help Victoria Place staff members celebrate their Grand Re-Opening. Executive Director Denise Mecartea and staff cut the ribbon. Photo by SteveMullensky.com.
State offers tourism promotion By Elaine Jones Tourism promotion for Washington hit a low point in 2011. The Legislature closed the state’s tourism office, while other Western states continued spending between $7 million and $50 million a year to attract visitors. In response, the Washington Tourism Alliance was formed, and is now funded by a combination of $500,000 a year in state financing for the 2014-2015 biennium and industry member-
ship dues that totaled $300,000 in 2013. The Alliance is making free listings on its website and in its Official Visitors Guide available for businesses and events. You can order a free copy of the Visitors Guide and see a digital version online at experienceWA.com/guides. If your business or event caters to tourists, you can get a free listing on the ExperienceWA website and in their publications. First send an email to experienceWAdata@milespartnership.com requesting a free listing with basic information about your business or event. They will send you a user name, password and
instructions for how to proceed. This year the Alliance is adding new ways to advertise, present special offers, be a featured business or send an email to their 17,000 opt-in subscribers to get information about Washington. There are fees for these services, but they have good tracking in place for you to be able to evaluate if the results warrant continuing. They also have a wealth of data about where inquiries are coming from, conversion rates, and what tourists are interested in. If your business would like to be a member, annual dues range from $300 for businesses
2 September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter
with up to three employees to $10,000 for corporate investors. Additional benefits come with each step up in membership dues. For more information, contact Mike Moe, Director of Business Development and Media Sales at mike@watoursimalliance.com or call 425-444-0589. Elaine Jones is the Certified Business Advisor at the WSU Small Business Development Center serving Jefferson and Clallam Counties. The Center provides confidential, one-on-one advising for existing and aspiring business owners at no cost to the client. Call 360-344-3078, email: elaine.jones@ wsbdc.org.
Continued from Page 1 teacher - and already the connections being made are astonishing. A strong education system is necessary for the long-term health of our community and our business environment. Attracting and keeping young entrepreneurial families is a shared strategic priority of your Chamber, our schools and local governments. Having quality schools is the cornerstone of our shared strategy for attracting and retaining those families to Jefferson County. Your chamber is participating by coordinating mentorship to our local high school students and to young professionals. The outcomes of these initial programs have been impressive and I am amazed by the members of our business community who have stepped up to make our schools and our children a priority. We all recognize the value of a vibrant and competitive workforce. We also recognize that folks who work here, play here and live here spend their dollars here. I challenge every business in Jefferson County to identify one thing your business can do help our schools thrive. Recent local businesscommunity partnerships and investments. • Intellicheck Mobilisa donated more than 30 new computers to kickstart the STEAM learning initia-
tive. • Atlas Technology supported the PTHS FIRST Robotics team to go to district finals (one of the students learned CAD well enough to earn a summer job at Market Tech). • The Adventuress and Northwest Maritime Center through the Maritime Discovery initiative ensured that 8th graders spent an afternoon taking water quality samples around the county. • Businesses and individuals supported the Students for Sustainability who were honored by the EPA, to lobby in Washington D.C. as advocates to mitigate climate change. • Port Townsend Paper mill provided working tours for all the science teachers and new hires. • The business and community partners raised record contributions this year to support both ongoing work and more holistic change. What will your business do this year as a community partner for students? E-mail us to let us know or have us lend a hand connecting you to the right opportunity. Together we can create a shining example of what is right in education. For more information, send questions to info@maritimediscovery.org. Amanda Funaro is the Northwest Maritime Center Staff Accountant & Development Coordinator and this year’s Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce President.
Biz buzz have the opportunity to learn some of the basics of Microsoft Word and guidance to access additional Do you have a great resources for continuing idea for a new business Each Tuesday the your Word program edubut need help getting it Jefferson County Library up and running? Do you offers a two-part technology cation at home. already own a business, training session provided Sept. 16 – Introducbut want to expand or by skilled staff, beginning tion to Facebook fill in your knowledge with a one-hour discussion Facebook is a free gaps? EDC/Team Jefferon a specific technology social network website. son’s Business Planning subject from 3 to 4 p.m. The Course provides you with class is followed by drop-in This class is intended for those new to Facebook a comprehensive guide to individual assistance, 4 to or who want to learn starting your own busi6 p.m., where you can get basic information about ness, with a focus on help on any technology writing a viable business topic. Bring your device or the site. Learn how to plan. It’s also a great tool practice on laptops provided set-up up your Facebook profile, how privacy for existing business own- by the library. settings function, how ers. The course includes to navigate Facebook’s one-to-one mentoring with TECH DISCUSSION/ news feed and timeline, a Team Jefferson member CLASS: 3-4 PM and time allowing, how and guest speakers from to upload photos to build the local business comSept. 2 - How to photo albums. munity. Download Library eB The Business Planooks and eAudiobooks Sept. 23 - Search the ning Course is now open Discover the various library catalog for registration. Classes titles of eBooks and eAudio Getting stumped while meet Thursdays from 6 to books available through searching the library cata9 p.m., Sept. 18 through your library. Learn how to log? Join us for a session Nov. 20 at the Team Jefprepare your computer or ferson offices, 2410 Wash- device to enable download- on how to search the PAC (Public Access Catalog). ington, Port Townsend. ing the titles you wish to The course costs $150, read, and how to check-out Learn the various options available within the PAC but $100 is refunded upon and return the books you and improve your searchcompletion of the course borrow. ing skills. with a written business plan. Sept. 9 - IntroducSept. 30 - Novelist For more information tion to Microsoft Word and other book-finding and to register, go to edcIn this session you will guides teamjefferson.com.
Team Jefferson offers business planning course
Get your tech questions answered Tuesdays at the Jefferson County Library
Farm’s Reach Cafe owers Ari Abramczyk and BG Patterson take time out with Chamber Executive Director Teresa Verraes at a recent chamber mixer at the popular cafe. Don’t know what to read next? Have you finished reading all of your favorite author’s books and are looking for similar books? Try Novelist, a library database that provides information about authors, series, read-a-likes, and more. Want to find other book lovers who love to talk about them? Try Good Reads, a website dedicated to books and those who read them. Need some authoritative
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advice on which books are good and those that aren’t? Check out Book Lust, a book written by former Seattle librarian, Nancy Pearl. DROP-IN ASSISTANCE: 4 TO 6 P.M. Library staff will be available to assist you with any technology related questions during this two-hour period. This weekly drop-in assistance is like having a technology reference desk avail-
able for two hours! Bring in your devices if you would like assistance with them. Loaner laptops will be available for use. Get help with software, apps, devices, no question too large or too small! Jefferson County Library is located at 620 Cedar Avenue, Port Hadlock, WA. For more information about this free program, please call 360 385-6544 or go to www. jclibrary.info.
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September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter 3
Business succession plan New members important to your success If you own a business, you may well follow a “do it now” philosophy — which is, of course, necessary to keep things running smoothly. Still, you also need to think about tomorrow — which means you’ll want to take action on your own retirement and business succession plans. Fortunately, you’ve got some attractive options in these areas. For example, you could choose a retirement plan that offers at least two key advantages: potential tax-deferred earnings and a wide array of investment options. Plus, some retirement plans allow you to make tax-deductible contributions. In selecting a retirement plan, you’ll need to consider several factors, including the size of your business and the number of employees. If your business has no fulltime employees other than yourself and your spouse, you may consider a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan or an owneronly 401(k), sometimes known as an individual or solo 401(k). Or, if your goal is to contribute as much as possible, you may want to consider an owner-only defined benefit plan. If you have employees, you might want to investigate a SIMPLE IRA or even a 401(k) plan. Your financial advisor, working with plan design professionals and your tax advisor, can help you
analyze the options and choose the plan that fits with your combined personal and business goals. Now, let’s turn to business succession plans. Ultimately, your choice of a succession plan strategy will depend on many factors, such as the value of your business, your need for the proceeds from the sale of the business for your retirement, your successor, and how well your business can continue without you. If your goal is to keep the business within the family, you’ll need to consider how much control you wish to retain (and for how long), whether you wish to gift or sell, how you balance your estate among your heirs, and who can reasonably succeed you in running the business. Many succession planning techniques are available, including an outright sale to a third party, a sale to your employees or management (at once or over time), or the transfer of your business within your family through sales or gifts during your life, at your death or any combination thereof. Many succession plans include a buy-sell agreement. Upon your death, such an agreement could allow a business partner or a key employee to buy the business from your surviving spouse or whoever inherits your business interests. To provide the funds needed for the partner or employee (or even
one of your children) to purchase the business, an insurance policy could be purchased. Your estate plan — including your will and any living trust — should address what happens with the business, in case you still own part or all of it at your death. The bestlaid succession plans may go awry if the unexpected occurs. All these business succession options can be complex, so before choosing any of them, you will need to consult with your legal and financial advisors. Whether it’s selecting a retirement plan or a succession strategy, you’ll want to take your time and make the choices that are appropriate for your individual situation. You work extremely hard to run your business — so do whatever it takes to help maximize your benefits from it. This article was provided by Edward Jones financial advisors Brock Tidball and Shelli Cates.
4 September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter
PLEASANT HARBOR PADDLE Pleasant Harbor Paddle offers wildlife tours and kayak and stand-up paddle board (SUP) rentals from beautiful Pleasant Harbor on the Hood Canal. Pleasant Harbor Paddle, formerly Kayak Brinnon, began as a small kayak delivery service operating in and around Brinnon in 2008 and now operates from the Pleasant Harbor Marina with a large fleet of kayaks and SUPs. Owner/Operator Christina Maloney is a former NOAA Fisheries Biologist and also worked for Washington State Fish and Wildlife’s Point Whitney Shellfish Laboratory where she fell in love with the beauty of the Hood Canal.
Christina moved to Brinnon from Seattle in 2008 with a dream to help others discover the beauty and amazing wildlife of the area. In addition to renting kayaks and SUPs for folks to explore on their own, Christina personally guides educational tours to our nearby estuaries where harbor seals, bald eagles, and other animals congregate. From a kayak, Christina uses her 12 years of experience as a biologist and her profound love for nature to teach people of all ages about the local natural system and about the wildlife that depend on it. In addition to kayak tours and SUP and kayak rentals, Pleasant
Harbor Paddle rents small kayak sized crab pots during crabbing season, and delivers kayaks and crab pots to vacation homes and Seal Rock Campground for overnight and multi-day rentals. Pleasant Harbor Paddle is located 32 miles south of Port Townsend at 308913 Hwy. 101 North in Brinnon at the Pleasant Harbor Marina. Business hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day May thru September, and by appointment October thru April. Call 360-7964116 or visit Pleasantharborpaddle.com for reservations or additional information.
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Coldwell Banker Best Homes had its Grand Opening Celebration. From Left to right are Betty Oakes (PT Soroptimists), Debra Rogers (Nerium Anti-Aging Skin Care), Pam Lampman (US Bank), Forrest Aldrich (Best Homes), Karen Best (Owner Best Homes), Karen Anderson (VIC), Laura Brackenridge (JCCC), Vi Koenig (JCCC Board). Back row: Best Homes employees Pam Gresty, Scott Stenehjem, Tanya Royer. Photo by SteveMullensky.com.
Briefly The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce has set the following events in the month ahead:
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Sept. 2, 5:30 to 7 p.m. - Ambassador Meeting at Ajax Café, 21 N. Water St., Port Hadlock. Sept. 9 - 5:30 to 7 p.m. - After Hours Mixer at Port Ludlow Village, 62 Village Way, Port Ludlow. Sept. 16, 4:30 to 6 p.m. - Board of Director’s Meeting at Hope Roofing, 105 Louisa St., Port Townsend. Sept. 25 - 5:30 to 7 p.m. - YPN Test Lab at The CoLab, 237 Taylor St. Port Townsend.
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September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter 5
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VIC volunteers focus on outdoor fun, tubs, toys, films By Karen Anderson Port Townsend Visitor Information Center volunteers toured Port Townsend’s old standards complimented by a brand new business in downtown. We love to see the new things that are going on so much that we sometimes need to revisit our shops that have been serving Port Townsend for years. Cheers to your perseverance and we welcome and project that success onto our new business owners! Sport Townsend has been Port Townsend’s outdoor recreation store for 25 years. Longtime employee Susan Jacobs bought the business in 2011 and credits the store’s ongoing success to her experienced staff. The windows are filled with camping scenarios, but the interior keeps the store’s name in mind with all kinds of sports clothing and equipment. From workout to outdoor, Sport Townsend can fill your needs with a variety of all things water related (kayaking, boating,
wetsuits, waterproof socks and sandals, swim caps, and goggles) and earth bound (yoga mats, mouth guards, hiking shoes, Superfeet™, trekking poles, tents, and backpacks). While many Pacific Northwesterners are prone to roughing-it with sleeping pads and water filters, Sport Townsend also accommodates those who prefer to camp in style with airbeds, plastic wine glasses, and camping chairs. In our neck of the woods, especially in Western Washington, we love our REI; but Sport Townsend has everything you need without the drive or the inflated prices. Recently, Susan’s shop has been outfitting trainees for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimages, and visitors who arrive unprepared for an incredible camping experience in our Olympic National Park. “We can camouflage you to blend in with the locals too,” laughs Ron, one of Susan’s longtime employees. I guess we have a specific style. Congratulations, Su-
san, for keeping it going all of these years and thanks for my swim cap! Sport Townsend · 1044 Water St. · PT · 360-3797911 · sporttownsend.com All geared up with raffle wins of hats and packs, we trekked from Polk Street to Monroe where the Chamber officially welcomed Wren Farris and her new business, Soak on the Sound, to our downtown community. Soak is a saltwater bathhouse specializing in the healing element of hydrotherapy. Wren’s inspiration for this idea came after she incurred multiple injuries and doctors told her she would never work again. Wren rejected that diagnosis and took her healing into her own hands. Years later, she is free of injury and a huge proponent for water as a healing element. She spoke eloquently when asked how her business has been going since its opening in June. “It’s
Soak on the Sound owner Wren Farris cut the ribbon with her staff, friends and Chamber Ambassadors. Photo by SteveMullensky.com. house with three private been so well received in incorporating healing elesoaking tubs and one our community already, ments into the business, and most people out there communal tub, sauna, Soak is also the most don’t know this exists yet. and massage therapy. Salt relaxing hour of your day water tubs eliminate the So it’s really fun to see with cool tile under your absorption of chlorine what happens next, and feet, décor that invokes just to hold this container toxins into the system, the sea, natural light, and of healing and wellness in help re-mineralize the a private outdoor deck body and add buoyancy to soon to be open. Soak on our town is such a gift.” alleviate chronic pain and the Sound offers a locals Soak is a clothing arthritis. In addition to optional, saltwater bathContinued on Page 8
Chamber contacts CHAMBER STAFF
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Executive Director Teresa Verraes director@jeffcountychamber.org
President Amanda Funaro NW Maritime Center
Event Coordinator Laura Brackenridge admin@jeffcountychamber.org 385-7869 VIC Manager Karen Anderson info@jeffcountychamber.org (360) 385-2722
President Elect Jordan Eades Hope Roofing
Vice President Outreach Heather Bailey Jefferson Healthcare DIRECTORS Katherine Baril Small Business Consultant
Past President Dominic Svornich Kitsap Bank
Tanya Rublaitus Port Townsend Schools
Vice President, Records Mari Stuart Community Enrichment Alliance
Kris Nelson Sirens, Alchemy, Addie Mae’s
Susan Windle Resort at Port Ludlow Jennefer Wood Maestrale Will O’Donnell Jefferson County Farmer’s Markets
Advertising Catherine Brewer The Leader cbrewer@ptleader.com 360-385-2900 The content of this publication is prepared by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce for its members. We welcome submissions. Send articles and photos to director@ jeffcountychamber.org or mail to 440 12th St. Port Townsend, WA 98368.
Austin Henry Altas Technologies September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter 7
Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce 440 12th St. Port Townsend, WA 98368
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Touring: Abracadabra, Film Festival Continued from Page 7 discount, two for Tuesdays, and Ladies Night specials. Congratulations Wren, on your fabulous new business! Soak on the Sound · 242 Monroe St. · PT · 360-385-4100 · soakonthesound.com
Back on Water Street, we head into newly renovated Abracadabra. Marion Lodwick has been owner and master game player for 25 years. This summer she expanded her shop and inventory to twice its size. “We started with those Mexican coconut masks and sold things my husband made, and we have been adding and growing ever since,” Marion told our Place label here volunteers as we took in her new space. Toys, books, trinkets, gifts, puzzles, and stuffed animals line the walls to the ceilings these days and the expansion isn’t complete yet. From the outside, Abracadabra looks like a toy shop, but like many things in Port Townsend, that’s just the surface. Scratch that surface a little and you will find something for everyone. “What’s different about Abracadabra is that we go from baby [items] all the way up [to adults].” Abracadabra is a truly experiential store. Along with bags, magnets, greeting cards, matchbooks, notebooks, and lotions (all very clever in nature), all games are out of their boxes waiting for players. Employees are trained to play each of them so customers can experience them before they buy them. “All day long, we’re playing with people,” Marion told us as she set up a game where you shoot wooden discs through a Benita and Karen show off their raffle wins at Sport small opening to your opTownsend. ponent’s side to win. Some 8 September 2014 Jefferson County Chamber Newsletter
Janette Force and VIC volunteers pose with Area 51 hostesses at the Port Townsend Film Festival office. bers to borrow. The Film er than entertainment, and Festival office is a large it’s so much broader than open room with a confereconomic capacity to go ence table in the middle, to the movies. It’s a very because the film festival is important tool for communothing if not a collaboranity dialogue and growth tion. as a society, and that’s Janette’s office, with really our mission,” says windows facing the bay, Janette. This year’s Port is the nucleus of this cell Townsend Film Festival though. Everything comes will be located in downSeptember 19-21 is down to one piece of poster town Port Townsend. Feawhen downtown will be board and different colored tured special guests will be taken over by filmmakers, indie film’s “godfather and lovers, watchers, critics, and Post-it™ notes. This chart godmother” John Sayles organizes films, venues, stars to highlight dozens and special guests for three and Maggie Renzi. of independent films at the Thank you, Janette 15th Annual Port Townsend days. This chart is also and all the PTFF staff and the source of all stress and Film Festival. The amount of time and energy that goes pride for Janette, but if you volunteers, for keeping this into this festival each year is have ever seen a film maker festival compelling and fun! Port Townsend Film astounding. VIC volunteers debut their film in Port Townsend, you know it’s all Festival · 211 Taylor St. · scaled the three flights of PT · 360-379-1333 · ptfilmworth it. stairs (even though there “Film is so much broad- fest.com is an elevator) to the new Film Festival office at the top of the Mt. Baker Block building on Taylor Street to meet the PTFF staff and Executive Director, Janette Force, and find out everything about this year’s film festival. Before you enter the PTFF office, you must stop at the film library. This library holds the auspicious title of the largest compilation of independent movies in the Pacific Northwest and includes selections from 15 years of PT Film Festivals Volunteers learn to play a new game at Abracadabra. available for PTFF memyearly visitors have children who refer to Abracadabra as “my store.” I thought it was my store, but I’m willing to share. Thanks, Marion, for keeping the kid alive in us all. Abracadabra · 936 Water St. · PT · 360-385-5060