CONTACT THE CHAMBER 809 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98507 360-357-3362 info@thurstonchamber.com thurstonchamber.com
Celebrating 150 Years
A Heartfelt Thank You from the Thurston County Chamber
As we proudly celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2024, we reflect on the remarkable journey of the Thurston County Chamber and the incredible community that has supported us throughout the years. This milestone represents not just the longevity of our organization but the enduring spirit of progress, innovation, and collaboration that defines our region.
A Grateful Thank You
This special sesquicentennial Thank You edition of VOICE Magazine is dedicated to expressing our deepest gratitude to you, our members and supporters. Your unwavering dedication and commitment have been the cornerstone of our success.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting in May and our Community Celebration on July 11. These events were a resounding success, made possible by your presence and enthusiasm. Special thanks to the businesses that sponsored these events by purchasing bunting pennants. Your support brought a festive and celebratory atmosphere to our gatherings.
A significant highlight of this issue is our acknowledgment of the many businesses that have been steadfast members of the Chamber for over 25 years. Your long-term commitment is a testament to the strong and vibrant community we have built together.
In This Issue
• Photos from our Community Celebration: A look back at the joyful festivities on July 11.
• Historic Photos and Narrative: Celebrating 150 years of community-building.
• Honoring Long-Term Members: Celebrating businesses that have been with us for over 25 years.
• Upcoming Events: Stay informed about exciting events and initiatives planned for the rest of the year.
Looking Forward
As we celebrate this special moment in time, we're also excited about what's ahead and remain dedicated to our mission— growing a prosperous economy and vibrant community by connecting people, ideas and resources. Here's to the next 150 years!
David Schaffert President/CEO, Thurston
County Chamber
COUNTY CHAMBER
August 2024
THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER VOICE MAGAZINE
After Hours
Thank You Sponsors!
Visit ThurstonChamber.com and click on the Events Calendar for the latest information regarding Chamber events. The VOICE prints on FSC® Certified paper. The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC), is a non-profit organization that sets certain
Join our host, The Leaning Maple at 111 Washington St NE, Olympia WA 98501 on Thursday, August 1 at 5:30 p.m. for Thurston Young Professionals (TYP) Monthly Networking Event. Enjoy bites and beverages as you expand your network! All are welcome – feel free to invite other 20 to 30-year-olds so they can expand their networks! Thurston Young Professionals is sponsored by KGY Media Group.
Join our Business After Hours host 1st Security Bank at 2610 Harrison Ave NW, Olympia, WA 98501 on Thursday, August 15 at 5:30 p.m., for mingling and networking with other business professionals, a door prize business card drawing, beverages and appetizers. Business After Hours is a great opportunity to expand your network, and it is proudly sponsored by ROXY 94.5
On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Saint Martin's Norman Worthington Center, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503, the Chamber will host its August Forum and SSBIPOC Business Expo, starting at 11:00am. This event will take a deep dive into the economic, cultural, and governmental contributions of local Tribe enterprises. Attendees will hear from representatives of three key Tribal entities, Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation, Island Enterprises, and Chehalis Tribal Enterprises. Register at thurstonchamber.com/events.
Thank you to our sponsors, Wells Fargo Bank, Country Financial – Jaren Deel, YMCA, and South Sound Solar.
Celebrating 150 Years of Building Prosperity p. 4
For 150 years, the Chamber has built prosperity through infrastructure, economic development, education, and innovation. At its core, the Chamber is a story of supporting people in finding success.
Prosperity Partners and Pennant Sponsors p. 7
Join the Chamber in thanking our 150th Anniversary Prosperity Partners and Pennant Sponsors!
Making Memories with Our Members p. 9
Browse a comprehensive list of Thurston Chamber members and see just how long they've partnered with the Chamber.
Caught in the Lens p. 18
Keep up with the latest Chamber happenings and see all of the great smiles that make up our membership!
Celebrating 150 Years of Building Prosperity
The story of the Thurston County Chamber is one of shaping community. The Chamber’s connection of people, ideas and resources is weaved throughout our history. For 150 years the Chamber has built prosperity through infrastructure, economic development, education, and innovation. At its core, the Chamber is a story of supporting people in finding success.
No milestone has shaped our community more than securing the seat of Washington State government.
Warding off attempts by Vancouver, Tacoma, and Seattle to relocate the state capital, Chamber leadership held strong to its vision to create a center of commerce.
The Chamber led the community to raise funds to build the Hotel Olympian, advocated for expansion of the state capitol campus and hosted the first legislative dances, that would later become the Governor’s Inaugural ball.
Core to the shaping of community is infrastructure. Empowering business and connecting people to opportunities.
The formation of its transportation committee in the 1920’s influenced the movement of people and freight.
Paving the roads from Tenino to Vail and connecting Tumwater commerce to other modes of transportation. The Chamber called for the survey of McAllister Springs to secure water for a growing population.
In the mid-1960’s, the Chamber engaged in the efforts of a legislative committee to identify the site of a new four-year state college in the South Puget Sound. The Chamber was instrumental in rallying the community and lobbying the legislature to select Thurston County. In 1967, the legislature, and Governor Dan Evans, passed legislation, creating Evergreen State College.
In 1994, to strengthen the connection between education and business, the Chamber launched its non-profit foundation. Investing in education and leadership development, the Chamber created business programs and resources for individuals at all stages of life and learning.
On May 8, the Thurston County Chamber held its 119th Annual Meeting and celebrated its 150-year anniversary. This video was shown to attendees at Saint Martin's University Marcus Pavilion. A big thank you to everyone who attended, to Lieutenant Governor of Washington State, Denny Heck for narrating, and to our staff and the SkyBear Media team for producing this incredible work.
The Chamber championed collaboration with its stakeholders to improve the economic vitality and wellbeing of the community.
In 1922, it was all about the waterways. The Chamber led the formation of the Port of Olympia. Chamber members held an option on the tidelands which were deeded to the Port, creating access for vessels.
The creation of the Chamber retail board gave voice to the growing number of retailers. For decades, the Board provided advocacy, partnership, and community spirit. The retail board would later be known as the Olympia Downtown Alliance.
The original regional tourism office, the Chamber led beautification campaigns, visitor promotions and provided grass root funding support for new attractions.
In 1981, the Chamber Board saw a need for a more diversified economy. With the goal to drive desired growth, it founded the Economic Development Council, creating a
standalone entity to serve all regional stakeholders.
Innovation is one of the Chamber’s greatest strengths. Its history underscores its role in transforming ideas into solutions.
Embracing change has allowed the Chamber to address challenges and opportunities. To meet the needs of our community in a fast-moving and complex world.
The launch of Leadership Thurston County, the Small Business Incubator, Thurston Thrives, and workforce development showcase how the Chamber has met the needs of a changing community.
For 150 years the Thurston County Chamber has shaped our community. Building prosperity through infrastructure, economic development, education, and innovation.
150 years. The same mission, unchanged. The same vision, unwavering.
NOVEMBER 2, 2024
SAINT MARTIN’S UN IVERSITY GALA
Saint Martin’s University welcomes three-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Pati Jinich as the celebrity guest host for the Gala! The Gala is the University’s annual signature fundraising event for student scholarships, raising more than $2.1 million in 2023.
Guests will be transported into the rich heart of Mexican culture while indulging in Chef Pati’s culinary masterpieces and heartwarming stories throughout the evening.
Reserve your tickets today at www.stmartin.edu/Gala or call 360-438-4366.
Dr. Jay and Carla Rudd
100.3 Olympia’s Classic Rock
94.5 ROXY
A Touch of Flash Photobooth
ABOVE Home Health
Annie's Quilt Shoppe
Bank of the Pacific
Bricks & Minifigs Olympia
Busy Bee Automotive
Cap City Law PS
CapStone Solar
Color Graphics
Devaney Electric Co.
Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess
Dunamis Interiors & Design Build
Green Energy Systems
Honey, Wax That! Waxing & Skincare
Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation
Mi Chiantla/ CMB&M Consulting
Mosaic Marketing Studio
Nicole's Bar
Olympia Country & Golf Club
Omicle
Patricia L. Pich, CPA, PLLC
PestStop Pest Control
Promo Northwest
Propolis Communications
Real Estate of the South Sound
Rejuvenate Wellness Center
Sand to Sound Consulting
SCJ Alliance
Senior Helpers
Shanna Paxton Photography
Sound CU
The Evergreen State College
The Hampton Memory Care
The Rants Group
Umpqua Bank
Well 80
West Olympia Dental Group
YMCA
Ziply Fiber
The True Power Of Quality Service
Demonstrating our commitment to quality, we consistently earn the highest QA cleaning scores among hotels nationwide.
Recognized and awarded globally by multiple companies, such as "Contractor of the Year 2023" and “Best Commercial and Industrial Cleaning Firm in North America," we demonstrate our unwavering dedication to excellence.
A commitment to maintaining a clean, wellorganized environment, facilitating smooth business operations.
In the words of our CEO, Danielle Vest, “We are as successful as our clients allow us to be. Because our clients have such great communication with us, we can ensure not only great service but exceptional outcomes."
94.5 ROXY
150 Years of Making Memories with Our Members
Thank you to these outstanding businesses that have been members for over 25 years, with some close to reaching 100 years of membership.
A Beginning Alliance
AAA Washington - Inland
Adams Real Estate, Inc.
Adroit Contractors Inc.
Anthony's Homeport of Olympia
Apella Wealth
Area Agency on AgingLewis, Mason and Thurston
Association of Washington Business
Bayview Building Materials of Olympia
Bayview School of Cooking
Bayview Thriftway
Behavioral Health Resources
Bliss & Tuttle, CPA
Budd Bay Cafe
Builders FirstSource
Capital Aeroporter Tours & Charters
Capital Mall
Capital Place Retirement Community
Capitol City Press, Inc.
Casa Mia
Celebrations, Event & Party Rentals
Chicago Title Insurance Company
City of Tumwater
Color Graphics
Columbia Bank - West Olympia
Comfort Inn Lacey
Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason & Thurston Counties
Connolly, Tacon & Meserve
Crown Beverage Packaging
Dana C. Maher, CPA, PS
Desco Audio & Video
The OlyFed Business Team L to R: Chris Bridges, Chuck Hoeschen, Aron Dowell, Scott Gunther & Carrie Whisler.
Double Tree by Hilton
Drebick Investments, LLC
The Evergreen State College
Experience Olympia & Beyond
Express Employment Professionals
Fairchild Record Search, Ltd.
Fast Fuel
FASTSIGNS
FORMA Construction Company
g.miller
GHB Insurance, Inc.
Goldberg Investments
The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie
Graphic Communications
Grimm Collections
Hands On Children's Museum
Harlequin Productions
Heritage Bank - Lacey
Heritage Bank - Olympia
Heritage Bank - Tumwater
Heritage Bank - West
Olympia
Hometown Property Management
Indian Summer Golf & Country Club
Intercity Transit
Kaiser Permanente
Kaufman Construction &
KGY Media Group
L & E Bottling Company, Inc.
Langer, Stephen M.
Leadership Thurston County
Little Creek Casino & Resort
Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel
Meconi's Italian SubsOlympia
Michael White AgencyFarmers Insurance
MIXX 96.1 KXXO
Morningside
MSGS Architects
Multicare Capital Medical Center
Nisqually Red Wind Casino
North Thurston Public Schools
Northwest Marketing Resources
OBee Credit Union
Olympia Downtown Association
The Olympia Farmers Market
Olympia Federal SavingsOlympia
Olympia Federal SavingsWestside
Olympia Lighting Center
Olympia Master Builders (OMB)
Olympia Regional Airport
Olympia School District
Olympia Symphony Orchestra
Olympia Yacht Club
The Olympian
Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council
Pacific Disposal - Le May Inc.
Panorama
Pepsi Northwest Beverages
Port of Olympia
PROMO Northwest
Providence Business Health Services
Providence St. Peter Chemical Dependency Center
Providence St. Peter Foundation
Providence St. Peter Psychiatric Service
Providence Swedish Puget Sound Energy
Ralph's Thriftway
Right! Systems, Inc.
The Roof Doctor
Saint Martin's University
Selden's Designer Home Furnishings
Senior Services for South Sound
Sound Credit UnionOlympia
South Puget Sound Community College
SPSCC Corporate & Continuing Education Stormans, Inc.
Understanding the Increasing Impact of Tribal Enterprises in our Region
On Wednesday, August 14, at 11:00 a.m., at Saint Martin's University, Norman Worthington Center, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503, the Thurston County Chamber will host its August Forum titled "Understanding the Increasing Impact of Tribal Enterprises in our Region." This event promises to provide a deep dive into the economic, cultural, and governmental contributions of local Tribal enterprises.
“We initiated this in 2022, and we're committed to developing a continuous platform to support the Tribe’s community development efforts,” said David Schaffert, Thurston Chamber President/CEO.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear from representatives of three key Tribal entities: Nisqually Tribe's Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation, Squaxin Island Tribe's Island Enterprises, and Chehalis Tribal Government's Chehalis Tribal Enterprises. These speakers will offer insights into the business and enterprise arms of their respective Tribes, highlighting their significant roles in regional development.
This forum is an invaluable opportunity for attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted roles that Tribal enterprises play in our region. The presentations will underscore the significant
contributions of these entities to the local economy, culture, and community.
The event will include our Annual BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Business EXPO featuring members of South Sound BIPOC. Attendees will have the chance to connect with these exceptional entrepreneurs, discover innovative products and services, and support the growth of BIPOC-owned businesses. Tickets and more information available at thurstonchamber.com
Thank you to our Forum sponsors, Wells Fargo Bank, Country Financial – Jared Deel, YMCA and South Sound Solar
Investing In Our Community
Everyone benefits from living in strong, robust communities. That’s why TwinStar Credit Union has a long history of investing in the communities we serve. By supporting organizations like the Thurston County Chamber, we aim to help enrich and enhance the communities we live, work, and play in.
In 2023, we gave $1.2 million dollars to our communities. Our employees volunteered more than 5,000 hours at local charity and nonprofit organizations. Their efforts resulted in an economic impact of $164,000.
A substantial portion of the money that we donated ($362,000) last year went toward education and scholarships, which supported K-12 programs, scholarships, leadership development, and financial literacy efforts.
Providing people with the education, resources, and tools that they need to achieve their financial dreams is at the heart of everything we do at TwinStar. We started as a teachers’ credit union in 1938 and have stayed true to our roots.
Not surprisingly, we are big proponents of financial literacy because we believe that strong financial well-being leads to greater prosperity, not only for individuals but communities too.
To that end, we hold a variety of free workshops and financial wellness programs for community members of all ages. This is in addition to financial education programs we provide for preferred business partners and our members via TwinStarCU.com.
According to a recent BrightPlan Wellness Barometer Survey, employees on average reported losing more than seven hours of productivity each week due to financial stress, which costs U.S. employers $183 billion every year. That’s why TwinStar is proud to have expanded our financial education programs to include the employees of our preferred business partners. Local businesses play a key role in the viability of our communities, so supporting them is paramount for us.
In 2023, we held 36 financial wellness events targeted at adults, 23 of which were Spanishspeaking presentations. More than 700 adults participated in these financial literacy-focused events.
And every year, hundreds of adults and teenagers enroll in MoneyEdu, our selfdirected online financial wellness education program. Our members use interactive tools to create budgets, track spending, and calculate
things such as credit card interest. Since the launch of MoneyEdu, more than 1,300 people have used the program. In 2023, participants completed 915 courses, which equated to 635 hours spent learning.
We strongly believe that education and financial literacy are great drivers of prosperity. By providing access to further educational opportunities, we are enabling community members to achieve their goals and dreams. This in turn can lead them to be more confident and engaged when contributing to and serving their communities.
Supporting and enhancing the lives of everyone drives all of us at TwinStar — from our employees to our members and communities. By investing in the people and communities we serve, we are staying true to TwinStar’s mission and core values.
A huge thank you to TwinStar Credit Union, our incredible Presenting Sponsor for the 150th Anniversary!
A Special Day for Our Military Members FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6
Join us for the 60th annual Foofaraw! On Friday, Sept. 6, the Thurston County Chamber and the Olympia Yacht Club will host an unforgettable day for our local military heroes.
Every year, always the first Friday after Labor Day, we gather at the Olympia Yacht Club to set sail for Island Home. Foofaraw is a special event loved by military members across the United States. Yacht club members will ferry our guests to the island, where they’ll enjoy a day filled with fun games, a delicious salmon bake, and heartfelt recognition from local leaders. This tasty feast is provided by Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel and The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis.
The event is special, with two service members for every civilian. The Port of Olympia kicks things off with a grand send-off featuring local police, medics, and fire departments, and a giant American flag hoisted by one of their cranes.
The word "Foofaraw" means "much ado about nothing," and for one day each year, our military guests get to say "Foof" to their duties and just have fun.
Sponsor tickets are limited and only available to Chamber Members. We’re also accepting donations for the free military raffle held throughout the day.
For more information or to donate, call the Chamber at 360-357-3362. Tickets and registration information is available at thurstonchamber.com/events
