Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business -- September 2019 by Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business/Senior Times

September 2019

Volume 18 • Issue 9

Pasco wharf’s fate could be decided in 2020 BY ANDREW KIRK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Leadership Development

Business coaches’ podcasts offer leadership advice Page 13

Real Estate & Construction

Local real estate team challenges Zillow’s estimates “Have a vision and be “The Tri-Cities Page 27 passionate about your work.”

2019 “Instead of looking at whether the job is the right one, I have started looking at whether the opportunity is the right one.” – Angela Pashon

“Time is one of the most valuable things you can give.”

– Dr. Antonio Lopez-Ibarra

– Meaghan Brooks

YOUNG

“Do the thing that feels scary.”

“Ego is not something that will contribute to working as a team.”

– Dee Boyle

– Ellicia Elliott

PROFESSIONALS “It is important

to establish what Young Professionals your priorities

“If an professionals incorrect decision is 8 young honored made, we learn and move on.” – Brandon Lange in 12th annual contest– Chris Turner Specialty publication inside

are and who your priorities are.”

A specialty publication by the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

NOTEWORTHY “It’s a great feeling to drive by something and know you helped build that.” - Joe Gonzalez, owner of American Electric Page 31

PLEASE DELIVER TO CURRENT OCCUPANT

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business 8919 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. A1 Kennewick, WA 99336

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is a great place to organize community outreach because we truly care about the place we live in.”

Plans for a public market at the Port of Pasco wharf next to the cable bridge hit a snag, but the idea is not dead in the water, said Gary Ballew, the port’s director of economic development and marketing. The port recently completed a detailed inspection of the wharf, which included professional divers. The review concluded the structure was in “pretty decent shape,” except for the pier caps, a “pretty important component,” Ballew said. Pier caps transfer weight from the structure—in this case a platform or anything built atop it—to the pier. The decision on whether to replace the pier caps depends on what function the pier serves. Once that is decided, likely some time next year, a cost estimate can be completed. The wharf is a small section of the port’s marine terminal, a 28-acre riverfront site near the cable bridge. The port’s vision for the entire marine terminal is a mixed-use development. That plan will remain whether or not a public market is built, Ballew said. Adam (Brault) Avenir, president of the TriCities Public Market Foundation, said his group still is working to create an indoor public market to showcase the community’s diversity. He said his board believes a public market will “tilt the scales for Tri-Cities in a big way when it comes to wine tourism.” Although the public market group sees a lot of potential for a market at the wharf, it understands the challenges and process the port has to go through, Avenir said. “While it has tremendous promise, the site also poses a lot of feasibility challenges for a public market,” Avenir said, pointing at the findings in the report. “We don’t have a clear path in the near term, but we remain dedicated to that vision and open minded about how to achieve it. We’re not going to rush something just to make something happen.” He said his group is grateful for the work done by the Port of Pasco. Ballew said whatever gets built, he hopes uWHARF, Page 23

Courtesy Aho Construction Developers expect to break ground on 105 homes at The Heights at Red Mountain Ranch development this fall. At full build-out, the project will include 563 singlefamily homes and 226 multi-family homes.

West Richland approves massive housing development on 148 acres BY ANDREW KIRK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A proposed housing development could increase West Richland’s population by about 15 percent. The Heights at Red Mountain Ranch will add 563 single-family residential lots on 148 acres with the option of later adding 226 multi-family homes on 36 more acres. The first phase of the 10-phase project— expected to begin this fall—includes 105 homes. The average residential lot size will be 7,702 square feet. Larger lots to the north and south of the homes also are planned and will eventually be

built for future businesses to serve the neighborhood. Councilwoman Gail Brown said the development is planned as a 10-year project, if developers stick to their schedule. The 563 homes, which include five duplexes, could be built faster if the first phase lots sell quickly, said John Cooney, director of marketing for Aho Construction. He estimates 1,600 residents could move in over the next decade. “The development on the ranch will be huge. It is the largest preliminary plot the city has ever approved. We are really growing out here,” Brown said in an email. At full build-out, an estimated 2,249 people will live there. uDEVELOPMENT, Page 4

Kennewick port commissioners face sanctions, appeal following complaint BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The Port of Kennewick’s three commissioners have been outspoken as costs pile up for an independent investigation involving two of them that was prompted by the third. Commissioner Skip Novakovich filed an anonymous complaint as a citizen alleging unprofessional behavior during a testy closed-door meeting about the sale of land near Vista Field. It ultimately led to sanctions recommended for the commission’s president and vice president. “It’s a pretty ugly situation,” Novakovich said. The publicly elected commission repre-

sents citizens in Kennewick, West Richland and portions of Richland, Benton City and Benton County. Commissioners Thomas Moak and Don Barnes maintain other channels could have been taken internally instead of the one that led to an investigation that’s cost the port at least $65,000 so far, not including staff time. “I believe there would have been more effective ways to deal with this, less costly to the Port of Kennewick, but that’s not the decision that was made,” Barnes said. Moak partly blamed the port’s lack of a human resources department to handle the issue in-house. The final costs could swell to more than uCOMMISSIONERS, Page 9

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PASCO, WA PERMIT NO. 8778

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Officials celebrate vit plant milestone with control room opening BY ANDREW KIRK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A major milestone has been reached at the massive radioactive waste treatment plant under construction at the Hanford nuclear reservation. Treatment of low-level waste—which makes up 90 percent of what’s in the aging tanks at the Hanford site—is scheduled to begin in 2023. That was the message during the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aug. 19 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly-completed LowActivity Waste Facility annex at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, known as the vit plant, control room. “The new control room for the Waste Treatment Plant demonstrates a key step towards our goal of treating waste here at Hanford,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, at the ceremony. “The startup of low-activity waste treatment is so important for the mission of Hanford.” Before the plant can turn nuclear waste into easy-to-store glass, it must go through a commissioning phase, which involves training staff, practicing procedures and testing systems. The parts of the vit plant ready to open soon include an analytical laboratory, the melters capable of creating five containers of glass per day, and a facility for catching and processing the effluent that escapes during melting. The annex’s control room will oversee all three, plus about a dozen additional buildings tied to the vit plant. Vitrification of high-level waste will come later. The opening of the annex is considered a significant step in beginning the commissioning of the plant, which means testing of the vitrification work could begin in less than two years, and

uSee story about vit plant’s graveyard workers on page 45. the start of low-waste removal from storage tanks could begin as early as autumn 2022, said Bechtel National managers. “This is a momentous occasion as we celebrate this completion. This job could not have been accomplished—the milestone we’ve made—could not have been accomplished without a lot of effort from a lot of people,” said Carrie Meier, local spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy. “Work at the vit plant—it’s its own city—is reliant on the work of our partner contractors to continue making progress.” Vit plant project manager Valerie McCain said significant progress has been made in the last 12 months. Moving into the annex means the necessities required to run the plant around the clock are nearly complete. “The computerized control room is the brains of the vit plant… moving into this building is significant for this team. It means we’re moving forward. It’s a place in the project we’ve never been before. It’s really significant,” she said. The opening of the annex is worth a ribbon-cutting ceremony because it marks the end of 18 years of construction, said Tom Fletcher, DOE project director for the plant. “After years of talking about progress, today we’re showing it, with the opening of the annex facility,” he said. “The scaffolding is disappearing; temporary fixtures are being replaced with permanent fixtures; water, power, networks and roads are all being upgraded

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Photo by Bechtel National Inc. Congressman Dan Newhouse, left, learns about the computerized control room inside the newly-completed Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Hanford vit plant. The analytical laboratory, one of more than a dozen buildings at the vit plant campus, is adjacent the newly-opened annex where control-room operators remotely oversee operations at the lab.

for 24/7 operations…. It’s a cultural change.” Brian Vance, the Department of Energy’s site manager, said commissioning the plant is a “historic time” for the Hanford site. Treating low-level waste is going to require Hanford-wide cooperation as it is pulled from tanks and transported to the plant, he said. “There’s lots of reasons to be optimistic about where we are today,” he said. Newhouse added how easy it is to take for granted the hundreds of professions that work together to make Hanford cleanup possible. It’s not just a responsibility; the investment and coop-

eration also has created an environment for innovation. “Our deep history in innovation, science, technology and energy development is interwoven into the very fabric of what makes the Tri-Cities unique and so much of that begins right here at Hanford,” he said. Since plans to create a federal depository for vitrified waste in glass blocks have stalled, the current plan is for the low-level waste encased in glass to be stored at Hanford after processing. Fletcher said DOE staff, Bechtel staff and subcontractors all are working to find ways to finish the work as quickly as possible.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 DEVELOPMENT, From page 1

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UPCOMING October:

• Food • Education & Training • Focus: Construction + Real Estate in the Tri-Cities magazine

November:

• Retail • Labor & Employment

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, a publication of TriComp Inc., is published monthly and delivered at no charge to identifiable businesses in Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Kennewick, Prosser and Benton City. Subscriptions are $27.10 per year, including tax, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this publication are the sole property of TriComp Inc. and can not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions expressed in guest columns and by advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, other columnists or other advertisers, nor do they imply endorsement by staff, columnists or advertisers. Every effort will be made to assure information published is correct; however, we are not liable for any errors or omissions made despite these efforts.

Developer Frank Tiegs LLC and Aho Construction hope to break ground on the first 105 homes and extend Keene Road this fall. “Aho Construction is proud to have been a part of the growth in the Tri-Cities over the last three decades. Having built thousands of homes in Pasco, Aho Construction is excited about its next chapter and opportunity in providing attainable housing in West Richland,” Cooney said. Aho Construction has homes for sale in developments in Sunnyside, Quincy, Moses Lake, Moxee and Cheney. Its most recent local project was phase 9 of the Linda Loviisa development just east of Capital Park and Gesa Stadium in Pasco. The West Richland land belongs to Frank Tiegs LLC, a real estate-focused subsidiary of Washington Potato Co. based in Pasco. The property is currently farmland on the western border of the south half of West Richland. Ruppert Road will be to the north. Double Canyon Winery and Pacific Rim Winemakers will be to the south. Keene Road will bisect the new neighborhood when it’s extended to terminate at Ruppert. The city is requiring the developers to extend Keene Road and another developer will extend Paradise Way to accommodate both projects. Long-term plans for the area also include a light industrial park to the southwest and a fire station. The area is served by Benton Fire District 4. The Heights at Red Mountain Ranch will include nearly 15 acres of open space

accessible to the public and mostly managed by a homeowners’ association. That includes a seven-acre park to be maintained by the city with a playground, playfield large enough to accommodate a U-14 soccer game, bathrooms, basketball court, picnic shelter and benches. The park will be looped by a paved trail and other trails will intersect some of the remaining 7.5 acres of open space. Names for the park and streets will be decided later. “Additional details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks and months, such as final pricing, HOA fees, exact timing and exact floor plans to be offered,” Cooney said. Updates will be posted online at ahoconstruction.com. “With direct development involvement in the upcoming master plan community, Red Mountain Ranch, Aho Construction will be offering great homes at sensible prices,” he said. A new irrigation district will be created to serve the community based on water rights already associated with the property, Cooney said. The project received approval from the city council and planning department in August. Brown said she asked questions about the strain the neighborhood might have on the available water supply and sewer service but was assured by city staff that resources were adequate. Several required environmental studies concluded there would be no significant impact to the environment, as it is not critical or sensitive habitat. The existing farm-

land sits atop densely-packed sand with no threat of flooding or erosion, according to city documents. Keene Road and Van Giesen Street will serve as the development’s main thoroughfares. Paradise Way eventually will connect to Van Giesen, providing access to the businesses on Bombing Range Road. As Keene is extended and Ruppert Road upgraded, sidewalks will be added for walkability and safe pathways to the area’s schools, according to city documents. The Richland School District does not anticipate needing new schools to accommodate the new neighborhood, said Ty Beaver, district spokesman. Nearby Tapteal Elementary is currently being renovated. When that project is completed, Badger Mountain Elementary will be renovated, and when that is finished, the new school on Belmont Boulevard—which is housing students who attend displaced schools during their renovations—will become a school with its own boundaries. The school district’s 2017 bond also will pay for the district’s 12th elementary school to serve the Badger Mountain South neighborhood. That means in the coming years the two closest schools will be updated and two new ones added. Furthermore, land for a third high school has already been bought in West Richland, Beaver said. “That being said, we do always need to monitor for growth,” he said. As Red Mountain Ranch nears its final phases, the district will reassess needs, he said.

uBUSINESS BRIEF State OKs Kadlec to add 67 inpatient hospital beds

Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland received state approval to add 67 inpatient beds to its hospital license. This raises Kadlec’s capacity to 337 beds. Under the approved certificate of need from the state Department of Health, Kadlec plans to phase in the additional beds over the next few years. Kadlec’s acute care bed occupancy rate has been increasing steadily. Coupled with the community’s projected population growth of nearly 2 percent per year for the next seven years, gaining state approval of this expansion is important, according to Kadlec officials. The population growth is driven primarily by growth in the number of residents age 65 years and older which increased, on average, 5 percent per year from 2010-15, and is forecasted to grow more than 4 percent per year from 2015-20 and 3.7 percent per year from 2020-25. This high rate of growth in the number of aging residents is important because this population has a much greater inpatient utilization rate than younger residents. In turn, this translates into much greater demand for inpatient care. At the same time, Kadlec is strongly focused on growing its outpatient services to meet ever- increasing demand and evolving capabilities in the outpatient arena.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Kennewick plans 2 open houses on convention center expansion Meetings to provide public opportunity to learn about multimillion dollar project BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

Two open houses have been scheduled for Kennewick’s multimillion dollar public-private plan to expand the Three Rivers Convention Center with a theater and hotel—and possibly more development later. The meetings are from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 17 at the Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick. The city council in September approved a $486,883 purchase and sales agreement for 3.56 acres adjacent to the convention center and Toyota Center with A-1 Pearl LLC for the development of a convention hotel to be connected to an expanded convention center. A-1 Pearl, which is part of the TriCity-based A-1 Hospitality Group that’s currently building the Courtyard by Marriott near the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, is led by Taran Patel and managed by Vijay Patel. The deal, valued at $85 million, includes a $35 million investment from the city to expand the convention center with a 2,000-seat flex-space performing arts theater and add nearly 65,000 square feet and more parking. The developer agrees to invest $50 million to build a seven-story convention hotel with a restaurant, spa and outdoor pool and 40,000-square-foot retail building. A-1 Pearl also is looking at whether it’s feasible to add an outdoor wedding venue area to the hotel. The deal contains a two-year due-diligence period to allow both sides time to secure necessary financing and jointly begin the construction of the expansion of the convention center, hotel and retail component of the project. A-1 Pearl is pursuing the federal EB-5 immigrant investor program for funding. The agreement also allows the option to buy the adjacent property for the second phase, which would create residential, commercial and public spaces with water features and a boardwalk. This $160 million investment includes three residential towers with 800 condominiums, up to 300,000 square feet of high-end shopping, restaurants and offices on the first two levels of the mixed-use development and underground parking for residents. At the open house meetings, staff from the city of Kennewick and Kennewick Public Facilities District will provide

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information on the project vision, public and private investment components, economic impacts, the complementary nature of the project to the entertainment district and Vista Field re-development vision, and the financing needed. The open houses will provide the public an opportunity to view concept renderings of the project, make comments and ask questions. The city estimates $1 million in onetime local sales tax revenue and $105,000 in annual local sales tax revenue from the hotel with the first phase of the project, according to city documents. Voters rejected a proposal to increase the sales tax by two-tenths of a percent to

Convention center development open house meetings When: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 17

Where: Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd.,

Kennewick

expand the convention center three times, in 2017, 2016 and 2013. “The citizens rejected those measures and the feedback we received was that the community did not support the sales tax increase and felt there needed to be private development involved in the project,” according to city documents. Conventions, trade shows and confer-

ences contribute more than $21 million in direct spending and overall economic impact to the community of more than $31 million, according to city documents. The city cited four groups that have outgrown the 75,000-square-foot Three Rivers Convention Center and five others that have indicated a need to seek another location if the facility isn’t expanded.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

DATEBOOK

VISIT TCJOURNAL.BIZ AND CLICK ON EVENT CALENDAR FOR MORE EVENTS

SEPT. 16

• Pasco Chamber annual Sunshine Business luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. Register: pascochamber.org.

SEPT. 19

• Building Bridges Networking Event: 5:308:30 p.m., Mayfield Gathering Place & Gardens (formerly the Sandberg Event Center), 331 S. 41st Ave., West Richland. Contact: 509-9670521. • Dine OUT – Cancer Crushing Cuisine: 6-9 p.m., Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center, 2140 Wine Country Road, Prosser. Go to: tccancer.org • Community Lecture Series “Hacking Democracy: What Social Media is Doing to U.S. Politics”: 7 p.m., Mid-Columbia Libraries, 1620 Union St., Kennewick. Go to: humanities.org.

SEPT. 24

• Washington Policy Center’s Solutions at Sunrise: 7:15-8:15 a.m., CG Public House, 9221 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Register: washingtonpolicy. org.

Contact: 509-943-6027. • Tri-City Regional Chamber Elected Leaders Reception: 4:30-6:30 p.m., Reach museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland. Register: 509-7360510.

SEPT. 25

SEPT. 28

• Tri-City Regional Chamber membership luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Register: 509-736-0510.

SEPT. 26

• Health Care Job Fair: 10 a.m. to noon, WorkSource Columbia Basin, 815 N. Kellogg St., Suite D, Kennewick. Go to: worksourcewa.com. • Take ACTion Luncheon, benefiting The Academy of Children’s Theatre: noon1 p.m., Academy of Children’s Theatre, 213 Wellsion Way, Richland.

• Dinner in the Dark, benefiting Edith Bishel Center for the Blind: 6-10 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. Tickets: edithbishelcenter.org.

OCT. 2

• West Richland Chamber Monthly Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mayfield Gathering Place & Gardens (formerly the Sandberg Event Center), 331 S. 41st Ave., West Richland. RSVP: 509-9670521. • National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association #1192 monthly meeting: noon, Red Lion

Hotel, 1101 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick. Call: 509-378-2494.

OCT. 4

• Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership networking breakfast: 8-9 a.m., Clover Island Inn, 4th floor, 435 N. Clover Island Drive, Kennewick. Contact: 509-582-7221.

OCT. 4-6

• Home Builders Association Fall Home Show: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, HAPO Center (formerly TRAC), 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. Go to: hbatc.com.

OCT. 9

• Ask the Experts: 3:30-5 p.m., Tri-Cities Business and Visitor Center, Bechtel Board Room, 7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite C, Kennewick. Register: 509-736-0510.

• Taking a Bite out of Hunger: 5:30-9 p.m., Second Harvest, 5825 Burlington Loop, Pasco. Tickets: 2-harvest.org/tcbite.

OCT. 10

• Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities Luncheon: noon to 1:30 p.m., The HAPO Center (formerly TRAC), 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. Tickets: whwftc.org.

OCT. 11

• Digital Crush Marketing Summit: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Tickets: thedigitalcrush.com.

OCT. 12

• Wine & Dine for SIGN: 5-10 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Tickets: signfracturecare.org.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Kamiakin High grads create Bissy energy drink from African nut BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

A pair of Kamiakin High graduates have teamed up to create a natural energy drink that uses the kola nut, hoping to introduce the nation to an ingredient that’s been enjoyed in West Africa and other tropical climates for many years. James Swinyard and Zach En’Wezoh borrowed $45,000 from friends and family to launch a pilot run of their product called Bissy, which is a colloquial term used by Jamaicans for the kola nut. The energy drink comes in 3.4-ounce glass bottles with sustainable packaging and has a taste reminiscent of cola, with ginger, cinnamon and clove notes. “We tweaked it to make it more uniquely-flavored toward the actual kola nut, a little more ginger-heavy,” said Swinyard, one of the innovators behind Bissy. The kola nut was in the original CocaCola recipe, according to several articles about the closely-guarded soft drink formula. Swinyard said if you were to taste the kola nut straight off the tree, “it would be like biting into a mushroom crossed with a plum that wasn’t ripe. It’s bitter, sour and earthy.” The kola nut is indigenous to west Africa, where En’Wezoh’s family is from and how he first became aware of the fruit. “Zach actually learned about this in a book that was written about his greatgrandfather who was the chief of an area in central Nigeria,” Swinyard said. “He read about kola nut over and over again in this book and thought he needed to see what it was about, as a part of his heritage. He couldn’t find any products on the market that used kola nut, so he ordered the extracts, and he realized how much of a caffeine boost it had. He took it and said,

“It’s all built up to this Kickstarter.” - James Swinyard, co-creator of Bissy ‘Whoa, I feel amazing.’ ” Swinyard and En’Wezoh decided to harness both the caffeine and the theobromine found in the fruit. They’re promoting Bissy’s sustained energy boost, saying it opens blood vessels in the lungs to retain oxygen and enhance performance. A single bottle of Bissy contains enough caffeine to equal two shots of espresso. Swinyard is marketing the product to bars and cafés, where it’s being mixed with rum, chai or sparkling water. “In Nigeria, it was traditionally consumed only by men, but now women are eating it,” Swinyard said. “It used to be tradition for males that if you were coming over to my home, before we got down to business or chatted, we would break a kola nut or share it. So it’s a very communal thing. It connects you to the person you’re enjoying it with.” After leaving Kamiakin High, En’Wezoh went on to Columbia University and Swinyard to Pacific Lutheran University. Friends since age 9, the men have remained connected through a love for creating things and sustaining side projects. “(En’Wezoh) and I were always launching side gigs, whether it was something we wanted to sell, or a blog, or something on the side to keep us busy. We’ve always been kind of side hustlers aside from our schooling and work,” Swinyard said. The friends say they are the brains

Courtesy Zach En’Wezoh and James Swinyard Zach En’Wezoh visits the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria while developing the natural energy drink, Bissy.

behind the “Run KANO” shirts that were popularized by students at their alma mater and still worn today. The phrase is meant to unite the school’s student body. When En’Wezoh had a vision of marketing a kola nut project, he knew Swinyard was the one to call. “He said, ‘You want to make this a thing?’ He knew I’d say yes because I’m always down for a side project,” said Swinyard, who now lives in Seattle and had been working to address the failures

Erica Guerra

AA in Applied Science, with ABLO for 15 years, Ofﬁce Manager and Senior Case Manager, bilingual (Spanish).

Brando Suarez

Bachelor of Computer Science, with ABLO for 10 years, runs the business ofﬁce, IT and graphics departments.

of products that could injure people. En’Wezoh moved to San Francisco where he is a corporate paralegal. The friends began working on the new project in July 2018, which resulted in an initial run of 10,000 bottles. Swinyard said they’ve sold about half of them, available locally for about $3.69 at Highlands Organic Market locations in Richland and Kennewick and The Local in Kennewick.

Our Core Team

uBISSY, Page 8

Brian Kady

AAS in Paralegal Studies, Certiﬁed Legal Assistant, with ABLO for 24 years, Chief Technical Writer.

Malcolm Eden

BA in History & Culture, Masters in International Relations, with ABLO for 10 years, Senior Case Manager.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 BISSY, From page 7

Courtesy Zach En’Wezoh and James Swinyard James Swinyard, pictured, and his childhood friend and business partner Zach En’Wezoh have launched a natural energy drink called Bissy, which contains the African kola nut.

“This fills a market that’s underserved because there’s non-consumption of kola nut in the U.S.,” Swinyard said. He describes the energy boost as a more “comfortable climb” than a traditional caffeine rush from coffee, or from the ingredients he feels are “unnecessary” in other mass-marketed energy drinks. “It will sell itself as long as we can get people to try it. It’s a feeling, not an ingredient,” Swinyard said. The friends launched a 30-day crowdsourced fundraising campaign on Kickstarter in early September, with the goal of raising $30,000 to create 100,000 more bottles of Bissy and potentially launch two carbonated beverages. “We’re confident we can meet our goal,” Swinyard said. “The idea is that

you could be there on the ground floor and move from seeing something be kind of an idea, and something that exists, to being the person who helps us take it to regional or national distribution.” Swinyard said the initial few days of the campaign are most crucial to getting the project placed on Kickstarter’s homepage, which could garner more clicks from the millions who visit the site daily. “It doesn’t take that much to get there, because a lot of people launch products and they don’t have the support that Zach and I have, or the community that Zach and I have. So if we can garner that, we can go from a humble Kickstarter to a national story,” he said. Swinyard promises any additional money raised beyond the requested campaign would go toward certifying their kola nut farmers as fair trade, which he cites as important to their mission. “What we want to do is create the market in the U.S., fair trade our farmers in Nigeria, and increase the demand for their kola nut so we can start building up a structure for them and increase the ability for Nigeria’s agricultural sector to start being an economic driver for them,” he said. Weeks before the launch of the Kickstarter campaign, Swinyard was working the sample counter at the Richland Country Mercantile, introducing customers to the product and hoping for more support ahead of the fundraiser. “We’ve been aligning all of the pieces and then attacking each piece sequentially until we finally have arrived at this moment,” Swinyard said. He recalled times they had just a few hundred dollars in savings before a backer would help get them through the next production phase. “It’s all built up to this Kickstarter. You’ve raised $45,000 from friends and family, you’ve used a lot of your social capital and favors, and you’re here now and you’re at your secondary and tertiary connections that have enough money to take us to the next stage,” Swinyard said. Contributions to the Bissy Kickstarter can be made at bit.ly/BissyKickstarter.

uBUSINESS BRIEF Company receives 6 patents for innovations

Framatome, which has an office in Richland, received six patent awards for nuclear innovations. The patents cover inventions to improve safety and operational excellence in nuclear energy facilities. Three of the awards were in fuels for utilities: a strip for a nuclear fuel assembly spacer grid, composite fuel rod cladding and nuclear fuel rod cladding including a metal nanomaterial layer. Three other awards were for: boiling water reactor feedwater sparger end bracket pin clamp, excavation and weld repair methodology for pressurized water reactor piping and vessel nozzles, and control rod drive mechanism inner diameter annulus ultra-high-pressure cavitation peening.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 COMMISSIONERS, From page 1 double what has been spent when an appeal before a neutral third party is undertaken on the accusations against Barnes. The “rough” estimate is $75,000 in additional costs. “It’s a very early estimate. We don’t have neutral selected so we do not know what that neutral’s hourly rate is going to be,” said Lucinda Luke, the port’s attorney. “A lot of things that neutral (party) will also be determining is the hearing process, and so that process may be more abbreviated or may include more steps. So that is truly a very rough estimate.” Moak, the commission’s president, chose not to challenge the recommended sanctions, which include a public reprimand, retraining on professional conduct at his expense and publication about his sanction in the Tri-City Herald. In his complaint, Novakovich pointed to the commissioners’ behavior while discussing the land sale. The port owns property in central Kennewick where a working air strip was located until it closed at the end of 2013; it is being redeveloped for mixed use. The port had interest in buying back five acres of private land under contract with the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. According to those in the meeting, it appeared Moak and Barnes found port CEO Tim Arntzen at fault for the port losing its chance to buy back the land prior to the sale. “I said I raised my voice, somebody else said I yelled. To me, I don’t know of a person who, in a tense situation, hasn’t raised their voice or yelled in frustration. I mean, I did it. I was frustrated. But I didn’t think it was a big thing, either,” Moak said. He accepts the blame, but doesn’t accept fault for the situation escalating beyond the port’s walls to an independent investigation, prompted by Novakovich’s complaint. “I believe that the appropriate way of dealing with it would have been to go to Tim Arntzen, if (Novakovich) was having an issue with commissioners, or to speak up in a meeting and do that rather than going through this anonymous citizen complaint that’s going to cost a lot of money,” Moak said. “To me, it was Tim’s role as CEO to figure out what needs to happen. It shouldn’t be an individual commissioner starting out with the first brush to file a complaint.” Barnes also feels he did everything in his power to avoid the investigation and growing legal bills. “It’s a matter of public record. I tried to amend the agenda in April at our port commission meeting to add an executive session for the purpose of taking up the citizen complaint. But the commission was told by port counsel that that would have been premature, or some words to that effect, so I couldn’t get a vote from the commission to go along with that,” Barnes said. “This initial complaint authored by Commissioner Novakovich went to our CEO Arntzen and to attorney Lucinda Luke, and they made the decision to go forward with an outside investigation,” he added. “Those three made the deci-

sion. And now I find it a little ironic that I’m being blamed for the cost of this.” Novakovich disagreed. He said the commissioners, Thomas Moak and especially Moak, had the opportunity to deal with the concerns in house but avoided it. “(Moak) was supposed to handle these things but he did not,” Novakovich said. “He ignored it and even sided with Commissioner Barnes whenever any issue came up that related to it. So, yes, I agree, it could have been handled locally. But he didn’t do it.” Novakovich said using the outside attorney was the only available course of action: “By port policy, Tim needed to automatically recuse himself and send it on to the attorney, which he did. The attorney then got out of the way and said, ‘Look, I’m the port attorney. I need to find a neutral person to investigate this,’ so she got out of the way.” The investigation also looked at whether Barnes created a hostile work environment for a salaried employee, Arntzen, and whether Moak shirked his duties as president by failing to enforce policies and procedures. The investigator’s August report resulted in six findings, half of which exonerated the commissioners, half of which found violations.

The report by Seattle attorney Tara Parker of Ogden Murphy Wallace found Barnes and Moak did not violate port rules regarding direcDon Barnes tives to staff or violate the state’s Open Meetings Act. Parker also determined Moak did not fail in his role as president. But Parker did conclude Barnes violated port rules by calling a Vista Field consultant about the land sale, as well as the state auditor’s office. Additionally, Parker said Barnes created a hostile work environment for a port employee and Moak violated port rules on civility when he raised his voice at the port employee. “I accept that I could have done better. We all have standards that we need to live up to, and I didn’t live up to the standard I wanted to live up to,” Moak said. The investigator said Barnes calling the consultant about the land sale could harm the port’s relationship with the consultant. Barnes called the state auditor’s office in June 2019 to ask about the chance of buying back the land, a call that was placed while the investigation was underway. Parker concluded this call could result in added scrutiny of the port by the state auditor’s office.

“There are a lot of allegations in this complaint and 90 percent were found to be without merit. There are only three things, and I respectfully Skip Novakovich disagree with the findings of the investigative report regarding the two things that I am alleged to have done,” Barnes said. Since the port had an interest in obtaining the private land and failed to do so, the complaint indicated Barnes and Moak placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the port’s CEO. The investigator reported Barnes accused Arntzen of fraud and withholding information, and said multiple witnesses recounted a hostile demeanor toward the port’s CEO which “seriously negatively impacted” Arntzen. The finding said Barnes repeated “significant hostility, in public and private” against the CEO. “I disagree with the findings of this investigative report, and per our rules of policy and procedure, I have requested a hearing by a neutral (third party) to appeal,” Barnes said. Parker concluded that Moak’s treatment of the CEO wasn’t much better, finding that he had yelled, “I blame you,” to Arntzen and had threatened to fire him uCOMMISSIONERS, Page 10

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COMMISSIONERS, From page 9 in a joking matter during public meetings. The investigator also said Moak “dressed down” a public works director from a port jurisdictional partner. Novakovich said inappropriate comments made in public meetings were nothing new. “What’s been going on is just awful…You don’t bring that kind of stuff up in public; it’s just not the right thing to do,” he said. The investigator said Moak and Barnes violated the rules on civility and respect and recommended sanctions against both. Novakovich felt these findings only scratched the surface. “I’m disappointed that the investigator didn’t investigate deeper. I’m happy

that there’s something and something’s going to happen, but I think there could have been a lot more,” he said. The sanctions include cooperative participation in team-building activities with the staff, including the CEO and Novakovich. When asked how they expected to work together for the good of the port, Novakovich said he shared the same concerns. “I asked that exact question, ‘How is this port supposed to function when you have two people who have created a hostile work environment, and yet they’re in a position to oversee?’ and Moak called me out of order and I couldn’t finish,” Novakovich said. “Port policy says there’s not to be any retaliatory action against anyone who files a complaint,

and if you take a look at the videos of our meetings, Commissioner Moak would not even let me speak in commission meetings. As soon as I started speaking on something, he’d call me out of order and tell me to be quiet.” For Barnes, formal public censure was also recommended. “I’m confident in my appeal before an independent neutral over these allegations,” Barnes said. His decision to request an appeal will come at the expense of the port. The port’s chief financial officer said the port is checking to see if its insurance may cover the expense, otherwise it expects to use some of the $2.5 million set aside in a self-insurance fund to foot the bills. Moak and Novakovich disagree about whether Barnes should pursue his appeal.

“I wouldn’t want that on my record. I believe people need to defend themselves,” Moak said. “It’s shocking the cost is what the cost is, but if you feel this is an overreach, I think he needs to stand up for himself. That’s what appeals are there for.” Novakovich said, “I think it’s uncalled for because the independent investigator found him guilty on two or three things, and that’s the way it’s going to end up again no matter what he would do or say. It’s black and white, the facts are there, it’s all been proven. It’s just a complete waste of money.” When asked whether a second independent investigation could find a different outcome, Barnes said, “I don’t have a comment about the independent investigation and whether it was independent or not.” The future of the port commission is still up in the air. Moak is the commission’s newest representative and is running for re-election against challenger VJ Meadows in the November election. The position represents a portion of Kennewick. Each commissioner is elected to a six-year term. The commissioners don’t currently earn the same salary due to rules preventing an elected official from voting for their own salary increase. Barnes and Novakovich earn $28,505 a year, while Moak earns $15,708, plus a per diem compensation of $128 per meeting. The port’s CFO said this all amounts to a similar salary between the three commissioners, and when the new term begins in January, the per diem will be eliminated and each commissioner will earn the same. Novakovich said he’d prefer to see a new face on the commission after the election. Barnes is in his second term representing a portion of Kennewick and has served the commission since 2012. Moak believes the current commissioners can still be effective in their roles despite the past. “Is it a little challenging? Yes. My feeling is, I have to deal with that, and I believe I have dealt with that professionally. I believe that the three commissioners are professionals and they should be able to work together for the greater good. I don’t see necessarily that just because there’s been a little bit of turmoil among us, as necessarily having to change the direction of the commission or that that becomes overwhelming to the product we try to put out,” Moak said. Barnes said his record should stand for itself and believes he will be exonerated. “I’ve had an excellent working relationship with the Port of Kennewick, until January of this year. Basically this issue came about over questions about one item that was on the Jan. 22, 2019, agenda. And I think it’s the responsibility of the commissioner to ask questions that are in the best interest of the Port of Kennewick. I’m asking questions on behalf of the taxpayers and the citizens.” When Moak and Barnes were asked whether they have confidence in uCOMMISSIONERS, Page 11

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 uBUSINESS BRIEF Bigger apple crop ahead for 2019-20 harvest

Washington apple harvest is expected to top 137 million boxes, an increase of nearly 18 percent over the 2017-18 season. The Aug. 7 forecast aligns with the volume of the previous two years’ harCOMMISSIONERS, From page 10 Arntzen’s role as CEO despite disagreeing on the decisions he made over the land sale, Barnes chose not to comment, saying it would be “inappropriate” to do so. “I felt that he’s done a great job for the first five years,” Moak said. “I’m not prepared to throw out all the good things he’s done because I haven’t liked the way this particular series of events related to this complaint have played out. That doesn’t change my overall view that he’s done a very good job for the port and for the people of the port district at large with some of these big projects. I believe he’s the right person to continue to lead us in that direction.” While Novakovich has served the district since 2009, representing residents in West Richland, and parts of Richland, Benton City and Benton County, he’s unsure of his own future on the commission. “I don’t have a whole lot of interest in staying on and I’ve been there for 10

vests, according to the Washington Apple Commission. Varieties grown in Washington have grown diverse, providing consumers with more than 56 varieties available. The organic category represents 13 percent of the total crop. About a third of Washington’s fresh apple crop is exported each year and accounts for 95 percent of all U.S. apple exports, the commission said. years, but I don’t have any interest in staying in that kind of environment. It’s not worth it. The reason I (wrote the complaint) is not me. It’s to protect the staff. They don’t need to work under that kind of circumstance.” Novakovich added words of warning: “There could be some real lessons learned for elected officials about policies and procedures; these guys approved them. When you make rules, they’re for a reason, and when you’re elected to represent people, you need to follow the rules and follow the procedures.” Though Barnes’ appeal looms, he said he’s committed to staying focused on port business. “I think the port has some tremendous projects on the books right now that will make a significant difference in our community and I’m very much wanting to work on these projects going forward,” he said. “I focused on Vista Field; I focused on Columbia Drive, and we need to try to put this behind us and move forward, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Annual report details PNNL’s economic impact on state BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

The national laboratory in the TriCities’ backyard supported $1.46 billion in economic output, and 7,180 jobs in the state last year. A 36-page report analyzing the economic impact of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on the state was released in August. The sixth annual report covers fiscal year 2018. The state gained $225 million in output, 1,633 jobs and $102 million in income through closely related economic activities such as visitor spending, health care spending, spending by resident retirees and through companies with PNNL roots, the report said. PNNL has a total payroll of $465 million, of which $432 million went to staff employed in Washington, the report said. Of PNNL’s 4,414 staff, 93 percent live in Washington. Most work at PNNL’s Richland campus and live in Benton and Franklin counties, but a few also work at the Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim and at offices near Lake Union in Seattle. PNNL employment has grown 25 percent since 2000. The average annual wage for all Washington state PNNL employees at the end of fiscal year 2018 was $105,533. PNNL made procurements of goods

and services worth $331 million. Of the total, $88.9 million were made from Washington firms. Construction and renovation projects led to $20.9 million in in-state spending, much of in the Mid-Columbia, the report said. Battelle, as operators of PNNL, and its staff at PNNL paid about $25.6 million in local and state taxes, which include sales and use taxes and property taxes. Health insurance expenditures for PNNL’s 4,096 Washington-based employees, 2,101 retirees and their households in the state totaled an estimated $68 million. Pensions and Social Security payments to retirees living in Washington totaled $132 million, of which about $99 million was estimated to be spent in Washington on goods and services. About 5,469 out-of-town visitors to the lab spent about $3.6 million at area hotels, restaurants and businesses. Eighteen companies spun-off and based on PNNL-developed technologies generated $30 million in Washington and employed more than 150 people. Battelle contributed $548,000 to philanthropic and civic organizations (education, health and human services, arts), including $273,000 to STEM education. Licensing revenues totaled $3.6 million, a significant portion of which are reinvested at PNNL.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Lessons on leadership: Tri-City business podcasts offer advice, wisdom BY ELSIE PUIG

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Need inspiration and guidance on how to be a better performing leader? Look no further than Tri-City business podcasts. Business and leadership coach Paul Casey has produced “Tri-Cities Influencer” for more than a year and a half now. In his podcasts, he interviews chief executive officers, nonprofit executives and entrepreneurs to hear how they lead themselves and their teams. “I ask them questions like, ‘How do you organize your time? How do you embrace change? And how do you lead and motivate your team?” Casey said. “It’s 10 different questions every episode.” He has interviewed Preston House, the Tri-City franchise owner of Papa John’s Pizza, LoAnn Ayers, president and CEO of United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties, and Michael Novakovich, presi-

dent and CEO of Visit Tri-Cities. “Tri-Cities Influencer” has been downloaded by 3,200 unique listeners. Casey has completed 30 episodes. He records at Fuse SPC’s podcast studio, which is a perk of membership at the Richland coworking space. Brandon Anderson of Bonsai Audio helps Casey edit and produce the podcasts. “I usually record two a month, back-toback, but they won’t be released for another two or three months, which means I usually have six or seven waiting to be released,” Casey said. Casey said the podcasts were inspired by similar recordings done by leadership author John Maxwell. Casey already had a habit of scheduling lunches with local leaders, and he decided to turn them into podcasts, so everyone could benefit from the nuggets of wisdom shared, Casey said. “It fits in line with my business vision and mission,” Casey said. “It’s an arm of

Photo by Elsie Puig Rocco Luongo, left, and Paul Casey talk inside the podcast studio at Fuse SPC in Richland. The entrepreneurs produce podcasts dedicated to providing content and coaching on leadership for business owners and executives.

my business and my brand and my work coaching, speaking, team-building and masterminding.” Lara Currie, another local business coach, aims to help people manage difficult and emotional conversations in highstress environment in her podcast, “Difficult Happens: Effective Communication for Bosses.”

She’s been producing it for two years; it has a global reach and about 2,700 downloads a month. She rotates the format of her podcasts between solo episodes, live coaching calls, and interviews with other leaders and professionals in high-stress fields.

uPODCASTS, Page 14

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Leadership Development PODCASTS, From page 13 She recommends first-time listeners listen to episode 73, “Passive Aggressive Behavior and How to Combat It,” episode 64, “When Women Bully Women,” and episode 59, “New OSHA regulations for Toxic Behavior in the Workplace.” “Right now I am doing a series on manipulative behaviors and how to combat it,” Currie said. “I Lara Currie have another one on personality assessments, like the Strengths Finder and the Enneagram and how they can help you, but also are completely useless.” Currie said podcasts can be a great way for business owners to position themselves as leaders and experts in their field. But consistency is key, she said. It also takes dedication. “I have tried several podcast producers, but it wasn’t for me. It wasn’t what I wanted, so I did a lot of Googling and got in a lot of calls to friends who were doing it as well, and now I have my process and procedures dialed in a bit,” Currie said. Her podcasts have generated potential customers from Turkey, Australia and Germany. “It’s made my reach global and helped cement my authority in this field,” she said. Currie, who also is a motivational speaker, said her podcast serves as her résumé for generating future speaking engagements. Currie said podcasts can be as informal or professional as you want—it just comes down to your brand. “There are basically three or four levels of podcasts,” Currie said. “The first level is you in your car with your iPhone and earbuds recording yourself talking and uploading raw audio. Anyone can do that.” But, she said, to be really successful, podcasters need to think about what they’re going to say, and plan an intro, outro and a call to action. “The next step up from that is to edit it to create professional graphics, remove popping sounds and dead air and make

sure the audio is consistent,” Currie said. Promotion and marketing are key, Currie said. Although, she does most of those things herself, she said she would like to outsource some of those tasks. Currie said at the highest level, you have a big enough audience to recruit advertising dollars and sponsors. “It makes it so you don’t go out of pocket producing your podcasts,” she said. For example, “Tri-Cities Influencer” boasts two sponsors, Jason Hogue of American Family Insurance and Gravis Law. She also said some podcasters generate funds through a Patreon account, a crowdfunding membership platform. “Consistency is key. Podcast listeners are binge listening to podcasts. They want to listen to several episodes, so batching is really helpful,” Currie said. Currie takes one day to write her episodes, another day record it, and a third day to edit and produce it. “I try and record two a time. I want to make sure my episodes are as informative and professional as possible,” she said. Find Casey and Currie’s podcasts on iTunes and Stitcher. Sometimes podcasts can be repurposed into other types of content—like blogs or videos. Rocco Luongo, CEO of Fuse SPC and executive business coach, produces a podcast series called “Thoughtful Leadership.” He repurposes each of his episodes into an accompanying blog for his website and videos on YouTube. He hasn’t produced one in a while but is in the process of doing more. “The idea was to provide a level of choice for how people consume content,” Luongo said. “Some people like to listen, others like to read. They can choose their medium. It also provides a level of ubiquity when you have something on SoundCloud, YouTube, and then tie it back to my website.” “The idea was to use it as a way to share what I’ve done, so people can hear me and see me, and get a virtual test drive for my work,” Luongo said. Fuse members can reserve the podcast studio for up four hours for free. The cost for nonmembers is $35 an hour.

Leadership Development Number of employees you oversee: 8 to 25 depending on sale Brief background of your business: It is a family business that has grown by providing professional productive marketing advice and services, selling a variety of assets. How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it? My father D.L. Booker was an auctioneer and offered me a partnership in the business 44 years ago. You recently were inducted into the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame. How does it feel to receive this honor? It is extremely humbling and I am somewhat in awe. I am honored to be recognized by my NAA peers and fellow auctioneers. What is the biggest challenge facing auction businesses today? Today’s challenges are keeping current with the ever-changing buying and selling platforms and meeting the needs of our clients and customers. What’s the most common comment or question you get about auctions? “Oh! You can talk really fast” and “What do you sell?” What makes a good auctioneer/ auction? Someone who understands the value of the assets being sold and has an understanding and empathy of the client’s needs, as well as how to advertise to reach the appropriate market. Well maintained assets and/or property that has not been on the market before, as well as motivated sellers. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? Integrity. Honesty with your clients,

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Q&A

MERLE BOOKER

President, Booker Auction Company and Western Real Estate Auctions customers and employees provides for long-lasting relationships. What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? Follow the advice or example of proven and successful leaders and businesses. Who are your role models or mentors? My parents D.L. and Colleen Booker. They had a great work ethic and set goals. Ted Potter was influential and a great real estate mentor. How do you keep your employees motivated? By making sure they get a paycheck and when the company does well, everyone receives bonuses. How did you decide to pursue your career? My father offered me the opportunity and there was a need for a young, energetic auctioneer. How do you measure success in your workplace? By fulfilling the expectations of our clients and having repeat satisfied customers. What is your leadership style? Laidback, allowing employees the opportunity to excel in their talents.

How do you balance work and family? I am fortunate to work with my family on a daily basis. It allows me the opportunity to watch my children grow and develop as adults professionally and also to be around the grandkids more frequently, while also involving them in the business as well. We frequently have family get-togethers where we try not to talk business while enjoying dinners, sports or beach vacations. How do you spend your free time? I enjoy my grandkids, fishing, hunting, flying and enjoy everything that Mother Nature has provided around the Columbia Basin and the United States. Best tip to relieve stress? Gardening, my livestock herd (sometimes), flying airplanes or helicopters and fishing. Most-used app? Camera, weather app, MyRadar Pro and ForeFlight.

Merle Booker Favorite book? John Grisham books and several early American history books. Favorite TV show? Favorite movie? “MASH” and most Westerns. Favorite movies: “Top Gun” and “Hoosiers.” Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use? This is from my father, a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II: “Just pay attention around you to everything going on.” I believe it pertains and works in life and business, too.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;˘ September 2019

Leadership Development

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Hanford contractors invest in leadership training BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Hanford contractors place an ongoing emphasis on growing employee leadership skills to bolster their talent pool and retain workers. “Just like many employers across this country, we’re having a ‘silver tsunami,’ where a large part of our workforce is eligible for retirement in the next five to seven years,” said Todd Beyers, vice president of human resources for Mission Support Alliance, a contractor at the Hanford nuclear reservation. “So we’re not only focusing on how to attract new employees, but how to keep the ones we have.” This includes leadership development, mentoring, team training, tuition reimbursement and even working with high school students to build a path for future employment at the site in Richland. “We are highly focused on future workers,” said Ty Blackford, president and chief executive officer of CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. “Through our Highway to Hanford initiative, we promote opportunities within the local community to bring the next generation of workers to Hanford and enhance a healthy quality of life and diversity in our community. Our goal is to build a highway of talent to Hanford with an emphasis that develops partnerships with educational institutions, from K-12 to college level, focusing on sci-

Courtesy Washington River Protection Solutions Washington River Protection Solutions employees participate in leadership classes to advance their professional development and improve their skill set.

ence, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)/trade skills.” Bechtel National offers access to a variety of leadership development options to employees across the company through its Bechtel University and Leadership Academy. It also draws upon offerings via LinkedIn Learning. For example, all employees have access to training or resources for learning about forthright conversations, the dynamics of change and influencing without authority.

Bechtel’s supervisors and senior managers can access development courses in navigating a team through change, unconscious bias and coaching essentials. Courses are mostly offered online to provide access to Bechtel’s employees at projects and offices around the globe. Skills-based online courses are available on topics such as managing meetings, defining goals and decision making. Darci Teel, a deputy vice president with MSA, has been impressed with her

employer’s efforts to foster leadership. Teel participated in an MSA program aimed at “high-potential” employees, providing her with additional leadership coaching and training. “I had not been offered training like this for several years,” Teel said. “I was really offered several weeks, several sessions, and that has been one of the most positive things that I had done since Leadership Tri-Cities. It was probably the first thing that even compared to that.” Leadership Tri-Cities is a yearlong community program that aims to educate leaders from a variety of job sectors about the community, offering sessions focused on agriculture, Hanford, human needs and services, law enforcement and justice, local and state government, medical and health services, education, arts and culture, and economic development. Teel participated in the third class of the program, which celebrates its 25th year next year. “MSA has taken the approach that if we invest in development, that’s one of the best things we can do,” Beyers said. “We have a philosophy that we provide opportunities to all employees, not only our senior or management employees, but employees at all levels. We have them look toward their future, regardless of whether they’re a new hire or uTRAINING, Page 18

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

TRAINING, From page 17 part of our senior management team. We put equal emphasis on all of them.” Beyers said the focus for MSA revolves around three questions: What employee would you like to be? What do our customers need now and in the future? How do you prepare yourself for success? The company executes this focus through programs created internally and also with the help of an outside vendor. “When we were designing all of these programs and initiatives, we wanted them to be an incubator for our talent resources in providing an environment to foster their growth and development,” said Julie Lindstrom, MSA’s director of staffing/diversity and devel-

opment. One of the internal programs is called STEPS, an acronym for “Supporting Talent and Engaging Professionals for Success,” which employees can apply to participate in, with the support of their direct manager. Lindstrom said STEPS is a six-month program for employees to focus on growth as a future leader. “Each one of those participants is assigned a mentor from our high-potential employee program, all of which are managers and directors and going through their own program as well, to help guide them as they navigate through that journey. They go over a variety of things, from business acumen to people skills, a little bit of everything to help them be successful in their role,” she said.

Leadership Development So far, MSA has completed three rounds of the STEPS program and has a fourth underway, with 20 employees selected to participate each interval. Washington River Protection Solutions offers a career development program called STAR, which stands for “Strategic Talent Advancement for Results.” WRPS said the program “engages employees, promotes organizational learning, facilitates development of our workforce and prepares employees to fill positions within WRPS and corporate talent pipelines.” WRPS said the STAR program is employee-driven and provides services in self-analysis, career exploration and educational goal-setting. Additionally, it offers the opportunity for employees to

work with a mentor. Formal and informal mentoring programs are the Hanford contractors’ most commonly-used practices to promote professional development. “Through mentoring programs, we partner experienced employees with employees or projects for a specific reason,” Blackford said. “As an example, the Plutonium Finishing Plant recently developed and successfully implemented a mentoring program directed at new workers to increase their ability to safely perform demolition-related activities in a unique, high-hazard environment. This involved classroom training, field practice and on-the-job partnership and direct mentoring.” The company uses mentoring to share knowledge and grow program participants, allowing those involved to “think of their career from new perspectives,” according to program materials. CHPRC uses a development team to host workshops on important topics like resolving conflict in the workplace, increasing communication skills and having crucial conversations. Blackford said this all is an effort to build the skills of current and future leaders. WRPS features a Talent Development Office dedicated to providing professional support, including career planning tools, job shadowing, virtual classes, study guides and a leadership lending library, and offers both internal and external guest speakers willing to discuss a variety of skills and issues. Each company is invested in supporting education with both current and potential employees through financial support for continuing education or scholarships. MSA said it has provided nearly $1 million in scholarships since the start of its contract at the site. Both CHPRC and WRPS offer tuition reimbursement programs or educational assistance for those looking to build their portfolio related to work being done at Hanford. Teel said the training she received from her participation in leadership programs has extended beyond its initial expectation. “We learned a lot from each other and basically developed our own leadership forum to continue to meet as leaders and to share lessons learned and ideas, and network, and to this day, there’s a group of us that continue to meet every other week for an hour. The networking on that has been very, very positive,” she said. “Our employees are our greatest asset and treating them well is important for MSA, but also for the long-term success of Hanford,” Beyers said.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Finding young professionals in the Tri-Cities What do we know about the presence of young professionals in the Tri-City area workforce? From a data perspective, not enough. But first let’s define our terms. What constitutes “young,” for example? Data to answer that question is available, if we agree on a definition. For example, consider BentonFranklin Trends indicator, “Share of the Workforce by Age.” Here, D. Patrick Jones “young” might Eastern be defined as Washington University those between 25 and 44. The GUEST COLUMN current share amounts to 44 percent, the largest in the two-county workforce. This is a little below the state average. And the share of this age cohort has slipped over the past 17 years, from about 47 percent. But the state’s share has declined by a slightly larger percentage. Note that this doesn’t mean the count has slipped, just the shares. One might object that people in their 40s are no longer young. (Of course, this boomer sees it differently.) We can delve into the Census data for this indicator to find narrower age bands.

Consider the 25-34 group. We shouldn’t expect many arguments about a good fit of this age group to the notion of young. For the 2014-17 period, this group claimed, on average, 21 percent of all jobs in the Tri-Cities. Across the state, by contrast, it was responsible for about 24 percent of all jobs. So by that measure, the labor force here is a bit “less young.” A more difficult consideration is what is a “professional”? Traditionally, we might have looked to those “white collar” jobs, or office jobs that require a certain amount of independence or management authority. That descriptor seems a bit dated now, given the fluidity of the work environment, not to mention changing dress codes. But we can track, thanks to Washington’s Employment Security Department, the number of jobs by occupation by metro area. For purposes of this column, I will count any occupation that requires an associate degree or above as a “professional” job. I realize that many other occupations, such as the trades, might consider themselves professional in their skills. But adopting a formal education threshold is a relatively straightforward solution to a messy definitional issue. Some of the prominent groups of occupations folded into this definition are: most managers, all computer specialties, teachers (K-12 and higher ed),

Courtesy Benton-Franklin Trends

most health care workers, many in finance and those who are labeled “professions,” such as lawyers, accountants and engineers, in the official statistics. The 2019 ESD count listed nearly 400 professions present in the Tri-Cities. Professional jobs amounted to a little over 23,000, or about 23 percent of the workforce. A similar look at Washington state data shows that about 29 percent of its workforce might be considered professional. So this type of worker is not represented as broadly here, reflecting an

economy with a strong agricultural tilt. Ideally, I would like to match up TriCities’ professional jobs to certain age groups, be they 25-44 or 25-34. The readily available data simply can’t do that for us. So what can we conclude from the stats? It seems clear the Tri-City labor force holds a good percentage of professionals (as defined here) who are also young. We would expect that of any uTRENDS, Page 20

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

TRENDS, From page 19 metro area with nearly 300,000. We also know that the two counties are considerably younger than the state, as seen in the Trends’ median age indicator. But we also know that the share of the population here with an associate degree or higher is appreciably lower than the nation or the state. In 2017, for example, Trends indicators depicting those with associate, bachelor’s or higher degrees show that the total share amounted to 34.6 percent, versus the U.S. share of 40.3 percent. (The equivalent for Washington was higher yet.) In the end, young professionals are associated with an urban environment, as professional jobs are increasingly found in cities. Certainly the area has cities. Of

course, the Tri-Cities just doesn’t sport a district remotely resembling Seattle’s South Lake Union, where there it seems nothing but young professionals inhabit the buildings. To be able to claim a larger professional workforce that is also young, the Tri-Cities would profit from a greater urban sense of place. And to populate an expanded urban environment with young professionals, overall education levels here will need to climb. D. Patrick Jones is the executive director for Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. Benton-Franklin Trends, the institute’s project, uses local, state and federal data to measure the local economic, educational and civic life of Benton and Franklin counties.

Leadership Development uBUSINESS BRIEFS Labor and Industries extends public comment period on overtime rules

Driven by a high level of interest, the state Department of Labor and Industries is extending the public comment period on its proposed changes to the state’s overtime rules by two weeks. Comments now will be accepted through Sept. 20. The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors voted to oppose the new overtime proposal. The chamber said the rules will have a big effect on employers, particularly nonprofits and small businesses.

In June, Labor and Industries proposed an incremental increase in the minimum salary threshold for employees to be considered exempt from overtime. Under current federal guidelines, to be overtime exempt, an employee must perform certain types of managerial duties and be paid a salary of at least $455 a week. That figure would climb under the proposed rule. Along with the salary threshold, an overtime-exempt employee also must meet a job duties test. Labor and Industries’ proposed rules would more closely align the state’s test with federal standards. The proposal covers employees defined as executive, administrative and professional, as well as outside salespeople and computer professionals. This would be the first update of the state rules since 1976. “We’ve seen an outpouring of people interested in these changes, and we want to make sure they all have a chance to tell us what they think,” said Elizabeth Smith, Labor and Industries deputy director. “With so many people focused on vacations and family events through the late summer, we want to give people more time to comment as they return to their fall schedules.” Labor and Industries has already received more than 1,450 comments on the proposal, and took testimony from more than 180 people at seven public hearings held around the state, including in Kennewick, in July and August. The proposed changes would significantly increase the minimum amount employees must earn before they can be exempt from receiving overtime pay and other protections under the state’s Minimum Wage Act. The proposal would restore overtime eligibility to more than 250,000 employees when fully implemented. Comments can be sent by email to EAPrules@Lni.wa.gov or by fax to 360-902-5300. Find details on the proposed rules at Lni.wa.gov/ OvertimeRulemaking.

State opens use for drug to fight opioid overdose

The state is making it easier to get access to an overdose reversal drug. Dr. Kathy Lofy, Washington state health officer, signed a statewide standing order for naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose. The standing order allows any person or organization to get naloxone from a pharmacy. “Making it easier to access and distribute this lifesaving medication to people who need it is an important step in addressing the opioid crisis and reducing overdose deaths in our state,” Lofy said. “In 2018, 710 Washington residents died of an opioid overdose.” Naloxone can be given as an injection or a nasal spray. It works by temporarily blocking the effects of opioids.

Leadership Development

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

WSU-led research shows startups should be alert to star employee pitfalls BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

For startup companies looking to launch a new product, hiring star inventors who are accomplished and have a strong record of performance seems like a no brainer. After all, having more expertise on an innovation team should lead to more product innovation, right? However, product innovation efforts often stall when star inventors and company founders work within the same teams, according to new research from Washington State University, University of Washington and Texas A&M University. “When you have high-powered innovation teams, members need to be able to work together and be able to defer to each other,” said Amrita Lahiri, lead author and assistant professor of management, information systems and entrepreneurship at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business, in a news release. “Conflicts may arise when you have team members who both think they are the experts,” she said. Researchers examined the relationship between founders and star employees in product innovation teams, how well they collaborate and what impact those relationships have on the organization’s ability to launch new products. “We found that the presence of both the star employee and the founder within a company has a positive effect on the firm’s performance, but when you have both of them together on a team, the outcomes can become diminished,” Lahiri said.

She said startup companies should consider the following when hiring extremely accomplished inventors, or “star” Amrita Lahiri employees, for product innovation teams, especially when the founder is also on the team: • Establish a clear chain of command within the team. • Hire star employees who have prior experience working in new ventures. • If you are a founder-inventor, be adaptable to change. The founders’ influence in an organization comes from their position in the firm’s hierarchy, while “star” employees’ influence typically comes from their record of past work and accomplishments, Lahiri said. Conflict can arise when the roles within a team are not clearly defined, as the influence of power comes from different positions and previous experiences. This may lead to disagreements about the team’s direction and how to best meet its objectives—which can stall the innovation process, she said. The type of organization where a star employee has previously worked also can affect how well founders and star employees collaborate, Lahiri said. “Someone who has been previously employed by another small organization is typically much better off in a startup setting,” she said. Inventors who have worked for other

startups have experience working in more informal, collaborative settings, simply because of how startups operate. Researchers observed startups that hired star employees with previous startup experience launched more products, compared to startups that brought in star employees from larger organizations. Lahiri said no matter who is on the product innovation team, founders must remain adaptable to change. “I find in my broader research that a founder’s role and the expectations of investors change as the venture evolves,” she said. In the early stages of the startup, a founder may need to be more hands-on in product development, she said. However, as the organization evolves, the founder needs to shift more attention toward managerial aspects. “It is important for founders to be aware that their roles will change over time and willing to delegate,” Lahiri said. Lahiri and her team’s research, “Collaboration and Informal Hierarchy in Innovation Teams: Product Introductions in Entrepreneurial Ventures,” was published in the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal.

uBUSINESS BRIEF Kennewick to live-stream city council meetings

Kennewick residents can now watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of Kennewick City Council meetings online. To watch the live video stream of city council proceedings, go to go2kennewick.com/1256/Council-MeetingBroadcasts. In addition, the live video stream of city council, commission and specialty meetings will be archived and available for on-demand viewing on the city’s website. With four cameras in the city’s council chambers, residents will receive a high definition and dynamic viewing experience. The streaming video includes lower-third graphics, to help identify who is speaking and on camera, plus full screen graphics of digital presentations. The broadcast of the council meetings is hands-free, meaning it doesn’t require the city to staff a production team, with the help of Dallas, Texas-based Swagit Productions and its Avior hands-free broadcast system. The city’s meetings are at 6:30 p.m. the first and the third Tuesday of every month. The meeting videos will be indexed with the agenda and archived for accessible on-demand viewing. Once a meeting is archived, the on-demand feature allows viewers to choose which meeting agenda items or conversations they wish to watch, and then jumps directly to that specific point within the video.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 uBUSINESS BRIEFS Benton PUD offers lowincome advocate workshop

Benton PUD is holding a lowincome advocate workshop for TriCity area organizations, human service groups and community partners. The PUD wants to share information about its programs and services. The following topics will be discussed: • Benton PUD’s low-income discounts, which are available to income qualified senior, disabled and veteran/ active military customers. • SmartHub, a customer portal, and how it can help customers monitor electric usage and make changes to lower electric consumption. • Pay As You Go, a new program that allows customers to pay for electricity in advance, similar to minutes on a prepaid cellphone, and avoid fees and security deposits. • Conservation programs for lowincome customers. The meeting is at 9 a.m. Sept. 26 at the Benton PUD Auditorium, 2721 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick. RSVP to Katie Timmerman by Sept. 20 at timmermk@bentonpud.org or at 509582-1286.

Gesa Credit Union unveils new Local Heroes card

Gesa Credit Union announced its Gesa Local Heroes Affinity Debit Card program, supporting first

responders, veterans and teachers. With each use of the cards, Gesa will make a small donation to its Local Heroes Fund. The money will be used to fund grants for fire departments, police departments, teachers’ groups and veterans’ organizations, as well as organizations that support those services. Organizations interested in applying for grants can do so at gesa.com/ local-heroes. Gesa already has 13 Affinity debit cards, which have raised more than $300,000 for Washington schools and youth sports.

Social Security goes far in Benton County, study says

Benton County residents are receiving among the highest annual Social Security payments in the state. That’s according to research by New York financial technology company SmartAsset. The average annual Social Security income in Benton County is $20,110. The county ranked No. 10 in the state for places where Social Security goes furthest. Franklin County ranked 30th in the state, with annual Social Security income at $18,795. Smart Asset subtracted the countylevel cost of typical living expenses from each county’s net Social Security income, among other calculations, to determine the rankings.

Photo by Andrew Kirk Port of Pasco commissioners will define a vision and strategy in 2020 for the marine terminal development, a 28-acre riverfront site between this railroad bridge and the cable bridge.

WHARF, From page 1

the wharf can stay an integral element. “It’s highly visible property,” Ballew said. “The wharf is really this iconic feature —and next to the cable bridge, which is arguably the most iconic architecture in TriCities. That’s why we put it on all the postcards and logos. The wharf would be an important part of the marine terminal site.” If the wharf is to be repaired, renovated or torn down, the cost will be high, with lots of permitting issues anticipated, Ballew said. “Certainly we’d like to have all the options in the world open to us,” he said. “We’re in the process now of winnowing down those options.” Ballew said all the scenarios should be laid out by early next year, allowing the port’s commission to begin reviewing them. “They’ll have the information at their disposal of what can be done, then they can begin discussing what will be done,” said

Mayra Reyna, director of properties for the port. In 2020, port commissioners will define the vision and strategy for the marine terminal development, Ballew said, and a public market—or something similar—could be a key element. Some possible options for the wharf are a place where pleasure boats could dock to enjoy a meal, or a river cruise boat could land to unload tourists ready for a wine tour. But each of those options would require something different from a pier renovation, Ballew said. That’s why determining the vision first is necessary, he explained. The current tenant at the wharf is The Granite Guy, owned by Irving Ortega. Receptionist Ximena Ortega said the marine terminal is a great place to do business because it’s easy for customers to find, it has a nice view with fresh air and the neighborhood is safe. There’s rarely traffic and getting to the highway or other major traffic arterials is easy, she said.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Bond for firetruck, station renovation on Nov. 5 ballot

Benton Fire District 1 is asking voters to consider a capital improvement bond on the Nov. 5 ballot. This bond would last for 20 years and be an estimated 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The estimated cost to a homeowner would be $2.92 per month, or $35 a year, for property valued at $350,000. If approved, funding from the bond would provide significant renovations to accommodate staff at Station 150 in Badger Canyon and replace a fire ladder truck at Station 120 in Finley. Replacing the ladder truck will help maintain the fire

district’s current insurance rating for fire district apparatus. Renovations to accommodate 24-hour staffing will improve response times district-wide and lower the fire district’s insurance rating. Benton Fire District 1 funds daily operations through a fire levy of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which voters renew every six years. Capital projects – such as stations and apparatus replacement – are funded through voterapproved bonds. In the last two years, the fire district paid off two such bonds. The fire district asked voters to renew funding for the fire district levy and bond on the August ballot. Voters renewed their fire levy, and a majority of voters (54.38 percent) supported the bond on the ballot, but it was not enough to pass with the

super-majority, or 60 percent, requirement. More information about the bond, including an estimated cost based on assessed value, can be found online at bentonone.org.

Ecology fine-tunes wastewater training

The state Department of Ecology has added three group levels to its Operatorin-Training program, hoping to increase viable candidates for an increase in openings among top positions at wastewater treatment plants. Plant operators must be certified by Ecology. A recent survey of wastewater plant operators found there were not enough workers certified to replace a

growing number of retiring plant managers. The new group levels in the OIT program are for workers who can pass the next higher group level exam, but have not yet met requirements for full certification at the next level.

Task force to set cannabis testing standards

A state Cannabis Science Task Force is being put together to ensure cannabis labs can produce reliable results when testing consumer and medical products. A number of state agencies, including the Department of Ecology, are forming the task force in response to state law intended to improve testing. The Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board and the Department of Health require products to be tested by an accredited lab. For more information, go to bit. ly/2lBgbZf.

Friends group offers giant book sale in Kennewick

The Friends of Mid-Columbia Libraries’ semi-annual giant book sale is Sept. 25-29 at the Kennewick branch, 1620 S. Union St. Members get a full day of early access from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. The cost of membership is $5 a year, and new members can sign up at the door or online. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 26; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 28; and 1-4 p.m. Sept. 29, when all items are half off. The event offers used books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and more. All money raised provide support for local libraries. Debit and credit card payments are accepted.

Women Helping Women fundraiser set for Oct. 10

The annual Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities luncheon is noon to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at The HAPO Center, formerly TRAC, in Pasco. This year’s speaker is Maja Kazaaic, a survivor of the Bosnian genocide in the 1990s. A donation of $100 is needed to attend the event, with 100 percent of the money staying in the community and going to local nonprofits. Women Helping Women provides grants aimed at addressing the unmet needs of women and children throughout the Columbia Basin. For more information, go to whwftc. org/annual-luncheon/.

Benton REA holding blood drive on Oct. 24

Benton REA will hold a blood drive on Oct. 24. The drive will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Benton REA’s Prosser office at 402 Seventh St. All blood types are needed, especially O negative, B negative and A negative. For more information or to sign up, call 509-781-6753 or go to redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code BREA.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Washington looks forward to high quality wine grape harvest As Washington grape growers and winemakers prepare for the 2019 harvest, they’re looking forward to a vintage with high quality, lots of grapes and a long, warm slide into autumn. Wineries such as Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Barnard Griffin already brought in some grapes in August, but harvest begins Andy Perdue in earnest this Great Northwest Wine month. Kevin GUEST COLUMN Corliss, Ste. Michelle’s vice president for vineyards, reported that they brought in a few tons of Sauvignon Blanc at the end of August, while Barnard Griffin in Richland kicked off harvest with a few tons of Syrah from a favorite vineyard near the community of Desert Aire near Mattawa, followed by some Sauvignon Blanc from Sagemoor Vineyards north of Pasco. Corliss said last winter’s snow that lingered into spring started the season slowly, but consistently warm temperatures throughout the summer helped the vines catch up by midseason, and veraison (when the grapes start to change color), came at the end of August, putting it in line with a typical year. Corliss said the state’s crop appears to be about the same size as last year, which was 261,000 tons. Typically, the first grapes in are white varieties used for sparkling wine, particularly Chardonnay. On the red side, grapes such as Merlot and Syrah from traditionally warmer regions such as Red Mountain or the Wahluke Slope are the first in the door. That appears to be the case this vintage, which has enjoyed steady temperatures in the 70s and 80s. One winemaker talks about the magic of the Columbia Valley because of the consistently warm temperatures after Labor Day that help grapes ripen fully while developing complex flavors throughout the end of harvest, which is typically around Halloween. Grapes for late harvest and ice wines can go into December. Corliss says this vintage has been nothing short of magical. “It’s been just one of the nicest seasons we’ve had in a long time, after ‘snowmageddon’ and a terrible start to the spring. I kind of figured we were in for a real roller coaster, but today it’s really been pretty much right down the fairway and not too hot, not too cold. What more could you ask for that?” he said. This is the most recent of a long string of good vintages for Washington, the nation’s second-largest wine producing regions, with nearly 60,000 acres of wine grape vineyards and about 1,000 wineries spread across the state. The Tri-Cities is the epicenter of the state’s industry, with the majority of the vineyards and wineries within an hour’s

drive. The snowy winter was at first thought to hinder the grape crop, slowing down the vines’ progression with the extended cold weather. That did not happen, said Kent Waliser, general manager of Sagemoor Vineyards. “It didn’t impact the growth prospects. The cold winter did impact cherry timing,” Waliser explained. “They lost normal degree days on cherry development and set back cherry harvest a week or 10 days from normal, but it didn’t do anything to change vineyard development. So I’m happy about that.” Sagemoor consists of four vineyards: Sagemoor, Bacchus, Dionysus, Weinbau and Gamache, totaling 1,100 acres of vines, supplying fruit to about 100 wineries, about 10 percent of Washington’s wine industry. When Sagemoor was planted in 1972, Washington was a small wine industry, with only two larger producers. One big difference this year so far has been air quality, with fewer wildfires in the Northwest bringing a blanket of smoke over the Columbia Valley. Megan Hughes, assistant winemaker for Barnard Griffin in Richland, said this will undoubtedly improve fruit quality this year. “It affects ripening and it certainly could affect quality and certainly it affects our desire to be walking blocks.

Photo by Andy Perdue Sauvignon Blanc grapes arrive at the crush pad for Barnard Griffin winery in Richland.

On a blue bird day like today, it’s much easier to add a couple more vineyards on to the end of the day than when you feel like you can’t breathe,” Hughes said. Hughes said it’s shaping up to be a normal vintage. “I don’t think we’re going to have any hurdles as far as grapes go. The weather seems to be on track,” she said.

She and her crew will bring in about 1,000 tons of grapes, enough to make about 65,000 cases of Washington wine. Andy Perdue, editor and publisher of Great Northwest Wine and founding editor of Wine Press Northwest magazine, is the wine columnist for The Seattle Times.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

uBUSINESS BRIEFS Plan in place for state’s clean electricity law

The state Utilities and Transportation Commission has finalized a plan to implement the state’s new 100 percent clean electricity law. The plan outlines a process and schedule to come into compliance with the Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act. The act, passed in the 2019 legislative session, requires the state’s electric utilities to produce 100 percent clean power by 2045. The bill directs electric utilities to eliminate coal power from rates by 2025 and to provide carbon offsets from power generation after 2030.

Comments sought on Pasco landfill cleanup plan

One of Washington’s most challenging contaminated sites soon could see the worst of the waste removed in a major cleanup operation. A draft plan recommends excavating 35,000 drums of industrial waste from the Pasco landfill, located north of Kahlotus Road and Highway 12, while continuing to safely contain what stays put. The state Department of Ecology and more than 30 parties responsible for cleanup have collaborated since late 2018 to bring a decades-long process to this final, pivotal step. The industrial waste in one area requires a permanent solution to control

ongoing releases of hazardous substances to air, soil and groundwater. Under the proposed plan, the drums would be excavated, characterized, segregated by waste type and then moved off site for treatment or disposal. About 5,000 drums of herbicidemanufacturing waste from another area were dug up and sent off site for incineration and disposal in 2002. Because of this source removal and 2013 engineering upgrades to the cover system, the contaminants do not appear to intermix with contamination from other disposal areas. This July, Ecology granted a request from Bayer CropScience Inc. to establish a distinct cleanup site. Separate cleanup documents for this area will be presented

later for public review. Household and commercial waste buried at the landfill from 1958 until 1993 would be left in place. Gases from decomposing waste would continue to be collected and burned off by a flare. Ecology seeks comments on the cleanup plan through Oct. 3. Documents can be reviewed on Ecology’s website, the Pasco branch of Mid-Columbia Libraries, 1320 W. Hopkins St., Pasco, or the Ecology Eastern Regional Office, 4601 N. Monroe St., Spokane. Comments can be submitted online, emailed to charles.gruenenfelder@ecy. wa.gov, or mailed to: Charles Gruenenfelder, Department of Ecology, 4601 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Tri-City study reveals discrepancy with Zillow estimates

Data on 532 local homes shows online real estate company’s numbers run too high BY ELSIE PUIG

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Do you have money signs whirling around your head after seeing your home’s latest value on Zillow? Think again. A new study by Cari and Matt McGee of Keller Williams Realty Tri-Cities reveals discrepancies in Zillow’s Zestimates and properties’ actual values. According to Zillow, an online real estate database company, the Zestimate home valuation model is Zillow’s estimate of a home’s market value. The Zestimate incorporates public and user-submitted data, taking into account home facts, location and market conditions. “We, as real estate agents, knowing the market as well as we do, we come up against clients who tell us, ‘Well, Zillow says this,’ ” Cari said. “Even with purchases, I hear, ‘I’d like to offer ‘X’ because Zillow says the house is worth ‘Y.’ ” They had seen it anecdotally, over and over again, Cari said, and they wanted to fact check Zillow’s data.

Between Jan. 16, 2019, and June 14, 2019, they recorded the sales prices of 532 homes across the Tri-Cities—in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and West Richland— and compared them to the Zestimates published for those homes the day of each home’s closing. What they discovered surprised them. “There was a tremendous amount of inaccuracy,” Cari said. They found that Tri-Cities’ Zestimates are worse than Zestimates across the state and nation—on average homes are nearly 6 percent too high in all four cities. “For a home that is worth $300,000, that’s over $15,000 off, which can make a huge difference,” Cari said. If the home is in Kennewick or Richland, it’s value is probably about 8 percent too high. In West Richland, there is almost a 9 percent discrepancy. In Pasco, the numbers are more accurate; they are only 2 percent off. “They will tell you they use an algorithm, but I am not quite sure how they get

Courtesy Elsie Puig Cari and Matt McGee of Keller Williams Realty Tri-Cities reviewed sales data from 532 homes in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland and discovered Zillow’s estimates on the same homes are almost 6 percent higher than the homes’ actual sale prices.

that number,” Cari said. “One thing to understand is that Zillow will list what a house sold in 2013, but they need to be using numbers coming from the county assessor and (Multiple Listing Service).” The discrepancy is considerably higher than the rest of the state, which has a median error rate of 2.5 percent. In late

January, Zillow said its median error rate nationwide was 4.5 percent. That means half of all Zestimates are within 4.5 percent of a home’s true sales price. One important thing to take into consideration is that the median error rate shows how wrong Zestimates are, but it doesn’t uHOME VALUES, Page 28

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

HOME VALUES, From page 27 indicate whether the Zestimates are higher or lower than the real sales prices of homes, Cari said. But based on the McGees’ research, a significant majority of Zestimates were higher than the homes’ sale prices in all four cities. “We didn’t think it would be as inaccurate as it was,” McGee said. “We have access to accurate data. Zillow hasn’t been in your house. They don’t know you upgraded your kitchen or other improvements you’ve done,” Cari said. “You have to get a real estate agent to come to your home. They will have information on comparable sales and then come up with the value of the house.” Cari said she has used the study in social media awareness campaigns, local media outreach and to educate clients during the

home buying and selling process. The extensive study also tried to look at where the biggest outliers are. For example, they found that Richland has the highest percentage of Zestimates —68 percent—that were more than 5 percent off. Richland also has the highest percentage of Zestimates that are 10 percent and 20 percent off. In Kennewick, Richland and West Richland, about 90 percent of Zestimates were off actual sales prices by more than $5,000. Across the Tri-Cities, about 16 percent of Zestimates were at least $50,000 off. “We also discovered the most expensive homes have the most inaccurate Zestimate,” Cari said. “Homes in Pasco hit the sweet spot where the value of the home on Zillow most align with its sold price.”

Real Estate & Construction Zillow was founded in 2006, but Cari said that it wasn’t until about five years ago that she started hearing about it consistently from buyers and sellers. Although it hasn’t changed the way she does business, it has added an additional layer of objections. “Before it used to be that ‘My uncle who lives across the street and he says my home is worth this.’ It’s easy to refute that argument. It’s harder when it’s a website that people feel they can trust. They think it’s accurate because it went right down to the dollar,” she said. Dave Shinabarger, president of the TriCity Association of Realtors and real estate agent with Smart Realty, said Zillow can be a good, educational resource, but he’s noticed issues too. He noted that sometimes when compar-

ing the homes on Zillow to the MLS, sometimes Zillow doesn’t have the most updated floor plan or recent data. “I was just looking at a home that was listed as three bedrooms, zero baths. I need to call that realtor and suggest they get a hold of Zillow to fix that,” he said. He says that the value of the home is nuanced—accounting for even which side of the road it’s on. He said taking comparable sales in the neighborhood can be misleading if taken at face value. He said he would love to see a consumer-facing website on behalf of all agents in the Tri-Cities that has the most accurate data—he said that’s his personal opinion, and not the opinion of the association. To read the McGees’ study, go to carimcgee.com/zillow-vs-reality.

uBUSINESS BRIEFS New Kennewick Goodwill store opens doors

Kennewick’s new Goodwill store opened at 345 S. Columbia Center Blvd. on Aug. 30. This is the first Kennewick retail Goodwill store location to be built from the ground up. “A lot of thought went into the layout and design of this new store ensuring a safe environment for our team members,” said Ken Gosney, Goodwill executive director. It is located between Fred’s Appliance and Flower Farm. Goodwill Industries of the Columbia’s new $3.1 million store employs 28 people and includes 10,000-square-feet of retail space, as well as an attended donation processing center and warehouse space. The existing Kennewick and east Kennewick Goodwill locations will be closing. The Columbia Center Boulevard location is better for shoppers and donations and will eliminate two leased properties with one that is owned are reasons for the move, according to Goodwill. “Safety in the workplace will be much improved. The new Columbia Center Boulevard location has a loading dock, which will require less lifting. The entire facility has been designed to receive and process donations in a safe, efficient manner,” Gosney said in a release. “Our goal is to position Goodwill to be able to continue to serve the community long into the future.” The old fire station on Kennewick Avenue was purchased by Goodwill and will operate as an attended donation center.

Dick’s Sporting Goods hires team for September opening

Dick’s Sporting Goods said it would hire five full-time and 40 part-time workers for its store in Kennewick when it opens at Columbia Center mall. Along with the associate positions, the store said it needed about 30 temporary workers. The store’s grand opening is Sept. 20-22.

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Best Buy completes large remodel in Kennewick

Overhaul of Best Buy includes updates for modern shopping BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

An interior remodel of the Kennewick Best Buy store included new bathrooms, flooring and layout of registers. General Manager Mitch Davis called the nearly $500,000 project that took place over five weeks a “full facelift.” Davis said most of the work was done after hours, but some work, including new exterior doors, was completed during business hours. The Kennewick store now has updated flooring with carpet in the company’s signature shade of blue. There is a new “precinct” for employees who offer technical support, known as the “Geek Squad.” The remodeled area features consultation tables to meet with customers. An expanded space for Best Buy’s mobile department is intended to make it more convenient to review available phones, as well as menu boards with the latest offers about plans from various mobile phone carriers. Restrooms located at the front of the store were gutted and rebuilt, and are now considered more family friendly, Davis said. Previously, the men’s room

Photo by Robin Wojtanik Best Buy employees stand near the new service area for customers to pick up orders placed online. The dedicated storage area with attendants is part of a nearly $500,000 remodel of the interior of the Kennewick store.

included one stall. Remodeled checkout stations replace the staggered registers that Davis said some customers found confusing. Some customers may bypass the traditional checkout by ordering ahead of time online and picking up at the store in person. “We now have a dedicated window for in-store pickup so customers that buy online don’t have to stand in line with customer service or other customers,” Davis said. “They can come right up and we’ll have somebody there.

Every month we do more and more instore pickups. It’s a very convenient way for people to shop.” While online shopping has changed some consumers’ buying habits, Davis said Best Buy still supports those who prefer to buy DVDs or CDs, as opposed to downloading or streaming their personal entertainment. “Our media area did get a little bit smaller, which is natural. But we like to have a dedicated movie section for those die-hards, and you will see them typically on Fridays when the new releases

come out,” Davis said. The store has expanded its interior real estate dedicated to major appliances. In July, the marketing and analysis company J.D. Power ranked Best Buy “best in customer satisfaction” among appliance retailers for a third straight year. Paired with the loss of Sears as a competitor in the appliance market, Best Buy is looking to capitalize on its share of the industry. Appliances are located near an expansive selection of smart home devices, including popular smart doorbells. As the Kennewick store’s general manager for 11 years, Davis said he personally has nearly 100 smart devices connected by Wi-Fi at his home, including irrigation, lights and garage doors. Overall, the Kennewick store may appear larger since some partial walls were removed to open up the space. The store at 6705 W. Canal Drive remained open during the entire remodel and is open daily in the shopping center alongside Office Depot and Michaels, where it has been for 20 years. Davis said it was the first Best Buy in the Northwest, at a time there were only 200 to 300 Best Buy stores across the country, compared to more than 1,000 that represent the Minnesota-based company today.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

KNUTZEN’S MEATS

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nutzen’s Meats, a retail, custom and specialty meat shop, recently expanded its Pasco facility. The project added 400 square feet to include an additional smokehouse and sausage kitchen so Knutzen’s can make summer sausage, pepperoni, jerky and other smoked meats. The shop is now 3,300 square feet. Tri-City growth has increased demand for Knutzen’s retail and smoked meats, and the new sausage kitchen will help meet those needs by providing a greater vol-

ume of smoked specialty meats. Building and equipment costs were $225,000. The project was completed May 31. Knutzen’s Meats is at 6404 W. Court St., next to the Pasco Grange building. Steve and Leigh Ann Knutzen are the owners of the family-owned and -operated business. Steve has been in the meat business for more than 45 years, offering custom processing, a quality (choice or better) retail meat counter and various smoked meats.

Knutzen’s Meats offers buffalo, elk, natural and grass-fed beef, veal, lamb and natural chicken. The store also carries various seasonings, sauces, soups and vegetables. Videos about meat processing and how to cook various meats cuts can be found online at knutzensmeats.com. Hummel Construction and Development of Kennewick was the general contractor. Paul Knutzen of Knutzen Engineering of Kennewick was the designer.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Richland company lands $24.5M Hanford contract BY JEFF MORROW

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Joe Gonzalez never wanted to be a business owner. He was happy being an electrician. “I was really comfortable in what I was doing,” he said. “And then sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone.” That’s what Gonzalez finally did back in the early 1990s. “My old boss who I worked for tried to make me an owner. He pushed me. I was the dumbest guy. I didn’t want to do it. He finally told me, ‘What do you got to lose, except your house? You can always get another one.’ He just kept nagging me, and I finally did it…It was the best thing I ever did,” Gonzalez said. By 1995, he was the owner of American Electric Inc. in Richland. Today, his company handles multimillion dollar contracts. In August, U.S. Department of Energy contractor Washington River Protection Solutions awarded a subcontract worth up to $24.5 million over the next year to Gonzalez’s company to provide general electrical construction services at the Hanford tank farms. The services will be performed at the 18 tank farms and will cover a wide range of tasks, including trenching, laying conduit, pulling wire, erecting structural steel, installing equipment and pouring concrete. American Electric is a certified small disadvantaged business. The federal government’s goal is to award at least 5 percent of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses each year, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. “It’s an honor to be awarded this contract and a privilege to work with WRPS, which contributes so much to our community and families,” Gonzalez said in a news release. And while he truly does appreciate the work, Gonzalez said he wasn’t surprised his company landed the contract. “We are out there already,” he said. “Keep in mind we already were working with (WRPS) on a $25 to $30 million contract.” American Electric has been a subcontractor for WRPS since 2008. “They wanted a small business to work with them,” Gonzalez said. “Eventually, the contracts grew every year steadily. And eventually they got to $25 million, to $30 million.” Since WRPS began its contract with DOE, nearly 65 percent of its subcontracts have gone to small businesses, exceeding the company’s overall small business subcontracting goal of 58 percent. “WRPS is proud to be a part of the TriCities community, and small businesses are vital to the important cleanup work we do,” said John Eschenberg, WRPS president and chief executive officer, in a news release. “WRPS depends on these subcontractors to provide the skilled workers needed to help us achieve our mission of safely managing Hanford’s

tank waste and building the waste treatment and delivery system to support the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant.” With the growth in the size of American Electric’s subcontracts with WRPS, so came the growth in Gonzalez’s workforce. Originally just a three-man operation in 1995, American Electric expanded to 95 employees by 2014, to today’s workforce of 206. “And they’re all good people,” he said. The company has changed over the years. “Now we’re a general contractor,” he said. “Originally, we were an electrical contractor.” And he’s worked at diversifying jobs. “We do a lot of public works contracts now too,” Gonzalez said. “Right now, we’re working on the Walla Walla water treatment facility, and the Walla Walla sewer treatment facility.” Gonzalez’s story is an inspiring one. Born in Mexico, the son of farm laborers—his father had a green card—his family ended up in Mabton, where he graduated from high school. He got an appointment to the Air Force Academy, but opted out during the first year. He said he always felt he disappointed a lot of people by not sticking it out. Eventually, Gonzalez became an electrician and enjoyed a successful career. “As an electrician, my biggest pride was accomplishing things every day,” he

Photo by Jeff Morrow American Electric owner Joe Gonzalez credits his 206 employees with his company’s success. The Richland business recently landed $24.5 million Hanford tank farm contract.

said. “You’re building something. It’s a great feeling to drive by something and know you helped build that.” When he reluctantly became an owner 24 years ago, he wanted a company name that reflected his feelings about his country. American Electric seemed a logical choice. He takes pride in what his company does, not only for contractors but for his employees. “I absolutely love the people who work

for me and I’m helping provide for them,” he said. “I love it. I’ve had people who have worked for me for 20 years. “They do a great job for me,” Gonzalez said. “I’m a small part of American Electric. They’re the biggest part of this company.” Gonzalez said he has no plans to slow things down, or retire. “I’m having fun what I’m doing,” he said. “And I’m happy where we’re at.”

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

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GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE COLUMBIA 345 S. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick

oodwill Industries of the Columbia’s new 20,000-square-foot store opened for business on Aug. 30. Located at 345 S. Columbia Center Blvd., it’s between Fred’s Appliance and Flower Farm. The $4.2 million project, which included the land purchase and new building, features 10,000 square feet of retail floor space stocked with new items every day, 10,000 square feet of production space and an easy-to-access drive-thru donation area. The new store also has five dressing rooms. Goodwill officials say the new location is better

for shoppers and donations because it replaces two leased Kennewick store properties with one that is owned – a move that will help the nonprofit to be able to serve the community long into the future. The new facility also serves as a training site for people with disabilities. Revenues generated by Goodwill through sales go back into its programs, such as free job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have barriers preventing them from otherwise obtaining a job. Goodwill Industries of the Columbia is one of 160

autonomous member agencies in the Goodwill network. Established in 1969, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia operates in a 13-county region of southcentral Washington and northeastern Oregon, with stores in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, Sunnyside and Hermiston. G2 Construction of Kennewick was the general contractor. Archibald & Co. Architects of Richland was the architect.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Real Estate & Construction

Cedars Restaurant lease change could pave way for sale Port of Kennewick commissioners agree to lease update with Clover Island eatery BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

The process to sell Clover Island’s Cedars Restaurant is moving forward, following the Port of Kennewick’s revision of its long-term lease. The waterfront restaurant in Kennewick was first listed for sale in 2017 for $2.62 million. The property at 355 Clover Island Drive was most recently advertised at $1.97 million with a sale pending. Cedars’ owner Dave Mitcham said he cannot talk about the sale after signing a non-disclosure agreement, but had requested a change to the couple’s lease prior to the sale. The new buyers are Doug and Carrie Lundgren. The couple previously owned Holy Mac & Deli in Kennewick, which closed a few years ago. Carrie Lundgren, a broker at River Realty, did not return calls for comment. The current Cedars’ lease went into effect in 2006 and expires in 2021, but has the ability to be extended through 2061, with a variety of renewal options at varying escalation rates. The Mitchams requested a fixed yearly rate increase of 3.5 percent versus the current terms that include larger increases every five years. Today’s terms include a $3,500 monthly rate, plus leasehold tax of 12.84 percent payable to the state. The terms are set to increase to $4,500 monthly in 2021. The revised lease terms have the new 3.5 percent fixed increases in effect beginning in March 2021. “I think this is a good thing and good for all parties concerned,” said Tom Moak, port commission president, at the Sept. 10 port meeting. Mitcham and his wife, Darci, have owned the restaurant for 13 years and told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business in 2017 they wanted to retire after nearly 50 years in the restaurant business. The port owns the 0.29 acre lot on Clover Island where the restaurant sits. Cedars was built in 1977 and underwent a $2.25 million renovation 20 years ago following a fire. Renovations on the 8,600-square-foot building also brought it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Patrons can access the eatery from land or water, where more than a dozen boats can tie up to the restaurant’s dock. It has two decks to take advantage of expansive views, including the cable bridge. The posted sale price included all furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Send us your business news news@tcjournal.biz

In 2016, the port named the Mitchams “Friends of the Port” for their efforts to make the restaurant a landmark destination. Currently, Cedars is only open for dinner, from 5-10 p.m. Mitcham previously said a future owner could potentially double their income by offering lunch hours. The restaurant is located near the port’s offices, Ice Harbor at the Marina and the Clover Island Yacht Club.

Darci and Dave Mitcham have owned Cedars Restaurant on Kennewick’s Clover Island since 2006. They requested a change to their restaurant’s long-term lease with the Port of Kennewick to accommodate its sale. File photo

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

uBUSINESS BRIEFS BIAW reaches agreement over workers compensation

The Building Industry Association of Washington announced Aug. 15 that it reached an agreement on a lawsuit over using Workers’ Compensation Funds to implement the Clean Energy Bill. The BIAW filed suit against the state Department of Labor and Industries to bar workers’ comp from being used for nonworker injury purposes. The agreement stays the suit to give Labor and Industries and the Legislature time to make budget changes in the 2020 legislative session, BIAW said in a press release. Senate Bill 5116 was passed this year as part of a package of environmental bills.

Real Estate & Construction

“This is not a dispute over the policy in the bill,” said Jackson Maynard, BIAW general counsel, in a release. “However, taking $625,000 from the Workers’ Compensation Fund for the bill’s implementation is not allowed under the state Constitution. We hope this case will deter policymakers from siphoning these funds away from injured workers in the future.”

Latter-day Saints meetinghouse opens in West Richland

A newly completed meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently opened in West Richland. Located at 5885 Holly Way, the 17,000-square-foot facility will serve

Estate Plans Can Answers Questions About the Future The word “estate” conjures images of great wealth, which may be one of the reasons so many people don’t develop estate plans – after all, they’re not rich, so why make the effort? In reality, though, if you have a family, you can probably benefit from estate planning, whatever your asset level. And you may well find that a comprehensive estate plan can help you answer some questions you may find unsettling – or even worrisome. Here are a few of these questions: T.J. WILLINGHAM • What will happen to my children? With luck, (509) 735-1497 you (and your co-parent, if you have one) will be alive and well at least until your children reach the age of majority (either 18 or 21, depending on where you live). Nonetheless, you don’t want to take any chances, so, as part of your estate plans, you may want to name a guardian to take care of your children if you are not around. You also might want to name a conservator – sometimes called a “guardian of the estate” – to manage any assets your minor children might inherit. • Will there be a fight over my assets? Without a solid estate plan in place, your assets could be subject to the time-consuming, expensive – and very public – probate process. During probate, your relatives and creditors can gain access to your records, and possibly even challenge your will. But with proper planning, you can maintain your privacy. As one possible element of an estate plan, a living trust allows your property to avoid probate and pass quickly to the beneficiaries you’ve named. • Who will oversee my finances and my living situation if I become incapacitated? You can build various forms of protection into your estate planning, such as a durable power of attorney, which allows you to designate someone to manage your financial affairs if you become physically or mentally incapacitated. You could also create a medical power of attorney, which allows someone to handle health care decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so yourself. • Will I shortchange my family if I leave significant assets to charities? Unless you have unlimited resources, you’ll have to make some choices about charitable gifts and money for your family. But as part of your estate plans, you do have some appealing options. For example, you could establish a charitable lead trust, which provides financial support to your chosen charities for a period of time, with the remaining assets eventually going to your family members. A charitable remainder trust, by contrast, can provide a stream of income for your family members for the term of the trust, before the remaining assets are transferred to one or more charitable organizations. As you can see, careful estate planning can help you answer many of the questions that may be worrying you. Be aware, though, that certain aspects of estate planning, especially those related to living trusts and charitable trusts, can be complex, so you should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax advisor about your situation. But once you’ve got your plans in place, you should be able to face the future with greater clarity and confidence. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

about 3,800 Latter-day Saint members who live in the vicinity. It is the 16th meetinghouse in the TriCity area, in addition to the temple, seminaries and bishop’s storehouse. The decision to build meetinghouses is based on growth of membership in the area. All church buildings are paid for by member tithing contributions. The church teaches its members to avoid debt as much as possible and operates in this same manner. This building has no debt.

Builder fined $2,500 by Ecology Department

Hayden Homes was fined $2,500 by the state Department of Ecology at a site in Walla Walla. Ecology reported the company Member SIPC

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“repeatedly placed concrete waste on the ground next to a swale causing wastewater to flow over the curb.” Ecology issued $46,500 in environmental penalties to 12 parties from April to June. The largest was to the city of Seattle for water quality permit violations.

Hollister reopens at Columbia Center mall

Clothing store Hollister is open again at the Columbia Center mall after a sixmonth remodel. The store opened its doors again Aug. 15. It is located near the play area between Auntie Anne’s and Coach. Hollister is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

Tank wash facility breaks ground in Grandview

Chino Valley Truck Wash broke ground Aug. 26 on an agricultural foodgrade tank wash facility in Grandview. It will be the second tank wash facility for owners John and Theresa Loueiro, who also have a facility in Ontario, California. The Port of Grandview said in a news release that the facility will sit on a seven-acre site at Stover and Puterbaugh roads and is the first business to move into Puterbaugh Business Park. Nineteen employees are expected to be hired within three years.

Construction underway on administration center in West Richland

Construction is underway on the Richland School District’s new teacher and administration center in West Richland. The Teaching, Learning and Administration Center at 6972 Keene Road near Leona Libby Middle School is expected to be completed in September 2020. The $11.6 million building will be 41,000 square feet, with offices for six district departments, school board meeting space and three classrooms. Money for the project was approved by voters in 2017. Voters approved a $99 million bond for this project and several others in 2017. Bouten Construction of Richland is the general contractor.

Tri-Cities Farm Hall event set for Nov. 14

Washington Policy Center’s Tri-Cities Farm Hall event is from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 14 in Pasco. The event will be at The HAPO Center, formerly TRAC, at 6600 Burden Blvd. in Pasco. Attendees can hear directly from elected officials and industry experts about some of the key agriculture and farming policy issues in Washington state. This event is free and open to the community. Boxed lunches are available to those who register early. Register online at washingtonpolicy.org under the events tab.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION uBUSINESS BRIEFS ACT plans fundraiser with construction update

Construction of the 300-seat Academy of Children’s Theatre is underway with occupancy planned for late 2020. The new theater is at the rear of ACT’s existing facility at 213 Wellsian Way in Richland. ACT will provide a community update on the progress of its expansion project at an annual fundraising luncheon at noon Sept. 26. ACT board member Cathy Kelly and Executive Director Anne Spilman will provide details about the progress. The event is being held at the new theater site. Entertainment by youth actors particiPaid Advertising

pating in ACT’s upcoming production of “Frozen Jr.” also will be featured. To attend the event, there is a suggested minimum donation of $100 per person. In addition, guests will have an opportunity to make a pledge for a theater chair naming sponsorship for a $1,000 contribution. For details, contact ACT at info@ actstaff.org or call 509-943-6027.

Tri-Cities Cancer Center opens Hermiston office

Tri-Cities Cancer Center opened an office in Hermiston on Aug. 21. The new office is at 600 NW 11th St., Suite E-23 at Good Shepherd Medical Center. It is open for patient consultations, follow-up visits, support services and survivorship appointments.

It will be open on Mondays. Call 509783-9894 to schedule an appointment. “We want to ensure that our patients are served well across the region,” said Chuck DeGooyer, chief executive officer of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center. “With many of our patients coming from Hermiston and the surrounding communities, we want to make it easier for them to receive their cancer care and support close to their home.”

Homebridge acquires Kennewick HomeStreet loan center

The Kennewick HomeStreet loan center was acquired as part of a broader acquisition by Homebridge, a large independent mortgage-specific lender.

Forty-seven of HomeStreet Bank’s stand-alone home loan offices were included in the acquisition, raising Homebridge’s profile to include more than 240 retail branches and 2,300 associates throughout the company, according to a news release. The Kennewick branch is at 8203 W. Quinault Ave. Suite 700. HomeStreet announced in February that it would seek buyers to acquire its stand-alone home loan centers and related mortgage origination personnel. Homebridge offers borrowers and the residential builder communities an array of mortgage products, including Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and jumbo loans.

RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT EARLY LEARNING CENTER 1525 Hunt Ave., Richland

he Richland School District recently completed the multiyear renovation of the 1982 wing of the old Jefferson Elementary into an Early Learning Center. The project transformed the space to serve the district’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, or ECEAP, and developmental preschool. The center offers morning and afternoon sessions during the regular school year and services beyond the preschool classroom, including child assessment, occupational and physical therapy, speech and language therapy and family support services. The renovations included 41,000 square feet, 12 regular classrooms, classrooms for special education services, renovated offices, lobby and main entrance, and expanded parking. Cost for the first phase, completed by district staff in August 2018, was $264,000. Cost for the second phase, completed in

September 2019, was $1.3 million. Design West Architects of Kennewick was the architect. G2 Construction of Kennewick was the general contractor. In February 2017, voters approved a $99 million bond to build new schools, replace existing schools and make other facility improvements across the district. The bond also allowed the district to apply for

about $42 million in state assistance. This project was covered by the bond.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

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REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

PADILLA MASONRY INC. 550 E. Bruneau Avenue, Kennewick

adilla Masonry Inc. recently completed construction on a new commercial office and

shop. The building at 550 E. Bruneau Ave. in Kennewick is just south of the East Columbia Drive and North Gum Street intersection near the cable

bridge. The project included 6,392 square feet of office and shop space on the main level; 1,655 square feet of office space on the second level; and 5,984 square feet of adjoining space on the main level for a future tenant.

It is scheduled to be completed Sept. 20. Wave Design Group of Kennewick was the architect. G2 Construction of Kennewick was the general contractor. For leasing information, call 509-586-3336.

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Real Estate & Construction

CBC plans to move dental hygiene program to Richland So far, grants totaling $670,000 have been secured to offset the move BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

Columbia Basin College landed its third grant this year to pay for moving its dental hygiene program and clinic from Pasco to Richland. CBC is committed to fully financing the cost—$4.29 million—to renovate the fourth floor of the Wortman Medical Science Center, or about 85 percent of the total project costs, and is seeking grant funds and donations to pay for new dental hygiene equipment. CBC plans to open the new dental hygiene clinic in January 2020. The Wortman Medical Science Center is home to Kadlec Regional Medical Center’s family medicine residency clinic and other CBC health sciences programs. The recent $100,000 grant comes from the Arcora Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to partnering with communities to improve oral health, will be used to buy and install the new equipment. CBC received a $250,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in May and $480,000 from the Rural Families Educational Fund for the dental hygiene clinic. The Rural Families grant includes $320,000 for the buildout of the new Richland and $160,000 for a legacy endowment to promote continued education and subsidy of oral health care services for migrant and low-income populations.

“Our decision to pursue a new dental clinic was largely influenced by recommendations from our graduating students, dental hygiene accrediting board and local advisory committee,” said CBC President Rebekah Woods in a news release. “At CBC, we are always looking for ways to make improvements that positively impact our students, programs and community.” The college’s dental hygiene program offers a bachelor of applied science degree and operates a low-cost clinic where students provide oral health care to an average of 2,100 children, teens and adults each academic year. The clinic at CBC provides dental X-rays and exams, teeth cleanings, oral hygiene instructions, fluoride, whitening trays and restorative treatments. The current clinic is located at CBC’s campus at 2600 N. 20th Ave. in Pasco, and clinic hours for the fall quarter are 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Mondays, and 9 a.m. to noon and 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays. Care is provided by CBC students under the supervision of licensed dental hygiene instructors and clinic dentists, and medical interpreting services are available for Spanish-speaking patients. The cost for a dental exam is $25, cleanings range from $35 to $180 and X-rays range from $17-$47. No insurance is required. For more information about program, go to.edu/dentalhygiene. To schedule an appointment, call 509-542-4571. To make a donation, contact CBC’s Foundation at 509-542-4436.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Courtesy Columbia Basin College Columbia Basin College plans to move its dental hygiene program from the Pasco campus to the Wortman Medical Science Center in Richland in January.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

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The store also will offer free giveaways and prizes. The store is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 20-21 and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 22. The sporting goods retail chain with more than 730 stores nationwide demolished part of Kennewick’s mall to make way for its new $7.5 million store. The 45,138-square-foot store is located in the space where Regal Cinemas used to operate. Dick’s sells sports equipment, apparel, footwear

and accessories. It also offers unique specialty stores within the store dedicated to team sports, athletic apparel, golf, the outdoors and fitness. Herschman Architects, which changed its name to Onyx Creative and has offices in Cleveland, Tucson and Los Angeles, was the architect. Fulcrum Construction Inc. of California was the general contractor.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 uBUSINESS BRIEFS WSU Tri-Cities opens center for student inclusion

Washington State University Tri-Cities recently celebrated the grand opening for its new MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion in Richland. It will be a home to student resources to enhance equity and inclusion, a place to discover more about various cultures and a central location for students to talk and learn about current social issues. Students will have access to workshops on social issues, a library on equity and diversity topics, book clubs, documentary showings on diversity-related topics, advocacy opportunities, celebrations and more. First introduced by Israa Alshaikhli, former president of the Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities, the project is coming to fruition under the leadership of Savanna Navarro Kresse, current vice president for ASWSUTC. The students worked directly with university administration, faculty and staff to start conversations about the importance of having a center focused on equity and inclusion,

what that center could look like and how they could make the center a reality. Last spring, WSU Tri-Cities held a soft opening for the center, welcoming student input on what they would like to see.

PNNL report shows shift in wind power usage

The U.S. is shifting to smaller turbines when it comes to distributed wind power, according to a report from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The study by the U.S. Department of Energy lab in Richland found that 99 percent of distributed wind power projects in 2018 used turbines that generate 1 kilowatt or less. Distributed power is created where it is consumed, such as at homes, schools, farms and businesses. It is not power that is sent through transmission lines and substations. More than 83,000 turbines were used for distributed power, up more than 2,000 from 2017. Small turbines accounted for 47 percent of the 1,127 megawatts generated for distributed power. All of that distributed increase has

come from turbines of 1 kilowatt or less, as use of larger turbines is decreasing.

TV program highlights Pasco African Americans’ contributions

Pasco City Television has premiered a program that documents some of the significant sites and people in the community’s African-American population. As part of a grant from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, financed in part with federal dollars from the National Park Service, the program features interviews with members of Pasco’s African-American community at significant sites in east Pasco that are central to the deep history of African Americans

in the Tri-Cities. The main objective of the grant was to document properties in east Pasco historically associated with AfricanAmericans. “As the population ages and we lose the sites associated with the period when east Pasco was home to a vibrant, African-American community, recognizing this history through place becomes critical,” said Tanya Bowers, producer of the program and member of the city’s Planning Commission, in a news release. The program is on the city’s YouTube channel and will be running on PSC-TV, Channel 191, on Charter/Spectrum Cable in Pasco and Richland. For the schedule, go to pasco-wa. gov/psctvschedule for the schedule.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Help Washington growers, manufacturers get their products delivered As summer turns to fall and farmers wrap up their harvests, the changing season is a good reminder about the importance of trade and infrastructure for Washington’s economy. Apple growers in Wenatchee and Yakima, wheat growers on the Palouse, MidColumbia potato growers and Washington’s celebrated wine industry all rely on export marKris Johnson kets to grow Association of their business. Washington Washington Business is the most trade-driven GUEST COLUMN state in the nation per-capita, with more than 40 percent of our jobs connected in some way to trade. Manufactured goods make up 82 percent of our state’s exports and Washington is the third-largest exporter of food and agricultural products in the country. That’s why it’s critically important that Congress and the presidential administration renew the charter for the Export-Import Bank, which is set to expire at the end of September. The Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that provides export credit to overseas purchasers of U.S. goods and services. It contributes to the economy by supporting American jobs, and it doesn’t cost taxpayers anything. Since 2000, the Ex-Im Bank has provided nearly $15 billion to the U.S. Treasury. In the last decade, 180 Washington companies have used the Ex-Im Bank to bring their products to foreign markets. Small business transactions made up 76 percent of Washington’s Ex-Im use. Last year alone, Washington employers did more than $200 million in Ex-Im backed trade deals. Four years ago, the little-known bank—which has been around for more than 80 years—became the subject of a rare political debate in Congress. Fortunately, the bank’s charter was eventually renewed in 2015 after a concerted effort, but now it’s time to renew it again. It’s also critical that Congress pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Doing so will give manufacturers the certainty they need to continue trading with two of our most important partners. The agreement, which updates the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, was agreed to last fall but is still pending approval in Congress. Finally, we know that growers and

Send us your business news news@tcjournal.biz

manufacturers rely on a safe, efficient transportation network to get their goods to market. A report published this spring by the Association of Washington Business and the associations representing the state’s cities, ports and counties outlined more than $222 billion in needed infrastructure spending throughout Washington. That includes $147 billion for highways and roads and $5.7 billion for marine ports. Last month, infrastructure investment, the USMCA and the Ex-Im Bank were among the topics discussed at the Federal Affairs Summit organized by the Association of Washington Business. The event, held at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the Tri-Cities, featured U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, and U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Washington, District 1; Derek Kilmer, D-Washington, District 6; Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, District 4; and Kim Schrier, D-Washington, District 8. It was encouraging to hear the issues discussed. We know that federal officials understand the importance of rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, and we’re optimistic they will act soon. Every dollar invested in infrastructure generates $1.50 in economic output, making it a solid investment. And we know that Washington’s economy has a global reach. More than $79 billion worth of goods move through Washington’s ports annually, including

Courtesy Brian Mittage/Association of Washington Business Martin Clubb, center, owner and managing winemaker of L’Ecole No. 41, and Dan Roberts, president and general manager of Manhasset Specialty Co., join AWB Government Affairs Director Amy Anderson, left, to discuss the value of the U.S. Export-Import Bank to their growth and success during a panel discussion at the third-annual AWB Federal Affairs Summit in Richland on Aug. 20.

hundreds of millions made possible by the Ex-Im Bank. Historically, infrastructure investment and the Ex-Im Bank have received bipartisan support. Leaders from both parties understand the importance of infrastructure for the health of our communities, and they understand the role the Ex-Im Bank plays in enabling foreign customers to purchase U.S. goods and services.

For the sake of Washington’s economy, it’s vital these issues continue to enjoy this kind of support. International trade drives Washington’s economy, and a strong economy is not a partisan issue. Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

uBOARDS • The Energy Northwest Executive Board elected new officers at its August public meeting. Sid Morrison of Zillah will continue in his role as chairman of the board; Will Purser of Sequim will serve as vice chairman; Linda Gott of Shelton will continue to serve as board secretary; and Jim Moss of Edgewood will continue to serve as assistant secretary. All will serve two-year terms effective immediately. • Thomas A. White, a certified public accountant, recently was elected to the board of directors of Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association. He is the owner of White & Company PC and White and Co. Financial Planning Inc. in Sunnyside. The association has 10 branches throughout Central Washington,

including in the Tri-Cities. • Richard Bogert, president of Pasco’s Bogert Aviation Inc., has been appointed vice chairman of the Community Aviation Revitalization Board for a three-year initial term. The eight-member board is a program supporting airport sponsors with low-interest loans meant to assist communities with revenue-producing projects located on airport property that are ineligible for aviation grant money. The program was re-established during the 2019 legislative season. Bogert occupies a designated seat as a representative of the Community Economic Revitalization Board. He is a board member of the Association of Washington Business, as well as an active member of CERB.

uREORGANIZATION • The Tri-City Development Council recently reorganized its team, a plan that’s been in development for nearly a year and comes in response to rapid growth throughout the region. Two positions have shifted and one added. Traci Jao has been named director of business recruitment. Jao, who joined TRIDEC in 2007, has served as a project manager and, most recently, as director of comTraci Jao munications and

member services. Jao’s new role specifically aims to support and manage the rapid expansion of the greater Tri-City region. She will focus on showcasing the region’s potential to new investors, talent development and increasing opportunities for collaboration between local industry and science, technology, engineering and math projects. David Chavey-Reynaud has been named director of business retention and expansion. He joined the team in 2016 as a business recruitment specialist before taking on his current role. In his new position, David ChaveyChaveyReynaud Reynaud will work closely with established local businesses and industries to facilitate conversations with local leaders, help navigate complex regulations and provide resources to thrive and expand within the greater Tri-City region. Ashley Stubbs has joined the TRIDEC team as director of communications and investor relations. Prior to joining TRIDEC, Stubbs helped develop programs and straAshley Stubbs tegic messaging for business chambers and economic development organizations throughout California, worked as a public information officer in the state House of Representatives, and most recently served as communications director for the Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ campaign. Stubbs is a Benton City native and graduate of Kiona-Benton City High School and Central Washington University. With more than 300 members, TRIDEC touts itself as the region’s leading economic development organization. Originally established in 1963 as the Tri-City Nuclear Industrial Council, TRIDEC aims to stimulate and sustain a vibrant regional economy by facilitating economic growth and prosperity.

uDONATION • Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care received a $510 donation, thanks to 143 balloon rides. That’s because each time 143 Benton REA members rode 50 feet in the air in Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ hot air balloon on July 13, a donation was made. The tethered balloon rides took place during the 82nd Benton Rural Electric Association annual meeting. Benton REA employees chose Heartlinks as the recipient of the donation. Benton REA is one of six Touchstone Energy electric cooperatives in Washington state. Heartlinks serves patients in Benton and Yakima counties.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Vit plant graveyard shift works to get it done after dark BY DARCY RICHARDSON

Bechtel National Inc. for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

It happens overnight. The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant job site changes and more progress is made, moving the project forward on its path to treating tank waste. “We like to fly under the radar as much as possible, be the silent partners,” said Kelly Lofton, Bechtel National Inc. night shift superintendent. “If we can complete a job at night and the day shift comes in and asks—‘Wait, when did that get done?’—then I consider that a win.” There are just under 200 employees who work the night shift, a little less than a tenth the size of the day shift. For people working in construction, the night shift starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 4 or 4:30 a.m. Superintendents start their days at 4 p.m. so they can do turnover with the day shift. “The night shift expands the project’s work production, helping meet milestones and move us forward toward completion,” Lofton said. “Even with a small crew, we’re able to complete work the day shift is unable to complete.” One of the biggest limitations for the day shift is congestion; there are simply more people and more equipment. Fewer people working can be a benefit, said Tracey Hagood, Effluent

Courtesy Bechtel National Inc. About 200 employees work the night shift at the vit plant, many at the Effluent Management Facility, or EMF. The EMF is key to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste approach that will enable low-level waste to be treated as soon as 2023.

Management Facility, or EMF, piping superintendent. “During the day, two or three crews would have to stop working if we wanted to move a lift or large piece of equipment,” she said. “We have more flexibility to move work around and work in areas that are hard to get to when there are more people, especially in a building with a small footprint like the EMF.”

About 40 pipefitters work the night shift, and they were responsible for installing the piping in the EMF utility support building. Since completing that in June, they are now installing instrumentation and preparing pressure tests. A small group of non-union staff also make up the night shift, including the superintendents, field engineers, startup engineers, a construction technician, health and safety personnel, an adminis-

trative assistant and quality assurance personnel. However, limited access to staff creates challenges, and careful work planning and coordination is essential. “Communication is the biggest challenge,” Lofton said. “Our superintendents come in at 4 p.m. to do turnover with the day shift. We have to work with the day shift to make sure that we both have what we need and that we’re supporting each other.” This includes identifying work scope, answering questions, and ensuring the night shift has the right materials and equipment before the shift begins because getting them later can be difficult. There are advantages to being on an overnight shift, said Bobby Campbell, electrical superintendent. “I like the problem-solving aspect of working the night shift,” Campbell said. “There are less resources available to us, so we have to come together to answer questions and work through the issues we encounter.” On the night shift, Campbell has about a dozen electricians who focus on installing cable in the Low-Activity Waste, or LAW, facility. “I have a really talented crew,” Campbell said. “They know what they’re doing, they’re really good at it, and they take a lot of pride in what they do. We complete our work with quality, uNIGHT SHIFT, Page 46

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

NIGHT SHIFT, From page 45 and our safety record shows that.” In the last seven years, the electricians have pulled more than 900,000 feet of cable during the night shift, enabling the day shift to focus on other activities. They are also in charge of moving, setting up and removing temporary power. “Our goal is for the day shift to come into work in the morning, and the temporary power is ready to go,” Campbell said. “They don’t even have to think about it; they can just start their work.” Much like the electricians, the carpenters focus on preparing the job site for the day shift, primarily setting up and removing the large and sometimes complex scaffolding. The ironworkers

are erecting structural steel in the EMF and responsible for building permanent and temporary stairs. Laborers provide general site support. It’s not difficult to see why some people enjoy the night shift. The job site is relatively quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of the day shift. While there are still the unmistakable sounds of construction, there are fewer people moving about, radios going off and vehicles moving. It’s peaceful walking to the LAW Facility in the cool night air. “I don’t miss the heat or the traffic, and I always get front-row parking,” Lofton said. Just like the day shift, the night shift is working mandatory overtime at the job site, so there is not much opportuni-

ty or need to switch their internal clocks. “It’s a different lifestyle,” Lofton said. “Family balance can be difficult because you’re sleeping when everyone else is awake. You have to have the support of your family, and you have to watch your vitamin D levels. But it’s quieter and easier to focus on getting the work done without the congestion and meetings.” It’s clear the night shift crew is instrumental in helping WTP reach its goals, and they are proud of what they do. “We’re one team,” Hagood said. “We’re all here—whether day shift or night shift—to complete the job while maintaining quality and keeping everyone safe.”

uDONATION • Gesa Credit Union presented $155,087.05 to representatives from its school partners on Aug. 15. The funds from this donation are a part of an exclusive partnership agreement between Gesa and the Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Yakima, College Place, Moses Lake, Finley and Columbia school districts, along with Delta High School and Liberty Christian School. Gesa’s High School co-branded Affinity Debit Card program supports local schools by earning money for school districts to use toward student programs. With every swipe of one of the debit cards, Gesa makes a small donation to the school or district represented on the front of the card. Cards are free to Gesa members.

uCREDENTIALS • Lori Mendoza, a rule 6 law clerk, senior paralegal and office manager at Clearwater Law Group in Kennewick, has earned state certification as a limited license legal technician, or LLLT, to advise and assist people going Lori Mendoza through divorce, child custody and other family law matters in Washington. She attended the paralegal program at Columbia Basin College and earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a minor in political science from Washington State University in 2015. She went on to become a certified paralegal through the National Association of Legal Assistants in 2017. Mendoza is also studying for the Washington State Bar. • Lori A. Selby, vice president at Epic Trust Investment Advisors LLC in Kennewick, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards as a certified financial planner. She completed financial planning coursework and passed the CFP Lori A. Selby certification exam covering the following areas: the financial planning process, risk management, investments, tax planning and management, retirement and employee benefits and estate planning. Selby has worked at Epic Trust since March 2017 and is responsible for financial planning and managing investments.

uAWARDS & HONORS • Second Harvest Inland Northwest received its ninth consecutive 4-star highest rating from Charity Navigator, which rates charities on their financial health, accountability and transparency.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

An invisible hand to steer college savings: the education trust

There are many options available to pay for the education of a loved one. There are direct gifts, state-sponsored 529 plans and educational savings accounts, to name a few. But, if a person wants to use funds that are not available until after death and wants to influence how the money is spent with specified criteria, an education trust Beau Ruff might be the Cornerstone best option. Wealth Strategies The educaGUEST COLUMN tion trust envisioned in this column is of the variety that is contained in your last will and testament—a sort of so-called testamentary trust with a stated purpose to provide funds for education. This is different from a living trust, and it is different from tax trusts. Let’s move on to the nuts and bolts. Many of us would like to pay for the education of a loved one, but simply don’t currently have available assets. For example, we might have equity in our house (but we are currently living in it), or we might have a retirement account (but we are currently living off of it), or we have other assets where we prioritize (fairly, in my opinion) our own well-being and happiness over another’s education. But, perhaps after death, those same assets would be available.

For example, perhaps Grandma wants to help pay for her grandchildren’s education. Currently Grandma can’t devote money to the endeavor. Grandma could instead write a trust into her will that would provide that all her assets, or some of her assets, would be used to provide for the education of her grandchildren. In this case, Grandma could continue to use her assets and have the security of the assets for life, but then know that they will go to a good cause after her death. The assets would likely be sold to fund the new education trust. Grandma can then be as creative, strict or specific as she desires. For example, she might say that the trust provides education for each of the grandchildren (termed the “beneficiary”) so long as: the beneficiary attends a Christian college; maintains a grade-point average of above 3.0; includes the study of theology as at least a minor; and the term for college attendance does not exceed four years. She can furthermore define “education” expenses narrowly—for example, tuition only—or more broadly—tuition, fees, books, living expenses, food, transportation and stipend. She can agree to only pay the cost of tuition of a public school in the state (but perhaps allow the beneficiary to go to the school of his choice), or she can encourage private school attendance and semesters abroad through additional compensation measures. To further sweeten the deal and incentivize education, the trust could provide a bonus upon completion of stated bench-

marks. For example, “upon the receipt of a bachelor’s degree, the beneficiary shall receive $50,000 from the trust.” Or, “for each semester the beneficiary attains a GPA of over 3.5, the beneficiary shall receive $3,000 from the trust.” Sometimes the restrictions on the use of the money will be directly related to the amount of money and the number of beneficiaries. If there are many beneficiaries (for example, 20 grandchildren) and limited funds, the trust will necessarily need to dole out the money conservatively. Conversely, if the funds are abundant and the beneficiaries few, the trust can be more liberal with spending, and would additionally need to state where the money goes after the last beneficiary finishes school or attains a specified age. The form of trust envisioned by this column is fluid and can be changed anytime—so long as Grandma (in this case) is alive. The trust only becomes irrevocable,

uAWARDS & HONORS • Columbia Basin College named Vicki J. Wilson as its 2019-20 Alumnus of the Year on Sept. 11. Wilson is a software engineering services manager at Mission Support Alliance in Richland. She earned her associate transfer degree from Columbia Basin College in 1979. Wilson serves as a CBC foundation board member and also on the adviso-

or unchangeable, after death. So, even if it is put into place in the last will and testament, Grandma can still change the terms of the trust, and even the existence of the trust, any time she chooses. Sometimes the circumstances surrounding the formation of the trust change and a corresponding change to the trust is necessary. Such is the bedrock of estate planning in general. It is a fluid concept and usually adaptable to changing needs. To determine if an education trust might work for you, talk to your attorney or financial advisor. That same person can also help structure some of the terms of the trust to best fulfill your vision. Beau Ruff, a licensed attorney, is the director of planning at Cornerstone Wealth Strategies, a full-service independent investment management and financial planning firm in Kennewick.

ry council for CBC’s Information Technology Department. She is a trustee at Eastern Washington University, where she received her bachelor’s in business administration in 1981. • Gravis Law PLLC of Richland is No. 1 on the Inc. Magazine’s list as the fastest-growing law firm in the nation and No. 302 among other companies on Inc. magazine’s top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 uAWARDS & HONORS • Cascade Natural Gas received the highest ranking in satisfaction among residential natural gas customers in the midsize natural gas utilities segment of the west region, according to the J.D. Power 2019 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study. The study looked at six study factors: safety and reliability, billing and payment, corporate citizenship, price, communications, and customer service • Columbia Pulp Chief Executive Officer John Begley was recently recognized as one of the top 50 influencers in the pulp and paper industry on the Fastmarkets RISI’s Top 50 Power List. Begley was ranked on the list due to his leadership in building North America’s first tree-free paper pulp mill in Eastern Washington. Columbia Pulp’s $250 million wheat straw manufacturing facility is complete and will begin producing pulp in October. The Dayton facility will take 250,000 tons per year of straw from local farmers after wheat harvest and use it to produce 140,000 tons of market pulp for use in sustainable consumer packaging and paper products. • Gary and Nancy Figgins were selected as the 2019 Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame inductees. The couple in 1977 founded Leonetti Cellar, Walla Walla’s first commercial winery and a tribute to the Leonetti Farm established in 1906 by Gary Figgins’ Italian immigrant grandparents. Nominees must be Washington residents involved in the wine industry for 25 years and exemplify legendary status because of contributions and commitment to the state’s wine industry. • Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland has been ranked a top hospital in Central Washington by U.S. News & World Reports. Kadlec was also recognized as a high performer in four additional categories of care: congestive heart failure, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery. Additionally, Kadlec earned national recognition by Healthgrades in a variety of patient care areas, ranging from various specialties to excellence in patient safety. • Merle D. Booker of Booker Auction Co. in Eltopia was inducted into the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame during this year’s annual president’s gala at the 70th Annual International Auctioneers Conference and Show in July. He was one of four auctioneers to be inducted. The Hall of Fame was established in 1961 as a way to recognize leaders within the auction industry. Inductees receive plaques that are displayed in the National Auctioneers Museum in Overland Park, Kansas. • Quiroga Law Office, an immigrant-owned business that has offices in Kennewick, Spokane and Las Vegas, has been ranked 1,137 on Inc. magazine’s top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Companies fight Lapp’s efforts to discharge bankruptcy debts BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

New claims have been filed against a Kennewick businessman in an attempt to stop him from discharging some of his debts under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. Two separate court filings—from E2 Consulting Engineers and Integrated Global Staffing—allege “false representation,” “embezzlement,” and “fraud” against Kristopher Lapp, former president of the now defunct i-3 Global, which provided technology, multimedia and staffing subcontracting services to the federal government and commercial clients. The company was named the U.S. Department of Energy’s Protégé of the Year for fiscal year 2016. Lapp and his attorney have not returned requests for comment. The claims made by both plaintiffs are related to lawsuits filed against Lapp this spring. Together, the two companies say they are owed nearly $1 million from Lapp for

services rendered but not paid. In May, IGS received a default judgment in Benton County Superior Court for the full amount it was seeking—$446,000—plus interest. The judgment came about a week after Lapp had filed for personal bankruptcy, citing $2.7 million in secured and unsecured claims and assets just under $1 million. In paperwork filed in federal court, Lapp claimed his outstanding lawsuits were business debts, though the plaintiffs’ attorneys allege otherwise. On Sept. 9, lawyers representing E2 and IGS both filed briefs citing exceptions to Lapp’s attempt to wipe out his debt through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. IGS alleges Lapp knowingly lied when he offered reasons why contract payments hadn’t been made, and the reasons were made “with the intention of deceiving.” The company requests Lapp’s discharge claim for the debt to IGS be denied. It also states Lapp “engaged in embezzlement by wrongfully misappropriating funds” paid by Mission Support Alliance, a federal

government contractor at Hanford. The documents allege those funds were intended for IGS. Attorneys for E2 made similar claims, adding Lapp misled MSA and CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. by indicating it had paid E2 in full when it had not. In E2’s complaint, lawyers state Lapp knew his company wasn’t solvent, yet told E2 subcontractors they would be receiving payment, despite Lapp having already informed MSA that his company could no longer fulfill its contract. E2 said these misrepresentations led its subcontractors to keep working and sign new contracts. The company is seeking $515,000 in damages. Both complaints allege Lapp engaged in embezzlement by converting taxpayer money into personal use after receiving payments by MSA and CHPRC through contracts with the federal government. Attorneys for E2 said Lapp was “unjustly enriched by his wrongful acts” and it would be an “injustice” to the plaintiff if Lapp was allowed to discharge that debt

with his personal bankruptcy filing. The state Department of Labor and Industries found i-3 Global owes more than $18,000 in unpaid wages to former employees who were laid off en masse in April when the company suddenly closed its doors. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor recently said Lapp owes $12,000 to the i-3 Global 401(k) plan for wages withheld but not contributed to the plan, amounting to a breach of fiduciary duties. Representatives for the U.S. Department of Labor came to an agreement with Lapp’s attorney that this debt cannot be discharged with Lapp’s bankruptcy filing and the matter would not be fought in court. There is a third outstanding lawsuit against Lapp filed by Columbia State Bank for non-payment of a credit line totaling $883,000. The lawsuits filed by E2 and Columbia State Bank are scheduled to be heard in spring 2020 in Benton County Superior Court.

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Business Profile

Kennewick print shop’s new owners plan to transition to franchise Esprit Graphic Communications will become Minuteman Press by year’s end BY JEFF MORROW

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Skip and Shannon Novakovich began Esprit Graphic Communications in downtown Kennewick in 1989. They’ve long been active in the Tri-City business community, as well as involved in local charities over the past 30 years. They’ve received numerous awards over the years—including Kennewick Downtowners of the Year in 1994, and Skip was Kennewick Man of the Year in 1999, as well as Tri-Citian of the Year in 2011. But as the years passed, the Novakoviches looked for ways to slow down. “We’ve had quite a few people come to us want us to sell (Esprit),” Skip said. “We’ve always wanted the right fit.” And this summer, it finally happened, when Tri-Citians Westin and Janet Mick agreed to buy Esprit. In a letter the Novakoviches sent out to clients, friends and vendors, they explained: “Over the past few years, we came to the realization that we needed to plan for the future of Esprit, and how Esprit would continue to partner with our vendors to serve our loyal clients and the communities we love. To do this, we felt Esprit needed

younger, more aggressive and more progressive leadership.” The longtime owners were initially skeptical when the Micks approached them. But that soon changed. “Slowly we developed a confidence that we had met the right people to build on our successes far into the future,” Esprit’s letter to customers said. “Everything really seemed to flow,” Janet said. “Skip and Shannon were willing to meet with us and make this as smooth a transition as possible.” The two parties signed all necessary documents July 9, and the Micks took over officially Aug. 26. The Micks are leasing the building but have first right of refusal on a future sale. But the Novakoviches are staying around a while to help with the transition. “We bought it in July, but we’ve had such a busy schedule that we wanted them around,” Westin said, who says to just call him “Mick.” “We’ve got them consulting for us 30 hours a week through September. Their office will be in the back of the building. Janet and I are always seeking wise counsel.” And that’s OK with Skip. “The cool thing is they want to keep us around,” Skip said. “Now I don’t have to

Photo by Jeff Morrow Westin and Janet Mick, from left, bought Skip and Shannon Novakovich’s downtown Kennewick business, Esprit Graphic Communications. The Micks plan to turn the 30-year-old company into a Minuteman Press franchise this year.

get here so early. I can come in around 10 a.m.” Printing is in the Novakoviches’ blood. “I think it’s the fact we can help people promote their business, and we can do a good job,” Skip said. Shannon agreed. “I like the artistic part of the job,” she said. “It’s fun to take a client and sit them down and listen to their ideas and then create.”

The sale of their business allows the couple to slow down a bit. They’d like to spend more time at their vacation home in Eastern Oregon. “It needs to go to another level and to people with more energy,” Shannon said. That would be the Micks, who plan to transition Esprit into a Minuteman Press franchise by the end of the year. “There comes a time,” Skip said, “when uESPRIT, Page 52

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Business Profile

New brewery to open in Pasco this fall

Sage Brewing Co. will serve up multiple IPAs, hop-fed pales, easy-drinking beers BY JEFF MORROW

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

When Tyson Crudup and Ben Grogan met each other while working at Yakima Chief Hops a few years ago, little did they know at the time they would eventually become business partners. This fall, the men expect to open Sage Brewing Co. at 8425 Chapel Hill Blvd. And it’ll be the culmination of a dream the two have had for a few years. Crudup, 43, started out home brewing beer. He even owned Walla Walla Brewery for a while. “I also worked in the wine industry for a while,” he said. He recently resigned from Yakima Chief Hops to become a full-time coowner of Sage Brewing. Ben Grogan, 31, who worked as an engineer for Boeing for seven years, grew tired of the traffic and wanted to get out of the Seattle area. So the Ellensburg native got a job working at Yakima Chief, where he met Crudup. They both found a mutual interest in beer. “It’s such a simple thing,” Grogan said. “People enjoy beer so much that it drives a sense of community. Beer accompanies all of the good moments in our life.” The two live near each other in the south Richland area. “Ben would come over, and we started brewing beer for the last two years,” Crudup said. Grogan was amazed at what Crudup could create. “Everything this guy makes is pure gold,” Grogan said. “His recipe development is pure art.” Soon, the idea about starting up their own brewery formed. “We started moving this way in October of 2018,” Grogan said. “We incorporated in December, became fully funded in March (with private loans).” And then they spent four months looking for a location. “We did market research and realized there is more of a need here in Pasco for a brewery,” Grogan said. Crudup agreed: “A town the size of Pasco, there should be at least three breweries here. We’re an hour from the Yakima Valley, the mecca of Pacific Northwest hops.” The owners are looking at a late October opening. They’re awaiting the completion of two bays in a new business development on Chapel Hill Drive. They’ll be in suite B102. The building owner is Yesmar Properties LLC, owned by John and D’Ann Ramsey of Pasco, who also own Broadmoor RV. W McKay Construction of Kennewick

Photo by Jeff Morrow This fall Ben Grogan, holding his daughter Nora, and his business partner, Tyson Crudup plan to open Sage Brewing Co. in west Pasco at 8425 Chapel Hill Blvd.

is the general contractor. Crudup is the brewmaster and will manage the brewery. Grogan will handle the books and office. As they get the required paperwork completed to launch their new venture, they’re working on recipes. “We get feedback from friends and family,” Grogan said.

They plan to do a good variety of beers. “Multiple IPAs, with hop-fed pales,” Crudup said. “We also plan some easydrinking lighter beers.” Grogan expects them to be supporters of local businesses. “One thing we are also interested in is local. We’re able to trace every ingredi-

ent we use to local farmers,” he said. There will be 12 taps. And they expect to have five-barrel tanks in the building, which would make 10 kegs per barrel. The 3,000-square-foot facility also will house four fermenters. They will not serve food. The two are almost giddy to see their mutual dream come true. As construction work continues, they can see the progress. Crudup loved his time as an owner of the Walla Walla brewery. It just happened during a bad economic time, in 2008-09. But being able to make beer has always been his love. “The best part about brewing is all the stories you have of how you got to this beer, with a tweak here and a tweak there,” Crudup said. “I love IPAs, hops, Simcoe hops. There is something about making an IPA that is done well, and a person tastes it and says, ‘Man, I would drink that!’ “There is a fascinating history of beer, and how far back it goes. I love to look at the recipes, and think about why they did what they did. It’s a journey through history itself.” Now, Crudup and Grogan are ready to make their own history. For updates, follow Sage Brewing Co. on Facebook.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

ESPRIT, From page 50 you realize people can do things better.” Here is what Esprit offered under the Novakoviches: annual reports, booklets, brochures, calendars, catalogs and newsletters, consulting, graphic design, printing services, finishing services (such as binding), variable data printing and mailing services. Through their connection with Minuteman Press, the Micks plan to continue these offerings, plus add the following: creative design; business cards, fliers and stationery; advertising, direct mail and brochures; promotional products; large format printing, such as posters, signs and banners; apparel, such as shirts and hats; branded packaging; and vehicle wraps. The Micks spent two weeks in New York training with the Minuteman staff.

“We learned a lot about marketing and updated software,” Mick said. “We’ll have a number of consultants at our disposal. Skip said he and Shannon wished they had that option when they started.” In 30 to 60 days, people will see the changes on the outside of the building, too. “And when we answer phones, we say we’re doing business as Esprit and Minuteman Press printing,” Mick said. By the end of the year, the business will be called Minuteman Press of Kennewick. “And it becomes the largest printing business in the area,” Mick said. “The staff is very excited.” Currently, the business employs 10 fulltime staffers. They all will stay on. “As a new owner in the printing business, I think it’s great to get in here with an excellent staff that’s already here and

maintaining that great customer service,” Janet said. “There are 100 different things we can print on.” The business also will become the second Minuteman Press franchise in the TriCities. There is one in Richland. For the Micks, acquiring Esprit and becoming franchise owners is a dream come true. “I lived the corporate life for 35 years,” Mick said. “I was never home. Janet and I wanted to do something together.” They looked at fast-food restaurant franchises and even the possibility of becoming home building inspectors. Just this year, they started publication of a monthly magazine called West Pasco Living. “We’re trying to get into the community,” Mick said. “Janet grew up in this area.”

The couple plan to start another magazine, focusing on Kennewick, within the next few months. But Esprit/Minuteman will hold the majority of their concentration. Minuteman Press is the No. 1 rated printing and marketing service franchise as ranked by Entrepreneur magazine. It’s been that way 28 times and 16 years in a row. The franchise’s investment can range from $74,904 to $157,259 when leasing equipment, according to the Minuteman Press website. Franchising began in 1975, after the company was started in 1973 by Roy Titus and his son Bob. There are 970 Minuteman Press franchises in North America, Australia, England and South Africa. “By (rolling the organization into a Minuteman Press franchise operation), we will have a better cost structure and expanded product offering,” Mick said. And expect the Micks to maintain the same community involvement as the Novakoviches. “I grew up in the community,” Janet said. “Mick will be out in the community. Get our name out there.” Mick agreed. “One thing Janet found out about me: I like to socialize,” he said. “But we also want to take this business to another level.” And they’ll do it with the Novakoviches’ blessing.

uAWARDS & HONORS • The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Hanford Site contractor Mission Support Alliance an honorable mention in the outstanding sustainability program/ project category of its 2019 Sustainability Awards. As the site services contractor, MSA helps raise awareness of the Bonneville Power Administration’s incentive program that encourages BPA customers to reduce energy use. MSA’s Energy Management team identifies opportunities for sitewide energy efficiency and collaborates with all Hanford contractors for program participation. Hanford contractors received more than $279,000 in incentives and saved more than 1.2 million kilowatt hours in 2018—enough to power 111 homes for a year—and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, equal to removing nearly 100 cars from the road.

uNEW HIRES • The National Park Service has selected Ashley Adams as the new deputy superintendent for Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Walla Walla, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Ashley Adams and Big Hole National Battlefield. She will assume the new assignment in November. Adams has a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University and a bachelor’s in human biology from Stanford University.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Sponsors sought to buy weekend food kits for hungry kids BY JEFF MORROW

for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

As a family advocate for the Richland Early Learning Center, Lisa Thompson has been on a mission to help as many children as she can. Because whether or not people believe it, there are a lot of people in the Tri-City region who don’t get enough to eat—and many are young children. Last year, Thompson was able to take advantage of a program called Bite2Go, which provided weekend food kits to young children in need. The items in the kits are kid-friendly and easy-to-open. They include shelf-stable foods, milk, cereal, veggies and snacks, among other items. The nonprofit Second Harvest was able to bring on the early learning center in late spring as a result of some emergency funding and grants. But the fund is now exhausted, and Thompson and her colleagues are trying to find other resources to support the program this school year. “All the preschools in the district are under our roof,” Thompson said. “Families are struggling. Last year we served 75 families.” And those are the families of preschoolers who accepted the help. Thompson said there are many other families, who because of their culture, values or pride, won’t. “I expect that the need will grow,” she said. “I do know we’re adding another school. And adding another school will

Courtesy Mission Support Alliance Second Harvest volunteers from Mission Support Alliance packed 5,194 weekend food kits for students on Aug. 9. Leidos and Centerra Group, parent companies of the Hanford contractor, sponsored the program. The program is in need of additional funding, organizers say.

likely add another seven to 10 children.” The Richland Early Learning Center isn’t alone in needing additional funding to continue the program, as a number of local schools need one or more sponsors to restart the program for this year. Seventeen schools in the Tri-Cities received Bite2Go kits last year and Second Harvest distributed about 2,500 kits per month. Most schools last year began the program in mid-October or later. Second Harvest said it’s working with local schools and organizations to get funding in place as it ramps up the program.

Schools like Richland Early Learning Center are reaching out seeking help to fully sponsor their needs to restart Bite2Go. Thompson estimates it costs $13,500 to feed 75 children. Jean Tucker, development and marketing director for Second Harvest, said childhood hunger is not just a Richland problem, but a Tri-City-wide and regional problem. “So many families are one or two paychecks away from a crisis,” Tucker said. “And no child should go hungry.” But they do.

The facts are harsh: • One out of 10 people in Benton and Franklin counties—including 1 in 5 kids— is food insecure (researched by Feeding America), meaning they don’t know where their next nutritious meal is coming from. • More than 57 percent of kids in the Tri-Cities rely on free or reduced school meals. • There are 15 Tri-City schools with 90 percent or more students receiving free or reduced meals. • Hungry kids have less energy and lack focus, which may result in disruption in the classroom. At the end of each school week, Bite2Go discreetly hands out food kits to qualified students to ensure they have something nutritious to eat for the weekend. The program started in March 2015 in Spokane. Every year, Second Harvest receives food donations in the millions of pounds, coming from organizations, farmers and others. “We also purchase food items in bulk that can go into these kits,” Tucker said. School teachers and counselors work with families to identify students in need. Permission slips are sent to parents, and the student’s identity remains confidential. Twice a year, volunteers spend a day pre-assembling kits on days Tucker calls the “big build” at the Second Harvest disuBITE2GO, Page 54

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

BITE2GO, From page 53 tribution center at 5825 Burlington Loop in Pasco. Volunteers then pick up those kits and deliver them to the school. But here is the current situation: sponsorships are pretty low. Businesses, groups, churches or individuals can step up to help fund Bite2Go. “We’re off to a slow start,” Tucker said. “It’s a relationship between a school and a sponsorship organization. But individual people can make a donation to a school.” To feed one student for an entire school year costs $180. “There really is a need in every school in the Tri-Cities,” Tucker said. “But the TriCities is a very generous community. We are putting a call out to get organizations

and schools to reach out and collaborate with sponsor organizations.” Meanwhile, Thompson continues her search, not only for sponsors, but to find those children and families in need. “I’ve hung up fliers in laundromats. I’m leaving them at schools,” she said. “We’re trying to catch them early. We’re using word of mouth. The Richland School District is notifying us of families in need. We have a huge need here.” Community members can sponsor a child for $15 per month, or donate any amount to support the program. Donations for Bite2Go may be mailed to Second Harvest, P.O. Box 3068, Pasco, WA 99302 or go to 2-harvest.org/bite2go. For more information, contact Kurt Beiswenger at 509-545-0787, or email Kurt.Beiswenger@2-harvest.org.

uNEW HIRES • Derek O’Konek is the new principal of Jefferson Elementary School in Richland. O’Konek joined the district in 2013 and has helped implement various programs at Jason Lee aimed at building connections with the community, creating a positive Derek O’Konek school culture and improving student academic performance. He also was an assistant principal at Badger Mountain Elementary and Enterprise Middle School. Before com-

ing to Richland, he worked in the Moses Lake School District as an elementary teacher and administration intern. • Dr. Matthew Fewel, a neurosurgeon, joined Trios Health on Sept. 1. Fewel specializes in neurological surgery and spine surgery. He has practiced locally for 14 years. He attended the University of Washington as an undergraduate, earning a bachelor’s in business administration. He went on to receive his docDr. Matthew Fewel tor of medicine from the University of Southern California in 1998. After USC, he completed a neurosurgical residency at the University of Michigan from 1998-2005 and received the Resident Award for Outstanding Research from the Michigan Association of Neurological Surgeons for his work on brain tumor research. • Cardiologist Dr. Karan Bhatti and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sam Strebel have joined Prosser Memorial Health. Bhatti is a non-invasive cardiologist specializing in valvular heart disease, heart failure treatment and management, preventive cardiology, stress testing, cardiac oncology, pulDr. Karan Bhatti monary hypertension, echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography, arrhythmia management, hypertension management and hyperlipidemia management. Bhatti recently completed his cardiovascular disease fellowship at the University of Texas-Houston and he is board certified in internal medicine and echocardiography. Strebel has recently been caring for patients at Tri-City Orthopaedics in Kennewick. His orthopedic services include anterior and posterior approach, total hip, total knee replacement, endoscopic and open carpal tunDr. Sam Strebel nel release, Ganglion cyst excision, fracture care, and more. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He went on to complete an adult reconstruction fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Strebel is fluent in Spanish. • STCU hired Yubrahan Mendoza to manage the credit union’s third Tri-Cities location in Pasco, scheduled to open in late 2019 or early 2020. Mendoza brings nine years of local banking experience, most recently at Bank of The West in Pasco. He will be based at STCU’s Southridge Financial and Home Loan Center in Kennewick until the Pasco branch opens.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

PUBLIC RECORD uBANKRUPTCIES Bankruptcies are filed under the following chapter headings: Chapter 7 — Straight Bankruptcy: debtor gives up non-exempt property and debt is charged. Chapter 11 — Allows companies and individuals to restructure debts to repay them. Chapter 12 — Allows family farmers or fishermen to restructure finances to avoid liquidation for foreclosure. Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay debts. Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.

CHAPTER 7 Jeff N. and Melanie A. Ossman, 5852 Alder Road, Pasco. Evelyn Johns, 4112 W. Okanogan Ave., Kennewick. John J. and Laura C. Bogart, 904 S. Beech St., Kennewick. Yusra Aziz, 8220 W. Gage Blvd., PO Box 664, Kennewick. Lizet Landeros, 198504 E. Seventh Ave., Kennewick. Ramona Lopez, Box 291, Benton City. Rosa Orozco, 518 W. Sylvester St., Pasco. Selena Meza-Muniz, 90 S. Verbena St., Kennewick. Carl J. and Katie M. Williamson, 104 Craighill, Richland. Amanda N. Torosian, 451 Westcliffe Blvd., Richland. Andrew Guenthner, 100202 E. Michelle Drive, Kennewick. Onette T. Gibson, 1307 N. 37th Court, Pasco. Kevin M. Brady, 1307 Symons St., Richland. Jennifer L. Williams, 156 Erica Drive, Richland.

Judity E. Barajas, 4721 W. Livingston Road, Pasco. Aleah Roberts, 4608 Yucatan Court, Pasco. Abraham L. Torres and Lacey S. Wood, 2105 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick. Jorge Z. Gonzalez, 3815 W. Fourth Ave, Kennewick. Reyna Bahena, PO Box 4509, Pasco. Sierra L. Zampelli, 1534 Crab Apple Circle, West Richland. Antonio and Katie R. Valero, 5822 Sidon Lane, Pasco. Veronica Segura, 516 N. Cascade St., Kennewick. Victoria A. Hoover, 310 S. Anderson St., Kennewick. Kristin March, 2306 W. 37th Ave., Kennewick. Jennifer Y. Cummings, 3019 Duportail St., Richland. Joanne E. Lee, 503 S. Florida St., Kennewick. Norma L. Chavez, 6 W. Carmichael Drive, Kennewick. Karen Lagier, 8180 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick. Melysa A. and Andy R. Pierce, 2114 W. Texas St., Kennewick. William A. and Nichole D. Levert, 4320 W. Agate St., Pasco. Erika Mendoza, PO Box 6657, Kennewick. Robert S. Collins, 1515 W. Jay St., Pasco. Pablo A. Lara and Carmen L. Reyes, 823 W. Octave St., Pasco. Matthew B. and Maria. E. L. Smith, 1323 Thayer Drive, Richland. Nelly Cordon, 440 N. Volland St., Kennewick. Matthew A. McCracken, 4725 Daisy St., West Richland. Monte and Tamira Junt, 2301 W. 29th Ave., Kennewick.

Travis J. and Cheyenne M. Deal, 5452 W. SR 260, Connell. Jose and Ana M. Gutierrez, 1415 Keller Ave., Richland. Ernesto S. Ramos, 777 McMurray St., Richland. CHAPTER 13 Michael R. and Vicky N. Torres, 4209 Riverhill Drive, Pasco. Caleb B. Eversole, 2142 Hoxie Ave., Richland. Linda L. Ehnes, 2922 S. Everett Place, Kennewick. John Hamilton, 113 E. Sixth Ave., Kennewick.

uTOP PROPERTIES

Top property values listed start at $500,000 and have been rounded to the nearest hundred figure. At press time, no properties had been listed for Benton County.

FRANKLIN COUNTY Undisclosed location, 18.36 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $1,960,200. Buyer: EPO, LLC. Seller: Monson Ranches Snake River Storage. 12317 Blackfoot Drive, Pasco, 2,740-squarefoot, residential home. Price: $531,000. Buyer: Ryan and Molly Ferguson. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction. 12117 Clark Fork Road, Pasco, 2,600-square-foot, residential home. Price: $522,900. Buyer: Erik Hebdon. Seller: Hammerstrom Construction. 301 Giesler Road, Pasco, 3,334-square-foot, residential home on 2.59 acres. Price: $679,900. Buyer: Ricardo and Jennifer Garza. Seller: Cody and Heather Wilson.

uBUILDING PERMITS

Building permit values have been rounded to the nearest hundred figure.

BENTON COUNTY T-Mobile, 238811 E. Les Blair Road SE, $78,000 for an antenna/tower. Contractor: North Sky Communications. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, 178810 WA 221, $104,900 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company. USCOC, 74712 N. SR 225, $102,300 for an antenna/tower. Contractor: Tool Tech. Wyckoff Farms, 166301 Lemley Road, $24,300 for commercial construction. Contractor: Columbia River Steel/Construction. FRANKLIN COUNTY L&K Dairy, 753 Radar Hill Road, Othello, $1,124,100 for commercial addition. Contractor: AG Pro Construction. DT Warehouse, 110 Taylor Flats Road, $20,000 for commercial construction and $12,200 for HVAC. Contractors: All Seasons Heating & A/C and Campbell & Company. Lee Eickmeyer, 10801 Burns Road, $10,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: Legacy Wireless Services. KENNEWICK Argo Colonnade, 6705 W. Canal Drive, $350,000 for commercial remodel, $50,000 for plumbing and $71,000 for HVAC. Contractors: Beam Team Construction, Columbia River Plumbing & Mechanical and Chinook Heating & Air.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 57

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 PUBLIC RECORD, From page 55 Redeemed Real Estate, 6431 W. Brinkley Road, $5,000 for plumbing. Contractor: Legacy Excavation. Columbia River Electric, 6431 W. Brinkley Road, $300,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: CRF Metal Works. Columbia Mall Partnership, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $55,000 for a sign. Contractor: Integrated Sign & Graphics. Kennewick Assoc., 7411 W. Canal Drive, $131,600 for commercial construction. Contractor: Flynn Bec. MCS, 2417 W. Kennewick Ave., $5,000 for commercial construction. Contractor: owner. Monson & Sons, 2632 W. Kennewick Ave., $6,300 for a sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. BluePearlCoffee, 4311 W. Clearwater Ave., $8,500 for a sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign & Fabrication. Dorato Investment, 6416 W. Okanogan Ave., $15,000 for a sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign & Fabrication. Sun Ridge Properties, 3711 Plaza Way, $65,000 for commercial remodel, $5,000 for HVAC and $5,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Handyman Industries and Jacobs & Rhodes. USCOC of Richland, 515 N. Johnson St., $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Tool Tech. USCOC of Richland, 1917 N. Steptoe St., $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Tool Tech. CCH Executive Suites, 1030 N. Center Parkway, $15,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Tool Tech. Dr. Emmanuel Aminone Edibiokpo, 8656 W. Gage Blvd., $12,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: APC Services. Benton PUD, 2721 W. 10th Ave., $306,300 for new commercial construction and $55,400 for HVAC. Contractors: Industrial Contractors and Intermech Inc. Imran Magsi, 2681 W. Kennewick Ave., $16,000 for a sign. Contractor: Quality Signs. Goodwill, 2618 W. Kennewick Ave., $149,500 for tenant improvements and $5,700 for plumbing. Contractors: Bosch II Construction and Evergreen Plumbing. Kennewick Assoc., 34 Vista Way, $8,500 for a sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. BNSF Railway, 206 N. Benton St., $20,700 for HVAC. Contractor: Bruce Heating & Air. Castle Makers, 2615 S. Vancouver St., $10,500 for a sign. Contractor: YESCO. Port of Kennewick, 350 Clover Island Drive, $14,000 for mechanical. Contractor: Jordan Mechanical Group. Jack Sabin Trustee, 424 S. Washington St., $8,000 for commercial construction.

Contractor: owner. Community First Bank, 8131 W. Grandridge Blvd., $5,800 for HVAC. Contractor: Dayco Heating & Air. Lance Kenmore, 9001 W. Tucannon Ave., $44,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Elite Construction & Development. Lance Kenmore, 9025 W. Tucannon Ave., $44,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Elite Construction & Development. Costco Wholesale, 8505 W. Gage Blvd., $270,000 for commercial remodel and $25,000 for mechanical. Contractor: Refrigeration Unlimited. Story Point Community, 17 S. Rainier St., $10,000 for commercial remodel and $10,000 for HVAC. Contractor: owner. Kennewick School District, 930 W. Fourth Ave., $225,800 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Pacific Mobile Structures. PM2 West Limited Partnership, 8907 W. Grandridge Blvd., $140,000 for tenant improvements, $30,000 for HVAC and $10,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Straight Line Construction, A-One Refrigeration and Mullins Enterprises. Center Parkway Real Estate, 1020 N. Center Parkway, $52,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Palmer Roofing. The Fiore Group, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave., $75,000 for HVAC. Contractor: A-One Refrigeration. Port of Kennewick, 320 E. Columbia Gardens Way, $10,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Banlin Construction Co. Port of Kennewick, 421 E. Columbia Drive, $7,500 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Banlin Construction Co. Benton County, 2701 Columbia Park Trail, $15,900 for a sign. Contractor: Cascade Sign & Fabrication. Damian Padilla, 550 E. Bruneau Ave., $47,000 for tenant improvements and $15,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Padilla Masonry and Riggle Plumbing. Corvalis WA, 867 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $544,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Parkway Construction & Architecture. PASCO Pasco School District, 1023 N. 24th Ave., $18,880,700 for new commercial construction. Contractor: to be determined. Pasco School District, 9011 Burns Road, $30,200 for a fire alarm. Contractor: Moon Security. Pasco School District, 3901 Road 84, $54,000 for a fire alarm and $147,000 for commercial addition. Contractors: Moon Security and Day Wireless Systems.

Port of Pasco, 4314 Stearman Drive, $369,200 for new commercial construction. Contractor: owner. Port of Pasco, 4312 Stearman Drive, $430,700 for new commercial construction. Contractor: owner. Yesmar Properties, 8425 Chapel Hill Blvd., Suite B102, $64,600 for tenant improvements. Contractor: W McKay Construction. Hogback Sandifur, 7505 Sandifur Parkway, $649,700 for new commercial construction. Contractor: Stephens & Sons Construction. Western States Equipment, 1620 E. James St., $32,400 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Jones Building & Design. MPT of Pasco, 520 N. Fourth Ave., $107,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Centimark Corporation. Starmark Real Estate, 1935 W. Court St., $6,300 for a sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. Columbia Basin College, 2600 N. 20th Ave., $8,600 for HVAC. Contractor: Refrigeration Plus. Helena Chemical Co, 1010 E. Kartchner St., $50,000 for commercial addition. Contractor: LBS Electric. Port of Pasco, 2935 Rickenbacker Drive, $6,000 for a fire alarm. Contractor: Moon Security. Port of Pasco, 2101 W. Argent Road, $78,500 for a swimming pool. Contractor: New Style Pools. Raon, 6605 Burden Blvd., $5,000 for a sign. Contractor: Quality Signs. PROSSER Rachell Gobel, 710 Sixth St., $150,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: owner. Milne Fruit, 804 Bennett Ave., $40,000 for mechanical. Contractor: Permacold Engineering. O’Reilly Auto Parts, 361 Wine Country Road, $1,418,000 for new commercial construction. Contractor: owner. RICHLAND Richland 132, 2932 Milton Lane, $44,200 for

grading. Contractor: Goodman & Mehlenbacher Enterprises. Big 5 Sporting Goods, 75 Columbia Point Drive, $10,900 for HVAC. Contractor: DIVCO. ISSOMA, 1045 Jadwin Ave., $300,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Tri-Rivers Construction. Tudo Bem, 1908 George Washington Way, $5,000 for a sign. Contractor: Quality Signs. Grigsby Properties, 595 Stevens Drive, $10,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Grigsby Properties. TestAmerica, 2800 George Washington Way, $1,200,000 for demolition. Contractor: Northwest Demolition. New City Cleaners, 747 Stevens Drive, $5,000 for mechanical. Contractors: owner. Richland Lutheran Church, 1513 Kimball Ave., $100,000 for demolition. Contractor: owner. First Richland LP, 2901 Queensgate Drive, $1,648,400 for new commercial construction. Contractor: O’Brien Construction. Raber, 3100 Queensgate Drive, $20,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Presco Telecommunications. The Hill Companies, 155 Wellsian Way, $12,000 for a sign. Contractor: Quality Signs. Matson Development, 257 Jackrabbit Lane, $109,100 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Wesco Construction Division. Notus Holdings, 3230 Innovation Blvd., $15,300 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Paradigm Contracting. Resilient Coffee, 1215 Aaron Drive, $7,200 for a commercial addition. Contractor: Anchorage Corporate. Fred Staples, 345 Greenbrook Place, $19,700 for commercial reroof. Contractor: A&A Roofing Services. Central United Protestant Church, 1124 Stevens Drive, $36,600 for HVAC. Contractor: Campbell & Company. WEST RICHLAND Lee’s Market, 5730 W. Van Giesen St., $21,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Western Equipment Sales.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 58

Oktoberfest Celebration

Put on your lederhosen, grab a pretzel and have some fun at Parkview Estates’ Oktoberfest luncheon!

Friday, October 4 12 - 1:30 p.m. RSVP by calling 509-734-9773 7820 W. 6th Ave., Kennewick, WA

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

PUBLIC RECORD, From page 57 Tapteal Elementary, 705 N. 62nd Ave., $101,400 for a fire alarm system. Contractor: Fire Control Sprinkler Systems.

uBUSINESS LICENSES KENNEWICK Evergreen Estate and Elder Law, 621 W. Mallon Ave., Suite 306, Spokane. Odenwayz Newdayz, 7803 W. Deschutes Ave. Marshall’s Plumbing, 9809 N. Synder Road, Spokane. Copper Leaf Contracting, 8220 W. Gage Blvd. Roasters Edison, 5215 W. Okanogan Ave. Pacific Crest Planning, 7139 W. Deschutes Ave., Suite 1. McClintock’s Construction, 304 E. 45th Ave.

Get Air Tri-Cities, 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Bosch II Construction Company, 200 Aquarius Drive. Unified Grocers, 1525 E. D St., Tacoma. Roasters Coffee, 2615 S. Vancouver St. Winterhaven Construction Group, 2723 E. Fourth Ave., Spokane. Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership, 124 W. Kennewick Ave. Architextures, 9800 Harbour Place, Mukilteo. Blanc Land and Livestock Company, 6716 W. Rio Grande Ave. Advanced Overhead Doors, 7201 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite B104. Don Jordan Energy Systems, 1501 Madison Ave., Yakima. Northwest Caulking, 17615 S. Robinette Drive, Cheney. Central Paving, 1410 W. Dolarway Road, Ellensburg. Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd.

Epic Trust Investment Advisors, 8656 W. Gage Blvd., Suite A104. Jiggy’s, 4613 Moline Lane, Pasco. Dan’s Carpet Cleaning, 918 S. Huntington Place. Pacific Mobile Structures, 1554 Bishop Road, Chehalis. Northwest RV & Boat Storage, 2406 S. Olympia St. Esprit Graphic Communications, 110 N. Cascade St. The Nourished Life, 10248 W. 18th Court. Bayou Some Cajun, 98109 E. Brandon Drive. Fenix Construction, 2297 Leonard Drive, Walla Walla. Tri-Cities Mobile Storage, 1501 N. Commercial Ave., Pasco. MJ Flooring, 2608 S. Zillah St. Homebridge Financial Services, 8203 W. Quinault Ave. Hudson Homes Furniture, 8711 Gatwick Court, Pasco. Fischer Incorporated, 607 Winslow Ave.

Amigo CPR, 4428 W. Clearwater Ave. Manhattan Private, 7206 W. Sixth Place. Classy Beauty, 10121 W. Clearwater Ave. Tower Lawn Care, 822 S. Fruitland St. Pierce Consulting & Investments, 101 N. Morain St. Old Country Buffet, 6821 W. Canal Drive. Petal and Pistil, 4505 W. Fourth Ave. Legacy Cottage, 2615 W. Entiat Ave. MRD General Contractors, 1508 W. 21st Ave. Harte Consulting & Advertisement, 3002 W. 46th Ave. Mardi Esthetics, 25 S. Waverly St. Soltero Framing, 531 S. Wehe Ave., Pasco. Northwest Coating & Painting, 4017 W. Opal St., Pasco. Rebel Creek Tackle, 7233 W. Deschutes Ave. Chakra Shack, 4430 W. Clearwater Ave. Eye Candy Studio, 899 W. Rio Grande Ave. KEU, 201 NE 135th St., Vancouver. Witch Wix Wares, 3030 W. Fourth Ave. Aurum Stone Age, 211507 E. Cochran Road. Peake Contractors, 15821 S. Clear View Loop. Dermmetics, 35 S. Louisiana St. Cardenas Cleaning Services, 1308 N. Williams St. Cascade Utility Adjusting, 5522 Elaine Ave., Auburn. Carl the Carpenter, 1248 Montana Ave., Richland. Family Spa, 8390 W. Gage Blvd. Stellar Homes, 99803 162nd PRSE. Legacy Barber Shop, 100 N. Morain St. Grooms by Theresa, 1407 N. Young St. Shines Home Inspections, 125 N. Newport St. SWS Equipment, 6515 N. Nixon Ave., Spokane Valley. After Effects Construction, 920 W. Entiat Ave. Paradise Bottled Water, 900 S. Dayton St. Advanced Moving and Rigging, 1101 E. Fourth Ave. DC Concrete & Construction, 2708 N. Road 72, Pasco. Tri-Cities Animal Shelter & Control Services, 1312 S. 18th Ave., Pasco. V-A Network, 515 N. Neel St. Express Cabinetry, 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd. JJ Carpet Cleaning, 5031 W. Clearwater Ave. Solterra Massage, 7101 W. Hood Place. The FG Collective, 3409 S. Johnson St. The Educated Cigar, 228 Lee Road, Prosser. TC Tech Collaborative, 7303 W. Canal Drive. Atlas Properties, 6001 W. Deschutes Ave. Caliber Collision Centers, 110 N. Washington St. Polished Nails Salon, 3617 Plaza Way. Tooth Crew, 601 S. Kent St. Studio 18, 725 N. Center Parkway. Mor Artyo, 4310 S. Date St. BMMT Assets, 1806 W. 31st Ave. JGLO Master Esthetics, 8905 W. Gage Blvd. Bob’s Mobile Detailing, 506 W. 19th Ave. Tri-City Gladiators, 5920 W. 20th Ave. Dickinson Construction and Specialty Coating, 48005 S. 2299 PRSE. Arbon Equipment, 22718 58th Place S., Kent. CI Information Management, 900 S. Dayton St. We Keep Tabs, 403 W. Canyon Lakes Drive. AMJ Transport, 128 S Arthur St. Cheat Meal Fitness, 2012 W. 12th Ave. PASCO R&Y Construction, 68911 Meals Road, Kennewick. Stunning Cleaning Services, 1832 W. Nixon St. Columbia River Electric Maintenance, 6343 W. Brinkley Road, Kennewick. Design Wallcovering, 21208 N. Monroe Road, Spokane. Eddie Ford’s Janitorial, 1411 S. 32nd Ave., Yakima. V&E Transport, 2713 Custer Court. Hedden Outdoors, 6203 Buena Court. Great American Powder Coating, 1620 E. Salt Lake St., Suite E. TCG Hauling, 3914 S. Cedar St., Kennewick. Pro Auto Detailing, 705 W. 43rd Ave., Kennewick. El Dorado Night Club, 218 S. Fourth Ave. Alliance Imaging, 18201 Van Karman Ave., Irvine, California.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 59

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 PUBLIC RECORD, From page 58 F-3 RV, 3305 W. Marie St. Another World Express, 1912 N. 18th Drive. NG Eagle Concrete, 2906 W. Seventh Ave., Kennewick. VS Custom Designs, 1519 W. 33rd Place, Kennewick. Alteraciones Magicas, 824 W. Lewis St. Quality Lawn Service, 305 S. 26th Ave. Celtowers Development, 4503 Monterey Drive. Clear View Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing, 3773 S. Lincoln St., Kennewick. K&C Floor Cloverings, 1605 W. Eighth Place, Kennewick. J Villegas General Construction, 7 W. A St. Paty’s Creations, 6108 Sandifur Parkway. Figgin Clothes, 6212 Road 68. Tri-Cities Drywall, 1200 S. Penn St., Kennewick. Tri-Cities Roofing, 518 ½ Columbia Drive, Kennewick. Guzman and Sons Construction, 63705 E. Solar PRNE, Benton City. Grand Décor and Design, 3357 S. Vancouver St., Kennewick. Iron Sharpens Iron Construction, 2105 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick. Profiber, 5507 Aloha Drive, West Richland. Tru Blu Construction, 401 W. Trinity PRNW, Benton City. Cascade Industrial Services, 24665 N. Hunters Grover Court, Rathdrum, Idaho. Marrot Construction, 4812 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick. Bond Construction, 4003 Kiger Road, West Richland. Petroleum Calibration, 5362 Oceanus Drive, Huntington Beach, California. Belza Painting and Resurfacing, 13507 S. Grandview, Kennewick. Universal Steel of WA, 12316 Hillcrest Drive. Diamon Construction, 5602 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Cadillac Lawn Care, 3900 Kennedy Road, West Richland. Master Granite, 202144 E. SR 397, Kennewick. CM Banks Woodworking, 1537 W. 52nd Ave., Kennewick. Best Price Rooter and Plumbing, 41 Douglas Way, Wallula. Wine Country Media, 371 Cottonwood Drive, Richland. American Craftsman, 20706 E. Finley Road, Kennewick. Ruby’s 123 Child Care, 4821 W. Henry St. Desert Vinyl Fence, 2410 S. Vancouver St., Kennewick. Blair Builders, 2004 S. Ione St., Kennewick. Schneider Construction, 4014 S. Jean St., Kennewick. Mendoza Lawncare, 827 S. Seventh Ave. New Creation Homes, 70407 E. 710 PRNE, Richland. Santos Photography, 8315 Wenatchee Court. Eli’s Bakery, 1103 W. Court St. VH Solutions, 202 N. Third Ave. K.M. Schultz Earthworks, 305 Road 35. TriCity Nutrition, 605 W. Clark St. Wolfpack Fitness, 6916 W. Argent Road. Dust Extermination Cleaning Services, 4101 Vermillion Lane.

Titan Plastering, 935 W. Agate St. Land Care Services, 4421 W. Marie St. C&M Knives & Swords, 4908 Hilltop Drive. Isela’s Janitorial & Maintenance, 1912 W. Ruby St. Luna Quality Painting, 812 W. Octave St. C&E Products, 730 W. A St. GM Freight, 5705 Pimlico Drive. CM Appraisal & Valuation Services, 4205 W. 17th Court, Kennewick. Abbeauty, 1620 Road 44. West Columbia Painting, 1712 N. 24th Ave. United Flooring, 3204 Saratoga Lane. Chastain Counseling, 9825 Sandifur Parkway. Inspired Dog Graphic Design, 5908 W. Park Place. A+ Quality Insulation, 2325 W. Lewis St. Stratum Concrete, 412 N. Ninth St. Casillas Lawn Care & Landscaping, 923 S. Eighth Ave. Reliable Cleaning Services, 1119 W. Irving St. U.S. World Class Taekwondo, 5025 Road 68. Southern Cross, 2325 W. Lewis St. Ideally Riddled, 3806 Meadow View Court. ADC Transport, 1815 N. 14th Ave. Autumn Leaves Woodworking, 4201 Stafford Drive. J&L Landscaping Services, 4015 Horizon Drive. Westbrook Labs, 18803 Huber Drive, Castro Valley, California. Majestic, 1420 Fern St., Othello. Butler Generations, 10251 Ridgeline Drive, Kennewick. Key & Jaz House Cleaning, 501 S. Larch St., Kennewick. Davis Photography, 8600 W. Arrowhead Ave., Kennewick. Crimson Power, 101904 Wiser Parkway, Suite 102, Kennewick. Crucito’z Landscaping, 9 E. 11th Ave., Kennewick. Nice N’ Shiny, 164 Columbia Way, Wallula. Fortis Coatings, 328 Canyon Creek Drive, Wenatchee. Momentum Auto, 6108 Mukilteo Drive.

Flat Top Concrete, 4207 Juneau Lane. White Shield Environmental, 320 N. 20th Ave. Agnema, 1320 E. Spokane St. Tri-City Furniture Liquidators, 111 N. Fourth Ave. Mi Estilo, 430 W. Columbia St. Reign Drop, 6303 Burden Blvd. Hoburg Enterprises, 34601 S. 2243 PRSE, Kennewick. Fire Solutions NW, 18460 Washington St., Allyn. Colts Painting and Restoration, 4511 W. Ninth Ave., Kennewick. Caring Hearts Social Services, 5219 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Carlooks Auto Detail, 255 E. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. JC Home Improvements, 506 S. Dawes St., Kennewick. Industrial Construction of Washington, 84609 N. Yakima River Road, West Richland. DJ’s Concrete Pumping, 56805 N. Whan Road, Benton City. Darth Stitch Designs, 4813 Indian Ridge Drive. Mi Casa Cleaning Services, 5713 Wallowa Lane. Casey’s Tool Box, 6311 Enzian Falls Drive. Ladie Bug, 1505 S. Road 40. Liberty Home Inspections, 3908 Desert Plateau Drive. Fenix Construction, 2297 Leonard Drive, Walla Walla. Dickerson’s Piano Service, 3812 W. Wernett Road. Trejo’s Cleaning Services, 920 W. Agate St. Family Key Cleaning Services, 319 N. Wehe Ave. Pacific National Insured, 8505 Ter Ray Court. A.M. Motors, 3820 W. Octave St. Made Productions, 390 N. Cherry Drive. A-Z Delivery, 5714 Tyre Drive CJ Business Consulting, 6212 Road 68. Dotson Fine Finishings, 118 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick. Gonzales Boring & Tunneling, 32680 NW Cottage St., North Plains, Oregon.

RICHLAND Farfield Systems, 1979 Snyder St. Entrance Controls, 702 Industry Drive, Tukwila. Complete Healthcare, 1045 Jadwin Ave. Shamrock Traffic, 110 N. Hayford Road, Spokane. Roe General Contractor, 809 Snow Ave. Integrity Painting Company, 2049 W. Bench Road, Othello. American Eagle Family, 210 N. Perry St., Kennewick. Northwest Contractors, 936 N. Owen Ave., Pasco. Baby J’s BBQ N Burgers, 2243 Stevens Drive. Diamond Electric, 16 Snake River Road, Asotin. Meg Consulting, 163 Laurelwood Court. Boheme Creative Services, 1830 Rylee Drive. College Pro Painters TK 2019, 5100 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Grade A Services, 3820 W. Margaret St., Pasco. Broomsticks, 834 S. Ivy St., Kennewick. CM Banks Woodworking, 1537 W. 52nd Ave., Kennewick. RAO Publishing House, 1955 Jadwin Ave. MV Chrysalis, 458-C Columbia Point Drive. Florascapes West, 521 Dogwood Road, Pasco. Profiber, 5507 Aloha Drive, West Richland. Bug Guru Science Education, 1509 Naches Ave. Eclipse Media, 1789 Fowler St. VS Custom Designs, 1519 W. 33rd Place, Kennewick. Tru Blu Construction, 401 W. Trinity PRNW, Benton City. Ritz Coffee & Tea, 2630 N. Columbia Center Blvd. RC3, 245 Torbett St. S&D Construction, 1431 Kimball Ave. D&S Drywall & Paint, 128 N. Wehe Ave., Pasco.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 60

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

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PUBLIC RECORD, From page 59 DJC Consulting, 2430 Stevens Center Place. Fortis Coatings, 328 Canyon Creek Drive, Wenatchee. Plus Size Portfolio, 4516 Corvina St. RJ Nuclear Operations Consuliting, 1386 Baywood Ave. Godinez Construction, 1729 W. Octave St., Pasco. Hull Brothers Construction, 352 Sanford Ave. L2S Holdings, 1955 Jadwin Ave. A-One Refrigeration and Heating, 910 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. RAO Strategic Solutions, 1955 Jadwin Ave. EG Visuals, 639 Cullum Ave. ICESI, 902 Battelle Blvd. Elevate, 1015 Sanford Ave. Grand Décor and Design, 3357 S. Vancouver St., Kennewick. Velocity Aerospace Group, 3003 Queensgate Drive. Handyman Construction, 2813 N. Road 48, Pasco. Stephens & Sons Construction, 417 S. 51st Ave., Yakima. Performance Edge, 2534 Cordoba Court. Three River’s Bookkeeping, 385 Hanford St. Bria Gabrielle Studios, 221 Bernard Ave. 3 Cities Cleaning Services, 62 Compton Lane. Image Landscaping Complete Services, 7715 Cordero Drive, Pasco. Master Granite, 202144 E. SR 397, Kennewick. Handpicked Homes, 667 Sedgwick Place. Double T Construction, 1243 Reser Road, Walla Walla. 2 Nations Entertainment, 357 E. 15th Place, Kennewick. Northwest Medical Supply, 713 Jadwin Ave. Flibe Energy, 2981 Redrock Ridge Loop. Averett Anethesia, 4104 Wenview Court, West Richland. DRL Fiber Optics and Coaxial Operations, 1201 Montana Ave. CRS Crossroad Services, 4825 W. Pearl St., Pasco. Expressions Lash Lounge, 1311 Mansfield St. Guzman and Sons Construction, 63705 E. Solar PRNE, Benton City. American Craftsman, 207206 E. Finley Road, Kennewick. Huber Brothers, 411 Keys Road, Yakima. Acacia Construction, 17903 S. Myrtle St., Kennewick. Rakama Arts, 1006 Sanford Ave. Primo’s Lawn Care Services, 909 W. Margaret St., Pasco. ERH Technical, 120 Cimarron St. Nails 2000, 1442 Jadwin Ave. TC Tacos Catering, 2428 S. Gum St., Kennewick. Hair by Bellamy, 140 Gage Blvd. Tri-Cities Photo Booth and Events, 932 N. Elm Ave., Pasco. Sunhills Lawn Mowing, 2511 W. Ella St., Pasco. Cascade Natural Gas Corp, 200 N. Union St., Kennewick. Stallion Realty & Development, 2302 W. 50th Ave., Kennewick. Pelayo’s, 607 Lonetree Lane. Iron Sharpens Iron Construction, 2105 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick. Vape of a Kind, 1940 Butler Loop. Leaf Proxies, 602 Chateau Court. Arete Creates, 72 Willis St. Give N Go Cargo, 1211 Covina Court. Desert View Construction, 2718 W. Seventh Ave., Kennewick. Red Mountain Flooring, 2204 Enterprise Drive. Perfect Match Drywall & Paint, 1524 NE 11th St., Benton City. Monitas Rainbow Cleaning, 331 W. Bonneville St., Pasco. Cloher Collections, 1900 Stevens Drive. Wine Country Media, 371 Cottonwood Drive. Sunnyleaf Lawn Services, 416 N. Seventh Ave., Pasco. Maria’s Cleaning Services, 1740 N. Sixth Ave., Pasco. West Ridge Contracting, 1216 Gowen Ave. Innovative Inventory Services, 4596 Cowlitz Blvd. Tucker’s Lawn Care Services, 5304 Koufax Lane, Pasco.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 61

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 PUBLIC RECORD, From page 60 The Yard Boss Lawncare, 2913 W. Wilcox Drive, Pasco. Belza Painting and Resurfacing, 13507 S. Grandview Lane, Kennewick. Gerber Collision & Glass, 520 Wellsian Way. APH Electric, 106215 E. 297th PRSE, Kennewick. SME Inc. of Seattle, 828 Poplar Place S., Seattle. House of Brows, 140 Gage Blvd. Atkins Energy Global Solutions, 3100 George Washington Way. Pointer Construction, 7301 W. Wernett Road, Pasco. CB Electric, 605 S. 123rd Ave., Yakima. Boricua’s, 110 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco. Glacier Environmental Services, 3415 121st St. SW, Lynnwood. Shear Inspiration, 211 Torbett St. Growth Point Behavioral Health, 1955 Jadwin Ave. Gesa Credit Union, 51 Gage Blvd. Luxurious Life Tattoo, 741 The Parkway. Bright Klean Services, 4617 Moline Lane, Pasco. McClintock’s Construction, 304 E. 45th Ave., Kennewick. M&L Construction, 4103 E. Dalke Ave., Spokane. Real Roofing, 1713 Portland Ave., Walla Walla. Mad Design Skills, 1331 Broadview Drive, West Richland. JC Home Improvements, 506 S. Dawes St., Kennewick. JJ Carpet Cleaning, 5031 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Liberty Home Inspections, 3908 Desert Plateau Drive, Pasco. Scarsella Bros., 8404 S. 196th St., Kent. Reliable Cleaning Services, 1119 W. Irving St., Pasco. Freedom Bolt Supply, 1114 N. Oregon Ave., Pasco. Redline Automotive, 1910 Terminal Drive. Lo Threads, 1902 Barber Place. Desert Wind Wireless, 9501 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

Innovative Street Performance, 1144 Helena St. Legal Counsel For Youth and Children, 4206 48th Ave. S., Seattle. A #1 Cleaning, 411 Robert Ave. R&Y Construction, 68911 S. Meals Road, Kennewick. Waldina’s Cleaning Services, 944 McPherson Ave. Tri-Cities Animal Shelter & Control Services, 1312 S. 18th Ave., Pasco. RH2 Control Systems NW, 22722 29th Drive SE, Bothell. Pratt and Company, 8309 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick. Rough Diamond Motors, 2260 Robertson Drive. Performance Pole Fitness, 1393 George Washington Way. Brandstetter Properties, 2920 Sonoran Court. Art of Zil, 4634 E. Robin Court, West Richland. In Balance Therapeutic Massage, 1370 Jadwin Ave. Interiors, 2601 River Road, Yakima. Soltero Framing, 531 S. Wehe Ave., Pasco. Call the Roofer, 533 Cherokee St. D&R Carpet Installation, 1040 W. Margaret St., Pasco. Key & Jaz House Cleaning, 501 S. Larch St., Kennewick. Double R Equine Services, 1963 Marshall Ave. Crucito’z Landscaping, 9 E. 11th Ave., Kennewick. Art Your Way, 5615 Tieton Lane, Pasco. WholeStory, SPC., 723 The Parkway. NGC General Construction, 4811 Antigua Drive, Pasco. Brown Family Real Estate, 1313 Marshall Ave. MaryAnn Michaelis Counseling Services, 1041 Lethbridge Ave. KC’s Biscuits and BBQ, 21502 S. 2021 PRSE, Kennewick. Visum Consulting Services, 636 Cherrywood Loop. Magic Tough Painting, 4728 Forsythia St., West Richland.

Crete Brothers, 3719 W. 16th Place, Kennewick. Quality Landscaping, 1402 S. Gum St., Kennewick. Dunright Construction, 9802 Silverbright Drive, Pasco. Marsha Asselin Home Care, 2555 Duportail St. Kennell & Associates, 1200 Country Ridge Drive. Speedy Movers, 1924 Butler Loop. Benchmark Bookkeeping Solutions, 2651 Sandpiper Loop. R L Smart Inc. Realtors, 1201 Jadwin Ave. Alexacutshair, 1950 Keene Road. Quality Roofing, 331 E. 27th Ave., Kennewick. Deacy Mechanical, 45605 E. Ruppert Road, Benton City. Envus Hair Trendz, 427 Wellsian Way. Katy’s Whimsy, 2304 Enterprise Drive. Stewart Healthcare, 159 Rosemary St. C.R.C. Services, 1728 Davison St. Tisan Property, 518 Ferrara Lane. Fenix Construction, 2297 Leonard Drive, Walla Walla. Dan Eveland Cabinets, 400 W. Whitman Drive, College Place. Rod & Reel Properties, 2853 Sunshine Ridge Road. Novel Coffee Co., 955 Northgate Drive. Mister Mattress, 1395 George Washington Way. Darby Heating & Air, 10012 W. Maple Drive, Pasco. Mi Casa Cleaning Services, 5713 Wallowa Lane, Pasco. Paper Whale, 451 Westcliffe Blvd. Tri-City Trees Landscaping, 2028 Newcomer Ave. ADT, 11824 N. Creek Parkway, Bothell. Titanium Health, 719 Jadwin Ave. Tri-City Orthodontics, 3200 Duportail St. Ultra Clean, 5012 Latimer Court, Pasco. Powers Construction, 6323 Del Mar Court, Pasco. Northwest Roofing, 4204 Cleveland Lane, Pasco. Stucco & Stone Contractors, 1712 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

Paradise Bottled Water, 900 S. Dayton St., Kennewick. Lostleaf Naturals, 1794 Fowler St. Ohana Tree, 1382 Jadwin Ave. Columbia Regional Center for TMJ and Orofacial, 1363 Columbia Park Trail. Carlocks Auto Detail, 255 E. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. Hamilton & Associates, 521 S. Columbia St., Wenatchee. JG Wiley Communications, 3172 Willow Pointe Drive. Fire Rose Art, 1616 Hunt Ave. Applied Process Engineering Laboratory (APEL), 350 Hills St. Gis Construction, 1813 Nova Lane. Marco’s Landscaping, 131 Windhaven Lane. Nice N’ Shiny, 164 Columbia Way, Walla Walla. New Creation Homes, 70407 E. 710 PRNE. Muk a Ruk, 2348 Davison Ave. Crimson Power, 101904 Wiser Parkway, Kennewick. Janet Hutchison Art, 1907 W. 36th Ave., Kennewick. Cherry Festival, 1408 Merrill Court. MCS Quality Painting, 119 E. Fifth Ave., Kennewick. All American Property Maintenance, 4745 Cowlitz Blvd. The Bunker, 225 Wellsian Way. DJS Concrete Pumping, 56805 N. Whan Road, Benton City. T&P Flooring, 2021 Mahan Ave. Triple J Construction, 2530 Bombing Range Road, West Richland. New Leaf Landscaping TC, 4902 Truman Lane, Pasco. WEST RICHLAND Rad Towing of Richland, 4771 W. Lattin Road. Isabel Day Care, 676 S. 38th Ave. All Service Asphalt, 614 N. Volland St., Kennewick. Tri-Cities Concrete Pumping, 6415 Whetstone Drive, Pasco.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 62

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

PUBLIC RECORD, From page 61 RhythmDogs, 38714 W. Old Inland Empire Highway, Benton City. Service Team of Professional Tri-Cities, 3411 W. Canyon Lakes Drive, Kennewick. Rattlesnake J&M Construction, 4306 Vermilion Lane, Pasco. Jacky’s Housekeeping Services, 512 S. Owen Ave., Pasco. Romero’s Contractors, 1818 W. Marie St., Pasco. Idalia’s Cleaning Services, 200802 E. Game Farm Road, Kennewick. Milesa’s Couture & Alterations, 5500 Ala Wai Court. Caring Transitions of Greater Tri-Cities, 1055 Spokane Ave., Prosser. Pacific Mobile Structures, 1554 Bishop Road, Chehalis. Meritable Sweets, 1502 Butternut Ave., Richland. Vida CBD, 5399 W. Van Giesen St. Crawford Interiors, 525 S. Auburn St., Kennewick.

Red Mountain Construction, 72905 E. Grand Bluff Loop, Kennewick. Fischer Incorporated, 607 Winslow Ave., Richland. Winans Inspection, 5701 Ala Wai Court. Tprainoleadership, 629 Pinnacle Drive. The L&W Team, 5886 Teak Lane.

uJUDGMENTS The state can file lawsuits against people or businesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judgment against property that person or business owns. Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

Azpeitia A. Lopez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 1. Philipp W. Schmitt, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 1. Ramiro Castilleja, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 1. Lonestar Innovations, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 2.

Essential Planning Inc., unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 2. Mark A. Bennett, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 5. Rendon Construction, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Aug. 5. Joel S. Corral, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 5. Essential Planning Inc., unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 5. Approved Services 1, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 5. Timothy Brian Jr. Smith, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 12. All Stiles Contracting, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 14. Francisco R. Heredia, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Dragomir Bojat, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Vanessa R. Arias, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Chase M. Westman, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Ernesto J. Marquez, unpaid Employment

Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Jerrick R. Laumbach, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Michael H. Tarr, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Nora Y. Avina, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Sherry E. Becker, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Hector A. Garcia, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 15. Bryce A. Serna, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Jorge Frausto, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Ronald L. McGoven III, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 14. Guerreros Plastering & Stone, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 16. Approved Services, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 16. Javier Garcia, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 16. Quality Restoration Solutions, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 16. KDC Farming, unpaid Department of Licensing taxes, filed Aug. 19. Jimenez Agri, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Aug. 26. Joel S. Correl, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 26. Santo Campuzano, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Aug. 26. Tres Pueblos Meat Market, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 26. CSS Farms, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 26. Alidia B. Salas, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 26. ABC Multiple, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 28. Ochoa LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 28. 3 Bros Garcia, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 28. Bulldog Motors, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 28. Explore & Learn Preschool, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Aug. 28. D&S Concrete, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Eduardo Gutierrez, unpaid Department of Revenue taxes, filed Aug. 29. Marcos G. Leon, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Weston D. Cook, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Benjamin K. Bedford, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Marin V. Quiroz, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Rosalba R. Chavez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Garciela Y Lara, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Robert S. Garcia Jr., unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Julia M. Ramus, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Matthew B. Pena, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Antonio Gutierrez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Cory G. Salazar, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Cyndy R. Hinojosa, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Froylan Contreras, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Steven R. Rodriguez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Tatiana L. Acosta, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29. Luis Alfaro, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Aug. 29.

uPUBLIC RECORD, Page 63

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Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019 PUBLIC RECORD, From page 62

uLIQUOR LICENSES

Information provided by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

BENTON COUNTY NEW APPLICATIONS 7-Eleven #20132M, 3606 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. License type: grocery store beer/ wine. Application type: assumption. CG Public House, 2701 Columbia Park Trail, Kennewick. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge. Application type: new. Heron Bluff Vineyard and Winery, 27938 W. Old Inland Empire Highway, Benton City. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: new. Baums House of Chocolate, 513 N. Edison St., Suite C, Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only; beer/ wine restaurant; off premises. Application type: added/change of class. Fairchild Cinemas, 2823 S. Quinault St., Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in/out of Washington; spirits/beer/wine theater. Application type: new. APPROVED Round Table Pizza of S.E. Washington, 3300 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick; 1435 George Washington Way, Richland; and 1769 Leslie Road, Richland. License type: beer/ wine restaurant. Application type: assumption. Southridge Dugout, 4810 W. Hildebrand Blvd., Kennewick. License type: direct shipment receiver in Washington only. Application type: new. Chukar Cherry Company, 320 Wine Country Road, Prosser. License type: direct shipment receiver in/out of Washington. Application type: added/change of class. Los Vecinos Meat Market, 804 Sixth St., Prosser. License type: grocery store beer/ wine. Application type: assumption. Best Western Plus Columbia River Hotel, 1515 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: hotel. Application type: new. Dovetail Joint Restaurant, 1368 Jadwin Ave., Richland. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant lounge. Application type: new. DISCONTINUED Shopko #92, 867 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick. License type: grocery store beer/ wine. FRANKLIN COUNTY NEW APPLICATIONS Restaurant Amor a Mexico, 528 W. Clark St., Pasco. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant service bar. Application type: new. APPROVED Round Table Pizza of S.E. Washington, 3201 W. Court St., Pasco. License type: beer/ wine restaurant. Application type: new. Quick Stop Market & Smoke Shop, 1931 W. Court St., Pasco. License type: grocery store beer/wine. Application type: change of corporate officer. DISCONTINUED Evergreen Mexican Grill, 1515 E. Lewis St., Pasco. License type: beer/wine restaurant.

uMARIJUANA LICENSES

Information provided by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

BENTON COUNTY APPROVED RMNP, 57406 N. Thomas Road, Suite B, Benton City. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: added fees. Three Rivers Cannabis, 33907 S. Gerards Road, Suite A, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: change of corporate name. Fourdub, 22604 Hosko Road, Prosser. License type: marijuana producer tier 3.

Application type: change of corporate officer. New Leaf Cannabis Company, 33907 S. Gerards Road, Suite A, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: assumption. Three G Farms, 15505 N. Webber Canyon Road, Suite D, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 3. Application type: added fees. Highland Nursery, 15505 N. Webber Canyon Road, Suite A, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 3. Application type: change of location. Green Research Network, 236006 E. State Route 397, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: change of location.

uBUSINESS UPDATES NEW BUSINESSES Chills Froyo and Custard has opened at 2909 S. Quillan St., suite 140 in Kennewick. The restaurant serves a variety of frozen yogurt, custard and sorbets. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Contact: 509491-3155, Facebook. Mercenary Combat Academy has opened at 406 S. Vancouver St. in Kennewick. The martial arts school offers instruction in boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA training. Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact: 509-964-6080, Facebook. Neva Scott Art Gallery has opened at 511 Lee Blvd. in Richland. The gallery showcases art from award winning, emerging and new artists in a variety of mediums. Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Contact: 509-946-4478, nevascottart.com, Facebook. TGM Motorsports has opened at 2325 W. Lewis St., suite 105 in Pasco. The business repairs off- and on-road motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs and sells parts and accessories. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Contact: 509-7921233, Facebook.

Tokyo Sushi & Teriyaki has opened at 3617 Plaza Way, suite B in Kennewick. The restaurant serves sushi rolls, udon soup, poke bowls and other Japanese dishes. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Contact: 509-491-3046, Facebook. Whitstran Steaks and Spirits has opened at 1427 Wine Country Road in Prosser. The restaurant serves steaks, sandwiches, seafood dishes and handcrafted cocktails. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Contact: 509-781-6266, Facebook. ADDITIONAL LOCATION Dugout Bar & Grill has opened a new location in Southridge at 4810 W. Hildebrand Blvd. in Kennewick. Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Contact: 509-221-1875, Facebook. Free Culture Clothing has opened a second location inside Columbia Center mall. Contact: 509-579-5858, freecultureclothing. com, Facebook. RDO Equipment Co. has opened a new lawn and garden equipment sales location at 845 N. Columbia Center Blvd., suite B in Kennewick. Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Contact: rdoequipment.com. 509-5794446. NAME CHANGE The Sandberg Event Center at 331 S. 41st Ave. in West Richland has changed its name to The Mayfield Gathering Place & Gardens. Contact: 509-948-3794. The TRAC at 6600 Burden Blvd. in Pasco has changed its name to The HAPO Center. Contact: 509-543-2999, hapocenter.com. MOVED Badger Mountain Yarns has moved into Art on the Columbia at 830 N. Columbia Center Blvd., suite B2 in Kennewick. Contact: 509-579-0090, badgermountainyarns.com, Facebook.

BrandCraft Marketing has moved to 5453 Ridgeline Drive, suite 140 in Kennewick. Contact: 509-581-1500, brandcraftmarketing. com, Facebook. Chapala Express 2 has moved to 7704 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick. Contact: 509820-3811, Facebook. Franz Bakery Outlet has moved to 4303 W. 27th Ave., suite F in Kennewick. Contact: 509-586-1910, franzbakery.com. Invest Northwest Financial has moved to 552 N. Colorado St., Suite 103 in Kennewick. Contact: investnorthwestfinancialtc.com, 509735-8562. Jade’s British Girl Treats has moved to 1115 Grant Ave. in Prosser. Contact: 509-6439450, britishgirltreats.com, Facebook. MnE Boutique has moved to 1206 Meade Ave. in Prosser. Contact: 509-830-5305, Facebook. Roza Realty has moved to 1108 Meade Ave. in Prosser. Contact: rozarealty.com, 509781-6580. Smile Surfers Kids Dentistry has moved to 3200 Duportail St., suite 204 in Richland. Contact: 509-946-9999, richland.smilesurfers. com, Facebook. Western Restaurant Supply & Design has moved to 1957 Fowler St. in Richland. Contact: westernfoodequipment.com, 509585-6978, Facebook. CLOSED BlankSpace at 5453 Ridgeline Drive, suite 140 in Kennewick has closed. Charming Charlie has closed its store at Columbia Center mall. Downeast Basics has closed its store inside Columbia Center mall. Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que at 8110 W. Gage Blvd. in Kennewick has closed. Perfumania has closed its store inside Columbia Center mall. Steel 3 Yoga has closed both its locations: 4528 W. 26th Ave., suite 140 in Kennewick and 140 Gage Blvd., suite 100 in Richland.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business â&#x20AC;¢ September 2019

“Have a vision and be passionate about your work.” – Marcus Aranda

2019 “Instead of looking at whether the job is the right one, I have started looking at whether the opportunity is the right one.” – Angela Pashon

“Time is one of the most valuable things you can give.”

“The Tri-Cities is a great place to organize community outreach because we truly care about the place we live in.” – Dr. Antonio Lopez-Ibarra

– Meaghan Brooks

YOUNG “Ego is not something that will contribute to working as a team.”

“Do the thing that feels scary.” – Dee Boyle

– Ellicia Elliott

PROFESSIONALS “If an incorrect decision is made, we learn and move on.” – Brandon Lange

“It is important to establish what your priorities are and who your priorities are.” – Chris Turner

A specialty publication by the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

509-737-8778 8919 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. A1 Kennewick, WA 99336

8 Young Professionals honored in 12th annual contest BY TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STAFF

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STAFF Shawna Dinh

Graphic Designer 509-737-8778 ext. 4 ads@tcjournal.biz

Melanie Hair

Publisher 509-737-8778 ext. 5 melanie@tcjournal.biz

Kristina Lord

Editor 509-737-8778 ext. 3 editor@tcjournal.biz

Tiffany Lundstrom Advertising Director 509-737-8778 ext. 2 tiffany@tcjournal.biz

Chad Utecht

Young Professionals

ight diverse and driven leaders have been selected as the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ top Young Professionals. These business and community leaders—all under the age of 40—stand out in their career, company or industry. Since 2008, we’ve been reviewing applications from the community’s brightest young leaders. To date, we’ve honored 102, including this year’s group. A panel of judges reviewed the applications with the nominees’ and their businesses’ names redacted. The applicants were ranked in several categories and then the points were tallied up. Contest judges looked for business leaders who went the extra mile outside their workplace in community service, charity work, leadership or community involvement. This year’s winners feature a great combination of analytical and artistic

Advertising Account Manager 509-737-8778 ext. 1 chad@tcjournal.biz

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minds: an electrical engineer, project coordinator, dentist, theater director, policy analyst and interim city manager, financial service specialist, brand strategist and a recreation, facility and marketing supervisor. All clearly love their community and have rolled up their sleeves in a variety of ways to make it a better place to live. Seven of our eight winners are millennials, who now make up the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. About 35 percent, or 56 million working Americans, are millennials, according the Pew Research Center. With this year’s winners’ passion and focus, it’s safe to say our community is in good hands. Some of their answers to our questions appearing in this special section have been edited for space. It’s never easy to choose which young leaders to celebrate each year because we always have many outstanding candidates. We encourage those who weren’t selected this year to apply again next spring. We'll have an

AT A GLANCE Inaugural year: 2008 Year to date winners: 102 2019 winners: 8 2019 age range: 25-39

Want to be a 2020 young professional? Applications will be available to download next May at tcjournal.biz. Deadline to apply is July 31, 2020. online application form at tcjournal. biz. To those we singled out in this issue and to all those chosen in years past, we’d like to give you a tip of the hat. We look forward to watching you continue to grow professionally and personally. We hope our readers take the time to read about the winners. We suspect you’ll be as impressed as we have been.

Young Professionals

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Marcus

Aranda

Veolia Nuclear Solutions Federal Services Job title: Project coordinator Age and hometown: 32, Pasco How long have you worked at Veolia? 4 years Describe your company: Veolia Nuclear Solutions Federal Services specializes in the facility clean up and treatment of radioactive waste. Specifically at the 222-S Laboratory, VNSFS performs the analytical services production functions. The 222-S Laboratory is a 70,000-square-foot Hazard Category 3 Nuclear Facility that handles highly radioactive samples for purposes of organic, inorganic and radio-chemistry analyses. These analyses support tank waste characterization, tank waste retrievals and tank closures for the Hanford Tank Farms. Analyses also support Vadose Zone Program analyses. Education: Bio-chemistry degree from Washington State University and an associate degree from Columbia Basin College Family? Pets? My wife Christina who is a corporate accountant for HPMC, Medical provider for the Hanford site, and two children, Maxwell, 5, and Savannah, 2. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 32 years What word describes you? Persistent Biggest flaw? Overanalyzing Biggest pet peeve? When people are not resourceful Dream vacation? Cancun Favorite book? “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck Favorite movie? “Fast and Furious” Favorite musician? Post Malone Favorite sports team? Seattle Seahawks Favorite website? Real estate websites— always dreaming of investments

Favorite Tri-City restaurant? Tacos Palomino Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Take my kids to various arcades for games and pizza, bike around the Columbia River, go out to listen to my friends DJ, and take my wife on dinner dates. What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I owned and operated a company named Dick Danger Productions LLC and have been involved in event and nightclub promotions for the last seven years. I have planned and promoted events for 2,500plus guests. (Boat Race Bash). We brought in full concert sound and lighting, laser systems, a total of 17 subcontractors for a single night. Event promotion and production is sometimes referred to as gambling. It can be very stressful, issues have to be resolved immediately and you only have one night to recoup a large investment. Describe your job and how you got into it: My current job title is project coordinator. My duties include managing and coordinating projects to ensure timeliness and quality of final analytical deliverables. Collaborating with the analytical department, laboratory management and laboratory customers to ensure that project reports are completed according to regulatory and customer requirements. Interface with laboratory customers to establish sampling plans and customer objectives. Author reports and review analytical data for completeness prior to issuing final reports to customers. I started out as chemist at Columbia Basin Analytical where I worked from 2011-14. There I took on multiple roles beyond a chemist, such as project coordinator and LIMS (Laboratory Informational Management System) administrator. I then moved out to the Hanford site/222-S Laboratory as a quality assurance scientist where after six months and a contract transition I was placed in the interim quality assurance manager role. I performed that role for two years and have been a project coordinator for one year. In addition to my everyday job, my

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

wife and I are real estate investors. We have one duplex and are currently working on land development. We bought 2.5 acres and have subdivided it into four lots. We are putting in the sewer, utilities and the road system. We will be selling off three lots and keeping one for ourselves to build our dream home. After our home is built, our plan is to add a new rental property to our portfolio every two years. Who are your mentors? Sue Kon, our laboratory director, is my mentor. The most important thing that she has taught me is to have a vision and be passionate about your work. She takes great pride in grooming and promoting personnel within the company into management roles. She has a vision for the laboratory and the personnel who work here. She also has been very passionate about the work completed here, ensuring that the laboratory does all it can do to support the Hanford cleanup mission and to do it efficiently and with integrity. Toughest career decision? The toughest career choice I had to make was moving from quality assurance to project management. I was on the path to become the quality assurance manager, rather than the interim manager, when the project coordinator position was presented to me. Both are great opportunities and I initially turned down the project coordinator position. It was a tough decision because I was already familiar with the QA manager job and the other was an

unknown but something I knew I could be good at with my previous experience as an event producer and my personality in general. Sue Kon, my mentor and boss, also could see that I would excel in this position. However, the position had a high turnover rate, and I was concerned that I would be leaving a job I enjoyed for something that others clearly didn’t care for. After making the switch, a few months into it, I was performing well but felt like I had made a huge mistake career wise, that I had ruined the entire trajectory of my career and I even asked for my old job back. After some time, I became comfortable in the position and started to make process improvements and began to enjoy what I was doing. I ended up sticking it out and am now glad that I made the decision to switch. What do you like most/least about your job? I will start with what I like least about my job: sometimes I am not in charge of my own destiny. A lot of my work is dependent on others completing their work on time and sometimes the laboratory will experience a huge surge in samples or issues where it becomes difficult to complete analyses on time. Fortunately, that sets up my favorite part of the job, which is problem solving. Determining what items should take priority, speaking with the client and letting them know the lab’s current situation and setting up plans to make sure that deadlines are met. uMARCUS ARANDA, Page 6

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Young Professionals

Dee

Boyle

BrandCraft Marketing business, or growth in company size. Then I devise a plan to accomplish those growth goals through branding and digital marketing. I then execute that plan alongside my team of designers, writers, digital marketers and project managers. I have only had roles in marketing, sales and communications my entire life, starting as a marketing intern at the TriCity Americans at 14. Since then I have been blessed to have continually found mentors and network into the next opportunity, until I got where I am now without a college degree and in a growing career. It was a lot of hard work, being bold enough to ask for a chance and access to mentorship that I think could only happen in an area like the Tri-Cities. Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

Job title: Brand strategist Age and hometown: 25, Pasco

Favorite musician? Ben Gibbard from The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie

How long have you worked at BrandCraft Marketing? 2 years

Favorite sports team? Sports? I don’t “sports” much.

Describe your company: BrandCraft Marketing is a growth marketing firm driven by performance. We believe in well-thought strategy and execute with unrivaled marketing services through our team that contains vast and diverse expertise.

Favorite website or app? Mid-Columbia Libraries’ Libby app for audiobooks! It’s the best.

Education: Columbia Basin College

Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Oh man—so many things! Some of my faves are catching art shows at galleries like Drewboy Creative or Spectra, perusing downtown Kennewick, hitting all of our farmers markets, or catching music on a winery patio somewhere.

Family? Pets? I have a sweet pup named Leia and most of my immediate family lives here locally. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? Almost my whole life, 18ish years. What word describes you? Bold Biggest flaw? My lack of patience for sure. Biggest pet peeve? Slow walkers. Can’t handle it. Dream vacation? Right now—Spain! Favorite book? “Good to Great” by Jim Collins Favorite movie? The “Star Wars” movies

Favorite Tri-City restaurant? I could eat La Fama (Pasco) every day of my life.

What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I’m not a hugger. I’m a college dropout, and I pitched horseshoes professionally as a kid. Describe your job and how you got into it: As a brand strategist I work side by side with business owners to build and execute on marketing plans that contribute to their growth goals. Our clients will share with me their current business goals, whether it’s growing leads in a particular service line, building their brand equity so they can later sell their

Who are your mentors? Oh man, I have had so many mentors in my life I couldn’t possibly list them all, but here are a few. Brian Sandy—former Tri-City Americans chief marketing officer and senior vice president of business operations. Brian was one of my first mentors at my first job and taught me a lot about the fundamentals of sales and marketing. He wasn’t my direct boss and never had to take the time to explain anything to me, but he was always willing to share knowledge. That alone gave me the foundation I was able to launch from. Jeff and Patti Thompson— Windermere Group One owners. They were the first to give me a chance at my first “big” job break where I was running the marketing show. They taught me so much about managing people, professional collaboration and identifying client pain points—skills that have made me immensely more valuable and I will be forever grateful for that. Torey Azure—BrandCraft Marketing owner and founder. Torey is my current boss now of almost two years and working under his mentorship has challenged me to really push the expertise I already have further. He always challenges our team to play devil’s advocate with our work to produce the best possible deliverables for our clients. Learning how to thoroughly and effectively critique work from a performance standard has taken the work I produce to a level I didn’t know I could achieve. Toughest career decision? The toughest career decision I have

ever made was actually taking the position I have now with BrandCraft. It was my dream job offer, what I had always wanted, but I was scared out of my mind for couple reasons. First, I was unsure I was ready for an agency pace, where you work on multiple projects across multiple industries every day, especially being the company’s first hire for their digital marketing department. Second, I was on top of my day job at the time as a marketing director. I was freelancing my services, and I would have to give up that side business with this new position—which would be the first time in my life I only had one job—and the idea of having all my eggs in one basket was scary. In the end, I kept up while our digital marketing contracts grew almost 400 percent in my first year, and the pace, combined with my focus without the freelance work, has allowed me to grow at a rate I never could have imagined. So long story short, do the thing that feels scary. You’ll thank yourself for it later. What do you like most/least about your job? I love so much about my job, but I think my favorite part is how I get to see behind the scenes of so many businesses and industries. I have always been fascinated by how businesses operate and make money, and I get to talk about it all day—all while leveraging my natural skills to achieve big growth goals for clients. My least favorite part of my job is probably working with Facebook or Google’s support teams, but it’s a necessary evil. And really, if that’s the worst, it’s still a pretty rad job. What was your first job? My very first job was as a marketing intern for the Tri-City Americans. I started at 14 and was there until 19, and I started as a bit of a game day grunt worker, and it grew into helping with promotions, team appearances, tickets sales and the team store. The job was unpaid, but gave me more than any job ever has. I learned so much brushing shoulders with all the team management, and I built a network that grew into more and more opportunities for me later. I learned the fundamentals of marketing, sales and how to create professional connections that I ended up calling on later. uDEE BOYLE, Page 6

Young Professionals

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

�eaghan

Brooks

HAPO Community Credit Union Job title: Mobile branch financial service specialist Age and hometown: 37, Richland How long have you worked at HAPO? 1 year, 3 months Describe your company: HAPO is definitely not a bank. We are a proud credit union that puts our members first. Our primary focus is to offer products and services that continually bring value to our members, and banking solutions that are easy and convenient combined with the best value. Education: Bachelor’s in political science/international business from Carroll College Family? Pets? I have an amazing rescue dog named Walter Payton who is part mastiff and part husky (sorry Coug fans). My mom, dad, sister and 8-year-old niece all live in the Tri-Cities as well. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? Off and on 20 years. Moved here when I was 8, left for college and careers for 15 years and moved back two years ago. I am a proud graduate of the class of 2000 of Richland High School. Go Bombers! What word describes you? Innovative Biggest flaw? Overly organized, as in I have a color-coded system. It drives people crazy. Biggest pet peeve? People without follow through or initiative Dream vacation? Greece. It’s where my parents honeymooned 50 years ago. Favorite book? “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith. I read it every year cover to cover. Favorite movie? “Rudy” Favorite musician? Anything by Prince or Beyoncé Favorite sports team? Oklahoma Sooners or Notre Dame football

Favorite website or app? Snapchat Favorite Tri-City restaurant? The Bradley Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? With so many new restaurants or businesses popping up around the area, it’s always fun to get out with friends and family to explore and experience all they have to offer. Wine tasting is always a perk of living here as well. Trust me, Oklahoma wineries have nothing on the PNW! What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I have been on the production side of an ESPN College Game day three different times and have been responsible for handing Lee Corso a shotgun to fire off on live television when he picked Oklahoma to win the game. In hindsight, probably not the smartest idea, but it made for great TV. Describe your job and how you got into it: After moving back to the Tri-Cities, I was told I was over qualified for several positions in the area. I was connected with Express Personnel, and they set up an interview for a temporary position with HAPO in the Human Resources Department. I was only supposed to be a temporary hire for three to six months to fill in during employee extended leaves within the HR department, but ended up being hired on as a full-time human resources associate who oversaw our recruiting process, new hire onboarding and employee discount program. I was very lucky to have Nicole Prince, vice president of human resources, as a manager who saw my potential and what my skill set could bring to HAPO and not all the reasons I could have been overqualified for the position. She mentored and continues to mentor me through my career path at HAPO, which has resulted in my current position of mobile branch financial service specialist, our newest program. It is a hybrid position of community relations and banking, where we are expanding our reach and personal connection by being involved in our local community events and local businesses to satisfy any and all banking

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

needs that you would normally go into a brick and mortar branch for. It’s been an exciting journey in the last two months of building something new from the ground up, but I am so thankful that HAPO has opened doors for me into a new career path I never thought would have existed. Who are your mentors? I’ve had a few mentors in my day. My first one has been my dad. He has a standard of business and expectations like no one I have ever seen. His philosophy always was and still is that a title is just a title, but it is how you treat people from the bottom to the top that will help you succeed in life and in your career. He made it a point to remember names, birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, etc. from top-level executives down to the support staff. I have never seen a man as well respected and thought of in his profession as he is. He is tough and has a no-nonsense style of negotiating deals, but when all is said and done, the people he works with on a daily basis respect him and his decisions because he treats them with the same respect. I’ve always tried to model my approach in my career after him and it has served me well. Toughest career decision? I built my career in the world of professional and collegiate athletics for the last 10 years. Often times it meant working long hours, living thousands of miles away from home, being on a plane every week going to one event or another, but

I always knew I had the support of my family here in the Tri-Cities. I was on my way to becoming an expert in my field and considering starting my own consulting business when my dad got sick. I had several people try to discourage me from making the decision to leave a career I had worked so hard to build and that there wasn’t anything I could do, whether I was home or 3,000 miles away, but I knew I had to move back to the Tri-Cities to help my family and be there for them. It was one of the hardest things I had to do, but now, looking back on my decision and how my life has changed, I wouldn’t have done anything differently and was so happy that I could be here to be a support system for my family while we went through a very challenging time. What do you like most/least about your job? I can’t say that I’ve encountered anything about my job that I haven’t liked so far. HAPO is a great company to work for and I am very fortunate they have a vision beyond the regular 9-5 banker’s hours that has enabled my coworker and I to start building out an innovative program. It is rare when you find brands that are so well established willing to knock down a wall, give you the keys to a kingdom and say, “This is our vision, now you execute it how you deem it to be the most successful.” It’s what keeps my job fresh every day. uMEAGHAN BROOKS, Page 6

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

MARCUS ARANDA, From page 3 What was your first job? My first job was working for my grandfather on his farm (Swanda Farms in Pasco). The most important thing I learned from him was work ethic and to take pride in your product. My grandpa could outwork anyone and had a no-quit attitude—where there’s a will, there’s a way.

DEE BOYLE, From page 4 How do you achieve work-life balance? Work-life balance is something I am always working on, and for me it’s about prioritizing time management. I can easily self-sabotage myself with a calendar filled to the brim. I try my best to always leave cushions in the calendar for reset time and give myself grace when I need to say no. Community involvement and service: • Kennewick Arts Commission, 2018-present: The arts commission serves to enhance and enrich Kennewick’s quality of life for residents and visitors by fostering an artistic environment that promotes a sense of community, creates public venues that instill a unique identity and supports opportunities to have fun. • TEDxRichland lead organizer, 2015-present: I am on the core team of volunteers that coordinates and produces TEDxRichland. This included developing the event theme and brand, managing and coaching local speakers and managing a full day event of live TED talks and installations. • Drewboy Creative Board member, 2017-present: Drewboy Creative is a local 501(c)(3) art gallery in Richland dedicated to growing and showcasing local visual artists. As a board member, I handle organizing art shows, managing shows, art sales and participating in decisions for the organization. • Pasco School District performing arts coordinator, 2007-12: I worked directly with Pasco School District performing arts teachers to coordinate and facilitate opportunities for band and choir students through camps, festivals, performances and fundraisers.

There are stories upon stories of my grandfather’s work ethic and the lengths he would go to get a job done. How do you achieve work-life balance? My dad showed me how to achieve a work-life balance. He has had a very successful career out at Hanford but has always made time for our sporting events, school plays, etc. I have learned that you can measure success in differ-

• Washington State Horseshoe Pitching Association, 2008-present: Manage and organize horseshoe tournaments across the state of Washington for senior citizens’ health and community connection. • Tri-City Regional Chamber speaker, 2015-present: Workshop presenter and panel moderator for the Women in Business conference and Business Development University presenter. • Washington State DECA Association, 2012-present: I am a volunteer presenter, competition judge and workshop teacher. I primarily help teach high school students soft skills required for the workforce and foundational marketing principles for today’s marketing jobs. • Tri-City Link organizer, 2015-16: Tri-City Link is a free networking group for all Tri-Cities businesses. I helped promote the group, solidify presenters and run meetings. • TriConf Event Volunteer, 2016-17: TriConf is a local knowledge sharing event. Anyone from the public can attend and on the first day all those who attend share what they could teach their community in 20 minutes, then we build the entire weekend conference schedule from that. I handled event promotions and day of management. • Tri-Cities Tech Summit event volunteer, 2018-present: I work with the core organizers to promote the event and help day of with video coverage. • Kennewick Community Education, 2016-present: I teach iPhone 101 every spring and fall session.

Young Professionals ent ways. Some only judge success by how much money you make or net worth. I judge my personal success on how good of a worker I am, how good of a husband I am, how good of a father I am being to my children, and recently I have had to take a step back from some of my extra activities and make sure that I am taking care of myself as well.

Community involvement and service: I am on the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program Scholarship board. To date I have raised $35,000 for the scholarship program. While I never received a HAAP scholarship myself, the certificates that I received throughout my lifetime motivated me to be better, and I believe that their mission is life changing.

MEAGHAN BROOKS, From page 5

at 2 or 3 in the morning. I had to stop and re-evaluate what I was doing and recognize that if I continued on the same schedule, I’d burn myself out and be of no use to anyone professionally or personally. It took a while, but now I have learned to schedule time for myself, whether it’s getting a manicure or a pedicure, or grabbing a drink with friends and leaving my phone in my purse. Now that I’m home, I have family dinners every Sunday, which is a great way to take a time out from everything else in my world and focus and be engaged with the people I love the most. I’ve found that by making it a point to set aside time for these things and stick to it, I’ve been more invigorated and innovative at work and have been a better daughter, sister, aunt and friend to those around me.

What was your first job? My first job was as the promotions intern with the Tri-City Dust Devils. I learned so many things that summer, from how to deal with corralling hundreds of kids as they sprinted across an outfield during Dusty’s Dash, to how to build out sponsorship proposals, write game scripts, coordinate on-field promotions, etc. Brent Miles and Derrel Ebert were some of the best bosses I’ve ever had. They led us with a combination of fun, but all the while still pushing us to do our best, not only for the MLB organization we were affiliated with, but for the fans who came to see us night after night when they could have been spending their entertainment dollars elsewhere. I learned the art of negotiating a deal without being intense and intimidating, and that even when things didn’t go your way, you regrouped and changed your game plan to ensure that they did. How do you achieve work-life balance? This has been something I’ve struggled with ever since I started my career. You don’t get a lot of time to have a life when you are working at a high level in athletics. There is always a game, an event, an athlete or coach that needs something from you, and it is your job to be the problem solver and the solution finder. The world of sports is a competitive industry, and I thought the minute I stopped to have a life, someone would slide in and steal my job. It was a very good friend that pointed out one day my work-life balance was awful, mostly because I had missed the last three friend mixers and was emailing family and friends or posting comments on their social media

Community involvement and service: Giving back to the community has always been important to me. Time is one of the most valuable things you can give. It was one of the driving forces into why I went into marketing and community relations in my career. Since moving back to the Tri-Cities, I have been involved with Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary, Mid-Columbia Rotaract (I am their current club president for 2019-20), served on the Christ The King Sausage Fest Committee for the last three years, volunteered with the United Way, Altrusa and Second Harvest Food Bank. One of the best perks about my job at HAPO is that I am involved and engaging with the community on a weekly basis, whether it is through financial literacy classes for kids and adults, rebuilding homes, or participating in a variety of community events.

Young Professionals

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Ellicia

elliott

The Rude Mechanicals Job title: Artistic director, co-founder of The Rude Mechanicals, as well as an adjunct professor at Walla Walla University teaching theater classes and directing the fall play, “Ada and the Engine” by Lauren Gunderson. I am also a freelance professional director. Age and hometown: 39, Kennewick How long have you worked for The Rude Mechanicals? 6 years Describe your company: The Rude Mechanicals is Eastern Washington’s premier Shakespeare and Shakespeareinspired theater company. Our vision is to inspire a community where innovative, high-quality theater is celebrated. Our mission is to enhance our community through the performing arts, educate the public on the value and impact of live theater, elevate the quality of live theater locally and entertain our entire community by delivering high-quality Shakespeareinspired theater produced by our diverse ensemble of cast and crew. We firmly believe in the importance of representation of our entire community, both on stage and behind the scenes. Education: Master’s of fine arts in directing, University of Idaho, 2019; master’s in theater production, Central Washington University, 2008; bachelor’s in language arts and theater arts secondary education, CWU, 2003. Family? Pets? My husband Geoff and I have been married for 11 years and have two boys, Malcolm and Henry. We have one lovable, large dog named Atticus, and two black cats, Harvey and Mimi. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? I moved to Kennewick from Idaho Falls, Idaho, when I was in fourth grade. I lived in Kennewick through high school graduation, then returned to the Tri-Cities after earning my bachelor’s. What word describes you? Empathetic Biggest flaw? I still worry too much about what others may think of me. Biggest pet peeve? Drivers who don’t use their blinker lights. Dream vacation? Going back to England and Scotland, this time with my husband and two boys.

Favorite book? “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee Favorite movie? “The Sound of Music” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” Favorite musician? Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim, the Beatles Favorite sports team? Seahawks Favorite website or app? Oregon Shakespeare Festival (osfashland.org); Stitcher podcast app. Favorite Tri-City restaurant? Porter’s Real Barbecue, Barracuda Coffee Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? I love visiting our local farmers markets, Adventures Underground, directing plays at The Uptown Theatre and visiting historic downtown Kennewick. What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? Even though I run a Shakespeare theater company now, in high school I didn’t understand why he was such a big deal, and I thought reading his plays were boring. (That’s because the plays are supposed to be watched, and not read!) Thankfully, a college professor opened my eyes to how awesome and powerful Shakespeare can be and how his work should be fun and accessible for everyone. Describe your job and how you got into it: Theater has always been a part of my life; I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere else. So, in a way, I got into my current job by getting involved in theater in high school, then studying it in college. I started out as an actor but realized once I started teaching I absolutely loved directing. This eventually led to my current job, as artistic director and co-founder of The Rude Mechanicals. I am responsible for the artistic elements for our company, including choosing the plays, choosing the directors and advising casting of our acting company. I also direct at least one production per season and advocate for theater arts education and using theater for social change. Who are your mentors? Wes Van Tassel is who taught me to love Shakespeare. Bill Rauch, outgoing artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

Festival, has shown me how to direct in creative ways and the importance of caring about those you work with, what you do and how that affects your community. I’m also thankful for some amazing female theater artists who have broken down barriers and inspire me, including Dawn Monique Williams, Larissa FastHorse, Lauren Gunderson, Shana Cooper, Emily Richman and Martine Green-Rogers. Toughest career decision? The toughest career decision I’ve had to make was leaving my teaching career to pursue creating a theater company, which at the time I had no clue if it would work out or not. It was the scariest leap of faith I have ever taken, and the most rewarding. I miss my students, but also was inspired and encouraged by them to pursue a dream I had for a very long time. Now, I get to work with many of my former students in our theater company. What do you like most/least about your job? I love working as part of an ensemble to bring theater to our community and to hopefully make it accessible to everyone, especially those who may not consider themselves “theater people.” I love seeing students of all ages find a personal connection to what we do. My least favorite part of my job is feeling a sense of pressure to constantly succeed, worried that if there is a weak moment or an attempt at something that doesn’t end up like I hoped, that I’ll be judged and blamed for it.

What was your first job? My first job was as a teacher’s assistant at an early childhood education center. I learned classroom management, how to communicate with many different kinds of people and how ego is not something that will contribute to working as a team. How do you achieve work-life balance? Oh! That’s a good question. I am still working on it! I am getting better at sharing the work load with others, so I can spend more time at home with my family. I’m more assertive when I’m asked to do something outside of my “normal” job description, (usually) only agreeing to do something extra if it doesn’t interfere with my family’s schedule. I also often bring my children to rehearsals or performances so they can see what mommy has been working on. Community involvement and service: I have volunteered for each of our local community theaters, off and on since I moved back to the Tri-Cities in 2003. I also have volunteered at the Benton Franklin County Juvenile Justice Center, Shakespeare Walla Walla and as a guest speaker in our local schools. We try to “pay it forward” in our theater company, so we have had food drives for Second Harvest and offered free tickets to government employees when the government was shut down. I also volunteer for the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and through the artEquity organization, to promote EDI work (equity, diversity and inclusion) in the performing arts.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Young Professionals

Brandon

Lange

City of Kennewick Tri-Cities Fever and my wife was looking for a new job and came across the sponsorship and sports marketing coordinator position and told me to apply. I applied and got the job. I have been with the city for nine years and some days it feels like I have been here for 30 years and others it feels like one month. I work with incredibly professional and intelligent people, which makes my job easier.

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

Job title: Recreation, facility and marketing supervisor

Dream vacation? VIP accommodations, Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita.

Age and hometown: 34, Moses Lake

Favorite book? “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert T. Kiyosaki

How long have you worked for the City of Kennewick? 9 years

Favorite movie? “Man on Fire”

Describe your company: The largest of the Tri-Cities is Kennewick. It stretches 29 square miles and features a variety of sporting and recreational activities, entertainment, the region’s retail shopping hub and a casual, easy-living vibe. Nestled in the heart of Washington wine country, residents and visitors enjoy 28 parks, the nationally-recognized Southridge Sports and Events Complex, four fantastic golf courses and more than 160 wineries within a 50-mile radius.

Favorite musician? Avicii

Education: Bachelor’s in recreation management with a business minor

What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I would rather stay home any night of the week than go out and do something. Home meal and movie in bed is the best.

Family? Pets? Wife, Tawnie; kids, Piper, Brayden and Harper; dog, RayRay How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 10 years What word describes you? Resilient Biggest flaw? I want everything to be done now. I hate to wait on other people. Biggest pet peeve? People who don’t strive for greatness.

Favorite sports team? Baltimore Ravens Favorite website? Espn.com Favorite Tri-City restaurant? El Fat Cat Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Taking my kids to a park

Describe your job and how you got into it: I am currently the recreation, facility and marketing supervisor for the city of Kennewick. My office is located at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex, which is a great place to come to work every day. My main responsibilities are staff and facility management, marketing and customer service. I also oversee our events, tournaments and sponsorships. In 2011, I was working for the

Who are your mentors? I have two mentors that taught me different things. Sean McGrath was my first manager and he taught me sales and marketing and the difference between the two. He also has shown me that nothing is as big of a deal as you or anyone thinks it is. Maxine Whattam was my first parks and recreation director and she taught me how to navigate through city government, red tape and how to be more detailed in my planning and thought process. People who know me know I hate the small details but they do matter, especially when working at a 52-acre facility. Toughest career decision? I lost my daughter to a rare genetic disorder after she fought for 43 days, which forever shaped my outlook on life, so a career is just that. Nothing in my career will be as hard as what I went through, so I wouldn’t consider anything my toughest career decision. What do you like most/least about your job? I love coming to work every day and working through business challenges and providing a higher quality of life for our community. We have programs that provide a positive environment for kids to grow and help fight obesity. The events we host or put on bring our community together. I don’t enjoy all of the bureaucratic red tape employees and our customers have to jump through. A lot of the red tape is in place for a reason but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating. It has made me more of a strategic planner knowing that the planning process can take several years until a project or item for purchase is approved. What was your first job? I worked at the Moses Lake Country Club in the pro shop. I did everything

from washing clubs, cleaning carts, picking the range to booking tee times and selling merchandise. I learned how to provide excellent customer service and how to speak to people older than you. Some people tipped and some didn’t, but you still provide the same level of service to everyone no matter their race, gender, financial status or even how they treated others. How do you achieve work-life balance? I think the U.S. should be more like the European nations in their outlook on the work-life balance. I think people in our country are so tied to their jobs it consumes most Americans. As an employee you should come to work every day and strive for greatness but when the day is over, it’s OVER unless there is an emergency. I make sure I get my time back with my family if I work a weekend and also empower other staff members who are working when I am not to take ownership of their role and make decisions. If an incorrect decision is made, we learn and move on. Community involvement and service: Most of my job is in some way tied to enriching the lives of our citizens, whether it’s training our high school youth basketball officials on Saturdays and seeing their confidence increase or planning our Sunset at Southridge food truck event. Outside of my job I am a committee member for the Tri-Cities Public Service Workers BBQ, which is a night we recognize and thank all of the public service workers in the area. My family, friends and I serve meals at the Ronald McDonald House in Spokane. My wife and I stayed at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House, which is a magical place for families dealing with some terrible situations. When the families don’t have to cook dinner, it takes away a lot of the nightly stress they are dealing with. My family also sponsors a child through Compassion International. It feels great to know we have changed his life for only $39 a month and makes you appreciate how much you have. It’s really fun to send and receive letters from our child and how his life is much different than ours, especially when you hear what he spent his $25 birthday money on.

Young Professionals

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Dr. Antonio

Lopez-ibarra Tri-City Dental Care Job title: President and founder

Favorite musician? Alesso

Age and hometown: 34, Yakima

Favorite sports team? Seattle Mariners

How long have you worked at Tri-City Dental Care? 2 years

Favorite website or app? Instagram

Describe your company: Our mission includes two parts: ultimate dental comfort and edifying our community. We are a dental spa that prides itself in offering the most comfortable dental experience in the Tri-Cities. We understand that the dental chair isn’t most people’s favorite place, so we provide amenities that help relax our patients. Those amenities include aromatherapy, paraffin hand wax, massage chairs, plush knee pillows, noise cancelling headphones, Pandora Radio, your favorite Netflix show and blankets. You just relax, and we take care of the rest. The second part of our mission is to edify the community in which we live. Our service to the community is both dental and non-dental. We provide pro bono care to patients in need, educational dental workshops to the underserved and financial support to nonprofits that share our vision in edifying our community. Education: Doctor of dental surgery from University of Washington, Seattle Family? Pets? My wife, inspiration, office manager, etc., etc, is Sandra Lopez. I have three crazy kiddos: Antonio Jr., Alexia and Aria. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 5 years What word describes you? Ideasman Biggest flaw? I have to fight my brain from being so business-minded all the time. Biggest pet peeve? When people judge others based on their circumstances and not their potential. Dream vacation? Eat paella on the coast of Valencia, Spain, then walk around on the rolling hills of Chianti. Favorite book? “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight Favorite movie? “Gladiator”

Favorite Tri-City restaurant? Aki Sushi Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? As a family we like to go to the TriCity Court Club and swim in their pool, especially in summer! What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I prefer connecting with people in a one-on-one conversation to being in a large group social environment. Describe your job and how you got into it: When thinking about my career while growing up, I knew I wanted two things: have my own business and contribute to the improvement of people’s health. My brother became a dentist before I did, and I thought his job was boring—cleaning out cavities and pulling teeth…I would rather be doing anything else! Then I received some advice from a dentist friend who told me, “you don’t realize how fun and challenging the career is, until you are the one in the doctor chair doing the work.” I took a risk and went for it. From the first day I started seeing patients in the dental clinic of my dental school, I knew I was in the right place. Top two best decisions I’ve ever made in my life! Who are your mentors? The decision to become a business owner is the sum of all the advice my mentors gave me along the way. The greatest mentor in my life has been my dad. He left a great career in the Mexican government and businesses in Mexico behind to give his kids an opportunity to go to school in the USA. He knew the resources in schools here are second to none and he wanted us to learn from the best. His greatest piece of advice was, “We came to this country to be good citizens, and if I see any of my children not contributing to making the USA a better place, we’re moving back to Mexico.” That lesson is the reason I work for my family and community.

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

Toughest career decision? Leaving a job that was paying me well to set up Tri-City Dental Care. I knew I would be happier being my own boss. Establishing a dental practice that is totally patient-centered also meant me taking a 50 percent to 75 percent pay cut. It was a sacrifice that has paid off, but took a lot of faith. I haven’t looked back since and hopefully I can stay my own boss for the rest of my life. What do you like most/least about your job? I love cosmetic dentistry…working with my team to help people get that smile they’ve always wanted. There’s no better feeling in dentistry than when you see a person look in the mirror, see their new smile and show you their gratitude. Makes it all worth it! My least favorite part of my job is dealing with insurances to pay for patients’ treatment. They will go to great lengths to avoid paying for their clients’ dental treatments. Luckily, I have a stellar team that convinces them to do the right thing. What was your first job? I worked at Yakima Theatre as a cashier during week nights and on the weekends I would clean that same theater. My favorite of the two was cleaning the theater. Being alone in a theater with no one there to interrupt your train of thought allowed me to meditate about pretty much everything. It also taught me the importance of taking

pride in your work. I loved when my brother, my boss, would have to say, “Good job.” How do you achieve work-life balance? I know what I’m doing every 10 minutes of my day. My schedule on my iPhone is the way I run my entire life. My to-do list consists of seven to 10 things (including family time), which then turn into scheduled events. Once those events are completed, I have free time. When I’m on vacation, you won’t catch me answering my phone for business. It’s literally all family time; it’s where I recharge with family and Sandra. Community involvement and service: We look for every opportunity to serve the disadvantaged demographic in the Tri-City area. Our biggest role in the community as an organization is to educate about the importance of oral health. We partner with local businesses that employ underserved communities to set up workshops and teach their employees the risk factors of not coming to the dentist regularly. We also work with leaders in the community to bring in troubled youth and provide them with dental services and back to school supplies. The TriCities is a great place to organize community outreach because we truly care about the place we live in.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Young Professionals

Angela

Pashon

City of Pasco

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

Job title: Policy analyst and interim city clerk Age and hometown: 29, Puyallup How long have you worked for the City of Pasco? 3 years Describe your company: The city of Pasco is a municipality providing services to nearly 74,000 residents. As a councilmanager form of government, residents elect seven council governing body (city council) who serve as the legislative body and the community’s policy makers. The council appoints a professional manager (city manager) to implement city council policies and establishment of operating policies and processes. The city has 380 full-time staff providing services from utilities, road maintenance and parks to public safety (ambulance, fire and police). Pasco’s population grew to nearly 74,000 in 2018 and is expected to grow by 50,000 more in the next 20 years. As one of the fastest growing communities in the state, the city is challenged to provide superior service levels and maintain and implement essential infrastructure, while meeting the demands of its growing public while valuing its community history. Education: Master’s in public administration, Eastern Washington University and bachelor’s in business administration, Washington State University Family? Pets? Boyfriend (Jake) and a black lab (Roscoe) and German

Shepherd (Nash) that keep us very busy. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 3 years What word describes you? Determined Biggest flaw? Wanting to do everything Biggest pet peeve? Not following through Dream vacation? European adventure Favorite book? “The Power of Noticing” by Max H. Bazerman Favorite movie? “Elf” or “The Holiday” Favorite musician? Miranda Lambert Favorite sports team? Football Favorite website or app? Instagram Favorite Tri-City restaurant? Frost Me Sweet Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Walk along the river with the dogs. What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? I didn’t enjoy reading until about a year ago. Describe your job and how you got into it: When I graduated from Washington State University, I was determined to

work in human resources. I applied for several positions, interviewed and came in as the runner-up for the jobs. At the time, of course, it was discouraging, but I seemed to be someone people saw something in and while I did not land my “dream job,” I was offered positions in other areas of the organizations. Working in other areas helped me see there were other fields I had not explored. My first experience in municipal government was as the staff assistant in the mayor’s office at the city of Spokane. The experience opened my eyes to what a local government can provide and what the public expects from it. The climate in Spokane was different from what I grew up knowing local government to be, but the experience solidified my desire to establish a career in local government. When I applied at the city of Pasco, I went for a position in human resources, but again, I ended up somewhere else in the organization. Being a smaller municipality, I engaged in areas that I was not able to in Spokane – budgeting, policy and planning. I pushed the scope of my position, stumbling and learning along the way. As I became more involved, a new position as a policy analyst opened and I was selected. Since beginning in the position in November 2017, I have helped the police department become nationally accredited, assisted finance in developing the city’s first biennial budget and conducted research for projects, programs and policies. One of the projects I am working on is implementing policy management software throughout the city. The system will provide greater access to city policies for the community and improve internal efficiencies to respond to public record requests, maintain training records and be an online repository for current and previous city standards. Another project is implementing a citizen engagement platform for the community. This project will allow the community to report items such as potholes and traffic concerns, or request information on city services, while also providing updates to the requester as the item is processed and resolved. Having a system to track these requests will help the city improve its processes and communicate more effectively with the community. In the beginning of 2019, the city clerk position was vacated, and I was selected to serve as the interim city

clerk to evaluate current practices and assist in the reshaping the position. I had never considered this role, but it has taught me a great deal. As an aspiring city manager, each experience is a learning opportunity, and as I continue to advance, I cannot see myself working in another field. Who are your mentors? I consider my first mentor my director at University of Washington Medicine, Lauren Gums. Being outside my industry, her perspective and experience challenge me to see things differently than those in the industry might. Being able to turn to someone not involved in the industry provides objective advice that can be used to continue my development. Richa Sigdel, finance director at city of Pasco, is someone I highly respect. Having a mentor who pushes you to look at opportunities that challenge you or even make you question if they are the right choice for you is something I think everyone should have. Being uncomfortable is where you learn the most about your abilities and you will accomplish things you didn’t know were possible. Toughest career decision? The decision to step into a role that I was not sure I wanted and was unsure if it would be the right career move. This has occurred several times, and what I have learned is that each position has lessons that come with it. Instead of looking at whether the job is the right one, I have started looking at whether the opportunity is the right one. While a job can be great to help advance a career, the intangibles such as whether the position will challenge my abilities, if it will allow work-life balance, and if I can continue with activities outside of the position (such as development opportunities and community involvement) are vital to my decision-making now. What do you like most/least about your job? I love that there is always something to learn. From the countless plans to the emerging issues that come from a changing community, I am able to continue being a lifelong learner and it keeps me grounded and eager to come back every day. uANGELA PASHON, Page 12

Young Professionals

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

Chris

Turner

ARES Corp. Job title: Electrical engineer Age and hometown: 30, Duvall How long have you worked at ARES? Since November 2016 Describe your company: ARES is an engineering support services company providing advanced technology solutions across the energy, space, defense and environmental markets in both the public and private sectors. Education: Bachelor’s in electrical engineering with a minor in mathematics from Washington State University (Go Cougs!) Family? Pets? I live with my lovely wife, Jamie, and our two shar-pei mix pups, Sunny and Luna. How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 5.5 years. We bought a house 3.5 years ago and are happy to call Tri-Cities home. What word describes you? Committed Biggest flaw? Not knowing when to quit Biggest pet peeve? Not knowing when to quit Dream vacation? Anywhere there is family or friends Favorite book? I’m not much of a reader Favorite movie? “Office Space” Favorite musician? Bring Me the Horizon Favorite sports team? WSU Cougars Favorite website or app? ShowBox Favorite Tri-City restaurant? Porter’s Real Barbecue Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Float the Yakima River What thing would people be most surprised to learn about you? There’s a reason our house is near the hospital: I am fairly accident prone.

Describe your job and how you got into it: My job consists mostly of customers in the nuclear or federal industry requesting solutions to electrical problems. This past year, I’ve assisted in installing an emergency backup generator, installing cameras and alarms in high-radiation areas, and building existing electrical systems to identify issues. I work to select the equipment needed, ensure the power system meets all state and federal code requirements and create the drawings using AutoCAD. Once delivered to the client, I work with various construction crews to make my drawings a reality. I entered the engineering field straight out of college, but it was only by working through school as an electrician’s apprentice and heating ventilation and air conditioning technician that I knew this is what I wanted to do. I enjoyed being able to work closely with the public, but quickly realized I like working inside of air-conditioned buildings instead of fixing them. So, I decided to get a desk job in the same field and was lucky to find a company that encourages community service. Who are your mentors? When I was young, my dad taught me various skills in home and auto repair. This showed me that when a hard job is done well, the value of the reward is always worth the time. Those skills and that mentality have been the cornerstone of my life, proving that nothing is impossible and every setback is just another learning opportunity. In my professional life, Lori Weidner has been someone I’ve always been able to rely on when facing difficult issues regarding code compliance or customer relations. She has always been eager to provide lessons that expand my knowledge of the electrical industry and has been a great resource when navigating through Hanford, Tri-Cities and the electrical world. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her guidance. Toughest career decision? I once was offered a promotion from another company that would have been a great job to take into retirement. Declining this opportunity was a difficult decision, but ultimately I felt that there were more learning opportunities and community engagement with my current position.

Courtesy Rich Breshears of Breshears Professional Photography

What do you like most/least about your job? At times it can be difficult navigating the bureaucratic red tape that surrounds a federal nuclear site while ensuring code compliance, but despite these difficulties, I greatly enjoy problem solving and working together to find creative solutions that will meet everyone’s needs. I love that every day is a new day with new problems to solve and that my efforts are able to move the Tri-Cities toward a better and brighter future. What was your first job? During high school, I worked as a shop cleaner at a small mechanic garage in Duvall. This was a great way to make some gas money, as well as a great way to see some of the automotive skills my dad taught me in action. The knowledge I gained from watching the mechanics at work not only helped me in rebuilding my own car, but also showed me the value of a hard day’s work. How do you achieve work-life balance? When there are a thousand things that need to be done, it can be hard to know when to say no. However, I’ve found it is important to establish what your priorities are – and who your priorities are—in order to take time for what you love. I am very fortunate that my job has great flexibility and therefore allows me to meet the commitments I have made to family, friends

and the community, while still ensuring my project deadlines are met. Community involvement and service: This past year, I served as the president of Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club, a subsidiary of Rotary International. Our club is committed to fun, friendship and philanthropy, with our members striving to invent entertaining and sometimes unconventional ways to support our local community. Each summer, we host the Red10Bash charity event, which is both a life-size beer pong tournament as well as summer block party. I am proud to say that in my past three years of involvement, we have raised $12,500 toward veteran services and $5,000 toward early-childhood learning. In addition to my time with Rotaract, I also was fortunate enough to spend the past school year mentoring a struggling fifth-grade student as part of the Lunch Buddies program. Through weekly lunch meetings, I was able to watch him grow both socially and academically. I am proud of the young man that he has become and look forward to continuing with the program in the future. Finally, I regularly volunteer at Senior Life Resources as a driver for their Meals on Wheels program. I have found that this is a great way to get to know others in my neighborhood that I might not otherwise have had a chance to meet. Even though the interactions may be short, I know there is great value in not only delivering food but providing friendship as well.

Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business • September 2019

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Young Professionals ANGELA PASHON, From page 10 What I like least is that there is always more to learn. No matter how much we know, there are always factors we cannot anticipate. In this field, we are making the best choices with the information we have at a specific moment. We can never make everyone happy, and, even with extensive research and due diligence, decisions will affect the lives in our community in different ways. What was your first job? I worked at McDonald’s in high school. I learned a lot that I still bring with me every day. • Routine in work tasks is hard for me, even though I need routine in everyday life. It took me a long time to realize that knowing a little about a lot was a blessing. I could be put anywhere and still make a positive impact on the team’s success. • Respect everyone. Being on the other end of the counter teaches you humility and to treat everyone the way you want to be treated even if you do not get your way. • Emulate managers’ qualities you admire; remember those you do not. If you are looking at the qualities of those around you, you are dedicating yourself to learning. When you apply those admirable qualities, you are committed to growing. • Working hard is fun. If you enjoy what you are doing, life is a lot more fun. How do you achieve work-life balance? By setting priorities and remembering that work will always be there. I am fortunate to have understanding family and friends who provide space for my work to expand. This support allows me to participate in development opportunities and further advance my career. I continue to work on being present in whatever

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I am doing, which requires dedicated time away from work. I am also routineoriented as I find structure is the best way for me to stay productive and efficient. I am the person who schedules time with friends and family, usually in advance, so I can get everything I need to do done, which enables me to show up for them. Community involvement and service: I have been involved in the community since I was a kid. Both my parents work in the public sector and growing up I enjoyed working in the community with them. At the age of 13, I filled out an application to volunteer at our animal shelter. I spent nearly every Saturday volunteering until I was 16, when I started working. Throughout college, I volunteered at different events and when I moved home from college, I realized a big part of my life was missing—giving back to my community. I began volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation when I lived in Tacoma and continued when I relocated to Spokane for graduate school. At the city of Spokane, I managed the Spokane Gives initiative and was able to work with community entities, nonprofits and volunteers to help implement a month of volunteering. When I moved to the Tri-Cities to work at the city of Pasco, I had two goals my first year: 1. Get involved in the United Way Young Leaders Society. 2. Get into Leadership Tri-Cities. I achieved both. More recently, my involvement with United Way has opened my eyes to the needs in our community and why it is important to have advocates in our community. Leadership Tri-Cities was an incredible learning opportunity for a newcomer to the region. Going through the program made me cognizant of the needs and opportunities here.