3 minute read
The benefits of membership
By Lisa Leinberger
Membership in the Washington Hospitality Association has so many benefits that you will get many responses if you ask your fellow members why they keep renewing.
“She has just been an angel.”
Christopher Forczyk and his wife, Marianne, purchased the Seattle restaurant Smith in July 2019 just a few months before the pandemic began.
Someone told him, “If you need anything, call Cathy.” The person was talking about Cathy Fox, his territory manager at the Washington Hospitality Association.
“Everything’s gone out of the ordinary in the last two and a half years,” Forczyk said. But Cathy has been there for him, getting him advice about how to set up catering services, helping him navigate Liquor and Cannabis Board licenses and letting him know the latest COVID restrictions.
“She has just been an angel,” he said.
Forczyk said that the benefits of being a member are certainly good, but the special touches of his territory manager keep him informed of issues that have kept him afloat during the pandemic. Through her, he learned about the Paycheck Protection Program (one and two), numerous grants and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. He continues to attend associationsponsored webinars and meetings and has also been able to consult with an attorney through the Advisory Network.
Forczyk said he is still in business thanks to Cathy’s advice.
He knows that Washington Hospitality Association’s territory managers can help you through a lot during difficult times. They can also help you find what you need to keep costs low.
Your territory manager can explain that being part of a large group means you have access to collective buying power, something you don’t have on your own. Your return on investment makes it all worthwhile.
Your territory manager can introduce you to cost savings programs such as WorkSafe, formerly known as Retro. Our credit card processing solutions offer significantly lower costs than most programs, and we have business insurance solutions, healthcare solutions and more including:
• Human resource administration services • Workforce solutions • Commuter benefits • Employee discounts • Music licensing discounts
“You don’t know what you don’t know.”
• Group purchasing • Business supplies and printing
Dan Koommoo and his wife, Mollie are ready to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Crafted, their Yakima eatery and bar. Dan has spent 27 years in the industry working for a large hotel chain and he knows there is so much information out there for hospitality businesses.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” he said.
When he worked for a large company, the corporate offices would send him the information he needed. As a small business owner, he appreciates the information he gets from his territory manager Robbin Stafford and the association.
Koommoo said that he wants the Yakima community to move away from franchises to emphasize what is great about the local flavors. One of the ways he wants to do this is by getting restaurant owners talking with each other and joining the association. Robbin is the key to getting local businesses to join and get organized.
“We don’t operate like King County… It’s really important for us in Eastern Washington to have a voice,” he said. You can always pick up the phone and call your territory manager when you need advice on something in your business. Whether you need to know what it takes to apply for a grant or whom to contact to get involved either locally or at the state level, your territory manager is there to help.
“The Washington Hospitality Association has been an incredible resource in a very chaotic season for the restaurant/hospitality industry,” said Desiree Seghetti-Sulpizio, vice president of operations at Commellini Estate in Spokane. “The community and advocacy that comes with the association, especially throughout these past two years, has been a saving grace.”
Seghetti-Sulpizio said that what she receives from the association was important to her even before the pandemic.
“The Washington Hospitality Association was an essential guide and provided information and numerous tools for our growing family-run business,” she said. “Truthfully, becoming a member was one of the best decisions we made for our business and employees.”
Reach out to your territory manager with any questions you may have about running your business—they are truly there to help you so you can do what you do best: delivering hospitality. ■
