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Your local business news brought to you by WHATCOM BUSINESS ALLIANCE
VOL. 50 | NO. 4
PUBLISHER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Chase
CONTRIBUTING Matt Benoit
WRITERS Elisa Claassen
Tamara Loucks
Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy
Jack McKissen
Mary Louise Van Dyke
GUEST COLUMNISTS Tyler Byrd
Tanya Silves
Dann Mead Smith
ART DIRECTOR Heather Lea
PHOTOGRAPHY Sattva Photo
COPY EDITOR Matthew Anderson Bellingham PR & Communications
WBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
BOARD CHAIR: Josh Wright, Partner, Acrisure
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Pam Brady, Director NW Gov’t & Public Affairs, bp Cherry Point; Jon Ensch, Regional Commercial Director, Peoples Bank; John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric Inc.; Doug Thomas, President/CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage; Josh Turrell, Partner, Larson Gross PLLC
1-year subscription (6 issues)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Jane Carten, President, Saturna Capital; Bryant Engebretson, Managing Principal, Tradewinds Capital; Mitch Faber, Partner, Faber Fairchild McCurdy LLP; Jim Haupt, General Manager, Hotel Bellwether; Sandy Keathley, Former Owner, K & K Industries; Tony Larson, Founder, WBA; Sarah Rothenbuhler, Owner/CEO, Birch Equipment; Patrick Schuppert, Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo; Billy VanZanten, COO, Western Refinery Services
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Business Pulse, 2950 Newmarket St., #101-173, Bellingham, WA, 98226
IN THIS ISSUE...
15 LINEAGE COMES TO BELLINGHAM
The world’s largest cold storage company has acquired BCS. What does Doug Thomas have to say?
19 CANADIAN BUSINESS BLUES
Tariffs, exchange rates and border tensions are shrinking Canadian customer traffic. Businesses adapt, focusing on local shoppers.
23 MAKING WAVES IN MARITIME
Dan Tucker’s journey from graphic designer to maritime advocate shows how marine trades can offer purpose and stability.
26 WHATCOM’S TOP 100
Business Pulse magazine’s Top 100 list celebrates our county’s most successful private companies, showcasing economic impact, industry diversity and continued growth in the community.
46 ANCHORING THE FUTURE
The Working Waterfront Coalition and its apprenticeship program are preserving Whatcom’s maritime heritage by training skilled workers.
COLUMNS
51 Washington’s tax overhaul signals a shift toward progressive and expansive tax policy.
55 As AI hardware reaches saturation, investors are shifting focus to software solutions that solve realworld problems.
57 In Case You Missed It: Whatcom County faces a financial crisis driven by unchecked staffing growth, overspending and poor oversight.
60 Washington’s 2025 legislative session brought record tax hikes and expanded government spending. While some controversial bills failed, major tax increases passed, impacting Whatcom County businesses and residents alike.
Doug Thomas and his leading crew at Bellingham Cold Storage, recently acquired by Lineage. SATTVA PHOTO.
50years
Whatcom’s powerhouses
A celebration of local businesses driving billions in sales and reinvesting in our community
On behalf of Business Pulse and the Whatcom Business Alliance, we present our annual list of the Top 100 Private Companies in Whatcom County, generating billions of dollars in sales.
Companies are ranked on gross sales from 2024 and must be privately owned, with their headquarters in Whatcom County.
Much of their success is continuously reinvested back into our community and support thousands of jobs.
Thriving businesses attract investment in our region, which further stimulates economic growth and enhances our standard of living.
Business Pulse has been publishing this list for nearly 40 years, celebrating real people, personalities and stories along with the economic data.
Although local businesses generate billions of dollars in sales, this annual Top 100 compilation is not just a list of the most profitable companies; it celebrates what makes our county special — the tenacity, innovation and resiliency of these companies show exactly what we are made of.
At the bottom of the Top 100 list, we have included companies we be-
lieve meet the qualifying criteria and threshold but were unable to confirm their numbers by our print deadline.
We also understand that we have likely missed some qualifying companies, despite our best efforts. Let us know if you feel your company should be included next year.
The economic picture in our community is much larger than our list of private companies.
Significant contributors include the companies at Cherry Point that operate under public companies or are not headquartered in Whatcom.
Other employers, including Western Washington University and Peace Health, are among the largest county employers but don’t meet our criteria for private ownership.
Fostering an environment that supports businesses is not just a matter of economic policy; it is a commitment to the well-being and growth of our society as a whole. Our community faces many challenges, and the high cost of living continues to stress family budgets.
Despite obstacles, many companies in Whatcom County have thrived. We are proud to present and profile some of these companies featured in this issue.
Inside, read our feature story on Page 15 by Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy on the sale of BCS (#27 on our Top
100 companies list, starting on Page 26) to Lineage, the world’s largest cold storage warehouse business.
Strategizing during challenging times is a necessity. Read on to discover Elisa Claassen’s article on how local businesses have pivoted in 2025, on Page 19.
This month’s issue also includes business profiles for many of the companies included on our list.
Local firm Larson Gross (#29), on Page 31, has deep Whatcom County roots and employs 200 people.
Read Page 33 to discover how Iron Creek Group’s (#62) clear vision and valued partnerships support a specialized process.
On Page 35, Matt Benoit profiles Marr’s Heating (#66), a third-generation business operating since 1965 in our community.
On Page 37, Mary Louise Van Dyke covers the pride of the fourth and fifth generation owners of local Twin Brook Creamery (#83).
Our features on technology, finance, policy, workforce development and finance round out a robust July/August issue.
The annual Top 100 is always a great source of pride for Business Pulse magazine and for those who help put this issue together.
I want to thank our team and the readers, advertisers and contributors
who make this magazine possible. Together, we can overcome any challenge, especially if we harness the hard work and determination captured in the pages of this month’s issue.
Please continue to support local businesses — we are stronger together!
Check out our WBA website for a list of our upcoming fall events, including our September networking cruise, our Leaders of Industry event in October and the Economic Forecast Breakfast in December.
Enjoy the start of summer and one of our biggest issues of the year!
SEP 11
WBA Member Networking Cruise Bellingham Bay
OCT 16
Leaders of Industry Issues Forum Hotel Bellwether
DEC 3
Economic Forecast Breakfast Bellingham Golf & Country Club
For more information, go to: whatcombusinessalliance.com
Barbara Chase, Executive Director Whatcom Business Alliance
Whatcom Women in Business selects 2025 Professional Woman of the Year
Whatcom Women in Business has selected its 2025 Professional Woman of the Year: Kena Brashear (Muljat Group), Edie Hill (Timken) and Alle Schene (YWCA), in addition to its Community Legacy Award winner, Sarah Rothenbuler.
Kena Greer Brashear is the coowner of The Muljat Group and the first Black female Designated Broker in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. She launched Bellingham’s first middle school Black Student Union, showing up every day to uplift and empower her community.
Edie Hill is the human resources and area manager for Timken Mounted Bearings. A strong believer in people-first leadership, Edie has helped bring more women and underrepresented groups into manufacturing roles while seamlessly aligning staffing strategies with evolving business needs.
Alle Schene is now serving as CEO at the YWCA. She brings both passion and purpose to her role, leading an amazing team that’s laser-focused on eliminating racism and empowering women.
Sarah Rothenbuhler is the owner and CEO of Birch Equipment. Her story is one of grit, intelligence and generosity. Sarah believes that being a person, family member, coworker and a business that people can depend on is one of the most
important things we can do.
This event not only honors outstanding women but also serves as the WWIB’s primary fundraiser for its scholarships program. WWIB recently announced its 2025-2026 scholarship recipients and looks forward to honoring them as well.
Read more at wwib.org/professionalwomen-awards.
Diventa Solutions LLC forges strategic partnerships to advance AI integration for businesses
Diventa Solutions LLC, an organizational development consulting company based in Whatcom County, has announced significant strategic partnerships with Erik McFraizer’s Pacific IT Support and Maurice Rankin’s AI for People. These collaborations underscore a joint commitment to helping businesses navigate and leverage the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence.
Garry Priam, founder and managing partner of Diventa Solutions LLC, shared, “Our partnerships with Pacific IT Support and AI for People are built on a mutual understanding of AI’s importance in today’s business environment and the need for a holistic and people-centric approach to its adoption. We believe that successful AI integration goes beyond just the technological aspect; it requires robust foundational
IT support to ensure seamless implementation and a thoughtful approach to its societal impact and ethical use. These alliances signify a shared vision for supporting the responsible evolution of AI in the business world.”
Visit diventasolutions.com.
Lindsey Payne Johnstone selected for national Emerging Leader Fellowship
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership (DBP) is proud to announce that Executive Director Lindsey Payne Johnstone has been selected as one of the urban place managers for the 2025 International Downtown Association Emerging Leader Fellowship program. Through a competitive selection process, IDA selected 27 of the industry’s brightest senior staff professionals from 15 states and provinces around North America.
Alumni of the IDA Emerging Leader Fellowship program, launched in 2016, are fast becoming sought-after leaders for the future of city-building worldwide.
“I’m truly honored and excited to be part of this inspiring network and selected cohort,” said Johnstone. “I look forward to learning from peers across the country and bringing new ideas, strategies and energy back to Downtown Bellingham.”
The event takes place at various locations throughout Manhattan with field visits provided by several
The Hannah
Garry Priam
Kena Greer Brashear Edie Hill
Alle Schene Sarah Rothenbuhler
Lindsey Payne Johnstone
local business improvement district leaders.
Neeter House of Luxury triples in size to meet increasing demand
Longtime Whatcom County jeweler John Neeter and his wife Rose are moving Neeter House of Luxury on June 21 to a Bellingham location three times larger than the one they opened in 2022, citing the high-end jewelry store’s rapid growth.
Neeter House of Luxury is moving just a couple blocks east to 40 Bellwether Way, Suite 101, at the Roeder Avenue intersection in scenic Squalicum Harbor. The new 3,500-square-foot location will include 22 more jewelry showcases and a wall of luxury bags. Providing high-end jewelry with personalized service, Neeter House of Luxury offers engagement rings, customdesigned fashion jewelry, precious metals and more.
John Neeter, a Whatcom County resident since 1989, has been working in the jewelry and precious metals sector for 36 years. He said some of the additional space will enable his staff to handle everything from design to setting jewelry in house, plus repairs. For more information, visit neeterhouseofluxury.com.
Northwest Professional Services welcomes new ownership
Northwest Professional Services is
proud to announce a new chapter in its legacy. Terell and Colby Weg are now the new owners of the company, ushering in an exciting era marked by dedication, innovation and a deep commitment to community care.
Joining them in leadership is Julie Price, who will serve as the new general manager. Julie brings fresh, trustworthy energy to the day-to-day operations of the company.
What makes this transition especially meaningful is that Terell, Colby and Julie were born and raised in Lynden. Their deep roots in the community give them a unique perspective and an unwavering dedication to serving the people and places they’ve always called home.
This transition comes with heartfelt gratitude for the incredible foundation laid by former owner Doug Broersma, who led the company for the past 50 years. His steady leadership and deep commitment have built a legacy of trust that continues to shape the company’s values and vision. Northwest Professional Services is also pleased to share that Doug will remain on the team as a manager, bringing his invaluable experience and insight to support the next chapter of growth and service.
Port of Bellingham
and Executive Director Rob Fix part ways; Tiffany DeSimone named interim director
The Port of Bellingham and
Executive Director Rob Fix have mutually agreed to part ways effective early June. The Port Commission expressed appreciation for Fix’s contributions to the port and the community during his 13 years of service as executive director. A recording of the June 3 Port Commission meeting, including the commission’s discussion about Fix’s departure, is available on the port’s You Tube channel.
The Port Commission has appointed Tiffany DeSimone, the port’s current director of maritime, to serve as interim executive director.
DeSimone is currently leading one of the largest capital projects in port history, the reactivation of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal.
“The port has a stable and knowledgeable leadership team in place and a skilled, dedicated staff ready to advance the commission’s vision and execute its strategic priorities,” said DeSimone.
Tell us about your news and newsmakers and we’ll consider it for the next issue!
Please send press releases and image(s) to: heather@whatcombusinessalliance.com.
John Neeter Terell & Colby Weg Rob Fix
OVER 50 YEARS...
What fun is a 50th birthday if we can’t share it with others? Throughout 2025, Business Pulse magazine will celebrate its 50-year anniversary while highlighting companies that are also 50 years old (and older) and still doing business in Whatcom County. These are the leaders in our community, exemplifying business success and longevity, built from the ground up, formed and thriving across generations.*
*We gratefully acknowledge assistance from the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce when creating this list.
Andgar Corporation andgar.com
The company is named after its founders Andy Mellema and Gary Van Loo. Andy and Gary (And-Gar) launched their HVAC contracting and sheet metal business over 50 years ago. 1973
TODAY
Andgar Corporation serves Northwest Washington, Skagit and Whatcom counties. The company has grown to offer a range of diverse solutions, including biogas digesters (Regenis), commercial mechanical heating, cooling, and plumbing, processing equipment manufacturing, and residential HVAC, plumbing and electrical services.
Photo of Gary and Andy at their acquisition of Van’s Sheet Metal. Photo courtesy of Andgar Corporation.
Left: Todd Kunzman, one of Andgar’s current owners, with Andrew DeMooy (middle), receiving accolades after achieving his 25-year Andgar Anniversary in the company’s Commercial Mechanical Division. On right is Kevin Pike, who leads Andgar’s Commercial Mechanical Division. Photo courtesy of Andgar Corporation.
in Whatcom County!
Horseshoe Cafe horseshoecafe.com
1886
The original Horseshoe opened its doors in downtown Bellingham on Holly Street. In early 1900, the ‘Shoe was establishing itself as one of the best places in the Bellingham area for great food, fine tobaccos and a place to meet friends over a good beer and some fine spirit. By 1950 the ‘Shoe became one of the first ‘licensed’ bars in Whatcom County.
1910
A photo of a Horseshoe Cafe ad, sent to the owners by Bellingham Public Schools a few years ago. It was found while looking through a yearbook from 1910.
TODAY
The Horseshoe Cafe & Ranch Room Bar is located across from its original location, at 113 E. Holly Street. It is considered a “night and day” cafe, where both waffles and whiskey are enjoyed into the night.
A photo from inside Horseshoe Cafe in 1958, after its move from East Holly Street. PHOTO: Jack Carver, courtesy of Whatcom Museum Photo Archives.
Photo courtesy of Horseshoe Cafe.
Lynden Tribune lyndentribune.com
1914
In the fall of 1914, Sol Lewis boarded a steamer north from Seattle, put $7,500 down to purchase the Lynden Tribune in Whatcom County, and staked his future to being the country editor in an out-of-the-way town of just 1,500 folks surrounded by agricultural farmland. In 1915, Lewis launched his personal column gleaned from his daily interaction with the people of Lynden. It was called The Gimlet, a reference to a boring tool.
TODAY
The Lynden Tribune is currently run by president and publisher Michael Lewis and his wife Mary Jo Lewis, who serves as co-publisher and director of sales. In the image above, Julian Lewis is Michael’s father, Sol is his grandfather and William is his uncle. Michael is the third generation to join the company, which he did in 1980. He began as an advertising salesman and manager, then became publisher when his father retired in 1991.
Left to right: Julian Lewis, Sol Lewis and William Lewis. Photo courtesy of Lynden Tribune.
Mary Jo and Michael Lewis. Photo courtesy of Lynden Tribune.
1920
In September of 1920, the Port of Bellingham was established. From a beginning focused mainly on increasing shipping and transportation from Bellingham’s waterfront, the port has expanded into a multipurpose entity with operations throughout Whatcom County.
LEADERSHIP
The economic opportunities the port has created throughout Whatcom County include Bellingham International Airport, a shipping terminal, a cruise terminal, two marinas, industrial development areas, and selling and leasing land for commercial use.
TODAY
In recent decades, the port has taken a protective approach to cleaning up legacy pollution and restoring the waterfronts in Bellingham and Blaine Harbor, ensuring these areas can be safely enjoyed by all.
BCS & Lineage
This much is known: Bellingham Cold Storage, a pillar of the community since 1946, has been bought by Lineage, the world’s biggest cold storage warehouse business. But who is Lineage exactly? And what does this mean for Bellingham, BCS employees and Whatcom Business Alliance?
Who is Lineage?
Lineage began in late 2007/early 2008 with two guys who’d met working at Morgan Stanley, an investment banking company. Adam Forste and Kevin Marchetti wanted to create a company they could grow over a long period, with investment lifespans measured in decades rather than years, according to the Lineage website. They found it in an essential industry, cold storage, that had been overlooked by the financial world. Cold storage was critically important and growing, if underappreciated. Forste and Marchetti saw an opportunity
to use capital, automation and data science to buy and improve existing companies. Living in California then, the two founders bought their first cold storage company in Seattle in December 2008.
Lineage has made 79 acquisitions just since 2020, not including those made in 2025. To get a sense of the pace of acquisitions, Lineage announced the purchase of BCS on April 1, 2025, and 30 days later announced the purchase of four Tyson Foods cold storage warehouses in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Illinois and Arizona.
To get a sense of size, compare those two most recent purchases. Locals know BCS is big, employing 1,200 folks yearround and 1,750 seasonally (number includes customers/tenants). BCS’s three warehouses (now Lineage’s) total 24 million cubic feet. (BCS Burlington Frozen, a leased facility, was not included in the sale.) The four Tyson
warehouses total 49 million cubic feet.
Overall, Lineage has 3.1 billion cubic feet of capacity in North America, Europe and Asia, more than any other cold storage company in the world. It operates more than 400 facilities in 20 countries, with nearly 20,000 employees.
In 2017, Lineage moved its offices from California to Michigan, and in mid-2024 completed the biggest initial public offering on the stock market so far that year. Lineage CEO Greg Lehmkuhl was quoted in the Detroit Free Press saying they upsized the IPO as much as the law allowed, saying it lowered debt and provided “more dry powder to continue to grow.”
The company literature drives home that point: “We believe we are only in the early innings of an opportunity to build the leading temperature-controlled logistics company globally.”
Closer to home, in 2019 Lineage
Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy
The BCS leadership team, with Doug Thomas, former president and CEO, at center in blue shirt. SATTVA PHOTO.
bought Preferred Freezer Services in Lynden; the company also runs a distribution center in Ferndale.
Known & respected
Doug Thomas, former president and CEO of Bellingham Cold Storage, now senior adviser to Lineage, has known the Lineage founders since 2008.
“They are sharp and personable professionals,” Thomas said. “My partners and I were attracted by their overall offering. They have the financial horsepower to execute many of the capital projects that we have.
“With more investment, they are more likely to make improvements necessary to leverage our location as the first significant port south of Alaska and just 25 minutes from the Canadian border. Our marine terminal is strategically located within the Pacific Rim, where trade and movements of our seafood and agricultural products can be optimized if given the correct investments.”
The community & employees
In September 2024, BCS signed a 50-year lease extension with the Port of Bellingham. Will this sale affect that?
Not at all, Thomas said. The port consented to the change of ownership on April 1.
“Lineage will adhere to all terms of the 50-year lease extension,” Thomas said, “and the port will extend all provisions to Lineage accordingly.”
As senior adviser, Thomas has a four-year employment agreement with Lineage. His immediate focus is on a smooth transition for employees and customers.
“I will be introducing the new leadership to community members, customers and vendors over the next several months; however, the BCS leadership team that will remain are a capable group and will provide a continuum of support going forward.
“It is my understanding that most employees will be retained. There are a small number of functions in the administrative office that may be relocated
to their headquarters; however, they are working with me to find jobs for as many as possible.
“One of my biggest roles is to advocate for my incredible people. Lineage is growing and needs good people. I’m seeing where (current BCS employees) can fit into productive roles here or potentially at other Lineage locations.”
Lineage is positioned to make investments that could benefit employees via job advancement and security, customers via expanded services, and the community via increased commerce and tax-base potential, Thomas said.
“I will be available to help Lineage continue our long history of success with customers, employees and the community here in Whatcom County,” Thomas said. “I will do whatever I can to help Lineage succeed locally, throughout North America and internationally. Lineage is interested in the best-practice approaches that BCS brought to our customers and employees. I am advocating for their adoption here and across their entire enterprise.”
Charities & WBA
Locals know BCS’ support of Whatcom Business Alliance is exceptional, as is its support of local charities. Will Lineage continue that?
“I am advocating for their continued participation and support,” Thomas said. “This is a priority for me. We will be bringing some of their leadership team to a few (WBA) events this year; they will see the value. I’m having success so far in having Lineage buy in to continuing community investments.”
A new chapter
BCS has been a fixture on the waterfront for nearly 80 years, ever since founder Arch Talbot built a warehouse and icehouse for local fishers and farmers in 1946. Since then, it’s grown to feed the world while continuing to serve locals.
May Lineage continue its proud tradition. ■
Early Q for Lineage
Brian Beattie, president of North America West at Lineage, addresses Business Pulse inquiries. Comments have been edited.
Q. How does the sale benefit BCS employees and Bellingham?
“BCS is a natural fit for Lineage. We see it as a long-term investment in the people and economy of Bellingham. Our approach is about strengthening operations, driving growth and learning from the experienced BCS team to enhance service.”
Q. Will Lineage support Whatcom Business Alliance?
“Doug Thomas’ commitment to WBA aligns with Lineage’s own work to support the communities in which we live and work. Lineage values community involvement and encourages employee participation in local activities and volunteer efforts. We’re honored that Doug will remain as a senior adviser to ensure continuity, bringing with him the legacy of BCS involvement with WBA.”
Beattie added, “The Port of Bellingham is a critical hub for seafood and agricultural products. The acquisition of BCS will allow us to strengthen food infrastructure for local producers, connecting them to Lineage’s global network and integrated solutions.”
On a personal note
Thomas has a four-year employment agreement with Lineage as senior adviser. Aside from that, what’s ahead?
“I will spend more time with my daughter, who recently took a job in Scottsdale, and more time out on the water here, something that my late wife Sandy and I loved to do,” Thomas said. “I will live a life that Sandy could be proud of, while making new memories. I am thankful for our 35 years of marriage and for our faith. I know we will be together again in due time.”
Thomas has worked at BCS for 33 years (and counting). What will he miss?
“Personally, I miss the love of my wife the most. She was a huge part of my success! In business, I will miss interaction with my people, our customers and our service partners. We have built an incredible culture at BCS. It’s my goal
to help Lineage keep that rolling.”
Any other professional roles ahead?
“After I take time to get downsized at home, I may serve on a corporate board, as I have done in the past with Cascade Natural Gas. I have expertise in energy and health care, and I may even be interested in helping the federal government if I could find a meaningful role.”
This change for Thomas is marked by his gratitude: to Business Pulse for covering responsible businesses; to his father, Stew Thomas, president of BCS from the late ‘80s through the ’90s; to the founding Talbot family; and to decades of employees and service partners.
“We developed relationships that are the foundation of our success.”
“We have built an incredible culture at BCS. It’s my goal to help Lineage keep that rolling.” —Doug Thomas
Doug Thomas, former president and CEO at Bellingham Cold Storage. SATTVA PHOTO.
BCS’s Wall of Fame, which includes employee, excellence and service awards. SATTVA PHOTO.
Danyel Cammon, Doug Thomas’s assistant, and Thomas share a fun moment in the workplace. SATTVA PHOTO.
TARIFFABLE TIMES
Recently, the international news has been viewed week to week, and even day to day. It could involve trade with the US and China, economic ups and downs in general or, closer to home, the relationship with nearby Canada. Whatcom County businesses are seeing changes, and they are striving to acknowledge the struggles and possible solutions in the midst.
Having grown up with one foot on each side of the border, it was natural for Suzanne Smith of White Rock, British Columbia, to choose Birch Bay Square when her pop-up shop outgrew its model just 18 months into its start. The result was a brick-and-mortar location for Betty Be Good Boutique at a corner of Birch Bay Square just off Interstate 5 between Birch Bay and Blaine.
That was around 10 years ago. Since
then, several significant events have occurred with impacts on local and international economies: the COVID-19 pandemic, changing exchange rates between the US and Canada, and tariff discussions that seem still to be unsettled.
“By popular demand, I needed to settle my business in a retail location that would reach both sides of the border, and Blaine felt just right given my family’s history here as owners of Subway restaurants in Blaine, Ferndale and Bellingham,” Smith said.
Due to the location, not to mention her own influence, customers at the Birch Bay boutique are 60 percent Canadian in the summertime and 50 percent throughout the rest of the year.
“We get an influx in visitors from the north during the summer months, but
having the Nexus office nearby (in the same complex) keeps the travel of Canadians going all throughout the year.”
Smith saw a distinct change early in 2025.
“In recent months, my Canadian customer has been scared away by the confusion of the border tariffs and the unsettling reports they are reading about cross-border travel. They’re fearful of the idea of paying unknown tariffs on goods from the US, as Canadian customs is now randomly enforcing the less-than-24-hour rule of zero exemption on US-made goods specifically,” Smith wrote in early May.
“All of these things considered have made marketing to Canadians very challenging,” Smith said. “I’ve done my best to communicate the truth about crossing the border and to dispel myths that exist, but overall, most Canadians choose to stay home and spend their money within Canada for the time being. Even close friends are sad for me, but they have convictions about what’s happening and feel like they can’t compromise them.”
“I have always done and continue to build my business with advertising and promotions through social media, but budgets are cut as soon as revenue decreases,” Smith said. “It’s a slippery slope.”
Smith is using something she learned during the pandemic: a willingness to change.
“As I’ve had to do since COVID started, I’m sharpening my pencil to stay relevant, negotiating and taking advantage of supplier partnerships to ensure I can offer fair prices and good quality for the long haul.”
Smith added: “We are children of a common mother. It says this on the 100-plus-year-old monument that planks our two nations. The tariff war cannot destroy years of friendship and goodwill between our two countries. I love my American friends and neighbors, and I’ll always remember that this is politics, but business and community is about people.”
Elisa Claassen
Linda Vander Giessen opened her new women’s clothing boutique, Mood Swings, at 728 Peace Portal Way, adjacent to Border Town Pizza on a corner looking out toward the harbor. Vander Giessen, who also works as a family counselor in Lynden, previously owned Gypsy Girl Clothing in downtown Lynden for three years. That shop focused on boho chic attire, while the new one is about finding good labels for good prices — but only one of each, so shoppers go to their size to select. Her husband, electrician and barbecue expert Gary Vander Giessen, was doing some work at Border Town when he noticed the space was available, thinking it would work for her to reopen her shop.
That was in December 2024. Mood Swings opened in May 2025. Linda Vander Giessen said others warned her of slowing cross-border traffic impacting the town, even before the tariffs.
“But I thought people here need this store — the locals. I don’t have to rely on Canadians. It is for local women. I didn’t even think about providing clothes for Canadian women. I thought it would be fun. If the Canadians come, they are an added blessing.”
Prior to this current economic change, the local economy was growing. According to new data from Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, visitor spending in Whatcom County grew to $775.9 million in 2024, up 3.4 percent from 2023. Modest growth was seen across all sectors of the hospitality industry, with accommodations leading the way. The study was prepared by the State of Washington Tourism, which tracks the number of visitors to the region and looks at their spending in five categories: food and beverage ($193.2 million, or 25 percent), recreational and the arts ($91.6 million, or 11.8 percent), retail sales ($141.7 million, or 18.3 percent), accommodations ($218 million, or 28 percent), and transportation ($131.4 million, or 16.9 percent). In a seven-year graph of 2018 through 2024, 2020 showed a significant drop in spend-
“In recent months, my Canadian customer has been scared away by the confusion of the border tariffs and the unsettling reports they are reading about crossborder travel.”
— Suzanne Smith, Betty Be Good Boutique
Regardless of their size or proximity to the border, Occhiogrosso suggested all cities in the region look at both shortterm and longer-term solutions beyond the tariff and inequitable dollar exchange scenario, which can come and go, and the dollar exchange (which has actually improved in recent months for the Canadians, from their dollar being worth around 68 US cents to 73 cents.)
Impacts vary by location and by type of business or store. The larger box stores around Bellingham have seen more of an impact in contrast to the smaller brickand-mortar Bellingham shops, Occhiogrosso said. The larger stores have seen losses of 25-40 percent, and the others less.
ing due to the pandemic. Since that time, spending has been increasing year by year.
Per the same study, supplemental data reveals that Whatcom County saw 3.49 million visitors in 2024, up slightly from 3.42 million in 2023. Of these visitors, 1.5 million stayed overnight. The per-day impact for an overnight traveling party was $300 (up slightly from $299 in 2023).
“The data from 2024 indicates a steady and modest increase for the year overall,” said Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism CEO Dylan Deane-Boyle. “We observed nearly the same number of visitors but with a higher rate of spending, which is always encouraging to see and directly aligns with our goal of attracting visitors who stay in our area longer and spend more while they’re here. We are hopeful for continued growth into 2025 as we navigate challenges related to Canadian sentiment, inflation and higher travel prices.”
Guy Occhiogrosso, president and CEO of the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, said he is seeing different impacts in early 2025 between the smaller border towns in contrast with Bellingham. The border towns, specifically Sumas and Blaine, are more dependent on Canadian visitors as part of their economies, whether from in-person shopping or from sales tax resulting from purchases made online and then shipped, he said.
While a survey is in progress from Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute, the Small Business Administration and the Chamber of Commerce, the most up-to-date data from the institute shows a 51 percent drop in Canadian vehicles crossing into Whatcom County (at Sumas, Lynden, Peace Arch and Blaine) in April 2025 from April 2024.
“There are numerous factors driving this decline beyond the low value of the Canadian dollar,” said Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute. “(The) repeal of the carbon tax in Canada, which significantly decreased the cost of gas; Canadian boycotts and anger at US actions (51st state rhetoric, tariffs); Canadian counter-tariffs, which placed a 25 percent surtax on personal goods by shoppers returning from the US; increased concern and fear about US border enforcement.”
CJ Seitz of the Washington Small Business Development Center said the center is seeing changes.
“I think we are just starting to feel the impact from the decrease of Canadian consumers,” Seitz said. “We know that border crossings are down 52 percent, and it is affecting border businesses that rely on the Canadian customer.” ■
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Unexpected journey
A fortuitous job posting altered the course of Dan Tucker’s life and career
Tamara Loucks
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in multimedia arts from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona, Dan Tucker intended to pursue his dream of building a successful graphic design career. However, a chance job posting led him on a journey the young man from a landlocked, rural area of North Carolina never could have imagined — a 10-year career in the marine trades.
Today, Tucker serves as executive director of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. He says his position allows him to promote opportunities for the next generation to build a career in a persistent, sustainable and accessible industry.
“You don’t have to be wealthy or go to college,” Tucker said. “Anyone can access a career in this industry. It changed me. It can have a meaningful impact on others’ lives as well.”
Business Pulse: How did you come to transition from multimedia arts to a maritime career?
After graduating from college, it was hard to find a graphic design job. Entry-level jobs required three to five years of experience. I didn’t want to take another unpaid internship to gain the experience. I needed food and a roof over my head. I was looking through a magazine and found a job on a sailing ship out of Los Angeles. I took the sailing job, lived aboard the ship, was fed and
earned $100 a week net pay. I figured it would be temporary and I’d have more access to job opportunities in LA. But after two or three months working the ship, I realized I loved sailing and being on the water more than graphic design, so I stayed. I could get on-the-job training, learn a trade and take industry exams to get licensed as I could afford or needed to. Working in the marine trades allowed me to build a career without investing any real money into it, unlike college.
BP: What was it about that first job that instilled so much passion for the marine trades?
I worked for the Los Angeles Maritime Institute, a nonprofit, tall ship sailing camp that provides educational programs
Dan Tucker in Walker Cove, leading a skiff tour for guests with UnCruise. Photo courtesy of Dan Tucker.
for inner-city students. The goal of the program was to build character and critical thinking and leadership skills through teaching youth how to sail. It was an emotional, powerful program. I learned to understand the ocean and the forces at play that could change a young person’s life. I was also growing and challenging my own barriers and limits. I worked there about a year and a half before branching out to my next boat, the S/V Tole Mour.
BP: How did your career path lead you to Whatcom County and the Working Waterfront Coalition?
After LA, I worked on another vessel, which sailed across the Coral Sea delivering medical supplies, and then worked vacation cruises in the Bahamas. Then, because connections are important in this industry to move up in your career, I was referred to a job working for Four Winds * Westward Ho on Orcas Island. I worked with Salish Sea Expeditions in the camp’s offseason. I lived in Ballard in the winters and took my last job on the water with UnCruise Adventures. I stayed in Ballard working trades skill jobs like marine fire inspections and also managed a local retail and service shop. In 2019, I took a part-time management position for the coalition. It was a great way for me to use the industry contacts I had and my maritime experience to promote the marine trades to the next generation.
BP: Why are you so passionate about the marine trades?
It’s the impact they can have on someone’s life. Like me, people could end up on a career path they may never have foreseen. Growing up in rural North Carolina, I would have never imagined I’d live across the country, have the adventures I’ve had and meet the interesting people I’ve met. I’ve had a great life.
BP: What advice would you give to people who wanted to apprentice in the marine trades?
Referrals help build a career in the marine trades. Walk the docks, knock on boats and get to know people. Work hard, but also develop soft skills (people skills) — these are key to getting promoted. When a job no longer offers opportunities for growth, seek another. The jobs will come through referrals. It’s a tight industry with a close-knit circle of professionals. The last job I had on the water was the first job I ever interviewed for. Every other on-the-water job I held, I got from a referral.
BP: Why is a career in the marine trades important for the next generation?
Over the past decade, there’s been a lot of discussion about whether a young person should go to college or into the
skilled trades. It used to be you needed to go to college to get a job that paid enough to support a family and buy a house. Today, you have debt and few on-the-job skills once you graduate. More young people now are considering skilled trade jobs or technical degrees. These jobs will help build a next-generation workforce to support the systems, products and infrastructure that we depend on day-to-day.
BP: What’s your biggest passion in life?
It’s a little cheesy, but I have a passion to be a positive influence among my network and community, because the kid from North Carolina would have liked an influence like that, in a place like this. ■
Dan Tucker, circa 2010, working for camp Four Winds * Westward Ho as a mate. Dan is demonstrating to students how to use the plotting tools and chart on the vessel. Photo courtesy of Dan Tucker.
TOP 100 PRIVATE COMPANIES IN WHATCOM COUNTY
[BASED ON 2024 SALES]
For 50 years, Business Pulse has reported on the entrepreneurial grit and economic influence of Whatcom County’s business community. Our annual Top 100 list is based on gross sales figures from the most recently completed fiscal year (2024) and provides a revealing snapshot of the companies shaping our local landscape.
Behind the revenue figures are compelling stories — stories of leadership, hard-earned success and dedication to community.
The 2025 Top 100 list reveals the breadth of industries fueling our economy — from agriculture to IT, banking to marine services, hospitality to retail — illustrating the rich diversity of Whatcom’s business landscape. These companies are more than employers; they’re community builders, problem-solvers and economic engines. The Top 100 honors those business leaders — and their teams — who dare to innovate, who meet challenges head-on, and who continue to hire, expand and contribute to the region’s prosperity. Encouragingly, the vast majority of this year’s top companies plan to bring
on new additions in the coming months — a hopeful sign for job seekers and a strong indicator of sustained growth across the county.
As always, this year’s rankings welcome back the topperformers as well as a host of new names — businesses that have grown into their moment and joined this elite.
If your company isn’t on the list yet, let this be your invitation for next year. We share the survey link through our community outreach, social media platforms and email promotion. Join Whatcom Business Alliance at our member events, connect with fellow entrepreneurs and set your sights on inclusion in 2026!
Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Salish Sea and North Cascades and energized by ambition and innovation, Whatcom County continues to stand out as a remarkable place to live and work. Here’s to the bold and brilliant — the Top 100 private companies leading the way in 2025 and beyond.
#29
Larson Gross nurtures community ties via trustworthy financial services
Matt Benoit
Larson Gross has always had Whatcom County roots. Founded in 1949 by Ted Larson and joined by Dennis Gross in the early 1960s, the Bellingham-headquartered accounting firm has grown to serve more than 8,000 client groups across Washington and Canada with an array of financial, tax and accounting services.
CEO Kelli Visser said the company focused in its early years on Pacific Northwest-centric industries such as fishing, forestry and agriculture. The latter still occupies a significant part of its client base today, along with a range of businesses including professional services, manufacturing, real estate and construction, as well as family and individual financial needs.
Larson Gross mainly focuses its efforts on tax preparation and planning, along with financial statement services and outsourced accounting and technology services. The company began connecting with Canadian clients about 30 years ago; its international
tax and consulting practice is now a significant part of its firm, serving clients across Canada.
The pandemic-marred years of 2020 and 2021 allowed Larson Gross to evaluate how it could be of service to Washington communities outside Whatcom and Skagit counties. It founded a Yakima office in 2021 and further expanded in 2022 through a merger with an existing firm in Wenatchee.
All told, Larson Gross employs around 200 people, with total sales revenue approaching $40 million. About half its employees are based at the Bellingham and Lynden offices, utilizing a variety of work styles (in-office, remote and hybrid).
Larson Gross also provides future-oriented consulting services that many would consider non-traditional for an average CPA firm, including transaction structuring, wealth management, retirement strategies and outsourced managed information technology services.
Why so many clients have stuck with
Larson Gross over the years, Visser said, is because of how the company treats them.
“Even though it starts with a need, I think it’s really then moving into taking that extra time to help clients understand what’s going on in their world,” she said. “Looking at things maybe they hadn’t considered.”
Being in the same community with those clients — helping the local economy by taking care of the finances of local businesses, employees, families and individuals — is a responsibility and privilege that Visser said Larson Gross doesn’t take for granted.
“I think there really is something to be said about rubbing shoulders, on a day-to-day basis, with the people that you’re also doing business with,” she said. “When you have that connection, it makes everything more interesting and more fun and more impactful. I think it really elevates what we’re all trying to do together.” ■
Larson Gross CEO Kelli Visser. SATTVA PHOTO.
#62
Iron Creek Group deals with tough remediation challenges
Mary Louise Van Dyke
Iron Creek Group LLC uses the latest technologies to successfully treat hydrocarbon waste, such as sludges and creosotes.
Ken Bell, the company president and CEO (and a Port of Bellingham commissioner) segued into soil remediation while doing business in Antarctica as the owner of Best Recycling. He sold that company in 2018.
Iron Creek, based in Bellingham, got its start when a leaking oil tank at McMurdo Station in Antarctica contaminated the underlying ground.
“The choice was either we dig up all that dirt and volcanic rock and ship it back to the United States,” Bell said, “or we find a system that will treat it there on site.”
He used technology invented by Roger Richter to effectively treat the problem, founding the company with partners Richter and Chad Belenky.
The company’s first venture involved a small project for Chevron
Corporation in Yukon, Canada, in 2013. The partners discovered they could thermally treat contamination and return clean soil back to its original location in a variety of environments.
“The secret sauce for Iron Creek is that ... waste is heated until the vapors are released from the soil,” Bell said.
“The vapors are then captured and can be reused to be returned as fuel for the system or directed away for collection or destruction.”
Projects undertaken include a Superfund site in Idaho to treat creosote and projects to clean sludges in the Yukon and explosive residue for the US Army.
Iron Creek is headquartered in Bellingham, with 15 employees who travel to jobsites in remote parts of the world. Currently, the team is working on projects in the Northwest Territories up in Canada for Shell Oil, on indigenous land in Ontario, and for the US Navy.
The Northwest Territories project isn’t an easy cleanup environment, he
said. Crew members live on a barge and work in temperatures dipping as low as minus 50 F.
The company’s expanded operations include emergency response capabilities for oil spills and the treating of a group of long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS that are found in water, air, soil and food. PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
The partners have patented new systems, and Bell predicts that TecZero, the company’s newest technology, will revolutionize thermal treatment through its mobility capabilities and energy savings.
“With any luck, some work may find us closer to home,” Bell said. “With great partners and a clear vision, we are on the path to a bright future.” ■
Ken Bell, Chad Belenky and Roger Richter. SATTVA PHOTO.
#66
Marr’s Heating continues growth in third generation of family ownership
Matt Benoit
Jacob Marr’s first job at Marr’s Heating and Air Conditioning was sorting buckets of miscellaneous screws, most of which came out of workers’ pockets at the end of a workday. He was around 6 years old, and his pay was 25 cents a bucket.
Today, the 29-year-old Marr is a third-generation owner and general manager of the company begun by his grandparents in 1965. Operating from its longtime home just outside of Bellingham along Mount Baker Highway, Marr’s has evolved from a two-person sheet metal business to a full-service HVAC, plumbing and electrical business with 50 employees.
The past decade has seen substantial expansion, Marr said, with revenue growing from $1 million to a projected $13.5 million in 2025. The company employed just 11 people 10 years ago.
“We’re here to grow, but we’re here
to grow at a rate that allows us to maintain the same customer experience that we’ve been so passionate about since the ’60s,” Marr said. “We don’t want to get ahead of our skis.”
The company’s original owners, Doug and Joan, both now in their 80s, maintain a close proximity to the business: They live close by at their longtime home. Doug occasionally visits to tinker in the sheet metal shop, while Joan still assists with administrative functions as needed.
The couple retired in 1992, handing off their business to son Ken. Despite Jacob’s early jobs in the Marr’s shop, he had little initial interest in continuing the family legacy. But at age 18 and between jobs, Jacob began working part time, and then full time, as an installer. After about eight months, he liked it enough to stick with it, spending about three years in the field before gravitating into the business and ownership
side of the company.
The company’s mission remains focused on providing top-notch customer experiences through the development of exceptional employees, with starting wages at $25 an hour and paid training. Marr said finding good tradespeople can be a challenge, but more and more younger people are now entering the industry.
“It’s a growing trade,” he said. “We live in an area that values the environment pretty heavily. We’re doing a lot of retrofit work, taking out old gas-powered systems and putting in new electric-based heat pumps. That, coupled with the people that are moving here from out of state, still — even with interest rates and the economy doing what it’s doing — there’s plenty of work there for everybody in our market.” ■
Jacob Marr and Brandon Strong. SATTVA PHOTO.
Twin Brook Creamery — a family enterprise
Mary Louise Van Dyke
At Twin Brook Creamery in Lynden, young calves feed in the pasture while workers bottle milk and cream for sale in the on-site plant.
The creamery, located on property originally farmed by Larry Stap’s great grandparents, is owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generations — Larry and Debbie Stap and their daughter, Michelle Tolsma, and sonin-law, Mark Tolsma.
“There’s a lot of history here; there’s a lot of roots here,” said Stap, who grew up on the property and purchased it from his dad in 2000.
Eleven employees are divided between the plant and a second family-owned farm, where all milking takes place. Bottling the milk involves a low-temperature pasteurization process to preserve nutrients and flavor.
Cooling and separating come next, then bottling and capping before the finished products are moved to 250
different stores around the state.
“We do not homogenize, so the cream in the milk will naturally rise to the top of the bottle,” Stap said.
In 2006, the couple began exploring new directions for their milk when the Tolsmas asked to join the family enterprise.
Instead of continuing to sell raw milk to a co-op, they planned to find a niche market and learn how to bottle and market the products produced by 240 Jersey cows.
“To get into grocery stores, you need to have something that differentiates yourself, something unique, something local,” Stap said.
The partners estimated they would need about $75,000 and “dove in blindly and got some estimates for the equipment needed to get started,” Stap said. “We’d put $250,000 into it when we bottled our first glass bottle of milk because we just didn’t know the regulatory world we
were dealing with.”
Milk and cream are bottled in glass containers that customers return to the store and are transported back to Lynden to be washed, sanitized and reused.
Jersey cows produce a richer and sweeter milk that differentiates them from other cow breeds. The creamery owns all its cows and doesn’t rely on purchasing milk from other suppliers. It also raises its own cow feed.
“(By) keeping the ground healthy with our own high-value fertilizer, we have complete control from the field to the bottle,” Stap said.
Stap is pleased with the success, even as he looks to the future and hopes the creamery remains a family enterprise.
“We’re not a nationwide commodity,” he said. “We’re basically just a little Washington state dairy farm.” ■
Twin Brook Creamery owner Larry Stap. SATTVA PHOTO.
CONGRAT
THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES EXTEND THEIR CONGRATS
ULATIONS
TO ALL THE TOP 100 COMPANIES IN WHATCOM COUNTY.
Tracing the Pulse: Stories from a long-time Business Pulse writer
Mary Louise Van Dyke
Writing news articles for Business Pulse magazine provides me with a road map of the various businesses and organizations that ply their trades and provide services to Whatcom County residents — and to points beyond.
My knowledge of business functions was sparked in childhood as I earned a few dollars dusting paint cans at the Warnick lumberyard in the mid-1970s. That company was located on North State Street in Bellingham and my grandpa, Wayne Myatt, was the manager.
Those experiences provided a close-up look at the company’s operations, with its employees, landline phones, typewriters, fresh-smelling lumber and endless hours of challenging work.
Warnick Lumber closed about the same time that local business leaders were discussing the need for a business magazine to highlight Whatcom County corporations.
Fast forward to 2025, with Business Pulse celebrating a half-century of
covering business issues here in Whatcom County.
Through these five decades, business operations have segued from the clackety-clack of typewriter keys and the use of paper ledgers to computers, artificial intelligence, cell phones and video conferences.
I was hired as a freelancer by Mike McKenzie in 2016 for the then-quarterly publication, and my first articles focused on two startup companies — Capstone Physical Therapy and MCUSA Consulting — both nominees for the annual Whatcom business awards.
In 2017, I especially enjoyed writing about Whatcom County agribusinesses for the fall issue. The research involved a tour of agribusinesses in north Whatcom County — visiting farms to view corn, raspberries and blueberries in the field and stopping at Edaleen Dairy’s maternity barn, where a mother cow had just delivered a calf covered with large black splotches. Both mother and baby stared curiously at us visitors, evidently wondering what we were doing there.
That same issue also included a short piece I’d written about Ken Bell, then owner and president of Best Recycling and a commissioner for the Port of Bellingham. His clients included the United States Antarctic Program. “Antarctic? Wow!” I thought. All solid waste generated there at that “beautiful” and “harsh” place, he said, had to be packaged and shipped to the United States for disposal.
I was especially touched while writing a 2019 article about Christ the King’s Food Share & Farm program. Produce
was grown on a 10-acre site on Hannegan Road and distributed to local food banks and meal programs in Whatcom County. As a onetime food bank user myself, I appreciated the opportunity to highlight this volunteer-run program.
My story about the Sudden Valley Golf & Country Club, published in the July/ August 2020 issue, reflected on how the pandemic impacted the club while it was waiting to reopen. By summer, the course was back in full swing, as were other area golf courses.
However, pandemic restrictions still impacted most businesses. I recall calling a local pizza company owner about an article and hearing that no, they didn’t feel it was the right time to celebrate their business.
My inner historian was delighted when I was assigned to write a story about Peoples Bank’s 100th anniversary in 2021. Irwin LeCocq Sr., president from 1938 to 1969, was a well-known community figure, recalled for his habit of lighting a cigar during important business transactions. I pictured clients nervously watching the puffs of smoke and wondering if he’d approve their loan request.
The January/February 2023 issue of Business Pulse featured an article about the recommendations being made for the proposed but long-delayed Whatcom County Jail. That process involved speaking with Wendy Jones, then the corrections bureau chief for the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office; Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu; and Barry Buchanan, a member of the Whatcom County Council.
Another fun story featured Sahara Pizza for the May/June 2024 issue. My interview at the store in Blaine was underscored by the delicious smells of fresh dough being made while I watched the co-owner prepare a “Landmark” pizza — Italian sausage or beef, baby spinach, fresh garlic, parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes.
Most of the stories are upbeat. However, at certain points, business owners must wrestle with what occurs next. For some, that involves expanding or retooling operations. For others, it means retiring. I interviewed DeeDee Bell, owner of Signature Apparel women’s attire shop in Bellingham, for the September/ October 2024 issue. Bell highlighted her tough decision to close the store. She and her devoted staff kept the business afloat through the pandemic, but the aftermath involved shipping delays and supply chain problems that affected the store’s ability to stock upcoming fashions. Bell also faced serious health concerns and was joyfully awaiting the birth of new grandchildren. She advertised the business but couldn’t find a serious buyer.
I look forward to deepening my interest in Whatcom businesses that was ignited by my grandfather’s position — writing more articles for Business Pulse and letting readers know what is happening with businesses and organizations in our dynamic county. ■
Freelancer Mary Louise Van Dyke began writing for Business Pulse in 2016. A longtime resident of Whatcom County, she worked as a freelance reporter and historian in the Iowa Quad-Cities. Currently she is working on a novel trilogy series set in Washington state.
We’re not just moving — we’re growing with you.
Our Lynden team is excited to be expanding into a larger o ce space, just a few blocks away!
Construction is underway, and soon we’ll be welcoming you into a space built for better collaboration, conversation, and community.
Same
team, same values, more room to grow — together.
Level 2 apprentices Phillip and Tyler in the engine workshop.
PHOTO: Dan Tucker.
Work-based training in the maritime industry
Elisa Claassen
“The waterfronts and shores of Whatcom are a precious resource to all those who work, live and play on them,” says the website for the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. “That waterfront is under constant pressure to change and develop with non-water-reliant uses that threaten to remove access not only for our businesses who rely upon having it, but also for communities who enjoy the public access beaches, walks and parks along our shores. Our endeavors seek to promote our working waterfronts, and to promote policies, regulations and practices that allow our water-reliant businesses to not only survive — but to thrive.”
Debbie Granger, interim managing director of the Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation, affiliated with the coalition, married into a Lummi Island-based fishing family. Her immediate family, she said, still spends time on the island among family and reef net fishing. Granger has attempted to retire three times, but she continues to find ways to contribute to the workplace. One was her long-time position as a career counselor for the Bellingham School District. In that role, she said, Granger would present six options to students for their futures: gain a
four-year degree at a university; go to community college for a certificate, associate’s degree or transfer degree; head to technical school; join the military; flop on the couch; or head straight to the workforce (one of those options was delivered tongue in cheek).
Granger is now talking about another viable option: apprenticeships. After watching Georgia Pacific pull out of Bellingham Bay and seeing the many changes made to “gentrify” the landscape of Bellingham Bay’s harbor with condos, shops and parks, she and others have wanted to make certain the fishing and boating industries remain vibrant. The coalition worked with the Port of Bellingham while forming its goals. The Working Waterfront Coalition was formed in 2015 as an advocacy group, and over the decade it has grown to 150 members. When regularly surveying the membership, Granger said, the number one concern has been a lack of skilled workers enabling businesses to continue.
“As a nation,” Granger said, “we are trying to grow the earn-while-you-learn model,” a good solution for potential workers and members. The Quadrant Marine Institute in Sidney, British Columbia, provided a good model. The structure puts much of the learning into
the job, with workshops and evening sessions directly related.
The Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship is the first registered marine services apprenticeship in the US, Granger said. The first classes were offered in October 2022. The four-year program is ongoing, with students now finishing their third year of training. The apprenticeship program’s first graduates will go into the world in 2026.
Marine service technicians are trained to build, refit, maintain, survey and repair vessels up to 150 feet in length, serving the small craft, recreational and commercial marine industry.
Granger, who already had a full plate of responsibilities, was happy to pass the day-to-day role to Sierra Oliver in 2023; Oliver is now the program director for the apprenticeship program. Skilled and experienced tradespeople are hired to teach each component of the program.
Oliver grew up in a military family, living in various places before her family moved to Washington. She graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in biology and anthropology. She became involved in the boating community, with her early focus being on pole fishing in the various local lakes.
Her husband, Ben Oliver, has worked for years on the Bellingham waterfront, including nine years in the detailing department at NW Explorations. That company — which has divisions for operating charters, maintaining and servicing boats and brokerage selling — was one of the first businesses to invest in the apprenticeship program. Ben has since shifted to another waterfront business, All American Marine.
Ben mentioned to his wife that Granger was looking for someone to work for the coalition. Sierra was leaving the veterinary hospital at which she had worked as a vet technician after college. While she did not have a direct educational background, she had always, she said, been the lead or trainer in her jobs.
The new position has brought two of Sierra’s loves together — boats and people. She often goes into the community to meet people in the marine business.
“We are still marketing,” Oliver said. “We are still talking to people.”
The program offers technical training combined with work-based experience. Specialized training is offered in comprehensive vessel instruction in 12 marine subjects, with hands-on workshops. It’s an earn-and-learn model, so participants can make money on their way to certification. To apply for the training, prospective students already must be working in the marine service industry and have an employer sponsor who can provide work-based learning experience.
The program had its annual fundraiser earlier this year. Unlike union-backed ventures, which often have significant funding available, this non-union program relies on donations, volunteers and sponsorships.
One recent highlight was two ap-
“ As a nation, we are trying to grow the earn-whileyou-learn model.
”
—Debbie Granger, interim managing director of the Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation
prentices speaking of the skills and confidence they’ve gained.
“One said, ‘I thought it would be one more time of failing’,” Oliver said.
That wasn’t the case, however. “This program supports them.”
For those interested in other marine trades, such as commercial fishing or learning to captain or crew vessels, there are many programs available, such as maritime academies and the state ferry system. Those programs are more time-intensive to meet the rigorous Coast Guard regulations.
For additional information about the Working Waterfront Coalition, see whatcomworkingwaterfront.org. For the apprenticeship program, visit waterfrontfoundation.org. ■
Level 2 apprentice Asa in spray equipment and paint workshop. PHOTO: Sierra Oliver.
Level 3 apprentices Talia and Matthew in composite workshop. PHOTO: Sierra Oliver.
Level 3 apprentices Talia and Ben in hydraulics workshop. PHOTO: Dan Tucker
Ic yFreshSeafo od.c om
Washington state’s 2025 tax overhaul:
Key changes to sales, excise, capital gains, estate and rental taxation
Just this past month, Washington state lawmakers enacted a sweeping set of tax reforms aimed at addressing a projected $16 billion budget deficit over four years. The legislative package, passed at the close of the session and sent to Gov. Bob Ferguson for his signature, includes significant changes to the state’s sales tax, excise taxes, capital gains tax, estate tax and property tax regime — and notably, new provisions affecting the taxation of mini storage facilities and potentially other rental property categories. Below is a summary of the most consequential changes and their implications for residents and businesses.
Sales tax expansion
Washington’s sales tax, historically a major source of state revenue, will now apply to a broader range of services. Beginning October 1, 2025, the sales tax base will expand to include numerous business services such as information technology support, in-person computer and software training, data-processing services, custom website development, security services, temporary staffing and advertising.
The expansion is expected to increase the tax burden on businesses, a move that has drawn criticism from business groups
concerned about tax pyramiding (when sales taxes or similar taxes are levied at multiple stages of the supply chain, rather than being limited to the final point of sale to the consumer) and increased costs for consumers.
Excise & gross receipts tax increases
The state’s business and occupation tax — a gross receipts tax, which is on gross income (not on net income or on the final sale of goods to consumers) — will see substantial increases. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, the B&O tax rate for manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing will rise from .484% to 0.5%. For businesses in the “services and other activities” category with annual revenue above $5 million, a new top tier will be taxed at 2.1%, up from 1.75%, starting in October 2025.
These changes are projected to generate $2.1 billion in the 2025-2027 tax years and $3.6 billion in the following two years.
Capital gains tax: new top tier
Washington’s capital gains tax, first enacted in 2022, is a 7% excise tax on longterm capital gains exceeding $270,000 per year (in 2024) for individuals. The 2025 reforms introduce a new 9.9% rate on annual long-term capital gains income above $1 million, effective for the 2025 tax year. The tax continues to exempt gains from real estate, retirement accounts, certain small business sales and other specified assets. The new tier is expected to affect approximately 900 taxpayers and generate significant additional revenue.
Estate tax: higher exclusion, steeper rates
Effective July 1, 2025, Washington state’s estate tax will become more progressive. The exclusion amount will increase from $2.193 million to $3 million and be indexed for inflation, providing relief to smaller estates. At the same time, the tax rate structure will be revised, starting at 10% on the first $1 million of taxable estate value and rising to a new top rate of 35% for amounts over $9 million — up from the current 20% cap. These changes are intended to reduce the burden on modest estates while increasing contributions from larger ones.
Reclassification of self-storage rentals raises broader questions
Effective April 1, 2026, the rental or lease of individual storage spaces at self-service storage facilities will be reclassified as a retail transaction. This change subjects these rentals to both the state’s B&O tax and the retail sales tax. Previously, such rentals were treated similarly to real estate leases and were exempt from these taxes.
Tax rates & implications
• Sales tax: Customers will be required to pay the state sales tax of 6.5%, along with any applicable local sales taxes, which can bring the total to approximately 10% in some areas.
• B&O tax: Operators of self-storage facilities will be subject to the B&O tax at rates ranging from 1.5% to 2.1%, depending on their gross income levels.
While the move is expected to bring in significant revenue, industry groups warn this could open the door to taxing other
Tanya Silves, CPA
types of rentals — such as apartments, vehicle storage, boat slips or coworking spaces — based on how “commercial” or “active” the landlord’s role is.
While lawmakers say the tax applies only to mini storage due to its business-like nature, tax experts worry it could become a model for expanding taxes without introducing a state income tax.
Political & legal context
The tax package was scaled back from initial proposals after Gov. Ferguson expressed concerns about the sustainability and legal risks of more aggressive measures, such as a wealth tax. Notably, the Legislature did not pass a wealth tax, though it signaled ongoing interest in the concept. The capital gains tax continues to face legal challenges over whether it constitutes an unconstitutional income tax under Washington’s constitution.
Conclusion
Washington’s 2025 tax reforms represent a significant shift toward progressive taxation, targeting higher earners, large estates and certain businesses to address the state’s multi billion-dollar budget gap. However, the new taxation of mini storage facilities — once treated as passive real estate — signals a broader willingness to rethink the tax treatment of nontraditional or hybrid rental models. As the state presses forward, many landlords, business owners and legal analysts will be watching closely for signs that these principles may soon apply to other categories of rental income.
The full impact of these reforms — economic, political and legal — will likely unfold over the next decade, and public discourse around tax equity and stability in Washington is far from over.
Tanya Silves is a partner and tax director for Larson Gross Advisors, a top 10 Puget Sound accounting firm in Bellingham, WA.
ai investments see shift from hardware to software
Jack McKissen
The future, if you believe the headlines and your social media feed, belongs to artificial intelligence. And for a while, that meant betting big on the chips that made artificial intelligence possible — but things are changing.
Over the past few years, NVIDIA, AMD and a handful of others became the twenty-first century’s version of gold rush pickaxe sellers. As large language models and generative AI platforms went viral in 2023, demand for AI chips surged, along with the share prices of the companies that make them. NVIDIA became a trillion-dollar company. Data center buildouts made headlines. And the acronym “GPU” moved from a footnote in technical documents to something your Uber driver wanted to talk about.
But now, just a few months into 2025, the market is experiencing a change in strategy. Investors, having piled into the hardware side of AI, are waking up to the fact that hardware is just the base layer of the stack. And while it’s critical, it’s also limited. Chips are the foundation, but software is what lives on top — and increasingly, that’s where the action is. The real opportunities, and the real returns, are shifting upward.
The real value isn’t in the wires
Hardware only gets you so far. Utility and margin are created by the software. A computer without software is just something that takes up space in the corner of your garage. And any old software won’t do. With technology, it’s all about the experience, which is the direct result of the layer of technology that helps people do things faster, better or more creatively. That’s why software companies — particularly those building on top of large language models — are starting to draw more attention (and capital).
Companies like Salesforce, Adobe and even Microsoft aren’t just integrating AI. They are operationalizing it in ways users can touch and feel. AI copilots, predictive analytics and auto-generated content are what really create a return on the investment companies are making in AI tools. And that’s why software is becoming the next frontier of investment. Once everyone has access to the same chips, the differentiator becomes what you do with them — and how you turn them into tangible, practical solutions.
The commodification of computing
To put it another way: We’re seeing the commodification of computing. Right now, nearly everyone is building on the same set of models: OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google. The models and technologies vary, but the reality is that the underlying intelligence is becoming less of a differentiator. That doesn’t mean these companies won’t continue to dominate the headlines. They will. But investors looking for the next NVIDIA-style breakout are starting to ask: Who’s building useful, defensible products on top of artificial intelligence platforms?
For example, a startup that builds a large language model to help increase production in agriculture might be boring compared to the latest image generator or chatbot — but if that technology actually saves farmers time and money, then there’s real money to be made for investors. What we’re seeing is AI moving from hype to operations. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s exactly what you’d hope for with any transformative technology.
The internet followed a similar path: It started with infrastructure (fiber, broad-
band, dot-com domain grabs), then moved into services (Google, Amazon), and eventually ended up with the application layer (Airbnb, Uber, Stripe). That’s where we are now with AI. The foundation is mostly in place. Now it’s about building on top of that foundation and creating products that utilize technology in ways that help human beings.
For investors, that means we’ll see fewer overnight tenfold stock moves. But it also means we’re entering the phase where real value gets created. It’s no longer just about saying “we use AI.” It’s about solving real problems in education, health care, manufacturing and logistics using AI in thoughtful, customized and domain-specific ways.
What this means for Bellingham — and beyond
For business leaders and investors here in Whatcom County, the shift from hardware to software isn’t just a Wall Street talking point. It’s an opportunity. Companies in core Whatcom County industries such as agriculture, fisheries, logistics and energy stand to benefit from AI solutions tailored to their needs. Whether it’s a platform that automates compliance, predicts mechanical failures before they happen, or turns mountains of production data into usable insights, the software layer is where AI becomes relevant.
The next wave of growth won’t come from a new chip. It’ll come from a new idea — built with AI. If the past year was about investing in the tools, this year is about investing in the builders. And not just the ones in Silicon Valley or Bellevue. Right here, in Washington state, there’s room — and reason — for small businesses and regional investors to explore how AI software can solve problems unique to this part of the world. Because that’s the shift: from chips to solutions. From possibility to reality. From hype to hard work.
And if you’ve ever tried running a business in Whatcom County, you already know something about that. ■
IN case you missed it!
Strained systems: How
poor leadership
is undermining Whatcom County’s financial future
A county once on solid ground
When Jack Louws left the role of Whatcom County executive in 2019, he handed off a government that was fiscally stable. The county wrapped that year with a workforce of 876.9 full-time employees, a modest $2.19 million of debt, and a budget that anticipated $224.8 million in revenue and $241.9 million in expenses. Yet, in the six and a half years since, the financial footing that once supported the development, infrastructure and essential services of our community has grown shaky. As costs soar and transparency falters, the decisions of the current administration are drawing increased scrutiny.
The ripple effect: Costly choices and compounding crises
The fallout from years of financial missteps is becoming increasingly visible. In 2024, property owners saw the largest county-assessed tax increase in Whatcom’s
history — 11.4 percent. For public works, the consequences have been especially severe. The county’s road fund is now facing a $8 million shortfall, according to a May 13 presentation from Whatcom County Public Works — prompting the indefinite freezing of 14 staff positions, delays to key infrastructure projects, and emergency borrowing from other internal accounts.
Debt, which includes the county’s bond obligations and capital leases, has surged by 273 percent since 2019. With leadership choosing to patch one fund’s gaps by draining another, the financial distress is beginning to ripple outward. The executive branch has already warned that accounts such as the behavioral health and real estate excise tax funds may soon face similar problems.
What’s driving the deficit: Growth without guardrails
The current crisis is not the result of a single misstep but a pattern of growth without financial restraint. Since 2019, the county has added 217 FTEs, a 25 percent staffing increase. Personnel costs, including pay raises and benefits, have ballooned accordingly.
The executive’s own office — which includes non-departmental functions — expanded staff by 164 percent and more than doubled its expenses, from $18.2 million to $38.1 million, according to the office’s recommended budget for 2025-2026. Meanwhile, oversight has weakened. Delayed financial reporting and poorly tracked expenditures have contributed to overcommitted funds and cash-flow crunches.
At the same time, as noted in a Jan. 14 council meeting, the county has continued acquiring buildings and proposing more than $100 million in new construction — not including the new jail development — while giving away millions in publicly owned property for free. Efforts to bring once-outsourced services in-house also have escalated costs. For instance, the medical examiner, once contracted for $559,000 annually, is now a department projected to cost more than $1.9 million in 2025.
Solutions without raising taxes: Restoring discipline and oversight
Fixing Whatcom County’s financial issues doesn’t require higher taxes — it requires smarter management. Staffing and benefits are now among the largest budgetary pressures. To curb this trend, the county needs to prioritize efficiency through technology, automation and streamlined processes, instead of continued hiring.
Rather than investing in new facilities, leadership should evaluate cost-effective alternatives, such as encouraging remote work, leasing existing space or purchasing pre-built properties. These are just a few of the practical steps the county can take to begin correcting course without placing additional strain on taxpayers.
Improved financial oversight also is critical. Real-time dashboards, monthly reporting and performance-based metrics can offer transparency and accountability that has so far been lacking. With better data, the county can make better decisions — and regain public trust.
A call for change
Whatcom County’s current financial crisis didn’t happen overnight. It was built on years of unchecked expansion and insufficient oversight. Business owners and community leaders know that sustainable growth requires careful planning and cost control. The same must now be demanded of local government. By adopting a culture of fiscal responsibility and operational transparency, Whatcom County has a clear opportunity to stabilize its finances and build a stronger future for all. ■
Tyler Byrd is a two-term Whatcom County Councilmember. With over 20 years in business management, technology and finance, Tyler brings private-sector insight to public service. He’s an active community volunteer, committed to improving local government, public safety and fiscal accountability.
Tyler Byrd
2025 legislative session recap and Whatcom County legislator scorecard
Dann Mead Smith
What passed, what failed and how did
As noted in the May/June issue of Business Pulse, there were many bills introduced during the 2025 legislative session that impacted businesses and their employees in Whatcom County and across the state.
Thankfully many of the anti-business bills did not advance. However, several did pass and were signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson to become law this year.
Given the number of bills that passed, we divided the 2025 recap into two parts, with the main recap and scorecard below.
The following bills were covered in the previous issue, and can be found at businesspulse.com, starting on Page 48:
House Bill 1217 to enact rent restrictions and statewide rent control
House Bill 1296/Senate Bill 5181 to repeal most of the Parental Rights Initiative (I-2081)
Senate Bill 5004 to mandate school security panic buttons
Senate Bill 5041 to provide unemployment benefits for striking workers.
our legislators vote?
The final biennial state budget for 2025-2027, as passed by the Washington Legislature and signed by Gov. Ferguson, was $77.9 billion, an 8.2 percent increase from the current state budget expenditures. This growth in state government was the result of the largest tax increase in state history and $4.5 billion in new state spending.
The state was facing an approximate $7.5 billion shortfall/deficit when the session started in January. Gov. Ferguson said throughout session that he did not plan to balance the budget with “significant” tax increases. At the same time, some Democrat legislators wanted to pass new taxes including a wealth tax on assets, a payroll tax on employers based on the salary level for some of their “high-earning” employees, and a bill that would allow state and local governments to increase property taxes by 3 percent each year (an increase from the current 1 percent without a public vote). All three of these proposals failed. Here is a breakdown of the majority of
the $12.5 billion in state and local taxes that were passed and signed into law:
• $1.6 billion: Property tax increase authority for some local school districts
• $2.6 billion: Sales tax increase
• $5.6 billion: Business and occupation tax increase
• $637 million: Capital gains income tax and death/estate tax increase
• $385 million: New tax on storage units and other industries
• $281 million: New Tesla tax
Below is a list of the major business and Whatcom County-related bills that were voted on this year and how our legislators in Whatcom County (40th and 42nd districts) voted.
Dann Mead Smith is the co-founder and codirector of Project 42. He is the former president/ CEO of Washington Policy Center and is a regular contributor for Business Pulse. Dann lives part time in Birch Bay and Seattle.
2025
HB 1213 - expands the Paid Family and Medical Leave program. This will add financial and administrative burdens on small businesses by eliminating exemptions, reducing the eligibility threshold for employees, and increasing administrative tasks to ensure compliance. This new addition to the program will deter business expansion, entrepreneurship and job creation. The Senate voted 28-20 to pass an amended version of the bill and the House voted 5738 to concur.
HB 1912 - fixes a component of the Climate Commitment Act by exempting fuels used for agriculture, thereby providing the financial relief to farmers that had been promised to them when the CCA originally passed. The Senate voted 49-0 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the House voted 94-2 to concur.
HB 5284 - sponsored by Sen. Liz Lovelett from the 40th district, requires manufacturers of packaging and paper products to fund recycling services, the costs of which will inevitably be passed onto consumers. This will lead to higher prices for groceries and other products. In addition, the bill includes arbitrary exemptions that create an uneven playing field, delegates implementation authority to rulemaking processes, and will have an overall disproportionate impact on small businesses. Producers are required by the legislation to join a “producer responsibility organization,” creating a new level of state bureaucracy. Producers who do not join such an organization will be prohibited from selling products in Washington. The House voted 51-45 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the Senate voted 27-21 to concur.
HB 2049 - allows affluent/urban school districts to raise additional tax revenue while leaving poorer school districts behind. This bill will increase local property taxes for schools and changes the formulas associated with school funding to favor wealthy school districts by increasing enrichment levy limits by an additional $500 per student. This bill creates inequality among school districts, with additional tax revenue made available for affluent districts but no solutions for poorer, rural school districts. The House voted 5048, and the Senate voted 28-20 to pass a substitute version of the bill.
HB 2081 - bill increases the business and occupation tax rate for certain industries, particularly harming small businesses while allowing for exemptions for larger corporations. The House voted 50-48, and the Senate voted 26-22 to pass a substitute version of the bill.
SB 5801 - The State Transportation Package includes a gas tax increase of 6 cents per gallon, raising the total state gas tax to 55.4 cents per gallon, and includes some new fees to be paid by drivers. The legislation also includes an automatic 2 percent yearly inflation adjustment to the gas tax. In addition, the bill directs more funding toward non-road projects. The House voted 51-47 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the Senate voted 31-17 to concur.
2025
SB 5810 – This alternative state budget plan was originally proposed as a bill and later as an amendment in the Senate. The proposal was brought forward by Senate Republicans as a “no new taxes” plan to balance the state budget. The plan called for achieving a balanced budget by reducing wasteful spending but still increasing the size of government, providing a bonus to state employees and more while not increasing taxes. The Senate voted 29-19 to defeat this amendment, and it did not receive a floor vote in the House.
SB 5813 - increases the income tax on capital gains from 7 percent to 9.9 percent on earnings in excess of $1 million. The legislation also increases death taxes on estates by up to 15 percent, depending on taxable estate value. The House voted 53-45 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the Senate voted 27-21 to concur.
SB 5814 - increases consumer costs by expanding the sales tax. Some services that previously were exempted will now be subject to the sales tax, including information technology, advertising, security and staffing companies. These costs will be passed on to consumers through higher prices and will stunt economic growth. The House voted 50-47 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the Senate voted 26-22 to concur.
SB 5083 - cuts funding to hospitals from patients on state and school health insurance. The impact of the cuts will reduce health care access and distort the market through government price controls. These cuts by state government will be passed on to businesses purchasing health care and patients who need hospital services (those who are not insured by the state and schools). The House voted 57-39 to pass an amended version of the bill, and the Senate voted 29-19 to concur.
Bills that specifically impact Whatcom County that passed and were signed by the Governor, sponsored by Rep. Alex Ramel of the 40th District:
HB 1514 - This bill on thermal energy networks aims to continue developing a policy framework to encourage the rapid deployment of energy-efficient neighborhood heating and cooling systems. Bellingham’s waterfront district will be served with one of the first of these systems in our state. From Rep. Ramel: “HB 1514 will ensure that over time, the utility customers have access to fair, reasonable and predictable energy costs. These energy networks are also an opportunity to put skills and expertise from fossil fuel workforce and companies to work in building our clean energy future.” The bill passed the House 86-9 and the Senate 48-0.
HB 1494 - concerns the property tax exemptions for new and rehabilitated multiple unit dwellings in urban centers. The multifamily property tax exemption is a tool that many cities, including Bellingham, use to encourage housing development and affordability. From Rep. Ramel: “This bill is focused on making this program work better by implementing the many technical recommendations in the 2023 report from the state Department of Commerce. It also improves flexibility for a few counties to use the program in urban growth areas and expands a pilot program to encourage long-term rental affordability.” The bill passed the House 63-34 and Senate 30-18.
HB 1353 - Part of the solution to addressing the housing crisis in our county and across the state is increasing supply, and legislators often hear that permit wait times are barriers. The self-certification of “relatively easy permits” by architects is an idea that has some precedent in other states, and this bill proposes a trial program that Washington’s cities can opt into. If the trial is successful, it can be expanded in the future. The bill passed the House 94-1 and the Senate 49-0.
* Excused from vote.
Thank you to Rep. Alex Ramel for highlighting these Whatcom County funding items that were included in the 2025-2027 general operations budget, the capital budget or the transportation package that all passed and were signed into law:
• Western Washington University Heating Conversion Project: $41 million
• Pickford Theater: $237,000
• Affordable Housing at Lynden Transit Center: $500,000
• I-5/Slater Road Interchange Improvements: $32 million in 2025-2027
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