Business Pulse magazine November|December 2019

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MORE FISH, HEALTHY ECONOMY Stakeholders coming together to bring back healthy salmon runs

whatcom COUNTY CHILD CARE IN PERIL Q&A WITH JAY JULIUS, CHAIRMAN OF THE LUMMI INDIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL The PULSE of Whatcom County

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VOL. 44 | NO. 6 PUBLISHER | Tony Larson

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER | Melissa Vail Coffman EDITORS | Dave Brumbaugh, Mike McKenzie LIFESTYLE EDITOR | Danielle Larson COPY EDITOR | Larry Coffman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | Dave Brumbaugh, Sherri Huleatt, Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy, Mike McKenzie, Mary Louise Van Dyke

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— WBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS — BOARD CHAIR | Doug Thomas, CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | Jane Carten, President/Director, Saturna Capital; Pam Brady, Director NW Government & Public Affairs, BP Cherry Point; John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric; Tony Larson, President, Whatcom Business Alliance; Doug Thomas, President/CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage; Josh Turrell, Partner, Larson Gross PLLC BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Janelle Bruland, President/CEO, MSNW; Tyler Byrd, Founder/President, Red Rokk Interactive; Andy Enfield, Vice President, Enfield Farms; Bryant Engebretson, Owner, Tradewinds Capital; Jonathan Ensch, Commercial Banking Officer, Peoples Bank; Mitch Faber, Partner, Adelstein, Sharpe & Serka; Sandy Keathley, Founder, K & K Industries; Lynn Murphy, Sr. Government Affairs Rep, Puget Sound Energy; Laura McKinney, NW Regional Government & Public Affairs, Alcoa Intalco Works; Andy Riddell, NW Business Banking Manager, Wells Fargo; Becky Raney, Co-owner, Print & Copy Factory; Sarah Rothenbuhler, Owner/CEO, Birch Equipment; Patti Rowlson, Owner, PR Consulting; Galen Smith, Owner, Coldstream Farms; Billy VanZanten, President, Western Refinery Services, Josh Wright, VP/Broker, Bell-Anderson Insurance For editorial comments and suggestions, write editor@ businesspulse.com. The magazine is published bimonthly at 2423 E. Bakerview Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. 360.746.0418.

The yearly subscription rate is $30 (U.S.). For a free digital subscription, visit businesspulse.com. Entire contents copyrighted © 2019 Business Pulse. All rights reserved.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to Business Pulse, 2423 E. Bakerview Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226.

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Construction Begins on 91-Unit Barkley Village Apartment Complex

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arkley Company announced the official groundbreaking for The Weatherby, its latest addition to the Barkley neighborhood. Located near the center of this growing mixed-use neighborhood, the apartment complex will have 91 one- and two-bedroom units, a total of 4,500 square feet of amenity space, and 102,000 square feet of residential living space all on a 1.34acre parcel on Barkley Boulevard in Bellingham.

The Weatherby will incorporate innovative and integrated design features and tenant amenities more often associated with condominium living in large metropolitan areas. These features will include concierge-like building management, secured parcel room, a secured bicycle storage and repair room, an under-building parking garage, outdoor garden space, and a private entertainment room for parties and larger gatherings. High-end finishes will be featured throughout. A 140KW solar panel array, the largest residential installation in Bellingham, will provide for much of the electricity load of the building.

The Weatherby’s central location will put residents within an easy walk of the Haggen Grocery Store and the Regal Barkley IMAX cinema, as well as the many restaurants, shops, and services in Barkley Village. The Railroad trail, located directly

across the street from the Weatherby, provides access to miles of walking and biking opportunities.

“Our team is thrilled about the Weatherby. This project marks another significant milestone for the Village as we add to the vibrancy of this community we call Barkley. This project is the result of the combined and tireless efforts of Barkley Company, our design team, and our building partners in developing a neighborhood that continues to build upon the community-oriented vision of our ownership,” said Michael Bayless, CEO of Barkley Company.

“We’re very excited to be part of this outstanding project team and working with the Barkley Company in furthering its vision of community within Barkley Village,” said Kevin DeVries, CEO of Exxel Pacific, Inc. The building team for the project includes Exxel Pacific, general contractor; RMC Architects, project architect; and Shoesmith Architects, design architect. Barkley expects to offer apartments for rent at The Weatherby in the Spring of 2021. Leasing will be managed by Westview Real Estate.

The Barkley Company is the master developer of Barkley Village, a 250-acre urban village in Bellingham, with a mix of residential, retail, office, and civic uses.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 11

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Newsmakers, Out and About, Philanthropy, Marketing, and much more...

QA and

Photo by Mike McKenzie

DEPARTMENTS

inside

PULSE

Jeremiah (Jay) Julius, Chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council, at Loomis Trail Golf Course near Blaine.

Collaborative Style Spurs Julius’ Leadership As Major Lummi Projects Move Forward Lummi Nation Community Park, healthcare center, and pedestrian safety, I-5/Slater Salish Village development on front burner for LIBC

BY MIKE MCKENZIE

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n his third term—ninth year—on the Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC), Jeremiah (Jay) Julius serves as Chairman.

The 11-person council governs the sovereign Lummi Nation.

He is a man of many passions: fishing, golf, husband and father of three, Thai noodles. And love of Lummi culture and traditions that fuels his desire to help lead continued prosperity.

Though a fisherman by trade, he succeeded in entrepreneurial ventures in California. Jay visited with Mike McKenzie about the LIBC’s vision, projects, and spirit, and a collaborative style in getting things done.

What’s all the work across from the Casino?

That’s the first phase of the Lummi Nation Community Park, starting with seven acres of a park, paths, and two lighted baseball fields. This type of project is a big need for our community, and seen as a prevention method for our youth. It allows children and families to come together for healthy and fun activities.

Business Pulse: What’s on the front burner with the LIBC? Jay: We have several large projects going on. A park and baseball fields, lighted sidewalks, Slater Road and I-5 development, a new health facility. It’s a fun, exciting, busy time.

Where are the new sidewalks?

Lighted sidewalks are going in on Lummi Shore Road stretching from Northwest Indian College campus to Scott Road. This is important because many people walk to and from school and work, which can be dangerous, especially when it’s dark and in inclement weather. It’s similar to what we did a few years ago on Haxton Way from Kwina to Slater. Next we’ll do the same going south on Haxton.

What kind of health facility?

A 50,000-square-foot clinic is going up across the street from our government building on Kwina Road, a state-of-the-art facility.

10% of the design is done. We’ve hired KMD Architects out of Seattle. We’ll break ground in 2020.

It was much needed because our health clinic that was built in the late ’70s gets tens of thousands of visits each year, and it’s falling apart. The new one will triple the size, and service the healthcare needs of our people as well as other tribes in our region.

It’s been written that the I-5/Slater project is a truck stop. Is that accurate?

Salish Village is under way, although we still have multiple visions for it that we’re considering. We have studies in the works for an indoor water park, a fueling station, and for retail.

We’re very cautious about retail because of tax situations— tribal, state, county, City of Ferndale, etc…nobody likes to pay double taxes, and that impacts the cost of goods on our properties. We also must consider the impact of cyberspace—Internet

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By Mike McKenzie

Lummi Nation Community Park, healthcare center, and pedestrian safety, I-5/Slater Salish Village development on front burner for LIBC PULSE

AFTER HOURS BOOKS + EVENTS NOT TO

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Tony Larson, President of the Whatcom Business Alliance, and Trudy Shuravloff, Executive Director of Whatcom Dream, hope to see many donations again for the Christmas Shoppe.

Donations Needed For Whatcom Dream’s Christmas Shoppe

BY MARY LOUISE VAN DYKE AND BUSINESS PULSE STAFF

T

rudy Shuravloff, Executive Director of The Whatcom Dream, eagerly looks forward to Dec. 6, when more than 150 local families will purchase gifts for their children at The Christmas Shoppe in Bellingham.

Tears and hugs always flow at this annual event as parents browse through and select new toys and gift cards for presents.

Participants enjoy dinner and a visit from Santa. Child care is available. “We give families opportunities to have as normal a Christmas as possible,” Shuravloff said.

Individuals, companies, and the Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA) provide donations of new toys, such as bicycles, Legos, dolls, sports gear, and other playthings, plus gift cards—with a goal of $20,000 worth.

The Whatcom Dream is a nonprofit that also offers values-based financial literacy courses, the Gotcha Covered Community Clothing Store, and Poverty IQ Training, which helps with workshops to raise awareness of local impoverishment.

The Christmas Shoppe recipients consist primarily of families who attend Whatcom Dream classes, coaching, and counseling, and vulnerable families experiencing hardships such as homelessness. Shuravloff cited her personal experience to underscore

the importance of this project. “I was a low-income mom, too,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be on the low end of things.”

The Christmas Shoppe evolved five years ago out of the Community Toy Store holiday gift assistance program. The toy selection is unique because parents purchase the gifts at 75-90% off original retail prices.

Many holiday gift programs give away toys, and Shuravloff finds no fault with that. She explained that Whatcom Dream operates on the premise that paying for gifts preserve dignity for families with low wage-earning parents. “We want to provide a really good product at an affordable price to hard-working families,” she said.

The Whatcom Business Alliance encourages members to participate in the program. Many like Dewey Griffin Subaru, Saturna Capital, and MSNW have supplied a variety of donations over the last five years, ranging from toys and gift cards.

Others donate cash.

As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work,” and volunteers are always needed to help assemble bicycles, wrap presents, and myriad other ways. For more information about donating or volunteering, email Shuravloff: trudy@thewhatcomdream. org, or call 360.319.3759.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 47

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FEATURES

inside

PULSE

One Man’s Passion Teeters On the Brink

BY CHERYL STRITZEL MCCARTHY

The failing economics of the child-care industry is a ticking time bomb affecting businesses and families across Whatcom County, according to Michael Watters, Executive Director and Founder of Kids’ World—a child-care provider, with six facilities on four campuses in Bellingham and Ferndale.

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By Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy

Whatcom County Child Care In Peril

will olympia bite on bellingham’s hatchery plan?

Tribes also pivotal to salmon-boosting Effort

By Dave Brumbaugh

39

By Dave Brumbaugh

Stakeholders Coming Together To Bring Back Healthy Salmon Runs

P+ your cue to look for additional content online @ businesspulse.com

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publisher’s note

Become An Insider: Read Business Pulse Cover To Cover TONY LARSON Publisher, Business Pulse President, Whatcom Business Alliance

O

ver the last 30 years I’ve had the benefit of reading Business Pulse Magazine in its entirety before it goes to the printer. We call it proofing the mag.

Very seldom do I write this publisher’s note before I’ve proofed the mag. Without exception, while reading through it, I’ll find things to comment about.

It makes me feel like a real community insider. I’ve learned more about the people, news, issues, and trends that shape our community in the pages of Business Pulse than probably anywhere else. I’ll go to community events and I’ll get a question about something, and I realize that the answer I dust off came from the pages of Business Pulse.

I just finished reading this issue and want to give you a summary of just a few things you’ll learn inside.

Where focus goes, energy flows. Until now, not much focus has been directed to the failing economics of the child-care industry.

If that doesn’t change, Whatcom County will have a crisis on its hands. Mike Watters is the founder and Executive Director of Kids’ World, the largest private child-care provider in Whatcom County with six facilities on four campuses in Bellingham and Ferndale, plus a retreat facility.

In this issue, we interview Mike at a time when demand for his services are high and necessary, but the industry continues to dwindle. This is the result of unintended policy consequences and a lack of understanding at the government level about how to create economics that best serve low income families.

Mike, who has a big heart for serving, will be forced to (a.) significantly limit the number of low-income families he serves and increase prices to other families; (b.) lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, or (c.) close the business and develop his properties into housing units. The latter may be his only viable option. As you’ll read, it’s not just about the kids. It will impact companies trying to hire people who require childcare.

The three-article package starts on page 32.

It broadly illustrates the problem; solutions have not yet been offered.

Conversely, starting on page 39 we talk about a big solution to a problem that has been brewing for years.

The proposed solution comes from a newly formed group called San Juan AREA Sea Life (SJASL). The group has created an initiative that would bring the salmon run in the San Juan Islands back to 1985 peak levels. That would have significant positive impacts not only on the local fishing, processing, and cold storage industries, but also would have an indirect positive benefit to farming, and thereby produce much more of the preferred food stock for the southern resident orca whales.

The project is modeled after the Douglas Island Pink and Chum (DIPAC) Hatchery in Juneau, Alaska. The DIPAC started in 1976 and today stands out as one of the most successful salmon hatcheries in the world, producing more than 138 million salmon fingerlings for release each year.

The success of this project will require collaboration with and cooperation from

8 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

a number of partners. The SJASL has been actively working to bring together the Lummi Nation, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Whatcom County, City of Bellingham, Port of Bellingham, and a number of industry people from commercial and sports fishing, tourism, education, agriculture, environmental groups, legislators, and business groups like the Whatcom Business Alliance.

This is a story well worth reading. If the SJASL succeeds, it would have far-reaching, positive consequences that reach well beyond the huge potential economic benefit for Whatcom County.

Also, in this edition I’d point you to a great interview with the Chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC) that starts on page 44. Jay Julius is an insightful leader, good businessman, and a person very committed to the customs, traditions, and heritage of the Lummi Nation. The interview explores what the Lummi Nation has on the front burner, Jay’s leadership style, and a little about his background and accomplishments since he became Chairman in 2017.

I believe making our community better starts first with people getting to know each other. The Q&A in Business Pulse has always been about giving you an opportunity to learn about people you haven’t met. I hope you find the content in this issue as enjoyable, interesting and beneficial as I have.

Enjoy the issue!

—Tony Larson

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Construction Begins on 91-Unit Barkley Village Apartment Complex

B

arkley Company announced the official groundbreaking for The Weatherby, its latest addition to the Barkley neighborhood. Located near the center of this growing mixed-use neighborhood, the apartment complex will have 91 one- and two-bedroom units, a total of 4,500 square feet of amenity space, and 102,000 square feet of residential living space all on a 1.34acre parcel on Barkley Boulevard in Bellingham.

The Weatherby will incorporate innovative and integrated design features and tenant amenities more often associated with condominium living in large metropolitan areas. These features will include concierge-like building management, secured parcel room, a secured bicycle storage and repair room, an under-building parking garage, outdoor garden space, and a private entertainment room for parties and larger gatherings. High-end finishes will be featured throughout. A 140KW solar panel array, the largest residential installation in Bellingham, will provide for much of the electricity load of the building.

The Weatherby’s central location will put residents within an easy walk of the Haggen Grocery Store and the Regal Barkley IMAX cinema, as well as the many restaurants, shops, and services in Barkley Village. The Railroad trail, located directly

across the street from the Weatherby, provides access to miles of walking and biking opportunities.

“Our team is thrilled about the Weatherby. This project marks another significant milestone for the Village as we add to the vibrancy of this community we call Barkley. This project is the result of the combined and tireless efforts of Barkley Company, our design team, and our building partners in developing a neighborhood that continues to build upon the community-oriented vision of our ownership,” said Michael Bayless, CEO of Barkley Company.

“We’re very excited to be part of this outstanding project team and working with the Barkley Company in furthering its vision of community within Barkley Village,” said Kevin DeVries, CEO of Exxel Pacific, Inc. The building team for the project includes Exxel Pacific, general contractor; RMC Architects, project architect; and Shoesmith Architects, design architect. Barkley expects to offer apartments for rent at The Weatherby in the Spring of 2021. Leasing will be managed by Westview Real Estate.

The Barkley Company is the master developer of Barkley Village, a 250-acre urban village in Bellingham, with a mix of residential, retail, office, and civic uses.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 11

leading edge NEWSMAKERS

People On the Move...

Baldwin

Kent

Sytsma

Michael Baldwin, Co-Owner of Whatcom Land Trust Co. for more than 25 years, has taken a position as the company’s Operations Manager. Baldwin said he will focus on streamlining systems that will make the company more efficient for clients in its Bellingham, Birch Bay, and Lynden branches.

Locally owned and one of the top 100 privately owned companies in Whatcom County, the firm offers title insurance and escrow services. Baldwin also noted that “there are so many great nonprofit organizations in Whatcom County that we love to support.”

He is a commissioner of the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation and previously served for more than 30 years as the Director of the culinary arts associate degree program at Bellingham Technical College.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has announced that Mike Kent, a Birch Bay realtor, has become a Golden “R” Hall of Fame investor in the Realtors Political Action Committee (RPAC), a national bipartisan political advocacy group that works to protect the real-estate industry and the dream of homeownership for Whatcom County residents.

Kent has supported RPAC for 20 years and has been a member of NAR since 1998. He is past President of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors, was named one of the Top 50 agents in the United States by Real Estate Magazine, received both Whatcom County and Washington State Community Service

Walker

Madison

Awards in 2013, and continues to work with various charitable organizations. As a licensed auctioneer, Mike also assists Habitat for Humanity, Royal Family Kids Camp, and numerous other local organizations with fund raising. And he can also be heard weekly on KGMI’s Saturdaymorning “Radio Real Estate” show.

“I strongly support RPAC because doing so is important to my profession and, more importantly, preserves the opportunity for the American dream and protecting private-property rights,” said Kent.

Since 1969, RPAC has promoted the election of pro-real estate candidates across the United States. In addition, RPAC uses its resources to develop public policies that make it easier for consumers to own homes and build their communities, through commercial investment.

The NAR is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

CPA Robert Sytsma, a member of The BEI Network of Exit Planning Professionals, has earned the the BEI CExP designation, the highest standard for Exit Planning certification. Through rigorous testing and in-depth coursework, Sytsma demonstrated that he is qualified to provide comprehensive, professionally executed Exit Planning services to the business community.

“Exit Planning Professionals who successfully complete the BEI Certified Exit

12 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

Bushey

Taji

Planner program are premiere Exit Planning Professionals because their in-depth knowledge and demonstrated application of The BEI Seven Step Exit Planning Process,” said John Brown, President of Business Enterprise Institute. “It perfectly positions them to counsel business owners and their advisors on a wide array of business issues, ranging from building value within a business to identifying exit objectives, addressing key employee incentive planning and retention issues, incorporating business-continuity planning, and establishing wealth preservation.”

Sytsma, a partner at VSH CPAs, has been practicing in public accounting since 1979 and is a founding partner of VSH. Bob is the leader of VSH’s Valuation, Transition Planning and Financial Reporting groups, where he works with a diverse set of client industries, including technology, supply chain, healthcare, and services. He is a long-time Rotarian and is a member of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Technology Alliance Group.

Founded in 1997, VSH is a 40+ person firm led by partners Chris Sullivan, Sytsma, Kathy Herndon, Jessica Waggoner, and Mark Roetcisoender. The firm has offices in Bellingham and Mount Vernon with a significant cross-border Canadian presence.

Guardian NW Title & Escrow has opened a Bellingham branch and appointed experienced escrow officer Tammy Walker as its Manager.

A grand opening was held for the new

branch, which offers title and escrow services for real-estate transactions, at 3800 Byron Ave., Suite 140. Guardian now has five branches, with other offices in Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Oak Harbor, and on Camano Island.

Walker, a Bellingham High School graduate, has more than 25 years of experience as a licensed escrow officer in Whatcom County and previously managed another title office in Bellingham for more than 10 years.

Gale Hickok, who was born in Bellingham and attended Sehome High School, is Guardian’s General Manager and majority owner along with wife, Marla. The company was founded in 1970 as Skagit County Title and became Guardian NW Title & Escrow in 2006.

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Ferndale-based MSNW has recently promoted one and hired two new staff members.

Jessica Madison was promoted to Operation Manager in Seattle, assisting Jason Sullivan in running the branch. She began at MSNW as a janitor and quickly moved into a lead position, prior to her promotion.

Joseph Bushey has joined MSNW as the Human Resources Manager. Previously, he was a District Manager at Aramark in Bellingham and, prior to that, served 24 years in the U.S. Army in human resources. He will be responsible for managing the day-to-day human resources operations including payroll, benefits, training, and employee relations.

Hamza Taji has joined MSNW as the Operations Manager for the Portland Branch. He was a Service Delivery Team Manager at Relay Resources, before joining MSNW. Prior to that, Taji held supervisory positions at US Bancorp.

MSNW offers complete facilities management services including janitorial, landscaping, maintenance, and specialty services, in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Founded in 1995 by Janelle Bruland, the company has expanded its capabilities to serve clients in the medical, financial, commercial/industrial, and grocery fields. MSNW has been named to the Fastest-Growing Private Companies Lists by Inc. Magazine and the Puget Sound Business Journal.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 13

leading edge NEWSMAKERS

Hotel Leo Opens Nov. 1 This Fall, a historic hotel again will be open in the heart of downtown Bellingham, on the site where the original Byron Hotel opened in 1889.

The Hotel Leo, located at 1224 Cornwall Ave., has 40 hotel rooms, split between the wing that was constructed in 1968 as a modern motor-inn and the adjoining brick tower built in 1929. The lobby and social areas are shared with 52 residential units, called The Leopold Apartments. This is the first mixed-residential and hotel property in Bellingham, a combination that has become popular in luxury hotels in Seattle and cities across the country, according to Peter Frazier, Hotel Leo’s Managing Partner.

“Downtown Bellingham has an attractive mix of restaurants, stores, business, breweries and events that draw visitors in,” Frazier

said. “We’re excited to be adding a modern, high-quality hotel within walking distance of them, and we hope to grow with the neighborhood.”

The apartments were renovated and began filling up with new residents in July, while work has been ongoing in the hotel floors through the Summer. New bathrooms, kitchens, paint, tile, and flooring have transformed the vintage rooms.

Hotel owners Peter Frazier and Aimee Frazier and Bob Hall are committed to the downtown community and focused on utilizing local businesses as they remodeled the hotel. Artwork in the rooms was created

by Ginger Oppenheimer and Doug Bensch.

Nearly 75% of Hotel Leo’s furnishings, equipment, and materials come from local businesses, including The Greenhouse, Ideal,

‘Floating’ Shadow Box Building Completed Through the collective efforts and talents of local companies, an extraordinary new commercial building has been added to the Bellingham cityscape. The dynamic contemporary design of what appears to be a “floating” building might be expected in large urban centers, like L.A. or Seattle, but is an exciting departure from normal Whatcom County commercial structures.

The just-completed building at 554 West Bakerview is poised to become a readily identifiable landmark for one, or possibly two businesses looking to stand out and be noticed. The shape, transparency, and unique profile allow for maximum interior-layout flexibility. Located on one of Bellingham’s most heavily traveled streets, the new building will offer maximum consumer exposure, with more than 25,000 vehicles passing by daily.

Realtor Mike Kent said that, from the initial planning stages on, it was the goal to design a building that would establish a new benchmark in creativity and reflect

the region’s vibrant business strength and growth. “We know there are outside businesses looking to establish themselves in the community quickly, as well as existing businesses that are ready to expand and have a much higher profile,” Kent said in discussing prospective tenants.

The most unusual feature about the Shadow Box Building, aside from its striking appearance, is that it was designed, built, and is being marketed by an entirely local team.

The developer, Wise Enterprises, is well known throughout Whatcom County for its vision and successful developments, including Darby Estates, Marine Drive Business Park, @Eliza apartment homes, and, most recently, Semiahmoo Shore.

Excel Pacific was chosen for the construction of G&R Architecture and Design’s plan, while Markie Nelson Design provided interior-design elements.

The property is being listed and marketed by local Windermere real estate agents Kent and Jeff Johnson.

14 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

Mt. Baker Plywood, Fitness Gear & Training, Judd & Black, RFDesign, Frameworks, and Hertco Kitchens, among others.

Hotel Leo worked with interior designer Michelle Banks of Bellingham firm Spiral Studios on the rooms and other updates.

Comfort and style were considered in equal measure and the results include plush beds, beautiful modern furnishings, and gorgeously tiled bathrooms. Some rooms include kitchenettes appointed with Le Cruset cookware and new ranges, making it a great choice for visitors planning a longer stay or who just prefer home cooking.

Views from the rooms include peek-aboo and full views over Bellingham Bay, as well as postcard-worthy views of the iconic Bellingham buildings all around.

Hotel Leo again will be hosting events in the ground-floor Crystal Ballroom, Chandelier Room, and other event spaces.

The hotel guests and apartment residents will share use of an exceptional fitness facility, spanning multiple rooms and offering universal, weight, and stretching equipment.

The social lounge and library afford space for working, meeting, or playing a game (including shuffleboard and pool). The Clark Gable Theater will have a rotation of films showing.

Hotel Leo’s owners are seeking a tenant to lease much of its ground floor for a restaurant, lounge, and events in the Crystal Ballroom, and they hope to see the property return to its role as the social center of Bellingham, Frazier said.

Frazier and his wife, Aimee, were part of a team that designed and developed Bellingham’s Heliotrope Hotel in 2016. The Fraziers and Bob Hall also are co-owners of the Heliotrope. Jamie Verkist is General Manager of both hotels.

Rooms are being released for reservations as the finishing touches are completed on each floor, with the first hotel guests being welcomed Nov. 1. For more information or reservations, call 360.739.0250 or visit www. thehotelleo.com.

WCLS Offers Online Access To InvestmentResearch Data The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) now offers online access to the Value Line investment-research database, which helps users do research for smarter investing. All that’s needed is a WCLS library card and an Internet connection.

Value Line is best known for publishing “The Value Line Investment Survey,” a stock analysis newsletter that long has been one of the most highly regarded and widely used independent investment research resources in global investment and trading markets.

The online resource provides investment-related data, news, and analysis for 1,700 stocks of widely followed, analyst-covered companies. Each stock is explored in a full-page report, with analyst commentaries, as well as timeliness and safety rankings. The Timeliness Rank measures probable price performance during the next six to 12 months, and The Safety Rank measures the company’s financial strength and the stock’s long-term price stability relative to other stocks.

For those new to the investment world, the “Find Ideas” feature helps with discovery of compelling investment opportunities, using flexible tools. such as “High Returns Earned on Total Capital” or “Timely Stocks in Timely Industries.”

Collection Services Manager Lisa Gresham noted that, for many years, the WCLS Ferndale Library had a subscription to the print edition of Value Line and that patrons would wait at the library for it to arrive on its appointed day. “WCLS is excited to offer this highly respected information source to library users digitally, accessible from the comfort of their own home or workplace,” Gresham said.

To access Value Line, visit wcls.org/ digital-content/ and click on “Value Line Investment Research” in the alphabetical list of databases. When prompted, enter your library card number and PIN. No library card? Not a problem! Sign up for a card online at wcls.org/get-a-library-card/ or visit any public library in Whatcom County to register in person. P+

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Call for a FREE Consultation: (360) 734-8715 For Workshops and Additional Information: www.vshcpa.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 15

leading edge NUMBERS

Local Impact of Home Building In Whatcom County During 2018

767

Single-family homes built in Whatcom County

$209,126,900 $37,059,000 Family wages generated

State and local taxes generated

2,824 Jobs created

16 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

Source: National Association of Home Builders, Housing Policy Department, July 2019 Study P+

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leading edge OUT AND ABOUT 2

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Photos by Tiffany Brooks

Spend more time with your guests and leave the cooking to us. From convenient On-the-Go platters to Full Service event planning, Market Street Catering by Haggen can take care of all the details.

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Illuminate NW Holds Its First Annual Business Leaders of Faith conference On September 19 At the Ferndale Event Center

1.866.912.2233

www.marketstreetcatering.com 210 36th Street, Bellingham ©2019 Haggen • 190612-05

Over 350 guests heard from speakers Jake Locker, former Tennessee Titans quarterback; Wes Herman, CEO, The Woods Coffee; Bruce Barlean, CEO, Barlean’s; Janelle Bruland, CEO, MSNW; Jason Hubbard, Executive Director, Light of the World Prayer Center, and Peter Legge, CEO, Canada Wide Media, and how they manage business, faith, and community. Photos: 1. The Reyes family with Jake Locker (L-R) Katherine, William, and Daniel. 2. Leann Akers; Lynda Erickson. 3. (L-R) Michael Leland, Wes Herman, Dave Olson, Eric Abel. 4. Tony Larson interviews Bruce Barlean, Barlean’s. 5. Mike McKenzie, Editor, Business Pulse magazine. 6. Jason Hubbard, Light of the World Prayer Center; Dan Driediger. 7. Bob Pritchett, Faithlife; Graham Youtsey, MSNW. 8. Heather and Troy Muljat, The Muljat Group.

18 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

POWER THROUGH YOUR AGENDA. CELEBRATE WITH S’MORES. TEAMBUILDING ACCOMPLISHED. Just 30 minutes from Bellingham, Semiahmoo is a convenient meeting location with a penchant for fun. So after you’ve knocked out your serious business, kick back and relax on the beach with s’mores, play a round of golf, or race through our photo scavenger hunt. Come to work, stay to play.

For more information, call 360.318.2060 or email sales@semiahmoo.com

semiahmoo.com

Courtesy of Mount Baker Rotary Club

leading edge PHILANTHROPY

Representatives of the Mount Baker Rotary Club and its Founder Level ($10,000+) of donors received an early look at the climbing boulders being installed.

Rotary Club Leads Drive For $300,000 Sports Park

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BY DAVE BRUMBAUGH

local community-service organization that has contributed much to Whatcom County is creating a $300,000 sportspark-within-a-park at Lynden’s Bender Fields.

With generous donations from numerous Whatcom County businesses and individuals, the Lynden-based Mount Baker Rotary Club broke ground in September on the project. When finished next Spring, it will include three climbing boulders, two basketball courts, four pickleball courts and a sand-volleyball court.

“Everybody likes something about this project,” said Jeff Roberts, President of the Mount Baker Rotary Club.

Roberts originally envisioned two climbing boulders and basketball courts, but the donations of cash, services and supplies have expanded the project. The Founder Level ($10,000+ in donations) includes The Dick Bedlington Family Foundation; Guy and Kathy Jansen; Kevin DeVries, Exxel Pacific; MSNW; LTI, Inc./Milky Way, and The Blackburn Family. The Legacy Level ($5,000​+) includes Farmer’s Equipment, Jeff and Rachel Roberts, Karen Timmer, Reichhardt & Ebe, Len Honcoop Gravel, DeKoster Excavating, Edward Jones-Brett Hendricks, Charlie’s Auto Body, and The Windermere Foundation.

The Lynden Regional Parks & Recreation District, the government entity that owns Bender Fields, also pledged $25,000 to fund a third climbing boulder that will add another challenging element for climbing enthusiasts in Whatcom County and British Columbia.

Each club president typically leads a project during their oneyear term. When Roberts recalled one of the club’s most popular

contributions, the Million Smiles Playground at Lynden City Park, he noted its appeal to young children, but added, “There’s not enough for the older children and adults to do.” There’s plenty now. After announcing the concept April 15, Roberts said the donations and efforts of club members made it possible for the climbing boulders, pickleball courts and basketball courts to be used by mid-October. Lighting and lines will be added to the sand-volleyball court in the Spring.

Mount Baker Rotary Club didn’t take the cheap route, either.

The first two man-made climbing boulders were transported from Colorado. One weighs 18,000 pounds and is 10 feet high, while the other weighs about 10,000 pounds and is nine feet high. Two of the basketball courts will have deluxe outdoor surfaces, breakaway rims, and glass backboards.

“These are going to be the nicest outdoor basketball courts in Whatcom County,” Roberts said.

All of this is occupying just one acre of the 56-acre Bender Fields complex, centrally located in Lynden and used by youths and adults playing soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, cricket, and bocce ball. Backers of the project say it will be ideal for families. When one family member is playing an organized team sport, others can engage in individual and informal activities at the sports park. And lighting will extend the time that the park can be enjoyed.

Donations still are being sought to add park benches, picnic tables, and landscaping, Roberts said. To make a donation or learn more, visit mountbakerrotary.com or the club’s Facebook page.

20 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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leading edge MARKETING

Why Am I Seeing This Ad? And how Google and Facebook determine the ads you see

BY SHERRI HULEATT

T

he Internet, not surprisingly, knows a lot about me. All is garnered from my infatuation with Googling new vacation spots (please don’t tell my husband), to my yearning to be a better gardener (super grateful they can’t see the finished product), to my affinity for clicking on cat memes, puns, and all things Beyoncé.

How do I know what the Internet says about me? Because I can easily access my Facebook and Google ad profiles online. These profiles, which are based on my browsing history and online and app activity (both brands collect data from partner sites and apps, as well as their own platforms), allow both companies to document my interests.

That’s how they can sell ads to marketers wanting to target consumers with my interests and demographic profile.

Reviewing your ad profiles can be an interesting (albeit, slightly unnerving) way to see whether the Internet got your

personality “right.” More importantly, reviewing your ad profiles reveals what data is being collected on you, and how.

To view your ad profiles, go to these links: Google: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated Your Google ad profile lists demographic information and interests, including brands you like, hobbies, entertainment preferences, and more. If you see an incorrect interest on this page, click the interest to turn it off; this, in theory, allows you to see ads more tailored to your interests.

Or, if you’re totally creeped out by how much data Google has on you—welcome to the club—here are a few things you can do: Scroll to the top of the Ad Settings page (linked above) and turn personalization “off.”

Go to myactivity.google.com and choose the option to automatically delete your web and app activity.

Log out of your Google account while browsing and/or turn

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on “incognito” mode in your browser.

Keep in mind: Google owns YouTube, so your online video activity is also factored into your profile.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ ads/preferences Your Facebook ad profile (if you have a Facebook account) is likely more detailed than your Google profile and is based on your Facebook activity, your Facebook account info (which includes your demographic and device-usage information), and your activity on Facebook’s many partner websites and apps. Your profile also shows the companies that have uploaded contact lists with your information on them to Facebook, so they can target you with ads.

While you can’t turn Facebook ads off, you do have a few options to update your ad and data capture preferences: Go to the Ad Preferences link above and remove irrelevant interests.

On the same page under “Your Information,” turn off sharing your demographic information and under “Ad Settings” select “Not Allowed” for the partner data sharing options.

If you see an irrelevant ad while using Facebook, select the three dots in the upper right corner and choose “Hide ad”.

Pro-tip: Get rid of those sometimes-pesky Amazon remarking ads by selecting “Do not personalize ads from Amazon” at https://www.amazon.com/ adprefs.

What you as an Internet user must keep in mind is that Google and Facebook can be invaluable tools for learning and connecting with others, but they’re not free.

You pay for them with your personal data, by which they sell ads.

The good news, though, is there are ways to use the Internet with a little more privacy. Likewise, with online privacy becoming a growing consumer concern, more online companies, e.g., Google and Facebook, are becoming increasingly transparent about the data they collect and how they collect it.

You might not be able to control the inundation of digital ads every day, but you can, to an extent, control the content you see by editing your interests and data-capture preferences.

Good luck!

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 23

Photo by Scott Book

leading edge ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

A Fresh Spin On Dry Cleaning Brio of Bellingham opens as one of the few environmentally sustainable dry cleaners on the continent

BY SHERRI HULEATT

T

he vast majority of dry cleaners in the U.S. have used traditional dry-cleaning methods for more than 60 years—utilizing a chemical solvent to wash delicate clothes (yes, wash…dry cleaning is a misnomer) before tucking them away in individual plastic bags for pick-up by their owners.

In Bellingham, entrepreneur Colleen Unema, owner of Brio Laundry and Brio Cleaners, has broken that traditional dry-cleaning cycle. Already the successful founder and owner of Brio Laundry, Unema opened Brio Cleaners in September as one of the most environmentally sustainable dry-cleaning facilities in North America.

Brio Cleaners uses state-of-the-art machines imported from Sweden, all-natural soaps and products, compostable apparel bags (as opposed to single-use plastic bags), and, according to the Brio website, products so safe that “…we can drink our solvent.”

This is a significant shift from most American dry cleaners, which—according to research from several sources—rely on Perchloroethylene, or “PERC,” a chemical solvent used to wash clothes in the traditional dry-cleaning process. (“Dry cleaning” isn’t “dry”—it just uses a solvent instead of water). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PERC is a known health and environmental toxin and likely a human carcinogen.

Despite this, it’s been used across the country’s 28,000 dry cleaners for the last six decades. Wearing clothes washed with

PERC doesn’t raise health concerns per se, but exposure to this chemical does through air, soil, or drinking water.

In 2007, California became the first state to ban PERC, ruling that dry cleaners must phase the chemical solvent out of their businesses by 2023. Stricter PERC restrictions were issued here in Washington during the Summer of 2019, with a caveat that the federal government is considering stricter restrictions or a ban that could be issued in 2021.

To circumvent the usage of PERC, Unema traveled to North Carolina to learn a new process called “wet cleaning” that uses water, special machines, and non-toxic solvents to produce the same results as traditional dry cleaning, but with a significantly smaller environmental impact.

“I was shocked when I studied the industry,” Unema said.

“So I researched (worldwide) how to do this without the chemical load for my workers, the customer, and the environment.

Laundry should not increase a person’s chemical load.”

Brio Cleaners is one of just three dry cleaners in North America that uses advanced Electrolux machines built in Sweden. While “green” machines like these have been used in large hotels and in other industries, such as cruise ships and at Disneyland, these machines are practically unheard of for small operations like Brio.

It’s so rare, in fact, that the president of Electrolux’s North American headquarters has visited Brio three times in the last

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year to help Unema get her business and machines up and running.

“When (traditional dry cleaners) started 60 years ago, it was okay to use PERC, but time and knowledge have advanced...so the industry must change,” Unema said.

“We are just so far out in the lead, it hurts.”

Unema said her business isn’t just cutting edge, it’s “bleeding edge.” The newness of her approach came with a hefty price tag (“it would curl your hair,” she said, declining to divulge the cost) and plenty of growing pains.

Unema purchased a former dry-cleaning company in June 2018, but an estimated three-month facelift turned into a year-long renovation, during which everything was stripped out of the old building—floors, walls, wiring, plumbing, roof. Everything.

While gutting their new facility, Unema established operations in Brio Cleaners out of a warehouse for nearly a year, training personnel and committing to maintain a strong environmental focus while their location was in limbo. “I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” Unema said.

Part of the renovation struggle centered around how outdated the dry-cleaning industry is. “We hired a contractor, but no one has built a dry cleaners in the last 30 years. It was all trial and error.”

After many ups and downs, Unema finally celebrated Brio Cleaners’ grand opening in its upgraded 3,000-squarefoot facility on James Street in September 2019. Her long-term vision is to sell the business to someone who will grow it.

“I’m a starter-upperer,” she said.

She’s built and documented the operations with impeccable detail so she can sell to someone who can immediately run with them, adhering to the non-toxic stewardship model in an industry mostly devoid of it.

Brio Cleaners has six employees, some part-time, but plans call for growing to eight soon. “I’m most proud of my employees,” Unema said. The team earns a retirement plan, competitive pay, and profit-sharing options as part of her business motto, “People, planet, profit.”

She concluded, “I value my people above all else. They, in turn, take care of our customers. It takes all of us to be mindful of taking care of our environment.”

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Photo by Mike McKenzie

leading edge SMALL BUSINESS

Haulin’ Ash

Customers (and Santa) love a helping hand

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BY MIKE MCKENZIE

ob Hand’s work throughout Whatcom and Skagit Counties suits Santa. Rather, it un-soots Santa. Bob is a chimney sweep.

Approaching the holiday season, his company—Haulin’ Ash—was managing up to 40 calls a day (he’s the only game in town). During the seven-week run-up to Christmas Day, Hand will clean in the neighborhood of 400-500 chimneys.

And, in essence, thereby will circumnavigate fire, smoke, and soot and/or creosote damage that creates safety hazards.

Some calls might come for something else—a hearth, a stove, et al.

Forty years of service calls, and reams of certifications, and tons of ashes have led him across a broad range of dwellings, new-home construction, and commercial applications.

All the work evolves from two cocoons at the core of the company’s mission statement—education and safety.

Hand holds a degree in geology from Denison University. What’s the link between geology and sweeping soot and creosote? “None,” he said, pausing between tasks of inspecting and sweeping a chimney rising from a wood-burning stove at a residence.

“I was a single father wanting to own something where I could take care of a young son (age 8) and a business at the same time. So I bought this company.”

Experience at the time? “None.”

Well, a little bit, he ‘fessed up. “I worked for a friend who knew the basics of chimney repair and maintenance.” When the opportunity arose, Bob leapt in, and he’s been Haulin’ Ash ever since. “I’ve taken certified chimney-sweep classes for 30 years….I know a lot about this stuff.”

Back story: Hand grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. A visit to the Great Northwest hooked him and he moved to Bellingham. (“Saginaw, I read recently, is number four on the list of cities that people leave….”)

His daughter, Diana, books appointments and manages her father’s schedule. He’s constantly on the move, six days a week, all over the local map.

Hand hauls ash on an average of 12 service calls a day. He works only with a young apprentice (Zack, now with three years’ experience), arriving in a van topped by extra-long ladders and stocked with tools—including the all-important viper, imported from Germany, that snakes down the chimney.

Educating his customers is as important to Bob as fixing or preventing their problems. At the top of his you-must-know-this list: • Take no shortcuts. “You want correct installation that meets all the safety standards and building codes.

• Burn dry wood. “It burns hotter. Therefore, you get condensed smoke. The less smoke, the less creosote.” Hence, fewer scary fires.

With chimney inspection thrown in at no cost, Hand identifies any threat to structural damage, advises on recommended fixes (e.g., replacing aluminum caps, crowns, etc., with stainless steel, because extreme heat or fire melts aluminum), and he shoots photos and takes notes for use with repeat customers.

He works with every type of stoves and fireplaces (wood, oil, and gas). Further, he installs wood stoves; installs, removes, or replaces chimney lines, and repairs masonry and hearths. There’s also damper work, smoke-chamber checking, crown work, waterproofing, and even roof and gutter cleaning—because bird and animal nests, leaves, and debris create unsafe conditions.

Then there’s the matter of the sweep’s biggest ally, the jolly one who drops down chimneys with regularity once a year. “I tell children how Santa comes and, on the roof, he takes a pill that shrinks him so he can fit down the chimney,” Bob said with a wide smile. “And how he delivers the toys, then goes back up to the roof and takes another pill that puffs him up for the next house.”

When Santa makes his rounds hereabouts, he’ll find a plethora of clean chimneys to drop into. And Bellingham can boast that it had a Hand in it.

26 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPE

Please Join Whatcom Business Alliance and Business Pulse magazine in collaboration with The Whatcom Dream

Help us bring holiday cheer and support to local families this season!

Through December 4th, WBA will be turning our office in to a collection center for gifts that will be donated to The Whatcom Dream’s Christmas Shoppe.

The Christmas Shoppe allows parents/guardians of families in need to buy new, donated toys for their family at 75-90% off retail value.

Proceeds from The Christmas Shoppe will provide scholarships for financial literacy programs in Whatcom County.

Special thanks to: For more information, please call 360.746.0418

Unwrapped gifts must be delivered by 4pm Wednesday, Dec 4 to the WBA office 2423 E Bakerview Rd Bellingham WA 98226

leading edge GUEST COLUMN

Local Purchases Benefit Our Neighbors “Buying local creates more prosperous, entrepreneurial, connected, and generally better-off communities.”

– Derek Long, Executive Director, Sustainable Connections

BY DEREK LONG

T

he brevity of the call to “buy local” is intentional. It’s a simple and honest summation of the opportunity and responsibility we have to our communities to help create and sustain a vibrant place to live, work, and play. Buying from locally owned businesses strengthens the economic base of our communities and creates a powerful ripple effect throughout every facet of our neighborhoods.

Think about this. You buy a carton of raspberries from your locally owned grocery. They were supplied to that local grocery from a local farm, picked by local workers, and then sold to you, a local consumer.

You’re not just buying some raspberries. You’re investing in local businesses and jobs, enabling money to circulate throughout the infrastructure of your community, supporting local farmers on local land, reducing the carbon costs of transportation by finding-buying-eating goods from right where you live, promoting greater charitable contributions to local nonprofits, and creating a more diverse and equitable community.

When dollars are spent locally, they stay local. Locally owned businesses create two of every three new job opportunities, are more likely to donate to local charities than big business (up to four times as much, too), and recirculate a greater share of every dollar in the local economy. Studies show that, for every $100

spent in our community, at least $43 of that money stays here.

The Sustainable Connections’ 2018 Sustainability Champions confirm these numbers on a truly local-to-us level. Here are some examples. Dawson Construction donated a $100,000 solar array to Sehome High School to cut the school’s energy bills and help students to better understand the need for a renewable-energy future. Dandelion Organic Delivery exclusively sources its fresh produce boxes from more than 30 local family farms, avoiding the heavy environmental cost of transporting goods cross country. And Ideal curates items from local artists and craftspeople and pours hundreds of hours back into community events, campaigns, and promotions.

These local businesses help sustain a diverse and resilient economy, built on accountability, self-sufficiency, sustainability, and equity.

From our small corner of the Pacific Northwest to neighborhoods nationwide, buying local creates more prosperous, entrepreneurial, connected, and generally better-off communities.

When we buy local, we keep our dollars where our homes are, we support our friends and neighbors, and we build a community that truly thrives.

Derek Long is Executive Director of Sustainable Connections.

28 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

leading edge GUEST COLUMN

Time For 2020 Business Foresight!

BY SYLVAN MURPHY

T

he 4th Quarter is great time to evaluate your business, prepare for year-end accounting, and set goals for the new year. Following is a checklist to make this process easier for everyone involved: • Review your accounts receivable, and if you haven’t been sending statements, get them out immediately. Reach out to your clients and try to collect any outstanding balances before year-end.

• Review your accounts payable and clear as much of the debt as possible.

• Review the vendors you’ve used over the past year and check to see if they’ll need to be issued a 1099-Misc. If so, do you have an updated W-9 on file for them? The 1099-Misc forms need to be provided by January 31, so the more work that can be done ahead of time the better.

• Review your local and state revenue-tax filings and reconcile the reporting with your Profit and Loss (P&L) statement to verify that no income has been over- or under-reported.

• Review your payroll records and employee files. You’ll want to ensure that all of the necessary employee information is up to date for the year-end reporting. The W-2’s have the same January 31 deadline as the 1099-Misc forms.

• Review your balance sheet, paying special attention to your fixed assets. Did you buy or sell any machinery or equipment over the past year, and were the amounts entered correctly?

Your tax preparer will need some information on any changes

in your fixed assets to make adjustments, or depreciate the items over time.

• Review your P&L to look for any possible errors or missing data. If you have more than one year of business data, it’s always a good idea to look at the current year versus the previous year to help identify items that may be missing. This also will help identify positive and negative changes in your operations. Look for improved sales numbers, and also review your cost of goods for any changes.

• Review your cash receipts and verify that everything has been recorded. Some small-business owners occasionally use cash or a personal credit card to purchase smaller items. But, over the course of the year, these small purchases could add up to significant business expenses.

• Review and total up any estimated tax payments you have made. Whether you’re filing your taxes or filing for an extension, you’ll need this number.

• Schedule a meeting with your tax preparer. Ask how any new equipment that you’ve been thinking about purchasing for the business would affect your tax liability. Go over your current financials with them, and ask about a year-end payroll for the owners/officers to get an additional tax payment in or put money into a retirement account. Their insight and advice potentially could save you thousands of tax dollars.

Sylvan Murphy is the payroll technician at Unity HR in Bellingham.

30 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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One Man’s Passion Teeters On the Brink

BY CHERYL STRITZEL MCCARTHY

The failing economics of the child-care industry is a ticking time bomb affecting businesses and families across Whatcom County, according to Michael Watters, Executive Director and Founder of Kids’ World—a child-care provider, with six facilities on four campuses in Bellingham and Ferndale.

M

ichael Watters said that his commitment to serving a high percentage of children from low-income families, coupled with inadequate state reimbursement for those children, have combined to cripple the economic viability of privately run child-care centers.

The number of licensed child-care providers in Whatcom County dropped 25% between 2012 and 2016, falling from 147 to 110, according to a report by the nonprofit Opportunity Council. Rose Marcotte, Administrative Program Coordinator for the quality childcare program of Opportunity Council, said the situation hasn’t changed much since the 2016 report was published: The number of Whatcom County providers was 116 most recently.

The factors accounting for the statewide and countywide plunge in the number of providers include increases in: • Minimum wage; • State-mandated employee benefits; • Medical benefits and premiums; • Regulations; and • Government oversight.

“People are realizing this is a crisis. It impacts employers, employees, everybody,” Marcotte said.

From 2013-2018, the state had a net loss of more than 1,100 child-care providers, according to figures from the nonprofit Child Care Aware of Washington, a statewide childcare resource and referral program. That net loss includes a slight uptick

during 2018.

“You just can’t make the money work,” said Ray Deck III, Founding Director of Skookum Kids, a nonprofit for foster children. “What parents are willing to pay for childcare, and what it costs providers to produce it…just doesn’t pencil out.

The cost of operation is going up, but the (state) reimbursement (for low-income kids) is not going up. (the state) is making it more expensive to run a day care.”

Deck said Skookum Kids has children in need of homes, and homes ready to receive them, but lack of available child care stalls the process.

To survive, most child-care centers take fewer state-subsidized, low-income families,” Deck said.

“But Watters says, ‘Damn the torpedos, these kids need to be cared for and I’ll find a way to do it.’ If he’d raised prices as economics dictated he should have, this child-care crisis we’re facing now would have arrived long ago, and with much more force.”

Watters said Kids’ World, with 528 licensed spaces for children and 125 employees, likely will either be taken over by nonprofit providers or closed by the end of 2019. Watters said those 528 spaces represent about 650 children, all of whose parents work for employers in this area.

In 2018, Kids’ World lost $252,600. “And that’s not because we spent too much on crayons,” Watters quipped. His projected loss for 2020 is $35,000-$40,000 a month.

“I will not operate on Jan. 1, 2020 knowing I will lose that much money every month. Just this morning, Bob (business partner Warshawer) and I were talking about what type of

34 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

“I’m grieving this, like I would grieve the death of a family member.”

Michael Watters, Executive Director and Founder, Kids’ World

Photo by Scott Book

buildings to put on our Kids’ World’s Sunset and Yew Street locations next year, even though we just finished Yew Street, and I love it.” Watters opened the Kids’ World Frontiers facility on Yew Street in February 2019. “I’d have been better off building houses there,” he said.

Watters and Warshawer are partners in Mike and Bob Properties LLC, a developer of mostly multi-family, mixed-use buildings. Watters has used profits from land developments to sustain Kids’ World. “You don’t make a living from preschool,” Watters said. “I had to find other ways to make income. But I’m 63 now, and I can’t do it anymore. I can’t physically work 80-hour weeks for Kids’ World and also work in land development.”

Meanwhile, “state assistance to providers who accept lowincome children severely lags,” Watters said.

Why that matters: Kids’ World has offered full medical benefits, plus paid vacation and sick time to full-time staff for years.

Part-time staff, as was customary, did not get paid sick leave, until mandated by state law on Jan. 1, 2018. “When you have 25 to 30 part-time employees who can call in sick and now be paid for it, you get a lot more Friday and Monday sick days,” Watters said.

Eighty-eight percent of Whatcom County businesses said child care affects their employees’ work performance, according to a 2018 Opportunity Council and Bellingham Regional

to keep up with those costs. The state reimbursement to providers who accept low-income families did not increase for years, and even then, Watters said, “It was a couple of dollars less per day per child (compared to the market rate).”

Since Kids’ World enrollment is 60% low-income families, whose care is mostly paid by the state, that loss-per-child had a high multiplier and hit hard. “I’m an anomaly for serving low-income kids,” Watters said. “Some child-care centers accept none.

But that’s not my heart.”

Watters mentioned how local nonprofit providers that serve a lot fewer low-income families still receive “tens of thousands of dollars” from local charities and foundations. “Kids’ World has hundreds of low-income families, but gets no additional subsidies, apart from the (inadequate) state reimbursement,” he said.

At Kids Korner Learning Center in Bellingham, a third of the children are from low-income families whose care is mostly paid by state subsidy. Kids Korner used to take more, but increases in the minimum wage and paid sick leave have driven up costs. “We had to have more private-pay families, because we just couldn’t afford it,” said Dawne Sheppard, the Director and Program Supervisor.

Kids Korner is licensed for 66 children. “There’s no room for expansion,” Sheppard said. “The only way, with costs going up, is for our private-pay families to pay more, or for the state to raise subsidy rates. Otherwise, you end up not taking state-funded

“State assistance to providers who accept low-income children severely lags.”

Michael Watters, Executive Director and Founder, Kids’ World Chamber of Commerce survey. The list of child-care-related problems is topped by employee absences, followed by tardiness, shift-change requests, recruitment, and retention.

Businesses said availability and cost are major hurdles for their employees. The survey points out that a year of infant care costs more than a year’s tuition at Western Washington University.

Karli Bergman, Human Resources Coordinator at Larson Gross CPAs and Consultants, has seen “quite a few employees who’ve exited because they couldn’t find child care, or their pay doesn’t support it. On average, one employee per year makes the decision to leave, and it’s usually in their fourth or fifth year of employment. Recruiting, advertising, and onboarding to replace that employee is costly, and it’s really hard to do.”

Bergman cited a marketing manager who works on-site three days and works from home the other two days. The manager would prefer to work on-site four days, but her child-care provider can’t expand her existing arrangement.

The location of child care, in relation to the employee’s home and work locations, also affects personal and team productivity, if it means the employee has to arrive late or leave early, Bergman said. “If a staff member can’t telecommute, and if they don’t have child care, it means taking unplanned days off.”

The statewide minimum wage went up on the first of the year in 2018, again in 2019, and will do so again in 2020. Child-care providers cannot raise rates on their private-pay families enough

kids because you can’t afford it.”

Kids Korner must maintain 25 children from low-income families to remain eligible for the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) that reimburses a center for meals to eligible children.

Watters said that the economics pushing private child-care providers out of business will likely result in all child care eventually being operated by the state. If Kids’ World became a nonprofit entity it would be eligible for grants and subsidies that might keep it viable but would limit parents’ child-care choices.

“We are being distilled to one-size-fits-all, a Kentucky Fried Chicken child-care model, and I just can’t do it,” Watters said. “I’m very vocal about this, and very direct. That will be the only thing available to low-income families, and it won’t be good for kids.

“What’s at stake for businesses if we don’t have enough quality child care? They can’t recruit,” Watters said. “They can’t draw people to Bellingham if there is not adequate child care or housing. Businesses suffer because more employees call in sick if they don’t have quality, consistent child care. How productive is your employee if they’re concerned about their child care or get called out in the middle of the day? The thing about child care is that no one is aware of what it takes, unless you’ve got kids. People don’t understand the human cost of being a child-care provider.

“I’m grieving this, like I would grieve the death of a family member.”

36 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

From Big Bucks To Little Tykes—the Michael Watters Story

T

he hotshot youngster was flying high. “I was making more money than I’d dreamed of,” Michael Watters said of his early days in sales and land development, more than 30 years ago. “But I had no peace.

“My wife Terri told me, ‘It’s time to do what you want to do.’”

And so, during the next celebration of success with his team, Watters told them, “I’m going to open a day care.”

One team member, he recalled, broke the silence with, “You’re gonna be a babysitter?”

Watters replied that, no, he was going to become a preschool teacher. He’d wanted to do that since he was in sixth grade and completed a “what I want to be when I grow up” assignment.

Watters went back to school at night for early education classes, and on Sept. 4, 1990, opened a preschool in the basement of his home. Three years later, Terri joined him in the business.

In 1995, they closed their home center and opened the Kids’ World 2000 facility on Sunset Drive. They now have six licensed facilities on four campuses in Bellingham and Ferndale.

A seventh location is the seven-acre Rain Barrel Farm,

directly across the street from Kids’ World Ferndale. “It’s a fieldtrip location for Kids’ World kids,” Watters said, adding that medium- and low-income families often are unable to provide such experiences for their children on their own. “I’ve created things that kids can enjoy.”

To keep the farm experience viable for the kids’ visits, Watters turned the house on that property into a weekend vacation rental. “I’ve done a lot of those kinds of things to be able to stay in early learning,” he said.

In addition, Watters and a group of like-minded people in Bellingham founded the 501c3 Brother’s Keeper Ministries in 1998. He is the chairman. “Our mission is to be the ‘hands of Christ’ to people in need. It’s similar to our mission for Kids’ World.”

Brother’s Keeper Ministries also has performed international hurricane relief, built a youth outreach center for low-income families in Mount Vernon, paid rent and medical bills for local low-income people, and done relief work in Guatemala and Turkey.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 37

G

Throttled By Rules, Regs, and Costs

ina Ivy calls the mass exodus of local child-care providers over the last 5-10 years “phenomenal,” and she doesn’t mean that in a good way.

Ivy, a long-time licensed provider of in-home child care in Ferndale, sees the shortage of child care as the most pressing issue in an increasingly complicated industry. “Providers are leaving, quitting family home child care for sure,” said Ivy, Owner/Director of Busy Kids Early Enrichment and Preschool.

Minimum-wage increases forced her to raise rates last year, and she will again in 2020. “I want to stay moderately priced.

I want families to be able to afford it. This last week was emotional; I’ve considered getting out of the business because it’s so hard. There are so many requirements! The training required

by DCYF (Washington’s Dept. of Children, Youth & Families), which controls licensing, is a lot. And it’s over-the-top difficult to find good staff.

“Other providers don’t take (state-subsidized) children. They don’t want to deal with all the laws and rules we are inundated with,” she said.

The morass of state requirements and financial pressures has resulted in Busy Kids no longer taking infants, however. Their intake begins with 2 ½-year-olds. Busy Kids is licensed for 12

childcare slots, filled by 16 children, some part-time.

Only one child is state-subsidized. Ivy said that 10 years ago her business had 80% state-subsidized children. She’s open to accepting more now. “I got a phone call yesterday: ‘Do you take state children?’ Yes. ‘Do you have room?’ No.” Parents are getting forced into unlicensed care, Ivy said. “It makes me sad. I cry thinking about where (our industry) used to be, flourishing with so many diverse programs. Now, it’s more likely we’re all going to look the same. In 10 years, it’ll be interesting to see if we even have family home care anymore.”

She cited personal experience: “For my own daughter, we paid $18 a day when she was a 2-year-old. That was 1993. Now I’m finding (other providers) charge $50 a day. Wow! How does this work for families in our community?

“The minimum-wage (increase) is tough. People who voted for that don’t own businesses. I don’t know how families do it.

Child care today is like a mortgage payment in my time.

“I have two families right now who’re saying that ‘if you raise your rates in January, I’ll have to go find other care.’”

Which gives rise to the logical question at the core of the entire industry, as stated by Ivy in a single word: “Where?”

38 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

will olympia bite on bellingham’s hatchery plan?

Tribes also pivotal to salmon-boosting Effort

By Dave Brumbaugh

A

proposal to launch a Bellingham fish hatchery modeled after a program in Alaska could give a big boost to the salmon population in the San Juan Islands, but the Washington Legislature and local fishing tribes represent two big hurdles.

A broad coalition formed the San Juan AREA Sea Life (SJASL), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in Bellingham to bring salmon back to healthy 1985 levels in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), according to Doug Thomas. He is President and CEO of Bellingham Cold Storage and a member of the organization.

“The SJASL has been researching the Alaskan Salmon Hatchery model, as demonstrated by the Douglas Island Pink and Chum (DIPAC) Hatchery in Juneau.” Thomas said. “We’ve been studying their operations, methods, and best practices for more than three years.”

The SJASL coalition includes representatives of the Lummi Nation, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Port of Bellingham, the Bellingham Technical College Hatchery Manager, the whale-watching industry, commercial and sports fishing, tourism, K-12 education, agriculture, legislators, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, City of Bellingham and the Whatcom Business Alliance.

Alaskan model The DIPAC hatchery started in 1976 and today is one of the most successful salmon hatcheries in the world, producing more than 138 million salmon fingerlings for release each year, according to the SJASL. Thomas said the Alaskan model is different from state-run fish hatcheries in Washington in one key aspect: The DIPAC hatchery is a private, nonprofit organization. Its independent board of directors is composed of up to 23 stakeholder groups who have the goal of producing healthy populations of salmon within the area they serve.

Like in Alaska, the Bellingham hatchery initially would be funded through a state-government-loan to provide the upfront money needed to complete a feasibility study. The study would cover all of the project’s impacts on the environment, existing native stocks, brood-stock selection, water quality, facility design and permitting, staffing, operating-budget forecasting, the development of a business plan, and long-term financial-feasibility modeling.

This loan would be provided to the project on a low- or no-interest basis for the first 10 years of the project, while the volume of salmon grows each year to a point where the revenues from the hatchery are large enough to begin supporting the recovery of both the capital and operating costs associated with running the hatchery on a year-round basis.

In the more mature stages of existence, the private nonprofit begins to pay for its capital and operating costs from salmon that return to the hatchery. Those salmon are sold, and the proceeds of those salmon and egg sales are given to the hatchery as a means of covering its capital and operating expenses.

Up to 30% of each year’s fishery is allowed to go towards cost recovery, which would cover all operating and capital costs in 10-12 years, Thomas said. The time will be less than in Alaska because their hatchery people are gladly sharing information about what has worked for them and what hasn’t, he added.

The Bellingham hatchery, likely at the mouth of Whatcom Creek, would follow the Juneau model by splitting the salmon to be released into a small number of remote-site releases, where freshwater streams come out to the sea, Thomas said. This process helps the fish have a higher survival rate because it spreads the release over a much wider area and makes it harder for predators to simply feed at the entrance to the hatchery, both when released and upon their return.

“This methodology also allows us to spread out the sports

40 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

“The project will produce several million king/chinook salmon, which is the preferred food stock for Southern-Resident Orca Whales.”

– Doug Thomas, president, bellingham cold storage

Photo by Scott Book

“The DIPAC hatchery has excellent relations with its Native-American neighbors and functions as an outstanding learning center for visiting school kids and surrounding communities.”

– Rep. Luanne Van Werven

and commercial fishing fleets around the entire Marine Area 7, rather than being heavily concentrated in one spot, where overfishing can occur,” Thomas said. “And it’s ideal for making the king salmon available for the Orca (whales), who should be able to roam throughout the San Juan Islands and, likewise, not be attracted to a single release site.”

State Rep. Luanne Van Werven (R-Lynden) and Thomas were in a group that toured the Juneau hatchery last year. “Assuming a conservative 1% survival means 1.37 million DIPAC salmon return to their homes,” Van Werven wrote in an op-ed published in August by The Seattle Times.

“The DIPAC hatchery covers all operating costs by selling 30% of each year’s returning fish. That means the remainder—a whopping 950,000 fish—are available annually for commercial, sport, and tribal uses. They also are available to killer whales, eagles, bears, and all salmon-consuming denizens of Alaska. Those are extra salmon available on top of the natural populations, and this isn’t the only such hatchery,” she wrote.

A new Bellingham hatchery, based on the DIPAC hatchery model, also would help the Southern-Resident Orca Whales, Thomas said. “The project would produce several million king/ chinook salmon, which is the preferred food stock for these whales,” he added. “Bringing these salmon back to Marine Area 7 would provide ample salmon stocks to maintain a healthy habitat for the whale population to once again thrive in the San Juan Islands.”

Cost-effective plan Van Werven and the SJASL will be seeking approximately $2.5 million for the feasibility study during the 2020 legislative session. If given the go-ahead after the study, the capital cost of the Bellingham hatchery is estimated at $45 million.

While the Alaskan model eventually pays for itself, the SJASL

pointed out that Washington state currently spends $115 million a year on operating its 40 state-run hatcheries. Van Werven noted other benefits of the Juneau hatchery model.

“The DIPAC hatchery has excellent relations with its Native American neighbors and functions as an outstanding learning center for visiting school kids and surrounding communities,” she said. “It also serves as a local center of tourism and generates tax dollars from visiting tourists from around the world.”

Pivotal state and tribal roles However, the proposal faces an uncertain future in the Washington Legislature, particularly if it’s not supported by fishing tribes who want to pursue other ways of increasing the salmon population. And the tribes haven’t indicated whether they will support the SJASL hatchery plan.

“We recommend no changes to the Boldt decision or that any of the current stakeholders receive a smaller or greater stake in the fisheries that would result from this plan.” Thomas said.

“Currently the fisheries are split on a 50/50 basis between tribal and non-tribal. We will be recommending that this practice continue without modification.”

On Oct. 11, the Lummi and Yakama nations called for removing the Bonneville, The Dalles, and the John Day dams on the Columbia River to help restore salmon runs. Jay Julius, Chairman of the Lummi Nation, and JoDe Goudy, Chairman of the Yakama Nation, said removal of the dams is the only hope for saving the salmon runs their people depend upon and restoring the health of the endangered Southern-Resident Orca, according to The Seattle Times article.

“Whether defeating coal ports, opposing increased vessel traffic on the Salish Sea, repairing culverts, or removing invasive Atlantic salmon, (we seek) to leave to future generations a lifeway promised to our ancestors 164 years ago,” Julius said.

42 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Jeremiah (Jay) Julius, Chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council, at Loomis Trail Golf Course near Blaine.

Collaborative Style Spurs Julius’ Leadership As Major Lummi Projects Move Forward Lummi Nation Community Park, healthcare center, and pedestrian safety, I-5/Slater Salish Village development on front burner for LIBC

BY MIKE MCKENZIE

I

n his third term—ninth year—on the Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC), Jeremiah (Jay) Julius serves as Chairman.

The 11-person council governs the sovereign Lummi Nation.

He is a man of many passions: fishing, golf, husband and father of three, Thai noodles. And love of Lummi culture and traditions that fuels his desire to help lead continued prosperity.

Though a fisherman by trade, he succeeded in entrepreneurial ventures in California. Jay visited with Mike McKenzie about the LIBC’s vision, projects, and spirit, and a collaborative style in getting things done.

What’s all the work across from the Casino?

That’s the first phase of the Lummi Nation Community Park, starting with seven acres of a park, paths, and two lighted baseball fields. This type of project is a big need for our community, and seen as a prevention method for our youth. It allows children and families to come together for healthy and fun activities.

Business Pulse: What’s on the front burner with the LIBC? Jay: We have several large projects going on. A park and baseball fields, lighted sidewalks, Slater Road and I-5 development, a new health facility. It’s a fun, exciting, busy time.

Where are the new sidewalks?

Lighted sidewalks are going in on Lummi Shore Road stretching from Northwest Indian College campus to Scott Road. This is important because many people walk to and from school and work, which can be dangerous, especially when it’s dark and in inclement weather. It’s similar to what we did a few years ago on Haxton Way from Kwina to Slater. Next we’ll do the same going south on Haxton.

What kind of health facility?

A 50,000-square-foot clinic is going up across the street from our government building on Kwina Road, a state-of-the-art facility.

10% of the design is done. We’ve hired KMD Architects out of Seattle. We’ll break ground in 2020.

It was much needed because our health clinic that was built in the late ’70s gets tens of thousands of visits each year, and it’s falling apart. The new one will triple the size, and service the healthcare needs of our people as well as other tribes in our region.

It’s been written that the I-5/Slater project is a truck stop. Is that accurate?

Salish Village is under way, although we still have multiple visions for it that we’re considering. We have studies in the works for an indoor water park, a fueling station, and for retail.

We’re very cautious about retail because of tax situations— tribal, state, county, City of Ferndale, etc…nobody likes to pay double taxes, and that impacts the cost of goods on our properties. We also must consider the impact of cyberspace—Internet

44 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

shopping. We want to focus on where retail is trending.

Mixed-use with housing?

We’re not certain about that. Mainly, it’s important to us as we move forward to look at not just what’s good for us, but what and how things we do will complement the entire area—Bellingham, Whatcom County, Ferndale, everyone surrounding us.

That last comment seems to be your management style.

I want to lead with empathy and an open mind to all viewpoints, not fight all the time over things. I like collaboration and cooperation. We’ve illustrated that recently in dealings with the Port of Bellingham, with Ferndale, with Whatcom County, we’re working on some things with Blaine.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Lummi community park received support from Bellingham and Ferndale mayors, state legislators, the county health and parks/recreation departments, and Lummi Nation School, and might generate yet another grant from Washington Wildlife & Recreation.)

You have a strong background in business. What was it?

After growing up on the reservation and graduating from Ferndale High School (1993), a couple of years later I moved to Temecula, California. Prior to starting some businesses, I was an installation technician and in sales for Thunderbird, a casino-supply company.

What were your companies?

First we formed Native American Gaming Consultants LLC. Then we started White Water Pools, a maintenance service company for swimming pools around the San Diego area.

When online travel booking started getting big and travel agents were going out of business, we started an Internet travel company in 2007. Our company partnered with Apple Vacations, Travelocity, Hotels. com, Carnival Cruises, and other sources in a model that added a face to Internet booking all in one website. It let individuals own the agency and collect commissions by shopping price and booking.

Q AND A continued on Page 53 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 45

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Tony Larson, President of the Whatcom Business Alliance, and Trudy Shuravloff, Executive Director of Whatcom Dream, hope to see many donations again for the Christmas Shoppe.

Donations Needed For Whatcom Dream’s Christmas Shoppe

BY MARY LOUISE VAN DYKE AND BUSINESS PULSE STAFF

T

rudy Shuravloff, Executive Director of The Whatcom Dream, eagerly looks forward to Dec. 6, when more than 150 local families will purchase gifts for their children at The Christmas Shoppe in Bellingham.

Tears and hugs always flow at this annual event as parents browse through and select new toys and gift cards for presents.

Participants enjoy dinner and a visit from Santa. Child care is available. “We give families opportunities to have as normal a Christmas as possible,” Shuravloff said.

Individuals, companies, and the Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA) provide donations of new toys, such as bicycles, Legos, dolls, sports gear, and other playthings, plus gift cards—with a goal of $20,000 worth.

The Whatcom Dream is a nonprofit that also offers values-based financial literacy courses, the Gotcha Covered Community Clothing Store, and Poverty IQ Training, which helps with workshops to raise awareness of local impoverishment.

The Christmas Shoppe recipients consist primarily of families who attend Whatcom Dream classes, coaching, and counseling, and vulnerable families experiencing hardships such as homelessness. Shuravloff cited her personal experience to underscore

the importance of this project. “I was a low-income mom, too,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be on the low end of things.”

The Christmas Shoppe evolved five years ago out of the Community Toy Store holiday gift assistance program. The toy selection is unique because parents purchase the gifts at 75-90% off original retail prices.

Many holiday gift programs give away toys, and Shuravloff finds no fault with that. She explained that Whatcom Dream operates on the premise that paying for gifts preserve dignity for families with low wage-earning parents. “We want to provide a really good product at an affordable price to hard-working families,” she said.

The Whatcom Business Alliance encourages members to participate in the program. Many like Dewey Griffin Subaru, Saturna Capital, and MSNW have supplied a variety of donations over the last five years, ranging from toys and gift cards.

Others donate cash.

As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work,” and volunteers are always needed to help assemble bicycles, wrap presents, and myriad other ways. For more information about donating or volunteering, email Shuravloff: trudy@thewhatcomdream. org, or call 360.319.3759.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 47

event picks PULSE AFTER HOURS Holiday Wine Walk NOV 8 Join the Downtown Bellingham Association for its 3rd Annual Holiday Wine Walk. Meander around Downtown Bellingham, popping into shops and venues while tasting wines from across the region… sip, sip, hooray! General: $30 – Includes 10 tasting tickets, a commemorative cup, an event guide and a Co-op tote bag with coupons. New & Improved VIP Experience: $50 – Includes everything that comes with a general ticket, PLUS access to the VIP-only reception at Vinostrology giving you early check-in to skip the lines, a complimentary glass of red, white or rosé, a tasty bag of popcorn and three additional tasting tickets for you or your friends. Additional nibbles will be available for purchase, too.

Downtown Bellingham, 5:30–9 p.m.

Cost: $30 General Admission/$50 VIP www.downtownbellingham.com/events

Ciderfest NOV 9 Join Bellewood Farms for their 8th annual Ciderfest. Enjoy hard cider tastings from cideries across the state, a home brewing competition, community carboy refill, and delicious food. Get Ex-cidered as we celebrate cider makers, brewing, and Fall.

Bellewood Farms 12–5 p.m. Cost: $15-$25 www.bellewoodfarms.com/events

Warren Miller’s ‘Timeless’ NOV 9 The only constant is change, but Winter stoke is eternal. After seven decades of celebrating skiing and snowboarding, Warren Miller Entertainment can confirm that nothing compares to the anticipation of another season. Kickoff the season with WME’s 2019 film, “Timeless,” presented by Volkswagen, and travel with new and veteran athletes as they explore renowned mountain locations across the globe. It’s more than a ski and snowboard film, it’s an experience.

Mount Baker Theatre, 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Cost: $23, $22 advanced purchase www.warrenmiller.com

5th Annual Hamster Ball NOV 15 Haggen Northwest Fresh presents The 5th Annual Hamster Ball benefiting Cascade Connections. Hamster Ball is an

elegant evening of food, drinks, music, and community. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a dinner provided by Haggen Market Street Catering, and drinks from a variety of local businesses, live music

by The Penny Stinkers, and a silent auction.

Cascade Connections is a local nonprofit whose mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to enhance their quality of life. At Cascade Connections, we help people gain the tools and knowledge to promote independent living and employment opportunities, and, even bigger than that, we help our community get to know the great people we support.

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 5:30–10:30 p.m. Cost: $55. 21+ event. www.cascadeconnections.org/hamster-event

Sudden Valley’s Annual Holiday Craft Fair NOV 16 The Sudden Valley Holiday Craft Fair features an array of goods made from local vendors, including jewelry, embroidered, crotchet and knitted gifts, holiday cards and ornaments, pottery, art work, doll and children’s clothing, holiday wreaths and potted plant gardens and the list goes on.

There is a gift for everyone on your holiday list. Sudden Valley’s Ken’s Cozy Kitchen also will be serving a variety of soups, sandwiches, snacks, and beverages for all to enjoy while they shop.

Sudden Valley Dance Barn, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Cost: Free. suddenvalley.com/calendar

PULSE PICK Celebrating Winter, Community, Fesitivities, and the Spirit of the Season in the Heart of the Historic Fairhaven NOV 30 Stroll among glimmering lights under Winter skies, enjoy holiday window displays, listen to the music, ride the horse-drawn carriage, visit Santa, hunt the treasures, and shop Fairhaven’s unique shops. Take a break, step back, let time and the season catch up with you in the village.

Fairhaven Village Green, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www.fairhavenwinterfest.com/events

48 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

Home for the Holidays NOV 21–23 The 38th annual event promises to be one of the best yet. With new ownership and several new vendors this year you’ll find an amazing selection of home decor, gourmet foods, and the most beautiful handmade items, all crafted here in the Pacific Northwest by some of the most talented artisans.

Ferndale Events Center, See website for times. Cost: Free. www.homefortheholidaysbellingham.com

Fairhaven Fourth Friday Art Walk NOV 22 Each month local artists share their work at over a dozen Fairhaven venues.

Take a stroll through Historic Fairhaven Village, meet the artists, and enjoy live music and tasty treats. Each month presents a whole new set of artists.

Fairhaven Village 5–8 p.m. Cost: Free www.fairhavenartwalk.com

40th Holiday Festival of the Arts NOV 22–DEC 24 Kick off this holiday season with the 40th Annual Holiday Festival of the Arts. Featuring over 100 local artisans and craftspeople showcasing their holiday goods, including one-of-a-kind gifts,

FAIRHAVEN WINTERFEST

specialty foods, jewelry, and paintings. It’s a perfect way to get ready for the holidays and great fun for everyone. Shop for holiday gifts from dozens of local vendors. From handcrafted soaps to homemade fudge, there will be something for everyone on Santa’s list. Fill your weekend with live local music, artist demos, and workshopping. Bring the kids in for free fun family art projects. Something for everybody in the family to enjoy.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get all your holiday shopping done in one go. When you buy products at the festival, this supports our local artists. Come check out the amazing things the local artists and craftspeople have to offer.

Location TBD, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving Day and at 3 p.m. Dec. 24.

Cost: Free. www.alliedarts.org/holiday-festival

Deck the Old City Hall NOV 29–DEC 29 Get into the holiday spirit at the Museum’s annual festivities.

Historic Old City Hall will be decked out for the season. View a variety of themed, decorated holiday trees in the Rotunda Room.

Visit Santa, participate in weekly holiday craft making, and enjoy the dazzling decor.

Admission is by donation, and proceeds are used to support the Museum’s rich offering of exhibitions and programming.

Your company can help local youth develop valuable career skills and your workforce needs.

Create your company profile and start posting jobs

TODAY! Thanks to these companies for their support of workforce development in Whatcom County:

Whatcom Museum, Old City Hall 12–5 p.m. daily. Cost: Free www.whatcommuseum.org/event/deck-theold-city-hall/all

UCanTrade, Inc.

CBC Holiday Party DEC 5 Join the Community Boating Center (CBC) for a festive celebration with live jazz, drinks, a raffle, and hors d’oeuvres, and honor another successful summer season of equitable and affordable access for all Whatcom County residents to Bellingham Bay. More than 1,600 individuals had access to quality boating and cold water safety education through the CBC in 2019. Gather with friends to share stories of our beloved Bay, and to the excitement of looking toward 2020 programs that will help even more people get to experience the magic of connecting with nature from the intimacy of a small vessel. Forge connections with other passionate boaters, make plans to get out on the water together come Opening Day 2020,

IAj Multimedia

www.yeswhatcom.com Part of the WBA Youth Engagement Initiative

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 49

event picks PULSE AFTER HOURS and make a donation to share this joyful opportunity with your community.

Squalicum Boathouse, 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Cost: $50/person. www.boatingcenter.org

15th Annual Bellingham Regional Chamber Awards Dinner DEC 5 The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce will award the Large Business of the Year, the Small Business of the Year, Tourism Business, and Nonprofit Organization of the Year, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, CEO of the Year, Chamber Ambassador of the Year, and the Young Professional of the Year.

Four Points Sheraton, 5–9 p.m. Cost: $75-85 www.bellingham.com/annual-awards-dinner

Pacific Arts Market DEC 6–22 Shop local and handmade this 2019 holiday season at the 23rd Annual Pacific Arts Market in Bellingham. The Market features several dozen well-known local artists and crafters, with a variety of work including jewelry, fine art, photography, textiles, clothing, bath and body, specialty foods, home decor, paper crafts, and much more.

This fun family event also presents live music and artist demonstrations. This year we are open the three weekends before Christmas.

Sunset Square, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri.–Sun. only Cost: Free. www.pacificartsmarket.com

Whatcom Chorale & Sinfonia: Handel’s Messiah DEC 7 Revel in the sublime sounds of Handel’s timeless “Messiah,” performed by the 90-voice Whatcom Chorale, the instrumentalists of Whatcom Chorale Sinfonia, and four superb soloists—Serena Eduljee, soprano; Sarah Mattox, mezzo-soprano; Stephen Rumph, tenor; and Michael Drumheller, bass—in the exquisite setting of Mount Baker Theatre.

Mount Baker Theatre, 7–9:30 p.m.

Cost: $25, $10 students www.mountbakertheatre.com

Dancing For Joy Presents Nativity DEC 14 The Nativity Story told through the language of dance. The true meaning of

the season is born with this spirit-filled, local rendition of Christ’s Birth. Come, be reminded, of the true reason for the season. See the Nativity story from an entirely different perspective. The Dancing For Joy styles include jazz, lyrical, modern, and ballet.

Mount Baker Theatre, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Cost: $15–$18. www.mountbakertheatre.com

The Nutcracker DEC 18 Opus Performing Arts presents The Nutcracker in collaboration with Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY). Audiences will enjoy this classic Winter ballet with a unique theatrical twist. The Nutcracker features OPUS’ younger ballet students as cupcakes, peppermints, gingersnaps, and other denizens of the Kingdom of Sweets, as well as their advanced dancers in the classic roles of Nutcracker Prince, Peacock, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. BAAY performers ages 8–16 will be showcased as the infamous rat army and manipulators of large-scale puppets.

This exciting performance will include many new surprises, in addition to the wonderful choreography, costumes, and sets from last year’s premier. It is guaranteed to delight viewers of all ages.

Mount Baker Theatre, 7–9:30 p.m.

Cost: $20 adults, $12 kids under 12 www.mountbakertheatre.com

PULSE PICK

50 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

DEC 22 This new adaptation of Dickens’ classic fills the stage with first-class professional actors, lush costumes, stunning sets, and a heavy dose of humor. Enjoy 26 traditional carols woven throughout for the perfect path to holiday joy.

Mount Baker Theatre, 3–5 p.m.

Cost: $29.50–$69.50 www.mountbakertheatre.com

Ballet Bellingham Presents The Nutcracker DEC 23 This holiday season, prepare to be transported on a magical journey with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. From the heroic battle against the Rat King, travel through the Land of the Snowflakes, and on to the Kingdom of the Sweets. There you will meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and be entertained by dances from around the world. Choreographed by Artistic Director Jessica Crook, with gorgeous costumes and beautiful dancing—all to the classic Tchaikovsky score—this is a production sure to bring out the child in everyone.

Ballet Bellingham is proud to present its students and other local dancers as they come together on stage in this delightful telling of a Christmas classic.

Mount Baker Theatre, 7–9 p.m. Cost: $20 www.mountbakertheatre.com P+

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

DEC 7 Formerly known as the Tree Lighting Ceremony, this expanded and re-imagined gathering will feature a variety of attractions, including a new, sustainable, 28-foot-tall holiday tree, gifted by the City of Bellingham. Other festivities include the lighting of the tree with Mayor Kelli Linville, a Bellingham Handmade artisan market, photo opportunities with Santa, hot cocoa, cider and cookies provided by Woods Coffee, a 21+ bevy garden featuring Boundary Bay Brewery and Chuckanut Bay Distillery, food trucks, take-and-make craft tables with Gabriel’s Art Kids, dance performances by students at Harper&I Dance Center, caroling with The Mount Baker Topper’s and more.

Depot Market Square, 6–9 p.m.

Cost: Free. www.facebook.com/ events/523991538363277

A Christmas Carol

If you and your business do not participate in the shaping of public policy, you will be governed by those who do.

The WBA Policy Center was created to be the eyes, ears, and voice for Whatcom County businesses. There are thousands of rules and regulations being created at the federal, state, and local levels that may harm local business.

The WBA Policy Center provides both influence and credibility in the community by engaging in fact-based research, education, communication, and advocacy for its members on issues important to business. It also works proactively to advance policy issues that support business success, while advocating against those harmful to local business.

We hope you will consider supporting the WBA Policy Center — there is strength in numbers and your support will have an impact.

Be Informed...Get Engaged...Make a Difference!

How You Can Help • Contact us about issues that may be impacting your business or industry at wbapolicycenter.org/about-contact/.

• Become part of the solution by making your contribution to the WBA Policy Center’s Step Up Fund.

Your support makes it possible for WBA to proactively engage on issues on your behalf before they negatively impact your business.

START TODAY! Support the WBA Policy Center with a contribution at www.wbapolicycenter.org.

reads PULSE AFTER HOURS Range: Why Generalists Triumph In a Specialized World

David Epstein

Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule.

David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not

specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests, rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.

Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains, rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area.

(May 28, 2019, Riverhead Books) Hardcover $28

The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good James O’Toole An expert on ethical leadership analyzes the complicated history of business people who tried to marry the pursuit of profits with virtuous organizational practices—from a British industrialist to an American retailer to modernday entrepreneurs.

Today’s business leaders are increasingly pressured by citizens, consumers, and government officials to address urgent social and environmental issues. Although some corporate executives remain deaf to such calls, over the last two centuries, a handful of business leaders in America and Britain have attempted to create business organizations that were both profitable and socially responsible.

In The Enlightened Capitalists, James O’Toole tells the largely forgotten stories of men and women who adopted forward-thinking business practices designed to serve the needs of their employees, customers, communities, and the natural environment. They wanted to prove that executives didn’t have to make trade-offs between profit and virtue.

As a new generation attempts to address social problems through enlightened organizational leadership, O’Toole explores a major question being posed today: Are virtuous corporate practices compatible with shareholder capitalism?

(February 26, 2019, HarperBusiness) Hardcover $35

What You Do Is Who You Are: How To Create Your Business Culture Ben Horowitz Ben Horowitz a leading venture capitalist, modern management expert, and New York Times best-selling author, long has been fascinated by history, and particularly by how people behave differently than you would expect.

The time and circumstances in which they were raised often shapes them—yet a few leaders have managed to shape their times. In What You Do Is Who You Are, he turns his attention to a question crucial to every organization: How do you create and sustain the culture you want?

To Horowitz, culture is how a company makes decisions. It is the set of assumptions employees use to resolve everyday problems: Should I stay at the Red Roof Inn or the Four 52 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

Seasons? Should we discuss the color of this product for five minutes or 30 hours? If culture is not purposeful, it will be an accident or a mistake. He explains how to make your culture purposeful by spotlighting four models of leadership and culture-building.

Horowitz connects these leadership examples to modern case studies and then offers guidance to help any company understand its own strategy and build a successful culture.

This book will help you become the kind of leader you want to be—and that others want to follow.

(October 29, 2019, HarperBusiness) Hardcover $29.99

Q AND A continued from Page 45

Since you were elected to the LIBC in 2011, what council feats stand out for you?

Last spring we opened a new convenience store, the Lummi Bay Fishermen’s Cove at Gooseberry Point with a fuel station.

It has the best cheeseburger in Whatcom County, too—with hand-made patties and the special Cove Sauce.

In published comments, you appeared very excited about Loomis Trail Golf Course.

We bought Loomis Trail about a year ago from a Seattle group (EDITOR’S NOTE: Resort Semiahmoo LLC, 180 acres south of Blaine, $3.75 million). I’m especially proud of it because it not only provides a recreational economic boost, but it restored some significant cultural heritage. Semiahmoo peoples lived in villages there, and even though a treaty protecting them was signed with the United States, they were forced to move.

Many moved to Lummi Nation, and many Lummi trace their origin and heritage to where villages were there.

But it’s a huge economic boost, too, right?

Yes. The property has a 16-room hotel and restaurant in the clubhouse building, and 42,000 square feet of meeting space. There’s a great wedding venue that has not been maximized. In the travel and recreation industry, it gives an additional amenity to the Silver Reef—a resort experience. The course is just 13 miles away.

How is it different from before?

We changed it from a private golf course to semi-private with tee times open to the public as well as Semiahmoo resort members. Golf is an expensive sport, and we’ve changed that at Loomis Trail.

Also, we have provided it as home course to both the Lummi Nation School (LNS) and Ferndale High. LNS has started a new golf program. And Ferndale made it to state tournament this year for the first time. We provide free locker storage in our clubhouse for the youths, which is especially helpful to those who aren’t old enough to drive yet.

Do you play?

I didn’t as a youth, but I play to about a 3

handicap now. I started when my company in California asked me if I played golf, and I said no but I’d be happy to go play with sales clients. It became a later-in-life addiction, as I traveled the world on many tours, played in the California State Open, and more. Heidi was a golfer’s widow.

A few years back, much discussion arose about a marina at Gooseberry Point where the ferry operates. Where does that stand?

We’re not pursuing that at this moment.

We worked out a deal with the Port of Bellingham for our tribal fishermen. It involves mooring in Bellingham Bay and Drayton Harbor in Blaine. A marina vision has been talked about for 70 years, but there’s no funding for it, and it would not necessarily be at Gooseberry Point.

How does the Port deal work?

The negotiation was long overdue. It acknowledged what Whatcom Creek and that whole village area meant to our heritage. We received mooring rights for our fisheries, they received the ability to create infrastructure in areas where we have fishing rights. The most important point about the results, though, was that we were at the table. Not just on the menu. It acknowledged treaty rights. An important breakthrough.

Jobs is a hot-button topic. What are Lummi Nation employment figures?

Our most recent tracking shows about 2,000 full-time employees in multiple entities: Our government (including the Dept. of Natural Resources that manages the Lummi Bay Hatchery and Lummi Shellfish Hatchery); Lummi Commercial Company; Silver Reef Casino Resort; Northwest Indian College, and Convenience Stores, Deli, and Dock. That makes us one of the largest employers in the area.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Some recent surveys show PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center at about 2,750 employees; Western Washington University, 2,200; Cherry Point Big Three, 1,600; Alpha Group, 1,500; Bellingham School District, 1,275, and Smith Gardens, 1,200. All figures listed are rounded off.)

Tony Larson will:

I would like to thank everyone who voted in the Whatcom County election on November 6th.

I would like to thank everyone who voted in the Whatcom County election There are many current important and local issues on November 5th. and you have my word that I will continue working I am grateful to my family, friends, and supporters who generously contributed their time and effort to my County Executive campaign.

hard to keep our community thriving.

I am grateful to my family, friends, and supporters Tony Larson who generously contributed their time and effort toVotemy County Paid for by Tony Larson Executive campaign.

There are many current issues in Whatcom County and you have my word that I will continue working hard to keep our community thriving.

Tony Larson

PAID FOR BY VOTE TONY LARSON

Q AND A continued on Page 54 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESSPULSE.COM | 53

Q AND A continued from Page 53

That, of course, doesn’t count our fleet of about 600 fishermen. We have 250 registered boat owners who have a reserved right to fish under the Treaty of Point Elliot (1855). When you break it down, we have the largest indigenous fishing fleet in the U.S.

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How do you sum up the Business part of LIBC? Often, I think there’s a perception that we block jobs and hinder industry. That’s just not accurate. We have made great progress and created a lot of work opportunities, and not just for tribal members but hundreds of non-tribal workers at the casino, the college, and with contractors and sub-contractors.

But we’re far more than a casino and construction projects. We also make decisions based on preserving traditions and culture, and on taking care of future generations.

Preserving the past, while securing the future?

People can remember when out here there was nothing other than a Navy base. Then we had visions for Kwina Road. Now you’re driving past housing, and our government building, and the expanded campus of a what was a tiny junior college that’s now offering a fouryear optional degree.

How do you put somebody in our shoes? It’s important to recognize that the rights we stand up to maintain were negotiated. We weren’t a conquered people. We acquired those rights in agreements with the United States of America.

Will you stay at the fore?

My term ends in November 2020. I’ll probably run again for a fourth term.

But we elect a chair annually. It’s very demanding. But I don’t hold a candle to those leaders among our elders who stood up when we had no money and resources; they had vision and made everything happen.

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