Business Pulse magazine September | October 2021 by Business Pulse magazine

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Feeding the hungry Company-wide beliefs and generous hearts lead to massive commitment

PLUS: Consult Early, and Know Your Options. American Canadian Fisheries Founder Andy Vitaljic

Signature Plastics, a leading U.S. manufacturer of custom keycaps is one of Custer’s best kept secrets NW Innovation Resource Center is all about one entrepreneur helping the next

Great beer and social good makes (QYLURQPHQWDO 6SHFLDOLVWV Overflow Taps a different kind of pub

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We Can’t Give You a Hug So How About a Mug

Your local business news brought to you by WHATCOM BUSINESS ALLIANCE

VOL. 46 | NO. 5 PUBLISHER Whatcom Business Alliance EDITOR Matthew Anderson CONTRIBUTING Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy WRITERS Dustin McKissen Tony Moceri Kyra Planetz Mary Louise Van Dyke Lorraine Wilde GUEST COLUMNISTS Dr. Jonny Bowden Tom Doll Pam Lewison Jennifer Noveck Patti Rowlson James B. Twining ART DIRECTOR Whitney Pearce PHOTOGRAPHY Sattva Photo EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Chase Cover Photo by Sattva Photo

Stop by Our New Digs, 1415 Iowa St. So We Can Give You a Mug Birchequipment.com • Facebook • Instagram

WBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: BOARD CHAIR: John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric Inc. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Pam Brady, Director NW Gov’t & Public Affairs, BP Cherry Point; John Huntley, President/CEO, Mills Electric Inc.; Doug Thomas, President/CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage; Josh Turrell, Partner, Larson Gross PLLC; Josh Wright, VP/Broker, Bell-Anderson Insurance BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Tyler Byrd, CEO, Red Rokk Interactive; Jane Carten, President, Saturna Capital; Andy Enfield, Vice President, Enfield Farms; Bryant Engebretson, Managing Principal, Tradewinds Capital; Jon Ensch, Commercial Banking Officer, Peoples Bank; Mitch Faber, Partner, Adelstein Sharpe & Serka; Sandy Keathley, Former Owner, K & K Industries; Tony Larson, President, Barlean’s; Laura McKinney, NW Gov’t Affairs & Public Relations, Alcoa-Intalco Works; Nicole Newton, Semiahmoo Resort/Golf/Spa; Becky Raney, Former Owner, Print & Copy Factory; Sarah Rothenbuhler, Owner/CEO, Birch Equipment; Patti Rowlson, Founder/ Marketing Director, Bellingham PR & Communications; Patrick Schuppert, Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo; Galen Smith, Operations Manager/Owner, Coldstream Farms; Carryn Vande Griend, Government Affairs Representative, PSE; Billy VanZanten, CEO, Western Refinery Services For editorial comments and suggestions, write info@whatcombusinessalliance.com. The magazine is published bimonthly at 3111 Newmarket St., Ste. 106, Bellingham WA 98226. (360) 746.0418. Yearly subscription rate is $25 (US). For digital subscription, visit businesspulse.com. Entire contents copyrighted ©2021 Business Pulse. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Business Pulse, 3111 Newmarket St. Ste. 106, Bellingham WA 98226

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IN THIS ISSUE 10 GENEROUS HEARTS LEAD TO MASSIVE COMMITMENT Andy and Erin Vitaljic are taking a leadership role in making feeding the hungry their life’s work.

15 STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT

A look at the past 50 years of bp Cherry Point seen through the eyes of three long-time employees.

20 SIGNATURE PLASTICS

A leading U.S. manufacturer of custom keycaps has been operating diligently for more than 40 years right here in Custer.

24 NW INNOVATION CENTER

From its pay-it-forward donations model to individualized mentoring to synergistic programs and labs, NWIRC is all about one entrepreneur helping the next.

28 OVERFLOW TAPS

A shared desire of having great beer accessible to locals and doing some social good in the process has made Overflow Taps a success.

38 PERSONALLY SPEAKING

Laura McKinney talks about YES Whatcom and workforce development as a necessary part of economic development, from a strategic viewpoint.

COLUMNS 35 Continued interest by

Look for additional content online at businesspulse.com

Jul/Aug Corrections • Bellingham Cold Storage should have been ranked #50 with $20-29M in sales in the Top 100 listings. • Fat-Cat Fish was started in 2008, not 2017 as stated on page 29. We deeply regret the errors.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Canadian companies looking to open new facilities in Whatcom County

43 What employers should know about the LongTerm Services and Supports Trust Act

47 Email marketing as an ‘owned’ platform

51 Using culture as your

company’s navigational beacon

53 Lower your stress levels to help fight disease

55 If the state controls

the water, it should be responsible for drought help

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BP UP FRONT

A local economy built on a shared goal of prosperity is a necessary part of solving problems While we haven’t exited the pandemic as fast as we would all like, there is still good news to report across Whatcom County. Our economy continues to recover faster than anyone expected. We remain a destination for visitors, shoppers, and for folks looking for an amazing place to live. When we look ahead at the rest of this decade, the message is simple: we have a lot to look forward to. One reason for that optimism is the recent decision by the Whatcom County Council to approve a series of comprehensive plan amendments that will provide a higher level of environmental scrutiny while preserving current jobs and businesses at the Cherry Point Industrial Zone. The approval marked an end to years of collaborative work between environmental groups, labor representatives, industry, and other stakeholders — and frankly, came as something of a surprise. There were many points where common ground seemed like an impossibility. The passage of the amendments proved opposing forces can unite behind a common vision that prioritizes the County’s natural and human assets. On behalf of Business Pulse and the Whatcom Business Alliance, I would

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

The business community in Whatcom County has a vested interest in and the desire to be a part of solving issues like hunger, homelessness, housing, and the environment. like to express deep gratitude to all the stakeholders and groups involved. Their success really is a reason to hope that we can move this community toward an environment of prosperity that benefits everyone who calls our county home. You can read more about the history of Cherry Point in “A story of prosperity” in this month’s issue from Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy as well as a breakdown of what the

passage of the amendments means for the area. The recent spirit of cooperation isn’t the only reason to be optimistic about our future. Whatcom County is blessed with an abundance of business leaders with a deep well of compassion for the less fortunate. Two of those leaders are Andy and Erin Vitaljic. Andy is a longtime staple of Whatcom County’s business community, having served as the founder and CEO of American Canadian Fisheries, along with a stable of related companies since the eighties. Erin, his wife, is the founder and CEO of Fat-Cat Fish, a sustainable pet food company that uses wild salmon. Their passion for feeding the hungry motivates their approach to business, and you can read about their incredible work supporting food banks across the Northwest and Michigan in “Andy and Erin Vitaljic want to feed Whatcom County and beyond”. This month’s edition also shines a spotlight on Signature Plastics. The manufacturer has been making custom keyboards and keys in Custer for over 40 years. The company is a family owned and operated business with a global customer base. You can read more about their history and plans for the future in “Pimp my Keyboard”. This month’s issue also includes the

story of the NW Innovation Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. Their work is a critical part of establishing future generations of entrepreneurs in Whatcom County. The last several months have made me more optimistic than ever about Whatcom County’s future. We are a business community that has always been defined by big ideas, big heart, and big success. The business community in Whatcom County has a vested interest in and the desire to be a part of solving issues like hunger, homelessness, housing, and the environment. A local economy built on a shared goal of prosperity is a necessary part of solving these problems. Just ask the Vitaljics. They have donated literally millions of pounds of food to the hungry while building a successful multi-business family enterprise. We need to value both the hearts and the business skill that makes contributions like that possible. The success at Cherry Point and the celebration of community-minded entrepreneurs shows how much we can achieve when we put the common good of Whatcom County ahead of personal and political agendas. I find it inspiring. On behalf of the team here at Business Pulse, I hope our readers do, too. Enjoy this issue. Thank you to all of our advertisers and sponsors for making this and every issue of Business Pulse possible. We could not do this without your support!

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SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

BP NEWSMAKERS

Paul Kenner

Ken Bell

Snapper Shuler Kenner Insurance announces name change Snapper Shuler Kenner (SSK) Insurance has announced that it will change its name to Brown & Brown on Jan. 1, 2022. SSK Insurance was acquired by Brown & Brown, the fifth-largest independent insurance brokerage in the country, in 2011. “We are not changing who we are or how we do business,” said Paul Kenner, longtime owner and current producer at SSK Insurance. “The passionate team you have come to trust will remain the same and continues to be committed to doing what is best for our customers.“However, we have found some confusion among customers and vendors when we explain we are both SSK Insurance and Brown & Brown. This name change will help bring clarity to the marketplace and add visibility to our offerings. It also allows us to be as connected nationally as we are locally, which could help give us better leverage in negotiating and keeping costs competitive for our customers.” Kenner said that some may have already noticed the addition of Brown & Brown to the SSK Insurance logo. “While everyone may not be familiar with Brown & Brown, it is a name well known throughout the country and among people moving to Whatcom County,” Kenner said. “The Brown & Brown culture is built around people and service. We will maintain

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Ron Wille

our dedication to our people and this community while adding an increased ability to provide easy access to a broad range of capabilities, tools and market leverage.” Go to: www.sskinsurance.com.

Port secures cargo crane to help create jobs at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal The Port of Bellingham’s modernization of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal has marked a major milestone with a new 120-metric-ton capacity harbor crane. The “Liebherr” brand crane is mobile, has a reach of 157 feet, and can handle a wide variety of cargo. After arrival and certification, the crane will be used for several port projects, the most promising of which is an anticipated barge service from Bellingham to San Diego. Operating as part of “America’s Marine Highway,” this line would target forest products (lumber and other wood-based products) southbound and empty container repositioning northbound. The new crane, along with the port’s recent $6.85 million federal Port Infrastructure Development Program grant to upgrade the terminal, will be a big assist in attracting new business and better serving long-term customers. “The new Harbor Crane is an amazing piece of machinery which will

open the door for business opportunities we have not been able to access and create good jobs for our community,” said Port Commission President Ken Bell. “Having a massive crane on the docks of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal not only shows we are a working port, but it will serve as a lasting symbol of the strength of Whatcom County’s working waterfront.” The 817,915-pound crane was shipped by barge from California to Bellingham after it was declared surplus by the United States Maritime Administration due to a change in cargo focus at the Port of West Sacramento. The Port of Bellingham contracted with Pacific Crane Maintenance Company and was able to take advantage of the company’s expertise moving large port machinery. “Having a harbor crane to load and unload cargo is a key component in our return to working seaport status,” said Chris Clark, the port’s marine terminals business development manager. “We were very fortunate the U.S. Maritime Administration supports our efforts during this time of infrastructure enhancements.” The Bellingham Shipping Terminal remains the port’s largest potential job-creating asset. International Longshoreman & Warehousemen

Union (ILWU) members provide valuable cargo moving services and are supportive of these efforts to further revitalize the terminal. The improvements will accommodate the needs of today’s modern shipping industry and position Whatcom County for new family wage, working waterfront jobs. “I want to thank the port commissioners, Executive Director Rob Fix and port staff for working together with Local 7 to make this crane purchase happen,” said ILWU Local 7 Business Manager Joe Schmidt. “It has been a long effort to secure consistent work in Bellingham, and the equipment acquired will be a big factor in keeping this progress going.” More than 6,000 jobs in Whatcom County are created or supported by the marine trades, representing 7% of the total workforce.

SWITCH Maritime and All American Marine announce the launch of the world’s first commercial vessel powered 100% by hydrogen fuel cell AAM and the vessel owner SWITCH Maritime announced the launch and operational trials of Sea Change, a 70-foot, 75-passenger zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry that will operate in the California Bay Area. This will be the first hydrogen fuel cell vessel in the

Peoples Bank celebrates 100 years of service Founded in Lynden in 1921, Peoples Bank is celebrating 100 years in business this year. The bank remains locally owned and family managed and now serves communities in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, Snohomish, King, Chelan and Douglas counties. Headquartered at the Barkley Financial Center in Bellingham, Peoples Bank has since grown to $2.6 billion in assets and employs more than 450 people at its 23 branches. A community celebration was held Aug. 7 at Lynden Pioneer Museum. To commemorate the anniversary, Lynden’s mayor, Scott Korthuis, proclaimed Aug. 7 “Peoples Bank Day.” In his proclamation, the mayor acknowledged the bank’s contribution to the growth and economic vitality of families and businesses in Lynden and across the state, along with its commitment to giving back so that customers, employees and communities can thrive and prosper. As part of the community celebration, Edaleen Dairy treated those in attendance to a special Peoples Bank

US, representing a monumental step in the US maritime industry’s transition to a sustainable future. The ferry was developed and constructed to demonstrate a pathway to commercialization for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell marine technologies. While still working on permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels with the US Coast Guard, the completed ferry will exhibit the viability of this zero-carbon ship propulsion technology for the commercial and regulatory communities. AAM is a leading builder of hybrid-electric vessels in the United States and was chosen to complete this project because of their experi-

Day flavor — Chocolate Covered Raspberry Ripple — that showcased berries from Enfield Farms in Lynden. Lynden Pioneer Museum also opened its doors free of charge so people could experience the new, permanent Peoples Bank exhibit. The exhibit takes visitors back in time and features a late-1800s cast iron change machine, an early 1930s check writer and an early 1900s deposit box, along with deposit bags, a bank billfold, a bank ledger and even a late-1800s violin. The museum also renamed its exhibition gallery the “Peoples Bank Gallery.” Underscoring its commitment to preserving the rich history of Lynden, Peoples Bank recently made a $100,000 donation to the museum’s Endowment Foundation. Go to: www.peoplesbank-wa.

com/100-years-of-service.

ence building unique, high-quality vessels. AAM’s new state-of-the-art shipyard has an expanded capacity and production capabilities for additional, larger and more complex vessels. “Hydrogen-fuel cell technology will prove to be a robust alternative to conventional powertrain technologies,” said Ron Wille, AAM President & COO. “AAM is continuing our tradition of building vessels on the leading edge of technology using advanced propulsion methods, which is why we are so proud to have to completed construction on such a revolutionary vessel.” Go to: www.allamericanmarine.com.

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

PHOTO: Sattva Photo

Andy and Erin Vitaljic want to feed Whatcom County and beyond Don’t bet against them Dustin McKissen According to the City of Bellingham, more than 740 people experience homelessness in Whatcom County every night. Tragically, 18% of the county’s homeless population are families with children. More than half — 60% — of the homeless population is considered “unseen.” The primary reasons for homelessness in the county include the loss of a home, the loss of a job, and substance abuse and/or mental health challenges.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

PHOTOS: Sattva Photo

The filleting process, then sorting on to racks for freezing which will subsequently be bagged and packed for food banks.

It isn’t just individuals experiencing homelessness who face challenges. Both those without a home and the working poor also struggle with food insecurity. Last year, Whatcom County Unified Command asked the Whatcom Community Foundation to put together the COVID-19 Food Security Task Force (FSTF), which includes more than 25 county organizations. The data they uncovered is startling. Prior to the pandemic, around 15% of the county’s population experienced food insecurity. That number skyrocketed with the onset of COVID-19. In May of 2020, food banks, Meals on Wheels, schools, and other community organization distributed about 800,000 meals in Whatcom County. Both homelessness and food insecurity are issues near and dear to the hearts of Andy and Erin Vitaljic, two of Whatcom County’s most dynamic (and big-hearted) entrepreneurs. Andy is known throughout the county as the founder of American Canadian Fisheries. Andy is a Bellingham native, having grown up in the fishing industry. The business is in his blood. His father, Joe Vitaljic, died while gill-netting when his boat capsized near Smith Island. That tragic accident was enough to force Andy off of a boat for good. How-

ever, while an unfortunate circumstance took Andy off the water, nothing could take him away from the industry. Once on land, he founded the Fisherman’s Market in downtown Bellingham. Today his sprawling business interests include American Canadian Fisheries, Q Sea Specialty Services, Hannegan Properties, Hannegan Seafoods, Hannegan Seafood Galley, Hannegan Express, and Shore Pine Investments with American Canadian Fisheries and its operations within Washington, Oregon, California and Michigan being the primary focus. While Andy Vitaljic is one of the county’s most successful entrepreneurs, his commitment to the community is an even greater passion than the bottom-line success of his many businesses. The Vitaljics’ 40-acre business park on the corner of Hannegan and Hemmi (known as Hannegan Properties) is home to CTK Farms, an agricultural space that Christ the King Church uses to grow produce for support of local food banks. “I am deeply proud of the way we’ve supported Christ the King,” said Vitaljic. “As an organization, they do so much good in this community, and we show our appreciation for the work they do by providing free-of-charge the utilities

and agricultural acreage used by CTK Farms. Our support of the church is an important part of what we want to leave behind through our work. We are just as committed to our legacy as we are to our balance sheet, and I believe a big part of our success can be attributed to a company-wide commitment to doing well and doing good.” Collectively, American Canadian Fisheries, CTK Farms and the Vitaljics have provided financial support and millions of pounds of meals to food banks within Whatcom County and subsequently, through other partnerships, to the states of Washington, Oregon, and California — and that generosity and business success is a family operation. Erin Vitaljic, Andy’s wife, owns and operates Fat-Cat Fish, a related-party entity that turns by-products of fish processing into high-quality pet food. Eleven years ago, Business Pulse named Fat-Cat Fish the “Startup of the Year”. That success has continued over the last decade. Today the company’s range of wild caught salmon-based pet foods and treats meet or exceed the highest quality standards. But for the Vitaljics, business success always come second to a deep passion for feeding their community. “Erin and I were both raised to be

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

generous,” said Andy Vitaljic. “We both grew up here. This community has given both of us and our employees so much. Prosperity goes hand-in-hand with responsibility. We both firmly believe that. For Erin and me, that responsibility means we need to do everything we can to feed the homeless and anyone in Whatcom County who goes to bed hungry at night.” At this stage of their careers, Andy and Erin Vitaljic are increasingly focused on their legacy. While no one would question their commitment to Whatcom County, they would like to do more. Part of those plans include expanding their ability to feed even more needy families through additional cold storage on their 40-acre parcel known as Hannegan Properties. “It is extremely difficult for local government and community-based organizations to tackle hunger in Whatcom County,” said Andy Vitaljic. “They do an incredible job, and we support what they do. But we have millions of pounds of high-quality wild salmon fillets and other products that would put food in the bellies of people who really need it. Erin and I have been blessed in our lives. We don’t go to bed hungry — but a lot of good people do. We can

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

“I hope that long after I leave this world for the next, people won’t remember Andy the fisherman, or even Andy the entrepreneur. They will remember our commitment to feeding the hungry.”

expand our ability to change that with more cold storage.” More than a decade ago, Andy Vitaljic attempted to achieve his vision, but the county rejected his attempt at cold storage expansion. He and Erin both hope this time things will be different. “We are preparing to discuss an expansion of our cold storage facilities with the county executive and other local policymakers,” Andy Vitaljic said. “I believe that homelessness and food insecurity have become such an issue in Whatcom County that the private sector must take a leadership role in helping address these issues. We’ve been doing that in one way or another since the day we founded this company. This expansion of our facility would increase that capacity. We believe it is a rare opportunity to get a win for the county, a

The giving garden is named after Andy’s sister, JoAnn.

– Andy Vitaljic

win for the company, and a win for a lot of families and struggling individuals who just need a nutritious meal in their bellies.” Homelessness and food insecurity can become a highly politicized issue — but politics should never impede helping people. “The cold storage facility, specifically the activities of freezing and storing, would allow us and our companies to directly support NW Harvest and CTK Church’s efforts to keep food banks stocked during a difficult time,” Andy added. “The private sector is an important part of addressing the issues that prevent our county and the people who live here from reaching their full potential,” said Barbara Chase, executive director of the Whatcom Business Alliance. “It is projects like this and people like Erin and Andy who can use their resources and their servant hearts to help our policymakers address the issues they care about. While people have different opinions about ways to improve our community, no one wants to see a child or adult go hungry.” The road ahead for Andy and Erin Vitaljic and the rest of their team is a little unknown. The permitting process for new cold storage facilities is

complex and will take time. However, regardless of the outcome, the Vitaljics are sure of one thing. “Our commitment to feeding the hungry will never wane,” said Andy. “This really is our legacy, and I hope that long after I leave this world for the next, people won’t remember Andy the fisherman, or even Andy the entrepreneur. They will remember our commitment to feeding the hungry—and the people who lead our companies into the next generation will maintain that commitment.” While the future of the Vitaljics’ expanded facility is still up in the air, one thing is certain: Andy and Erin have made a massive commitment to feeding the hungry in Whatcom County, and this community is better because of their generous hearts and entrepreneurial passion. ■

KEEP OUR WORKING LANDS WORKING

Working agricultural and forestry lands in Whatcom County are increasingly being converted to other uses. Help us save working lands and be compensated for the value of your unused development rights.

Contact us today! www.whatcomcounty.us/573 Becky Snijder van Wissenkerke Program Administrator rsnijder@whatcomcounty.us | 360-778-5956



SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

FEATURE BP

Photo inset: In this 1969 ceremonial groundbreaking event, ARCO executives, along with Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson, detonate a charge to break ground for the ARCO refinery that would become bp Cherry Point. Background photo: In this undated photo, two workers pass the construction site of the coke drums and a tank at the refinery that would become bp Cherry Point. Photos courtesy of bp Cherry Point.

A story of prosperity 50 years on, what does bp Cherry Point mean to Whatcom County? Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy

n 1971, as the superstructure of an oil refinery began rising on Cherry Point, the future of Whatcom County began rising with it. Fifty years on, bp Cherry Point’s story of prosperity for this region can be told via the macro picture: 975 permanent jobs, 10,200 total jobs supported, and $93 million paid annually in taxes (reported in 2019). Or its story can be viewed through the micro lens of what bp Cherry Point means to three Whatcom County families.

The 50-year employee Dan Williams started at bp Cherry Point (then ARCO) in March 1971 as part of the original start-up crew, making $3.95 an hour. Minimum wage in the country that year was $1.60. He and his coworkers spent those early months in a classroom, learning refining as the structure rose around them. That first year, he often pulled 16-hour shifts. “We were doing everything we could to get that place going,” Williams said.

Eventually they moved outdoors to learn on the equipment, and on Nov. 21, 1972, he and a co-worker put the first barrel of Canadian crude oil into the new refinery for processing. Williams drew the first sample for testing. What does he remember of that day, half a century later? “We were paying close attention to what we were doing!” Williams said. “We were all excited. We wanted to make sure it went well.” Operations started with Canadian

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

Dan Williams, bp Cherry Point’s longest-serving employee, on the street named for him within the refinery complex. Photo courtesy of bp Cherry Point.

crude, but the refinery was built to process Alaska North Slope crude, and that hadn’t arrived yet. In ’72, Dan and his coworkers thought North Slope crude might arrive at Cherry Point in ’73 or ’74. It took much longer. The TransAlaska Pipeline System, commonly called the Alaska pipeline, was at that time the largest private construction project in American history. Construction finally began in March 1975. Even then, its completion wasn’t a sure thing. Williams remembers thinking there was a chance all that investment would go under. “It was a scary time,” Williams said. “North Slope crude was going to secure employment and business for this community. We felt lucky, fortunate, when the (Alaska pipeline) oil came through (in 1977). We’d been waiting for years. “Because of that, the entire community has flourished.” In 1970, Bellingham’s population was 40,000. Ferndale’s was 2,200. Blaine’s was 2,000. Williams remembers Blaine as a typical border town. “Look at it now. It’s a great place. All

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

to catch crawdads or to whack a tennis ball on the courts. She eventually played on the Sehome High School tennis team. “My dad being a shift worker, he wasn’t always able to be at our games, but he came when he could,” McFadden said. “We knew that was OK because that job was what allowed us to play sports. All the things we had were because of the job.” If he had to work during a holiday, the family would shift their celebra-

that is because of the industry that’s come in. “My pop always told me, when you get married, you do what’s in the best interest of your family. And that was to make a living. The refinery has been good to me, good to my family. It’s been security. I can’t say enough about Cherry Point refinery and the wonderful people I worked with. They gave me moral support, counsel; they were there to advise me. They’re my extended family.” Before starting his career, Williams served three years in Vietnam, caring for wounded soldiers and supervising a mobile Army surgical hospital. After joining the refinery, he completed emergency medical technician training in 1975 and served as a volunteer firefighter for Whatcom County Fire District 7 for 25 years. He was certified as a licensed practical nurse in 2001. Williams, bp Cherry Point’s longest-serving employee, retired on July 8, 2021.

Elise McFadden, payroll coordinator and second-generation bp Cherry Point employee. Photo courtesy of Elise McFadden.

The second-generation employee, or winning the lottery — twice Elise McFadden’s roots in Whatcom County run deep. Her father grew up in Deming and went to Mount Baker Senior High. He was an experienced worker and father of three when he was hired by bp Cherry Point, then ARCO. He called it winning the lottery. Landing a refinery job allowed the young family to upgrade to a bigenough house on Bonanza Way near Lakeway. Elise McFadden remembers it as a nice neighborhood, where she and her sisters could walk to the Whatcom Falls Park swimming hole

tion to evening or the following day. “I don’t remember complaining, because we knew how fortunate we were that Dad worked at the refinery,” McFadden said. “My parents were thankful and relieved that he got the job.” In third grade, watching an older sister’s middle school concert, young Elise was captivated by the violins. “I wasn’t sure what it was, but that’s what I wanted to play. Because of the job Dad had, my parents could afford lessons.” Elise studied violin through high school and beyond, performing with the Western Washington University symphony and Bellingham Theatre Guild. “It’s such a big part of my life. If

“I wish the public knew more about all the good we do for the environment. We have some of the best environmental engineers in the business here, and we work hard to maintain great connections with every environmental agency in Washington state. We work as a team, bp and contractors alike.” - Michael Fry you think of us not being able to afford lessons, that’s a major part of my life that would not be there.” Her mother, sisters and children learned music, too. “At Christmas, we still love playing together. It’s one of our favorite things to do as a family.” Family history repeated itself when Elise McFadden was hired by bp Cherry Point in 2013. “When I got my offer from bp, it was the same; we knew things would be OK. I got the opportunity with the great benefits they offer. We had the same breath of relief.” Her new job allowed her husband to take time off from work to earn a commercial driver’s license and gain different employment. “I’m still thankful and proud to work here,” said McFadden, who’s now the payroll coordinator. She also volunteers as president of bp Cherry Point Rec Club and as leader of her daughter’s Scout troop. “bp Cherry Point is on the forefront of diversity and inclusion,” McFadden said. “They’re doing good things locally, for the community and their employees.”

From child to adult, at the refinery Like Elise McFadden, Michael Fry is a second-generation employee of bp Cherry Point. Fry’s father started at bp Cherry Point (then ARCO) in March 1971, the same month Dan Williams did. Both men were part of the startup crew. Michael Fry remembers visiting the refinery many times as a kid. Once grown, he worked for refinery contractors during the high-activity “turnaround” periods at various refineries, including bp Cherry Point. He was hired fulltime by bp Cherry Point in June 2003 and is now machine-shop planner. “When I was little, my dad worked a lot of shift work — a lot!” said Fry, echoing Elise McFadden’s childhood memories. Fry remembers his dad’s days off, when they’d go skiing, boating, fishing and camping. His mother had been a teacher, but when her husband was hired at the refinery, she was able to stay home full time with the children. “My sister and I had it made,” Fry said.

Michael Fry, machine shop planner at bp Cherry Point. Photo courtesy of Michael Fry.

“My dad always worked incredibly hard, and that trickled down into my life and my sister’s as we began our life

careers and our families,” he said. “My family has always been taken care of, much like how I grew up with my dad working for ARCO. My family has had anything we’ve ever wanted or needed. Sometimes we had to wait, or strategize, but in the end, it’s come to fruition. “Cherry Point has always been looked at as ‘winning the lottery’ in the community. Reality is, it’s hard to beat for employment and camaraderie here in Whatcom County.” Whatcom County’s biggest private-sector employer The story of bp Cherry Point’s impact on Whatcom County would not be complete without mentioning size. “I think bp is the largest private employer in the county,” said Hart Hodges, director of The Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University, which regularly releases such statistics. “They are definitely the largest private employer if you include contract workers at firms like Matrix who would not be working in the county but for the refinery. “Firms like Fred Meyer might be close to bp in terms of FTE (fulltime equivalent) employees, but they are not close when you factor in contract workers and related engineers.” One last multiplier Mountain bikes, houses, soccer balls, haircuts, washing machines, cars. Consider all the goods and services that the many bp Cherry Point employees buy. Fifty years after the refinery superstructure arose on Cherry Point, the multiplier effect just keeps multiplying, spreading prosperity throughout Whatcom County and beyond. ■

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

bp’s impact on local nonprofits

Breakdown of the Business Pulse staff

What does bp Cherry Point mean to our neighbors in need? From Kristi Birkeland, communications and development manager of United Way:

bp Cherry Point is the biggest contributor by far to

United Way of Whatcom County. They are definitely our top contributor and have been for a very long time.

Since 2004, bp Cherry Point has given more than $4.6

million to our community through United Way contributions. (2004 is

when United Way’s database begins, though bp Cherry Point’s giving precedes it.)

Between corporate support, employee donations and a generous 1-to-1

employee matching program through its foundation, bp gives hundreds of

thousands of dollars to United Way each year. Last year, bp pledged more

than $185,000 to United Way’s Community Impact Fund, which helps fund critical programs at 22 local nonprofit agencies. It also contributed

$10,000 to our Emergency Recovery Fund for COVID-19. bp encourag-

es its employees to volunteer and has loaned us valuable staff members to help raise and distribute funds in our community.

Because of its size, presence and 100% matching program, bp gives at

levels that are extremely impactful. But it takes more than capacity. It takes commitment. Time and time again, bp has shown up for this community by supporting local nonprofits that are doing life-changing work.

Most local companies that give do not have employee matching, and

even fewer match it fully.

If bp were to stop contributing to United Way, vital funding streams

would no longer be available for many local nonprofits. Our work to help

individuals and families who struggle financially would continue, but it would be a lot harder without the support bp provides, and definitely people and programs would fall through the cracks.

I’m not sure people realize just how generous bp is about supporting our

communities. Its choice to Live United means healthier families, stronger businesses and a better community for all of us. —remarks edited for brevity.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

On July 27 after nearly six years, the Whatcom County Council unanimously approved a compromise version of the Cherry Point Amendments. The final Cherry Point Amendments importantly will have the least possible impact on living-wage jobs in Whatcom County and also allow Cherry Point fossil fuel facilities to remain competitive. Furthermore, the new Amendments will provide more regulatory certainty for those doing business in Whatcom. For most of the six years little progress was made with opposing sides having little common ground they could agree on. Then in 2020, a stakeholders group made up of industry, environmental groups and the labor community was formed. The stakeholders group met virtually as many as three times a week for almost a year hammering out hard fought compromise language that was approved unanimously by the Whatcom County Council on July 27. The resulting Amendments have new prohibitions of certain facilities but also specifically allow for others. For instance, the new regulations: • Prohibit the construction of new fossil fuel refineries and transshipment facilities, and outright prohibit coal-fired power plants and new piers or docks. • Allow new renewable fuel refineries and transshipment facilities but they are not allowed to be converted to non-renewable fossil fuel refineries or transshipment facilities. • Allow, importantly, certain facil-

recent Cherry Point Amendments approval ity upgrades and modifications including safety, environmental improvements, maintenance, and storage. One important compromise was on the use of conditional use permits (CUPs). Many do not like CUPs due to the discretionary nature of the CUP process. This was an important area of negotiation where the stakeholders group worked out a compromise acceptable to everyone. One important compromise was that when making upgrades at refineries and transshipment facilities they would have to cumulatively increase capacity by more than 10,000 barrels per day before triggering a CUP. Finally, there were also some important compromises on regulations regarding greenhouse gas mitigation as the state grapples with the same issue. The final Cherry Point Amendments address this issue but will be supplanted by state regulations when that process is completed. There were many times through this process it seemed an agreement by all parties was not possible, but Whatcom County came together and is an example of how a community can work together and arrive a constructive solution to the most divisive issues. For more details on the new Cherry Point Amendments please see below. The new prohibited uses at Cherry Point: • New fossil fuel refineries • New fossil fuel transshipment facilities • New piers, docks, or wharves

• Coal-fired power plants • Conversion of a renewable fuel refinery or renewable fuel transshipment facility to a fossil fuel refinery or fossil fuel transshipment facilities. Allowed Specified Permitted Uses In other words, can be built following the same permitting rules as before. • Includes most projects and upgrades – safety and environmental improvements, storage tanks, renewables development, maintenance, and modifications. • New Renewable Fuel Refineries or Renewable Fuel Transshipment Facilities - but as stated above new piers are prohibited. Conditional Use Permits May be built, but require significant additional permitting, public review, County restrictions and potential conditions. • Required for expansion of refinery which meets any of the following thresholds: • Cumulatively increases the facility’s total Maximum Atmospheric Crude Distillation Capacity for Fossil Fuels by more than 10,000 barrels per day. • Cumulatively increases the facility’s total Maximum Transshipment Capacity for Fossil Fuels by more than 10,000 barrels per day • If increases the frequency of Fossil Fuel unit train shipments by rail unloaded or loaded at an existing facility in excess of limits, if any,

established by County, State or Federal authorities. • Projects that trigger the above Conditional Use Permit thresholds require: • Financial assurance that it complies with the financial responsibility requirements in State and Federal law and names Whatcom County as an additional insured if using insurance policies. • For projects with probable, direct greenhouse gas emissions resulting from new or modified equipment of greater than 10,000 MT/year (CO2e): • An assessment of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of the project, with a focus on direct and indirect, gross greenhouse gas emissions caused by the project, • Mitigation of identified direct emissions of the project; mitigation may also be required for indirect emissions • Mitigate through on-site, locally, nationally, or through carbon registry. • Application of a multiplier of 1.5 to the tonnage of all mitigations performed locally (in Whatcom County) • The County may not deny a permit based upon lack of availability of local or regional mitigation. • These requirements no longer apply as of the effective date of the WA state or Federal requirement or rule for Greenhouse Gas assessment and mitigation project or permitting. ■

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

PHOTO: Sattva Photo

Owner Bob Guenser and daughter, Co-owner Melissa Petersen.

Signature Plastics customizes keyboards around the world Lorraine Wilde

any are surprised to discover that a leading U.S. manufacturer of custom keycaps, Signature Plastics, has been operating diligently for more than 40 years right here in Custer. A keycap is exactly like it sounds — the plastic cover for each of the keys on a keyboard or instrument panel. Many assume keycaps are only manufactured abroad, but the team at family-owned and -operated Signature Plastics has been making them here in the U.S. for a wide variety of applications, shipping them around the world for more than four decades. From humble beginnings to global supplier “In 1978, I started working with the Surrey, B.C.-based plastics manufacturer Comptec,” recalls Bob Guenser, Signature Plastics’ president. “I started in an entry-level position and worked my way up. Then there were only about half a dozen employees.”

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Comptec quickly became a leading manufacturer of what are called two-shot molded plastic parts. The term “twoshot” refers to two different plastic resins molded together in a single machine cycle — one for the text on the key and another for the key body. The company’s molded plastic parts were shipped worldwide to computer, telecommunications, electronics, automotive, medical and consumer products markets. It was around 1976 that the location in Custer, formerly an 18-acre farm, was established as the company’s U.S. keycap manufacturing and distribution center. It would eventually become the world’s largest independent supplier of keycaps for the computer industry. “In 2001, I had the opportunity to buy the keycap portion from Comptec, along with the customer base and Custer manufacturing facility,” Guenser said. “That’s when Signature Plastics LLC became a family business. There is still tremendous demand for keycaps today, more than we can keep up with.”

In the early 1990s, when many people began purchasing home computers, the market shifted, Guenser said. “Our products are in homes around the world but are also used in commercial settings, like point-of-sale devices, lottery machines, aerospace and airlines, theaters and scientific instrumentation,” said Melissa Petersen, company vice president and Guenser’s daughter. “You’ll find our products are used all over the world in almost any application you can imagine, wherever custom text and color-coded button is required.” Petersen joined the company in 2003. “After graduating from Western Washington University with a business degree, like Bob, I started at the bottom and worked my way up,” Petersen said. “I’ve been able to grow the customer service side of things, understanding our customers’ needs and being the bridge between them and our manufacturing team.” Petersen’s husband, Randy, joined the family business in July 2021 as a project manager, bringing with him more than 20 years of manufacturing experience. Guenser is thrilled. “I’m in my early 70s and will probably never retire, but I’m eventually going to let Melissa and Randy take over,” Guenser said. “It’s a father’s dream. Melissa is so immersed in the business. She knows it so well. She’s been instrumental in developing the direct-to-consumer part of our business.” Signature Plastics has grown steadily. The company has both commercial and retail sectors and has grown its team to more than 30 people working in manufacturing and administration. “When I formed Signature Plastics in 2001, we were generating about $1.5 million in sales annually,” Guenser

said. “Once we got into retail, all of our national or international charity chosales doubled, and they’re still growing. sen for the month. Color of Change, About 25% of our business is return the Human Rights Campaign and the customers.” Men’s Health Network are just a few Signature Plastics makes custom key that have received sets in a huge variety of colors, shapes donations in the and sizes. Shapes of keys are broken past year. into families defined by their height, “Every year we side profile, size, contour, translucence also make a point and mounting method, with custom- of supporting izable variability available in each of Custer Elementathose factors. Key sets can be made in more than 250 colors in two types of plastic. “We do custom orders of almost any size, from 10 sets of keys all the way up to 3,000,” “With our sublimation process, we can Petersen said. print in any language, from Cyrillic to Farsi Because demand is global, to Chinese. The most fun or exotic one the company’s customers are thus far has been Aurebesh, which is the worldwide. language from Star Wars.” – Melissa “We sell a lot of our product Petersen into Korea, Germany, Australia and Europe, for example,” Petersen ry that is just down the road,” Petersen said. “With our sublimation process, said. “We’re happy to support their anwe can print in any language, from nual Walkathon and their PTA. We are Cyrillic to Farsi to Chinese. The most one of the larger businesses in Custer, fun or exotic one thus far has been and so it’s a fun way to contribute right Aurebesh, which is the language from here in the community, too.” Star Wars.” A small portion of Signature Plastics’ An eye on the future business includes local projects as well. Signature Plastics is aware that there “We do have some local custom is a global movement to reduce plastic molding that we do for smaller com- use, and especially waste, to protect our panies, like Seattle Manufacturing oceans. Company,” Petersen said. “Although it “I struggle with the fact that we are represents only a small portion of our dependent on oil,” Guenser said. “Our business, much of our custom molding product is a byproduct of oil producis almost exclusively local.” tion. We’ve looked into alternatives in the past and continue to explore new Using the business to give options coming to the market.” back locally, nationally and “But at this time, the durability and internationally longevity of those alternative kinds of When the pandemic began, Signa- plastics, corn-based, biodegradable and ture Plastics developed a charitable other types, are unfortunately not sufgiving program called Give Back Tues- ficient or stable enough for the product day. On the second Tuesday of each and application that we supply,” Pemonth, 75% of sales are donated to a tersen added. “But it’s definitely some-

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

into plastics now. Our plastics are very durable and aren’t disposable; they usually outlast the life of the electronics.” Signature Plastics meticulously recycles all the waste plastic generated during the manufacturing process. “All of the waste plastic that is trimmed off parts goes into a big grinder and then into big boxes that are sold to other plastics companies that re-engineer and re-extrude it into pellets that are resold to make other post-consumer recycled products,” Petersen said. “So, we don’t generate much plastic waste at all.” The company also saves defects from the production line, tumbles them and sells them in 3-pound bags online. “People use them for art projects, to change their own rainbow keyboards at home,” Petersen said. “There’s a whole market of individual resellers and enthusiasts on eBay. They played with Legos as kids, and they love to pour out a bag of our discarded keys. We can’t keep them in stock.” During the pandemic and even before, hiring has been a problem. “We currently have manufacturing PHOTOS: Sattva Photo occurring on four 10-hour shifts each Manufacturing and production takes week,” Guenser said, “but we have place at the plant in Custer. enough business backlog — into next year — that we could add a second thing that we’ll always keep our eye on. shift and become a $5-to-$6-millionI’d love to be able to offer something dollar-a-year company if we can just someday that is renewable or biode- find the workers.” gradable that’s not hurting the enviSignature Plastics has recently raised ronment, but it’s just not there yet.” its entry-level starting wage to $17 per Although touch screen technology is hour, with plans to increase it again in advancing, Signature Plastics custom- a year or so. ers say that they’re not yet durable or “We also offer medical benefits, vareliable enough to replace the buttons cation, a matching IRA, and a positive and keys we all rely on in our lives working environment that we hope every day. will attract more candidates to the “The industry is continually chang- Custer area,” Guenser said. ing,” Guenser said. “There are a lot of Plastics manufacturing experience is restrictions on what materials can go not required, as on-the-job training is

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

available. “We look for people with good manual dexterity, eyesight and attention to detail, because our workers do visual quality inspections as they come off the press,” Guenser said. “Our employees are self-motivated to work quickly with an eye on quality. We strive to make our products as perfect as possible because our audience is very particular.” Signature Plastics is considering future partnerships with keyboard manufacturers. “We want to explore additional sublimation methods for marking keys, and the next logical step for us is to find a supply of discounted keyboards, and we can populate them with whatever set of keys the customer is interested in and then ship a turnkey product,” Guenser said. “There will always be a demand for the tactile switches and the keys that we manufacture, so we expect to be very profitable by managing our business efficiently without growing too big.” The company is devoted to quality and the team members who help them achieve it. “We’re also a family business, and we want to keep it that way,” Petersen said. “We have just a handful of competitors that do what we do, and we stay at the top because we offer superior customer service and quality. We care a lot about our employees, and we want to make sure we’re on the ground, working with our employees and staying in touch with the business.” Check out solutionsinplastic.com or follow them on Facebook (facebook. com/SignaturePlastics) and Instagram (instagram.com/pimpmykeyboard/) to learn more about this family-owned and -operated business and the incredible variety of keycaps they manufacture right here in Whatcom County.

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BP SPOTLIGHT

Mentor Corrie Wilder (left) provides suggestions as part of NWIRC’s One-on-One Advising Program. Photo courtesy of NWIRC.

From one entrepreneur to another Organization helps bring innovation to fruition Kyra Planetz It began with a bright idea: to help other people with bright ideas turn innovation into reality. With the entrepreneurial spirit at heart, founders of NW Innovation Resource Center saw an opportunity to support early-stage entrepreneurs in their community and got to work. Eleven years later, NWIRC has grown from an idea into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that prides itself on its pay-it-forward model. NWIRC is an organization created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Diane Kamionka, the executive director, played an integral part in founding the organization after leading a successful career in corporate America. She had founded a software company in Ohio, took it public, and sold it before moving to Bellingham in the early 2000s. Here, she began supporting other entrepreneurs with the establishment of the NW Agriculture Business Center, until NWIRC began in 2010. “Once you have your own company and spend time supporting your own

ideas, it really becomes important to help other people that have the same ambitions,” Kamionka said. The executive director, along with her team, took this idea of giving back and applied it to NWIRC. Because the entrepreneurs with whom the organization typically works are in the early stages of their investment process, with little financial flexibility, Kamionka said NWIRC feels it is important to provide early-stage support free of charge. Instead, the entrepreneurs are offered an opportunity to re-

ceive support and then donate some of their earnings back to the organization if they are successful in their business endeavors. The donations are then used to support the next entrepreneur seeking NWIRC’s assistance. When an entrepreneur comes to NWIRC, Kamionka said the team first talks through the validity of their idea with the client. Kamionka explains: “Is it targeting the right customer? Is it the right solution to the problem that customer has? Because if you don’t discuss that up front, you’re building on possibly inappropriate assumptions.” Next, NWIRC assists the entrepreneur in building a strategy, figuring out the financial logistics and determining how to market their new product or business. The entrepreneur not only receives a personalized business toolkit but works with a community member within the industry through NWIRC’s “Just-In-Time Mentorship” program — another aspect of the organization’s pay-it-forward model. The organization matches entrepreneurial clients with like-minded mentors who provide an expert to explain the entrepreneur’s industry and assist with marketing and product development. NWIRC believes this process is equally important for the entrepreneur and the mentor, as both are able to successfully network and develop the region economically. According to the organization’s website, this method allows early-stage entrepreneurs a greater chance at business success. Though NWIRC serves all innovative entrepreneurs in the region, they have a special focus on innovations for cleantech, maritime and

oceans sustainability, agriculture and vidual entrepreneur.” manufacturing that involve utilizing In addition to assisting entrepretechnology to be competitive in the neurs individually, NWIRC also connew digital economy. Whereas King ducts various programs that accept a County is centered on technology and certain number of entrepreneurial or software innovation, the five counties existing business applicants and guide (Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan them in various aspects of innovation. and Snohomish) within the organi- The organization recently completed zation’s region share a fabrication and an eight-week workshop focusing on agribusiness focus. However, Kamion- data technology. The program worked ka explained that NWIRC does not with established small businesses to want to limit itself to just one industry, better utilize their data, such as using which is the reason the organization it for strategic planning, cost reduction serves a region rather than exclusively and marketing. NWIRC is currently Whatcom County. building on what it learned through “The balance of innovation overall running this program to create a more is important,” Kamionka said. “It gives substantial program moving forward. We pair our presses with a Fast-Track Die Cutting sys us much more of a variety of entre“All small businesses and medideliver unparalleled turnaround! preneurs with different ideas that can um businesses really need to be able help each other. I think that’s really to utilize data more effectively to be important for the success of each indi- more competitive in the future,” Ka-

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mionka said. “There’s so much sciAnother program, the ence and technology Bluetech/Cleantech Incuthat’s involved in [envibator Cohort, is scheduled ronmental sustainability] to begin in September. It that it really bodes well will assist entrepreneurs for our region to become and early-stage startups leaders in those areas,” whose innovation posi- Design Thinking team receives advice from industry expert as part Kamionka said. tively impacts the envi- of a workshop to spur innovation in sustainable building practices. NWIRC is currently ronment — specifically working to create more refers to innovation that benefits the air, water or soil. maritime economy and supports a group-oriented programs; after all, To achieve this program, NWIRC healthy ocean ecosystem. as Kamionka puts it, “entrepreneurs has partnered with Washington The 10-week program will guide thrive when working with other enMaritime Blue and the CleanTech innovators from validating their idea trepreneurs.” The organization also Alliance — organizations that sup- to becoming ready for investment in recently opened innovation centers in port economic development within their company. Kamionka explained Everett and Arlington. These creative “bluetech” and “cleantech” innovation, that because the cohort is creating labs are spaces in which entrepreneurs respectively. “Cleantech” is a term used businesses from the ground up, the can collaborate on projects with othto describe any product or service that volume of jobs will take time to build ers. The centers conduct programs supports sustainability by reducing but will be highly important for the and events and connect entrepreneurs waste and pollution, while “bluetech” region’s economy. with mentors and business advisers. NWIRC hopes to open more innovation centers, possibly in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Kamionka said she holds a great appreciation for all the businesses that have supported the entrepreneurs with whom NWIRC works. She said she believes that the type of new businesses NWIRC assists are key to the economic development of the region and help it to remain “competitive with knowledge-based jobs and businesses.” From its pay-it-forward donations model to individualized mentoring to synergetic programs and labs, NWIRC is all about one entrepreneur helping the next. One bright idea can change the world, and NW Innovation Resource Center is here to help bring those ideas to life through connection and collaboration. For more information about the organization, visit nwirc.com. ■

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Commitment to community Chase is proud to support Whatcom Business Alliance. We are committed to helping Whatcom County entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals. Contact us: Rob Camandona VP, Business Relationship Manager (360) 671-0841 rob.camandona@chase.com

Jennifer Wallis Executive Director/Relationship Manager (206) 251-2124 jennifer.r.wallis@chase.com

BP FEATURE PHOTO: Sattva Photo

Let the goodness flow

Overflow Taps serves tasty beer, provides necessary water Tony Moceri

L to R, Owner Jesse Nelson and General Manager Luke Knudson

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

It’s a common scene: A group of friends is hanging out chatting about a great business idea they should partner on. They know it would be a success, and on top of that, they could do some social good. Everyone knows it’s a can’t-miss idea; all they need to do is get started. That, unfortunately, is where most ideas end — people go off to their daily lives, never moving the idea forward. This story easily could have been the case for Jesse Nelson, co-owner of Overflow Taps, had he not crossed paths with Adam Stacey. While discussing a potential beer blog that Nelson was considering starting, Stacey noticed the passions he shared with Nelson and approached him about starting a taphouse. With the shared desire to have great beer accessible to people in Whatcom County and to do some social good in the process, they acted on the idea, and as a result, they have achieved both goals. Overflow Taps’ first location opened in downtown Lynden’s Waples Mercantile Building in 2016. Nelson and Stacey did not want to lose sight of the social good component of the business, so they built it into the model from day one. Overflow Taps has partnered with Charity Water, which funds clean water projects across the globe. Charity Water was chosen specifically because of how the organization is run. “One hundred percent of the public’s donated money goes to water projects, then all the overhead is funded by a group of families,” Nelson said. “So, if I give one dollar, one dollar is going straight to the projects.” Originally, the plan was to change monthly or quarterly where the business gave money, but as time went on, the owners felt that consistency would be more impactful. “Overflow Taps is all in on making the

world a better place with our clean water project,” Nelson said. “We donate 1% of all revenue to our charity and nonprofit partners to help bring clean water to people in developing countries.” The 1% donation of funds is just a part of what Overflow Taps is doing. Nelson and Stacey are extremely proud of the approximately 20 projects they have fully funded or been a part of, but the consistency of sticking with the one mission has led to an awareness that goes farther than their money can. This social good component, which began as just a piece of what the business was about, now has moments when it’s the star. Two years after opening the Lynden location, Nelson and Stacey were encouraged to open a second location in Barkley Village. They didn’t feel completely ready, but in the end it worked out; the move not only grew the business but also led to the start of the Clean Water Happy Hour on Saturdays. In partnership with the Cohen Group Northwest, the monthly event is designed to bring awareness to people’s lack of access to clean water. At the event, each customer’s first drink is paid for, and there are lots of giveaways. The hope is that greater attendance means more people connected to the cause. For Nelson, it’s exciting to see the happy hour happening again and to have people back in the taphouses enjoying a beverage.

PHOTOS: Sattva Photo

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PHOTOS: Sattva Photo

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, that was the focus; it was hard to talk about the mission when there was no money to give and no people in the taphouses. Like everyone in the industry, Nelson and Stacey had moments when they thought, “What do we do now?” They decided to use the time to make Overflow Taps better and find new ways to connect with their customers. At the Lynden location, they instituted Aloha Friday, where people could preorder pizza and beer and drive up and get it. Then customers could join Stacey and Nelson live online for beer tastings while enjoying their pizza. The owners also started beer and wine clubs, with customers getting bottles monthly or quarterly. These clubs created some revenue, but more importantly they kept Overflow Taps at the front of people’s minds. After the pandemic is over, the clubs will continue. Out of the beer and wine clubs came the idea for the Cellar Club, which allows Overflow Taps to bring in special beer that normally wouldn’t sell well. “The Cellar Club, which is reserved for 12 people only, has big beers that we can usually only get a case of that

we might have had a hard time selling because people weren’t necessarily aware of what those beer were or we struggled to communicate that to people,” Nelson said. “We knew we could start the Cellar Club and find 12 people who love those beers to make sure those cases are always sold when we bring them in.” These clubs have brought Nelson and Stacey back to what started Overflow Taps in the first place: a love for beer. The crisis led to an innovative way to focus on the foundation of the business. While the owners were forced to keep the doors shuttered, they continued to innovate. They sold limited-release merchandise, purchased a growler machine for beer to go, and set up a new text platform for communicating with customers. Messages sent to 360-205-9322 go directly to Nelson and are a way for people to be a part of exclusive information and giveaways. As they innovated to keep afloat, the team focused on the future in parallel. The downtime was used to rebuild the company’s website at www.overflowtaps.com, where customers can check out the podcast and see the current tap list for each location. The beers rotate continually, with Stacey diligently seeking out new beers, ciders and wines to bring in while rotating through old favorites. They also used the time to increase food options, now featuring pizza, chicken wings, soft pretzels and Cajun tots at both locations. After finding ways to improve through COVID-19, Nelson is optimistic about the future — even though numbers are still below what

they were seeing before the pandemic. “If I can see month-after-month sustained revenue growth … and I’m having conversations with our team and our guests about the clean water cause, I will feel like the year has been a success,” Nelson said. With that confidence, he and Stacey are looking to continue the growth of Overflow Taps. They are on the lookout for a good spot for a third location,

which they plan to make friendly to all ages. They also have plans to add a few more locations in the coming years.To try the current beer, wine and cider options at Overflow Taps, stop into one of the two locations. The Bellingham taphouse, located at 2930 Market St. #117, is open daily. The Lynden location, at 106 5th St., is open Monday through Saturday.

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On the water with Bellingham sailor Sharon Albert Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy

Bellingham sailor Sharon Albert holds a U.S. Coast Guard 50-ton Master’s License. She has sailed to Hawaii, made numerous Pacific coast passages, and sailed from South America around Cape Horn to the Antarctic Pen-

insula. Formerly of San Francisco, she now teaches boating here and explores the Salish Sea with her husband aboard their 44-foot trawler.

Why are you a boater? Sailing is the water activity I like best. You can feel the energy of the earth, along with the effects of the sun and moon. Nothing is nicer than being alone in the cockpit of a sailboat at night, making a long passage, seeing bioluminescence in the water, watching the stars move overhead. Crossing an ocean in a sailboat, taking the night watch, is the best way I know to be aware that our planet is part of an enormous universe. It’s also exciting: you can use the position of the stars, sun, and moon, and find your position on the earth with a sextant. It’s more engaging and profound than an electronic chart plotter, if slightly less precise. You’re a member of Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron. Why join a boating organization? Social activities, the company of like-minded folks and sharing information and appetizers! I really enjoy

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

sharing information and stories from years of sailing and power boating. Any comments for folks who have never been out on the water? Do anything you can to get out on Bellingham Bay, Chuckanut Bay, the San Juans and beyond! We live in a water wonderland here. Rent a kayak during a negative tide and explore the shoreline of Chuckanut Bay, join the Community Boating Center (in Fairhaven), volunteer to crew for friends who have boats, take a basic boating class through the Bellingham Sail and Power Squadron at Bellingham Technical College (http://www.boatingisfun.org). If you can afford it, take a learn-to-cruise or learn-to-sail course through NW Explorations or San Juan Sailing and Yachting. Boating classes will give you an idea of what you might like later. Sail or power? Rowing on Lake Whatcom? Kayaking? Local, or on your way to Alaska?

Courtesy photo

“Crossing an ocean in a sailboat, taking the night watch, is the best way I know to be aware that our planet is part of an enormous universe.” –Sharon Albert

What if you don’t own a boat? Community Boating Center is perfect for that. Visit https://www.boatingcenter.org. What boating are you doing now? Previously? These days, mostly power boating, but we carry sit-on-top kayaks and a fast dinghy. I’ve single-handed my 37foot Tartan on San Francisco Bay and out into the open ocean. My favorite boating activity now is kayaking with my bluetick hound, Charlie. In remote places in the Inside Passage, the differences between us melt away. I paddle, she sits between

my knees, and we observe the wild world around us. Describe your cruise to Alaska earlier this summer. We were delivering a 47-foot Grand Banks Europa to Ketchikan. It’s part of the NW Explorations fleet and will be used for charter. Unfortunately, because the border was closed, there’s only quick transit available, as a commercial transaction. No charter guests. But I’m thrilled: NO CRUISE SHIPS! It’s bad for people who want to cruise, and certainly for cruise-ship lines and their employees. But it’s a bonus for me. I’ll help bring a 57-foot Nordhavn

back from Alaska in late August, too. In a typical year, how many days do you spend aboard? Our current boat is a 44-foot Kadey-Krogen wide body. Single engine, stabilized for rougher water, bow and stern thrusters. Ocean capable, with a 4,500-mile range on a single fuel fill. Comfortable, lots of outside area, and it carries many toys: kayaks, paddle boards, and now electric bikes to extend our cruising range inland. We spend 100-plus days per year aboard. But we also love being in Bellingham! Interview has been edited.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BP

Supporting business through the pandemic Updates from the port’s economic development division Jennifer Noveck During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Bellingham’s economic development team has taken on additional work to advocate for and aid businesses directly. “We are proud to have been able to be a part of a county-wide network that came together to help businesses survive during this time,” said Don Goldberg, the port’s director. “While COVID-19 temporarily paused some of our work, we took it as an opportunity to get to know the needs of the business and nonprofit community better.” The Regional Economic Partnership team administered and marketed three separate grant programs (Working Washington 1.0, Working Washington 2.0 and the Small Business Relief Grant) and provided support for at least three other grant relief programs (Working Washington 3.0, Working Washington 4.0 and Whatcom ReStart small business and child care grants). These grant programs provided more than $5 million in much needed relief to Whatcom County businesses impacted by pandemic closures. In addition to small business grants, the economic development staff at the port leveraged support to help its partners develop the “Yiftee Think

Local First” gift card program, which has put more than $200,000 into local Whatcom County businesses. The program allows customers to buy gift cards online that can be used at any of the participating 260 businesses, with more local businesses being added all the time. The team also continued to build on its past work to strengthen Whatcom County’s base economy. Due to an excellent track record of administering the Economic Development Administration revolving loan fund, port staff were invited to apply for a second round to help Whatcom’s business community weather the COVID-19 storm. In August 2020, the second fund was brought online and currently has $500,000 available to lend. Individual loan amounts range between $35,000 and $125,000. The goal of this program is to create family wage jobs in Whatcom County, with a focus on the manufacturing sector. One of the more unexpected developments seen over the past year, even with the land border between the United States and Canada closed to non-essential travel, has been continued interest by Canadian companies looking to open new facilities in Whatcom County. One example is Marcon

Creating and maintaining family wage jobs is key to sustained economic development in Whatcom County. Metalfab. Port staff have worked with Marcon since 2014, assisting with its U.S. siting decision, which culminated in Marcon purchasing the Greenberry building in Grandview Industrial Park in September 2020. Marcon is a large-scale metal fabrication shop out of Delta, British Columbia, that specializes in engineering and fabricating dynamic bridge components. Marcon contributes to the construction and rehabilitation of large North American transportation projects. Additionally, the Regional Economic Partnership team successfully supported and secured three strategic reserve fund grants totaling $650,000 to assist with the recruitment, retention or expansion of local businesses during the grants biennium, which ended on June 30, 2021. These three grants supported Vicinity Motor Corp. (formerly Grande West Transportation Group Inc.), 360 Modular Building Systems in Ferndale, and Silfab Solar, with offices in Bellingham and Mount Vernon. As a result of

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

the grants, these three companies will make more than $22 million in investments and produce an estimated 120 family wage jobs in Whatcom County. Creating and maintaining family wage jobs is key to sustained economic development in Whatcom County. This is particularly true as the cost of living continues to rise and people across the income spectrum have trouble finding accessible, affordable and available housing options and affordable and accessible child care options. Workers and employers consistently report that housing and child care are obstacles to the recruitment and retention of employees. The Regional Economic Partnership team will continue to work with its many partners to advocate for and support solutions to these problems, with a particular

focus on creating workforce housing. According to the Urban Land Institute, workforce housing is affordable to households earning between 60% and 120% of the area median income. Workforce housing targets middle-income workers, including those in professions such as police, fire, teaching, health care and retail. What is the Regional Economic Partnership? The Regional Economic Partnership is the economic development division of the Port of Bellingham. The division was rebranded in 2019 to signify the hub-and-spoke model the team takes towards development. The Regional Economic Partnership strives for a sustainable, resilient regional economy through a balanced and collaborative

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programmatic approach, working with the private, public and nonprofit sectors and connecting businesses to economic development and workforce resources throughout Whatcom County. The Regional Economic Partnership is funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce, Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham and the Port of Bellingham. In 2012, associate development organization status was transferred to the Port of Bellingham in an effort to cultivate long-term consistency and generate a more programmatic approach to economic development in Whatcom County. Associate development organizations are local organizations working on economic development on behalf of the Washington State Department of Commerce, and each county has one. This was a natural fit, as the Port of Bellingham — like all port districts in Washington — is responsible for managing transportation gateways and supporting economic development. Other ports serving as countywide associate development organizations include the Port of Chelan County, the Port of Columbia, the Port of Douglas County, and the Port of Walla Walla. The Regional Economic Partnership benefits from being housed at the port because resources from multiple sources are pooled, which ultimately saves money. This collaborative model creates more security, allows for long-term planning, and generates economic resiliency for all of Whatcom County. For more information about economic development at the Port of Bellingham, please visit portofbellingham.com.

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BP PERSONALLY SPEAKING

Driving workforce development in Whatcom County Personally speaking with Laura McKinney and Karla Kings Mary Louise Van Dyke

Laura McKinney is the chair for YES Whatcom and leads the Whatcom Business Alliance’s workforce development initiative to engage with the emergent workforce and connect them with career opportunities in Whatcom County and beyond. She also serves as the Northwest government affairs and public relations director for Alcoa and as vice chairman of the board for the Blaine School District. Her past experience includes stints as executive director for the American Chamber of Commerce in Estonia and the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness and as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. BP: How did the YES Whatcom awareness campaign come about? LM: The impetus behind YES Whatcom was the Youth Engagement Initiative, launched by the Whatcom Business Alliance in 2018. YES Whatcom was created to help students have access to career options awareness, paid internships/apprenticeship programs and hands-on learning experiences here in Whatcom

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

Many young students who are thinking about college or about two- or four-year training programs are thinking in an abstract way. They want a job and think there’s little or nothing here in Whatcom County that meets their work goals. We are working to help them know ... what the return on their investment could be here in this area.” – Laura McKinney

County. Many young students who are thinking about college or about two- or four-year training programs are thinking in an abstract way. They want a job and think there’s little or nothing here in Whatcom County that meets their work goals. We are working to help them know ... what the return on their investment could be here in this area. BP: What are YES Whatcom’s goals? LM: The purpose of the YES Whatcom campaign is to connect youth with local careers while also contributing to the local economy in positive ways. This allows partners to speak directly with high school students, letting them know what is available for them here in their home communities. BP: What is the difference between job training and workforce development? LM: Job training is really specific, with programs that provide specific training

for specific jobs. Workforce development, on the other hand, focuses on how you bring along and develop a workforce that will be able to meet the company’s needs. BP: Why do you think a focus on workforce development is important for Whatcom County? LM: Workforce development is a necessary part of economic development, from a strategic viewpoint. One of the key components in hiring people to work in different job fields is to have a workforce that is ready for new development. Otherwise, you end up with companies looking at their labor force and saying these workers don’t meet their needs, and the company goes elsewhere — to another county, to another state or even country — where they can find workers who are ready and able to meet their needs. BP: What tools does YES Whatcom use in reaching out to youth, and what school

levels are these resources geared towards? LM: YES Whatcom programming features career fairs and outreach programs, and these are primarily geared towards high school students. BP: What have you found in your work with YES Whatcom is a key element to improving the talent pipeline? LM: We are a known resource to local high schools, and the YES Whatcom website information is really helpful to career counselors. These counselors at the high school level help students connect with specific programs that can help the student meet their goals. Being able to connect with career counselors over the long term is really going to have the greatest impact, helping young persons think about what their future opportunities are and what their lives will look like as adults if they stay in western Washington. For example, are they interested in working in the environmental field? If yes, what job opportunities are available to them in Bellingham or Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden and the Nooksack Valley?

BP: Can non-high school job seekers find local jobs on the website? LM: Yes, the website information with company profiles is open for anyone looking for a job. Generally, these jobs are entry level, but could include some prerequisites. For example, the Auda Sinda boutique weaving studio looks for employees who know about weaving, knitting and/or other types of textile construction and who show attention to detail and focus. BP: What impact did the COVID19 pandemic have on YES Whatcom’s mission to engage with students and businesses? LM: YES Whatcom faced some major challenges when the pandemic struck. When we were thinking of how we could keep connected to students, we came up with the idea of the virtual jobs fair. Ultimately, doing this gave opportunities to 600 students across the county to participate in the online experience. I think we have a really good model going that we will continue in order to

make sure we can offer these meaningful engagements. BP: How did YES Whatcom engage with students and businesses before the pandemic? LM: Before the pandemic, the job fairs were usually an all-day affair. Employers would set up booths and students would troop in, carrying a list of questions to ask different employers. It was like a scavenger hunt for them to get the questions on their paper answered. However, the students probably wouldn’t discover that Samson, for example, based in Ferndale, offers opportunities for jobs that include manufacturing rope products used in a variety of fields such as commercial fishing, defense, search and rescue, and entertainment operations, in addition to offering engineering, testing and field services. BP: How many local companies are involved with YES Whatcom? LM: Today, the website has 68-plus companies and is growing every month. We have the companies mapped so it gives a good visual of

Thank you to the YES Whatcom financial supporters:

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where the companies are located. I’d like to see the map filled. BP: What resources are available on the YES Whatcom website? LM: The YES Whatcom website offers companies and organizations the opportunity to post jobs, in addition to putting up a profile in the workplaces section. The profile and what information you can put in there is very flexible. You can link to your corporate site, upload videos on the website. Job seekers can filter their preferred career cluster for more focused information on companies in that field. There is a contact opportunity for companies to get more involved when we are able to be more in person, do more internships, and have students come into the company and job shadow an employee or multiple employees for a day. This is a great opportunity

for building a workforce. BP: What attributes are these companies looking for in employees? LM: Companies are looking for basic-level workers, people who arrive on time for work, are able to learn on the job and work well with others. These are basic skills that are critical to the success of a team. A lot of companies around here have internal training programs where you get paid while training. BP: What kinds of jobs are posted on the YES Whatcom job board? LM: When we first launched this website, I spoke with a career counselor in Ferndale. She told me about a student who was looking for a job that involved more than working in a fast food place. Through YES Whatcom, the young person found an opportuni-

ty for work for NW Laboratories as a lab technician. Recent listings include seasonal production jobs and long-term jobs ranging from law enforcement to marketing and office assistants, couriers for a laboratory, and cashiers. BP: How are businesses adapting to the future of work in the aftermath of the pandemic? LM: Locally, I would say most of the entry-level jobs haven’t changed, despite the pandemic. Typically, companies are continuing to look for handson workers such as for health care, warehouses, etc. BP: What is your connection to YES Whatcom, and what do you like about your position? LM: I am the committee chair for YES Whatcom, and I connect through that

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way to the WBA board. Workforce development is a personal passion of mine; everywhere that I have been in my career, I’ve tried to engage in that opportunity whenever possible. I have five children and get really excited knowing what I know about the local community. My own 18-year-old was able to tell students about the opportunities available through YES Whatcom. Some kids said they never knew these opportunities existed. Also, some teenagers may not know that these companies they drive past are connected globally. BP: If a company isn’t hiring, how does it fit into YES Whatcom? LM: Sometimes, a company may not be hiring at the moment; however, hearing about what they do can energize students to be aware of new career opportunities.

Companies can also become supporters for the career fairs. Information is available on the website. BP: What are some of the companies that are part of YES Whatcom? Are there any non-Whatcom companies represented? LM: YES Whatcom has been able to facilitate opportunities for students who live in the southern part of the county with Janicki Industries, a Skagit County-based company. The company specializes in composite materials and exotic metals, using equipment to produce parts and tools for industries from aerospace to transportation and architecture. Lynden Door manufactures doors for residential, architectural and commercial businesses. The scope of their operations includes design to door-making. There are a couple of cases where their representative talked

about people starting on the floor and moving up into management.Intellitonic, based in Bellingham, specializes in online marketing through SEO (search engine optimization) to help clients learn to put their best digital marketing strategies forward in building their customer bases. BP: What’s next for YES Whatcom? LM: We will start career fairs again next year. These events feature an overview that states the purpose of the job fair; breakout sessions with panelists and a moderator from employers in different industry fields, such as finance/ business management, transportation/ distribution and logistics; and a closing session, with basic information on reaching out for employment. YES Whatcom lets kids know there is an exciting future for them, right here.

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YES Whatcom has been an integral part of ... our hiring effort to high schools and junior high schools.” – Karla Kings YES Whatcom Supporter Enfield Farms

Karla Kings, the human resources generalist for Enfield Farms of Lynden, highlights how YES Whatcom helps the farm meet its employment goals. Kings’ professional background includes nine years as business manager for Pro Italia Motors. BP: When looking for workers, do you ever hear teenagers saying they wouldn’t work on a farm since they don’t want to be a farmer? KK: Many teenagers have the wrong idea when it comes to the idea of working on a farm. The family-owned farm grows and packages raspberries and blueberries to places around the globe. Even if

BUSINESSPULSE.COM | SEP/OCT 2021

someone doesn’t want to become a farmer, because we are a big company, there are so many opportunities here, both for temporary positions and fulltime. Some of our upper-level managers started out here as pickers. BP: What kind of jobs are available at Enfield for young people who are looking for seasonal or full-time employment? KK: We are looking for young people with a good, old-fashioned work ethic who are motivated, passionate and engaged. This summer, Enfield was looking for seasonal workers to help on the harvest facility line, from age 14 on up. Positions available to teenagers 16 and older include pulling fruit from the cooler, driving positions that include forklifts, and working as lab

technicians in product monitoring, quality grading and monitoring good manufacturing practices. We have a new job this year — harvester prepper — for someone 16 or older. This position is responsible for preparing the harvesters each day. BP: How does YES Whatcom help Enfield Farms find workers? KK: YES Whatcom has been an integral part of our being able to continue to do the job fairs and an integral part of our hiring effort to high schools and junior high schools. Usually we would go out to the high schools and junior high schools to recruit workers at the job fairs. With the situation with COVID-19, we were all in a very different situation. The virtual job fair gave us opportunities to connect with students. We are grateful to YES Whatcom.

FINANCE BP

What employers should know about the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act Does it make sense for you to opt out of coverage? James B. Twining, CFP

Much to the chagrin of our Washington state government, the citizenry of the state will not approve a corporate or personal income tax. But never fear, the government makes up for it with a myriad of smaller tax bites of every description. Think of it as being nibbled to death by ducks. The most recent addition to the list is the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act. Beginning in January 2022, a .58% payroll tax will be charged to employees with W2 income, which includes hourly wages, salary, bonuses and certain stock plans. Employees have a binary choice: pay the tax or buy a personal long-term care policy to avoid it. The goal of this article is to provide perspective on each choice. Opinion: Long-term care insurance is rarely the most effective solution The reason for the existence of insurance is the distribution of risk. Insurance can be an effective solution to the extent that the protected event has two characteristics: The event is catastrophic, and the event is rare. The premature death of a 30-year-old breadwinner is an event that meets both criteria: It can be catastrophic to a surviving spouse and children (as it results in a complete loss of future income) and it is quite rare, affecting only about 1 in 700 households each year. As a result, the risk of catastrophic loss can be vastly reduced by insurance, replaced by a cost-effective, term life premium. If an event is not catastrophic, it is typically wiser to simply live with the risk and pay for the loss if and when the event occurs. There are many such events that do not cause

catastrophic loss, from dental bills to the breakdown of an appliance or body damage on a car. Over time, the person who has insurance coverage for these events is likely to pay more than those who choose to self-insure. Those who choose insurance coverage are effectively paying for the less-than-catastrophic events through the conduit of the insurer while also paying the administrative costs and profits of the insurance company. If an event is not rare, there are not enough insured people over whom to adequately spread the risk. Long-term care scenarios are not rare. The rough estimate is that the risk is spread among only two or three insured people, resulting in high premiums. The frequent claims add to administrative costs, which cause yet higher premiums and lower benefits. If there is another solution, it is certainly worth exploring. Fortunately, for successful investors, there is. Consider that when a single person moves to a nursing home or a couple moves to a continuing care community, their residence can be sold. The equity in the residence often exceeds the benefit paid by modern long-term care policies. In addition, a successful investor has financial assets that often will be sufficient to pay the long-term care costs. Those who might be better candidates for long-term care insurance are those without sufficient assets to self-insure. Unfortunately, they are the very people who are most negatively impacted by large premiums. High long-term care premiums can increase the withdrawal rate on a retirement portfolio, contributing to an eventual complete depletion of capital, even if a long-term care scenario never occurs.For these reasons, long-term care insurance is rarely the most effective solution to the risk of a long-term care scenario. Unless the investor is extremely risk-averse, it is best avoided in favor of other solutions.

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

Insight: Washington state’s plan is damaging for high-wage earners The maximum benefit through the Washington plan is $36,500. To qualify for the benefit, a wage earner must pay for at least 10 years, or three of the past six years. The total tax paid by six-plus-digit wage earners over various time periods is listed in the table below. The wages are assumed to grow at an inflation rate of 3% per year. This is every bit as bad as it looks. Even without the probable real tax increases, the wage earner making $250,000 will pay $52,866 over 25 years for the unlikely possibility

of a $36,500 benefit. The $1 million wage earner over a 25year career will pay $211,464 in tax for a maximum benefit of $36,500! It gets worse: On the margin, people who do not have health problems will be more likely to obtain private coverage, exempting themselves from the plan. This leaves a disproportionate number of people who have difficulty obtaining long-term care coverage on the plan. This “selection risk” almost certainly will cause large real increases in the tax, which are not included above.

Numbers in bold indicate tax higher than maximum possible state benefit. W2 Income

Tax over 1 year

Tax over 10 years

Tax over 25 years

Tax over 40 years

$100,000

$580

$6,649

$21,146

$43,733

$250,000

$1,450

$16,623

$52,866

$109,332

$500,000

$2,900

$33,241

$105,732

$218,664

$1,000,000

$5,800

$66,491

$211,464

$437,327

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Consideration: Cost comparisons for one scenario The rule does not specify a minimum amount of longterm care benefit necessary to opt out. Therefore, my advice would be to obtain the minimum benefit that an insurer will write, which is currently $3,000 per month, over a twoyear period — for a total of $72,000, or roughly double the state plan benefit.Here is one scenario I ran on an example client: male, age 60, standard health rating, earning $500,000 in W2 income annually with 3% raises, retiring in 10 years. I am assuming that a long-term care benefit is neither needed nor desired, leaving only one goal: cost reduction. Personal long-term care coverage: A 60-year-old male with a standard health rating can obtain a traditional longterm care policy paying $3,000 per month over a two-year benefit period for a premium of $1,192 per year, or $11,920 in total premiums over 10 years, at which time the policy would be cancelled. If we discount each annual premium at a 3% inflation rate, the present value cost is $10,473. The Washington state plan: A 60-year-old male earning $500,000 per year with 3% raises will pay a total tax over 10 years of $33,241. When discounted at a 3% inflation rate,

the present value cost is $28,150. In summary, under our assumptions, the tax for the state plan is almost triple the cost of personal policy premiums. This employee should apply for a personal long-term care policy, thus opting out of the state plan. However, do not assume that it is always better to opt out. For those with lower wages and less time until retirement, it might make more sense simply to pay the tax. I recommend asking your financial adviser to put a pencil to this and determine the wise choice for you. Washington state long-term care issuers and their agents are swamped because of this new tax, and there also can be health hurdles to overcome in order to qualify for coverage. To opt out, personal coverage needs to be in place by Nov. 1, so if you decide to buy personal coverage, do not delay! James ( Jamie) Twining is the CEO and founder of Financial Plan, Inc., and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) Practitioner who works with an exclusive high net worth client base. Jamie has a niche advising BP Cherry Point refinery employees. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Jamie enjoys spending time with his family and any water sport that begins with “s”: swimming, surfing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, and salmon fishing.

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MARKETING BP

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Use email marketing as an ‘owned’ platform Bypass social media to reach customers directly Patti Goethals Rowlson What is an owned platform? It’s a marketing tool that allows users to fully control the distribution of content. Users get to deliver content when they want and to whom they want, so delivery is predictable. Owned platforms, such as email marketing, are a good thing for many industries, provided marketers have access to a generous database of email addresses to which they can deliver their content. Other marketing platforms, such as Facebook, allow someone else to control the distribution of content. Users may be able to reach a large audience quickly, but the powers that be at Facebook decide to whom content will be shown, what other content (including ads) will be shown along with it, and even if the content can be shared at all. The platform also controls how much it will cost to deliver

that content, and that figure can change at any time. Since the user does not control distribution, and delivery may not be predictable, Facebook is not a platform that is owned by the user. Make sense? Email marketing is a solid example of an owned platform, but it may not be right for every business, so let’s dig a bit deeper. Is email marketing right for your business? First and foremost, it’s important to think about how easy it would be to collect email addresses from consumers to develop a distribution list. Building a distribution list can be a real challenge for some, and it can be naturally easy for others, mainly based on the specific industry. Email marketing can work well at places like clothing consignment stores, for example. A consignor agreement is signed by every person who drops off merchandise. On

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that form, each consignor provides an email address and can check a box giving permission for the store to send emails about sales and events (obtaining permission is important!). The sign-up process is easy, and it can be seamlessly integrated into a regular business activity, so it feels like a natural extension of the business. With this type of retail business,

the store has the potential to collect dozens of email addresses from consumers each week. Those contacts can then be added to an email marketing tool such as MailChimp (with a free tier) or Constant Contact (affordable). Emails can then be sent out to encourage existing customers to return again and again to shop for or consign more items at the store.

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Health clubs, art studios, membership organizations and tourism companies also are examples of businesses for which email marketing might make sense. They typically have access to a generous number of consumers each week, and those consumers usually fill out paperwork to sign up for programs. It’s possible to easily integrate email marketing permissions into that process. Not a new concept, but worth a second look. Email marketing is not a new concept, but if you feel like this owned marketing platform has been nudged to the sidelines while your business focused time and resources on other options, it may be worth a second look. With increasing ease of use and integrated features like social share buttons and analytics, email marketing can be a great way to reach out to your customers while maintaining control over content and distribution. If you are a local business leader who has questions about owned media or how to improve your company’s email marketing efforts, please feel free to contact me through https://bellinghampr.com/contact/. ■ Patti Rowlson is the founder and communications director at Bellingham PR & Communications in Bellingham. Since 2009, she has helped small businesses and large corporations manage public relations and communications for a variety of stakeholders. Patti has been recognized for her work in the community by being named Most Valuable Player, Small Business of the Year finalist and Professional Woman of the Year finalist. She currently serves on the board of the Whatcom Business Alliance. Visit https://bellinghampr.com.

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CULTURE BP

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Running a successful business is like flying an airplane Culture is your company’s navigational beacon Tom Doll “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? This is your captain speaking. Our aircraft has a great crew, our fuel tank is full, and the galley is well stocked. Our navigational instruments, however — our GPS compass, altimeter and air-speed indicator — are not working today. It’s a clear, sunny day out there; our copilot has flown this route before; and I looked at a map on the internet this morning, so there’s no reason for concern. We invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy our cross-country flight. We’ll let you know when we get there. Welcome aboard.” How many of us are pushing the call button and looking for the exits? No navigational instruments — no flight time, cruising altitude or weather at our destination — wait, he didn’t say the destination, where are we going?!

It’s crazy to think this would ever really happen, but thousands of companies run like this daily. There’s money in the bank account, orders are coming in, deliveries are going out, bills are getting paid. Sure, it’s hard work to keep up, but what’s to worry about? “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a famous quote from legendary management consultant and writer Peter Drucker. Our culture defines who we are, how we act, how we face challenges and how we behave as a team. And as Drucker suggests, it’s the most important component to our business. It’s our moral fiber, our guiding principles. It’s how we function. Company culture gives us direction and helps us determine how we approach and solve problems. A healthy culture gets us through inclement weather, relentless fog and pounding thunderstorms because it’s our cornerstone, our unwavering philosophy toward the world and one another.

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A healthy culture gets us through inclement weather, relentless fog and pounding thunderstorms because it’s our cornerstone, our unwavering philosophy toward the world and one another.

For culture to be real, it also helps inform our strategy in what not to do. For Chick fil-A and Hobby Lobby, it’s not being open on Sunday. For Southwest Airlines, it’s not offering meal service or assigned seats. “Great cultures tend to be appropriately intolerant of certain behaviors, and great teams should be quick and tactful in addressing any lack of humility, hunger and people smarts,” writes Patrick Lencioni in “The Ideal Team Player.” Company leaders often envision a culture very different than the reality their teams experience daily. Culture begins with leadership, and it must be consistently promoted, discussed and reinforced — a classic “walk the talk,” “lead by example” scenario. It’s not that they don’t believe in the value of a great culture, as Len-

cioni points out, it’s addressing counterculture issues directly and quickly. For many business leaders, this is the hardest part — confronting counterculture behavior is the healthiest, most critical thing a leader does. Avoiding an uncomfortable conversation with one team member affects the whole team. Business leaders struggling to optimize culture — and, ultimately, their business — are not alone. Kevin Oakes, an author, speaker and expert on organization culture, outlines on his website seven inhibitors to organizational culture change. According to information from the Institute for Corporate Productivity posted on the site, 34% of survey respondents said that a main reason organizations fail at culture change is that they tolerate the behavior of leaders who resist the change. Oakes’ book, “Culture Renovation: 18 Leadership Actions to Build An Unshakeable Company,” offers an in-depth and uplifting look at the value of company culture. If culture is your moral compass, your company’s navigational beacon, how many people would be willing to fly with you? How does your team feel about your culture? Asked individually, are the answers consistent? Culture is the root of employee engagement, productivity, fulfillment and retention. Do you have the right and best culture? If not, how soon will you address it? Tom Doll is Bellingham-based leadership team coach and founder of TD Partners LLC. He helps business leaders and their teams build resilient businesses by coaching them to eliminate confusion, execute with confidence and to make building the business fun. https://tdpartners.co/

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HEALTH BP

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Strengthen your immune system to fight off disease A good place to start: lower stress levels Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS One of the most surprising facts about the immune system is how sensitive it is to thoughts. In fact, there is an entire field of science, known as psychoneuroimmunology, devoted to studying the many ways our thoughts influence our immune systems and hormones. This is good news and bad news. The bad news is that constantly thinking about things that stress you out can wipe out some of the benefits you get from eating right and supplementing intelligently.The good news is that there are things you can do to manage stress (see sidebar), and there are things you can do to strengthen your immune system. You need to do both. Stress makes every sickness worse. It also makes recovery more difficult and can magnify every disease.How you eat, supplement and, frankly, live your life have powerful effects on immunity. Are you sleeping enough, soundly and restfully? If not, the body sees that as a major stressor and releases a ton of the

stress hormone cortisol. A major effect of elevated cortisol over time is that it significantly depresses immunity. Another challenge for the immune system is chronic inflammation, which is a major contributor to every chronic disease. Two of the biggest contributors to inflammation in the American diet are sugar and processed starches and seed and vegetable oils. These foods promote inflammation, which, in turn, diverts resources from your immune system. That makes it unable to handle a real emergency — like a virus. Chronic inflammation compromises your immune system.Then there are supplements. I categorize supplements for the immune system into two groups: those that directly impact immunity and those that directly impact infrastructure. The four supplements with the most bang for the nutritional buck are omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D, and a good multivitamin with at least 100 mcg of selenium and 20 mg of zinc. Omega-3s are simply one of the most anti-inflammatory

SEP/OCT 2021 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM

Some easy ways to reduce stress instantly

Think of some things that you’re grateful for. Write down three of them.

molecules on earth. They’re incorporated into the cell membrane to make the transmission of information easier. They lower triglycerides and blood pressure, and they’re vital for brain and heart health. Vitamin D is possibly the single most important nutrient for the immune system, in addition to being one of the foundational nutrients; it’s the ultimate regulator of immunity. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical operations that won’t

Sit quietly in a chair, eyes closed. Set your timer for 4 minutes, and just breathe in and out, deeply. You can try counting slowly to seven on the inhale, holding the breath for a count of two, and exhaling slowly for a count of four.

Take a bath in Epsom salts. Epsom salts are loaded with magnesium (one of the four foundational supplements), and magnesium is one of the most relaxing nutrients on the planet. Let it soak into your skin!

work properly without it, and a multivitamin will provide all the basics you might miss that are needed for immune functioning, like zinc and selenium. Worth noting is that both omega3 and vitamin D are available in extremely absorbable emulsified forms that also happen to taste great. Finally, don’t forget exercise! Fit bodies survive viral challenges better than weak ones, and fit bodies have fitter immune systems. You don’t have

to train for a triathlon to get the benefits of exercise — a daily walk does the trick. Remember that when it comes to immunity, body and mind are not two separate things. Your body is exquisitely responsive to what you put into it, whether in the way of thoughts and ideas or healthy fats like omega3.Remember — you harm your body (and immune system) with bad food, but you can also harm it with toxic thoughts and chronic stress. Psychoneuroimmunology teaches us that our minds send messages every minute to our bodies. Make those messages be ones of positivity, joy and well-being. Your body will listen and obey!

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Jonny Bowden, PHD, CNS, is a board-certified nutritionist, best-selling author, and nationally known expert on weight loss and anti-aging. His no-nonsense, myth-busting approach has made him a popular guest on television and a popular speaker at venues ranging from Beijing University to the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Jonny is a columnist for Whole Foods Magazine, Clean Eating Magazine and Better Nutrition and has written or contributed to articles in The New York Times, Forbes, Men’s Health, and dozens of other publications. He is the author of 15 books, including Living Low Carb, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, and—with cardiologist Dr. Steven Sinatra — the controversial best-seller, The Great Cholesterol Myth (revised and expanded edition, 2020).

AG POLICY OP-ED BP

For communities that rely on surface water from creeks and small rivers in Western Washington, trucked water may soon become a reality. PHOTO: iStockphoto. com/WestWindGraphics

As long as the state controls the water, it is responsible for drought help Pam Lewison Even with $2.6 billion in unanticipated revenue, Washington may force some communities to truck water at their own expense rather than address drought relief needs. Communities in both Eastern and Western Washington may face shortages of the surface and groundwater resources that provide drinking and household water to their residents. Many farmers and ranchers already are feeling the effects of the drought and will continue to see its aftermath well beyond when the autumnal rains begin to arrive. Washington state government controls many aspects of water supply, and Washington State Department of Ecology Director Laura Watson even denied farmers the ability to transfer water rights earlier this year when the drought was beginning. Given the serious circumstances, legislators should return to Olympia to address the inadequate

drought relief funding available through the Department of Ecology. Back in 2005, the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought was established to provide guidance and oversight to Ecology regarding drought response activities. However, the joint committee can only convene after a drought declaration has been declared. For communities that rely on surface water from creeks and small rivers in Western Washington, trucked water may soon become a reality. Some public utility districts have funds set aside for such a shortage, while others may not. The $750,000 in drought relief grant funding currently available from the Department of Ecology likely will dwindle quickly should several communities find themselves coming up dry. Our state currently enjoys $2.6 billion in unanticipated revenues, according to the June revenue forecast. Some of that unexpected revenue growth certainly could be allo-

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cated to the Ecology drought relief fund to keep the water on in homes throughout Washington.In addition to the residential water supply needs of Washingtonians, farmers and ranchers have been feeling the pinch of drought for a few months, with grain growers requesting a drought declaration in June. Many wheat growers already have begun to harvest their crops, and some are reporting yields of up to 50 percent below normal because of the dry conditions in Eastern Washington. There are longer-term considerations for the agricultural community, including fall and winter feeding needs for livestock raisers in our state. Forage usually is available in dryland areas as well, but with the lack of rain in late spring, fall and winter pastures are barren in many areas, and ranchers

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will need to supplement their grazing programs with purchases of feed, which can be costly. Drought preparedness in a state where nearly half of the landmass is classified as a desert region seems like a wise investment in any given year, regardless of snowpack. Beyond the need for drought preparedness, our state budgeted $750,000 on a nowshelved study to breach the Lower Snake River Dams. By way of contrast, the legislature budgeted the same amount for drought assistance. Washington state declared a drought emergency in 2021 but did not budget nearly enough resources to answer the needs of residents on either side of the Cascades. Lawmakers should act to answer the needs of their constituencies. Members of the Joint Legislative Commit-

tee on Water Supply During Drought have a responsibility to identify and allocate resources to answer the needs of people affected by drought, whether they are residents whose homes no longer have running water or farms and ranches whose crops and livestock are thirsty. As long as the state government controls the taps, it has an obligation to pay the price when its decisions impact the lives of families and farmers who need water. ■ Pam Lewison is a fourth-generation farmer from Eastern Washington and the Agriculture Research Director for Washington Policy Center. She has a master’s degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from Texas A&M University and completed her undergraduate studies at Washington State University. You can read more of her research at washingtonpolicy.org.

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