Business Connection December 2012

Volume 4, No. 12

December 2012

Business Kelso Longview

Connection Chamber of Commerce

LCC connects businesses with workforce Good employees are hard to find. Employees with the right skills, education, and experience are harder still. Given the current economy of shrinking budgets and reduced resources, hiring may be a luxury your business simply cannot afford right now. Despite these limitations, investing in developing the workforce of the future now is crucial.

The profile of our workforce is changing at a rapid pace: by 2025, nearly one-third of the population in Cowlitz County will be 55 years old or older.

Additionally, the nature of employment is shifting as technology and knowledge rapidly evolves. As our population ages and jobs require more techno-

Please see Profile, page 13

WorkSource working for small businesses WorkSource is a partnership of organizations dedicated to addressing Washington State’s employment needs…and contrary to popular belief, they are not the “unemployment office.” WorkSource exists to help job seekers prepare for the careers of today by providing them with cutting-edge, job-seeking workshops, as well as short-term training for demand occupations and a wide variety of other customized services.

Did you know that WorkSource also has a Business Services team? A team solely dedicated to working with local businesses to help them identify and reach their workforce goals. The Busi-

ness Services team is made up of industry specific consultants waiting to meet with you to learn how they might be able to help you reach your company’s workforce goals.

Service packages are customized for each business; there are no “one-sizefits-all” options, but to give you an idea of what this team is capable of, here’s a list of the most common services: • Assistance and guidance to build effective job descriptions • Job postings and recruitment management; after learning what your needs

Please see WorkSource, page 4

Calendar Saturday

December 1 - 5 p.m.

Holiday Parade Civic Center Tree Lighting Downtown Longview

Monday

December 3 – Noon Ribbon Cutting - Open House Salvation Army-Christmas Angel Community Center 1061 Industrial Way, Longview

Thursday

December 6 - 3 p.m.

Ribbon Cutting Cowlitz County Title Company 30th Anniversary 1159 14th Ave., Longview

Tuesday

December 11 - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Holiday Mixer LCC Rose Center for the Arts $15 in advance/$20 at the door

Wednesday

December 12 Jingle All the Way 5K Run/Walk Downtown Historic Longview Kids Jingle Backwards FREE Run, 5:40 p.m.

5K Run/Walk starts at 6 p.m. $20 without shirt; only until 1 p.m. Race Day Register at: http://www.kelsolongviewchamber. org/event/jingle-all-way-5k-runwalk

Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Business In Brief Chesley Earns National Recertification

Chad Chesley, MD, of Longview Urology recently earned national recertification from the American Board of Urology.

Dr. Chesley completed a four-hour exam in Portland October 9 and received a score that placed him in the top 20 percent of all participants.

To maintain board certification, urologists must pass the exam every 10 years. In addition, they are required to submit continuing medical education hours, an office visit log, and a surgery log.

fornia, and in urology at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

human care needs facing our area’s residents. While Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties is a member of the national family of United Ways, the local organization operates independently according to the needs that exist right here in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties. This local United Way currently funds 23 local nonprofit organizations.

He is a member of the Washington Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Urological Association. His special interests include endourology, general urology, voiding dysfunction, and erectile dysfunction.

The application process for local nonprofit agencies to apply for funding will close January 26. Please visit our website www.cowlitzunitedway.org for more information or call the United Way office at 360-4235320.

United Way donations stay in local counties The United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties is a local, community-building nonprofit organization that focuses on identifying and responding to the greatest

Dr. Chesley attended medical school at the St. Louis University School of Medicine before completing residencies in general surgery at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Cali-

Trusted.

Agency volunteers are

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KEDO AM 1400 – 3 to 4 p.m.

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currently out in the community delivering informational brochures and pledge forms to local businesses.

Way Campaign?

Does your employer run a United

The staff at your local United Way are available to conduct workplace presentations about the benefits of contributing to your local United Way. It’s easy with payroll deductions.

Call to schedule a presentation and find out more.

PAY IT FORWARD

Hiring Drive

December 10-16th.

Hire for a day, a week or continued employment!

Let’s put Cowlitz County back to work!

360.414.1200

www.expresspros.com

Best Business Practice Series Presents:

Strategic Planning: Reinventing your Business DATE: TIME: LOCATION: FEE:

Jerry Petrick Business Advisor 1946 SW 3rd Ave Longview, WA 98632 360.578.5449 Jerry.petrick@wsbdc.org Hosted by:

December 6th, 2012 7:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Lower Columbia College Student Center Conference Rooms 1600 – Maple, Longview, WA 98632 NO COST

How well does your business model fit today’s reality?

Business model innovations such as Apple’s introduction of the iPod with the iTune store, has revolutionized portable entertainment, creating a new market and transforming the company. But how do small businesses reinvent themselves when they have limited resources? This session will focus on some tips for small businesses who want to take a serious look at reinventing their business model .

Guest panelists: Don Brooks, CFO, Wilcox Oil, and Steve Vincent, Executive Director, Laboratory Science Institute, and former co-founder, president and CEO of Columbia Analytical Services.

Who Should Attend: Business owners and senior management responsible for determining the strategic direction of their company.

REGISTRATION: Online at: http://wsbdc.org/classdetail?classid=467&sday=06&smonth=12&syear=2012

A Continental Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m. with the session starting at

Last register: Friday, October 26th, 2012 7:45day a.m.toParking permits will be sent via e-mail to anyone who has preregistered.

The WSBDC is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA’s funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis and available to individuals with disabilities.

FORMAT:

Business Connection

December 2012

WorkSource, from page 1 are, your consultant can take that pool of hundreds of job applicants and turn them into the top 10 that meet your needs.

• Retention services – having trouble with employee turnover? Your consultant has a solution…JobFit. This customized, pre-employment assessment will measure how applicants stack up against your current top performers so you can hire those that fit the criteria!

“I’m not sure we would have been able to hire someone without help from WorkSource. It sounds odd to say that we might be too busy to hire someone, but it takes all my time just to process the projects we have... It was so refreshing to find someone at WorkSource who understood the industry terminology… I tell everyone to use WorkSource to fill their positions!” – Charlene O’Day, Charter Controls

• Financial services – your consultant can connect hightech/advanced manufacturers and IT/software industry businesses to On-the-Job Training (OJT). OJT is a wage reimbursement of up to $5,000 per eligible new hire…and that’s not all. They can also connect these new hires with industry training, certifications and credentials all funded through federal grants operated by WorkSource.

To get connected to a Business Services Consultant whose expertise lies in your industry, contact Darcy Hoffman, Business Liaison, at 360-735-5038 or dhoffman@esd.wa.gov.

• Access to facilities space for interviews or staff training.

• Labor Market data for your industry and occupations.

• Need to hire multiple people? WorkSource will promote and host hiring events for you…just show up and we’ll have a room full of qualified applicants.

You’re probably thinking to yourself…“Well this all sounds great, but how much is it going to cost me?” That’s the beauty of WorkSource Business Services. While their services are not “free,” you’ve actually already paid for them. As a tax paying business in the State of Washington, you’ve paid your dues and these services are yours for the taking. You’ve already paid for them…you might as well use them. Don’t take my word for it, take it from a business that’s experienced these services firsthand…

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Director’s Message

Population figures into bottomline

By Steve Harvey Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments, Director

trend of starting a family at a later age, as well as having fewer children altogether. The trend in households without children is headed upwards, whether they be married couples or single adults. And the share of family households with just one parent has been a growing trend for the past three decades.

COG staff has been slicing and dicing the latest census data to see what the region looks like currently, as well as the projected population trends for the next 10 to 30 years. Area school districts as well as county and city governments are especially interested in how population characteristics are affecting their “business,” including school enrollment, the overall tax base, and demands for services, health care, housing and infrastructure improvements. While looking 30 years out may seem rather sketchy, comparisons with state and national trends appear to parallel and confirm what is happening in the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum region.

Another significant trend is the increasing racial and ethnic diversity at both ends of the age spectrum. While most of the country’s natural population increase will be coming from young, ethnically diverse families, the “boomers” born in the latter stages of the baby boom that followed World War II are also a diverse group. A shrinking youth population with greater racial/ethnic diversity certainly has implications for area school districts, shopping and entertainment, and eventual employment opportunities. Coupled with this is the rapidly growing share of older population, many of whom will choose to or need to work later in life. Over the next quarter century, those 65 years old and older will make up 25 percent of the local population – that’s one in every four persons. These elders are also more active and generally healthier than previous generations of seniors. They will want to remain in their current home and community, but will need and demand different transportation modes – including transit, bicycling and walking, proximity to shopping and medical services – and they will be less inclined to partake of our area’s rural lifestyle. Take a look at this short video recently presented at a community aging forum at LCC: http://www.theagingamericaproject.com/ index.php.

So, what do we see? A visual diagram of the population profile for most areas of the U.S. has typically looked like a pyramid, with a broad base of children and youth, narrowing to a relatively small number of elders at the top. Our “population pyramid” is starting to look a lot more like a rectangle, with no discernible age group dominating the profile. Why is this important? Cowlitz County has grown by about 10,000 persons each decade, in recent times. Between 2000 and 2010, the county grew by 9,500 people, but the size of the 0-19 age group experienced a net increase of only 47 persons! Those under five and those 15-19 years old were the only groups that grew, while the 5-14 age bracket declined by almost 650. Wahkiakum County’s youth population declined across all age groups for a net decrease of 173 persons, ages 0-19 years. So, there are some obvious implications concerning school enrollments.

So, how does this affect your business? Are you supplying the right array of products and services that will be in demand by a more diverse population (of all ages) and an increasing share of seniors? Are there enough smaller, more compact housing units available with smaller yards, outfitted for senior living?

Are these located near transit routes, with sidewalks and paths for getting to your business? Are education and job training programs tailored to evolving work sites and conditions, as well as the international marketplace we are all participating in more deeply than ever before? We will continue to examine where the demographic trends are taking us and define how they will shape our “needs and wants” which ultimately impacts our economy and your business.

There are two primary components of population change: natural increase (births minus deaths) and migration (people moving in and out of the community). In the later decades of the 20th century, growth in Cowlitz County (and Washington State) was dominated by in-migration, primarily for economic reasons. The pace of migration has slowed considerably over the past decade. International migration is at its lowest level since the mid-1980s, with Washington State seeing a net loss of 3,500 people since 2009. Coupled with this slowdown is a

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

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December 2012

Business Toolbox

Keys to Building a Strong Business Use Systematic Processes and Procedures Customers don’t really care how it’s done, they just want their needs met. However, to meet the needs of everyone – especially shareholders – production and delivery of goods and services must be efficient. The process of creating value to customers is based on a total management system originally used by Toyota and described in “The Machine that Changed the World” by J. Womack, D. Jones, and D. Roos.

Use of a total management system eliminates waste, improves productivity, assures quality, and meets or exceeds the customer expectations. Better use of resources results in higher profitability and higher profits feed growth. An excellent example of applying total management systems to small business is described in “Better Thinking, Better Results: Using the Power of Lean as a Total Business Solution” by Bob Emiliani.

Hire Right An owner soon realizes that building a strong business is tough to do alone. At a minimum, an external team including a banker, insurance agent, certified public accountant, and attorney may be required. At some point, though, employees will be needed to manage day-to-day functions as the business grows. An owner needs to assemble and lead people to apply principles and practices systematically and coherently. The key to assembling the right people is hiring well. This means selecting people for their talents and building on their strengths. Once people have joined your team the next order of business includes investing in their talents, listening to their thoughts, assisting them in their jobs, and rewarding them for work well done. In the book, “First, Break All the Rules,” authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman share the results of in-depth interviews revealing how the world’s greatest managers use these techniques.

Manage Cash Every strong business depends on a predictable, consistent cash flow. A profit plan measures true profitability and is the best measure of efficiency. However, a cash budget that predicts and monitors cash flowing into and out of a business is a good measure of sustainability. If an owner can predict and budget cash flow, then he or she can make better decisions on how and when to use cash. When businesses extend credit to buyers, incoming cash lags behind sales. When sales are made, assets (like inven-

By Jerry D. Petrick One thing all business owners have in common is their desire to build a strong business. A strong business is one that can withstand the ups and downs of an economic cycle; it can replenish itself through profits; it’s agile, flexible, and communicates well; and it can support the owner’s lifestyle. A strong business is based on a true business opportunity and a sound business model. While a business opportunity is shaped by the market environment; a business model is shaped by the owner.

An enlightened way of looking at and defining your business model can be found at www.businessmodelgeneration.com.

There are at least five keys to building a strong business: the owner’s ability to lead and manage; a focus on customer needs and wants; systematized processes and procedures; hiring and investing in the right people; and managing cash.

Lead and Manage Whether your business consists of one person or many, a clear vision and mission is imperative. These drive goals and objectives that are timely, measurable, and accountable. Amid many distractions, it keeps the owner focused. If the owner can effectively engage employees to embrace the vision and achieve company goals, the probability of success is high. In fact, the most important things an owner can do is stay focused on what the company does well and help employees do their best work.

These concepts are driven home in books like “Good to Great”

by Jim Collins and “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber. One adage that is worth minding as a business owner: We manage things and we lead people.

Maintain a Customer-Driven Focus A customer-driven business is one that is synchronized with what customers really want and need. Most important is what customers and prospective customers value. These can be many things: a fair price, convenience, fast turnaround, quality, etc.

The reward for meeting their needs is predictable sales and growth. However, “customers” include more than the buying public. They may include shareholders, suppliers, bankers, employees, and others who rely on an owner’s ability to keep his or her promises. A strong business balances the needs of all these “customers.”

Please see Petrick, page 7

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Business Connection

December 2012

Petrick, from page 6 tory or labor) are required to complete the transaction and these assets require cash.

Therefore, a lot of cash is going out and not a lot of cash is coming in throughout seasonal or cyclical fluctuations. Since the business owner can’t pay bills with negative cash, he or she has to either borrow cash or inject it. Managing cash with a budget helps the owner predict cash shortages so funds can be arranged (often with a bank loan) to fill the gaps.

When collections create excess cash, the short term loans can be paid back. Even profitable businesses can go bankrupt if

they haven’t balanced the cash flow cycle.

While many factors contribute to building a strong business, these five deserve special attention. Strong businesses support their local communities and are the foundation upon which the economy grows.

The next session of the Best Business Practices Series is scheduled for Thursday, December 6. This edition will focus on Strategic Planning – Reinventing Your Business (no matter the size). Our panelists include: Steve Vincent, founder and former CEO of Columbia Analytical Services; and

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Don Brooks, CFO of Wilcox and Flagel. The session is filling fast. To register follow this link: http://wsbdc.org/class-detail?cl assid=467&sday=06&smonth= 12&syear=2012 This article was prepared by Jerry Petrick, MBA, SPHR, PMP and Certified Business Advisor with the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Longview, WA. Jerry provides no-cost, confidential business advisory services by appointment. He can be reached via email jerry. petrick@wsbdc.org.

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Ambassador Q & A

Kelso Longview Business Connection

Lonnie Knowles Stewart Title / Marketing Director FAMILY: I have a 12 –year-old son Chandler and a 10-year-old daughter Mary.

HOW LONG HAVE YOUR BEEN AN AMBASSADOR? 5-6 years.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BE AN AMBASSADOR? Business growth in the local community.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITH THE AMBASSADORS? Helping navigate and promote local businesses to succeed.

YOUR FAVORITE AMBASSADOR STORY? The story is that of many. When people come to the events, they know your name and you are supposed to remember theirs. Usually I do, but there has been a time or two, I have forgotten. That is when I get embarrassed.

DO YOU VOLUNTEER WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS? Salvation Army (Board), CAP Foundation (Board), United Way, LoCAR (Board), LCCA, PTO, LCP, Kiwanis, Eagles (Board of Trustees).

December 2012

Diana Loback

Global Images Graphic Design and Marketing FAMILY: Two grown sons. Riley (22) lives in Waikiki and works for Expedia Local Expert. Tyler (19) goes to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle majoring in motion graphics.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN AMBASSADOR? For three years now.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BE AN AMBASSADOR? As with any group, I knew I would only get out of the Chamber as much as I put into it, so I decided that being an Ambassador would be a great way to get involved and give back.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITH THE AMBASSADORS? I enjoy the camaraderie between Ambassadors, and being able to help at events. I also enjoy welcoming new members at their ribbon cuttings. I remember the Ambassadors at Global Images’ ribbon cutting so long ago were really friendly and made me feel so welcome. I hope I can make other businesses that are new to the Chamber feel the same. I also love attending the Business After Hours. It is so interesting to visit different businesses and learn more about who they are and what they do.

YOUR FAVORITE AMBASSADOR STORY? So many… The most recent was at the Goodwill Business After Hours. I visited with a woman with disabilities caused by a car accident when she was age 5. She shared with me her story, a poem she had written and photos of her house and garden and how Goodwill has helped her succeed and changed her life. She was very inspiring to me. I guess this is not so much an Ambassador story, but one of the reasons I love being part of the Chamber, which gives us all the opportunity to meet all kinds of interesting people we may never have the chance to meet otherwise.

DO YOU VOLUNTEER WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS? Kelso Rotary Club. Rose Valley Friends Church. Le Tip of Longview. Longview Downtowners. Pi Beta Phi Alumni Association. The Diane’s.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? My kids.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? My boys and my business. Being a mom is a great gift and responsibility and so far so good! I also take great pride in helping other businesses with their marketing. It is very satisfying to see my clients succeed and know that I was a small part of that success. And of course, being recognized as the 2012 Chamber Business Person of the Year.

That is very humbling and I am still so surprised to receive this great honor.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? Do volunteer work and hang out with my kids.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? I consider my business very fun. I love what I do and the people I work with! But I also like to shop, travel, read, dine out, and spend time with friends and family – not necessarily in that order!

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Partnership builds a mountain of change

By Alice dietz Director of Programs - Cowlitz Economic Development Council

to create a symbiotic relationship of economic growth around our monument.

The Cowlitz Economic Development Council (CEDC) recently attended the stakeholder’s meeting organized by the United States Forest Service (USFS) to review the accomplishments and partnerships the USFS has developed as a result of the Mount St. Helen’s Advisory Committee’s recommendations (link at the bottom of this article). Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler was in attendance and will be deciding whether or not we should fund a $500,000 study to determine whether our monument is in good hands. The vast majority of stakeholders in the room and in the community agree such a study is not necessary.

• Music on the Mountain; a free concert series that brought more than 800 people to Johnston Ridge Observatory’s newly built amphitheater. Its goal being to create patronage to the businesses along the 504, to create a fun atmosphere and to reach out to a group of interested folks who may not otherwise visit the monument.

In the last 10 months our partnership with the USFS has developed some exciting outcomes.

• Views and Brews; a successful lecture series that brings the monument into the communities. Cowlitz Views and Brews will be kicking off in January.

• Volunteers; creating a massive base for volunteers is a challenge and is not done overnight. We recognize this and are creating easy opportunities for volunteering around the monument by working with our local school districts, colleges, service groups and interested citizens. If CEDC and USFS can first create good relationships with Cowlitz County we will then find it easier to recruit volunteers.

Through our TIPS Strategic Plan, the CEDC recognized the need to move forward from solely focusing on industrial growth to begin empowering small businesses that are vital to one of our most important economic drivers – the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (MSHNVM). Everyone agrees there is a need for jobs and more job creation. Where does that begin?

It all starts with Cowlitz County’s small businesses. If we can develop our small businesses, we develop our quality of place and by enhancing our quality of place; we create an environment where industry wants to grow. It’s a full circle of economic growth. The CEDC is partnering with the United States Forest Service (USFS)

• New trails; by working with local bike riding groups we have created a new mountain biking trail at Coldwater Lake. This local biking group said they had been trying for that trail since 1995 and this year, because of our partnerships emphasis on community engagement and listening to what our tax paying citizens want and need from their monument, the Forest Service made that happen.

The CEDC came into this partnership and was faced with doubt.

Doubt that change from the USFS’s management of the monument will actually happen. Doubt that they will take the recommendations from the MSH advisory committee and actually listen. The stakeholder’s meeting washed away that doubt because the USFS is listening. Cowlitz County is shifting from the generation that was devastated by the eruption to the generation that is intrigued by the eruption, a generation that wants to focus less on the negativity and more on the growth. The stakeholder’s meeting reflected that the partnerships are working and the CEDC would like to have more time to see how much economic growth we can create with the help of the USFS.

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Team Bill Marcum, President/CEO Amy Hallock, Bookkeeper Brooke Fisher, Project Manager Kelso Longview Business Connection is published monthly by the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce 1563 Olympia Way • Longview, WA 98632 • 360-423-8400

http://www.skamaniacounty.org/Committees/MSHCACFinalRecommendationsExecSummary.pdf

To advertise, call Brooke Fisher, 360-423-8400 ext. 16 or email bfisher@kelsolongviewchamber.org.

Ad Deadline: 20th of each month.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5394532.pdf 9

Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

President’s Message

New year to ring more cheer

By Bill Marcum President and CEO

June. The newsletter is also being distributed to more than 4,000 email addresses each month, compared to 3,000 printed and mailed copies prior to June.

It’s hard for me to believe it has been almost a year that I have been President and CEO of the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce.

Your chamber, not unlike most Chambers of Commerce across Washington and Oregon, has struggled financially during the past couple of years. It is nice to be able to let you know the Kelso Longview Chamber is currently financially secure.

We have more than 500 members and we are growing each month. This digital newsletter is producing a profit for the Chamber, unlike the printed product that was discontinued in

The Business Expo and the Golf Tournament both produced more participants and more revenue than in previous years.

The Business After Hours attendance continues to grow and our September Quarterly Luncheon had more than 130 business people in attendance and the Economic Summit November 29 had more than 120 people in attendance; both substantially larger in attendance than in 2011.

The Kelso Longview Chamber should continue to improve in all areas in 2013. We will have a Business Summit sometime in the first quarter of 2013. The weekly Business Boot Camp also will kick off during that time frame.

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The Business 2 Business Expo is being retooled, including a name change to “Building Bridges, A Regional Business Showcase” and scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, at the Cowlitz County Regional Conference Center.

The Crystal Apple and Business Awards dinner will be Wednesday, May 15. Last year, more than 200 business people and education leaders attended this wonderful event. This year the Education Foundation plans to announce the high school winners of the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Scholarships during the event.

Chris Schueller Public Safety Manager

The Annual Golf Classic will take place Monday, June 18, at Longview Country Club and we are hoping for the same beautiful day as in 2012.

GET ON WITH LIFE.

We have all 2013 Business After Hours locations booked and a huge thank you to those who have decided to showcase their business…after hours.

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We are still working on a new location for the December 2013 Holiday Mixer. Lower Columbia College has been a gracious host for several years, but would like to offer this event to other Chamber members in the future. As soon as we secure a facility or host we will let you know.

Call Today!

360 414-5990

It has been a fun and challenging 10 months and I am looking forward to making the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce an important part of the success of our local businesses in 2013.

www.cni.net

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Shop local this holiday season

By Janice Aday-Forbes President, Longview Downtown Partnership Owner, Highlander Cycling Imports Each year, sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday. This official shopping day for small brick and mortar business was conceived and launched by American Express in 2010. It reminds us to do some, or even all, of our holiday shopping in the many independent stores and restaurants in our local communities.

Why is this important? The livelihood of our community depends upon it. Here are the top two reasons to shop local this month and every month of the year: Positive Economic Impact A number of recent studies of local business vs. chains have found that locally owned businesses generate much greater

benefits for the local economy than national chains.

When you make a purchase at a local retail store, restaurant, or service business up to 70 percent of your dollars stay in the community while as little as 14 percent will stay when the purchase is made from a national chain. Shifting just 10 percent of consumer purchases from national chains to locally owned businesses can add up to hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs for the community.

Conversely, shifting that 10 percent toward the national chains results in a contraction of the same proportion.

Quality, Value and Service Whether it’s a cake, a bouquet, a sweater,

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a cup of coffee, a couch, a doggie treat or a bicycle you are guaranteed that it was thoughtfully prepared and/or selected with you in mind. Independent business owners have pride of ownership. They go the extra mile to ensure that they carry what you want and need, that their products are top-quality, and that they have the knowledge necessary to help you make the best selections. They often offer guarantees or free service for their wares, and will always do whatever it takes to ensure customer satisfaction. You will never have to wait in line at the customer service counter to return a product or fix a problem.

There are so many choices throughout our cities to make our money work harder for our communities this holiday season.

In Downtown Longview you can find unique gifts or vintage items, redecorate for the holidays, enjoy something tasty to eat and drink, get a new hairstyle and so much more. There are 1,600 downtown workers in 247 businesses ready, willing and able to make your holiday shopping experience the best ever!

Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Kelso

Longview

Making the city better – for free

My final adieu – thanks for the memories

By Mayor David Futcher

By Mayor Dennis Weber

While it’s easy to careen past Thanksgiving and into the meat of the holiday season, I hope we all took some time to be thankful for the blessings we enjoy. This year, I took a minute to consider the things I’m thankful for as they relate to my council work.

It was easy to identify some of the positive aspects of the job, like having a strong and knowledgeable staff, and fellow councilmembers with a passion for improving the city. But one that struck me as particularly important was the role that volunteers play.

This is my last message to Chamber colleagues as mayor of Longview as I conclude 23 years of City Council service. A healthy relationship between local government and its business community cannot be overstated. We do treasure the opinions and support of entrepreneurs and employers. City officials need to always “keep an ear to the ground” so that necessary rules and regulations promote opportunity fairly instead of stifling it.

When I became mayor in 1984, I joined the Chamber

We were able to enjoy a fun, free family holiday kickoff at the recent tree lighting in Kelso. That’s an event that would not take place were it not for a cadre of volunteers that plan, organize, operate and clean up after the festivities. The contribution they make was especially obvious in 2011 when past organizers were unable to continue, and the event didn’t occur.

Board of Directors and, although a teacher, I fully participated in their annual retreats. A favorite ribbon-cutting photo was of me holding our 2-year-old Juliana at Honey Bee and Yougurts downtown. And my final ribbon-cutting was last month’s opening of the Highlands – Industrial Way Trail.

That may be the most recent evidence of the good work our volunteers provide, but it’s far from the only one. I appreciate the contributions of our volunteer board members, like the library and parks boards, the Highlander Festival board, and the planning commission. These integral parts of our city would not function as well without their participation.

Juliana was there, too. (She just got married in October.)

Without volunteers, you would have no skate park, spray park, softball fields, baseball fields, downtown events…and the list goes on and on. We even have a significant pool of volunteer reserve police officers. These officers are walking into dangerous situations for free, just because they care about making the city safer. Volunteers keep the city cleaner, too, whether it’s a Rotary club that cleans an adopted street, or one of the dedicated citizens who pick up trash as they take their daily walks.

by the city: 1) supporting the Three Rivers Mall, rather than

When I announced my resignation last month, I included the Columbia Theater, the Mint Farm, and all three versions of Downtown Revitalization among my highlights. But I saved for this article three other key business decisions made fighting it; 2) zoning for box stores inside our city limits; and 3) opening the Twin City Shopping Center. I’ll always remember Kelso Mayor Don Gregory when we cut the ribbon at the grocery store there. He bragged about most of the square footage (and property taxes) being in Kelso, while I’d counted 10 of 12 cash registers in Longview!

As your newest county commissioner, I’ll continue to fight

At this time of the year, when our thoughts turn to gratitude, I want to give a big thank you to each of the helping hands that make Kelso a better place.

for you and economic growth.

Longview – Where Opportunity Knocks!

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

Profile, from page 1 logically advanced skills, the skills gap in Washington is projected to increase. In order to prepare for this future workforce, younger generations of workers must be trained with relevant skills.

The demands of a changing workforce further emphasize the need for collaboration and communication between the myriad of business and education agencies within Cowlitz County. Lower Columbia College’s external outreach team aims to connect with local business to foster community engagement and ensure that local educational programs remain relevant to your industry.

Opportunities to connect local workforce education can be a rewarding profes-

December 2012

sional development experience and participation does not require any intentions to hire students or interns.

Serving as a member on an advisory committee is an excellent way to provide your expertise and offer the college valuable input on required skills and trends in your field.

Perhaps you may be interested in volunteering to speak to a classroom regarding the skills your industry is looking for, or leading a tour of your company to a group of high school or college students.

Short term job shadows or career mentoring opportunities are also available.

Dani Trimble

tions and more. If you are in-

Work Based Learning Manager

terested in participating in the

Lower Columbia College dtrimble@lowercolumbia.edu 360-442-2332

and Employment Fair March 13, please contact Jenny Smith

Check out our jobs board online at www.lowercolumbia. edu/hireconnections to post available positions, applica-

For more information or questions about how Lower Columbia College can partner with you to serve your business needs, please contact:

Southwest Washington Career

at jsmith@lowercolumbia.edu or 360-442-2330 for more information.

Facilitating Growth Through Leadership and Action

We are a membership based not-for-profit organization.

Join us today!

Resources • Access • Partnerships

1452 Hudson St. • US Bank Building Suite 208 • Longview, WA 360.423.9921 www.cowlitzedc.com

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Anne O’Connor onthemark associates

Bianca Lemmons Cowlitz County Title Co.

Micheal Julian Kelso Theater Pub

Chris Bailey Lower Columbia College

Clayton J. Bartness, DC Longview Chiropractic Clinic

Chet Makinster Longview City Council

Frank V. McShane, Past Chair Cascade Networks, Inc.

George Raiter Cowlitz County Commissioner

Diane Craft, Vice Chair Koelsch Senior Communities

Jerri Henry, Chair Futcher-Henry CPA Group

Joel Hanson, Chair Elect KLOG KUKN The Wave

Ginny Whiffen Red Lion Hotel & Conference Center

Michael Claxton Walstead Mertsching

Ted Sprague Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Julie Rinard Community Home Health & Hospice

Sarah Cave PeaceHealth

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Neil Zick, Treasurer Twin City Bank

Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Chamber Board Spotlight Anne O’Connor onthemark associates

Longview move right on target

It was 10 years ago when Anne O’Connor decided it was time to start her own business.

Her decision was on the mark.

O’Connor used her years of experience in marketing, communications, sales and customer service to open onthemark associates in Longview. She and her small staff are a full-service marketing communications agency providing marketing analysis, print and web graphic design, advertising planning and media buying to the area’s small and large businesses, government agencies and nonprofits.

When she and her daughter arrived in Longview in 1996, it was a welcomed break from the hustle of southern California. The proximity to the mountains and beach were reminders of the place she left behind. So were the local ports and their economic potential.

O’Connor joined the Chamber shortly after starting onthemark associates to help her get to know the business community. While in southern California she worked with the Los Angeles Business Journal and Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, but her focus was mainly national.

“Coming here I got back to community,” she said.

‘This community has all the ingredients to keep it a vibrant community, to make it a more vibrant community.’

“When I came here the community seemed a smaller version of where I’d left,” she said.

At that time, regulations had forced a great deal of industry out of the Los Angeles area.

“Besides the entertainment and tourism industries, what kept the area going economically was commerce through the ports,” she said.

It is port commerce and industrial and business bases that she sees lifting this area through the economic downturn.

“This community has all the ingredients to keep it a vibrant community, to make it a more vibrant community.”

The ports, she noted, bring commerce into the community creating jobs and encouraging other business growth. They also allow the community to reach out and be touched internationally.

“It’s unusual for a small community to have all the pieces to keep it viable,” she said.

With her recent appointment to the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, she looks forward to playing a role in that growth.

“I’m honored I was asked to serve on the Board and I really want to contribute,” she said. “It’s important for the community to get over this recession and what better place to try to make an impact than being part of an organization that supports local business.

That’s what the Chamber is all about,” she added.

Anne O’Connor

Joining the Chamber keeps her connected and helps her educate her clients on what is available in the community.

Marketing communications continues to change since O’Connor set up shop. With online marketing coming into its own, the options for multimedia advertising are endless.

“Back in the late 1990s the concept of viral marketing gained attention. Word of mouth has always been the best way to market, but until social media hit the scene, there weren’t a lot of useful tools. Facebook, Linked In and other online tools have changed this,” she remarked.

In addition to social media, O’Connor said another online marketing change has occurred with websites themselves.

Not so long ago, companies had to have someone that knew programming language to build a website and keep them updated.

With the arrival of web content management systems, O’Connor marveled, a small business owner can keep content fresh without needing a computer programming background.

The variety of media options offers O’Connor and her staff flexibility with their clients’ marketing strategies, so they can realize a return on investment.

“We’re very careful, especially when it comes to spending someone else’s money,” she said. “We want them to spend their market-

Please see Spotlight, page 15

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Open House

Night Life The Partridge and Jabush families and the PNE Corporation hosted an open house November 27. The evening provided an opportunity for community members to see their new 16,000-plus-square-foot corporate facility, check out its state-of the art technology, and socialize.

Spotlight, from page 14 ing dollars smartly. It has to make sense for their business.

We don’t spend money just to spend it.”

Longview didn’t just provide O’Connor with a business community to love. She fell head over heels for the people and the way they care.

“I just love this community,” she said.

O’Connor cares back, volunteering as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for children for the past six years. She recently served her last case.

“It’s been rewarding to see how I might positively impact a child’s life,” she said.

She also looks forward to the Walk and Knock with the Longview Pioneer Lions every year and has lent her fundraising skills to the Community Health Partners Drive for Health car or cash raffle this past summer.

O’Connor sits on the Business and Advisory Committee for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Career Development Consortium, which is a group of marketing and business instructors from

local high schools and representatives from local businesses, and the Project Longview Committee, which has assisted the city with input on gateway signage, streetscape and beautification plans.

She’s found a fun way to pull together her marketing skills and gardening in the production of AnnieO’s fruit and herbed infused vodkas she produces as gifts for friends and family.

And, her creativity will come in handy in the coming months on a just-formed committee that is working to bring a Dale Chilhuly glass chandelier to the community.

“It’s a great little brand,” she laughs, talking up her red raspberry with orange mint variety and her plans for a bloody Mary version made from homegrown vegetables.

She may be busy, but O’Connor finds time to relax as well.

“I love to garden,” she said.

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It’s a hobby at this point, but she wouldn’t rule out future business plans. She knows just who to hire for marketing.

Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Ribbon Cutting

Centering on the Grieving Process Chamber Ambassadors were on hand November 16 to help open Community Home Health Hospice’s new bereavement center.

The James Avery Center will help adults and children through the bereavement process.

Local Bank Means Local Business CANYONVIEW CYCLERY

I had a plan to fulfill a childhood dream and start up my own business.

Just when every bank was saying NO, Twin City Bank said yes. They help me to make that dream a reality. I would not be open today if it had not been for the willingness of Twin City Bank and its priority of helping local businesses succeed.

Thank you Twin City Bank.

Mark Plotkin Canyonview Cyclery

729 Vandercook Way Longview, WA 98632 1-800-319-2265 | 360-414-4101 twincitybank.com Mark Plotkin, Owner Canyonview Cyclery

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Kelso Longview Business Connection

December 2012

Ribbon Cutting

Welcome!

The Chamber helped celebrate Hop-N-Grape’s new membership November 1 with their ribbon cutting.

Fitting Open

Three Rivers Athletic Center actively participated in its November 15 ribbon cutting. Their new facility, 3RAC CrossFit is at 403 Catlin St., Kelso. This new venture for owners Tracee Hansen and Keith Lansdale has great equipment and high-energy staff ready to whip you into shape!

you

health.

You know . We know Let’s get together!

For class information or to register, visit www.peacehealth.org/st-john or call 360-501-3701.

Join us for one of our FREE events:

 Golden Health Health subjects and lifestyle support for the golden years.

Thursday, January 10, 10 –11:30 a.m.

A new, innovative community education series from PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center.

MenoPAuSe 101:

Perimenopause and Menopausal Opportunities to Improve Health Wednesday, January 2

6 p.m. (Social time) • 6:30 – 8 p.m. (Presentation) Make the 1st Wednesday of each month “Red Hot Mamas” night!

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Business Connection

Lower Columbia Professionals

December 2012

Roll of the Dice Fun! Fun! Fun! was the report following the Lower Columbia Professionals and the Chamber’s Bunko Night November 8 at The Red Lion. The event raised money for the LCP Scholarship Fund, which will benefit a graduating senior from R.A. Long, Mark Morris and Kelso.

Business Checking Done Right!

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