April 2022 VOICE Magazine

A P R I L

T H U R S T O N

The Chehalis Tribe Diversifies to Generate Thurston County Jobs

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C O U N T Y

C H A M B E R

Earth Homes:

Building Living, Breathing Shelter

West Bay Yards:

Beach Restoration at Forefront of West Bay Development Project

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April 2022

THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER VOICE MAGAZINE

Visit ThurstonChamber.com and click on the Events Calendar for the latest information regarding Chamber events.

Join our Morning Mixxer host, Academy Mortgage Corporation, at 676 Woodland Square Lp SE, Ste 111, Lacey, WA 98503, on Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 a.m. Morning Mixxer is free to attend and is held the first Tuesday of each month. These networking events are great for making new business connections within the community. Everyone who attends is eligible to win door prizes!

MIXX 96.1 proudly sponsors Morning Mixxer.

Join our host, Indian Summer Golf & Country Club at 5900 Troon Ln SE, Olympia, WA 98501, on Thursday, April 7 at 5:30 p.m. for the Thurston Young Professionals (TYP) Monthly Networking Event. Enjoy bites & beverages as you expand your network! All are welcome – invite other 20 to 30-year-olds so they can expand their networks and meet our community's young professionals. Thurston Young Professionals is proudly sponsored by Porcupine Media.

On Wednesday, April 13, at 11:00 a.m., at the Olympia Hotel at Capitol Lake at 2300 Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, WA 98502, the Chamber presents its April Forum, the Thurston Green Business Awards! Join the community in celebrating nearly 100 businesses that applied for the Thurston Green designation this year! Arrive at 11:00 a.m. for a Green Business EXPO featuring current designees. The event will include a keynote address by Adrian Rodriguez, Puget Sound Energy’s Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Strategy. Thank you to our sponsor, Puget Sound Energy.

After Hours

Join our Business After Hours host Porcupine Media at 121 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98501 on Thursday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m., for mingling and networking with other business professionals, games, beverages and appetizers. Business After Hours is a great opportunity to expand your network. ROXY 94.5 and PacificSource Health Plans proudly sponsor Business After Hours.

Thank You Sponsors!

In This Issue...

West Bay Yards p. 5 West Bay Development Group will break ground in 2023 on West Budd Inlet beach restoration, developing apartments & waterfront restaurant, while preserving and highlighting the shoreline's native wildlife and habitat.

Earth Homes Redefines What We Call Home p. 8 CEO Aaron Sauerhoff built his business with unconventional building materials - strawbales, clay plaster, etc – to lessen the environmental impact and create "living, breathing shelter."

Chehalis Tribe's Bold Moves in Business Create Jobs in Thurston County p. 12 The Tribe has diversified its business operations – from Great Wolf Lodge to Heritage Distilling Company – and created South Thurston County jobs and economic activity in the process.

Legislative Session Ends with Major Regional Investments p. 19 On March 10, the State Legislature appropriated $75M in funds to I-5 and the Nisqually Delta, more than $850M to address homelessness across the state, and more.

Caught in the Lens p. 22 Keep up with the latest Chamber happenings and see the great smiles that make up our membership!

The VOICE is FSC® Certified.

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC), is a non-profit organization that sets certain high standards to make sure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner.

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magazine PUBLISHER Thurston County Chamber of Commerce EDITORIAL David Schaffert 360-357-3362 dschaffert@thurstonchamber.com CONTRIBUTORS Doug Mah Kathryn Millhorn Jerica Pender David Schaffert Heidi Smith ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing: Krystal Barkus Elizabeth Bretschneider Ashley Chandler SUBSCRIPTIONS 360-357-3362 info@thurstonchamber.com DESIGN Ben Hawkes Mosaic Marketing Studio COVER Photo by Nate Burgher courtesy of Thurston EDC PRINTING Print NW CONTACT THE CHAMBER 809 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98507 360-357-3362 info@thurstonchamber.com thurstonchamber.com

Thurston Chamber Supports Balanced School Calendar

by David Schaffert, President/CEO, Thurston County Chamber Doug Mah, Doug Mah & Associates, Thurston Chamber Public Policy Director The Thurston Chamber is no stranger to advancing initiatives that support highquality public-school systems and student success. Our engagement in regional education and workforce development are integral components of the Chamber’s mission. In addition, the Thurston Chamber Foundation invests and supports youth programs such as “Find your Future”, “Math for Life”, and “Business to Youth Connect” and further establish the link between student success and commerce.

A balanced calendar requires the district to shift the 180-day school year so that the calendar is more evenly distributed across the 12-month calendar. This “balanced calendar” would shorten the summer break and establish longer breaks in the fall, winter, and spring. Adopting a balanced calendar is not full-time school. It is a better use of the 180-days school year.

We support this improved efficiency.

The Thurston Chamber believes research that shows adopting a balanced calendar Student success is community success. The will improve overall academic performance region’s K-12 system is an integral part of our for all students by eliminating learning loss community. School district performance associated with long summer breaks. More and reputation enhance our region’s significant, a balanced calendar appears attraction to new investments, employers, to provide improved benefits for students and families. At the core of student success from low-income families and communities is ensuring that all students are prepared that do not have access to private to learn and can retain and apply what they educational and enrichment activities. We have learned in the classroom and in the support eliminating student learning loss. community. Student learning matters.

We are confident that a balanced calendar For these and many other reasons, the will address student equity issues; create Thurston County Chamber of Commerce more equitable classroom experiences; and Board of Trustees voted to support and provide better overall student achievements endorse the adoption of a balanced for the community and workforce. We calendar by the North Thurston Public support addressing equity within out school Schools and encourage other school systems. A balanced calendar is good for the districts across the South Sound region to community. evaluate and consider adopting a similar academic calendar.

(Continued on page 21)

THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER BUILDING COMMUNITY PROSPERITY SINCE 1874 COPYRIGHT All material appearing in the VOICE Magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. The VOICE Magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. ©2022 VOICE Magazine, Thurston County Chamber.

Growing up in Thurston County, I can remember my parents taking my sister and me to Priest Point Park and walking along the shore.

When we saw that this property was available, we knew we had to be the ones to develop the project. I moved back to Thurston County so that I can be close to this project and see it through completion.

BUILDING OLYMPIA’S BACKYARD at West Bay Yards

- BRANDON SMITH

by Kathryn Millhorn

Take a scenic drive through Thurston County and you’ll notice its gorgeous scenery, thriving waterfront, and new development popping up all over. With our region’s expansion and growth comes the need for additional housing and what could be better than blending all the finer things into one. Which is exactly what they’re planning for West Bay Yards – a new way to live, work, and play along West Budd Inlet.

This project is principally overseen by Ronald Newman and Brandon Smith of the West Bay Development Group, LLC. They are planning to break ground in 2023 by starting with “beach restoration and other site improvements,” explains Smith. “The vertical construction will commence once the beach restoration has been completed.”

The site is situated on West Bay Drive, about one mile north of Olympia’s Historic District and set on the western channel of Budd Inlet at the southern end of Puget Sound. Smith says it will encompass “five separate buildings that will accommodate 478 apartment units of various size and 20,000 square feet of commercial space, which includes a thurstonchamber.com

planned waterfront restaurant.”

And they are literally starting from the ground up. The site is currently undeveloped and overgrown. “We have committed to restoring the beach to a more natural condition,” says Smith, “and this will benefit the natural habitat and hopefully inspire the other properties in the area to do the same upon redevelopment.”

Restoration honors the West Bay Development Group’s four core values: respect the environment, support the community, honor the region, and deliver value to the resident.

The Development Group based the shoreline restoration project on the City’s West Bay Environmental

Restoration Assessment, which was developed with input from the City, the Port of Olympia, the Squaxin Island Tribe, and other interested parties.

Based on those findings, they’ll redefine the shoreline by creating a new tidal beach and building a water esplanade to encourage vegetation and native aquatic animals.

“As a key component of the West Bay Yards project,” says Smith, “the Development Group is making a sizable investment in cleaning up this brown-fill site, including a $4 million investment to create a beach. The impact of this investment will have a positive impact on the health of a local salt marsh as well as the local salmon habitat.”

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Artist renderings of West Bay Yards, a planned development on West Budd Inlet. This project is principally overseen

by Ronald Newman and Brandon Smith of the West Bay Development Group, LLC. They are planning to break ground in 2023. Images courtesy of Thomas Architecture Studios (TAS).

“The planned esplanade along the entire waterfront will be public access and hopefully will one day be connected to the West Bay Park and eventually to downtown,” says Smith. “TAS (Thomas Architecture Studios) has come up with a concept that allows the areas between each of the buildings to be public plaza that protects the views from West Bay Drive.”

Smith and Newman are no strangers to the area. Together they’ve designed, developed, built, and owned more than 500 units within Thurston County and are currently completing a 125-unit townhome project in Lacey.

Point Park and walking along the shore.

When we saw that this property was available, we knew we had to be the ones to develop the project. I have over 20 years in the construction and engineering industry. I am a professional civil engineer and have been based out of the PNW my entire career. I moved back to Thurston County so that I can be close to this project and see it through completion.”

Their team will use local building professionals as often as possible on every step of the project. “Thurston County has an amazing number of talented professionals that work in the area,” says Smith. “Like much of our design team which is led by “The Olympia Waterfront has special meaning to me,” says Smith. “Growing up local consultants that have national recognition. The job market has been in Thurston County, I can remember my parents taking my sister and I to Priest strong in the Thurston County area and thurstonchamber.com

continues to diversify from government.”

“We see there is a lot of opportunity in this area and are happy to be a part of it,” Smith continues. “Right now, our primary focus in Thurston County is to see this project through to the finish line. We see this as being an example of how we can help provide much needed housing with balancing the environment and public access to the waterfront.”

Incorporating Olympia’s natural beauty, local craftsmen and design aesthetics, amenities, restaurants, and shops, West Bay Yards will soon become part of the scenery that makes downtown special.

And by creating everything from jobs to bike paths all while fostering natural recovery, the West Bay Development Group honors the diversity, beauty, and uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest.

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Aaron Sauerhoff is the CEO and Founder of Earth Homes LLC. Photo by Heather Harris, Elements Photography.

EARTH

HOMES

A Full-Service Design & Build Firm in Thurston County Re-Defines What We Call Home

by Jerica Pender

In an event of happenstance that would profoundly alter the trajectory of his life, Aaron Sauerhoff, CEO and Founder of Earth Homes LLC, found himself in the midst of a million-person-strong climate march in the center of New York City.

He says that this event was the catalyst for what would become years of semi-obsessive research, apprenticeships, and ultimately, the formation of a successful natural homebuilding business right here in Thurston County.

“This is how we used to build,” he says. “All of our ancestors, no matter their origin on the planet, used natural materials at some point. Materials that have been utilized for tens of thousands of years.”

During his time at Evergreen, Aaron founded a natural building group at the school. The group doesn’t exist anymore, but the amazing work that came from it evolved into what Earth Homes has become today.

Aaron is now a licensed, full-service contractor, drawing on his years of conventional building experience, coupled with his passion for more environmentally-sound building

Once Aaron started noticing “the relationship between the way we build, and the people we then become,” he sought to uncover a better, more sustainable, holistic, and healthful relationship to our structures and their impact on our one shared planet.

Looking for solutions to some of our society’s most deeply-rooted problems, like how to lessen our carbon footprint and live lighter upon the earth, Aaron turned to earthen building to act upon what he had discovered could be fundamental solutions to what it means to have a living, breathing, shelter.

To be clear: Aaron and his team are not building Earthships. Earth Homes doesn’t believe that burying trash like old tires that leach toxic chemicals into the ground is the solution to our environmental problems.

Instead, he builds load-bearing walls from strawbales, clay plaster, and even some conventional building materials, too. thurstonchamber.com

The Micro-Housing Project was led

by Earth Homes. They partnered with different organizations and municipalities to build more than 60 shelters for houseless individuals.

Over 250 volunteers worked in shifts under the cover of a Port of Olympia warehouse to complete this project.

Photo courtesy of Earth Homes.

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practices. He employs three people and subcontracts with a dozen others.

Rabi Verdante, Earth Homes’ executive officer, points out that “even though we are an LLC, a for-profit company, we often joke that we are an honorary non-profit because of all of the time we volunteer under our business name and

the kind of social advocacy work we do.” Rabi coordinated over 250 volunteers during deep COVID who worked in What she’s referring to are endeavors shifts under the cover of a Port of like the Micro-Housing Project led by Olympia warehouse to complete this Earth Homes, where they partnered project. with different organizations and municipalities to build more than 60 Earth Homes is awaiting final inspection shelters for houseless individuals of our on a 1,500 square-foot natural home community. that used clay sourced on-site in the

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Earth Homes employs a post and beam method combined with load-bearing strawbales for the exterior walls. Photos by Heather Harris, Elements Photography.

plaster walls. That hyper-local sourcing isn’t always achievable, but Earth Homes is committed to obtaining building materials as close to “h’Om” as possible.

Senior Project Manager, Marty Kenney (left) with Founder and CEO Aaron Sauerhoff (right).

Pacific Northwest climate because, as Rabi explains, “it’s super-insulated, but allows for the walls to breathe,” a vital tactic for mold prevention.

The strawbales are also a farming Aaron believes in what he calls a “hat by-product, and in using them, Earth and boots” approach to building. Don’t Homes interrupts the waste stream— compromise on your hat (the roof) or your something they get very excited about. boots (the foundation) of a structure.

And another very exciting thing about For example, he builds foundations the strawbale method? “It’s codable!” using concrete footings but creates Aaron says. “There’s now Appendix S a compacted adobe floor in lieu of a to the International Building Code, and concrete slab. It equates to using far you can now build with strawbale all less concrete than traditional builds, over the country.” and this hybridization of earthen and conventional materials creates a Earth Homes also uses an all-natural healthier, more eco-friendly dwelling. clay plaster for interior walls, a mix they make themselves. It’s applied to Earth Homes employs a post and beam conventional plasterboard, and after method combined with load-bearing the seams have been taped, the adobestrawbales for the exterior walls. This like finish is schmeared on, making for a method of building is superior in the non-toxic, paint-free house. thurstonchamber.com

Earth Homes also uses an all-natural clay plaster for interior walls, a mix they make themselves.

So what are they focusing on next?

Aaron says, “We’re in the process of building a factory for modular building panels for micro-shelters and wholehouse wall systems.” By focusing on the building-component production, they have been researching and testing greener ways to make a hearty board that acts like plywood but is not nearly as toxic nor destined for the landfill."

“If we really want to get to the meat of why,” Aaron says, “why I’ve gone down this path? It’s the sad realization that most of the health problems in our world can be attributed to diet and lifestyle. We’re consuming the air we breathe in, and we’re spending more time than ever in our homes.

It’s incredibly important that the air we breathe in is clean. Clean air, clean water, clean soil. If we don’t have those things, we will never have a healthy society.”

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TRIBAL ENTERPRISES

The Chehalis Tribe’s Bold Business Moves Create Jobs and Opportunities in South Thurston County

by Heidi Smith • Photos

by Nate Burgher courtesy of the Thurston Economic Development Council

It’s March of 2022 and Chehalis Tribal Enterprises (CTE) CEO David Burnett has just heard some good news. As of this month, all Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in Western Washington will be offering Talking Cedar beer, a product of the brewing arm of the Tribe’s multiple business operations.

Considering the brewery opened in a crowded and highly competitive market less than two years earlier, that’s an accomplishment.

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Breaking into an industry in which they had no previous experience is just the latest in a series of bold choices the Tribe has made over the past two decades. In 2008, CTE developed an agreement with Great Wolf Resorts to build a 39-acre water park, conference center and resort in Grand Mound. “They were trying to establish a relationship between a Tribal government and a publiclytraded company and merge them into

Thurston County Chamber VOICE

a business,” says Burnett, adding with dry understatement, “That was fairly interesting.” Great Wolf Resorts owns 49% of the company and the Chehalis Tribe owns 51%. Today Great Wolf Lodge employs 516 people, a return to pre-pandemic staffing levels.

The Tribe also operates Lucky Eagle Casino, Eagles Landing Hotel, End of the Trail Gas Station, Burger Claim Restaurant, Eagle RV Park, Flying J thurstonchamber.com

Truckstop and Confederated Construction Company. Diversification has been the key, according to Burnett. “We’ve been focused on not having all our eggs in one basket,” he explains. “Throughout the years we’ve stuck to that plan. When you have a business like a casino, you can go the route of a hotel and golf course and continue to develop a large entity, or you can do what we did and create a variety of different businesses.”

A more recent addition is Talking Cedar Brewery, Distillery, Tasting Room & Restaurant.

To open the distilling portion of the business, the Chehalis Tribe had to challenge a twocenturies-old law that banned distilling on Tribal land. They had already developed a partnership with Heritage Distilling Company, a Gig Harbor-based producer of spirits, when they discovered the plan would be illegal under thurstonchamber.com

CHEHALIS TRIBE BUSINESS STRUCTURE

Chehalis Tribal Enterprises CEO David Burnett

the existing 1834 statute. Tribal leaders lobbied Congress, which voted to repeal the law and remove prohibitions on alcohol distilleries on tribal lands in 2018. “That was a standout moment,” says Burnett. “We were able to get a national law changed.”

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We’ve been focused on not having all our eggs in one basket,” he explains. “When you have a business like a casino, you can go the route of a hotel and golf course and continue to develop a large entity, or you can do what we did and create a variety of different businesses.

OVERALL TOTAL SALES Talking Cedar’s state-of-the-art brewing facility is in the same building as its restaurant and distillery. It can produce 120 kegs in one batch through six 120-barrel fermentation tanks.

Across the street at a smaller annex, the brew team develops small batches for testing in the taproom. How customers respond determines whether they create a larger batch.

Generating income and creating employment are two factors the Tribe considers when looking at any new potential, along with capacity. “We look at the potential return on investment for the pure business part, but we also look at jobs,” Burnett maintains. “With a truck stop or a brewery and distillery, those thurstonchamber.com

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Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound. Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.

are providing a different type of job than we’ve had in the past. We’re looking at opportunities for our tribal members, but we have far more jobs than tribal members, so along with that comes opportunities for the surrounding community.” Not including Great Wolf Lodge staff, the Chehalis Tribe employs 471 people through its various businesses, including 39 tribal members.

In 2022, the Tribe is exploring a new opportunity through its construction company: cable installation. “We’re going to take advantage of the federal effort to get high-speed internet to underserved communities,” says Burnett. “We’ve started a division to do both underground and overhead fiber cable installation.” thurstonchamber.com

Tribal Member Employees

Non-Tribal Member Employees

Total Number of Employees

Chehalis Tribal Enterprises

29

214

243

Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel

39

432

471

Great Wolf Lodge

6 74

510 1156

516 1230

TOTAL

Meanwhile, fans of Talking Cedar beer can look forward to the potential of a new product in the coming year: Talking Cedar liquor. After the company’s brand of beer did so well in the marketplace, CTE began to give serious consideration to introducing a new brand of spirits in 2022 or 2023.

All revenues from CTE’s diverse operations go to the Chehalis Tribal

government to be used for tribal members. Of all the Tribe’s economic achievements, that fact gives Burnett the most satisfaction. “I could think of big moments that we’ve had with the businesses that have come along,” he says, “but at the end of the day, if we can provide the government with the resources it needs, that’s a standout moment at the end of every year.”

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2022 Legislative Session Concludes with Major Regional Investments On Thursday, March 10, 2022, the Washington State Legislature conclude their 60-day session. The end of the “short” or mid-biennium session brought significant investments to address Interstate-5 and chronic homelessness – both high priority items for the Thurston Chamber of Commerce and the Thurston Region Shared Legislative Partnership.

Investments totaling $75 million in the State Transportation Budget were appropriated to Interstate 5 and the Nisqually Delta. This is a long-standing problem and project for the region. New funding supports the design, engineering, and right of way phases to replace the Nisqually River bridges and addresses salmon habitat and flood risk issues. Funds will also complete the 507-510 Loop and Roundabouts.

Other investments of more than $850 million in capital and operating funds went to address homelessness across the State. This problem was a shared priority for communities around the State in 2022. New resources support the rapid conversion of property into enhanced emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, and youth housing. Communities received resources to fund housing projects that move individuals from unsanctioned encampments and public rights-of-way into transitional and more permanent housing options. Investments are also made in the Housing Trust

thurstonchamber.com

by Doug Mah, Doug Mah & Associates, Thurston Chamber Public Policy Director

Fund for the production and preservation of affordable housing units serving low-income and special needs populations along with essential wrap-around services for those experiencing homelessness.

Locally, $200,000 in new resources were received to support the Craft Brewing and Distilling: Business Startup/Accelerator Space in the rapidly growing Craft District in Tumwater. State funds will help offset the initial cost for short-term start up space and business accelerator support for South Puget Sound Community College students and entrepreneurs to successfully launch businesses into the rapidly the growing commercial craft beverage industry.

Each year, the Public Policy Division of the Thurston Chamber convenes the Shared Legislative Partnership. The Partnership works to advance regional priorities during the Legislative session. These priorities, when approved, provide multiple and broad benefits to the entire region due to the significant scope and impact across and between entities.

The Chamber is pleased to work with South Puget Sound Community College, the Cities of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, and Thurston County, the Port of Olympia, the Thurston County Economic Development Council, and Thurston Regional Planning Council to address the needs of our region.

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(Continued from page 4) Adopting a balanced calendar will require bold and strong community agreement on the importance of success for all students. The Thurston Chamber is confident that changing the academic calendar is the right thing to do to ensure all students succeed and that the time to make this change is today. Please join the Thurston Chamber in our support and endorsement to adopt a balanced calendar.

WHY BALANCE THE SCHOOL YEAR? The traditional school year in the K-12 system is 180 days and includes a few short breaks and a longer 11- week break in the summer. Research shows that students fall behind during long summer breaks and that learning loss is especially significant for students from low-income families. By the fifth grade, the cumulative effect of this learning loss for low-income students can mean they are two to three years behind their middle-income peers.

Additional research indicates that students living in a low-income situation should not have more than 8 weeks away from school.

To address the overall learning loss among students, school districts, including the North Thurston Public Schools and Olympia School District, are considering changing the 180-day school year so that the calendar is more evenly distributed across the 12-month calendar. This “balanced calendar” would shorten the summer break and establish

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longer breaks in the fall, winter, and spring. In districts that have adopted a balanced calendar, the summer break continues to be the longest break.

Research and experience in districts that adopted a balanced calendar show improved academic success for students; reduced summer learning loss; and provided more school/life balance over the year for staff, families, and students. In many examples, the balanced calendar offers new learning opportunities for students and staff with more breaks throughout the year.

Local adoption of a balanced calendar will improve overall academic performance for students and appears to provide significant benefits for students from low-income families and communities that do not have access to private educational and enrichment activities. Often, these low-income families are also disproportionately comprised of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Adopting a balanced calendar will address student equity issues; create more equitable classroom experience; and provide better overall student achievements for the community and workforce.

It is anticipated that the North Thurston Public School Board will decide to adopt or reject a balanced calendar in May 2022. If the Board of Directors votes to adopt a balanced calendar the district will begin work to implement the new calendar in 2023.

F R I DAY, A P R I L 1 5 , 2 02 2 , 6 PM

COCKTAILS • DINNER • AUCTION • AFTER PARTY

Experience The Nicholson Difference

Join the Thurston Chamber Foundation in celebrating the people, places and experiences that make our region’s towns unique! Cocktail hour and dinner will be followed by live auction and after party featuring Rockaraoke – karaoke with a live band!

RSVP at: THURSTONCHAMBER.COM/ANOTT

Leaders of Today Inspiring Leaders of Tomorrow

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CENTRALIA 360-736-7601

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#Thankful inThurston

Keep up with the latest Chamber happenings – Ribbon Cuttings and our Thankful in Thurston campaign. Find more at the Thurston Chamber's Facebook page: facebook.com/ThurstonCountyChamber

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Thurston County Chamber VOICE

thurstonchamber.com

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Thurston County Chamber VOICE

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94.5 ROXY AAA Washington – Inland Budd Bay Café

American Workforce Group Chicago Title Columbia Bank Downtown The Creative Office The Evergreen State College GHB Insurance, Inc. Hometown Property Management, Inc. South Sound Behavioral Hospital Timberland Bank T & S Cleaning, Inc. Venables Pest Management Window Genie

Great Wolf Lodge Little Creek Casino Morningside Nisqually Red Wind Casino Olympia Federal Savings Olympia Olympia Furniture Company Phillips Burgess, PLLC Providence St. Peter Hospital The Rants Group SCJ Alliance South Puget Sound Community College WSECU – Olympia

ADP Comcast FORMA Construction Company Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel Olympia Orthopaedic Associates, PLLC Pacific Source Health Plans Port of Olympia Puget Sound Energy Saint Martin's University TwinStar Credit Union Corporate Office Veterans Security Operations Washington Business Bank Wells Fargo Community Bank

TAGS Awards and Specialties

Nicholson & Associates Insurance

Michael White Agency – Farmers Insurance

Greene Realty Group

First Citizens Bank

Express Employment Professionals

Edward Jones – Dirk Farrar, Financial Advisor

Cap City Law PS

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The Thurston County Chamber sends a BIG "Thank You" to ALL of our investors. With members like you, we are able to provide a sustainable business community in Thurston County as well as foster growth and positive change. Only through your support can we continue to fund important community initiatives and lead the way for business.

Thank You Community Investors

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