Klc june2014

Business ConnectionK e l s o L o n g v i e w C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e

Volume 6, No. 6 June 2014

MondayJune 2 – Noon

Government Affairs CommitteeJT Steakhouse

Guest Speaker – Kris Johnson andGary Chandler, AWB

ThursdayJune 5 – 7 a.m.

Ambassadors Committee MeetingCanterbury Inn

FridayJune 6 – 7:30 a.m.

Final Human Resources Boot CampFiring in an At Will StateLower Columbia College

MondayJune 16 – 1 p.m. shotgun start

Chamber Golf ClassicLongview Country Club

www.kelsolongviewchamber.org

TuesdayJune 24 – Deck party opens at 5 p.m.

Business After HoursCowlitz County Black Bears

$15 in advance, includes ticket to the game, prizes, food and beverage.

Kids 18 and under FREE

ThursdayJune 26 – 11:45 a.m.State of the County

Quarterly LuncheonCowlitz Regional Conference CenterCommissioners Michael Karnofski,

Dennis Weber and Jim Misnerwww.kelsolongviewchamber.org

Calendar

Sisson brings energy and

experience to role with Chamber

If you can make up for lost time, Karen Sisson has found a way.

“I lost three days of my life,” said Sis-son, who suffered amnesia when she was 18 years old.

It’s time Sisson can’t get back, but she’s been making the most of the moments since, and is happy to return to a place where she has fond and lasting memo-ries – the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce.

That’s right, return. Sisson worked un-der Chamber Director Cheryl Spencer in the late 1990s.

“She was a ball of energy then, and that continues today,” said current Chamber CEO Bill Marcum, who during that time was with Longview’s newspaper. “We worked on The Daily News' 75th anni-versary bash, and we worked together when I was on the Board of the Cham-ber.

“I am extremely happy to have Karen on board with the Chamber, and I am sure our members will be impressed

with the professionalism and energy she will bring to the Chamber.”

“I’m excited to be back,” Sisson said. “The Chamber has always been very good to me.”

Sisson left the Chamber for the Kelso Red Lion, where she was director of sales. More recently, she was in sales at Grand Mound’s Great Wolf Lodge until they let her go as part of a restructuring move.

She was searching for a job close to home with limited time up and down I-5.

It all came together when Brooke Fisher vacated her Chamber position to become the Director of Community Resources at United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties.

Although Sisson’s been on the job less than a month, the routine is fairly famil-iar.

“It’s nice being back with the people Please see Sisson, page 2

2

Kelso Longview Business Connection June 2014

Sisson, from page 1that welcomed me into the community when I first moved here,” she said.

During her first stint with the Chamber, Sisson’s primary duty was membership recruitment. She also ran an event plan-ning business with clients and affairs like the Chamber’s Rain-fest, The Daily News anniversary celebration, and the Lower Columbia Contractor Association’s home show.

Those skills fit perfectly into Marcum’s leadership vision for the Chamber.

Sisson is also a member of Meeting Professionals Interna-tional’s Oregon Chapter, where she has been the co-chair for the community outreach program this past year. Every other month, she said, there was a volunteer project in the com-munity – participation in a fundraising 5K, helping at the food bank, or participating in Dress for Success, a program that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire to help them thrive at work.

Programs and efforts, like those of the Chamber, which make a big impact in a smaller community like Longview.

“When you get involved you can make a difference,” she said. “This is the most generous community I’ve had the pleasure to work and live in, and it’s the people that make all the differ-ence. I’m very excited to be working in this community again and look forward to giving back.”

Anne O’Connoronthemark associates

Chris Bailey Lower Columbia College

Jerri Henry, Past President Futcher-Henry CPA Group

Joel Hanson, PresidentKLOG/KUKN/The Wave

Michael ClaxtonWalstead Mertsching

Lance Welch PeaceHealth

Bianca LemmonsCowlitz County Title Company

Clayton J. Bartness, DCLongview Chiropractic Clinic

Dennis WeberCowlitz County Commissioner

Bob Crisman Gallery of Diamonds

Ted SpragueCowlitz Economic Development Council

Steve TaylorKelso City Manager

Michael JulianKelso Theater Pub

Chet Makinster Longview City Council

Diane Craft, Vice PresidentKoelsch Senior Communities

Linda DiLemboThree Rivers Mall

Julie RinardCommunity Home Health & Hospice

Neil Zick, TreasurerTwin City Bank

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

You are invited to attend the Kelso Longview Chamber’s 2nd Quarterly Membership Luncheon. Please join us as we hear from our county commissioners about everything from the budget, to parks, to personnel challenges, to the new manufacturing businesses that are making Cowlitz

County home and how during these hard economic times they are working together.

Quarterly Luncheon Cowlitz Regional Conference Center

1900 7th Avenue, Longview

Thursday, June 26 2014 11:45a.m. -1:30 p.m.

Commissioner Mike

Karnofski

Commissioner Dennis Weber

Commissioner James Misner

$25 in advance/$35 at door (Price includes lunch buffet)

Register at www.kelsolongviewchamber.org

Cowlitz County From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The median income for a household in the county was $39,797, and the median income for a family was $46,532. Males had a median income of $40,378 versus $25,710 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,583. About 10.30% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

4


2014 Business and Education Awards

Kelso School District Superintendent Rob McGregor presents a surprised Suzanne Cusick with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“What a great event the 2014 Pillars of Strength Awards was,” said Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Mar-cum. “A great turnout from the business and education sectors, exceptional nominees in all categories and wonderful camara-derie.”

Laughter, praise and applause for a job well done rose from the crowd in the Cowlitz Regional Conference Center May 7 for the Chamber’s annual Pillars of Strength Business and Education Awards.

2014 Crystal Apple Education Awards

Support/Classified Role of the Year: Brenda McCowan, Mon-ticello Middle School

Teacher of the Year: Kelly Sims, Butler Acres Elementary School

Administrator of the Year: Chris Fritsch, Longview Public Schools

Higher Education – Teacher of the Year: Nadine Lemmons, Lower Columbia College (LCC)

Higher Education – Administrator/Leadership Role of the Year: Darcy Smith, LCC

Workforce Education, Individual Achievement: Tamra Bell, LCC

Workforce Education, Best Practice (Company): Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue

Maria Harris Scholarship winners: Demi Lidorikiotis, Toutle Lake High School; Cynthea Barella, Mark Morris High School; Neil McGhee, Kelso High School; Morgan Baker, R.A. Long High School

Lower Columbia Professionals Scholarship winners: John An-glin, Mark Morris High School; Alyssa Hallowell, Kelso High

School; Kylie Kadey, Three Rivers Christian School; Erin John-son, R.A. Long High School; Michael Mentler, Woodland High School; Alyssa Kaufman, Mark Morris High School

“It’s times like this that remind us we are a community of leaders,” Marcum said. “And, our leaders start young.”

2014 Pillar of Strength Awards

Small Business of the Year: onthemark associates, owner Anne O’Connor

Large Business of the Year: PeaceHealth St. Johns, CEO Kirk

Cusick honored for dedication

and service Chamber awards $10,000 in scholarships

Please see Awards, page 5

5


2014 Business and Education Awards

Lower Columbia Profession-als awarded six scholarships to:

John Anglin (Mark Morris High School), Alyssa Hallowell (Kelso

High School), Kylie Kadey (Three Rivers Christian School),

Erin Johnson (R.A. Long High School), Michael Mentler (Woodland High School),

and Alyssa Kaufman (Mark Morris High School).

The PeaceHealth team gathers around CEO Kirk Raboin to celebrate their Large

Business of the Year Award.

Lonnie Knowles of Stewart Title picked up the award for Business Person of the Year.

RaboinBusiness Person of the Year: Lonnie Knowles, Stewart TitleSmall Non-Profit of the Year: Cowlitz County Habitat for

HumanityLarge Non-Profit of the Year: Drug Abuse Prevention Center,

Director Gus NolteRising Star Award: Julie Nelson, American Workforce GroupWalt Naze Ambassador of the Year Award: Pam Fierst, Red

Lion Kelso Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Longview schools’ Suzanne Cusick

Awards, from page 4

See more photos on the Chamber’s Facebook page or click here.

6


By Ted Sprague President – Cowlitz Economic Development Council

For much of this region’s history, economic growth and de-velopment has been driven by our strategic location and trans-portation infrastructure: waterways, railroads, and highways. Our region’s economic future will be determined, in part, by building on work dating back more than two decades, to im-prove key connections in our transportation infrastructure centered on the SR 432 Corridor. The SR 432 Rail Realign-ment and Highway Improvements Project has prioritized the concepts developed last summer and fall to address issues of congestion, safety, mobility, and freight capacity that will im-pact the efficiency of our highway and rail system over the next 20 years.

Work dating back to the late 1980s, from initial discussions to deepen the Columbia River Shipping Channel and includ-ing two decades worth of public and private investment, has now positioned our area to take the next step to strengthen our economic future. The Channel Deepening project greatly increased the Port’s capacity to move freight, but that freight has to get to and from the Port safely and efficiently. To do so, the local road and rail system that was constructed in the 1940s needs to become a modernized transportation system.

Funding for the current phase of the SR 432 project comes from federal and state grants. The next project phase will fur-ther analyze and refine the concepts that are moving forward into the environmental analysis phase. Final design and con-struction will be completed as funding sources are secured. The return on this investment will be multifaceted:

• Improved safety for cars, truck, trains, bicycles, and pedes-trians where their paths intersect throughout the corridor

• Increased system mobility for a more efficient network ofroad, rail, and river transportation

• Optimized rail movement and increased capacity to accom-

modate the current and future movement of goods throughout the regional transportation system

• Maintained or improved levels of emergency response• Increased economic opportunityAmong the benefits that are anticipated to result from this

strategic infrastructure investment is a nearly 50 percent in-crease in employment opportunities by the year 2030. Vacant land along the corridor that could be converted to commer-cial, industrial, and residential use conservatively totals 1,078 acres. The strategic infrastructure investment envisioned by the SR 432 Project would create the necessary conditions to attract new businesses while helping existing businesses ex-pand. The potential number of new jobs that could be generat-ed by investments to improve the local transportation system and maximize the use of vacant lands is 3,390. Existing jobs in the SR 432 Corridor Study area, estimated at 7,110 in 2010, could grow to 10,500 by 2030 (Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments, 2009) if we invest in our transportation in-frastructure.

Despite proximity to a deep river channel, major rail lines, and an interstate freeway, our region has traditionally suffered unemployment rates higher than state and national averages. Improving the SR 432 rail and highway corridor alone will not solve all our economic challenges. But, this strategic invest-ment will build the infrastructure improvements necessary to bring more business, industry, and jobs to our area while im-proving the SR 432 Corridor for all user modes.

For information, please visit the project website at www.SR 432Corridor.org

Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Transportation project benefits to continue on down the road

Monday, June 16th

Longview Country Club

Shotgun 1 p.m.

Make your Reservations Early! Early Entry Fee

$500 per Team of 4 (Price goes to $600 on June 1st)

$150 per Individual Includes: Lunch, driving range, $10,000 putting contest, awards ceremony, BBQ dinner,

18 holes of fellowship, $10,000 hole-in-one opportunity and two carts per team.

We will give you a call first week of June to secure the people playing on your team.



CEO’s Message

Volunteers needed to greet visitors

8

By Bill Marcum CEO – Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce

Summer is fast approaching and with that comes more and more visitors to the Kelso Longview Chamber/Visitor Center. I have mentioned this in the past; however, I wanted to re-emphasize the Chamber office, when located on Olympia Way, would get approx-imately 500 “visitors” coming in asking for assistance. Today, at the Visitor Center we are expecting as many as 12,000 between June 1 and Labor Day weekend in September.

Each month the total number of visitors to the new location has doubled and we expect it to increase more as summer base-ball, softball, and soccer tournaments get started. There are also the summer events in both Kelso and Longview – Squirrel Fest, Highlander Festival, Concerts at the Lake and, for sure, the Go 4th Festival – that will attract additional visitors to the center.

We intend to provide these visitors with reasons to stay, shop and enjoy some of the fun things to do in our area.

We will also be kicking off a volunteer program for those who would like to greet and talk with our visitors, and educate them on what is going on in our communities. We are looking for outgoing people, who would like to spend a couple hours a week making our visitors feel welcome in our community. If you are interested, please give me a call.

I also wanted to let you know that the Chamber through the Education Foundation and the Lower Columbia Professionals group provided $10,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors from our local high schools. That is 10 – $1,000 scholarships, please see the list of scholarship winners on page 4. Thank you to all who contributed to the schol-arship fund, attended one or more of our fundraising events, pur-chased a booth at the Building Bridges, or sponsored an event like the Chamber golf tournament. Proceeds from each of our events go toward providing these scholarships to your next generation of business professionals.

And don’t forget, the Chamber Golf Classic is June 16, with a 1 p.m. shotgun start at Longview Country Club. See you there.

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Team

Bill Marcum, CEOKaren Sisson, Project ManagerAmy Hallock, Bookkeeper

Kelso Longview Business Connection is published monthly by the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce. 105 N. Minor Road • Kelso, WA 98626 • 360-423-8400

To advertise, call Bill Marcum, 360-423-8400 or e-mail [email protected] Deadline: 20th of each month.

Jean ChaseHas Joined Our

Property Management Team!

She has the “bases covered” for our “home team”.Go Mariners and Black Bears!

Commercial and Residential Management

• Qualifying and screening tenants

• Collecting and disbursing rents

• Ongoing inspections of property

• Monthly reports to owners

• Order repairs and inspect upon completion

“We treat your property like our own”.

1700 Hudson St., Suite 101Longview, WA 98632

[email protected]

9


Boot Camp

Getting Down to BusinessChris Smith, human resource director for the City of Longview, speaks to participants about the new marijuana laws and business as part of the Chamber's popular Small Business Boot Camp human resources series. Barb Sudar and Anne O’Connor brought treats to share during the early-morning event. The Boot Camp series resumes in September when the Chamber presents its six pack on marketing and sales.

Enhancing your four-legged sales call

10


By Chuck Nau Retail Consultant and Sales and Management Trainer Murray & Nau, Inc.

“Care to Dance?” Remember those moments in your life, when you may have asked that question of a friend, new acquaintance, or total stranger? In many instances, that question was being asked to open a two-way dialogue, and to accomplish a simple, yet enjoyable goal...to dance! Very often those first few moments were somewhat awkward until one of you elected to take the ‘lead’ and the two of you talked through, albeit quickly, your dancing style and pace (...probably direction, too!).

A similar awkwardness may exist between your sales staff and you, as the manager or owner, when it comes to mak-ing joint sales calls on new or existing clients. Bridging that minor hurdle will be easily accomplished if you remember the aforementioned analogy of 'wanting to dance'. Someone has to take the INITIATIVE; someone has to ask. I always find it amusing when an owner or senior manager responds to my question about making 'team sales calls' with 'I have never been asked'. Uneasy as you may be...sometimes, if you want to dance, YOU have to do the asking.

Once you've asked, or for that matter been asked (by your sales staff), the following strategies will serve you well in maximizing your business' 'team sales call' efforts.

• The 'team sales call' originates with the salesperson,therefore, the sales call is THEIRS, not yours. Don't appro-priate the call, thereby frustrating if not humiliating your salesperson in the process.

• Set the stage for your 'team sales call' by asking yoursalesperson to give you a brief overview (ideally the day PRIOR) of the current clients' activity AND what 'we' hope

to accomplish before, during, and possibly, after our 'team sales call'.

• In some cases, the goal of a 'team sales call' is to advancethe sales cycle by bringing the appropriate company in-dividual into the sales discussion with a new or existing customer. In other cases, the goal may simply be one of education...for the salesperson to observe and learn differ-ent selling and situational styles, and for the manager to understand and observe the salesperson's selling style in action, plus interacting with clients. The 'team sales call' is NOT an exercise in the hard sell!

• As in any learning situation, dialogue and feedback areessential. Coaching or conversations with your salesperson are important as you develop a concept of team and team-work, plus fostering an open door attitude to give support and encouragement...tell her how she is doing. Coaching is not talking to your salesperson. Rather it is a two-way dialogue or discussion looking at performance, identifying performance obstacles or problems, and developing solu-tions and action steps.

• A key benefit of a 'team sales call' is availability, YOURavailability to one of your salesperson's clients or potential clients. Don't overlook or underestimate the value of YOUR presence. In many cases, clients may not have had many opportunities to interact with a member of your company’s management team. This is your opportunity, too, to learn more about their business, the value they place in your product or service, plus minimizing some of their concerns or questions that your salesperson may not be in a position to answer for them. Remember...don't tell to sell. Ask ques-tions and listen!

Please see Nau, page 11

11


Banking made easy

Federally insured by NCUA

360.423.87501.800.205.7872

www.fibrecu.com

“Fibre Federal has been our choice

for banking since our beginning

in 1982. From business and

equipment financing to marketing

advice, their services have proved

invaluable to our success.” - Les “Spike” Maupin, owner Auto Tech

Fibre Federal: A Vehicle for

Success

Nau, from page 10

An additional point worth mentioning...involving another individual, particularly someone with a different selling style can be very beneficial in reinforcing key selling points AND lending credibility to both of you and your company as you support each other's statements.

• Speaking of feedback...pause for a moment during a 'teamsales call' and ask your salesperson for theirs, it's important to them and should be important to you. Just as she might ask you 'How Am I Doing, Coach?', don't hesitate to ask her how you are doing.

• Last but not least. Follow up is not a luxury; it is an expec-tation. ALWAYS send an informal (e.g. hand written) thank you note to the clients and potential clients you meet. Sit down and review each 'team sales call' with your salesperson, summarizing the meeting and reviewing issues, proposals discussed and planned follow up, assigning responsibilities and action steps.

Be sure to deliver what was promised to your clients in a timely fashion, keeping them informed of progress if numer-ous steps and procedures are necessary.

Good luck as you develop your 'team sales call' strategy. Re-member, as the old adage goes, a strong sales team Teaches, Encourages, and Motivates.

© Murray & Nau, Inc.

Chuck Nau of Murray & Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based publishing consultant and sales and management trainer. He has been a speaker for and conducted advertising, marketing, management and sales training workshops with newspapers, niche publishers, publishing groups and press associations, throughout North America.Comments and questions are welcome and may be directed to

Chuck via e-mail: [email protected]. or at 425-603-0984.


12

Celebrating a year of success at Lower Columbia CollegeBy Chris Bailey President – Lower Columbia College

More than 600 Lower Columbia College (LLC) students will celebrate their success this month; many by donning caps and gowns at commencement ceremonies. Behind the pomp and circumstance, LCC faculty and staff will also be marking a year of major accomplishments.

At the top of their list is $1.7 million in equipment fund-ing for LCC’s long-awaited Health & Science Building, which will open in Fall 2014. In May, the College was awarded $845,000 by the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which is being matched by an equal amount from the LCC Foundation.

Most LCC graduates acknowledge they reached their aca-demic goals thanks to the support of family, friends, teachers and staff. Likewise, the College relied on significant support from local industries, business owners, government officials, education partners and state and federal elected officials to qualify for the EDA grant.

Project partners include: Australian Laboratory Services; Cascade Family Medical Center; Centralia College; City of Castle Rock; City of Kelso; City of Kalama; City of Longview; City of Woodland; Community Home Health & Hospice; Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler; Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners; Cowlitz Economic Development Council; Cowlitz-Lewis; Economic Development District; Cowlitz PUD; Eastern Washington University; Governor Jay Inslee; Grays Harbor College; Kaiser Permanente; Kemira; Kiwanis Club of Cathlamet; Laboratory Science Institute; Longview Public Schools; Lower Columbia College Foun-dation; Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview; NORPAC; Pacific Tech Construction; PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center; PNE Corp.; Port of Kalama; Providence Centralia Hospital; Senator Maria Cantwell; Senator Patty Murray; Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council;

Town of Cathlamet; Wahkiakum County Commissioners; Washington State University; and Weyerhaeuser.

Preparing For A Global EconomyIn mid-May another LCC-community partnership was

launched. The Lower Columbia Business and Industry Center met with the Port of Longview on a plan to offer for a six-part Leadership Development Series. The Center was created to serve the unique corporate training needs of incumbent workers in our region and to keep local industries competitive in the world marketplace while attracting new companies to our community.

In April, College officials signed an agreement with Chang-zou Technical Institute for Tourism and Commerce (CTITC) to bring up to 30 Chinese students to the Longview campus. The 3+2 Program is an international education partner-ship which begins with three years of high school study at CTITC followed by a minimum of two years college classes at LCC. Students who successfully complete the program will be awarded both a CTITC credential and an associate degree from LCC, which will qualify them to apply to transfer to a bachelor degree program at U.S. universities.

A similar partnership with Huaqiao University in China and one with a South Korean college are also in process. A more robust International Student Program at LCC will bring cul-tural diversity and a world view for our students, preparing them for success in a global economy. At the same time, tu-ition paid by international students will help the college stabi-lize its funding in the face of declining state resources.

Serving Our Students To SuccessA campus-wide commitment to help LCC students succeed

in achieving their college and career goals has resulted in sev-eral innovative programs with positive results while earning

Lower Columbia College

Please see LCC, page 13

13


LCC, from page 12state and national recognition for the College.

New technology, implemented this year, allows advisers to track student progress and intervene early in the quarter be-fore problems with coursework or other obstacles become too great to overcome. From extra tutoring and study groups to fi-nancial assistance for books, transportation or childcare, LCC counselors and instructors successfully employ a wide range of tools to keep students in school.

A $50,000 annual Student Success Fund, established by the LCC Foundation, assisted more than 100 students in covering the cost of textbooks, the last $500 in tuition or unexpected expenses that would have resulted in dropping out. Eighty-eight percent of LCC faculty and staff contributed to the LCC Foundation last year to fund scholarships and program sup-port for our students. Their contributions along with gener-ous donors from our community earned LCC a top national award for campaign fundraising.

A mandatory New Student Orientation that prepares stu-dents for early success in college and a First-Year Seminar course for those starting with below college-level skills have also been developed and implemented in the past year. Statis-tics show that these types of programs give students an extra boost in staying in college and completing their programs of study.

A collaborative effort to prepare local high school graduates to move into college math studies is showing significant prog-ress at Lower Columbia College. Math instructors from LCC and area high schools developed a multi-faceted approach over the past five years to help students save time and extra costs by avoiding remedial coursework.

While the proportion of all students entering LCC underpre-pared in math is around 90 percent, the proportion of local high school graduates in this group has dropped to 72 per-cent, a full 20 percentage points lower! The education partners found that the quality of high school math courses was not to blame for previous low scores. Instead, interventions related to curriculum alignment between high school and college, math placement testing and student preparation for testing have made the greatest impact. They continue to collaborate and anticipate even better results in the near future. A similar effort has begun to improve student placement in English.

All of these interventions have resulted in accolades for LCC from representatives of the national Achieving The Dream

project and related Washington State College Spark funding program. Representatives from both programs commended LCC as one of the top performers during a visit to campus in May.

Access At All LevelsAdults who did not complete traditional high school now have

a new low cost, adult diploma option which combines credit for work and life experience with previous education and $25 per quarter class work. In its first year, the program will boast more than 100 graduates, many who have tried for years to earn a diploma through other methods.

The Integrative Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program at LCC allows adults to improve their math and Eng-lish skills while simultaneously gaining marketable job skills in healthcare, business office, Early Childhood Education, manu-facturing and diesel fields. I-BEST students at LCC have com-pleted their training at a rate ten times greater than adults fol-lowing a traditional path and have testified at state and national levels on the benefits of the program.

Rural Outreach Centers have been established in three area high schools and two community centers to enhance access to college services and courses online. Now high school students unable to make the commute to Longview due to distance, time or financial constraints can take advantage of dual enrollment programs like Running Start to earn college credit. They can also apply for college admission, financial aid and scholarships and use services such as practicing for placement tests, explor-ing careers and enhancing job search skills, through resume writing and mock interviews.

The Lower Columbia Regional University Center, which opened in Fall 2013, will add access to three more bachelor de-gree programs from regional universities this Fall and a busi-ness degree in Winter 2015, doubling the number of local op-tions for our students.

In the end, numbers tell the story of student success. LCC transfer students have achieved an average 3.34 grade point for their junior and senior studies at Washington public universi-ties. Eighty-one percent of our professional-technical program graduates found employment within nine months, outscor-ing the state average. LCC will begin its 80th year of service to Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties this fall, poised to build on a successful history of service to our students and our com-munity.

14


By Melissa Taylor Project Manager – Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments

The SR 432 Rail Realignment and Highway Improvements Project (Phase I) ramped up to full speed in the spring of 2013, and will wrap up during the summer of 2014. This phase, led by Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG), fo-cused on identifying a suite of project concepts that would im-prove congestion, safety, mobility and accessibility for people and goods movement throughout the region, and to points across the globe. As reported in The Daily News on May 25, the movement of goods and freight being shipped through the Columbia River Channel has increase exponentially since 2010, and is predicted to continue apace. See: http://tdn.com/news/local/industrial-growth-columbia-s-deeper-channel-is-a-magnet-for/article_d1c4593a-e466-11e3-b3ce-0019bb2963f4.html

Population growth in our region has slowed dramatically in the past decade, attributable to the combined impacts of the Great Recession and the aging of our Baby Boomer population. Two-thirds of Cowlitz County’s population growth is typically due to in-migration. This is particularly so when families move into our area for employment opportunities. The SR 432 recom-mendations identify improvements that would support our local business and industry base by improving congestion, safety and mobility while seeking to minimize the impacts associated with improvements.

CWCOG sponsored a series of public meetings throughout the month of May, beginning with an Elected and Agency Officials Briefing for local, state and federal officials and staff. This was followed by consultation with the Project Advisory Group, which is comprised of business stakeholders along the corridor. A gen-eral open house concluded the series at the end of May. At each venue, attendees asked questions and were asked for input on the Tier I and Tier II recommendations. Tier I consists of an elevated intersection at SR 432 and SR 433 (Industrial Way and Oregon Way). This includes realignment of the Reynolds Lead rail cross-ing at Oregon Way and west of Oregon Way, so that the crossings occur along the existing road bed, which will reduce the foot-print of the structure, reduce its impacts and lower its cost. This

improvement was selected because it received the highest ratings during the screening process, and it is a critical element in re-ducing rail and highway conflicts at two key locations along the Industrial Way corridor.

Tier II includes a wide array of improvements that can proceed along independent timelines. Elements of Tier II include:

• Reconstruction of the SR 411/SR 432 interchange to improvesafety and capacity

• Alabama Street connector, from Oregon Way to 7th Avenue• Beech Street Connector, from Oregon Way to 9th Avenue• Consolidation of intersections at California Way, 3rd Avenue

and Industrial Way• Intelligent Transportation System improvements that would

provide electronic message boards or other “smart street” com-ponents to route traffic around congested areas

• Grade separation of Industrial Way at California Way andThird Avenue from rail

Phase II will consist of environmental analysis and preliminary engineering of the selected (Tier I) concept and should begin in late summer/early fall of 2014. Opportunities to get involved and provide input will continue as the project progresses into Phase II. For more information, visit http://www.sr432corridor.org.

Infrastructure study aims to support jobs and trade

Council of Governments

Trusted. Since 1982, Cowlitz County Title has been the company the community turns to when buying, selling or re�nancing a property.

Whether you need title, escrow or property search information, come in for our exceptional service. Leave with the con�dence that your real estate investment is properly insured and protected.

1159 14th Avenue, Longview, WA 98632Phone: 360.423.5330 � www.cowlitztitle.com

Bianca LemmonsVice President/Manager

BLACKBEARS BASEBALL

June Business After Hours Cowlitz Blackbears vs Kitsap BlueJackets

Tuesday, June 24th Party Deck at Story Field

5:00pm with game starting at 6:35pm $15 in Advance, $20 at the Gate


Enjoy good food, cold beverages and the best baseball in town!

Meet and Greets with

Team Owner Tony Bonacci,

General Manager Jim Appleby and several players!

Your registration for this event includes: 2 beverage tickets, food catered especially for you, seating in the Left field Party Deck, entry into raffle prizes for Bears shirts, hats, signed baseballs and a chance to throw out that nights first pitch. After the event stay and enjoy the game, $2 beers, $2 hot dogs and “GREAT SEATS”. Event starts at 5:00 – first pitch at 6:30.

Bring the kids (18 and under) they are free tonight... dogs and sodas available.

16


Spending too much time working IN your business – should you be working more ON your business?

By Jerry D. Petrick Certified Business Adviser

On, In, who cares? What is the difference? When it comes to business, there is a huge differ-ence. A business owner needs to work more ON their business than IN it.

How can you tell if you are working IN your business or ON your business?

At the risk of sounding rather Jeff Foxworthyish, I’ll put forth the hypothesis:

You may be working IN your business if…• You make sales calls all day long• You spend most of your afternoon fulfilling orders and

responding to customer questions/issues• You spend at least one night a week or an entire weekend

day doing bookkeeping, payroll and other record keeping tasks.

AND…You are likely working ON your business if…• You invest mornings adjusting your business model to

best fit your ideal customer profile.• You spend your afternoons scouting for talent, develop-

ing your current team, and providing the tools they need to thrive.

• You dedicate part of one evening a week reviewing yourfinancial reports, scanning for new business opportunities and markets, and ensuring your business is growing per your plans.

I imagine that some of you may be thinking, “I am a one-person business. I do not have time to work ON my business – I have to work IN the business to keep the money comingin.”

Well here’s some good news: working IN it and working ON it are not mutually exclusive. In fact, most successful business owners have to work IN their business while they're working ON it (particularly in the beginning of transition-ing from self-employment to creating a business). It might be out of necessity; your organization might just be too lean for you to step out of the daily activities. Or you may need to go back IN for a period of time when it's time to improve your existing operation to stay competitive. Or you may love the technical work of your business so much that you don’t want to give it up completely.

How can you shift to working ON your business versus be-ing focused only on working IN your business?

• Set Some Basic Goals: Actively look for daily activities/processes you can make more effective/efficient. Would it be smart to outsource your bookkeeping services? Engaging an expert to perform your routine accounting functions – providing you with timely, accurate data and reporting with which to make business decisions. Are there software tools that would help your sales and customer management pro-cesses more impactful and consistent? The key is to start with some good ideas to get the ball rolling.

• Spend Time Everyday Working ON Your Business: Nomatter how busy you are, you can carve out 5 to 10 minutes at the start or end of your day to take action to make your

Business Toolbox

Please see Petrick, page 17

17


business stronger and more successful long-term. This could be doing some research on products, prospects, customers, competitors, industry trends, etc. You could refine your pro-cess for invoicing customers to speed cash flow. It might be re-viewing resumes for the new part-time customer service role you are instituting. Whatever it is, in a short period you will find you have more time to commit to working ON your busi-ness AND your time working IN your business will be more effective and efficient.

• Engage An Adviser: Even Michael Jordan had a coach –someone to help guide and reinforce the actions and behaviors leading to outstanding performance. If you don’t already have someone beyond yourself or your family members to discuss and strategize your business with you are likely limiting your success and that of your business.

Most new businesses are started by technicians – people who are skilled at what they enjoy doing, and who figure they would rather work for themselves than for someone else (also known as ‘self-employed’ – they have essentially created a job for themselves). Most technicians assume that because they are proficient in the technical work of the business, they natu-rally understand how the business works. In truth, these are two very different issues, and the entrepreneur MUST under-stand the distinction between the two.

Building your business takes three distinct skill sets:1. The entrepreneur – supplying the vision2. The manager – provides systems and processes3. The technician – supplies the output of goods or servicesThrough years of study, we have learned the following:The entrepreneur looks at every issue as a huge commercial

opportunity – entrepreneurs are dreamers that focus on the future.

Managers are practical – they design systems; they bring or-der and efficiency to the operations. In general, managers fo-cus on the past and hold on to the status quo.

Technicians like doing things. They live in the present. They are hands-on people who like to get work done without inter-ruption.

AND…

The typical business owner personality is:

✓ 10% Entrepreneur

✓ 20% Manager

✓ 70% Technician

Sound familiar? Does this describe you…your business?

Consider this…

Research indicates that a Very Good Business Builder would

be:

• 33% Entrepreneur

• 33% Manager

• 33% Technician

Ultimately, working ON your business is about your perspec-

tive. We've always advocated that if you want to change your

business, the first thing you need to do is to change the way

you think about your business. So don't worry about the work

you have to do in your business, just remember to approach

it with an entrepreneurial perspective and learn from every

experience.

To learn more tips and tools for working ON your business

make sure you attend the next no cost Best Business Practices

Series workshop Sept. 4. This session will be popular and will

fill up quickly. To register follow this link: www.wsbdc.org/

training-calendar

This article is based, in part, on the book E Myth Revisited

by Michael Gerber and was prepared by Jerry Petrick, MBA,

CGBP, SPHR, PMP and Certified Business Adviser with the

Washington State University Small Business Development Cen-

ter (SBDC) in Longview. Jerry provides no-cost, confidential

business advisory services by appointment. He can be reached

via e-mail [email protected]

Petrick, from page 16

18


Kelso

It's all about relationships

By Mayor David Futcher

One of the interesting aspects of our system of government is that over and over, we have checks in place to limit the amount of power given to any individual. The highest elect-ed official in our country, the President, even has substantial limitations on his power. While this is designed to prevent a dictatorship, it also results in true power coming only with strong relationships.

I often say that politics (and heck, life) is all about relation-ships. In a city like Kelso, a mayor like me can’t do anything without three other council members wanting the same thing. Heck, I can’t even be the mayor if I can’t convince three other guys on the council that I’m the right man for the job. Effectiveness comes only with the support of others.

We have on our council an individual with a criminal past and allegedly, present. The past isn’t as concerning to me – no one reading this article is perfect – but the current al-legations, and Mr. Franklin’s actions described in the police report do cause me to question the individual’s commitment to a new way of life.

Because Mr. Franklin wasn’t open with the council about his past, and hadn’t taken the time to build the relationships that would have helped us support him during this episode, many on the council were left wanting to distance them-selves from the current predicament. That results in it being unlikely that Mr. Franklin will be able to marshal support for initiatives he’d like to pursue, thereby compromising his effective participation on the council.

If you can’t be effective, why be there? That’s a question to which only Mr. Franklin has the answer.

Longview

Direction for the futureBy City Councilman

Ken Botero

Longview’s visual and func-tional appeal reinforces the quality of life for our citizens,

as well as the possible perceptions of those making invest-ment decisions. The initial positive perception of Longview is formed by our unique building appearances, property maintenance and infrastructure systems. Longview has a window of opportunity to enact policies and standards that influence the quality of its natural environments. These considerations are especially important along highly visible corridors and at our gateways, for example the new design and positive entryway into Longview on Tennant Way. Without plans and regulations that establish expec-tations and minimum standards, there may be a sense of “sameness” in our community with little to distinguish it as a city of the future and a place representing A Quality of Place.

Longview’s vision of the future clearly articulates our community’s desire to become our regional growth center. Longview offers many opportunities to build on a positive future in industry, small business, and education. As the largest city in Cowlitz County it is within reach to become a regional growth center and is positioned to serve all the needs of the community plus our neighboring cities.

As Longview moves forward and adds new amenities, one of our challenges will be to create unique places that do not compete with one another. For instance, the com-mercial and civic functions of downtown clearly have a different character and scale than the development along Ocean Beach Highway and the Triangle Shopping Center. Future public investments should help define areas of civic importance and celebrate differences and special features.

How do we achieve these goals? Please see Longview, page 19

19


WALSTEAD MERTSCHINGAT TO R N E YS AT L AW

A Full Service Civil Law Firm for 89 Years

CIVIC CENTER BUILDING, 3RD FLOOR1700 HUDSON ST., LONGVIEW, WA

(360) 423-5220 Longviewwww.walstead.com

Attorney Michael A. Claxton

Business & Corporation Law

Walstead Mertsching serves businesses of many sizes and in various stages of development. Whether your company is a small sole proprietorship or a large corporation, we can pro-vide assistance and guidance. Utilizing a solutions-oriented approach toward achieving defined objectives, our goal is to allow our clients to successfully execute their business plans.

• Complex Litigation• Formation, Reorganization, and Dissolution• Labor/Employment Issues• Mergers and Aquisitions• Purchases and Sales• Succession Planning

The first answer is with construction of downtown improvements and infrastructure in accordance with the Hyatt/Palma report. In July, the City will begin construc-tion of the first phase of the streetscape improvements along Commerce Avenue, from Washington Way to Broadway.

The second answer is with revisions to the zoning ordi-nances that accommodate in fill and mixed use develop-ment patterns.

Ongoing marketing and planning led by the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce and our Kelso Longview Tourism Bureau.

These are just a few directives we could use to open the door to the future.

Longview, page 18

20


Children and community benefit from summer reading programBy Chris Skaugset Director – Longview Public Library

Summer is coming and with it comes the biggest library program of the year. The Summer Reading Program is a cooperative program involving each of the four Cowlitz County li-braries that encourages and rewards children to continue reading during the summer months when they are away from school. Studies have shown that children who participate in a summer reading program retain more of what they learned the previous year, which in turn means that when school begins again that teachers are spending less time covering last year’s material and more time teaching new mate-rial. It is a win-win situation by keeping kids engaged and learning throughout the summer.

This year’s program is entitled Fizz, Boom, Read! It is focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (or what’s referred to as STEM in the educational world) this year and with the recognition that the summer reading program can not only encourage reading and literacy, but at the same time can encourage children’s interest, knowledge, and skills in these vitally important areas. We have a number of fun, exciting, and educational events this year includ-ing: story times for kids of all ages; Spin, Boom, Pop; Grossology; Bits & Bots; the grand finale picnic with the OMSI Science Festival; and a night at a Cowlitz Black Bears game for those readers com-pleting at least one reading record as part of the Cowlitz Literacy Coalition’s Literacy Night. The teen program is called Spark a Re-action. It also focuses on STEM and includes several events geared towards teens including: Improv with the Missoula Children’s The-atre; Spark Plugs and Spokelights; a Sparkle Party; and a Summer Reading Flash Mob.

As the children continue to get older and complete their educa-tion it is critical that they have the necessary skills to find jobs (and to fill your jobs) and succeed. It is important not only for the chil-

dren, their families, and the schools to have successful students but also for our businesses, and our local communities as well. As the job market continues to evolve into the future it will be even more critical to have students who are literate and who have those STEM-related skills to succeed whether it is as an engineer, a teacher, or a small-business owner. More math, science, and technology-related skills will no longer be nice skills to have, but will be required to not only help local businesses and organizations succeed, but to ensure the continued growth and development of the nation’s economy as well. It will be these younger generations who will be moving the county, the state, the nation, and the world forward.

So, please encourage your children to participate (there are many ways that children of all ages can participate). If you don’t have chil-dren, but see value in the program, come and volunteer at your local library. The program can almost always use more volunteers to help make the program successful. You could even help by spon-soring a program or helping sponsor one of the many events that take place during the summer. It is critical that we adults continue to encourage and support our community’s children to continue to learn and to understand, and show, how valuable that education will be not only for them but for all of us. For more information visit us at www.longviewlibrary.org and friend us on Facebook.

Mind Your Own Business (at the Library)

21


Ribbon Cuttings

Swinging Celebration

The Ambassadors got into the swing of this Chamber Ribbon Cutting May 9 at Three

Rivers Golf Course. While there, the Ambassadors checked out upgrades to the

course, club house and restaurant.

Garden PartyIt was a picture-perfect day May 20 to dedicate

the E. Kenneth Henderson Memorial Gardenat Community Home Health Hospice.

Golden AnniversaryGuild Mortgage celebrated its 50th year in business May 8 with an open house and ribbon cutting. Stop by and congratulate them at their 1225 Broadway Street location.

22


PeaceHealth

By Cathy Barr Executive Director – PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center Foundation

It was a Friday night at shift change when a multiple-vehicle collision brought eight trauma patients into an already-crowded emergency room (ER) at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center. Hospital caregivers were in the process of admitting a few patients and several night shift caregivers were stuck in traffic due to the tragic accident.

Throughout this intense situation, PeaceHealth teams kicked into high gear. Day shift nurses stayed on to provide continuous care as the trauma victims rolled in one after another. And – in the words of a PeaceHealth caregiver – “other parts of the hospital family de-scended on the emergency department, offering help and support.”

Caregivers from inpatient floors and departments throughout the medical center – nursing, housekeeping, laboratory, pastoral care, respiratory therapy, medical records and transport – pitched in to meet the needs of patients and family members throughout the night and into the weekend. In addition, caregivers helped each other; the spouse of one caregiver even provided snacks and drinks for those working the long hours.

Some of you might recognize this event that occurred in Longview earlier this year. It took everything we had to give, but PeaceHealth and our community’s first responders were able to care for every single patient.

This is just one of the many heroic stories of the ER and other departments at PeaceHealth St. John. It confirms that while we, as a medical center, know and plan for the volume and level of service anticipated in our area, unexpected events still happen.

The same can be said for expenses. Budgets may be prepared for each year. However, the critical needs of patients in Cowlitz Coun-ty trump the strictest, best-laid budgets.

That is where PeaceHealth St. John’s Foundation steps in, helping to raise unrestricted funds that can be put to use whenever and wherever the greatest needs might be.

In a very real way, unrestricted gifts made it possible for Peace-Health St. John to advance our ER and trauma units to meet this and other unforeseen demands. This is true not only for the ER, but for other vital services in the hospital. Unrestricted dollars rep-resent unlimited possibilities.

You can help us raise unrestricted or flexible funds and have fun with friends and business associates at PeaceHealth St. John’s Foundation’s 13th annual golf tournament.

If you like to golf and love the idea of supporting your commu-nity hospital in this meaningful way, please join us at the Longview Country Club on July 14. Register at www.peacehealth.org/foun-dation/st-john.

Not a golfer? You’re welcome to make a gift of any amount to the Foundation’s unrestricted fund at any time to help ensure that our community is prepared for almost anything. Call or e-mail me at 360-414-7900 or [email protected].

Hospital strength built on Foundation

Pollock appointed market managerBicoastal Media announced the appointment of Bruce Pol-

lock as Market Manager for KLYK, KRQT, KBAM, KEDO and KPPK radio stations.

Pollock has enjoyed an extensive career in radio management including time in the Pacific Northwest.

“It is wonderful to return to the state of Washington and an honor to join Bicoastal Media’s exceptional management team and staff. I look forward to working with our local businesses and organizations, representing Bicoastal Media’s commit-ment to our communities. The people we have already met have been incredibly gracious in welcoming to me and my wife Robin,” Pollock said.

"Bruce is an idea person and is all about growing local busi-ness," said Bicoastal Media Regional Vice President Gary Grossman. "We are excited for our listeners, clients and staff.

"With his experience and leadership we are expecting new

and great things for Cowlitz County and beyond."Pollock comes to the area with experience in managing radio

station groups in Wyoming, New Mexico and California.Pollock is living in Longview, however he will be also be

overseeing the Centralia–Chehalis markets in addition to Longview–Kelso.

The price of gas may impede retail sales

By Jan Teague, President/CEOWashington Retail Association

We had good news about retail sales being up for the year by 7.4 percent in Washington state. This is an excellent sign of eco-nomic recovery. Some counties did better than others as you would expect. Pierce County was leading the countywide sales, up 10 percent. New and used car sales, building materials, ap-parel, and e-commerce represented the lion's share of sales. The construction industry is really taking off with an overall increase of 15.8 percent.

All things seem to be moving in the right direction for the economy. Unemployment is heading downward, the stock mar-ket is up, and construction is taking off. Consumer confidence is 83 percent, up from 81 percent in April. This too is a strong number and gives us hope for a good year for retailers.

Right now if I had to worry about anything for the year, it would be the price of gas. I went to the pump the other day and put $50 of regular into the car and it wasn't filled up. That was hard and I was reminded just how easily consumers will hold back on shopping if the price of gas is too high for their pocket book. We always have a seasonal swing in the price of gas during the summer months. But if we see other additional spikes due to public policy changes, like paying for global warming projects, then consumers will cut back on other spending. There are very few items that change consumer spending like the price of gas.

Governor Inslee has his eye on global warming and is talking about funding it through the price of gas. Estimates are wild at this point, but what if it costs another $1 per gallon? I can tell you that will make it very hard on people. It would be a tax like no other. Travel would go down which would impact hotels and restaurants, and people would simply shop less on discretionary items. In some ways, it would force a tax shift to a special proj-ect without showing the public a tangible benefit. The debates swirl around this issue and will definitely give the public pause to consider the sanity of it all, if it happens.


In the News

23

Our years of experience add up to Consistent, Courteous & Complete

Title & Escrow Services.

Phone: 360.425.2950 1425 Maple St.Fax: 360.425.8010 Longview, WA 98632

Connie Bjornstrom Lindsey McTimmonds LeeRoy Parcel

Bonnie Woodruff Joel Lengyel Alison Peters Dennis Bird

24


Ambassador of the Month

Teedara Garn of Twin Star Credit Union has been named the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Month for May.

Garn's participation in Chamber events in May pushed her to the top of the field.Chamber Ambassadors, known as The Red Coats, are an integral part of the Chamber of Com-

merce. The Ambassador team is made up of active Chamber volunteers whose responsibilities include meeting and greeting at Chamber events, welcoming new members and assisting at rib-bon cuttings and community events. Ambassadors juggle busy professional careers while making time to assist the Chamber at a variety of events year long.

If you would be interested in wearing a red coat and representing the Chamber, contact CEO Bill Marcum at the Chamber office.

Garn garnishes Chamber's volunteer honor for May

MayTeedara Garn

Twin Star Credit Union

729 Vandercook Way Longview, WA 986321-800-319-2265 | 360-414-4101

Mark Plotkin, Owner Canyonview Cyclery

Local Bank Means Local BusinessI 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 PlotkinCanyonview Cyclery

twincitybank.com

Canyonview CyClery

25


Business Association with opportunities to promote trade through Chamber socials, spe-cial events and committee participation.

• Annual Meeting and Banquet• Networking Events• Committee Participation• Business Contacts• Quarterly Membership

Meetings• Civic Representation• Monthly Business After Hours

Business Services include marketing for your business, referrals and access to Chamber publications and research data.

• Mailing Labels• Membership Window Decals• Member Referrals• Ribbon Cutting• Web Site Links• Member to Member Discounts• Membership Directory• Tax Deduction

• Newsletter• Business Card Display• Use of Chamber Logo

Representation through action com-mittees, Candidate Forums and up-to-date Action Alerts.

• Legislative Representation• Issues Tracking and Information• Task Forces• Candidate Forums• Legislative Update Breakfast• Demographics Publication

PackagesBasic Membership Package – $275 or

$26 per month.Bronze Membership Package – $500 or

$46.66 per month.Silver Membership Package – $1,000 or

$86.33 per month.Gold Membership Package – $2,500 or

$211.33 per month.Platinum Membership Package –

$5,000 or $416.66 per month.Diamond Club Membership Package –

$10,000 or $834 per month.

Celebrate new Chamber members with us* Chrome Mobile Detailing

* A First Place

* UnCaged Cycles

Welcome New Members

Chamber membership has its privileges

Join today! Call 360-423-8400Facilitating Growth Through

Leadership and Action

We are a membership based not-for-profit

organization. Join us today!

1452 Hudson St. • US Bank BuildingSuite 208 • Longview, WA

360.423.9921www.cowlitzedc.com

Resources•

Access•

Partnerships

Take your relaxation seriously.

Authorized Lazyboy Dealer

20% OFFSTOREWIDE

1413 Commerce Ave.360-575-9804 www.elamshf.com

FREELOCALDELIVERY

Klc june2014

Documents

Transcript of Klc june2014