Last Tuesday November 13, Tacoma City Council voted to renew the existing Tideflats Interim Regulations as-is with no amendments, which is a big WIN for industrial lands in Tacoma and will allow continued growth and investment from our existing businesses.

The amendments would have effectively halted growth of industrial businesses for the next 2-4 years, and we appreciate the Mayor and council members who voted 6-3 opposing both amendments.  Our message was loud and clear – businesses need certainty and predictability to invest, and Tacoma needs the living wage jobs that the manufacturing, industrial and maritime sectors provide.

This was a group effort, and it was gratifying to see the level of cooperation between many industries and partners who spoke up in support of safeguarding and improving people’s lives, creating a sustainable environment, and providing the family wage jobs that anchor our state and local economy. 
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This resolution represents the sort of compromise and cooperation that we hope to see moving forward into the Tideflats Subarea Plan.  The intergovernmental agreement was signed by all 3 parties on 11/15/18, which is the official start of the Subarea Plan.  We look forward to collaborating in a meaningful way while having in-depth conversations about the future of our industrial and port maritime lands.
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A big thank you to everyone who spoke up, sent letters and advocated for keeping our industrial lands industrial.  We need your voices so that the vocal minority doesn’t win.   

The South Sound Summit (S3) began last year as the Chamber’s reimagined Annual Meeting. Our Board of Directors, in conjunction with the Chamber’s 2021 Strategic Plan, had a vision to move away from the traditional annual meeting luncheon by creating a forward-thinking, interactive event where the best and brightest innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders could gather to speak about how to advance business in the South Sound, providing more value to sponsors, speakers, and guests.
 
This year we saw over 500 attendees join us at the Greater Tacoma Convention for a half day conference.
 
The event kicked off with Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson discussing some of the Chamber wins from our 2018 fiscal year including the launch of the Manufacturing Industrial Council, the Chamber’s #NoHeadTax video in response to Seattle City Council, and Sue’s Tech Kitchen. Sue’s Tech Kitchen was a travelling interactive STEM-fueled adventure aimed at getting youth, especially young girls, involved in TECH and STEM. Sue’s was the passion project of Randi Zuckerberg, who was our keynote at last year’s South Sound Summit. Tacoma was the only location selected on the West Coast to host Sue’s (beating out Seattle and San Francisco) and that conversation began because of Randi visiting Tacoma for S3. 
 
That’s what South Sound Summit is all about. Starting conversations, inspiring, engaging, connecting, and collaborating, to make the South Sound the best place to do business in Washington State.
 
After the 15-minute opening, guests were able to customize their experience.
 
In the main ballroom, attendees heard lightning talks called, “Influencers of the South Sound.” These 15-minute TED-type talks saw our region’s visionaries share their ideas and expertise on how to elevate the South Sound community. The speakers included Dr. Ali Modarres, T’wina Nobles, and Congressman Derek Kilmer (visit www.southsoundsummit.com for the full lineup).
 
Alternatively, some guests chose to attend breakout sessions known as “Tactical Business Solutions,” where topics including HR, marketing, and tech, were designed to provide practical business applications.
 
Keynote Speaker was Mitch Lowe, co-founder of Netflix and MoviePass CEO. Mitch spoke about disrupting the market; if you are not innovating and staying ahead of your competition, you will get left behind.
 
Throughout the day guests were able to stop by over 40 business expo booths to connect with other businesses. The evening wrapped up with an “Elevation Celebration” with cocktails and hors oeuvres set against the biz expo backdrop.