[8/2/22] Last Thursday, July 28th, we celebrated the grand opening of Link Community Clinic in Tacoma! Link Community Clinic is a graduate of Spaceworks Tacoma's Incubator program and a welcome addition to Tacoma! Following the ribbon-cutting, attendees enjoyed refreshments and raffle prizes courtesy of Link Community Clinic. View a photo recap below! 

[8/2/2022] Listen to Wade Stewart share his story of challenges and success with Tech Masters Computer Services on the latest episode of Making It in the South Sound.

"We started, like many businesses do, as a spare room in my house."

Wade Stewart is the founder and managing member of Tech Masters Computer Services, and a living small business success story. Tech Masters is celebrating its 10th year in business this year. Through all that time, Wade has been an active and involved member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

The story of Tech Masters is one that many small business owners can likely relate to. Soon after its start as a business, Tech Masters experienced exponential growth. According to Wade, this was a good problem to have. Still, it brought with it unique challenges. His initial plan of hiring staff within 18 months was fast tracked to a mere 8 months. In its first year alone, Tech Masters saw 30% quarter over quarter growth. 

Seeing this rapid business expansion, Wade realized that he needed some help. He credits networking through Chambers like the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber for helping him find a business coach to prepare Tech Masters for success. 

"The interesting thing about a business is there's ebbs and flows to it."

Since its founding, Tech Masters has expanded across state lines, and now serves clients in Oregon as well as Washington. Wade speaks to flexibility as a skill that helps Tech Masters be successful in multiple locations. Due to how well-established the business is in Washington, they can leverage some of their existing resources here to help clients in Oregon. The COVID-19 pandemic also led Wade to the realization of how much a business can accomplish remotely. 

In addition to being a business founder, Wade Stewart is also an author. His book, Personal Retreat, gives advice for feeling burned out that can benefit individuals both personally and professionally. And it's never been more relevant than in these last few years of pandemic turmoil and exhaustion.

"If you just have your head down and you're putting flagstones down to get to the house from the sidewalk, if you don't look up, you could end up at the garage instead."

Wade's idea of a "personal retreat" is a concept to help individuals take a break from being burned out and re-center on their true goals and ambitions. You can learn more about his book and the personal retreat concept here.

Learn more about Tech Masters Computer Services here. 

This Member Feature story is part of a series by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber to promote stronger connections and increased engagement between the Chamber, its members, and the local business community. Member stories are non-promotional opportunities to share members' business stories with the community. If you are a Chamber member interested in being featured for a story, please contact Digital Marketing Outreach Coordinator Audrey Widner at audreyw@tacomachamber.org

[7/25/22] Last Thursday, July 25th, we joined Symmetry Financial at their Tacoma office to celebrate their grand opening! Chamber CEO Andrea Reay attended and helped cut the ribbon for their grand opening ceremony. Following the ribbon-cutting, Symmetry Financial hosted July's Chamber After Hours event inside their office where attendees enjoyed food and drinks, giveaway prizes, and cornhole. This was such a fun event and great opportunity to network with the Chamber community. Thank you to everyone who attended and made this event possible! View a photo recap below!

[7/19/22] Last Thursday, July 14th, Chamber CEO Andrea Reay and other staff joined DiscoveryMD in Tacoma to celebrate their opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. View photos from the event below! 

[7/19/22] In this day and age, locally-owned pharmacies are a pretty rare find. For Wilbur and Jazel Bautista, however, owning and managing an independent pharmacy right here in Pierce County is part of daily life.

Together, they run Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services located in Tacoma. Their small business is one of the only independent pharmacies currently operating in the South Sound. The two, who are also husband and wife, started the business on a leap of faith in 2018. Both have backgrounds in the medical field: Wilbur is a medical technologist and Jazel a pharmacist. Prior to creating Acts pharmacy, Wilbur was working at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the pathology department, where he learned about diseases and illness. Jazel worked at Walgreens, which helped her learn the ins and outs to what it takes to successfully run a pharmacy. Their experiences in these roles were positive, but the two felt a calling to personally do more for their community and provide a type of care that is difficult to achieve working for larger companies and organizations. Their shared passion became a shared vision when they decided to strike out on their own and open Acts Pharmacy in 2018. 

Listen to the Wilbur and Jazel as guests on Making It in the South Sound to learn more about their business story and what's next for Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services.

​"We just decided to think about an avenue that we both can share our passion...working in the medical field and at the same time helping the community."

Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services has now been in business for 4 years, a huge accomplishment for Jazel and Wilbur. It hasn't always been easy though. Like with many small businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic was an unexpected challenge Acts had to face. In the beginning, before vaccinations were available, the pandemic was taking a toll on business at the pharmacy. Rather than giving up, Jazel and Wilbur acted as savvy business owners and met the moment with unique solutions. They ramped up their local delivery services,  found a local seamstress to create masks for the business, and even formulated their own pharmaceutical grade hand sanitizer. 

"We really had to think out of the box and be able to to serve the community as a whole during those times. Knowing that vaccinations were coming, we were able to prepare." 

In order to be prepared for the eventual vaccine rollout, Jazel and Wilbur made connections with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Through a partnership with the Health Department, they were able to set up Acts Pharmacy as a COVID-19 vaccine location. They were one of the first and few locations in Pierce County to join with the Health Department in this venture. In addition to providing vaccines at the pharmacy itself, they took Acts to the community with visits to churches, schools, and family homes. They say this ability to be flexible is one of the many benefits of having a small, independent pharmacy. 

Beyond COVID-19, Acts Pharmacy has continued to expand and grow. Since 2018, the staff has grown nearly double from 3 to 6 employees. They have recently launched an HIV PReP clinic in partnership with the Washington Department of Health to provide access to services that help prevent HIV infection in vulnerable communities. In addition to vaccines, Acts offers other medical services including lab tests, compression sock fitting, and medication management. They also have a retail area within the pharmacy where patients and customers can purchase healthcare essentials. 

Last month, Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services were awarded the 2022 Spotlight on Business Award for Resiliency in Business. This award was given to them to celebrate the hard work and perseverance Wilbur and Jazel have shown in making their pharmacy a community-centered gem in local healthcare. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is honored to have Acts Pharmacy as a member of our business community and we can't wait to see what they do next. 

Learn more about Acts Pharmacy on their website. 

This Member Feature story is part of a series by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber to promote stronger connections and increased engagement between the Chamber, its members, and the local business community. Member stories are non-promotional opportunities to share members' business stories with the community. If you are a Chamber member interested in being featured for a story, please contact Digital Marketing Outreach Coordinator Audrey Widner at audreyw@tacomachamber.org

[7/11/22] Last Friday, July 8th, Chamber staff including CEO Andrea Reay joined the Washington State Department of Transportation to break ground on the SR 167 Completion Project. This project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes a completion project for SR 509 in King County and has the goal to "​complete two major unfinished highways in the Puget Sound region to create new connections to Interstate 5, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport," according to WSDOT. The SR 167 Completion Project will, among other things, create 6 new miles of highway between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma. According to WSDOT, "Completing this unfinished highway will greatly benefit the movement of freight, improve safety and reduce congestion on local roads and highways in the surrounding area."

Chamber CEO Andrea Reay was among the distinguished guests who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony. She celebrated the achievement of the project in her remarks, stating:

​"This project is a regional success and collective win for all in our region. Here in the South Sound, we are the makers and the movers for the State of Washington. Our economic ecosystem depends on our ability to swiftly and predictably move people and goods throughout the Puget Sound. Today marks not only a key milestone in our ability to strengthen and secure accessibility for our multi-modal transportation and logistics infrastructure, but access and equitable economic development as well—with a projected workforce impact of 80,000 jobs. Both directly and indirectly, this increase in family-wage jobs can and will be part of building generational wealth for our community here in the South Sound."

Hear Andrea's full remarks from the event. 

Other speakers at the ceremony included WSDOT Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar, Senior Transportation Policy Advisor for Governor Jay Inslee Debbie Driver, Washington State Representative Jake Fey, Washington State Senator Marko Liias, Fife City Councilmember Pat Hulcey, Port of Tacoma Commissioner Dick Marzano, and Senior Vice President for Atkinson Construction Bob Adams. 

Following the speakers, guests in attendance were invited to help pot native plants and trees that will be included in the Riparian Restoration Program, a major component of the SR 167 Completion Project that will benefit the environment. 

When complete, the project will have created a new 2-mile expressway between I-5 and SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma,
a shared-use path parallel to the highway for non-motorized travel (walking, bicycling, etc.) between I-5 and SR 509 near Tacoma, a diverging diamond interchange over I-5 in Fife that will connect the new SR 167 to I-5, and approximately 150 acres of wetland, stream and environmental restoration that will improve native fish runs and encourage the return of wildlife to the area.

Benefits of the project include improved freight connections, better regional mobility, increased multimodal connections, environmental enhancements, updates in intelligent transportation, and regional job and economic growth.

Learn more about the SR 167 Completion Project and the Puget Sound Gateway Program from the Washington State Department of Transportation in this article and project overview. 
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[6/21/22] The 2022 Spotlight on Business Awards winners were announced and honored at the Chamber's Happy Hour Business Expo last Thursday, June 16th. Congratulations to all the incredible businesses and organizations who won and those that were nominated! 

Non-profit Organization: Korean Women's Association

[6/21/22] Last Thursday evening, June 16th, over 400 attendees walked through the doors of the Waterfront Venue to attend the Chamber's annual Happy Hour Business Expo. 

This year's event was a stunning success that saw local business owners, community leaders, vendors, caterers, and partners come together to create an unforgettable evening. There were giveaways, prizes, games, food and drinks, and a novelty photo booth. This event was a great way to network with partners and socialize with friends. The winners of the 2022 Spotlight on Business Awards were also announced at the event. 

Relive the evening with the photo gallery below.

​We can't wait to see everyone again at next year's Expo! 

[6/21/22] “All that you touch You Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth Is Change,” 

This quote from Octavia Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower, Parable’s namesake, reflects much of the space’s philosophy.

Parable started as an idea between three family members. Le’Ecia Farmer, LaKecia Farmer, and Deatria Williams are sisters and cousins who co-own and operate the space in Tacoma’s McKinley Hill neighborhood. Parable is Black-owned, woman-owned, lgbtq-owned, family-owned, and community-owned. 

The three had always wanted to start a business together. Walking around in the McKinley Hill neighborhood where they live, they were inspired by a retail space available for rent. 

“We passed by the windows of the empty space day after day and allowed ourselves to dream. We envisioned neighborhood youth popping in and out for a story circle. We could see people singing, dancing, and sharing stories over a warm cup of tea. We imagined elders resting in a big comfy chair with an old book.”

[6/6/2022] Tacoma is famous for its beautiful waterfront but, shockingly, around 90% of students in Tacoma public schools don’t have access to experience the waters of the Puget Sound. That’s something Monique Valenzuela, Executive Director of the Tacoma Youth Marine Foundation, wants to change. ​

Listen to Tacoma Youth Marine Foundation Executive Director and CEO Monique Valenzuela talk about YMF, developing leaders of the future, and her experience being involved with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber on this episode of Making It in the South Sound.

The Tacoma Youth Marine Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates the Tacoma Youth Marine Center on the east side of the Foss Waterway. Formed in 1991, the Youth Marine Center serves as “a place for youth to touch the Sound.” The center’s campus houses classrooms, dock space, a boat repair shop, a fuel station, and a fleet of 24+ vessels that youth can use to experience being on the water. 

Youth access to marine experiences is about so much more than the fun of being on a boat. In Monique’s view, it’s a unique way to build leadership, business skills, and responsibility. 

How does the Youth Marine Foundation achieve its mission of “empowering youth to navigate their future?” It starts with partnerships with the Tacoma Sea Scouts, local schools, and organizations like Metro Parks Tacoma.

The Sea Scouts, which has been operating in Tacoma since 1923, is a training program where kids can get involved in learning about, sailing, and maintaining maritime vessels. The Youth Marine Center is home to Tacoma’s Sea Scout Base and provides the group with classroom space, dock usage, and use of their fleet of vessels. This program, which is co-ed and open to youth as young as 13, teaches kids how to operate and maintain vessels year-round through active boating experience in the waters around Tacoma. In addition to practical skills, being in the Sea Scouts helps kids learn leadership skills, practice conflict resolution, and take pride in their hard work. For many kids, participating in the Sea Scouts can also put them on a path to their future careers. Many former Sea Scouts go on to have jobs in naval architecture, ports, merchant marines operations, the military and Coast Guard, and other maritime-related fields. ​

The lessons of being a Sea Scout are just the beginning of the learning experiences that take place at the Youth Marine Center. For high schoolers at Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA) the center is likely a familiar location, as it serves as the home of their science classroom. That’s right: instead of learning science in a traditional classroom, SOTA students are taught science lessons a few days a week at the only public high school classroom on the Foss Waterway. Not only that, but the center provides chartered vessels to take students on marine science cruises throughout the school year that gives them an opportunity to conduct hands-on research as part of their learning. The Tacoma Science and Math Institute High School and School of Industrial Design, Engineering and Art also have strong collaborations with the center that offer public school students unique opportunities to learn outside of four walls. ​

For youth who aren’t part of the Sea Scouts or students with the schools listed above, there are still even more opportunities to experience what the Youth Marine Center has to offer. Every summer, YMF partners with Metro Parks Tacoma for a “Sails and Trails Summer Camp.” They provide vessels, staff, and the Center’s campus for education and activities to this popular camp that sells out every year. The camp also opens up opportunities for Sea Scouts by employing them to be instructors and provide vessel maintenance. 

It’s clear that in addition to their goal of helping youth access the waters of the Sound, YMF is doing much more than that: they are empowering youth to navigate their futures. A big part of that comes in the form of connections to local commerce. 

While YMF is a nonprofit organization, it also houses two businesses on its campus. One of these is a fuel dock that private boats and emergency vessels can use. The other is Commencement Bay Marine Services, a full-service marine vessel repair and boat parts company. Proceeds from both of these businesses benefit the programs of YMF. 

A direct way the Foundation is developing future South Sound business leaders is through the opportunities these on-campus businesses provide. High schoolers interested in mechanics can take part in internships with hands-on learning in the vessel repair shop. Sea Scouts can gain job experience through employment at the Sails and Trails Summer Camp. For young adults interested in careers in mechanics and marine services, the boat repair shop and fuel dock offer entry-level job opportunities in skilled trades. 

Even for youth who don’t plan on pursuing careers related to the marine industry, the programs at YMF teach critical skills for future success. Hard work, leadership, collaboration, responsibility, problem-solving, and conflict resolution are just some of the many skills youth learn through YMF’s programs that will give them advantages in any future career field. Kids who participate in YMF-supported programs —whether it be the Sea Scouts, science classes, or summer camps—may go on to become future small business owners, CEOs, elected officials, scientists, teachers, and more. And when they do, it will be thanks in no small part to the lessons they learned on a boat on the Foss Waterway.

This Member Feature story is part of a series by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber to promote stronger connections and increased engagement between the Chamber, its members, and the local business community. Member stories are non-promotional opportunities to share members' business stories with the community. If you are a Chamber member interested in being featured for a story, please contact Digital Marketing Outreach Coordinator Audrey Widner at audreyw@tacomachamber.org

[05/31/2022] This April, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber traveled to the nation’s capital with a delegation of local leaders as part of the 36th annual Washington to Washington, D.C. trip. This year was a unique opportunity featuring not one but two Chamber CEOs in attendance: outgoing CEO Tom Pierson and new CEO Andrea Reay. They were accompanied by a diverse delegation of leaders from different sectors of local commerce ranging from elected officials, business owners, NGO representatives, and labor leaders. 
 
The mission of this yearly trip is to share and discuss business and community interests here in the South Sound with government representatives in Washington, D.C. Those who lead the trip see it not as a one-time discussion, but as an ongoing conversation to achieve common goals. This year’s delegation participated in discussions on healthcare, defense, infrastructure, green energy, maritime industries, the importance of bipartisan compromise, and much more. 
 
Listen to this special episode of Making it in the South Sound to hear Chamber CEO Andrea Reay talk with Tim Thompson from the Chamber’s federal advocacy partner Thompson Consulting Group to recap the 2022 trip, talk about the history and importance of this event, and share how Chamber members can get involved as part of future delegations. 

View photos from the 2022 Washington-to-Washington, D.C. trip in the gallery below.

[5/24/22] We are honored to announce the list of nominees for the 2022 Spotlight On Business Awards. Each year, these awards celebrate exceptional businesses and organizations that achieve incredible things in local commerce, in their industries, and in the community. 

We are thrilled to see the sheer number of amazing businesses nominated this year! We can't wait to celebrate all the nominees (and announce the winners!) at the upcoming Happy Hour Business Expo on June 16th. Nominees are encouraged to attend and bring friends and family to cheer on the great work you've done this past year. Happy Hour Business Expo is a free public event that will feature food, drinks, vendors, and entertainment— as well as the Spotlight On Business Awards ceremony! 

The categories for awards this year are: Non-profit Organization, Small Business, Medium-sized Business, Large Business, Minority-owned Business, Veteran-owned Business, Business Supporter of the Military, and Resiliency in Business. 

The 2022 Spotlight On Business Awards Nominees

Accident & Injury Chiropractic
Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services
Aero Precision
BIMA Services
Bethel School District
Buzzerd's on 6th
​Catffieinated
The Doty Group
First Citizens Bank
Greedy Vegan Catering
Gwynnelee LLC DBA Fircrest Towing
Kanon Electric
The Korean Women's Association
MadCap Marketing
My Pampered Life Seattle
Neaxus
The Neighborhood Plant Project
NineLine Veteran Services
South Sound Business
St. Vincent de Paul of Tacoma-Pierce County
Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS
Tacoma Little Theater
Tacoma Trophy
Velvet's Big Easy

[5/24/22] Listen to the latest episode of Making It in the South Sound to hear Chamber Board Chair AJ Gordon interview local photographer, videographer, and small business owner Reyallan Thompson talk about his business journey to success in the South Sound.

Reyallan's journey to being a successful small business owner in Pierce County actually started thousands of miles away in the Philippines, where he was born. He moved to Washington with his family at a young age and attended Franklin Pierce School District. Following that, he graduated from Clover Park Technical College. Now, he's a business leader in a diverse community of creatives making their mark on the South Sound. 

Reyallan knew for a long time that he wanted to own his own business. However, he tested out many different ideas before finding his passion. He landed on photography—specifically focused on weddings—but that was only half the battle. He credits hard work and having a strong community of supporters as what made his success possible. 

He also participated in the Pierce County Business Accelerator, a program of Pierce County's Economic Development Department administered by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. He states that the program helped him meet a community of like-minded individuals, access resources, and find opportunities. 

"I want to create opportunities in Pierce County for students who are like myself."

Looking to the future, Reyallan is passionate about helping other young creatives in the South Sound. He wants to reach other college graduates like himself who face the challenge of knowing how to use their degree, and show them how to apply that to find their passion and success as entrepreneurs. He strongly recommends the Pierce County Business Accelerator as a pathway for individuals to make their business dreams a reality.

View more of Reyallan's photography work at nallayerstudios.com.

Listen to previous episodes of Making It in the South Sound and subscribe to the podcast. 

Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Making It in the South Sound? Learn more here.

[5/23/22] Last Thursday evening, May 19th, the Chamber hosted an After Hours event at the recently renovated Chamber offices. Over 100 guests attended including many elected officials, local business owners, and industry leaders. Attendees spent the evening mingling and networking with friends and business partners, enjoying catered hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and getting to meet the new Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber CEO Andrea Reay. 

​

This event was a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and business partners in-person, as well as form new connections! If you missed last week's After Hours, don't worry! The Chamber is looking forward to many more events like this in the future, such as the upcoming Happy Hour Business Expo on June 16th. 

View photos from the event in the gallery below! 

Listen to the latest episode of Making It in the South Sound and hear new CEO Andrea Reay introduce herself and her vision to the Chamber community! 

Read the welcome letter below by CEO Andrea Reay:

[5/17/22] If you’ve ever ridden a bus in Pierce County, it’s more than likely you rode Pierce Transit. Formed in 1979, Pierce Transit gets Pierce County residents where they need to go. Pierce Transit estimates it runs 14,000 trips a day with services including bus transit, vanpool, ADA-accessible shuttles, and on-demand runner vehicles. 

Pierce Transit's next stop? The future of transportation. 

​Public transportation in Pierce County began with streetcars, such as those that traveled up and down the hills of Tacoma. When automobile transit became the dominant mode of travel, buses came to serve people’s transportation needs. Pierce Transit merged various city and regional services in 1979 and is now the primary bus and shuttle transit provider for Pierce County. As our world continues to change with issues such as pandemics, advancing technology, environmental concerns, and traffic patterns, so do people’s transit needs. Pierce Transit is prepared to meet these challenges and travel alongside Pierce County into the future. 

“We’re bringing transit into the 21st century,” says CEO Mike Griffus. 

Griffus says that the COVID-19 pandemic has really shined a light on how critical their services are for essential workers. 
​
“People need to understand we're a lifeline to a lot of people.”

Griffus estimates that nearly 50% of Pierce Transit passengers don’t own a car. These passengers rely on Pierce Transit to get to work, go to school, travel to grocery stores, see a doctor, and visit loved ones. Even during the height of the pandemic, Pierce Transit was still providing 9,000 rides each weekday and was an essential part of keeping the local community running. ​

“This business, like most businesses, is about building partnerships and relationships in the community.”

Griffus wants people to know that the career and business opportunities at Pierce Transit range much wider than bus operator positions (although those certainly are critical). To operate as the primary bus transit provider for the second largest county in Washington takes workers in every area from accounting, to maintenance, to marketing. Pierce Transit is a leading employer in the region with over 900 employees across the county. In addition to direct positions with Pierce Transit, the transit projects it operates create countless jobs in local construction and development. 
​
“The partnerships we make at the chamber really solidify our role in this community.”

Griffus shares that in his time as CEO of Pierce Transit he has made many more important business connections and formed partnerships through Chamber opportunities such as being invited to speak to the Port of Tacoma to address their transit needs. Griffus also attended the 2022 annual Washington-to-Washington, D.C. advocacy trip as part of the Chamber’s delegation.

The Chamber values Pierce Transit as a member and appreciates the critical role they play in the infrastructure of Pierce County. Here’s to the future of transit! We can’t wait to see where Pierce Transit takes us next. 

[5/10/22] Stepping through the front door, visitors are immediately greeted by a towering wooden statue of the mythological figure Garuda from Indonesia. Directly on each side of this stand two tall wooden posts carved with animated faces; they are Jangseung, Korean totem poles. Looking around, it would be a challenge to find a bare spot on the walls not already occupied by an eclectic mix of photos, framed prints, posters, masks, and tapestries. Further inside, glass cases and shelves are full to the brim with statues, dolls, pottery, and musical instruments from cultures all over Asia and the South Pacific.
​

[5/10/22] Earlier this month, the Washington Legislature voted to pass a bill that will further establish Pierce County as a prime region for business development. House Bill 1846 incentivizes investment in building, maintaining, and retrofitting data centers in Washington. With strong local support and hard work on behalf of our advocacy partners, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber celebrates the passing of this bill as a victory for community business interests. 

​Listen to the Chamber’s state lobbyist, Michael Transue, sit down with Board Chair AJ Gordon to discuss the data center bill that was recently passed by the State Legislature —and why this is a huge win for Pierce County business interests— on the latest episode of Making It in the South Sound.

Background: What is a Data Center?

Data centers are physical locations that store and compute data for businesses and organizations. In a growing digital age, data centers serve as an essential service for both businesses and communities to stay connected. 

Data center development is a market currently experiencing high demand as businesses and organizations become increasingly active in the digital world. Data centers provide critical infrastructure not only for corporations, but also for small and medium-sized businesses, research organizations, healthcare institutions, and city governments. In doing so, they also create jobs in construction and operations, drive economic growth, and stimulate investment in local connectivity services like fiber and broadband.

Since 2019, advocates have been working to see legislation passed that will allow further growth and development of data centers in the region. Prior to this new bill, Washington offered incentives for data center development in rural areas exclusively. 

Nearby areas such as Oregon are competitors in this market due to the personal property tax exemptions offered on data center servers and a lack of state sales tax. The passing of the new data bill will provide incentives to make the Puget Sound region an attractive competitor to Oregon for data center development. 

What Does House Bill 1846 Do?

Before the passing of this latest bill, Washington offered a sales and use tax exemption exclusively for data centers in rural areas. This new data center bill expands these tax incentives to data center development in counties with populations over 800,000. This includes Pierce County, as well as King and Snohomish counties.

This bill is sure to lead to more development and investment in data centers in urban areas as a result of these tax incentives. 

What Role Did the Chamber Play?

Chamber advocacy lobbyist Michael Transue has been involved in the journey of this bill from the very beginning.

Starting in 2019, the Chamber participated in lobbying the state legislature as the data center bill was discussed in hearings. As the bill moved forward, the Chamber played a critical role in coordinating letters to the legislature from local leaders voicing their support.

Leaders who supported the bill include Tacoma Pierce-County Chamber CEO Tom Pierson, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, Puyallup Mayor Dean Johnson, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County President Bruce Kendall, Pierce County Council Chair Derek Young, and Pierce County Building & Construction Trades Executive Secretary Nathe Lawver. 

​When it came time for the bill to be voted on, the Chamber helped coordinate communications and testimony to the legislature on the importance of the bill.

What Does This Mean for Pierce County?

The incentives included in the new data center bill are expected to generate interest and investment in data centers in Pierce County. 

Data centers bring high-paying, long-term jobs in construction and operations to a region. Building one data center typically takes around 500 workers and nearly 300,000 hours of labor. After that, jobs continue to exist to support the upkeep and operations. 

Data center development also often leads to better digital connectivity for areas and incentivizes investments in fiber optics and broadband.

An economic impact analysis conducted by ECONorthwest in 2021 reported that increased data center development over the next ten years could increase Washington State’s gross domestic product by $2.7B and add $2.2B in personal income to workers, creating 6,660 jobs during construction and 665 jobs during operations per year. 

To understand the effects that this increased development could specifically have in Pierce County, one can look at the city of Hillsborough, Oregon, as a case study. Between 2010 and 2015, the city saw a $695 million investment in the development of twelve data centers. Due to this it is estimated that, in 2015 alone, data centers contributed $65.2 million in output, 354 jobs, and $17.8 million in worker income in the Hillsborough area. Additionally, $5 million was generated in taxes from data centers to fund public services. 

If a similar investment were to take place in a city in Pierce County, it would likely create equally positive economic outcomes. In a scenario analysis included in the same ECONorthwest report it was projected that such an investment could generate $48.2 million in Tacoma alone.
​
Curious to learn more?

Read the ECONorthwest report on the Economic Impacts of Colocation Data Centers and Tax Policy in Washington State.

View the letter written by Pierce County leaders to the Washington Legislature in support of the bill.
​
Read the testimony delivered by Chamber State Lobbyist Michael Transue to the Legislature in support of the bill. 
​

In this episode of Making It in the South Sound, AJ Gordon, Tacoma Board of Directors Chair, sits down with Kevin Drugge, Senior Corporate Sales Manager for the Tacoma Rainiers at We R Tacoma. 
​

Kevin shares some history of Cheney Stadium and Minor League Baseball in Tacoma, starting all the way back in 1960 when Ben Cheney and Clay Huntington brought baseball to Tacoma. From the original Tacoma Giants, to the Tacoma Tigers, and as the Rainiers we know today, Tacoma's minor league team has had a deep and storied history in the community. 

"It's almost everyone's home away from home during the summertime," says Kevin, reflecting on the role the Rainiers and Cheney Stadium play in the community fabric of Tacoma. Kevin reflects on the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and having to go an entire season without baseball. Despite many challenges, he states his belief that We R Tacoma has emerged from the pandemic as a stronger organization. Not only did Cheney Stadium weather the COVID-19 storm, it played a critical role in community health as both a testing site and, later, a vaccine clinic. 

With eyes to the future, Kevin discusses what the 2022 Rainiers season has in store for fans. Season ticket holders should be excited to enjoy the completely renovated and updated Commencement Bank Summit Club, which features luxe furnishings, all-inclusive food and drinks, games and entertainment, and a premium view of the field. 

Kevin and his team are hopeful this season to see the Rainiers defend their winning titles. Triple-A West League Champions in 2021, the Rainiers hope to continue their winning streak as Pacific Coast League Champions in 2022. ​

Funds will support expansion of its Small Business Navigator Program for Black and urban entrepreneurs. 
 
Tacoma, Washington—March 2, 2022—Tacoma Urban League [today] announces a $75,000 donation from KeyBank to bolster its Small Business Navigator Program, which is designed to support Black entrepreneurs expand their businesses. 
 
The funds will be used to provide services such as grant and loan application completion, technical support, coaching, mentoring and workshops to address other key skills.
 
The programs will be offered through the Tacoma Urban League’s Black Empowerment Center, which aims to increase the net worth of African Americans in Tacoma by offering culturally anchored classes, activities and services that strengthen financial capability. The Black Empowerment Center was founded on the premise that bridging the gap between the Black community in Tacoma and the public and private sectors will lead to greater civic engagement by African Americans, increase advocacy and support racial and cultural pride by participants. 
 
“KeyBank’s mission is to help our communities thrive, and nowhere is that more important than in underserved communities that often lack access to business expertise and funding,” says South Puget Sound Market President Brian Marlow. “We are delighted to partner with Tacoma Urban League as they support our neighbors who are creating opportunities for self-sufficiency and striving for economic independence.”
“The long-term impact of the Black Empowerment Center is to increase the net worth of African Americans in Tacoma,” said T’wina Nobles, President and CEO of Tacoma Urban League.  “The economic disparity for African Americans is so severe - which is why the Black Empowerment Center emphasizes assistance to Black people – the investment must match the problem. We are grateful for Key Banks’s partnership and understanding that we have so much more work to do.” 
The KeyBank Foundation has long engaged in philanthropic endeavors that support economic access and equity for underserved communities and populations. 
 
About KeyCorp 
KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $186.3 billion on December 31, 2021. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and  approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.