Last week, I had the privilege of stepping out of my usual role at Spaceworks Tacoma and into the halls of our state capital. I joined a coalition of passionate advocates for Arts, Heritage, and Science Week 2026, spending the day on February 4th representing Legislative District 27 and Pierce County.

It was inspiring to stand alongside fellow champions of the creative sector, including partners from ArtsWA, Hilltop Artists, and Arts Impact. Together, we met with legislators to make one thing clear: the arts are not just an amenity; they are a vital driver of small business, tourism, and community identity in Washington state.

While celebrating the creativity that defines our region, we focused on two critical legislative issues that will impact the creative economy here in Pierce County and beyond:

Held at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, the Chamber welcomed nearly 400 South Sound community members early in the morning on January 28 to hear from industry leaders, subject-matter experts, and prominent business owners.
 
Guests started their morning in the Coffee Connections area, where they could network with fellow attendees and business professionals before the program. Once the doors opened, the program began with a welcome from Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Board Chair Chyna Willman, Owner of Grit City Wellness.
 
Willman was then followed by a lineup of featured speakers from the South Sound community:

• Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello
• Port of Tacoma Commissioner Dick Marzano
• Renee McClain | CEO, Washington State Fair Event Center
• Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland | Washington’s 10th Congressional District
• Jimmy Ng & Brian Marlow | KeyBank
• Provost Drew Kerkhoff, Ph.D. | University of Puget Sound
• Congresswoman Emily Randall | Washington’s 6th Congressional District
  
  

The Chamber was honored to have Paul Eitelman, CFA®, as this year’s keynote speaker. Eitelman is the Global Chief Investment Strategist at Russell Investments and is responsible for the firm's economic outlook and the development of its cycle, value, and sentiment investment framework. Eitelman shared valuable insights into the state of the economy and a forecast of what to expect.

A usual highlight of the Horizons Economic Forecast is the release of the Pierce County Economic Index (PCEI) Report. This year’s report was authored by a team of economic experts from the University of Puget Sound. During the PCEI Report segment, Tom Layson of Northwest Now and KBTC PBS discussed key findings with the report’s team lead, Andrew Monaco, Associate Professor of Economics at Puget Sound.

Finally, the event concluded with an economic panel and Q&A featuring Commissioner Marzano, Paul Eitelman, Jimmy Ng, Andrew Monaco, and Renee McClain. This gave the audience the opportunity to ask key questions and to hear input from local leaders.
 
Thank you to everyone who spent their morning with us, as well as to our incredible keynote speaker, PCEI Report authors, and featured event speakers!

And special thanks to our generous event sponsors:

• Title Sponsor: The Port of Tacoma
• National Economist Sponsor: KeyBank
• Platinum Sponsors: University of Puget Sound, Washington State Fair Event Center
• Silver Sponsors: Amazon, DoorDash, Pierce County Economic Development Department, Tacoma Public Utilities
• Bronze Sponsors: Commencement Bank, Pierce Transit, Sound Credit Union, University of Washington, Tacoma
• Community Sponsors: Business Health Trust, Gesa Credit Union, United Way of Pierce County
• Supporting Sponsor: Lightcurve
• Local Impact Sponsors: MultiCare, Puget Sound Energy, WorkForce Central
• Media Sponsor: KBTC PBS
• In-Kind Sponsors: Brown & Haley, MadCap Marketing + Creative, Showcase Media