[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.
Photo credit: Nallayer Studios
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. 
Photo credit: Nallayer Studios
"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.  Andrea Reay, the Chamber's new CEO, meeting local business leaders. 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:
 The Old and the New: Pierce Transit's refurbished 1948 Twin Coach vehicle nicknamed "The Twin" sits next to a Pierce Transit electric bus. [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.  A Pierce Transit bus promoting COVID-19 safety. Transit played a crucial role in getting essential workers where they needed to go throughout the pandemic. Rising to meet the complications of a global health crisis isn’t the only way Pierce Transit is gearing up for the future. When thinking about cutting-edge technology, buses might not be the first thought in most people’s heads; however, Pierce Transit is at the forefront of integrating technology in its transit services. Its technological upgrades are paving the way for better amenities, accessibility, and safety in transportation. Pierce Transit buses are equipped with free WiFi for passengers, and that’s only the beginning of the organization’s tech investments. It has also incorporated digital app services that allow riders to pay their fares electronically, view estimated arrival times, and choose the most up-to-date route options. One of the most exciting and groundbreaking tech features at Pierce Transit is its virtual reality training for its bus operators. It is one of the first organizations to use Oculus virtual reality headsets to train bus operators in a safe, controlled environment before they get behind the wheel and on the road. Pierce Transit is creating a bridge between technological advances and environmental protection as well. A major way it does this is with its fleet of fully electric buses. CEO Mike Griffus states that it is a goal to see 20% of Pierce Transit buses— around 40 vehicles— go completely electric in the near future. Griffus shares the fact that bus transit is simultaneously good for the environment as well as local residents facing traffic congestion. About 40 passengers can fit on just one bus, versus the relatively small capacity of individually-owned cars. This has the benefit of maximizing road use and helping eliminate traffic, in addition to putting less strain on the environment.  Pierce Transit's current fleet of electric vehicles. Pierce Transit also has a big role to play in the future of commerce in Pierce County. A future project Griffus is excited to share about is the planned Bus Rapid Transit line that will transport riders between Spanaway and downtown Tacoma along a 14.4-mile portion of Pacific Avenue/State Road 7. This bus route is expected to cut travel times for passengers by one third vs the time it takes by car travel. With partners at city, county, and state levels, the project is expected to break ground in 2024 with a service date of 2027. Griffus anticipates even more positive impacts of this project in addition to the benefits it will bring passengers. “Usually along corridors that you put bus rapid transit in there’s a lot more development opportunities,” he says. He states that he can’t wait to see Pacific Highway go vertical as more development, housing, and retail is constructed for people who want to live close to Bus Rapid Transit. In addition to the Spanaway to Tacoma line, four more BRT lines are part of Pierce Transit’s 2040 plan that will bring $750 million of construction projects to Pierce County.  “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. 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 [email protected]
 [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.  While these may sound like objects found in a museum, make no mistake, the place in which they are housed is so much more than that. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center is a hub of culture and community representing 47 different Asian and Pacific Islander nations. Their mission is “to bridge communities and generations through art, culture, education, and business.” Located in South Tacoma, the Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) has an open door to all who wish to learn more and thoughtfully engage with Asian and Pacific Islander cultures. “Bringing people together, learning together, and then teaching together.” That’s what it’s all about for Executive Director Faaluaina “Lua” Pritchard. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1996 by Korean immigrant and Washington artist Patsy Surh O'Connell, who now serves as the organization’s president. While some groups existed at the time for members of specific Asian and Pacific Island national heritage, she saw a need to create a space where people of many different cultures could come together and share, learn, and grow. And grow they did. Since its founding, APCC has come to represent the cultures of 47 different Asian and Pacific Islander nations and offers a wide variety of educational, cultural, and language programs year-round. According to Pritchard, the days go by fast and there is never a boring moment at the Center. There is simply too much to do. APCC offers programs in local schools including free after-school cultural learning programs, an After School Tutoring and Youth Leadership Group, cultural presentations for K-12 students, and more. “You should see the children when we go to the classrooms and we talk about their country. They sit up straight suddenly… with such pride in their eyes. And their teachers just love it because they understand their students more,” says Pritchard about the benefits of these programs for students.  Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, APCC has also played a critical role in community health. The Pierce County Health Department and Washington State Health Department reached out to APCC for help getting COVID information and health services to Asian and Pacific Islander communities in Washington. Pritchard emphasizes the importance of the Center’s role in this effort, as many of these communities are often underserved when it comes to healthcare and face challenges such as language and cultural barriers to access services. “We know those cultures. We look like them and we speak their language so we had to get involved. And they come here anyway and they know us and they trust us,” says Pritchard. APCC has been involved in translation, interpretation, and home visits to help fight COVID among Asian and Pacific Islander communities. They continue to offer weekly COVID-19 vaccine clinics every Wednesday and free walk-in COVID testing every Monday. Throughout the year, APCC offers many cultural programs and events open to the community. These include interactive workshops and presentations, culinary classes, festivals and celebrations, field trip visits, international trips, and an Asia Pacific Art Gallery located in the APCC building. As May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, APCC has many exciting events to offer the community. These include a Korea Day celebration, free food truck event, Okinawa/Japan Taiko drum performance, a virtual karate session, a virtual exploration of Pacific islands, cultural displays at local events and festivals, and much more. Check out the Center’s APA Heritage Month events calendar on Tacoma Weekly.  Looking to the future, APCC has a goal of completely rebuilding and renovating their campus with a target groundbreaking date in 2023. The new planned facility will be two stories and double the space of the Center. This expansion will allow APCC to offer even more amazing programs and services for the community and will include additions such as a new art gallery, performing arts center, gift shop, garden, library, community courtyard, and conference rooms. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center has been a member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber since 2012 and has brought new diversity and vibrancy to the Chamber. Executive Director Lua Pritchard recently joined many other local business leaders on the Chamber’s annual Washington-to-Washington, D.C. advocacy trip. “It was just wonderful. One of those most valuable trips I ever took,” says Pritchard. In the work they do, APCC forms many partnerships with businesses throughout the area. Pritchard states a goal of hers in being a Chamber member is to help bring more Asian and Pacific American businesses to the Chamber community so that everyone can benefit. APCC will host the Chamber's next South Sound Business Roundtable in person at their center on May 24th. The Chamber values APCC for all they do in the community and looks forward to their continued partnership in our mission to make the South Sound the most equitable and inclusive place to do business in Washington State. 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 [email protected]
[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. |
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