Our CEO's Week in Review (5/16/2023)

Every week is different here at the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, especially for our CEO/President Andrea Reay! These three highlights from the past week are just a snapshot of the busy schedule of a Chamber CEO. Learn more below about the wide variety of ways our leadership works every day to support the business community. 

Last Tuesday, Andrea led a panel of businesses before the Tacoma City Council’s Economic Development Committee.  In talking with representatives from Umpqua Bank, WestRock, and Simon Properties, it became clear that issues around public safety continue to rise to the surface as a top priority for businesses. Despite these concerns, businesses said customer service and support from the City have been positive. View footage from the panel here starting at the 30:45 time stamp. 

Later in the week, Andrea joined the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee in interviewing two incumbent Tacoma City Councilmembers running for re-election this fall – John Hines in District 1 (North & West Tacoma) and Kristina Walker in Position 8, an at-large position representing the entire City. The committee spent nearly an hour between the two interviews discussing safety, housing, transportation, taxes, and economic development. Register to attend the next Government Affairs Committee meeting here. 

Finally, Andrea met with Dr. Christina Theodoraki, a professor of entrepreneurship at TBS Education in France, who is leading a multi-year study of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Tacoma & Pierce County to help us determine how we can best support entrepreneurs. One of the biggest opportunities is strengthening the connectivity between businesses and economic development agencies so that all businesses feel continually supported throughout their lifecycle. Learn more about Dr. Theodoraki's work here.