ADVANTAGE SPOKANE
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greenstonehomes.com ADVANTAGE SPOKANE From the CEO’s Desk...... 5 2015 Annual Report...... 6 Advantage Spokane...... 8 AEROSPACE An Atmosphere for Aerospace...... 10 Aerospace Excellence...... 12 Headed East...... 13 DISTRIBUTION Distribution Destination...... 14
Serving Spokane Nonstop...... 16 Evening In Spokane A Keystone Success...... 18 Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) is the Spokane region’s economic HEALTH CARE development organization and chamber of commerce, leading Healthy Growth...... 19 transformative business and community initiatives to build a robust A Prescription of Innovation...... 21 regional economy.
SPOKANE REGION GSI’s Economic Development team assists companies with: • Cost comparisons and business operating costs FROM THE CEO’S DESK Municipal Collaboration...... 22 • Corporate tax incentives and financing options • International trade MANUFACTURING When I was growing up, I struggled to answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” • Support for entrepreneurs and startups Advancing Manufacturing...... 24 The possibilities were endless, and I couldn’t decide upon just one occupation. Something Special Brewing...... 26 • Real estate and site selection • Employee relocation assistance Fabricating Growth...... 27 As an adult, I’ve studied accounting, engineering and business. I have served as a state legislator, as a • Familiarization tours of the Spokane region county commissioner and, now, as the CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated. Through each endeavor, • Workforce hiring and training options the common thread is this: I’ve been in a position to help others excel. EDUCATION • Business planning and training Working on Our Workforce...... 28 • Connections to resources and economic development partners Highly Ranked Higher Ed...... 29 At GSI, I lead an entire team dedicated to others’ successes; one that helps businesses find every • Government contracting assistance through GSI’s PTAC office opportunity and avoid common pitfalls. We advocate for them at all times and fight for them when necessary. It is a privilege to serve in this capacity. TECHNOLOGY GSI’s economic development work is possible through the partnership Entrenched in Tech...... 32 and support of Spokane County, Washington State, and the cities of Excelling in E-commerce...... 34 Some describe Spokane as a small big city. Others say it’s a big small town. I would suggest that it’s a Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights, An Intelligent Move...... 35 burgeoning urban center that maintains a core philosophy built on hard work and integrity. Millwood and Deer Park. Grounded in agricultural roots, our community is a regional hub for a large geographic area BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL For business location or expansion opportunities, please contact Professionally Plugged In...... 36 that includes not just the large expanse of Washington state that lies east of the Cascade Robin Toth, VP Business Development, Greater Spokane Incorporated Fortunate Growth...... 39 Mountains, but also North Idaho, Western Montana, Canada and parts of Eastern Oregon. 509.321.3636 or [email protected] Strategically in Spokane...... 40 People come to Spokane for our quality health care services, our exceptional education 801 W Riverside Ave. Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99201 opportunities and our extensive retail offerings. In many instances, they stay for the advantagespokane.com AGRICULTURE job opportunities, recreational outlets and all-encompassing quality of life. Growing Industry...... 42 Cover photo: John Moore Elevating Efficiency...... 43 I’m the fourth generation of my family to proudly call Spokane home. My daughter is the fifth generation to do so, and my hope is that, someday, Additional photo credits: Craig Goodwin Photography, a sixth generation of Mielkes will thrive in the Inland Northwest. ENTREPRENEUR John D. Moore - Spokane Night Scenes, University of Washington, Startup Momentum...... 44 Young Kwak, City of Spokane Valley, Tammy Pruitt Prosperity in Payment Processing...... 45 It’s an exciting time to be living, working, and playing in the Spokane area. You’ll see why if you visit –you just might decide to stay! Designer: Tammy Pruitt, Greater Spokane Incorporated TRADE Editors: Robin Toth and Wendy Smith, Greater Spokane Incorporated Looking Beyond Borders...... 46 Dishing Up Worldwide Sales...... 46 Advantage Spokane is made possible through a partnership of Greater Spokane Incorporated and the Spokane Journal of Business. Todd Mielke CONTRACTING CEO, Greater Spokane Incorporated Going Public...... 47 All contents copyright 2016 by Greater Spokane Incorporated Building Boom...... 48
4 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM BUSINESS BUSINESS STARTUP INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT EXPANSION RECRUITMENT TRADE CONTRACTING RETENTION & OFFERED ASSISTED ASSISTANCE OFFERED ASSISTED FACILITATED NEARLY 56 94 SEVEN 2015 FIVE WORKSHOPS BUSINESS 18 $2.75M & NETWORKING STARTUPS TRADE BUSINESSES ANNUAL EXPANSION IN INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC EDUCATION EVENTS USE & DEFERRAL 2015 EVENTS FOR & RETENTION RECRUITMENT ENTREPRENEURS WITH SPACE, WITH TRADE WAIVERS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL BRING RESOURCES & COUNSELING496 EQUIPMENT AND R&D ISSUES HOURS WITH REPORT WINS EXPENDITURES IN ESTIMATED 2649 INFORMATION WORKED WITH ACROSS MULTIPLE 170 CLIENTS In 2015, GSI’s economic SECTORS 839 JOBS ATTENDEES ATTENDEES development team worked 2015 & $26M MOVED TO 59 IN NEW CAPITAL LARGER SPACE AT 218 on nine projects which CONSULTED WITH INVESTMENT SUBMITTED CLIENTS OFFERED OFFERED NEW STARTUP THROUGHOUT added $33.8 million in RECRUITMENT direct payroll in Spokane 425 SPOKANE FIVE EASTERN COMPANIES PROJECTS IN WASHINGTON County. The annual CENTRAL FOREIGN 26 16 ASSISTED LAUNCHED WORKSHOPS SMALL BUSINESS 2015 ON CONTRACTING economic impact is ASSISTED WORKSHOPS DIRECT CERTIFICATE PTAC’S WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF FOUR 12-COUNTY WITH THE $136.7 million. INVESTMENT COMPANIES 32 PROPOSALS OF ORIGIN GOVERNMENT 129 NINE WITH RELOCATION TO MEMBERS REGION BUSINESSES 493 INBOUND VISITS SPOKANE COUNTY SERVICE
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6 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 7 workers, with six of those institutions clustered around the pokane Valley winding through S river. More than 80,000 full-time equivalent students are The Spokane River poised to move into new career opportunities. From the east boundary of Spokane County to the west, the Spokane River wends its way, constantly changing Cultural diversity is also driving local celebrations around Spokane also boasts an energetic and active LGBT ADVANTAGE its appearance and character with the weather and the events like Native American Heritage Month, Fiesta Spokane, population. Ranked the third gayest city in the nation by seasons. The river has been the gathering place for a variety and the Chinese Lantern Festival. While the community The Advocate magazine in 2013, diversity is celebrated of populations, including Native Americans and European has had a long and respected relationship with the area’s through inclusive celebrations and nightlife. The Inland settlers. And it has played a role in regional commerce, 339 tribes, bands and nations, Native American Heritage Northwest Business Alliance (INBA), the region’s LGBT SPOKANE from the advent of mills to the construction of dams which Month, held each November, helps celebrate the heritage Chamber, represents nearly 200 member businesses. generate clean renewable hydropower for industry and and contributions from these diverse peoples who have A river runs through residents. Following the 1974 World’s Fair in Spokane, significantly influenced and enriched the Spokane area. Having a vibrant arts community builds culture and community leaders began the development and construction The Hispanic Heritage Festival, Fiesta Spokane, celebrates economies. A recent creative vitality index study showed of a 37- mile Spokane River Centennial Trail which provides the Hispanic community which has grown quickly over the appreciable creative activity in Spokane County, visible access to the river for recreational uses, and a route for past several years. Spokane has sister city relationships with in new public sculptures, signal box artwork, storefront alternate transportation. cities in Japan, Ireland, China, Korea and Mexico, with a galleries and events like the International Film Festival and sixth sister city to be announced later this year. In addition, Terrain, an annual, one-night-only, juried multimedia art From rushing falls to calmly flowing water, there’s much more there is a large population of Russian and Ukrainian families and music event celebrating young and emerging artists. you don’t see happening right below the surface. The same – offering an educated and bi-lingual workforce. More established cultural activities include a Best of is true of Spokane. Traditionally built on a natural resource Broadway theater series, the Spokane Symphony and based economy – mining, logging and farming – Spokane Mukogawa Women’s University (MWU) in Nishinomiya, the Smithsonian-affiliated Northwest Museum of Art and has changed to a knowledge-based economy, with a more Japan, operates an American campus in Spokane to expose Culture. Outdoor adventures, a vibrant arts community and diverse population and workforce. Eleven universities and students to international culture and expand their English a hip nightlife scene blend seamlessly. Spokane is a great colleges are helping to educate our next generation of language ability. Approximately 450 students attend annually. place to live, learn, work and play.
8 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 9 More than 120 aerospace manufacturers City of Spokane, Community Colleges Spokane International Airport plays employ in excess of 8,000 people in the of Spokane, Greater Spokane another pivotal role. The airport owns Spokane area, with an estimated annual Incorporated, Spokane County and undeveloped acreage adjacent to its AEROSPACE economic impact of $500 million. the Spokane International Airport. facility, which is available for purchase or for long-term lease. In addition to Many of those companies are Beyond those efforts, Spokane’s being close to the airport and a cluster certified suppliers to Boeing, while community colleges work closely of other aerospace companies, the land others make airplane components with aerospace companies to provide is easily accessible by Interstate 90 and and parts that those certified suppliers programs that train aerospace workers. rail service. Past projects on airport land use in finished products. Those schools have developed have been build-to-suit in some cases, accelerated programs in recent years and privately financed and constructed 7 6 Boeing itself has a history in Spokane. to ensure that companies have the in other instances. 5 4 2 BNSF moves airplane fuselages to Boeing plants In 1990, the company built a massive trained workforce they need. components manufacturing facility on the West Plains of Spokane County. In 2003, the company sold that facility 8 AN ATMOSPHERE FOR to Pennsylvania-based Triumph 1224 West Riverside, Spokane, WA 3 10 AEROSPACE Group, Inc., which currently operates 1 the 394,000-square-foot plant under Airplane Part a subsidiary, Triumph Composite Features: 9 Manufacturing Grows, Systems, Inc. One of Spokane’s largest Expands in Spokane employers in the aerospace sector, Triumph makes composite environmental 1, 2, 3 bedroom control system ducting and floor paneling apartment homes Airplane fuselages atop flatbed rail for commercial aircraft. Boeing remains cars serve as a good reminder of its biggest customer, though it makes Gated parking garage SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES the area’s proximity to the Boeing 1. Aero-Flite Inc 2. Altek 3. Exotic Metals 4. Honeywell 5. Kaiser Aluminum some after-market products for airlines. Company plants on the west side of the High speed internet 6. Multifab 7. Spokane Industries 8. Triumph Composite Systems state – and the importance of aero- Triumph is one of a handful of and cable television 9. UTC Aerospace Systems 10. WEMCO space to the local business community. companies that came together to form the Inland Northwest Aerospace 2.5 blocks from Consortium (INWAC), an organization downtown Spokane that has expanded to 365 members I’m proud to work for a family-owned bank with a and is still growing. The organization Fitness center recently announced a collaboration commitment to serving our clients and the community. Heated outdoor pool “ with the Idaho Aerospace Alliance through which the two groups will I’m proud to be a part of Washington Trust Bank. Gas fireplace in each unit offer reciprocal memberships and - Penny Hencz share resources in other ways. Spectacular views of the Relationship Manager, Washington Trust” Bank INWAC describes itself as a “regional falls and rapids of the organization of advanced manufacturers, Spokane River service providers and affiliates that work together to support the growth Professionally managed and success of the Inland Northwest aerospace cluster.” While its membership stretches into Idaho and Western Montana, the bulk of its members are in DOWNTOWN SPOKANE’S COMMERCIAL BANKING | PRIVATE BANKING | WEALTH MANAGEMENT the Spokane region. Premier The support for aerospace in the RENTAL RESIDENCES Our goal is simple: develop a deeper understanding of our clients and how their business works. Spokane market goes well beyond en work tirelessly to help their business thrive. those directly involved in the industry. Riverfalls Tower Apartments Another group, AIR Spokane watrust.com/service (Aerospace Initiative for Recruitment, Riverfalls Tower Apartments Retention and Expansion), focuses on (509) 838-5520 the growth of the regional aerospace www.riverfallstower.com industry. Organizations involved in that effort include Avista Corp.,
10 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 11 industrial business sectors. Primarily, HEADED EAST opportunities for independence and the company broke ground on a its products are used by airframe self-sufficiency for this demographic. second painting hangar here, which manufacturers for structural components Puget Sound companies opened in 2014. and light weighting airplanes. expand to the Inland Last year, Exotic Metals Forming Northwest Co. completed and opened a At the time of its initial expansion, the Kaiser Aluminum has launched 150,000-square-foot plant in Airway company had been based in Everett, Kaiser Select® to make products Heights near Spokane International Washington, but it since has been When Seattle-area aerospace that have been created by identifying Airport. The company is based in acquired by Costa Mesa, California- companies want to expand, the cost the customers’ specified quality Kent, Washington, and had explored based Leading Edge Aviation Services and availability of land on the west characteristics for products, and expansion in the Spokane area for more Inc., a Boeing approved aircraft painter. side of the state can pose a problem. controlling the process variables than eight years before committing to In many cases, a facility in that affect those. Such enhanced the new plant. In 2015, AMI Metals, Inc. selected Spokane can be a viable solution. characteristics include exceptional Spokane for their Eastern Washington flatness, low residual stress, refined Founded 50 years ago, Exotic Metals location. Founded in 1983, AMI Metals Some of Spokane’s biggest economic grain structure, superior machining manufactures and engineers products is a premier full-service cut-to-size metal development wins during the past Kaiser Aluminum’s Spokane Valley Center for Excellence performance and less-than-standard for aerospace systems, particularly service center, providing aluminum plate, few years have involved aerospace tolerance. high-temperature, high-strength sheet, bar and extruded profiles for the companies staying in the Puget sheet metal designs and fabrications. aerospace industry. They are currently While there are several aerospace Sound area, but adding operations AEROSPACE In recent years, the company’s The company has estimated that the leasing 70,000-square-feet at the companies clustered near the Spokane in Spokane. sales have grown with its two main Spokane plant will employ 150 people. Playfair Commerce Park. EXCELLENCE International Airport on the West Plains, aerospace customers, Boeing and Kaiser Aluminum there’s a second cluster in the Spokane In 2008, Seattle Lighthouse for the Airbus, as well as with aluminum Another west side Valley anchored by a global supplier to Blind, an accredited aerospace increases efficiency, distributors. “Growth in aerospace supplier, Associated the aerospace industry. manufacturer, selected a location in AVERAGE is being generated with additional Painters Inc., expanded AVERAGE sees more demand Spokane for an expansion project. METRO ANNUAL airframe backlogs associated with to the Spokane market in INDUSTRY An important part of the community for Inland Northwest Lighthouse has grown WAGE GROWTH increased demand for more energy 2010, opening an aircraft decades, Kaiser now makes heat-treated its footprint in Spokane twice and now $62,086 efficient aircraft and replacement painting hangar at the AEROSPACE 2.0% STEADY aerospace and general engineering employs more than 50 blind, deaf- aircraft for aging fleets,” says Kyle airport. After three years plate, sheet and coil products for blind and multi-disabled blind people. England, human resources manager in the Spokane market, the aerospace, transportation and Their mission is to create and enhance at Kaiser’s Trentwood facility. He adds, “As Airbus and Boeing build rates and order backlogs have increased, we have seen a strong demand for our products.”
Kaiser Aluminum currently employs 900 people working in shifts around the clock at the expansive plant, which includes 60 acres under-roof and more than 550 acres in total. Preparing Minds… During the past 11 years, England says Kaiser has invested more than $240 Transforming Hearts million into its heat treating capability and capacity, focusing on waste elimination and lean manufacturing principles. As a result, he says, the company has increased its capacity by 2.4 times since 2005.
The company recently announced that it will spend another $150 million on new equipment and the revamping of production processes over the next five years as part of ongoing investments to make the facility more competitive in the global marketplace.
12 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 13 DISTRIBUTION
SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES 1. American Tire Distributors 2. Caterpillar Logistics 10 3 3. Food Services of America 8 4. IEDS Logistics 1 4 5. Jensen Distribution Services 7 6. Keystone Automotive 7. PepsiCo Mountain Region 8. Safeway Distribution Center 6 9. The Odom Corporation 2 9 10. URM Food Services 5
DISTRIBUTION DESTINATION Wholesalers find Spokane to be a solid strategic fit
A handful of companies have constructed massive distribution centers in the Spokane area in recent years, taking advantage of the community’s strategic location, its proximity to quality rail and air service Keystone Automotive’s new distribution center and a competent workforce. Based in Bellevue, Washington, Odom people and operates three shifts on An attractive tax incentive specific to carries mostly beer and has a distribution weekdays and one shift on Saturdays. construction of warehouses might license for national companies such as have helped to make the decision MillerCoors and Pabst Brewing Co., Washington State offers tax incentives easier for some. in addition to dozens of craft brewers. that benefit those who build warehouses It sells directly to grocery stores, here. They include full exemption of Automotive parts wholesaler Keystone restaurants and convenience stores. state sales tax on construction Automotive Operations Inc., is the costs of ware- latest company to build and open a Caterpillar Logistics Services house, distribution DISTRIBUTION new facility, a 250,000-square-foot chose their site to construct a centers and grain METRO warehouse in Spokane County (full 562,000-square-foot warehouse. By elevators. Also, INDUSTRY story on page 18). late summer 2011, the company had distribution centers broken ground on the facility, and on can receive a 50 3.0% Shortly before Keystone broke August 27, 2012, it celebrated its percent reduction ground on its new space last year, grand opening. The company has on the state portion AVERAGE beverage distributor Odom Corporation bought some neighboring land, but of sales tax on WAGE moved its Spokane warehouse into a hasn’t disclosed any future plans the purchase and new, 200,000-square-foot facility. The for expansion. installation of $43,897 move gave Odom twice the space it material handling had previously in a nearby structure, From the Spokane operation, and racking AVERAGE and it designed its new space so that Caterpillar delivers parts throughout equipment. ANNUAL it can expand by 60,000-square-feet the Northwest, western Canada, GROWTH in the future, without disrupting the Alaska and select locations in eastern warehouse’s day-to-day operations. Siberia. The company employs 150 2.0%
14 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM region, helping businesspeople get From there BNSF ships daily, and where they need to go faster and more Union Pacific ships weekly. efficiently. Rail spurs extend from the main lines As a result, passenger counts to and into many of the Spokane region’s from Spokane have increased in recent industrial and business parks, ranging years. from the Spokane Business & Blue Skies Ahead Industrial Park in Spokane Valley to For rail service, Burlington Northern Playfair Commerce Park in East Spokane, Santa Fe and Union Pacific/Southern among others. New industrial and Greater Spokane Incorporated Pacific both operate lines that travel business parks in the works will also through the region. The heart of include rail service. their operation relies on a massive and the Business Community switching yard in Spokane Valley. Welcome Our 2015 Clients
The Spokane region’s multi-modal systems SERVING SPOKANE www.dci-engineers.com NONSTOP Air and rail services are keys to region’s economic vitality
While many distributors choose to base operations in Spokane because of its strategic location for trucking products throughout the Northwest and Western Canada, Spokane businesses can move efficiently via air and rail as well. Spokane International Airport provides nonstop service to 12 cities, seven of which are major hubs. One of the most significant nonstops, to and from Seattle, has had more flights added during the past year, as Delta Airlines service and Alaska Airlines ramp up service to innovation that market. value
Spokane travelers also have access to 509.455.4448 connecting hubs during peak summer travel at Chicago’s two primary airports and connection points in a handful of additional cities. As a result, airlines serving Spokane provide one-stop Providing innovative structural & civil engineering with connecting service to approximately the most cost-efficient engineering solutions for today’s 550 domestic airports and roughly 30 construction environment. international destinations. Seattle | Portland | Spokane | San Diego | Austin Spokane Airports, the organization that Irvine | San Francisco | Anchorage | Los Angeles operates Spokane International Airport and the smaller Felts Field, annually reviews additional air service for the advantagespokane.com Photo Credit: Ecova • See article page 33 16 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM A KEYSTONE SUCCESS SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES Location drives 1. Brooks Automation HEALTH CARE 2. GenPrime automotive parts 3. InCyte Pathology distributor to 4. Inland Imaging Spokane market 5. INHS Engage 6. Jubilant HollisterStier When Keystone Automotive Operations, 7. PAML Inc., needed to expand its operations in 8. Pawprint Genetics New Keystone automotive warehouse • John Ruch, Keystone the Pacific Northwest, it looked to 9. Providence Health & Services Spokane because of its strategic The company announced its decision 10. Rockwood Health System geographic position and developing to build a Spokane facility in March “We’ve been very successful in hiring reputation as a distribution hub. of 2015 and moved in at the end of that both warehouse workers and CDL year. At the time of the initial announce- drivers,” he says. Based in Pennsylvania, Keystone is ment, a company representative said a wholesale distributor of automotive that Greater Spokane Incorporated’s Companywide, Keystone operates parts and accessories. John Ruch, work in bringing together all entities six warehouses and delivers to all 48 the company’s vice president of involved in the permitting process continental U.S. states, nine Canadian operations, says increased sales helped to speed up the predevelopment provinces and ships to 40 countries. It 6 and a need to carry more inventory process and get the building out of the carries in excess of 300,000 parts from 7 1 3 compelled the company to build a ground quickly. Ultimately, the project more than 800 suppliers. 2 250,000-square-foot warehouse in was completed ahead of schedule. 8 Spokane County, moving from an The Spokane warehouse is located 5 9 10 80,000-square-foot facility elsewhere. Ruch says the company has hired 50 just south of the Interstate 90-Medical people to work in the Spokane facility, Lake interchange and is a next door 4 “Logistically, Eastern Washington puts which carries more than $20 million in neighbor to the 562,000-square-foot us in a much better position to service inventory and serves all of the Pacific facility that Caterpillar Logistics Western Canada,” Ruch says. Northwest and Western Canada. Services, Inc., opened a few years earlier.
area that extends beyond Eastern Washington into Southern Canada, HEALTHY GROWTH The Inland Northwest health care Eastern Oregon, Montana and North sector has witnessed an unprecedented and Central Idaho. Providers strengthen amount of growth and consolidation in Spokane’s position as a the last few years – and that activity is Providence Health & Services is the health care hub far from over. largest private employer in Spokane The Inland Northwest’s Premier Business Campus County, with nearly 5,200 employees as Spokane’s two largest health care of late last year. The nonprofit health care • Campus setting with • Spokane River with walking/ providers – Providence Health & Services provider operates the region’s largest on-site management bike trail along eastern and Rockwood Health System—have hospital, Sacred Heart Medical Center boundary • Three convenient I-90 built up services on the campuses of four & Children’s Hospital, which is located freeway on/off ramps • Build to Suit opportunities Photo Courtesy of Nuess Photography general hospitals here during the past on Spokane’s lower South Hill and has • Central location provides • Pinecroft Natural Area & 15 years. These providers have begun easy access for employees Mirabeau Park adjacent to the about 650 patient beds and nearly 2,000 and visitors east & south to branch out more aggressively with full-time equivalent employees. satellite locations, including stand- Providence Holy Family Hospital, the alone emergency departments, urgent organization’s other general hospital in www.PinecroftBusinessPark.com care centers and specialty facilities. Spokane, has about 270 licensed beds (509) 927-7747 and about 470 full-time employees. 12310 E Mirabeau Parkway, Ste 150 • Spokane Valley, WA 99216 As the largest health care network between Seattle and Minneapolis, Rockwood Health System operates Spokane’s health care community Spokane’s second-largest medical draws patients from a large geographic center, Deaconess Hospital. Located
18 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 19 on the lower South Hill, a half-dozen with Fairfax Behavior Health on the Level 1 trauma rehabilitation hospital A PRESCRIPTION FOR blocks west of Sacred Heart, Deaconess project. Providence and Fairfax plan on the lower South Hill, partnered with has about 1,200 employees and nearly to demolish the Fifth & Browne Medical Providence Occupational Medicine to INNOVATION 400 patient beds. Building, located in close proximity open a new outpatient therapy and ReliantRx grows, to Sacred Heart, and erect the occupational rehabilitation clinic in the The company’s other hospital, Valley specialty hospital on that site. As Providence Medical Park. In addition diversifies in Spokane Hospital, has about 125 patient beds currently envisioned, the new facility to physical therapy, the new facility market and about 690 employees. will open in late 2017. offers occupational, speech and other therapies, as well as examinations for As Spokane expands as a healthcare Rockwood Health System earlier this As the major health care organizations injured workers. hub, opportunities arise for highly year opened a freestanding emergency expand their footprints, some of the specialized companies within department. Called the Deaconess North smaller organizations are following suit. The facility is the sector. HEALTH CARE Tammy and Mike Kroetch, owners of ReliantRx Emergency Center, the 15-bed facility is the third occupa- Earlier this year, Community Health billed as the first of its kind in the region. tional medicine METRO One such company is ReliantRx, Consequently, the company has Kroetch owns the business with her Association of Spokane (CHAS), a It houses advanced imaging capabilities, rehabilitation INDUSTRY a long-term care pharmacy that caters diversified in recent years, starting a husband, Mike. She had previously nonprofit that accepts patients laboratory services and offers the services clinic to Eastern Washington’s elderly popula- division called LifeWorks for patients worked as director of operations for regardless of ability to pay, opened 17.9% same around-the-clock services as a that St. Luke’s tion. Specifically, the company provides requiring specialty compounds, such a long-term care pharmacy. Mike had Spokane Urgent Care-Valley. Located conventional emergency room, but has opened with prescriptions and over-the-counter as hormone therapy or eye-health been with FedEx for 17 years and near Valley Hospital, the new clinic is AVERAGE without being attached to a hospital Providence. In all, medications, as well as nutritional compounds. In diversifying, it has brought to ReliantRx an expertise in CHAS’s second that’s dedicated and with no overnight stays. the organization WAGE education and advice, to area seniors found other niches, including making logistics and transportation. specifically to urgent care. The currently has nine at adult family homes, assisted living pet medicine compounds for organization operates 10 clinics in the $42,739 Providence, one year removed from outpatient clinics. centers and skilled nursing facilities. Spokane-area veterinarians and Looking toward the future, Tammy region, including four in Spokane and opening its Providence Medical Park providing vaccinations for those Kroetch says, “In the next few years, others in surrounding communities. AVERAGE in Spokane Valley, is looking to expand ANNUAL Founded in 2007, ReliantRx has traveling abroad. with the addition of the medical school beyond its campus, but not as far away. grown steadily for the past eight years, and the great health care ideas coming St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute also GROWTH The organization received approval from says Tammy Kroetch, the company’s “We see potential and growth in the out of Ignite Spokane and Startup bolstered its presence in Spokane the Washington State Department of CEO. Now, it employs 100 people in wellness and preventative health care Spokane, it will be exciting to see the Valley earlier this year. The organization, 3.0% Health to build a 100-bed freestanding Spokane and seven in a Tri-Cities arena,” Kroetch says. ideas around the delivery of medication which operates the 102-bed inpatient, psychiatric hospital and has partnered office, which opened in June of 2015. and at-home services.”
In addition to expanding to the Tri-Cities, ReliantRx outgrew their space in the Innovate Washington accelerator and bought an 18,000-square-foot WE’RE PLAYING building previously owned by Signature FOR OUR Genomics. As the company continues to grow its COMMUNITY. core business, it has seen challenges within its industry increase as well, Kroetch says. Changes in national We love sports. The adrenaline. The energy. health care policy have put The common vision to be one’s best. And this independently owned pharmacies love shows in everything we do. But what drives in a vulnerable position, she says, us to blaze new trails in sports marketing; to turn as reimbursements for the services everyday events into exceptional experiences; to ReliantRx provides sometimes come distinguish the region as a leader in sports event in below the cost of providing development and tourism, is our foundational those services. commitment to our community. We know when we succeed, so do local youth programs, regional commerce, and area families. Visit us online to learn more about events and how you can take part in growing sports in Spokane.
www.spokanesports.org
ReliantRx delivery fleet
20 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 21 Get Started’s online tools are the SPOKANE REGION latest in a series of customer-service Millwood Municipal Collaboration enhancements that improve flexibility, Millwood developed predictability and efficiency when along the Spokane doing business in Spokane. Other River as the area’s enhancements include reduced first paper mill permitting times, online right-of-way was established. permitting and a new Economic Incorporated in Investment Program. Over the past 1928, the town has Eastern’s campus in Cheney three years, the City has seen more grown and actively than $1 billion in economic investment. supports existing Cheney and developing Small business in Millwood Cheney is home to Eastern Washington businesses, diverse neighborhoods, University. The City also has a nationally- a unique historic character and a certified industrial park which is just 15 small-town atmosphere. minutes from the airport and qualifies for SBA HUB Zone. The 40-acre Industrial and Commerce Park is Spokane Valley completely serviced to the lot lines with The City of Spokane Valley continues its streets, high-speed fiber optics and all efforts to foster economic development other utilities. SEPA approvals are in Aero Spray in Deer Park through business-friendly, streamlined place, so permitting and plan approval permitting and working with local, can be completed in 30 days or less. Deer Park regional and state partners to retain, With the near completion of the North attract and expand businesses. The Spokane Corridor, Deer Park will be a City’s economic development website, short 25 minute no-stop drive from I-90 spokanevalley.org/ed, provides easy on a limited-access highway. The City access to economic development and private developers have created information that helps businesses Spokane County a fully serviced 144 acres of industrial- develop and expand. The website’s Spokane County’s Building and Planning Department provides professional customer-oriented construction permitting zoned lots that range in size up to 15 new Restaurant Regulatory Roadmap services. There are no impact fees associated with Spokane County building permits – instead permit fees are based on acres. The adjacent, municipally owned provides prospective restaurateurs with a cost-recovery/fee-for-service methodology. A single point of contact provides coordination throughout the application airport is home to a variety of aviation an easy-to-use guide for navigating process, and phased permitting is available for those developments on a fast-track schedule. Same-day inspection service companies that service aircraft up to the permitting and licensing process to is the standard, and web-based permit tracking software allows online inspection requests and real-time inspection results. small jets. The newest addition to the ensure an on-time opening. Airport is Aero Spray, a company that City of Spokane coffee shop Spokane County is actively pursuing advanced manufacturing opportunities and the expansion of regional warehouse/ services five Air Tractor 802s. Business The Community and Economic costs are some of the lowest in distribution facilities. The County is an active partner in the Air Spokane initiative to expand current inventory of aerospace Spokane Development staff continues to companies and increase business volume for existing companies. Work continues in the agribusiness industry to bring new Washington. The City also owns the enhance customer service and Opening a restaurant is challenging, companies to the area, like HighLine Grain LLC which has almost completed a $26.4 million project on the West Plains 18-hole golf course that sits adjacent improve the permitting process even for experienced restaurateurs, let that will include an eight-pack grain elevator, grain shipment terminal, and rail loading facility. The County also works with to a large new housing area. With new wherever possible. Staff is committed alone first-timers. But getting ready to companies to repurpose existing facilities/business sites, such as the former Kaiser Aluminum plant in north Spokane schools, a small town atmosphere and to friendly, knowledgeable and start Spokane’s next great restaurant County that will soon become a 170-acre business and industrial park. room to grow, this is an ideal place to collaborative relationships with should not be a daunting task. That bring your business. customers and economic development is why the City and GSI are making Spokane County is ready and eager to work with you! partners, supporting business success it easier than ever for aspiring from concept to launch. The City of process, and provides guidance on restaurateurs to Get Started. Liberty Lake Liberty Lake strives to excel in meeting Spokane Valley will get you through Airway Heights moving projects forward in the most the business needs of developers and the process rapidly! Airway Heights, located on the West efficient and cost-effective manner. In partnership with the State and the contractors. The goal at City Hall is to Plains and considered the western Spokane Regional Health District, the be responsive and efficient in meeting edge of the Spokane Metro Area, is a The Spokane region is the second online tools at GetStartedSpokane.org timelines and deadlines while exploring full-service community and one of the largest aviation manufacturing hub give entrepreneurs a clear roadmap ways for continuous improvement; staff fastest growing cities in Washington in Washington state with some of it, through the steps involved in opening is always open for feedback on how to state. Located just six miles from the including Triumph Composites Systems, a restaurant in the City of Spokane. improve the services provided. City of Spokane’s downtown core, located on the West Plains. Airway Get Started provides an easy-to-follow Airway Heights provides easy access Heights is less than three hours from a checklist through all the city, county, to a variety of transportation networks, variety of ports, four miles from I-90, and state and federal requirements needed has low land prices and a small town two miles from Spokane International before a restaurant can open its doors. Airway Heights residential area feel. Expect a hands-on approach to Airport. In addition, with direct access to The tools can help restaurateurs find development from an excellent staff US-2 and industrial rail lines, the City is the perfect location, build a strong that assists applicants through the set to meet your transportation needs. business plan and more. Spokane Valley water sports Liberty Lake golf course
22 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 23 SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES & Services. With about 700 employees makes products for a broader range with Itron as its only customer, 1. HOTSTART working in a highly specialized, of industries. Servatron now makes products for 2. Jubilant HollisterStier 191,000-square-foot facility in East about 30 different clients. In late MANUFACTURING Spokane, Jubilant makes both sterile Another electronic services provider 2015, the company inked its first 3. Kaiser Aluminum and non-sterile drugs. The company with roots in high tech, Servatron Inc., contract with an aerospace company, 4. KeyTronicEMS specializes in liquid and lyophilized has worked in recent years to expand a market it hopes to penetrate further. 5. Pyrotek Inc. (two locations) injectable products that require its product mix. 6. SCAFCO Corp. highly controlled environments to 7. Spokane Industries ensure the products are made to The company is a spin-off 8. Triumph Composite Systems exact specifications and can move of Itron Inc., a Liberty AVERAGE AVERAGE seamlessly from the manufacturing Lake-based company that METRO ANNUAL 9. UTC Aerospace Systems INDUSTRY floor to pharmacy shelves. makes automated utility WAGE GROWTH 10. Wagstaff Inc. meter readers and related 7.2% $51,898 Jubilant currently operates as a products. Starting in 2000 MANUFACTURING 1.4% 4 subsidiary of Jubilant Life Sciences, 7 10 2 3 but it started in 1921 as a maker of 5 allergy treatment products. While it has expanded into contract manufacturing 1 for drug companies during the past 6 5 15 years, allergy products remain an important part of the company’s 8 business.
Another biotech manufacturer, Spokane Valley-based Sterling International, doesn’t produce allergy medicine, but it makes products to stave off pests that many people are allergic to. Under the 9 ADVANCING brand name RESCUE, Sterling makes pest control products, including tapes MANUFACTURING and traps for yellow jackets, wasps, flies Biotech, high tech and stink bugs. Deer Park couple with aerospace to bolster advanced The company makes bio-pesticides Take a look behind your light switch. Business & that use non-toxic approaches to manufacturing attract and capture insects. That You might be surprised at what you find. Industrial approach eliminates the need to spray The advanced manufacturing sector large areas with pesticides, and reduces The business of energy production is more complicated than you might provides a strong cornerstone to the chance of inadvertently killing think. At Avista, we generate power from 8 hydroelectric projects, 7 thermal Center the Spokane economy, with a large, beneficial insects, such as honeybees. generation plants, and 58 wind turbines, then send it over 19,000 miles of well-trained workforce and a mix of distribution lines across 30,000 square miles to more than 300,000 customers. services. Beyond biotech, several Spokane- Each of our resources has its benefits; each meets a particular need. And each Welcome Knight’s Airport Development area manufacturers work in high tech, is critical in keeping our prices among the lowest in the nation. Roughly one in 10 workers in making computer hardware or parts of “We chose to expand in Deer Park “Deer Park has developed a new 144-acre the Spokane market is employed electronic devices. Maintaining and improving a massive infrastructure made up of pipes, poles, because it provides a great labor pool, business and industrial area that is ready in manufacturing, according to dams, turbines, and substations means that, every year, we invest hundreds of friendly business environment and a for Knight and other businesses to move in. Washington State Employment KeyTronic is a publicly traded, Spokane millions of dollars into our system. It’s all part of our commitment to provide great place to live. That’s why Knight With all new roads and infrastructure it is Security Department data. Spokane Valley-based electronic manufacturing reliable energy – both now and well into the future. companies are investing here.” next to one of the longest general aviation manufacturing companies serve service provider. The company makes airports in eastern Washington.” -Doug Knight, President, industries in aerospace, high tech printed circuit boards, plastic injection Knight Construction & Supply, Inc. -Robert Whisman, Mayor and biotechnology, among others. molds and metal sheet fabrication. While some companies specialize in They also offer full product assembly. making their own product lines, many operate as contract manufacturers As its name hints, KeyTronic started or job shops. as an OEM, or original equipment manufacturer, that specialized in The leading biotechnology manufacturer making computer keyboards. Having www.cityofdeerparkwa.com • 509-276-8801 in the Spokane market is Jubilant transitioned to contract manufacturing avistautilities.com/energymix HollisterStier Contract Manufacturing in the late 1990s, the company now
24 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 25 Eastern Washington wineries have come Today’s ciders are as bold as craft FABRICATING GROWTH Its fastest growing business segment with strong skills is very good,” Sazama together to form the Cork District, an beers and several local artisanal cider is the engineered products division, says. “Because of the quality of life, area that features 15 wineries and makers are working to meet the Small job shop has big which is smaller than the fabrication we can attract employees from Seattle, tasting rooms within walking distance growing demand for high-quality craft plans to expand shop, but has seen demand – and Los Angeles, and other areas. That’s one of one another in Spokane. Those cider in the Pacific Northwest. Located sales – surge. thing Hydrafab has taken advantage of.” businesses have paired up with hotels, in the world’s largest apple-producing Chris Henjum is the owner and president On the Ale Trail in Spokane Valley restaurants and entertainment venues region, Spokane-area cider makers use of HydraFab Northwest Inc., but you’d “The Spokane region has some The Spokane region’s attributes make to draw more people to the city’s core. a variety of apples from local farms to never know it by looking at his business incredible manufacturing talent. The for an easier sale for Henjum and the SOMETHING SPECIAL Alaska Air passengers traveling to create unique, award-winning ciders. card. Under his name on the cards he supply chain is very strong, and by rest of his team. BREWING Spokane can enjoy free tastings by hands out, it simply reads, “Sales.” and large, the ability to find people showing their Alaska Airlines boarding The burgeoning beer, cider and wine Craft beer, cider, wine, pass at Cork District wineries. scenes are joined by the presence Henjum’s focus on business spirits startups sprout in of several local distilleries. Dry Fly development is one reason the Spokane More than 40 brewers are already Distilling, located in Spokane’s Spokane Valley-based metals operating breweries in the region, University District, makes vodka, fabrication shop, small by industry While the term advanced manufacturing marketing themselves through the whiskey and gin from local grains, standards, has customers in major conjures images of widget-making Inland Northwest Ale Trail. Inside and each of the company’s spirits metropolitan domestic markets such factories, a growing industry in the downtown Spokane’s historic have won awards in the past year. as Seattle, Milwaukee and Atlanta, and Spokane market involves making Luminaria Building, developer Chris 21Window Distillery produces spirits as far away as Denmark and Germany. beverages. Batten is in the process of opening a based on Washington apples, and brewery incubator. Young Buck Brewing Tinbender Craft Distillery works with It’s also one reason that the company’s Taking advantage of Spokane’s Co., and Little Spokane Brewery will handmade stills and markets a white aggressive goal – to double sales in proximity to grain, hops, and Eastern operate out of the space, and there’s whiskey made of Washington grains. a five-year period – appears to be Washington fruit crops, the number of room for a few additional breweries to attainable. wineries, breweries, cideries and get started. One of the main focuses It’s a great time to visit Spokane and distilleries has increased in recent of the incubator is to provide a space sample some of the best the industry Hydrafab is a job shop that makes years – to the extent that the region is for home brewers to learn if they have has to offer! products in a variety of sizes and levels marketing itself as a destination for what it takes to make it as a commercial of intricacies, but its specialty, ac- lovers of wine, beer, cider and spirits. brewer before going out on their own. cording to Hydrafab General Manager HydraFab equipment Patric Sazama, is making equipment or devices with specialty tubing and high-end metals for fluid movement, including hydraulics. BRING YOUR BUSINESS TO SPOKANE VALLEY
“Our clients range from Farmer Joe down the road to Parker Electronics,” Sazama says. “One of our claims to fame is that we’re always working with clients to make their products better.”
Located in the massive Spokane Business & Industrial Park, Hydrafab currently has 35 employees who operate out of a 68,000-square-foot space. With its goals to grow sales, the company’s workforce could grow to 50-plus employees in coming years, Sazama says. We’ll Get You Through The Process Rapidly! Spokane River’s Mini Climax Wave located in the City of Spokane Valley PraP c t i c al Regulati on s St reamlined Permitting Start your business today with the City of Spokane Valley! Exceptional Customer Ser vice www.spokanevalley.org/ed Quick Reviews
509.720.5240 Patric Sazama, HydraFab Northwest
26 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 27 posts on five other Eastern Washington HIGHLY RANKED Business & Public Administration. grams are well-prepared young leaders campuses. It offers about 150 degrees HIGHER ED This presence allows the university ready to serve growing enterprises. and certificates, and is serving roughly to solidify important academic and GU faculty enhances regional businesses EDUCATION with professional development programs 30,000 students at any given time. Eastern Washington community partnerships in the region. WORKING ON OUR University meets the in leadership through the School of WORKFORCE Currently, an average student is demands of an ever- Athletics are also an integral part of the Professional Studies. 34-years-old, and 95 percent of Eastern experience. EWU participates Community Colleges students attend to earn an associate’s changing workforce in NCAA Division 1 Big Sky Conference In February, GU announced a new of Spokane’s or applied bachelor’s degree to better athletics with six men’s and eight partnership with the University of adaptability helps meet position themselves to enter the women’s intercollegiate teams. Learn Washington to continue, enhance workforce. Those students who do more at ewu.edu. and expand medical education and employers’ needs attend CCS with the intention of research in Spokane.
Dr. Christine Johnson, CCS Dr. moving on to earn a four-year degree Gonzaga University: The legacy and influence of GU Nimble with its curricula, Community are typically successful in doing so, Valued community continues to unfold as the campus Colleges of Spokane (CCS) serves as Johnson says. grows. The new John J. Hemmingson a cornerstone of workforce training partner Gonzaga is at work in businesses Center is a central hub where students efforts in Eastern Washington. The schools’ ability to move quickly to and organizations across the serve a dynamic workforce is evident in Inland Northwest. Through “We see what’s growing and prepare a couple of crucial sectors: aerospace internships, practicums and more students for those fields,” and health care. community partnerships, says Dr. Christine Johnson, chancellor most of the 4,800 current of Community Colleges of Spokane For example, CCS has worked with undergraduate students bring and current Board Chair of Greater the Boeing Company and many of its
Eastern Washington University Center, University District University Center, Eastern Washington energy and fresh thinking to Spokane Incorporated. vendors, some of which are in the Spokane area, to develop accelerated workplaces while pursuing Eastern Washington University their degrees. Graduates from In Spokane proper, CCS is comprised programs that provide intensive (EWU) is a rapidly-growing, regional, the university’s arts, sciences, of two large campuses – Spokane training in an effort to get technicians, comprehensive public university, business, law, engineering, Community College and Spokane Falls machinists and welders into the located in Cheney, just 16 miles from education and nursing pro- Spokane Community College Tech Building Community College – and has outreach workforce more rapidly. Hemmingson Building, Gonzaga University Spokane, Washington’s second- In health care, however, CCS is, in largest city. Founded in 1882, Eastern some cases, looking to provide more has evolved to meet the demands of comprehensive medical training. an ever-changing workforce to become Specifically, it’s researching ways to a driving force in the culture, economy train clinicians alongside students at and vitality of the Inland Northwest. Washington State University’s (WSU) new medical school, which will be Today’s Eastern prides itself on access re located in Spokane, as well as working and student success. The university e a with students at WSU’s established offers 135 areas of study, two engineering w schools of pharmacy and nursing. All degrees, nine master’s degrees, 12 of those schools are emphasizing the graduate certificates, 39 graduate ! need for students to be working in an programs, an educational specialist COREY L. PLASTER, DDS RUDYARD G. McKENNON, DDS interprofessional degree and one applied doctorate. environment. EDUCATION Eastern’s student body numbers nearly CVSD “It’s rapidly METRO 12,500 with more than one-quarter 7am & Noon Appointments changing, and INDUSTRY coming from diverse backgrounds. the standards 10.9% Additionally, nearly 50 percent of are going up,” first-year students are first-generation for the Busy Downtown Professional Johnson says. students. “It’s exciting to AVERAGE see how the fields WAGE The EWU Spokane campus, which are changing.” $43,601 includes its health sciences and MBA The Paulsen Building 509.747.2070 programs, is part of the city’s thriving 421 W. Riverside, Suite 810 “And,” she adds, University District. The downtown www.downtowndds.com RiversidE AND Stevens “How CCS is AVERAGE campus is now anchored by the Eastern With Skywalk Access VALIDATED PARKING ANNUAL changing with Washington University Center, home You GROWTH Tube them.” to EWU’s College of Health Science & check us out! cvsd.org f 2.5% Public Health and the College of 28 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 29 nourish, play, connect, reflect, grow with Gonzaga University to advance new dean, Pharmacy has kicked off its including the Lied Arts Center, and create. This modern 167,000- health related research, entrepreneurship 125th anniversary year, and the Elson Robinson Science Center, square-foot facility has also become and interdisciplinary health sciences S. Floyd College of Medicine continues University Recreation Center, a place for the community to gather teaching through a collaborative its work on accreditation for the state’s two residence halls and for events and activities that celebrate Regional Health Initiative. This will next great medical school. construction of the Cowles the Inland Northwest. Up next is advance medical education in the Music Center, now underway. development of the Woldson Performing region as a growing number of students An important initiative related to the Whitworth enrolls nearly Arts Center where music, dance and and faculty attend the UW schools health sciences campus is the new 3,000 students in traditional theater will thrive. of medicine and dentistry, and the Spokane Teaching Health Clinic. undergraduate programs, Department of Family Medicine’s Construction of the primary care clinic working-adult programs and From the excitement of NCAA Division I physician assistant program. It’s also is funded by WSU and is a result of a graduate programs in athletic athletics and a leading regional art pursuing new opportunities in research consortium established in 2013 by WSU training, business, marriage Whitworth University students gallery, to award-winning mentoring and innovation. This next generation of Spokane, Providence Health Care and and family counseling, programs with neighborhood children, education and research will benefit the the Empire Health Foundation. The trio Whitworth University: education and theology. The university Gonzaga is proud of its historic and region’s thriving health care economy formed to apply to the federal Health offers more than 100 undergraduate ongoing partnerships with the Spokane and help address a physician shortage Resources and Services Administration An education of mind academic programs built on a strong region. Learn more at gonzaga.edu. in eastern Washington. for funding to increase the number of and heart liberal arts foundation and enriched UW Medical School graduate much-needed medical residents in Since 1890, Whitworth University has by experiential learning opportunities The University of The UW Spokane Center is a hub for Spokane. When open in the summer of stayed true to its founding mission to such as internships, service learning, and health sciences education, prospective students, alumni and the 2016, Spokane will have seen a nearly provide “an education of mind and research with professors and study Washington builds on outreach and partnerships in community, and provides a way for 43 percent increase in the number of heart” through rigorous and open abroad. Whitworth’s 20-sport varsity strength of medicine and research, technology and innovation. those who want to discover what’s medical residents – from 42 to 60. intellectual inquiry guided by dedicated athletics program competes in NCAA innovation as it grows in possible to connect with the university. Christian scholars. Located in North Division III and has been recognized The UW School of Medicine, the nation’s With multiple campuses, a world-class An important element of its mission Spokane, Whitworth’s 200-acre cam- as the best overall athletics program Eastern Washington leading medical school for family academic medical center, Pac-12 is that health sciences students from pus of red-brick buildings and stately in the Northwest Conference for eight As the most innovative public medicine, primary care and rural athletics and extensive continuing across the city will work in teams with pines offers a secure and state-of-the- years in a row. Today more than university in the world, the University medicine, has had a presence in education programs, opportunities medical residents to provide health art learning environment. More than 7,000 Whitworth alumni live and work of Washington is active in the Spokane for nearly 45 years. The at the UW are boundless. Learn more care to the community. For more $100 million in campus improvements in the Spokane area. Learn more at Spokane community through medical University has formed a partnership at uw.edu. information, go to spokane.wsu.edu. have been made over the past decade, whitworth.edu.
A modern day contemporary relationship. “We’re bringing in BDO. The partner’s already on it.”
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As the world’s fifth largest accounting and consulting network, it may be a WSU students on Spokane campus good time to consider BDO For more information, please contact: WSU Health Sciences Kathleen S. Kopczick / Assurance Partner / 509-462-8901 / [email protected] Paul Bridge / Assurance Partner / 509-462-8934 / [email protected] Spokane transforming Amy Roberts/ Assurance Partner/ 509-462-8958 / [email protected] Building Homes with American Made Products Jeff C. Winkler / Tax Partner / 509-462-8904 / [email protected] into regional healthcare
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All three colleges on campus have exciting plans underway. Nursing has a Browse Our New Contemporary Rancher: www.tourfactory.com/1466473
30 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 31 developed to foster tech business services and technologies that more Seattle, Portland, St. Paul, Richardson, opportunities, accelerate innovation. than exceeded the initial vision of Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and now those 17 employees of WWP Energy the United Kingdom. Ecova’s global TECHNOLOGY In a recent earnings release, Itron client base includes more than 25 Solutions. President and CEO Philip Mezey percent of the Fortune 500. said, “Smart Grid and Smart City In 2014, Ecova entered a new phase momentum is accelerating, creating in its evolution when it was acquired Last year, Liberty Lake-based Gravity more opportunity for Itron’s innovative by Cofely USA, a subsidiary of French Jack Inc., appeared on Entrepreneur solutions for this industry. Our multinational utility company ENGIE Magazine’s list of the best U.S. significant backlog growth, benefits (formerly GDF Suez). With its new entrepreneurial companies. The from our restructuring and efficiency parent company, Ecova is able to augmented reality projects and our Itron OpenWay Riva continue to evolve to meet the needs software maker lists TECHNOLOGY next generation platform position us of its growing client base, directly among its clients 9 well for continued revenue growth and 7 benefiting from ENGIE’s industry Coca-Cola, Hewlett METRO 10 6 improved profitability in 2016.” leadership and global presence, Packard, and the INDUSTRY 3 while still operating as a standalone U.S. Department of 2 4 Avista Corp., the Spokane-based business. Defense. Founded 1 1.4% electricity and natural gas company, in 2009, the 5 8 is pursuing what it calls Smart Grid Most recently, Ecova expanded company said AVERAGE technology and improvements. operations to Europe. Ecova’s new that it doubled its Though perhaps not thought of as a European office is a regional hub revenue between WAGE traditional technology company, Avista with 50+ operational staff, including 2013 and 2015 – $56,556 SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES is developing new technologies to multilingual staff with pan-European and that it 1. Ciena Corporation generate and transport energy more market experience. expects to double AVERAGE 2. Cisco Systems efficiently, as well as reduce energy its revenue again ANNUAL consumption. With more than 1,400 employees this year. 3. F-5 Networks GROWTH across North America and Europe, 4. Imprezzio In recent years, Avista has partnered Ecova remains headquartered in 2.0% 5. INHS Engage on a program to convert Pullman, Spokane, with corporate offices in 6. Itron Washington, home to Washington 7. Next IT State University’s main campus, 8. Nuvodia into a Smart Grid community. That project has involved installing 9. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories technology to give customers more data about the energy they consume, 10. Telect which thereby gives them the ability to make more informed decisions about how they use electricity. The Smart Grid is also set up to rapidly 20 minutes from ENTRENCHED IN TECH City technology to artificial intelligence program, working in the pilot program detect power outages, which in turn to virtual reality. In some cases, alongside Los Angeles, Dallas, Pittsburgh enables Avista to get the lights back everything. Smart City technology, long-established organizations gird and others. on more quickly. virtual reality among those efforts – and spin off startups Over 120 shops, drivers of sector here of their own. Smart City technology is at the center Ecova, headquartered in Spokane, restaurants, night spots of the work at Itron Inc., a Liberty makes businesses and utilities more The high tech community in Spokane Spokane’s innovative atmosphere Lake-based company that started successful through energy and and more. has grown, strengthened and diversified is one reason it was selected recently making automated utility meter-reading sustainability management. The in recent years, with startups maturing as one of 10 U.S. cities to participate technology and has expanded its company, founded in 1996 by a small 1.2 million square feet and more young companies starting. in Envision America’s Smart City products and services in a variety of group of industrial and commercial waiting for you. Initiative. The initiative calls for cities ways to use water and energy more account executives at Washington Longtime angel investor Tom Simpson to use information and communication resourcefully. Water Power (now Avista Corp.), recently said the Spokane region is in Do business from the heart of the technology to enhance livability, saw a tremendous opportunity to inland northwest in the region’s most the midst of an entrepreneurial boom, workability and sustainability while Itron recently created the Itron OpenWay help the utility’s customers prepare convenient, vibrant and well-appointed and that entrepreneurs have more stimulating development. Work on Riva technology, which it bills as the for the impending deregulation of offices. For more information about incentive and support than ever before first-of-its-kind distributed intelligence moving your business to downtown the Smart City initiative is just getting electric energy. Spokane, call 509.456.0580 or visit to start their own businesses. underway and will focus on employing platform that supports sensing downtownspokane.org. technologies in the city’s burgeoning technologies and applications. The By 2011, the company had grown to Companies here have innovated in University District. Spokane is the company aspires to see that platform, more than 900 employees nationwide, emerging industries ranging from Smart smallest city involved in the national coupled with the Itron Idea Labs it offering a breadth of products,
32 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 33 Stay Alfred LLC, has found a Etailz has been in the market a little comfortable niche as a hybrid between longer and has become a prime traditional hotels and Airbnb-style example of a Spokane startup reaching overnight rentals. Another, Etailz, its potential. started as an online retailer of environmentally friendly consumer The company was founded in 2008 goods and since has diversified well after then Gonzaga University students beyond that. Josh Neblett and Sarah Wollnick won a business plan competition with the idea Stay Alfred offers urban vacation rentals for a website that sold environmentally in some of the U.S.’s most popular friendly products. After partnering destinations, including San Diego, with angel investor Tom Simpson, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. GreenCupboards was born. The company reported late last year that it had doubled its inventory, to The company changed its name in 277 rentals in 11 markets, and that it 2013 to Etailz to reflect a more diverse EXCELLING IN expects to double its stock again this mix of products and niche online year. As the number of properties it marketplaces. NextIT expanded to the Pinecroft Business Park E-COMMERCE offers increases, the 5-year-old Two of Spokane’s company projects a revenue surge. The The company now has more than 120 Healthcare, and has continued to make been developing and deploying for company reported revenue of $13.5 employees in Spokane and reported AN INTELLIGENT MOVE fastest growing tech in-roads in other sectors, with large over a decade,” Malingo says. million last year, and is projecting that it $100 million in sales for 2015. Next IT custom builds national clients such as the U.S. Army, “From government and healthcare to companies find will hit the $30 million mark this year. Alaska Airlines and Aetna Insurance. transportation and insurance, IVAs online niches Owners of both Stay Alfred and Etailz a new home for its (intelligent virtual assistants) are As of early this year, the company now say they’re operating profitably as they artificial intelligence “AI technology is beginning to become becoming crucial across industries, employs about 60 people, most of who grow. Stay Alfred hasn’t sought venture Two of the fastest growing tech operations more a part of our everyday lives, which and we’re excited to be leading work at its headquarters in Spokane’s capital to date, and Etailz hasn’t looked companies in Spokane marketplace really reinforces the need for the kind innovation in the market and helping University District, including its own for outside investment since its initial have carved out slices of the Next IT Corp., which makes artificial of intelligent interfaces that Next IT has bring these companies into the future.” software development team. ever-expanding e-commerce pie. seed capital round. intelligence (AI) based natural language software, had been located in the historic Paulsen Center in downtown Spokane since its founding in 2002. Having grown to 150-plus employees designing and multiple floors, the company beyond the decided it was time to make a move. Tracy Malingo, Next IT corporate buildings president, says the company looked themselves at a number of options. Ultimately, however, it saw the transition as an opportunity to create a space specific through direct expression to its culture and workspace needs. while engaging our surroundings to enhance “It’s an opportunity that a company the human experience doesn’t have very often, so we wanted to make the most of it,” Malingo says. Next IT decided to move from ACTIVE AND PROUD downtown Spokane to the Pinecroft Business Park in Spokane Valley, where SUPPORTER OF Divcon Inc., built a 44,000-square-foot custom designed office building for the GREATER SPOKANE INCORPORATED! company. The building went up quickly, and Next IT moved into its new space AVAILABLE SERVICES: khco.com last fall. • Commercial Sales & Leasing 509.838.6541 • Property Management 601 W. Main Avenue, Suite 400 Since then, the company has spun off • Tenant Representation Spokane, WA 99201 • Development & Consulting its work in the healthcare field into an 208.770.2590 • K&H Facility Services 2065 W. Riverstone Drive, Suite 101 www.integrusarch.com independent company, called Next IT A wholly owner subsidary Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
34 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 35 BUSINESS & SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES 1. Alorica (two locations) 2. Comcast 3. Lee & Hayes PROFESSIONAL 4. Liberty Mutual 5. Moss Adams 6. Pitney-Bowes 7. Premera Blue Cross
8. Salesforce.com Spokane’s newly expanded Convention Center 9. Travelers Property Casualty 10. Washington Trust In the accounting world, the Spokane In the financial services arena, the bank ranked as the top SBA lender office of Moss Adams LLP has Spokane-based Washington Trust in the Inland Northwest in terms of loan expanded and strengthened its Bank outpaces all others – including volume, with $26.1 million in SBA loans. financial consulting services through much larger national competitors – 8 a recent merger with Spokane-based in terms of local deposits. With $3.7 The Spokane area is also home to a 4 2 6 Contineo. Now part of the large billion in total deposits in Spokane number of large credit unions, including 1 7 accounting firm, the Contineo practice and Kootenai counties as of the some that have commercial lending 9 3 5 10 1 provides IT security, regulatory end of 2014, Washington Trust’s departments that compete with those compliance and internal audit market share is nearly twice that of of their for-profit counterparts. services primarily to financial services the next-largest bank. PROFESSIONALLY organizations. Liberty Lake-based STCU is the PLUGGED IN Founded in 1902, Washington Trust has largest of the credit unions based Fourteen of Contineo’s employees traditionally positioned itself as a com- here, and with more than $2 billion in Spokane hosts a now work in Moss Adams’ Spokane mercial bank. In recent years it has de- total assets, the organization ranks number of leaders in office, as well as in remote hubs in veloped a niche in U.S. Small Business as the second-largest credit union in their fields Seattle, Dallas, and the Phoenix area. Administration loans. In fiscal year 2015, Washington state.
Many of the large Spokane-area professional firms have developed 2181301_17261 their own expertise in serving industry 7x4.75 or sector niches. 4c
In some cases, those companies have developed national reputations When you have an eye on growing for the work they’re doing from their your business. Spokane offices. We can help you with your goals for financial success. Lee & Hayes LLC is a Spokane-based With Wells Fargo small business resources, you’ll have access to: intellectual property law firm started in • Online tools and resources to help 1994 by two attorneys with engineering you understand business and credit Additional tools and backgrounds. The practice has grown life cycles, grow your customer base, tap into new markets, and more. resources are available on since its modest inception and today wellsfargoworks.com/grow. employs 89 attorneys working in seven • Support and guidance of a banker from your community. offices throughout the U.S. • Innovative products, services, and programs. The company has industry-focused Stop by and speak to a local banker today, or go to wellsfargo.com/appointments to schedule an appointment attorneys working on intellectual at a time that’s most convenient for you. property and patents in areas such as EXTENDED STAY HOTEL computer software, life sciences and manufacturing, among others. Nightly, Weekly, Monthly Stratford For four straight years, Intellectual Asset Magazine has ranked Lee & Suites SPOKANE WASHINGTON Hayes as the number one intellectual © 2016 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (2181301_17261) WWW.STRATFORDSUITES.COM property firm in the U.S. in overall 888.705.8877 quality and in information technology.
36 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 37 9601 N Newport Hwy Spokane 509-468-5020 HOTELHOTEL LaquintaSpokaneNorth.com DIRECTORY OFFICE • RETAIL • MULTIFAMILY • DEVELOPMENT FORTUNATE GROWTH EXPERIENCED • KNOWLEDGEABLE • DEDICATED Caring about customers 20 16 ™ • Free Bright Side Breakfast • Refrigerator/Microwave The professional service industry has • Free Ultra Fast Wi-Fi • Pet Friendly • 24 Hr Indoor Pool & Hot Tub had a huge impact on the Spokane community and is recording one of the highest employment growth rates over the past several years. As a hub for a much larger region, many people visit Spokane for their financial, insurance and banking needs. This industry includes not just attorneys, accountants, insurers and bankers, Goodale & Barbieri Company has been providing superior real estate management, leasing, and development of commercial and residential but also the support staff that provides properties to Spokane and the Inland Northwest for over 75 years. “. . . Go away, relax and absorb customer care to their clients. Comfort Inn Spokane the best that life has to offer.” We are a proud supporter of Greater Spokane Incorporated and Where Comfort and Convenience Meet - Anonymous The Spokane region is home to we enjoy working alongside them in attracting new businesses to our vibrant region and helping local businesses thrive. 923 East Third Avenue, Spokane, Wa. 99202 over 25 customer care companies, TEL: 509-535-9000 davenporthotel.com employing more than 7,500 people. www.g-b.com • [email protected] • 509-459-6102 • Spokane, WA www.Choicehotels.com/hotel/wa215 800.899.1482 While a few of these companies have less than 100 employees, some of the largest ones count more than 1,000 on staff. The area’s highly productive and Great City Center Location walk to skilled workforce, along with a great countless restaurants, the quality of life and affordable business Quality Inn downtown shopping area Kiss the sky. OAKWOOD and Riverfront Park climate, is very attractive to companies looking to expand their footprint to a Embrace the moment. western U.S. location. 33 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99201 505.623.9727 bwcitycenter.com Your adventure in Spokane is filled with possibility. Board our unique SkyRide to see And the area continues to attract the second-highest urban waterfalls in America. Discover creations from nationally- interest from other Fortune 100/500 recognized local chefs. Explore shopping that ranges from unique imports to international companies with regular requests for name brands. Your Spokane story starts at visitspokane.com | 1.888.SPOKANE demographic and workforce information.
1.888.535.4900 1.800.HAMPTON (426.7866) The latest recruit to BUSINESS & www.qualityinnoakwood.com www.hamptoninnspokane.com Spokane County PROFESSIONAL is a Comcast Center of METRO Excellence; INDUSTRY Comcast profile follows. Other 3.8% well-known names include AVERAGE Liberty Mutual, WAGE The Guardian, Principal Financial, $56,400 US Bank and Stay in Spokane Valley Travelers Insurance. AVERAGE ANNUAL Near Nature • Near Shopping • Near Flavor Nightly, Weekly, & Monthly Rates 50 28 6 00 509.244.5866 888.705.8877 GROWTH HGISpokaneAirport.com www.stratfordsuites.com www.spokanevalleysuites.hamptoninn.com 2.6% 38 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 39 Specifically, Spokane’s base of higher operating 24 hours a day, seven days education options and its proximity a week. Price says the company views to Fairchild Air Force Base proved to the opening of the customer service be pluses for Comcast, Price says, center as a beginning of a multiyear noting the company’s success in fundamental change, but the call hiring enlisted military personnel’s center is operating more efficiently TOP TOP family members and retired military and receiving higher marks at this early professionals. Price was working for stage than Comcast had projected. PRIVATE Comcast in Arizona when the company PUBLIC announced the decision, but he had “We’ve had to change the way we worked in the Spokane market before. give kudos, because of the volume of EMPLOYERS EMPLOYERS kudos our support team members are “I certainly saw the wisdom in the receiving from customers,” Price says. COMPANY FTE ORGANIZATION FTE decision,” says Price, who was “That’s a huge statement about the asked to manage the call center and workforce we’re finding.” Providence Health Care - return to Spokane shortly after the Eastern Washington...... 5,167 Fairchild Air Force Base...... 5,950 announcement was made. Wal-Mart Stores...... 1,407 State of Washington...... 5,020 Comcast’s Center of Excellence in Liberty Lake URM Stores Inc...... 1,403 Spokane Public Schools...... 3,406 The Philadelphia-based cable televi- Comcast went live with its new Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority/ City of Spokane...... 2,085 STRATEGICALLY IN Spokane operation last July in a sion giant announced last spring that Northern Quest Resort & Casino...... 1,351 Spokane County...... 2,022 SPOKANE it planned to open a customer service temporary facility, and it plans to move Gonzaga University...... 1,232 into a permanent, 80,000-square-foot Central Valley School District...... 1,630 Quality of life, workforce center in the Spokane area, one of Deaconess Hospital...... 1,180 home on Liberty Lake’s Meadowwood Mead School District No. 354...... 1,280 three such centers it committed to Alorica Inc...... 1,125 attracted Comcast opening nationwide. Technology Campus this summer. Community Colleges of Spokane...... 1,203 Avista Corp...... 1,124 Eastern Washington University...... 1,199 When Comcast Corporation started Alan Price, director of the call center The customer service center currently Rockwood Clinic PS...... 1,100 Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center...... 943 plotting the course for its customer ex- in Spokane, says the market has two employs about 480 people, and Price Kaiser Aluminum Corp...... 850 perience transformation, one of its first qualities that Comcast found attractive: says the company will ramp up to 800 workers eventually. Already, it’s strategic stops was Spokane. quality of life and quality of workforce. Alan Price, Comcast Source: Spokane Journal of Business Book of Lists 2016
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40 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 41 Highline Grain looked at a handful of potential locations in Eastern Washington for the shuttle loader. AGRICULTURE It ultimately chose the site in west Spokane County because it can move grain to and from the facility without having to travel on BNSF’s main line. This method requires obtaining permission from the railroad’s corporate headquarters in Texas which can delay shipping.
Despite the AGRICULTURE massive size of METRO the shuttle loader, INDUSTRY 4 it only requires 1 10 9 four full-time, 5 6 0.3% year-round 8 employees, with AVERAGE some seasonal workers brought in WAGE rail – to international ports; that’s one during peak times. 3 According to Whitehall, however, $21,103 reason the state ranks third in the U.S. ELEVATING EFFICIENCY 7 BNSF decided to phase out co-load for agricultural exports. The state ag “This is definitely Agriculture facilities and issued an ultimatum of department says that one-third of the the preferred AVERAGE sorts: build a shuttle loader or start state’s agricultural output is exported, associations collaborate business model ANNUAL paying single-car rates, which are GROWTH with 75 percent of those exports going to move grain,” on new facility much more expensive than the to Asia. Whitehall says. Class 1 rates the growers have been STEADY Faced with rising shipping costs, five accustomed to paying. GROWING INDUSTRY In addition to the railroads that carry Eastern Washington agricultural large loads of harvested crops to ports Agricultural industry is associations joined forces to create and market, an extensive network of a fundamental part of a new company and build a new short rail lines provide vital connections Discover Market Insights multimillion-dollar facility west of Spokane’s past – and between rural Eastern Washington Spokane. That facility now rises from 2 vital to its future communities and those big main lines. the West Plains, a multistory structure That Matter Private companies operated those north of the Interstate 90-Four Lakes Drive south of Spokane and you’ll wind short lines for decades, but the Get the region’s latest market trends and analysis from the interchange. SPOKANE REGIONAL COMPANIES your way through rolling hills of rich Washington State Department of Spokane Area Workforce Development Council. soil planted with wheat, lentils, and a Transportation acquired them when www.wdcspokane.com 1. ADM Milling Co The new company, Highline Grain LLC, variety of other crops. Turn around and it appeared they would be abandoned, 2. Ag Enterprise Supply went live earlier this year with its grain head in any other direction, and you’ll says Bob Westby, manager of the 3. Aslin Finch Co. shuttle loader, which has the capacity Spokane County’s Top Industries by Employment1 see much of the same. short line system in four Eastern to fill 110 rail cars. The company 4. Co-Ag Washington counties for Washington Educational Services: 8.8% started filling the storage structures Retail Trade 12.1% 5. Commercial Creamery Company Agriculture is a large part of Spokane’s State Department of Transportation. with grains in late February 2016, and Accommodation and 6. Forest Potlatch Holdings Inc heritage and contributes significantly Food Services: 8.0% filling trains in March. 7. Highline Grain to the state as a whole. With 2,500-plus The state agency owns the lines, but Manufacturing: 7.0% farms, and more than 1,300 jobs, it’s a contracts with private companies to Healthcare 8. Spokane Produce Kevin Whitehall, CEO of Highline $775 million industry in Spokane County. provide services on the lines. 19.4% 9. Spokane Seed Grain and head of one of the agricultural associations, says the All Other 10. T.R. Rizzuto Pizza Crust Inc Washington state ranks seventh among Since the state took over that system, Sectors 44.7% new facility became necessary when U.S. states in wheat production and which includes a total of 300 miles of BNSF Railway changed some of its sixth nationwide in winter wheat, both track within the four-county region, two regulations. Prior to Highline Grain, of which are primarily grown within a large, multimillion-dollar grain storage the growers each operated what are 90-minute drive of Spokane. facilities have been built along the called co-loading facilities, which short lines. Leading a dynamic, demand-driven workforce would fill loads of varying sizes, but Eastern Washington’s agriculture 509-533-8480 1JobsEQ 2015Q4 less than 110 rail cars. industry benefits from an intricate “It’s been a great private-public The Spokane Area Workforce Development Council is an equal opportunity employer and irrigation system and easy access – partnership,” Westby says. “The provider of employment and training services. Auxiliary aids are available upon request to persons with disabilities. Washington Relay Service 711. via barges on the Columbia River and industry has responded.”
42 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 43 Greater Spokane Incorporated’s manufacturing accelerator located PROSPERITY IN relationships with banks and other Park and is entrepreneurship program. in Spokane’s University District, and companies that provide payment looking to move Ignite Northwest, a nonprofit PAYMENT processing systems. Those sales to a larger Relatively young in its own right, established to help young businesses PROCESSING partners then offer PayTrace’s system to space, ideally Startup Spokane helps the overcome early startup challenges. PayTrace grows, its commercial clients. later this year. region’s entrepreneurship com- munity by providing educational “A cooperation model is starting to looks to expand in PayTrace first made in-roads to the PayTrace has resources and, for those who use play out,” Arnold says. “Formalization Spokane area industry through relationships with tapped Greater Startup Spokane Central, a place of the startup community has really banks in the Midwest, but has since Spokane to conduct business. taken off in the last year.” Founded in the wake of the early secured a number of clients on the East Incorporated’s Justin Goes, PayTrace Startup Spokane Central co-working space 2000 dot-com crash, PayTrace saw Coast, as well as some in the West. In expertise as it looks to relocate, and “Every entrepreneur needs many skill Startup Spokane recently partnered an opportunity to provide payment the Pacific Northwest, Washington Trust the organization has been helping STARTUP MOMENTUM sets. They have lots of critical hats to with the Washington State Department processing services in a way giants in Bank and Umpqua Bank are among PayTrace navigate the intricacies of a New businesses find wear,” says Ryan Arnold, GSI’s of Commerce on Startup Washington the industry weren’t doing at the time. those that carry PayTrace’s systems. new location. Goes says that’s a new help, support in entrepreneurship program director. 365, which is providing some of the endeavor for the company. “We’re trying to connect businesses same services to startups in two rural Fast forward nearly 15 years, and the Judkins leads PayTrace while living in developing entrepreneur to those resources they need.” counties in southeastern Washington Spokane Valley-based company founded Western Washington, but the company “We love the Spokane community,” he ecosystem on a part-time basis. by Eastern Washington University is based in Spokane Valley. Goes says says. “We love doing business in the Startup Spokane offers programs such graduate Scott Judkins has grown into the company now has 29 employees, 21 greater Spokane area.” Stride along Second Avenue in as Entrepreneur Assistance, Mentor Part of the organization’s regional a small business success story. Its credit of whom are in the Spokane downtown Spokane, past Taste Café, Connect, and Professional Connect, mindset involves working with the and debit card processing systems are area. The company plans and you’ll come to Startup Spokane as well as its own educational events, large college student base in Eastern now used by 18,500 merchant outlets to add more people yet this Central, a downtown coworking space. which are typically free of charge and Washington: 80,000+ students are in a total of 75,000 locations, including year, including software Inside, aspiring entrepreneurs and hosted in the city’s core. learning within a 100-mile radius of both physical stores and websites, says developers and project seasoned businesspeople work Spokane. Justin Goes, PayTrace’s director of managers. alongside one another – sometimes Beyond its own offerings, the client services. on independent ventures and organization has fostered relationships “My hope is that they decide to stay The company, however, has other times on collaborations, with with others in Spokane’s entrepreneur- here and launch their businesses Rather than working directly with outgrown its current offices the support of Startup Spokane, ship ecosystem, such as Toolbox, a here,” Arnold says. retailers, Goes says, PayTrace develops in the Pinecroft Business PayTrace staff
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44 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 45 LOOKING BEYOND Drew Repp, GSI’s international trade doing business abroad, GSI is organizing GOING PUBLIC the mission of increasing the number of and economic development manager, the First Annual Inland Northwest contracts awarded to local companies. BORDERS says the organization helps companies World Trade Day, on May 5, 2016, which GSI program helps “PTAC has been an invaluable tool for GSI helps more new to exporting learn the basics of will feature a full day of programs on companies land our government sales,” says Bob Moore, companies do doing business internationally, doing business internationally. contracts with the a sales manager for Spokane Industries assisting with foreign market research, Inc. “From our GSA contract to the business abroad connections to resources and logistical “The trade community is looking for government intricacies of federal contracting, considerations. When practical, he says something to galvanize around,” Repp they have proven to be an asset of Just hours from Seattle’s international he often suggests that businesses start says. “There’s so much trade going on Whether you sell shovels or use shovels knowledge. They have been our partner shipping ports to the west, the U.S.- Zak Designs’ Star Wars line by looking to make inroads into in Spokane, and this is an opportunity to to dig up new work, landing government through the entire process.” Canadian border to the north and Canada, where the rule of law is similar, celebrate that while also discovering new effort about a decade ago to take its contracts can lead to new opportunities bisected by major railroad arterials, and language and proximity aren’t trade opportunities.” products overseas on a broad scale. for expansion of revenues and profits. Spokane Industries, a longtime Spokane is well-positioned as a hub major barriers. They opened distribution centers or manufacturer of fabricated metal for international trade. formed joint ventures with strategic Unearthing public sector work, products and castings, is one of dozens GSI has advocated for trade agree- DISHING UP partners in the United Kingdom, however, appears to be a difficult task of Eastern Washington companies And many Spokane area businesses are ments and a reauthorization of the Europe, Mexico, Australia and China, for businesses of any size. that have secured government taking advantage of those opportunities WORLDWIDE SALES Export-Import Bank, through which U.S. company founder Irv Zakheim says. contracts. Jessica Kirk, Eastern – currently, 8.5 percent of the metro- Dinnerware maker companies can receive loans to finance Those operations worked to make Enter Greater Spokane Incorporated’s Washington PTAC manager, says that in politan area’s gross domestic product overseas sales and gain access to credit Zak Designs grows its Zak Designs’ products available on Government Contracting Program, fiscal years 2014 and 2015, Washington comes from exports. insurance for foreign account receivables. international business their respective continents. Now, the Procurement Technical Assistance state companies landed $300 million international sales account for half Center, or PTAC. Through part of a larger prime and subcontracting work annually. By and large, Greater Spokane Repp says GSI recently became of the company’s revenues. statewide effort, Eastern Washing- In 2015 alone, government contracts led Incorporated’s approach to assisting authorized to provide Certificates of The popularity of Star Wars Jedis and ton PTAC helps businesses become to the creation and retention of 4,900 businesses with international trade Origin, a documentation process in Frozen princesses doesn’t stop at the “We think there is still a lot of potential qualified to bid on public contracts and jobs statewide. is two-pronged: it helps companies which GSI provides third-party U.S. borders. For Zak Designs Inc., in our global business,” says Zakheim, ultimately win awards. interested in doing business beyond verification of a product’s origin. that’s a good thing. whose company is licensed to make The lion’s share of that work – 85 U.S. borders get started, and it lobbies in products featuring Disney characters, Working in 12 Eastern Washington percent – is with federal agencies. Ten support of international trade at the state For both newcomers to international The Airway Heights-based maker of which now include Marvel and Star counties, the program provides free, percent of those contracts are with local and federal levels. trade and those who are well versed in dinnerware emblazoned with famous Wars, among others. one-on-one, confidential guidance, with government, with state agencies fictional characters made a concerted Boosted by the popularity of its Frozen movie products, Zak Designs reported a record year in 2014. Buoyed by Star Wars: The Force Awakens and 2 LOCATIONS. dinnerware featuring that movie’s characters, the company broke that 1000s OF STYLES. revenue record in 2015.
INFINITE A number of blockbusters are due to be SELECTION. released this year, and Zak Designs is Furnishings & Interior Design ramping up to take advantage of those with new products featuring Marvel super heroes, Superman, Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, among others.
Zakheim says there’s a lot to learn about doing business abroad – minor details that can make a big difference. For instance, many Europeans don’t put ice in their beverages, so they want smaller cups than those that American consum- ers demand. Big Bird is blue in some countries, he says, rather than yellow, so Sesame Street products that do well in Traditional & Transitional Styles 1727 E Sprague Ave, Spokane WA | 509-535-1111 the states might not resonate there. Modern & Contemporary Styles 401 W 1st Ave, Spokane WA | 509-413-1185 “You’re always learning,” Zakheim says. www.TinRoofFurniture.com “It is a big learning curve, but I think we’ve got it down.”
46 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM 47 bidding out the balance, Kirk says. In Eastern Washington, the number of businesses seeking government contracts is increasing. The local PTAC office has 200 more clients today than it had a year ago – and there’s plenty of opportunity for additional growth.
“There are greater opportunities available,” Kirk says. “We would like to see more of our local companies land those contracts.”
Barry Baker, Baker Construction
BUILDING BOOM $54 million in work. Baker Construction Currently, the company is well has a significant backlog of work on underway on construction of a $10.5 Baker Construction sets its books, he says, and is expecting million student housing project near revenue record to break last year’s revenue record Gonzaga University. That project, in 2016. which will include 61 living units on When it comes to contracting – six levels, is located at the southwest government or otherwise – Baker “The economy continues to trend corner of the campus and is backed Construction & Development Inc., is upward, which is terrific,” Baker says. by a private developer out of San among the region’s busiest contractors “As it does, a lot of work will come to Clemente, California. Living units there right now. us.” Most of the work that Baker are slated to come online before the Construction does is in the private start of school next fall. Barry Baker, president and CEO of the sector. In the past, though, it has landed 61-year-old firm, says the company projects with the U.S. Secret Service and Baker Construction also handles a posted record revenue last year, with the U.S. Armed Forces, among others. number of projects outside of the Spokane area. For example, Baker says, the company was recently selected to build a hotel in the Boise suburb of Nampa, Idaho, for a hotelier they’ve previously worked with.
While the contracting company will go far afield for work, Baker says he’s excited about some of the things happening in the Spokane market, pointing to $65.3 million in planned improvements at Riverfront Park, located in the heart of downtown, and work on the North Spokane Corridor.
“With what’s going on, we’re poised to grow like never before,” Baker says. Home of Eastern Washington University. Cheney has a 40-acre “site certified” industrial and commerce park just waiting for your business and a welcoming community just waiting for your family.
(509) 498-9200 Barry with daughter Brooke Baker
48 ADVANTAGESPOKANE.COM PUT MORE ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
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