inside inside - Business Examiner
Transcription
inside inside - Business Examiner
Q&A A conversation with Marla Schimke, vice president of marketing for Zumobi. 6 Business to Business Happiness ... what does it mean to you? 3 $2.50 INSIDE February January 9, 18,2012 2013| |Volume Volume28 29 No. No.14 Small businesses Convention Centerspeak to host out quilterslegislative during applenty.session. 9 9 Workers’ comp Convention Center overhaul to host quilters plans fuel applenty. big debate. 13 9 Is it a real problem for real estate in the South Sound? The housing industry has had to defeat a variety of obstacles to start its climb back up to pre-recession levels. But a new enemy may lie on the horizon, and it even has a shady name to go with it: shadow inventory. According to Glenn Crellin, associate director for research at the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies, “shadow inventory” represents properties that have been taken back by the lending institutions, but for whatever reason, have yet to be put back on the market. The term has become a bit of a real estate buzzword recently, fueled by speculation that banks are holding back a flood of distressed inventory, laying in wait for improved selling conditions before letting such properties hit the market. So many properties hitting the market all at once, some experts predicted, would send home prices hurtling in reverse, damaging the finally recovering housing market. “If they all came on the market at the same time when there is a healthy inventory level, it would have the impact of pushing prices down,” Crellin said. “How quickly (banks) will get those properties onto the market to help stabilize the market is hard to tell.” So are fears of this threat to the housing industry founded? Crellin and others around the South Sound real estate industry say no. For starters, according to Crellin, housing levels are low right now and could probably use more listings. Phil Harlan, practicing broker at Keller Williams Olympia, said agents throughout the South Sound are aware of the shadow inventory and will continue to watch the situation. “If (shadow inventory) all came on the market at the same time ... it would have the impact of pushing prices down.” See Shadow inventory, Page 7 - Glen Crellin, Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies Could Cherry Point project cause Kent ‘terminal’ problem? New invention Convention Center could tohelp host quiltersand stroke applenty. cerebral17palsy patients. 15 Increased coal traffic on railroad could lead to road congestion issues for distribution center INDEX The proposed coal export terminal in Cherry Point would mean an increase in coal train traffic through the BNSF railway corridor (shown approximately in orange) that travels through Kent. year mined from Montana and Wyoming would be hauled to the terminal along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line – and therein lies the potential problem. The rail corridor that the coal trains would travel extends from the two inland states and winds through Idaho and Washington before climbing up the Puget Sound coast, passing through Tacoma, Kent, Seattle, Everett and Bellingham before reaching Cherry Point. The opening and operation of such a high capacity terminal would inevitably lead to an increase in coal train See Terminal concerns, Page 4 IN Join us at 3pm on Feb 27th McGavick Center Tickets are $38 www.businessexaminer.com/crown-in-town 6 89076 06449 1 Q &A................................................... Featured List.....................................67 For The Record................................. Featured List....................................19 20 People For Theon Record................................. the Move.........................20 22 Scene Q&A................................................... & Heard.................................219 Scene &onHeard................................. People the Move.........................22 21 Cherry Point is over a hundred miles from south King County, but recent developments there have attracted the attention of some in the Kent business community. That’s because the Whatcom County site, already home to the largest oil refinery in Washington, may soon be home to the largest coal export facility in North America. The proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal, to be operated by global maritime service provider SSA Marine, would handle import and export of up to 54 million dry metric tons per year of bulk commodities. Up to 48 million tons of coal per PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TACOMA, WA Permit No. 308 2 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 SOUTH SOUND BUSINESS We’ve Got You Covered SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/bizexam twitter.com/bizexam Like us for updates on Business Examiner Media Group, events and other local business news. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about upcoming Business Examiner events. 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(253) 404-0891 | (800) 540-8322 www.BusinessExaminer.com www.BusinessExaminer.com/social February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 3 BusinesstoBusiness CEO: Jeff Rounce jrounce@BusinessExaminer.com Content Manager: Arnie Aurellano arniea@BusinessExaminer.com Associate Editor: Breanne Coats bcoats@BusinessExaminer.com Associate Editor: Holly Smith Peterson hpeterson@BusinessExaminer.com Sales & Events Manager: Stephanie Schramm sschramm@BusinessExaminer.com Social Media & Digital Manager: Tessa Miller tmiller@BusinessExaminer.com Media Consultant: Marny Bright mbright@BusinessExaminer.com Media Consultant: Julie Papineau juliep@BusinessExaminer.com Media Consultant: Joe Tillman jtillman@BusinessExaminer.com Senior Graphic Designer: Kelli Bell kbell@BusinessExaminer.com Business Manager: Jill Rounce jillr@BusinessExaminer.com Circulation Research Manager: Danielle Panzer dpanzer@BusinessExaminer.com HOW TO REACH US WEB SITE: www.BusinessExaminer.com Post comments on news items at: www.BusinessExaminer.com/blog PRESS RELEASES/BUSINESS BRIEFS: news@BusinessExaminer.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION: sales@BusinessExaminer.com MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1575, Tacoma, WA 98401-1575 DELIVERIES: 1702-B Tacoma Avenue S., Tacoma, WA 98402 PHONE: FAX: TOLL FREE: (253) 404-0891 (253) 404-0892 (800) 540-8322 For article reprints, please contact: subscribe@BusinessExaminer.com ABOUT BUSINESS EXAMINER The Business Examiner is the only publication dedicated exclusively to the South Sound business community, emphasizing material of interest and impact to local business owners and managers. Contents include matters of public record that relate to business readers, profiles of businesses and their operators, analyses of trends and emerging economic issues, and reports on techniques and tools people can use on the job. Each issue includes a Focus Section containing articles related to a theme that is of special significance. The publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information but is not a substitute for legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice. Statements and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of this publication or PCBE Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this publication may be stored or reproduced without permission. FREQUENCY STATEMENT The Business Examiner (ISSN 1087-4704) is published bi-weekly for $50 per year by PCBE, Inc., P.O. Box 1575, Tacoma, WA 98401-1575. Presorted standard postage paid at Tacoma, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BUSINESS EXAMINER, P.O. Box 1575, Tacoma, WA 98401-1575. Happiness ... what does it mean to you? Did you know that over half of Americans today claim that they are not happy? Now, I’m not sure what that means within their context, but I do understand my definition of happiness, and I too must admit that in the last couple of years my “happiness” is waning. That’s not because I don’t have an amazing life. Great job(s), perfect marriage, amazing eight-year-old, and I’m blessed to have enough money to do things in life like travel and drive a nice car, etc. Please know that I am not ungrateful for all of these amazing blessings that I have surrounding me; however, I have come to realize that they are not what drives “my happy.” So, you ask, where is this all coming from? Especially those of you that know me well, as I’m a goofy, bit off-the-wall and usually fairly carefree person. Well, I watched the movie/documentary “Happy” this weekend. “Happy” is a 2011 feature documentary film directed, written, and co-produced by Academy Award nominated film-maker Roko Belic. It explores human happiness through interviews with people from all walks of life in 14 different countries, weaving in the newest findings of positive. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. For me, this was amazing timing, as I’m struggling more and more with what By Stephanie Schramm Business Examiner Sales and Event Manager I hear my generation call “balance.” Balance of work, family and play. We are becoming more and more like the Japanese culture. The Japanese have a word for when you’re extremely out of balance: They call it karoshi. This literally means “working yourself to death.” It’s happening a lot there, and I’m sad to say that America is not far behind. We (including myself recently) put so much weight on money, community stature and material things that we forget to enjoy what we already have. This is indeed making us a very unhappy society. So what are the solutions that I have learned and am hoping to put to work to turn this unbalanced life around, you ask? 1. Enjoy the things that you already have. 2. Surround yourself with friends and family to give love and joy: the whole “it takes a village” scenario. It’s been proven time and time again that those who have large families and actually spend time with them are all happier people, even when you consider the family drama. 3. Give back to those who are less fortunate. This is one area I’m proud to give myself an A on already. I do a lot of charity work, and I love every minute of it. Now, I’m going to include those who I love most in my life to join me in this work and, again, make it a village effort to double the joy. Notice that none of these solutions include the words “stop working.” Or “cut your hours.” That’s what I thought for a while I was going to have to do, as I am running myself ragged. Instead, though, work hard. Put an honest day’s work in. And when you’re done for the day — be proud of the work you did today and BE DONE. Go home. Enjoy what’s around you. Recharge so you can do a great job again tomorrow. (OK, so here’s where I fail miserably. I NEVER shut work totally off. It’s a Saturday at 4 p.m. and it’s my wedding anniversary. I’m home with a horrible cold and I’m currently writing this, so case in point. But hey, I didn’t say I was going to master it immediately.) So, with that cruel fact staring me in the face, I’m signing off. I will not be signing back in tomorrow on Sunday. I will see/talk to you all on Monday. Wishing you your Happiness. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Homeless, business can coexist (Editor’s note: The comments function of BusinessExaminer.com/community is meant to encourage conversation and spark ideas about business issues in the South Sound. The feature is free and open to members of the public who register their basic log-in information. Comments should be concise, on topic and avoid attacks, profanity or abusive language or content. Comments that are deemed to violate this policy are removed. Comments made on the site are included in the print edition to further promote debate and discussion about local business issues.) I read your article dated today (“Homeless shelter in downtown Kent?,” Feb. 4) in the Business Examiner. It concerns me that the business community is portrayed as being in favor of something that it has previously made no effort to put into place, especially since this same business community, seemingly in large part, has great concerns about the effects homelessness is having on their business right now and the effect that has been present for some time. The amount of finger-pointing attributed to the business community in this article worries me. Frankly, business is but one aspect of what makes a community and brings value to a region. The reality is that, right now, there is a problem the business community itself describes that chills clients and customers from coming to downtown Kent. The process to address this outreach — also a remedy — began before the January 2012 date in this article, and, since the 2011 effort to find a place for the homeless, there has been little direct cooperation via the business community except that such an effort move the homeless somewhere else. The reality is those who are homeless are free and have the same rights to be downtown as anyone. If I thought that the effort via the business community was wholly for the sake of the homeless, I’d stand beside them. But they are quite clear; that is, it is about business first and foremost. As I said, business has made no effort to address what it has called an enduring problem. Trying to enforce civility laws will simply make life for everyone harsher. For me, what is written here takes some of what the businesses say and puts it into the category of being self-serving. I understand that business is livelihood for most, and that thinking about self is what we all do to some extent. But such a proposal to have a day center and shelter proximate to downtown homeless foot traffic actually improves these very businesses opportunity for that livelihood. The myths being circulated about panhandling and so on after such a center is created are hypothetically self-serving and ignore how civility itself issues from efforts like the proposed center. It truly makes me wonder how limited a definition of “revitalization” must be at work. I happen to think, and it is based on working in far more settings where business is present and there are also those who are homeless, that the proposed project at a location that is proximate to where those who are homeless feel at home will be a success for them and for the business community. I wish this view had been included. It is, as far as I can tell, wholly absent. The Rev. Bill Kirlin-Hackett Director, The Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness In residence at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Bellevue Letters to the editor Letters to the editor submitted for publication are used on a space-available basis. Submission does not guarantee publication, although the BE strives to include as many voices on business-related issues and topics as possible. Letters should be clear, concise, to the point and include name, title, business name and location. Anonymous letters will not be accepted. Please also include a photo and short bio if applicable. Be sure your name and address are on the back of any pictures and include a SASE if you would like pictures returned. E-mailed materials are preferred. Submit items to the Business Examiner, P.O. Box 1575, Tacoma, WA 98401, Fax: (253) 404-0892, or by e-mailing items to: sdunkel@ BusinessExaminer.com. Highlight the local connection, if it is not obvious. For additional information, call (253) 404-0891. 4 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 continued from page 1 traffic along this corridor. It’s an increase, some in Kent worry, that could have disastrous effects on the local economy. “As a large distribution area, we are concerned over the impacts of freight mobility in Kent,” said Andrea Keikkala, director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce. Last month, Keikkala sent an email to several area publications, including the Business Examiner, detailing the Chamber’s concerns; much of that message was centered around the possible impact that increased coal train traffic could have on Kent’s status as a major distribution hub. Asked if she felt that the negative impact on Kent would be larger than on other communities because of that status, Keikkala answered with certainty. “I believe Kent will be more adversely affected than other areas, given that we are the fourth largest manufacturing and distribution area in the United States,” Keikkala said. “We have a plethora of large national companies headquartered in Kent and a large infrastructure of warehousKeikkala es and manufacturers in the Kent Valley. Our quick and easy access to key transportation routes and proximity to both the Seattle and Tacoma ports is imperative.” Keikkala referred back to figures she raised in her January email: initial estimates of 18 coal trains per day, each up to a mile and a half in length. Estimations in crossing delays ranging from one to two hours of additional delay every day in Kent. A cost of $21.90 per hour due to congestion, per the 2012 Washington State Congestion Report. Do the math, and it adds up to a lot of subtracted dollars for Kent, according to Keikkala. “Considering … around 100,000 vehicles being affected, many with more than one occupant, the cost of delay could be estimated to be in the millions of dollars to Kent residents and businesses alone,” she said. Keikkala framed the Chamber’s attention to the Gateway Pacific Terminal proposal as concern rather than outright opposition, given the projected economic benefits the facility could provide the Puget Sound region. Whatcom County’s employment numbers, for example, would get a 1,250-job shot in the arm if the terminal reached full operations; those permanent jobs, according to the terminal project’s website, would pay an average of over $75,000 annually. The forecasted economic upside isn’t limited to Whatcom County. The state and local tax impact for a two-year construction period is projected at $92 million, and the local and state tax revenue once the facility is at full operation is predicted to be around $11 million annually. Still, Keikkala is not alone in raising her worries over the Gateway Pacific Terminal proposal. People up and down the Sound have voiced fears about the environmental effect that increased coal train traffic would have, including over 2,000 who packed the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle during a public hearing in December. Even before that, the issue caught the eye of state Senator Joe Fain, R-Auburn, who helped bring it to the Kent Chamber’s attention last fall. And while the project is still in its early stages (the draft of the environmental impact study, according to the Washington Department of Ecology, won’t be issued until 2014), Keikkala said it was of paramount importance to take quick action. “We want to make sure to give our membership a voice in this process early and bring it to the attention of the Kent residents and business community as soon as possible,” she said. “One of the Kent Chamber’s grounding reasons for existing Business loans ready and and WAITING. Local lending for all your business needs. needs.* • SBA LOANS • COMMERCIAL LOANS • LINES OF CREDIT • CREDIT CARDS • REAL ESTATE LOANS Great lending is just a call, click or visit away. www.anchornetbank.com 800.562.9744 *Subject to credit approval Photo Courtesy sxc.hu Terminal concerns: Railroad location could lead to big traffic snarls If the Gateway Pacific Terminal proposal is approved, Kent could be seeing a whole lot more rail traffic — in the form of trains bearing coal from Montana and Wyoming — pass through Kent Station. is our efforts in grassroots lobbying. Notifying our membership and unifying with one voice is our strongest key in our efforts to affect change for our community.” Keikkala said that a couple of the Chamber’s members have voiced their own anxieties about the Cherry Point proposal, but so far, Kent’s businesses themselves have been largely silent — at least publicly — about the issue. Several national firms with large presences or distribution centers in Kent, including Oberto, Office Depot and The Home Depot, declined comment or did not return phone calls to the Business Examiner. Others contacted said that the issue has yet to reach their radar, although a few business owners speculated on the fallout. “It would affect other companies way more than it would affect me,” said Adam Rosellini, president of Rossellini Distribution. “I don’t know how much the trains affect our particular trucks. We only have a couple of trucks, but it’s simple to do the math. If you have a big company with 20 trucks that are spending 10 minutes each a day waiting for a train to go by, then it would have a major financial effect.” See Railroad, Page 5 February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 5 Railroad: More info needed continued from page 4 Ken Sharp, owner of Minuteman Press and board member of Kent Downtown Partnership, believes that lack of concrete information is fueling the silence. “Until it actually happens or gets really close, a lot of people don’t worry about it,” Sharp said. “I haven’t heard a lot from businesses yet. It’s all so uncertain. Nobody has specific data. We don’t know how long the trains are or how many trains there are going to be. We don’t have really good studies. We only have estimates as to what the impact is going to be.” Sharp, though, agreed with Keikkala that the issue is one that shouldn’t be ignored. “Cities like Kent don’t overly want any kind of interruption to their attempts at growth,” Sharp said. “If you get these trains, then businesses may say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be here because you always have to deal with the trains.’” Sharp has a unique perspective as an entrepreneur, having recently moved his business from one of Kent’s busiest thoroughfares to a location on the other side of the train tracks. “My business, up through last year, we were located on Central Avenue,” Sharp said. “Now we’ve moved to 228th. Just that has been a noticeable impact to our business. We get more people coming in. It’s easier for us to make deliveries because we don’t have to worry about the traffic on Central Avenue and things like that. Well, Central Avenue would be really impacted by these additional trains. I think it’s going to add to that exact congestion.” Concern over the project, he said, shouldn’t be exclusive to businesses in the distribution sector, since the railroad effectively bisects Kent’s business community. “I’m on the west side of the railroad tracks,” Sharp said. “What that means to me is, the more problems we have, the less likely I’m going to be going over to Central Avenue and places like that. When the traffic flow is messed up, you tend to alter your driving plans or shopping plans. It would T H I S impact those places I do business with.” Sharp, who served for a year and half on a citizen committee to help prioritize road projects for the City of Kent, said that plans had been put forward to add overpasses to local rail crossings long before the Cherry Point proposal surfaced. As always, however, cost and geography became hurdles in the plans. “There are some (overpasses) currently,” Sharp said. “There were plans to do further overpasses. The problem, when we were studying it, is they’re extremely expensive to do. I can’t remember the figure, but it was just astronomical for each one for all the work that goes through it. Even with grants from the federal government or the state, it’s pretty expensive for a city. “Just as an aside, you’ve got James Street, which is a main thoroughfare east and west, but you can’t (build an overpass) there because essentially you would have traffic bypass Kent Station,” Sharp added, referring to the 18-acre retail center in the city’s downtown area. The hope now, Sharp said, is that awareness of the problems the Cherry Point terminal project might pose grows within Kent, stressing the need for a unified message. “We’ve got to step up and say, ‘Hey, we’re worried about this,’” he said. “If we don’t, nobody else will.” For now, Kent’s Chamber remains the most proactive local group in voicing its opinion. Some ideas have been “thrown around” to mitigate the potential impact on the city, Keikkala said, but so far, nothing concrete has been proposed, and she did not give any further details. According to Keikkala, though, the issue will remain near the center of the Chamber’s radar until the business community’s needs are addressed. “This is very high on the Kent Chamber’s priority list,” she said, “as the ramifications of this project without proper mitigation plans will be detrimental to the Kent community.” Takeout can eat up your savings. Reach content manager Arnie Aurellano at arniea@BusinessExaminer.com W E E K A fifth grader tells South Sound Business Report co-host Holly Peterson about his experience at Junior Achievement’s BizTown program. Business Examiner Media Group’s TV program followed South Sound kids as they experienced for a day the grown-up world of business. Want to hear what the kids had to say? Catch South Sound Business Report can be seen on Seattle’s KSTW CW-11 this Sunday at 9 a.m. — or scan the QR code on the right to watch the episode on your mobile device! Pack your own lunch instead of going out. $6 saved a day x 5 days a week x 10 years x 6% interest = $19,592. That could be money in your pocket. Small changes today. Big bucks tomorrow. Go to feedthepig.org for savings tips. 6 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 Q&A Marla Schimke, Vice president of marketing for Zumobi Advertising apps are the nifty new way for companies to connect with consumers. Why do they work? Just ask one of the national “2013 Mobile Women to Watch.” Why is mobile advertising so important right now? Mobile influences our lives like never before, providing an easy way for us to consume media, work on the go, research information in an instant and stay in constant contact with our friends and families. Because mobile usage is so prevalent in today’s society, there is a vast opportunity for marketers to reach people as they traverse the globe and go about their daily lives. Our industry is just now diving deep into the real potential of mobile advertising. We are helping advertisers and publishers think about the possibilities beyond mobile banners to enable native opportunities that are truly optimized on mobile devices. Our goal at Zumobi is to captivate consumers with brand-integrated experiences on mobile, as it has become the screen of choice in 2013 and beyond. For those who don’t know about Zumobi, explain in a nutshell what your company does. Zumobi is a cutting-edge mobile media company that spun-out of Microsoft Research in 2006. We work with top media brands to publish mobile apps while partnering with some of the world’s biggest brands to provide rich media advertising campaigns. What does that really mean? Here are a few examples of innovative experiences that can be enabled through our ZBi platform: • Drop a hint — A unique way to help demystify the gift-giving process, by clicking on a simple customized button in the ad, smartphone consumers can send their loved ones a text or e-mail with a hint to purchase the gift they crave. • Gift concierge — Gift Concierge helps consumer’s find the perfect present within a mobile ad. Brands engage with consumers providing them the opportunity to link directly to the item they want to purchase online or get directions to the closest retail store. • Save the date — Sophisticated calendar integration ensures that the interested consumer will never miss a purchase opportunity at a big sale, movie premiere or special event as their calendar is marked with their special date. “In the last 16 years, the world has purchased 1 billion smartphones, and it is predicted that the next billion will be sold in the upcoming two years. “ Who are some of your major clients, and why are they interested in this technology? Media companies report that visits from mobile phones and tablets have more than doubled in the last 12 months and now compose 20 to 30 percent of overall traffic across the Internet. Major brands and publishers like American Express, Motor Trend, and NBC News come to us because we are a driving force behind this trend. Building on our years of experience integrating compelling advertising into top mobile apps, Zumobi is uniquely positioned to help brand advertisers reach and engage with their audiences. Brands can leverage the power of the premium apps on the Zumobi network and take advantage of the innate features of ZBi media ad platform to drive successful mobile campaigns that combine video, user-generated content and social media on smartphones. Who are some of the main markets for mobile advertising? And who are some of the more unusual new targets you’re trying to reach? In the last 16 years, the world has purchased 1 billion smartphones, and it is predicted that the next billion will be sold in the upcoming two years. That being said, anyone can benefit from advertising on mobile. Zumobi has a series of apps that are intended for various audiences. Premium apps like our Good Housekeeping, Today Show Recipes, Dwell, and Parenting Ages & Stages apps cater to mobile moms, while our set of SportingNews apps focus on sports fans, and our Motor Trend, Automobile, and MSN Autos apps are meant for auto enthusiasts. News is also a big trend. NBC News is definitely one of our most successful apps. Which industries would benefit from mobile advertising that aren’t using it right now? I feel like most industries and big brands are utilizing mobile already; however, many aren’t leveraging the power of the native device capabilities. All industries can benefit from providing more immersive and native mobile advertising experiences versus running the basic banner ads that are so prevalent today. In some cases, mobile advertising is a missed opportunity. The Super Bowl TV ads are a good example. Top brands that ran commercials during the Super Bowl could have continued consumer conversations by incorporating a mobile call-toaction in their television ads. How many of you were on your phone or tablet device following the expert commentary, sharing content or posting comments about the game while you were watching the Super Bowl? I know I was. What are one or two of the more unusual apps your company is working on, and what are their purposes? One of the more unique apps that Zumobi currently has is Ski & Snow Report, which enables people to receive weather updates and snowfall information on their favorite ski resorts around the country. See Q&A, Page 8 February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 7 Shadow inventory: Number of bank-owned homes still unknown continued from page 1 “It’s not something to be terrified of,” Harlan said. He agrees if the banks dumped their entire inventory, it would depress the market. He believes, however, that the evidence says they won’t be doing so. “I think the banks are smarter than that,” he said. Harlan used Thurston County as an example. The county has 278 bank-owned properties, only 66 of which are on the market. He did say that the banks have slightly ticked up the number of houses they have on the market in the last year. “They are recognizing the foundation, at least in this area, is firming up and they can put a few more on without hurting the market,” he said. “It may take a year or 18 months to get through the inventory so we are back to 2009 levels, but it makes sense to meter them.” Distrust remains That’s not to say that some distrust doesn’t exist. Sharon Wilson, a broker with ReMax Professionals Tacoma, doesn’t believe the banks are keeping their housing inventory off the market to benefit the public. “Whatever they do will be very good for them,” she said. Wilson said her hesitancy to trust the banks really stems from the fact that she feels the money they received from the two bailouts wasn’t used to help homeowners. “They did nothing but good things for themselves,” she said. While Brad Tower, president and executive director of Community Bankers of Washington, doesn’t counter the fact that holding on to some of their inventory is good for the banks, he doesn’t believe there is anything wrong with what the banks have done so far. Tower said it’s true that there are a number of properties that are in foreclosure or going through the process of foreclosure. But, he added, banks have every reason to want to get their housing inventories off their books. “Banks have been trying diligently to improve the ratios on their books,” he said. “Banks don’t like to own properties. They like to rent money. That is the nature of our business.” Still, Wilson is not alone with her negative sentiments towards the banks. So why do many in the real estate industry have animosity towards the banking industry? Dick Beeson, principal managing broker at ReMax Professionals in Tacoma, gave a short answer: “They certainly didn’t enamor themselves with us.” He went on to say that, beyond what Wilson explained about the bailouts, changing regulations have also been problematic. “The regulations around them are very difficult and very confusing, and they change all the time,” he said, though he added that things seem to be getting better. “They couldn’t get their act together and they didn’t put a lot of energy into it until the last year.” Even so, Beeson said he’s not concerned about shadow inventory either, simply because of its size. He said that, as of Feb. 7, 1,364 properties in the Northwest Multiple Listing Service are bank-owned homes or condos. That’s out of 18,449 that were active as of the same day. One thing that should be noted: Part of the reason the shadow industry earned such a colorful moniker is because the banks’ inventories may not be in the NWMLS system. “It is very poorly measured. We don’t know how large it is,” Crellin said about the shadow inventory. “We know there is still a significant amount of properties in the State of Washington that are in jeopardy of foreclosure.” Short sales While the standard definition for “shadow inventory” revolves around the homes banks own, Harlan said there can be a second definition that includes the homes that the banks could potentially own in the near future because of pending foreclosures. But, Beeson said, he believes many of the homes that might have gone into foreclosure a couple of years ago will likely go up for short sale. A short sale is where the owner typically bought the home during the peak years of 2004 to 2007, and now, the price of the home has been adjusted down on average 30 percent. Since the sellers owe more money than what the home is worth, they have to ask their lender or bank to allow them to sell the house and be forgiven for the amount of debt above the selling price they owe. A couple of years ago, Beeson said, brokers felt lucky if they had at least a third of their short sale proposals approved by the banks. The situation now, he said, has improved and is probably up to a 75 percent approval rating. “They were showing the world in some regard they were going to be hard nosed,” he said about the banks. However, he added, the banks likely were losing money on homes that could have been sold via the short sale process rather than going the foreclosure route. In the future The shadow inventory may sound like a dark cloud hanging over the real estate recovery, but for the most part, those in the industry are seeing sunny skies ahead. “Washington in general is outperforming the nation as a whole, particularly the Seattle market,” Crellin said. Harlan said prices continue to go up around the South Sound. “That’s a good sign that stabilization of the market has happened,” he said. “Buyers are recognizing (that), by the end of 2013, we might see interest rates tick up a bit. The window may be closing.” Mark Wambold, branch manager of The Legacy Group, said the mortgage industry is aware of the shadow inventory, but ultimately, he believes the housing market is rebounding. “We have a shortage of inventory on the market,” he said. “We are optimistic that may start accelerating the appreciation and we can start getting better appraisals.” Wambold believes the housing inventory will tick up not just because of new foreclosures, but because more people are going to want to sell their home and buy a new one. “It perpetuates the process,” he said. Reach writer Breanne Coats at bcoats@ BusinessExaminer.com Bank-owned properties in the South Sound County Residential-Bank Owned Notice of Trustees Sale (Auction) Thurston 278 588 Pierce 1000 1000 Mason 233 241 Lewis 37 40 It is interesting to note that of the 278 bank owned properties in Thurston County, 66 are currently active on the market and 68 are pending sale, which yields 144 bank-owned but not being actively marketed. 8 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 Nonprofit teaches young men to earn a positive dollar Athrettis Brown (left), founder of Young Business Men, believes it’s important he networks and builds relationships with different business community members, like Dorian Waller (right). While sitting in jail, Athrettis Brown took a survey of his life. The results were not what he wanted. He realized quickly that not only was he making decisions that cast him in a bad light, but he was also planting negative ideas in his young nephews’ minds. “I knew I needed to stay on the straight and narrow,” he said. Brown cut all his gang ties and planned for a better future. As he expected, his sister’s sons would not only come to look up to him, but they also came to him when they were in financial need. Rather than simply handing them money, however, Brown decided to take a stand and told the boys they needed to work for the money. Because of this, the boys learned to raise money to buy things like groceries and shoes for school. This basic concept of hard work paying off has grown from something Brown taught his nephews into a launching pad for Young Business Men, a nonprofit that teaches at-risk youth financial education and responsibility. Growing up, Brown said, he learned that the only way to make money was to either break into houses or to sell drugs. He wants to give his nephews and the other young men in Tacoma other paths to take. “The ultimate goal is to show them they can earn a positive dollar,” Brown said. “We try our best to make them entrepreneurs and business owners.” The first step with any YBM participant is to build a relationship with him, so he trusts the advice Brown and others give. See Young Business Men, Page 14 Q&A: Honor created new opportunities for Schimke continued from page 6 #1 in Washington. #30 in the USA. For two years running, Columbia Bank has been the top-ranked bank headquartered in Washington state on Forbes’ list* of America’s 100 Best Banks. Nationally, we placed ahead of Key Bank, Chase, US Bank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Thanks to our customers for making it possible. If you’d like to join them, drop by or give us a call. © 2012, Forbes Media LLC. Used with permission. *Data for the list provided by financial data provider SNL Financial, based on regulatory filings of public banks and thrifts through third quarter of 2012. The study gauged the health of the 100 largest publicly traded banks and thrifts based on eight key financial metrics: return on average equity; net interest margin; nonperforming loans (NPLs) as a percentage of loans; nonperforming assets as a percentage of assets; reserves as a percentage of NPLs; two capital ratios (Tier 1 and risk-based); and leverage ratio. Find out more at columbiabank.com or call 253.305.1900. Member FDIC. You’ll notice the difference. We have also published the Relish Daily Dish app, which allows users to search through thousands of recipes and develop customized shopping lists on their mobile device, and can be easily referred to at the grocery store. Perfect for the busy mom on the go like me! You were recently honored by Mobile Marketer as a 2013 Mobile Woman to Watch. How has the award affected your business and your career since then? It was really wonderful to be recognized alongside such amazing women. I feel that it has definitely helped us secure additional opportunities, like a panel that I am moderating next month at the Exceptional Women in Publishing conference. The topic is “How to build and monetize your mobile audience,” and I will be joined by executives from ESPN, Wired, Zinio, and the New York Times. I am mostly excited, however, to help other women start pursuing careers in such a ground-breaking industry. I believe in carving out a path along with others in my field and being a role-model for the marketing leaders of tomorrow. Let’s talk about coming trends: For which apps and products or services should we be watching this year? For the coming year, we are focused on helping brands evolve from simply executing a mobile strategy to truly optimizing the mobile experience by leveraging the possibilities of our innovative technology. Zumobi is here to help provide opportunities to inspire and delight consumers on mobile, and we feel that true brand integration is the key. Toll Talk LAW & LEGISLATION Does a better road transportation budget mean future fees for I-5 in the South Sound? 10 February 18, 2013 | Business Examiner | 9 Small businesses speak out Key concerns of this legislative session are over-regulation and large tax burdens With the biggest “small business” legislative days of the 2013 session just past, owners and employees weighed in on their top points of contention for the present biennium. Heading the list is the fact that, according to a recent State Auditor’s office report, small businesses are required to jump through nearly 1,400 licensing and inspection hoops within 26 different government agencies before they can even get up and running, or make any improvements. “Small businesses’ biggest concerns are that they’re being over-regulated, and the tax burden on them,” said Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, who is also the auditor for Thurston County. “As a whole, Alexander they feel hard-pressed to comply with all of these regulations.” At the Small Business Administration’s district office in Seattle, director Nancy Porzio agrees. “The burdens brought on by regulations are cumbersome to small businesses,” she said. “What we’re hoping for this session is for the Legislature to reduce some of those regulatory pitfalls, so that our small businesses have more chance to thrive.” See Small Business, Page 10 At the National Federation of Independent Business’ Legislative Day event in Olympia, state government leaders, business owners and workers came together to discuss key legislation that could affect their industries. Workers’ comp overhaul plans fuel big debate Businesses in Washington are on the hook for more than $110 billion to rebuild the state’s Labor & Industries reserve fund in the next decade. That is, unless workers, employers and the Legislature can come to terms on where to implement cutbacks to rebuild the funds. “We need the Legislature’s help if we are to avoid the prospect of 10 years of approximately $100 million-per-year surcharges on the premium taxes that employers and employees pay into the system,” said Kris Tefft, government affairs director and general counsel for the Association of Washington Businesses. “We need to go further.” Reformation of the state’s Workers’ Compensation circuitry is the big idea to cut costs, at this point. For many industries, the sentiment is that the system has long been overly complicated and prohibitively costly, even after the latest reforms in 2011. On top of this, without further workers’ comp reform legislation this year, businesses will have to fork out that $110 billion tab. Hence, the issue is turning into the Holy Grail of hopes for rebuilding L&I funds. Five workers’ comp bills, in fact, were the gauntlet thrown down last month by Sen. Jenéa Holmquist Newbry, R-Moses Lake (see sidebar on page 11), as part of a pro-jobs package by the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus. Proposed changes to streamline the system range from a new time-loss benefit formula, an employer reimbursement reworking, and elimination of age limits. A fifth bill deals with scheduling medical examinations and rehabilitation assessments. “These bills will provide the savings and reforms employers need to create and preserve jobs, protect workers and employers from rate increases, and provide injured workers the options and help they have never had access to before,” said Holmquist Newbry. However, not everyone is in agreement that the bills bring enough changes, or the The Association of Washington Business — the organization that serves as the state’s Chamber of Commerce — held its Legislative Day events in the capital last month. Workers’ comp legislation is a topic of concern for many South Sound business owners and union leaders. right changes, into the system, much less that the bills are viable enough to shake out enough reserve funds for L&I. Organized labor, for one, opposed all of the new bills. Representing the 3,000 employees See Workers’ Comp, Page 11 10 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 Toll talk Does a Legislature gung-ho on a better road transportation budget mean future fees for I-5 in the South Sound? With all the scuttlebutt about toll rates for the new viaduct and 1-90 floating bridge in Seattle, South Sound businesses are wondering if this region isn’t next to be tapped for tolls along I-5. “I think we might be looking at that in the not-too-distant future,” said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, and chair of the House Transportation Committee. “We have to do whatever we can to make our existing pavements and exits better.” Primary locales of concern include where the trifecta of traffic merges SR 16 and I-705 with I-5 around downtown Tacoma; where SR 18 cuts away toward Auburn in Federal Way; where SR 512 blends with I-5 near Lakewood; and the entire stretch of exits south from Berkeley through DuPont at Joint Base LewisMcChord. Future plans for these sectors may include either tolls or changing HOV lanes into tolled “hot lanes,” similar to those already in place along SR 18. “It’s certainly on our radar,” said Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson Patricia Michaud. “We have all this need (for traffic and road improvements), but we don’t have the funding. So the question is, ‘Where do you get that?’” WSDOT and the Transportation Committee have indeed in past years looked into the potential effects of tolling I-5 in the South Sound to fund road improvements, and Clibborn said that a re-examination of the situation is indeed likely looming. “Those studies haven’t been dusted off until recently, but now that we have, we’re seeing if that revenue stream can be used to make trips along I-5 more efficient,” she said. Currently, for the South Sound, the Legislature is looking at a transportation package that includes tolls along the SR 167/SR 509 corridor to create a new, more efficient freight route. The goal is to make more efficient transit between I-5 and the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, as well as to smooth out traffic flow along what’s now a daily drive-time tangle there on I-5. However, Clibborn noted that, be- Will South Sound commuters and businesses have to worry about tolls in the future? The Legislature is currently looking at a package that includes tolls along the SR 167/SR 509 corridor to create more efficient transit between I-5 and the ports of Tacoma and Seattle. cause “tolls don’t really raise taxes,” in addition to all of the new user fees being implemented into this biennium’s longhaul transit plans, the state is also looking at implementing another $1 billion in gas taxes. And for the slow-down slog through JBLM, “hot lanes” won’t be likely fundraisers for much-needed peak-time lane additions, in part because the cost is just a drop in the bucket when compared to major projects like the viaduct. Instead, the Transportation Committee is considering hardening the shoulders of the highway through that sector, so that even trucks could use them as extra lanes during accidents and times of congestion. “Improving that stretch of I-5 is cer- tainly in my plans,” Clibborn said, “but it will not be tolled.” If the state were to look at future toll implementation along the JBLM and other hot-point sectors of I-5, Michaud said that it would be a long-term process that would involve much public input. “If we did go down that path, because we’re going through this with I-90 right now, we would start a study that includes an environmental assessment of impacts,” she said. “It’s a long process and would have to go to the Legislature next session. Then it’s up to them if we move tolling forward.” Besides the question of whether there will be tolls and hot lanes on overly congested routes, though, businesses here also wonder what impending rates might be. For Seattle, current plans for peak drive-time viaduct tolls range from a high of $3.25, which some say will scare drivers away to further congest city streets and slow I-5, to a low of $2.25, which others say won’t raise the magic $200 million needed to fund the project. As for other corridors where tolls and hot lanes are in the works throughout the state, Clibborn said she’s pushing to get “real numbers” for rates versus revenue in the coming weeks. The committee is aiming to finalize its transportation plan before the end of the legislative session. Reach writer Holly Smith Peterson at hpeterson@BusinessExaminer.com Small business: Higher minimum wage makes it tough to meet obligations continued from page 9 However, regulatory cutbacks are just one main issue of contention in the works this session for local companies, says the Washington state branch of the National Federation of Independent Business. According to the NFIB, which held its lobbying day in Olympia on January 30, a recent member survey illuminated five major areas of state business concern, including the new health care mandate and workers comp, both of which stand to raise small business costs at every level. Initially, though, owners are indeed talking regulations and taxes. For the latter, specifically, worries abound that the $800 million “temporary” tax increase ad- opted in 2010 — including the 20 percent increase in business and occupations tax on service-oriented companies — won’t expire this July as planned. “Obviously, budget and tax issues continue to be our first and foremost concern in our members’ needs,” said Patrick Connor, Washington state NFIB spokesman. “What we would like is for the Legislature Connor to balance the budget without increasing taxes, and for the 2010 tax package to expire, as Gov. Inslee promised.” The solution to many budget and tax issues comprises another hot-listed item on the state’s small business agenda: passing the proposal for a 2/3 vote to raise taxes. The initiative, which has been on the table in five previous sessions, has been voted down every time by legislators. “It’s high time to give the voters, particularly those concerned with business in our state, a chance to say yes or no to what happens in the tax realm,” said Connor. “Hopefully, the sixth time’s the charm.” Regarding regulations, the NFIB found that small businesses are also concerned that they’ll be facing additional workplace mandates the state Legislature has been considering in recent years, such as another hike in the minimum wage. “As the minimum wage continues to escalate, it’s tough for businesses to take care of their other employee obligations,” Alexander said. At the Association of Washington Business’ legislative day on Feb. 7, though, gubernatorial chief of staff Mary Alice Heuschel said that Gov. Inslee’s main goal for the next four years is job creation, rather than deregulation. However, adding to this, gubernatorial policy director Ted Sturdevant said that Inslee is indeed looking to work with business leaders to fix existing regulatory sticking points, and that he is aiming to positively impact the economy through See Small Biz, Page 14 February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 11 continued from page 9 of the state’s Association of Western Pulp and Paperworkers, lobbyist Sean O’Sullivan said that his group particularly opposes the large reforms presented in SB 5127 and SB 5128. “We’ve heard a lot of talk about budgets and money, but let’s give some credit to the workers, and the sacrifice they make every single day,” O’Sullivan said. “They deserve good workman’s comp, so don’t chip away at it till you mess with the safety net. Figure out ways to cut the budget and save money in other ways, but please don’t do it off the broken backs of our members.” Katherine Mason, a Washington-based attorney who represents injured workers, also has particular concerns about SB 5127 and SB 5128. “We will end up shifting responsibility for who pays for that medical care from the responsible parties, the people who bought the insurance in the first place, to either private insurance, employment, Medicare, Medicaid, or charity care,” she said. “And that’s not fair. That’s not the responsible way to go forward.” Washington State Labor Council 3rd district vice president, Bob Guenther, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said the sweeping reforms presented in all five bills could be questionable for many industries. “In the last 50 years, we can see how far we have come,” Guenther said. “But let’s have incremental change, not wholesale change.” Cody Arledge, a lobbyist for the Sheet Metal Workers 666 and the 38,000-member UFCW 21, said that although his unions were on board with nine of the 10 pieces of workers’ comp legislation in 2011, they want more discussion to figure out if the new bills will realistically bring savings. “There’s not one of us employees that don’t want to see our employers be successful,” said Artlidge. “So, although we’re in opposing all of these bills … we are partners in this, and I think we have demonstrated this in the past.” Many leaders in both business and government for Washington state, though, not only agree that the workers’ comp system could provide revenue for L&I through re- form but also agree that many points in the new bills will be helpful to workers. Rep. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, pointed out that when it comes to providing workers comp programs, it’s not all black-andwhite. “There’s a tendency for some to look at safety net issues as a quid pro quo, but many social benefits are hard to quantify and put a cost to,” he said. “So, when we look at many social programs, do you think that it’s fair that somebody with family responsibility — who’s lost their earning power due to no fault of their own on the job — should have the support system there for their family, who is otherwise going to have to go on socialized public dole?” And from the Washington Policy Center, Center for Small Business director Erin Shannon said that owners of local companies are desperate for relief. “Businesses are facing pensions that are 90 percent higher, and will have a 40 percent increase, in the next years,” Shannon said. “(These bills) are good public policy and will improve our small business climate.” Trent Haus, a government relations analyst in Lacey, added that the bills will keep the market competitive and reduce pressure on employers. For the Washington Farm Bureau, labor issues policy analyst Scott Dilly said that the bills are a good first step. “Agriculture makes up 13 percent of the state’s economy and supports 140,000 jobs, and we need these bills to provide more certainty and (security) to farmers,” he said. Ultimately, said Sen. Karen Keiser, DKent, what’s required to smooth out the workers’ comp system while simultaneously rebooting L&I reserves is simply more work. “I don’t think we’ve really had an opportunity to ask questions and delve into the substance of the bills,” she said. “And, frankly, without having Labor and Industries at the table providing real information about the consequences of these bills, about the history of rate increases, about the history of the retro program and refunds … All of these pieces need to be worked through.” Reach writer Holly Smith Peterson at hpeterson@BusinessExaminer.com IN Workers’ comp: Opposition to bills is strong, optimistic is coming Crown in Town is a Puyallup-based enterprise that invites consumers to identify outstanding merchants and service providers in their community, recognizing businesses in 80 different categories by hosting award competitions in 6,700 communities. The Crown in Town mission statement: “Our mission is “to help businesses market themselves to their community”. We are committed to helping you build your company’s brand within your community, understand who your faithful customers are and reward them, and to reach as many people in the community hoping to discover such a great business like yours.” Crown in Town founder and CEO Ryan Hart After receiving consumer nominations, the public is invited to vote for their favorites within a process managed by Crown in Town. This year’s South Sound votes have been counted and tabulated, and the winners are ready to be announced! As the media sponsor for the Crown in Town award ceremony, Business Examiner Media Group is partnering with Crown in Town to honor this year’s winners at an awards program Wednesday, Feb. 27th, beginning at 3 p.m. at the McGavick Center in Lakewood. so ... who are the winners? Glad you asked! Just turn the page to find out! (Want to see them get recognized in person? Go to www.businessexaminer.com/crown to buy seats for the event!) WE FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY, NOT THE COMPETITION. Workers’ comp bills in the works: Senate Bill 5112 would allow claims representatives for retro employers and groups to schedule independent medical examinations and vocational rehabilitation assessments, subject to certain conditions. Senate Bill 5124, a wage simplification bill, would change time-loss benefits of injured workers from a complicated process that uses a sliding scale, to a flat rate, with a monthly minimum. Senate Bill 5126 would allow an employer, L&I, or self-insurer to reimburse itself from a third-party recovery for bills paid on behalf of an employee. Senate Bill 5127 would eliminate age restriction for settlement proposals, and does not impact payment of medical bills resulting from the injury; its aim is to allow structured settlements on compensation. Senate Bill 5128 gives workers of any age the opportunity to enter into “voluntary settlement agreements,” provides for light-duty work assignments for able workers, and commissions outcome studies on the measure. BY TRACKING EMERGING ISSUES WE’RE ALREADY WORKING FOR YOU. PWB Law offers comprehensive advice to clients in all matters related to real estate from the ground up—from transactions to land use, construction and environmental compliance. Our attorneys are experienced in navigating the complex web of laws and regulations governing the use and development of real estate in Washington. We participate to communicate, offering our clients a clear view of the road ahead. 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Finally, the youth will actually practice saving money and spending money where he believes it is best spent. For example, Brown said, many of the participants pay for their own cell phones. He has helped them make sure they get the right package so they can afford to pay every month. Justice Phillips, a.k.a. J.J., is a YBM participant who admitted that, before starting the program, he would “blow off” any money that he managed to make. Now, Phillips said, he manages his money by only allowing himself to take a portion for spending and saves the rest. The YBM work experiences have given Phillips the entrepreneurial bug. When asked what kind of business he will own, he just shrugs his shoulders, but he’s clear he wants to be a business owner. “You can’t be rich and lazy,” Phillips said. “If you work for yourself, you become Small biz: Growth is key continued from page 10 workforce education and regulatory reworking. A major part of that reworking will be for the state’s new health care exchange, which the NFIB says “threatens to undermine the private health insurance market, limit choice and variety of coverage available to small businesses and their employees, and increase the cost of coverage.” That’s a true concern being expressed by small businesses, Connor said, since the development of the health care exchange will take its $50 million commitment just to get it started and the stores open — without including doctor’s visits, prescriptions, and other expenses. “Those costs will all be passed onto the businesses, through different types of fees and higher taxes,” he said. “All of which we will oppose.” Ultimately, Porzio said that small businesses are hoping that the Legislature will encourage banks to continue making loans for small business growth and expansion. Encouragement in that arena has already come through several FDA new loan programs that support local community banks in providing funding to local companies. “We’re seeing a little bit of a positive turnaround there, and we’d like that to continue,” she said. “Any efforts the Legislature can do to support that will be helpful to our business communitites.” Reach writer Holly Smith Peterson at hpeterson@BusinessExaminer.com more wealthy.” To make up for the fact that he is not a trained financial expert, Brown embedded himself into the community. “I’m not fluent on all that, but I associate with all the right people,” he said, adding YBM has already had some professionals from the financial industry speak to its participants and is open to having more. Understanding business, though, is just one of the four YBM program objectives. The other three are education (the group asks participants to get a minimum 3.0 grade point average), community service and physical fitness. The group of about 16 young men meets throughout the week, including physical training sessions with Josh Gray, YBM’s fitness instructor. “I just want to give them an experience I didn’t have growing up,” Gray said. “I never had a personal trainer.” While many of YBM’s participants dream of eventually becoming professional athletes, Brown said that it’s important that they still learn about business and financial management. “Our program is designed to give them something to fall back on,” he said. The community service component is included because Brown believes it’s critical to be a positive part of the place you live. “It gives them more of a voice,” he said. “You are making yourself look good, so you should also make your community look healthy and good.” Athrettis Brown is trying to give at-risk youth in Tacoma opportunities he didn’t have growing up. This month, YBM entered the actual classroom to begin a 16-week program at Stadium High School. Brown said the goal is to have at least 15 young men in the classroom by March. The hope, Brown said, is to have the program expand not just to high schools around the South Sound, but eventually in other areas as well. “My ultimate goal is to be similar to the YMCA,” he said, adding that he also would like to see participants graduate from YBM with $5,000 to $10,000 they could use to start their own business. To accomplish all of this, Brown is relying on community members and local businesses to provide opportunities for his program’s participants. That opportunity need not come in the form of a full-fledged part-time job, according to Brown; perhaps, he said, a business could adopting a YBM member and give them enough odd jobs in a month to earn $100. Reach writer Breanne Coats at bcoats@ BusinessExaminer.com Do you have a complex return to file? Do you own or have you bought or sold rental property? We have been preparing complex tax returns since 1970. We can help. 5127 112th St. SW | Lakewood, WA 98499 (253)582.4700 • (253)584.0540 | www.brinkandsadler.com Absher rebuilds PROGRESS Retirement of key executives sparks change in leadership at Absher Construction. 17 P U YA L L U P February 18, 2013 | Business Examiner | 15 Two siblings, one system, thousands potentially walking New invention could help stroke and cerebral palsy patients Sibling love has created a chain of events that could eventually result in stroke victims and children with cerebral palsy walking again. Since he was a child, Dr. David G. Embrey was inspired by his younger brother Paul Cameron, who had cerebral palsy. Paul died in 2008 without ever getting to take a step. “It was a very bittersweet passing,” Embrey said, adding that one sister named her child Cameron to honor their brother while another became a speech and language pathologist so she could help children with cerebral palsy. “Although Paul didn’t recognize anyone or speak or walk, he has had a worldwide impact on our family that then rippled out to the rest of the world.” Embrey, the research program coordinator with the Children’s Therapy unit at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, said he has been using this passion his brother created for 38 years. But it wasn’t until Aug. 31, 2004, when Embrey claims he had a divine vision, that he discovered a new path for himself: that of an inventor. While trying to figure out how he could get a child with cerebral palsy to walk like other children, Embrey watched a healthy child walk using muscle detection technology called surface eletromyography. The answer became clear to him. He noticed the way that the healthy child’s leg muscles moved in a normal pattern while walking. Children with cerebral palsy and adults who have strokes, on the other hand, have muscles that don’t react in the normal pattern that allows them to walk. Embrey decided he needed to find a way to make these patients’ muscles contract in a more uniform way. Enter the Gait MyoElectric Stimulator, which stimulates the muscles that lift the foot and drive the body forward while walking. “It was so simple, it was astonishing,” Dr. David Embrey said it was divine intervention that lead him to creating the Gait Myo-Electric Stimulator, a device that can help stroke patients walk. he said, adding that he looked around and found that no one had developed a system to do what his would. “That’s how I became an inventor. This is the first opportunity I had to take something that was a vision and ... potentially take it to market.” Before this invention could even be pur- sued, though, Embrey needed to design a research project to test the idea and then find funding for it. This is where another bond of sibling love entered into the scenario. Florence Hillard’s brother suffered a stroke in the 80s. Hillard acknowledged the care her brother received at Good Samaritan by making provision in her will to establish a trust in support of stroke research and education at the hospital. It was the Hillard Trust that ended up See Invention, Page 17 New developments on the horizon in Puyallup Housing development in Puyallup was put on pause during the recession, but some have decided it’s time to press play. “We are seeing an uptick in single family residential,” said Tom Utterback, the city’s development services director. Specifically, Utterback said, there were twice as many single family residential permits issued in 2012 than in 2011. “The sales have seemingly picked up enough (that) we are doing permits,” he said. “In the last month, two major projects have come in.” The man behind these two projects – Puyallup Highlands and Stuart Crossing – is “Puyallup has actually been a pretty good market through the downturn. It’s definitely a place you will continue to see things happen.” - Kurt Wilson Kurt Wilson. “The housing demand is coming back and we are seeing the demand for building lots,” Wilson said. “There are a couple of opportunities in Puyallup that made sense, and we are moving forward with those.” Wilson found investors and has been purchasing partially constructed projects throughout the area. However, he said, there are not a lot of these types of projects left out there, since housing construction is picking up. “We are behind the curve in creating new lots because lots haven’t been put into the hopper here,” he said. “Things have been absorbed slower than normal, but nothing has been put back in to build up the lot inventory.” Puyallup was attractive to Wilson because he believes homebuilders will want to buy plats of land there. “Puyallup has actually been a pretty good market through the downturn,” he said. “It’s definitely a place you will continue to see things happen.” Stuart Crossing will have about 350 lots on about 60 acres, and the newly completed phase of Puyallup Highlands added about 80 lots to the overall project. A builder is already looking to close on the Puyallup Highlands lots, Wilson said, adding See Puyallup, Page 16 16 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 Puyallup: Infrastructure grants helping with road projects Cultivate Puyallup program eliminated The newly completed phase of Kurt Wilson’s Puyallup Highlands project added about 80 lots to the division. continued from page 15 that the builder is undergoing the due diligence period as of the beginning of February. As of Feb. 5, Stuart Crossing was still going through the entitlement process, after which Wilson will move forward with phase one of the project. Construction had actually begun at the site of Stuart Crossing before, when it was supposed to be the home of an assisted living community. “It’s kind of a blight down there right now,” Wilson said. “I’m hoping to get that first phase on the way as soon as possible.” Rather than going the assisted living route, Wilson said he would be doing more straightforward single-family products rather than the mixed-use, age-restricted products that were originally planned. However, Wilson said he would still be able to use some of the initial infrastructure. Other activity Besides seeing housing development pick up, Utterback there has been other development happening in Puyallup during the last year. The Puyallup City Council voted last June to eliminate the economic development program, Cultivate Puyallup. Utterback said Cultivate Puyallup was a two-part program that combined a downtown long-term development plan and a plan for the potential transfer of development rights. “There were changes on the city council,” Utterback said. “The new council looked at it and felt they didn’t want to expend the staff time and effort to work on it at this time, mostly because of the transfer of development rights.” Katie Baker, associate planner for the City of Puyallup and Cultivate Puyallup project manager, said that when “Puyallup kept pretty busy,” Utterback said. “Even during some of the lowest years (for most) jurisdictions, we had some pretty major projects going on.” While Utterback said the private sector has maintained development in the city during the last few years, the city has been focused on “maintaining strong services and infrastructure.” The City of Puyallup previously received a Local Infrastructure Financing Tool grant from the State of Washington. The cities that receive this grant can be awarded money for up to 25 years if they meet cer- the city stopped the program, it didn’t really affect a lot of things. “By council ending the program, it kept things the way they are currently, for better or for worse,” she said. “Really, they didn’t feel it was the right fit for this city.” There are a couple of components of Cultivate Puyallup that are left standing. Baker said there is a draft Environmental Impact Statement that other developers could reference, but they will need to do their own. Also, someone could eventually use the same language the staff had come up with for a draft code for a transfer of development rights program. tain requirements. Puyallup has been able to meet these requirements, and the city is using some of these funds to work on a road connection project near South Hill Mall. Utterback said the city can continue to accrue LIFT grant money and is in the process of figuring out where else to apply the funds. “That’s been a positive for the city,” he said. “We want to make sure we put it where it makes the most sense.” Reach writer Breanne Coats at bcoats@ BusinessExaminer.com February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 17 Absher Construction rebuilds after key executives retire Dan Absher believes every business is always in the state of transition. This philosophy may explain why Absher Construction started planning its most recent transition of leadership years ago. All of this planning finally came to a head at the end of 2012, when former Absher executives Tom Absher, Greg Helle and Brad Sayre all retired. “After 20 years as company leaders, my partners were ready to move on to the next chapters of their lives, and we worked cooperatively over a long period of time to facilitate the change as smoothly as possible,’ said Dan, the company’s president. “The next step is to get a lot of the financial burden from this transition out of the way and figure out what the next transition step is, keeping the focus on being family-owned or employee-owned.” Being family-owned is a significant part of Absher Construction’s identity, and maintaining that was important to those who remained, according to Dan. “We decided we wanted to do everything we could to keep the company family-owned or employee-owned, but for sure keep it locally-owned,” Dan said. “A lot of companies in our industry have been bought out by big national corporations, and we didn’t want to do that.” Dan said he and the former leadership team were inspired in the early 90s to plan ahead for their retirements because of how his dad and Helle’s father planned for theirs. When the three partners decided they wanted to retire at the same time, they set a date out into the future so they the transition could be smooth. “As time does, it got here pretty quickly,” Dan said of the retirement date. “It honestly took all of us by surprise. This is what we were talking about, and now, it’s here.” Knowing it would need to replace four critical people within the company Absher Construction hired Chief Operating Officer Rich Begert in 2010 to work side by side with the retiring executives during the two years preceding their departure. Begert said it immediately struck him that the company would have to overcome the obstacle of all three board members wanting to leave at the same time. “To overcome that, (Dan) announced (the retirements) to the company two years ahead of time,” Begert said. “We were transferring responsibilities throughout that period of time.” Absher further reinforced its management team by promoting long-term employee Curt Gimmestad to director of operations, and adding corporate secretary responsibility to general counsel Dennis P. Greenlee Jr. and corporate treasurer responsibility to Chief Financial Officer Lane Tanabe. “Since we were well-prepared and have great people, I don’t think it’s been a great burden for the company to address. I think the company does miss seeing them,” Dan said. “For me, it’s a bigger change than I anticipated. If you work that closely with people for that many years when that many people leave at the same time, it’s kind of a lonely feeling.” Company first One of the reasons Absher Construction had to have a strong transition plan in place was that the people involved were either family or close family friends. “On one hand, it’s easier because we are family, because we know each so well,” Dan said. “On the other hand, it’s more complicated because we are family.” Begert said it was important that no one had any hard feelings when plans were put into place and carried through. “One thing that was challenging about this situation was all of them retired because they knew it was the best thing for the company,” Begert said. “They put the company ahead of themselves.” Dan explained that his fellow leaders were probably too young to retire – between the ages of 51 to 61 – but they wanted to give other employees of the company the chance to be in a leadership position. Since the board members were retiring earlier than they probably anticipated, Dan said it was important that part of the discussions around the transition plan included questioning what each departing partner was going to do moving forward, so they wouldn’t feel abandoned by the company. “It’s really good for each person to address what are they going to do with their life and have other plans and goals to keep them engaged,” he said, adding that if the company can help them figure out those goals, it’s a win-win for both. To make sure everyone is respectful of each other and the company’s best interest are kept in mind, Dan said it was important to bring in an outside perspective to the negotiations. Begert was involved in the discussions and said the board of directors’ experience with company transitions was invaluable. However, while family dealings can get messy, Dan said everything went well. “I’ve worked with those guys for 30 years, great partners, and the company would not be where it is without them,” Begert said. As far as timing goes, Dan said the board members tried to take that into consideration. “The state of the economy was not ideal, but I’m not sure you can ever find the ideal time,” he said. “There is a bit of leap of faith that the timing works out, but you can’t know at the time. Towards the future Absher Construction reached its peak about five years ago, but then the recession hit. “We saw pretty early that the economy was going into recession, so we had some significant downsizing early,” Dan said. “We’ve remained stable but not as big as five years ago. We’ve done well through the recession and are sized appropriately to take advantage of the growth we are seeing happening in the next couple of years.” During the recession, Begert said, the company’s education and federal work ticked up, but recently the housing and health care sectors have been improving. “We are fairly diversified, which is beneficial in this environment,” he said. Reach writer Breanne Coats at bcoats@ BusinessExaminer.com Invention: Dream of working with children fuels inventor continued from page 15 funding Embrey’s research project. Finding this money was a relief for Embrey, who admits the business side of the medical field is not his specialty. “I don’t do money,” he said, adding that even his wife of 40 years, Barbara, takes care of their finances. “Good Sam has been supportive in providing that background for me.” Embrey admits that he is now wellknown for saying that “God will provide” when the hospital’s president asked about funding the research he needed for his project. “I’ve never worried about the money,” he said. “I’ve never been rich and I don’t plan to be rich, but God’s provided the money to do this work.” Once the study was done, Embrey analyzed the data and published his results. At this point, he said, the two “critical details” that come next are FDA approval and finding a business partner that can manufacture and market the system. Product development A U.S. patent was issued for the Gait MyoElectric Stimulator on July 13, 2010. However, the newer device, called the Gait MyoElectric Stimulator II, is currently in the patent review process. Embrey admits that his first design for the Gait MyoElectric Stimulator was rath- The first study focused on chronic stroke patients — those who had a stroke at least a year before the study took place. Now, Embrey is using this remodeled device in a new study on acute stroke victims, patients who recently suffered a stroke. “In our current study, we are testing their function at the beginning of rehab and after rehab, comparing those with our electrical stimulation system and without,” he said. “We’ve had significant improvements in walking endurance and walking speed, quality of life and muscle strength.” Dr. David G. Embrey’s brother, Paul Cameron (above), had cerebral palsy and never walked. MultiCare support er crude. He said the team didn’t want to dive into the aesthetics and the details of the system if the overall concept of stimulating the muscles didn’t prove to be true. “When we saw the proof of concept was effective, we developed a new system,” he said. The first change the team made was eliminating the original switch mechanism, which didn’t give accurate timing to the process. Now, another mechanism triggers the stimulation, but Embrey said he couldn’t reveal details about it until after their patent was approved. Other changes to the device included making a more comfortable wave form, making it essentially wireless and making it possible for people who can’t walk to wear it and still reap the benefits. Developing the system, conducting studies and dealing with other aspects of his invention takes up about a third of Embrey’s time. MultiCare, though, has been supportive of his efforts, he said. Marianne Bastin, director of Pediatric Therapy Services at MultiCare Health System, added that Good Samaritan Hospital’s Children’s Therapy Unit has been supporting clinically relevant research for more than 25 years. Specifically, she said clinical experts work with Embrey on the very specific needs of each individual. “Our ability to ask and answer questions that matter to one particular child helps not only that child, but many others who have similar issues,” she said. “(Embrey’s) ability to think about the big questions – and yet bring that big question into focus for one child’s benefit – is exceptional, and is the driver behind the work of the movement lab.” Bastin said that since the staff members at CTU are all dedicated to improving the lives of children, there is a definite buzz about the Gait MyoElectric Stimulator. “(Embrey’s) recent invention, we believe, will have widespread benefits for children and adults in the future,” she said. “We are very proud of his leadership in this area.” It’s taken more than eight years to make it almost to the finish line, but Embrey is still motivated by his brother to keep moving forward with this invention. “The next step for me is to find some funds to do a study on children with cerebral palsy,” he said. “The possibility of doing this work with children of cerebral palsy is still my greatest dream.” And if his passion ever needs a pickme-up, Embrey can always turn to statistics. He can easily quote off the top of his head that 3 million Americans suffer from a stroke and could potentially benefit from his system. Meanwhile, he said, every year about 100,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with cerebral palsy. “If we can create a system that will help them walk better, it opens a tremendous market and our ability to help thousands of children and adults,” he said. Reach writer Breanne Coats at bcoats@ BusinessExaminer.com 18 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 AroundtheSound TUESDAY, FEB. 19 BizTech Talk Forum BizTech Talk Forum, 4:15-6 p.m., Garfield Bookstore Community Room (208) Garfield Street, Suite 101, Tacoma. A partnership with the PLU School of Business to facilitate monthly executive forums with a focus on helping Presidents and CEO’s to share valuable information concerning technology and business trends to grow their businesses. Branding Yourself Through LinkedIn Branding Yourself Through LinkedIn, 5:30-8:30 p.m., The Washington Building, 16th floor conference room, 1019 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. Hands-on workshop to get started or tweak your existing profile based on the latest practices. The class is geared towards beginning to intermediate user of LinkedIn. Register by emailing Marlynn Haslund at marlynn@ripplefxcareers.com. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20 State/Regional Ed Discussion “Breaking the Monopoly of Mediocrity” Tour, Institute for a Competitive Workforce, hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, 3 p.m., Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway, Tacoma. Part of a cross-country tour to discuss education reform and inspire local leaders across America. First segment will be screening of film “Won’t Back Down,” followed by keynote address and moderated panel discussion on education changes and the skills gap as it relates to Washington’s manufacturing sector. Distinguished Leader Awards Thurston County Chamber, 5:30 p.m., Saint Martin’s University Norman Worthington Center, 5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey. Presented by West Coast Bank, the 12th annual leadership celebration will begin with a reception, followed by dinner and a program honoring leaders who demonstrate outstanding initiative, inspire others and make a significant impact in the Thurston County community and beyond. Honorees are Patty Belmonte, executive director of the HandsOn Children’s Museum; Virgil Clarkson, Lacey mayor; and Dr. Gerald Pumphrey, recently retired president of South Puget Sound Community College. THURSDAY, FEB. 21 Tacoma Rotary Rotary of Tacoma #8, Noon - 1:30 p.m., Landmark Temple Theatre, 47 St. Helens Avenue, Tacoma. Speaker will be Ben Bakkenta of the Puget Sound Regional Council. Launch & Grow Business Launch & Grow Workshop, 14 p.m., Bates Technical College, 1101 South Yakima Ave ., Tacoma. Learn how to launch and grow your small business, or learn how to make your existing business more successful. Interactive group class covering all subjects regarding starting and running a business from identifying your market and customers, sales and marketing, financial management, and how to find funding. SEAP approved. Chamber After Hours Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, 5- 7 p.m., Apollo Spas, 6111 Tacoma Mall Blvd., Tacoma. A monthly networking event where you will have the opportunity to meet & mingle with small, medium, and large Chamber member businesses. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27 University Biz Breakfast University of Puget Sound Business Breakfast, 7:30-9:30 a.m., The Harbor Dining Room at Bell Harbor, 2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66 Seattle. Keynote speaker Kenneth Willman will give a talk titled “Around the World in 18 Years: Reflections and Projections from a Career in Global Finance.” He also will address the efforts by Russell Investments to build the financial services sector in the Puget Sound region. Crown In Town Crown In Town Award Ceremony, 3-5 p.m., McGavick Conference Center, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW Lakewood. Hosted by KIRO FM’s John Curley. Join Crown in Town and The Business Examiner Media Group in saluting “the most celebrated businesses in our community.” THURSDAY, FEB. 28 Planning Open House Community open house kickoff, City of Tumwater and Thurston Regional Planning Council, 5:30-8:30 p.m., South Sound Manor, 455 North St. SE, Tumwater. The first of three open houses to learn about the Tumwater Brewery District and help shape its future. Meeting is designed as “a preliminary visioning effort.” The Tumwater Brewery District Planning Project will examine 300-acre district surrounding the historic Tumwater Brewery to develop a long-range vision for the District. Submit calendar items to news@BusinessExaminer.com or post items at BusinessExaminer.com/calendar. Like Us On Facebook facebook.com/bizexam Follow Us On Twitter twitter.com/bizexam February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 19 LAW FIRMS # Partners # Paralegals 1 1 Gordon Thomas Honeywell 1201 Pacific Ave Ste 2100 Tacoma, WA 98401 (253) 620-6500 | (253) 620-6565 info@gth-law.com GTH-Law.com 51 25 29 102 William E Holt, Managing Partner/ Chairman of Board 2 2 14 16 47 Carl R Peterson, Managing Partner 5 19 18 10 38 H. Andrew Saller Jr, Sr Managing Partner Corporate/business management, real estate, government, school administration 1990 4 6 17 8 10 7 17 8 13 12 Campbell Dille Barnett & Smith PLLC 317 S Meridian Puyallup, WA 98371 8 Curran Law Firm 555 West Smith St Kent, WA 98032 NR Luce Lineberry & Kenney PS 4505 Pacific Hwy E Ste A Tacoma, WA 98424 15 Connolly Tacon & Meserve 201 5th Ave SW Ste 301 Olympia, WA 98501 16 Law Lyman Daniel Kamerrer & Bogdanovich PS 2674 RW Johnson Blvd SW Tumwater, WA 98512 (253) 848-3513 | (253) 845-4941 talisa@cdb-law.com CDB-Law.com (253) 852-2345 | (253) 852-2030 recep@curranfirm.com CurranFirm.com (253) 922-8724 | (253) 922-2802 lawfirm@llklawfirm.com LLKLawFirm.com (360) 943-6747 | (360) 943-9651 ctm@olylaw.com OlyLaw.com (360) 754-3480 | (360) 357-3511 kim@lldkb.com LLDKB.com 10 5 10 31 Gregory A Jacoby, Pres; Joseph P Zehnder, Attorney; Barbara Jo Sylvester, Attorney 37 Michael M Hanis, Sr Partner; Cynthia A Irvine, Co-Managing Partner; Patrick M Hanis, Partner; Mark W Prothero, Partner; Gregory F Cromwell, Partner; Gregory L Girard, Partner 22 Bryce Haggard Dille, Managing Member 1925 5 (253) 572-4500 | (253) 272-5732 info@eisenhowerlaw.com Eisenhowerlaw.com (253) 383-3791 | (253) 383-6377 swinship@vjglaw.com VJGLaw.com (253) 627-1181 | (253) 627-2247 aka@mcgavick.com McGavickGraves.com (253) 520-5000 | (253) 893-5007 info@hiplawfirm.com HIPLawFirm.com 24 3 Eisenhower & Carlson PLLC 1201 Pacific Ave Ste 1200 Tacoma, WA 98402 Vandeberg Johnson & Gandara LLP 1201 Pacific Ave Ste 1900 Tacoma, WA 98402 McGavick Graves 1102 Broadway Ste 500 Tacoma, WA 98402 Hanis Irvine Prothero, Attorneys at Law 6703 S 234th St Ste 300 Kent, WA 98032 10 7 7 21 Theresa Ahern, Managing Partner 9 3 9 21 Kenyon E. 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Connelly Jr, Sr Mgr 5 4 4 9 22 Hillier Scheibmeir Vey & Kelly PS PO Box 939 Chehalis, WA 98532 NR Phillips Wesch Burgess LLC 724 Columbia St NW Ste 140 Olympia, WA 98501 27 Taylor Law Group PS 6510 Capitol Blvd SE Tumwater, WA 98501 29 Jay A Goldstein Law Office PLLC 1800 Cooper Pt Rd SW Ste 8 Olympia, WA 98502 NR Ascher & Denton PLLC 2401 Bristol Ct SW Ste A101 Olympia, WA 98502 NR Jessica Jensen Law PS 2604 12th Ct SW Ste B Olympia, WA 98502 33 Manza & Moceri PS 2928 S Union Ave Tacoma, WA 98409 (360) 748-3386 | (360) 748-9533 bhillier@localaccess.com 5 4 3 8 (360) 742-3500 admin@pwblawgroup.com Pwblawgroup.com (360) 705-9000 | (360) 705-0389 taylorlawgroup@comcast.net Taylorlawgroup-ps.com (360) 352-1970 | (360) 357-0844 donna@jaglaw.net JAGLaw.net (360) 357-8669 | (360) 357-9623 ascherdent@gmail.com AscherDenton.com (360) 705-1335 | (360) 570-2038 info@jessicajensenlaw.com JessicaJensenLaw.com (253) 473-2771 | (253) 471-1815 Receptionist@manza-moceri.com Manza-Moceri.com 5 3 2 9 Richard G Phillips, Sr Partner Real estate, land use, construction 2012 4 0 2 8 Thomas J. Taylor, Sr Managing Partner General, personal injury, family law, real estate, probate, adoptions, estate planning, and business law 1978 4 1 3 7 Jay Goldstein Business, real estate, land use, construction, timber, tax, estate 1994 planning, probate transactions and litigation 3 2 1 4 Melissa Denton Family law, divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, restraining orders 1990 3 1 4 7 Jessica McKeegan Jensen, Attorney at Law Business law, real estate/land use, wills, trusts & estates, uncontested family law 2008 2 2 4 8 John Stephan Moceri, Attorney; Patrick T. Manza, Attorney NR Retacco Law Offices Inc PS 30640 Pacific Hwy S Ste C1 Federal Way, WA 98003 NR Albert & Slater PS 33650 6th Ave S Ste 102 Federal Way, WA 98003 34 Swigart Law Offices PS 329 E Main St Auburn, WA 98002 NR Seifert Law Offices PLLC 112 E 4th Ave Ste 200A Olympia, WA 98501 NR Law Office of C Edward Adams 7512 Stanich Ln Ste 2 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 NR Law Offices of David Smith PLLC 201 St Helens Ave Tacoma, WA 98402 NR Bottimore & Associates PLLC 201 St Helens Ave Tacoma, WA 98402 NR Acebedo & Johnson LLC 1011 E Main Ste 456 Puyallup, WA 98372 (253) 941-1161 | (253) 839-1941 wretacco@aol.com RetaccoLaw.com (253) 838-0678 | (253) 838-4681 gary@toughdivorces.com ToughDivorces.com (253) 939-4556 | (253) 939-4559 swigartlaw@hotmail.com SwigartLaw.com (360) 357-7087 | (360) 705-1163 info@seifertlaw.com SeifertLaw.com (253) 853-4171 | (253) 853-4172 SensibleLegalSolutions.com 2 2 1 3 Vincent Anthony Retacco, Partner; Wendy Elizabeth Retacco, Partner 1949 Personal injury including wrongful death, workers compensation, malpractice, automobile accident, pedestrian accidents, slip/trip and fall, construction site negligence, bicycle accidents, trucking accidents, traumatic brain injury Plaintiff personal injury/wrongful death, product liability 1972 2 1 1 4 Gary R.W. Slater Family law, personal injury, probate, estate planning 1974 2 2 2 4 James A. Swigart, Senior/Managing Partner Business/corporate law, LLCs, real estate, estate planning, probate 1982 2 1 3 5 Lisa Seifert, Owner Legal services for immigration and visas for business and families 1989 2 0 2 5 C. Edward Adams, Owner Personal injury, divorce & family, bankruptcy, DUI, traffic, wills/ 1998 probate, aviation (253) 272-4777 | (253) 461-8888 lisa@davidsmithlaw.com DavidSmithLaw.com (253) 272-5653 | (253) 272-5720 leslie@bottimorelaw.com BottimoreLaw.com (253) 445-4936 | (253) 445-9529 shawn.jones@acebedojohnson.com AcebedoJohnson.com 2 1 2 7 David C. Smith Business & corporation, bankruptcy, civil litigation, computer/ technology, contracts, real estate 2000 2 1 2 4 Leslie R Bottimore, Owner Estate planning, Probate, Guardianship, Business, Real estate, Family law, Personal injury 2004 2 2 1 3 Pierre E. Acebedo, Esq; Cindy A Johnson, Esq NR Amer & Young, PLLC 222 E Main St Ste M Auburn, WA 98002 NR Law Offices of Karl Zeiger 1902 Meridian S Puyallup, WA 98371 NR Valerie V Staley 102 5th St NE Auburn, WA 98002 (253) 833-3004 | (253) 833-0899 info@ameryounglaw.com AmerYoungLaw.com (253) 841-1000 | (253) 840-0766 kczeiger@aol.com Karlzeiger.com (253) 288-0488 VstaleyLaw.com 2 2 2 4 Saphronia R. Young, Founder, partner, principal Contract law, real estate and environmental law, occupational 2005 licensing representation, anti harassment & protection orders, business law, estate law (probate & simple wills), litigation, homeowners associations Business transactions, construction law, civil litigation, estate 2009 planning, mediation, employment, bankruptcy. 1 0 2 3 Karl Zeiger Personal injury 1982 1 0 2 3 Valerie V. Staley, Owner Family law 1985 2011 Company Name Rank Rank Address 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Phone | Fax Gen Co Email Web site # Emps # Attorneys Ranked by total number of attorneys. Figures as of October 2012. Sr / Managing Partner(s) Areas of Practice / Service Year Est Business, commercial and complex litigation, employment, real 1894 estate, land use, energy/renewable energy, environmental and natural resources, civil rights and personal injury, trusts & estate planning, tax, appellate, and mediation. Business transactions, commercial litigation, real estate, land 1914 use, employment, banking, family, estate planning Litigation, estate planning, family law, real estate, business, corporate, employment, personal injury Personal injury, bankruptcy, business, family, criminal defense, 2003 immigration, construction, wills, estates, real estate, homeowners associations, landlord, tenant, traffic infraction defense, litigation, employment law, administrative law Commercial, business entities, estate planning, probate, 1031 1931 exchanges, personal injury, divorce, escrow, real estate,general litigation, adoptions, home owners associations, foreclosures Business, real estate, bankruptcy, employment, estate planning, 1948 family, home owners association, municipal, school, personal injury, medical malpractice Estate planning, personal injury, family law, business 1967 General practice, real property, business, construction, probate/ 1977 estate planning, personal injury, family and criminal law Estate planning, business planning, estate and gift taxation, probate, corporation formation, tax liabilities, and litigation Personal injury, government liability, wrongful death, traumatic 2006 brain injury, spinal cord injury, insurance bad faith, product liability, sports injury, civil rights, medical malpractice Scott E Blinks, Sr Managing Partner; Corporate, business transactions, estate planning, 1882 David A Jones, Partner; Rene J. Remund, administration, trust, civil litigation, elder law Senior/Managing Partner; J Vander Stoep, Partner William T. Hillier; Mark C. Scheibmeir Business, corporations, real estate, banking, municipal, estate 1938 planning Ranked by total number of South Sound attorneys then by year opened. Information is based on data provided by a representative of each company or respective Web site. PCBE Inc. dba Business Examiner makes every attempt to publish accurate and factual information on its lists, however, accuracy can not be guaranteed. It is not the intent of this list to endorse the participants, companies, or individuals or to imply a specific level of quality in the companies listed. Please send any updates, additions, corrections, or deletions to subscribe@businessexaminer.com. 20 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 FortheRecord New Business Announcements Listings are prepared from information supplied by new businesses and published as a service to the local business community by the BusinessExaminer. Submit form at www. BusinessExaminer.com Domino’s Pizza 16929 SE 270th Place, Covington 98042 Steven Alexander, franchisee With a renewed focus on the art and skill of pizzamaking, Domino’s is introducing its Pizza Theater store design, where customers watch their pizza being made and interact with crew members. Dunham Construction of Maple Valley built the Covington location’s new look, which has hardwood floors, a chalk wall and a cold case featuring fresh-made salads, milk, cookies, cakes and other desserts. Bankruptcy Filings Listings are selected from files at Clerk of U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western Washington District, Tacoma. Commercial and business bankruptcy filings from the local area are reported here. Chapter 7 is business liquidation. Chapter 11 is for reorganization. Chapter 13 is an individual debt repayment plan. James Edward Russom dba Weathershield Exteriors LLC 22019 112th St. E, Bonney Lake Secured Debts: $0 Priority Debts: $35,000 Unsecured Debts: $139,345 Assets: $68,369 Chapter 7 Case #13-40597 1/30/2013 Rhett Joel Mills fdba Mills & Associates 219 W. Summa St., Centralia Estimated Liabilities $50,001-$100,000 Estimated Assets $50,001-$100,000 Chapter 13 Case #13-40593 1/30/2013 Richard C. Pierson fdba DCD Corps. aka Morning Thunder Espresso Co. 6626 Rehklau Rd. SE, Olympia Estimated Liabilities $100,001-$500,000 Estimated Assets $100,001-$500,000 Chapter 7 Case #13-40600 1/30/2013 Cottage Meadow LLC dba single asset real estate 10821 Valley Ave. E, Puyallup 420 E. 18th St., Tacoma Estimated Liabilities $0-$50,000 Estimated Assets $0-$50,000 Chapter 11 Case #13-40656 1/31/2013 James B. Clauson dba J’s Inc. / Office Furniture Source dba J’s Upholstery Inc. dba J’s Upholstery dba First Choice Office Furniture dba Jae’s Upholstery Inc. dba Office Furniture Source fdba Js Inc fdba First Choice Home and Office Furniture LLP fdba Js Upholstery fdba First Choice Office Inc. 307 M St., Centralia Secured Debts: $536,117 Priority Debts: $0 Unsecured Debts: $419,344 Assets: $403,985 Chapter 7 Case #13-40665 1/31/2013 Richard David Combs dba Dependable Bldg Services fdba Precision Caulking and Restoration 3836 152nd St. Ct. E, Tacoma Secured Debts: $335,000 Priority Debts: $12,000 Unsecured Debts: $76,808 Assets: $268,225 Chapter 7 Case #13-40661 1/31/2013 Russel A. Johnston fdba Leaf ’s Deli 17308 87th Ave. Ct. E, Puyallup Secured Debts: $334,184 Priority Debts: $17,474 Unsecured Debts: $237,283 Assets: $217,785 Chapter 7 Case #13-40652 1/31/2013 Tyler J. Gillis dba Sound Retaining Walls 233 Berkeley Ave., Tacoma Secured Debts: $464,913 Priority Debts: $0 Unsecured Debts: $62,166 Assets: $237,813 Chapter 7 Case #13-40669 1/31/2013 Tommy Chang Yoi Yoo fdba Chase Station Inc. fdba Tanglewilde Valero fdba Tanglewilde Chevron fdba Chace Station Inc. 1403 Lebanon St., Lacey Secured Debts: $0 Priority Debts: $8,653 Unsecured Debts: $1,406,099 Assets: $18,570 Chapter 7 Case #13-40717 2/4/2013 Robyn Meda & Roger William Bauer fdba Mickrob Gifts PO Box 634, Yelm Secured Debts: $145,551 Priority Debts: $0 Unsecured Debts: $42,523 Assets: $177,871 Chapter 7 Case #13-40747 2/6/2013 Russell J. Nation dba Nation Enterprises PO Box 1404, Shelton Secured Debts: $172,168 Priority Debts: $0 Unsecured Debts: $96,818 Assets: $177,761 Chapter 7 Case #13-40735 2/6/2013 Mark J. Foster dba Frank’s Meat Market fdba Norton Meats Inc. PO Box 121, South Prairie Secured Debts: $10,843 Priority Debts: $99 Unsecured Debts: $475,720 Assets: $44,708 Chapter 7 Case #13-40764 2/7/2013 Hugh M. Witt IV fdba Olympia’s Consulting Firm 4570 Avery Lane #260, Lacey Secured Debts: $306,271 Priority Debts: $0 Unsecured Debts: $57,125 Assets: $357,021 Chapter 7 Case #13-40797 2/8/2013 Lawsuit Filings These cases involving local businesses have been filed in Superior Courts. Plaintiff listed first. Readers are cautioned that claims in these actions have not been proven; they are alleged to be causes for action and truth will be determined at trial. Information is from public record, as maintained by Clerk of Superior Court. Thurston County MC Squared Inc. vs Union Capital Group LLC, Associated Environmental Group LLC, Michael S. Chuna Plaintiff provided engineering services to defendant Union beginning in July 2006 for project known as Union and Capitol. Despite submission of regular invoices, there remains $103,857.47 balance due and this lawsuit seeks judgment with interest, costs and attorney fees. 1/16/2013 BS Kang Inc. vs Kyu Ki dba Young Cleaner, dba Young Alterations & Cleaners In June 2008, plaintiff entered Business Opportunity Purchase and Sale Agreement with defendant Yi, to pay $95,000 for the goodwill of Century Cleaners and an additional $90,000 for an Agreement Not to Compete within 5 miles for 60 months. Lawsuit claims that Yi is violating this restriction by operating a competing business, EUN dba Young Cleaners, less than a mile from the business that plaintiff purchased. Asks court to issue preliminary injunction to prevent said competition and award damages, with attorneys’ fees and costs. Court did grant that request Feb. 1 pending show cause hearing. 1/17/2013 ProBuild Company LLC vs Northwest Roof Care & Construction Inc. Lawsuit seeks to collect $11,352.86 due on open account, plus interest, costs and fees. 1/20/2013 Valley Nut & Bolt Co. Inc. vs Northwest Metal Fabrication Inc. dba J L Brooks Welding Collection filing seeks $35,458.73 past due on account, plus interest, costs and fees. 1/20/2013 Hawks Prairie Center LLC vs Randy W. Fiscus Breach of lease complaint filed for real property at 8221 Martin Way E, Olympia, under lease signed in March 2004. Premises were assigned to Charles Kennedy in 2006 and plaintiff consented. Defendant’s sub-tenants have now abandoned the premises and not paid rents and additional charges as required by the lease. This filing seeks to collect $20,857.56, plus costs, fees and interest. 1/28/2013 Dirt and Aggregate Interchange Inc. vs Boss Construction Inc. Breach of contract lawsuit alleges $13,285.32 due on contract for subcontract in Nov. 2010 to provide and install guardrail components to Vail Road South to Bald Hill Road project. Also seeks to collect interest, costs and fees. 1/28/2013 Sherwin Williams Co. vs Craig Reynolds Cholski dba CRC Painting Collection lawsuit seeks $2,093.20 past due balance on account for merchandise purchased and received, plus interest, costs and fees. 1/28/2013 Verizon Long Distance LLC vs State Dept. of Revenue Complaint for tax refund and notice of appeal for defendant’s audit for Jan. 2003 through June 2010 which claimed $8,911,981.17 was due and was paid. Dispute centers around collection of retail sales tax on long distance services marketed unlimited long distance calls through Freedom plans that were sold to residential customers. Audit found that the exemption from sales tax for residential service required that such must be specified in tariff filing with Wash. Utilities and Transportation Commission. Petition cites prior court ruling that found the exemption applied to all “customers who do not have their phone associated with business use.” Asks court to order refund of $8.9 million tax paid with interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. 1/29/2013 Artistry in Iron Inc. vs Olympic Wholesale Bldg Supply Inc., Allan L. Kravitz Plaintiff has manufactured custom iron fabrications for defendant for over 20 years and full payments of invoices is due within 30 days. Filing states that defendants have failed to pay the last seven invoices and lawsuit seeks to collect $13,827.74 plus $197.98 interest, costs and attorney fees. 2/5/2013 Pierce County Golden SJ Construction Inc. vs Song Woon Yi, Joe Yi Insurance Agency Plaintiff contracted in Aug. 2012 to renovate a professional services building at 7803 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, purchased by defendant for his insurance agency. Dispute arose over the use of one-half inch or five-eighths inch gypsum sheetrock for fireblocking materials. Job was allegedly bid for the lesser, which was installed and meets city code, according to filing. Defendant’s mother inspected the sheetrock after it has been fully installed and demanded that it be replaced with the thicker dimension material, and defendant Yi agreed. Plaintiff did the new work and submitted an additional invoice of $11,190 for this, which remains unpaid along with substantial balance due on the original contract. Lawsuit seeks to collect $29,428.83 principal, plus interest, costs and fees. Defendants’ counter-claim asserts that 5/8 drywall was demanded to comply with building codes requirement as well as the contract. Also alleges that plaintiff never completed the work, but instead left a substantial punch-list of items that it refused to perform. Defendant asks to receive damages while plaintiff should recover nothing, but be required to pay costs and attorney fees. 12/12/2012 Manor Hardware Inc. vs Michael J. Sweet dba MS Construction Complaint for money due on contract seeks $9,507.86 plus $3,387.26 collection charge, interest, costs and fees. Lawsuit specifies request for reasonable attorney’s fee of $1,003,387.26 without explaining further. 1/20/2013 Pitney Bowes Global Financial Services vs Law Offices of John A. Sterick P.S. Filing claims unpaid business debt of $46,816.93 is due, plus interest, costs and attorney fees. 1/22/2013 Alaska Cascade Financial Services Inc. vs Home Team Northwest Construction LLC Agency seeking to collect $1,495 due on account to Northwest Architectural Products Inc., plus interest, costs and fees. 1/23/2013 Alaska Cascade Financial Services Inc. vs Hops Construction LLC Collection agency seeking $2,583.42 unpaid balance due on account to Alpine Sand & Gravel Inc., plus $897.28 collection charge, interest, court costs and attorney fees. 1/23/2013 Sherwin Williams Co. vs Torbin B. Crowder dba 3rd Generation Builders Collection filing seeks $3,172.60 unpaid for merchandise received, plus interest, costs and fees. 1/23/2013 Meridian Place LLC dba Meridian Shops LLC vs Roger Holmstedt Action filed to collect on personal guarantees for commercial space lease signed by Jolly 3 Inc. in April 2006. Lawsuit claims rents were not paid, space was transferred to Garlic Jim’s Franchising Corp. without proper assignment and $146,285.56 in damages are due. Seeks to collect with interest, costs and fees. 1/23/2013 Alaska Cascade Financial Services Inc. vs Nicholas C. Arena dba Saddle Creek Construction Collection agency seeks $1,963.74 owed to S & E Electric Inc. for labor and materials supplied, plus interest, costs and attorney fees. 1/23/2013 Puyallup Professional Plaza LLC vs Transformation Salon and Spa LLC, Steve Hurter Breach of lease complaint seeks $174,080.36 for alleged nonpayment of rent and other charges at 8112 112th St. Ct. E, Suite. 8114-B, Puyallup. Defendant Hurter guaranteed the five-year lease at signing in March 2011 and tenants have since expressly repudiated the contract by abandoning/vacating the premises and failing to pay the rent. Seeks to collect with interest, costs and fees. 1/25/2013 Gig Harbor Marina Inc., Stanley D. Stearns vs Jamie Radcliffe, Red Rooster Cafe LLC Breach of lease complaint alleges nonpayment of rents due since term began in July 2011 so that balance due at Nov. 2012 exceeded $30,000. Plaintiff found prospective new tenant and proposed to defendant that all of cafe’s equipment be transferred to Marina in exchange for termination of lease and forgiveness of outstanding debts. Defendant Radcliffe refused to sign, instead posting a message on Red Rooster Cafe LLC’s Facebook page in Dec. 2012 claiming that the lease had been revoked prematurely. This resulted in supportive third parties making comments that included false personal attacks toward plaintiffs and agent. In early Jan. 2013, Radcliffe allegedly sent notice of termination of lease and vacated the premises taking all personal property that was subject to Marina’s security interest. This filing states that defendants continued to make defamatory comments and false statements about plaintiffs on gigharborpatch.com and Facebook, plus a separate blogspot.com post, and refused request to issue a statement correcting the false statements. Breach of contract claim seeks $34,231.73 plus interest, costs and attorney fees. Also seeks recovery of all secured items of equipment linked to debt, damages for defamation and an injunction prohibiting defendants from continuing to engage in the acts of false and defamatory comments. Also preventing defendants from selling, destroying or otherwise secreting the personal property that is secured to the alleged debts. 1/28/2013 Casey R. Ingels, Maxwell’s LLC vs Forecast Approach LLC Defendant was retained by Maxwell’s LLC to run all aspects of the downtown Tacoma restaurant and at least two other concept locations, including ‘concept, design, construction, budget, expenses, accounting management, bookkeeping, personnel management, payroll, taxes, licensing, etc.’ in 2007. Plaintiff Ingels claims he personally contributed more than $100,000 to secure restaurant equipment for use at the two other locations. Filing states that more than $1.4 million was spent in concept, design, management, equipment and operational costs, but defendant failed to meet any of the duties agreed upon. Toward the end of 2010 and early 2011, lawsuit claims it became obvious that Forecast was substantially in breach by failing to pay vendors, state and local taxes (including payroll taxes), adequate supervision of premises, etc. Breach of contract claim alleges that defendants directly benefitted from more than $1.2 million, which plaintiffs are entitle to have returned. Further seeks damages for alleged negligent misrepresentation as to defendants’ expertise to manage and operate all aspects of a restaurant as agreed. Claim of fraud is alleged against defendant for failing to inform plaintiff the actual amounts of costs for operations and other associated costs related to defendants’ services. Specifically, lawsuit alleges that defendant knowingly collected amounts from vendors, suppliers, designers and artists, then marking up each additional service for submission to plaintiffs and pocketing the difference as well as billing plaintiffs for all services provided. 1/28/2013 Associated Petroleum Products Inc. vs Tronsdal Air LLC, Curt Tronsdal Confession of judgment filed with court to record $20,000 debt owed by defendant to be paid over three years, plus interest. Court judgment entered. 1/30/2013 Stoneway Electric Supply Co. vs Cowlitz Electrical Contractor Inc., Brian N. Smithlin Action filed to collect $1,655.21 balance due on account for electrical materials and supplies received, plus unpaid service charges. Seeks to collect against contractor’s bond and personal guarantee, with interest, costs and fees. 1/30/2013 Seattle Ace LLC vs Alamo-Spanaway LLC, Alamo Renton LLC, Donald F. Gaube Complaint for breach of lease assignment and assumption agreement and breach of lease guaranty and agreement arises from June 1999 commercial space lease at Spanaway Village to Seattle Ace as tenant. Defendant Gaube arranged for Alamo-Spanaway to accept assignment of that lease for $250,000 plus $5,000 per month commencing May 2012, which landlord did accept even as it did not release Seattle Ace from its obligations under the lease. AlamoRenton and Gaube did provide guarantees of the Alamo-Spanaway obligations. Commencing May 2012, defendant Alamo-Spanaway failed to make timely payments under the lease and is in breach of its obligations to plaintiff. Despite demand from landlord and from plaintiff, defendants breach continued up to Jan. 2013 issuance of Three Day Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate. Lawsuit seeks to collect $117,198.08 in arrearage under the lease. 2/4/2013 First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co. as successor in interest to Venture Bank vs Bradley W. Bolte Complaint on commercial guaranties seeks to recover deficiency balances on two separate loans granted by Venture Bank to defendant’s company, Goldmark Homes in 2008 and 2009. Both loans subsequently went into default after Goldmark failed to make the required payments 2/5/2013 Girard Wood Products Inc. vs Harbor Paper LLC Collection lawsuit seeks $5,737.60 unpaid balance for wood pallets ordered by Hoquiam-based defendant, plus $114,684.41 outstanding balance due on contract. 2/5/2013 Sadlier Enterprises Inc. dba Johnstone Supply Co. of Tacoma vs Island Risers LLC Collection filing seeks $13,293.67 due for construction materials unpaid, including principal, service charges and returned checks. Also seeks for pre-judgment interest, costs and reasonable attorney’s fee. 2/5/2013 Ralph’s Concrete Pumping Inc. vs Keystone Construction Co., Han Kim Complaint against contractor to collect and for lien foreclosure due to nonpayment of $14,139.72 due on account for concrete pumping services. 2/6/2013 Sherwin-Williams Co. vs Castle Custom Mechanical LLC, Debra Lynn Downs Collection filing seeks $3,860.12 due on account for merchandise received, plus interest, costs and fees. 2/6/2013 Jonathan Cho, Myung Cho, Cho’s Family Inc. vs Charles Park, Alder Parks Store Inc. Plaintiffs purchased in Oct. 2010 a business and real property at 50110 Mountain Hwy E, Eatonville, known as Alder Parks Store. Defendant sellers had advertised the real property as zoned for commercial use and it has three structures: a mobile or manufactured home, a store and a storage shed. Shortly after closing on the purchase, plaintiffs learned of several deficiencies of the property, including that is was not zoned for commercial use. Also discovered the sellers had installed a new septic system, including a pump installed without a permit, and that the system was pumping into an unapproved drainfield on a neighboring lot. Additionally, the existing holding tank is not sufficient to support the store. Pierce County Health Department cited plaintiffs for installation and repair to a septic system without permit and issued a “Do Not Occupy” notice on the residence. Plaintiffs have worked with officials and septic designers to correct the problems, incurring additional costs and losing business, thus diminished profits while their store was closed. Seeking damages for breach of contract, fraud/misrepresentation, plus costs and attorneys fees. 2/7/2013 February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 21 SceneandHeard 1. The first ever “Reach Higher” Tacoma Community College Foundation Luncheon, held Friday, Feb. 8 at the Opgaard Student Center, raised over $58,000 for the school. 1 2 2. Sound Glass recently celebrated its 30year anniversary since opening in Lakewood. The company opened for business on January 13, 1983 and has served over 150,000 homeowners, contractors and businesses since. Shown on top is the current facility; the photo below is from when the company first opened 30 years ago. 3. At the Kent Downtown Partnership’s business breakfast at the ShoWare Center on Friday, Feb. 8, Barbara Smith of the KDP recognizes the city’s Department of Public Works for its recent efforts. 3 4. Patricia Lecy-Davis, vice president of the Go Local board, welcomes businesses to the Tacoma Shift Happens event on Monday, Jan. 28 at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center. 4 Scene & Heard is a feature in the Business Examiner that strives to promote business and community events as well as community awards around the South Sound. Photos submitted for this section are used on a space-available basis. Be sure submitted photos include caption information that describes the event and lists the names of the people in the photos. Photo credits are also appreciated. Submit items to the Business Examiner, 1702-B Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, WA 98402, Fax: (253) 404-0892, or by e-mail (preferred) to: news@ BusinessExaminer.com. Highlight the local connection if it is not obvious. For additional information, call (253) 404-0891. COME SEE WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE SPRING VISITORS DAY Friday, March 1, 9 a.m. Girls & Boys Pre-K - Grade 12 Bus Service CHARLES WRIGHT ACADEMY CHARLESWRIGHT.ORG 22 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 PeopleontheMove Promotions, hires and recognitions in South Sound n Jamie Gregory, a longtime Pierce County resident and community volunteer, has joined Wesley Homes retirement communities and health services as the major gifts officer for Wesley Homes Foundation. Experienced with not-for-profit organizations, Gregory brings five years of campaign and major gift work. His experience also includes 25 years in sales and marketing in both medical and education fields. n Graphic designer Heather Golbienko and administrative coordinator Bethany Doane have been added as fulltime team members at JayRay, a branding, advertising and strategic communications firm in Tacoma. Before joining JayRay, Golbienko was the graphic designer for a home remodeling company, while at the same time completing her degree at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Seattle. Doane, on the other hand, was previously the finance billing manager at McGladrey, Golbienko Doane a national assurance, tax and consulting firm, overseeing the client billing function for McGladrey’s offices in the western United States. Doane earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Washington with a minor in marketing. n At its Jan. 25 annual meeting in Seattle, Associated General Contractors of Washington elected Butch Brooks, owner of Brooks Construction Management in Fife, as its 2013 President. Brooks is a former Brooks Fife City Council member and Mayor Pro-Tem. Other South Sound contractors elected to AGC’s Board of Trustees are John Korsmo of Tacoma’s Korsmo Construction, Inc., and Steve Barger of Puyallup’s Northwest Cascade, Inc. n Kent R. Hojem, CEO of the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, was elected president of the Western Fairs Association at the annual conference in Reno in January. The board of directors elected Hojem, who will hold the position for one year. Hojem has been with Washington State Fair since March 1996 and has served as CEO since January 2005. He serves on the board of directors and is treasurer of Int’l. Association of Fairs and Expositions. He is also serving on the board of Washington State 4-H Foundation, Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitors Bureau, Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce, Communities In Schools of Puyallup, and the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Museum, among others. n Michael R. Sand, president of Timberland Bank, recently announced the addition of Todd Van Cise as a commercial loan officer with the bank’s business banking division. Van Cise is headquartered at the TaVan Cise coma office to serve clients throughout Pierce and South King County. Van Cise has over 10 years experience in banking, most recently with West Coast Bank. Van Cise is affiliated with the South Center Rotary Club, where he serves as program director. n McGavick Graves, P.S., is pleased to welcome retired Judge Rosanne Buckner to the law firm. Judge Buckner will draw upon 32 years of experience as a judicial officer in offering arbitration, mediation, and related services. Her practice also will include civil litigation consultation and representation. The firm also is pleased to announce that Brian L. Green has been admitted as a shareholder of the firm. Green joined the firm in 2006 and his practice focuses on business, real estate, and creditors’ rights. n University of Puget Sound President Ron- ald R. Thomas has been elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Since assuming the role of president at Puget Sound a decade ago, Thomas has served in numerous positions Thomas representing the higher education sector. Thomas is a current member of the executive committee of the Annapolis Group, a consortium of about 130 national independent liberal arts colleges. n Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the hiring of Kendee Yamaguchi as Director of Policy, Legislative Affairs and External Relations at the Attorney General’s Office. Yamaguchi will lead Ferguson’s governmental affairs team, advising the office on legislative issues, policy and external relations. Previously, as the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, Yamaguchi served as a small agency cabinet member and advised the Governor, state agencies, the Legislature and local government on policies, plans and programs. Submit items for People on the move – including promotions, recognitions and new hires – to news@BusinessExaminer. com. February 18, 2013 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | 23 SouthsoundSelling Pushy, assertive, obnoxious or professional? Sales reps get a bad rap for trying to sell too hard. You’ve heard the term “pushy salesman” or “aggressive salesperson” or even “obnoxious salesman.” And salespeople go to great lengths not to be perceived as pushy, or aggressive, or obnoxious, so they (maybe you) go to the opposite end of the spectrum and try to be or be known as professional. BEWARE and BE AWARE: A professional sales call is okay, but boring. Professional meetings typically have no outcome. Or worse, they result in never-ending followups, void of sales. Here’s a good way to think about professionalism: Your customer must see you as a professional person. It’s more of a look on your part and a perception on the part of the customer. In today’s world of selling, professionalism is a given. Your words, actions and deeds take over from there. Professionalism is not bad, but professionalism alone will not net sales. MAJOR AHA! Between pushy, aggressive, obnoxious, and professional lies a middle ground – a ground where sales are made. It’s known as assertive. CAUTION: Assertiveness is not a word – it’s a strategy and a style. It’s not just “a way in which you conduct yourself.” Rather, it’s a full-blown strategy that has elements to master way before assertiveness can begin and be accepted as a style of selling. Request for Qualifications and Proposals 1.18 acre Waterfront Development Site located on 1.5 miles of prime master planned urban waterfront in Tacoma, WA. This property is a unique shoreline development opportunity for residential/multi-family, office and/or retail adjacent to major public investments. The Foss Waterway Development Authority is issuing the RFQ/P effective February 12, 2013. Responses to the RFQ/P are due by 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 2013. For a copy of the RFQ/P call 253-597-8122 or 1-888-328-8122 or e-mail sdowie@theafoss.com. We know how to make deals that make sense. By Jeffrey Gitomer Buy Gitomer President BEWARE and BE AWARE: Assertiveness is a GOOD style of selling as long as you have mastered the elements that make “assertive” acceptable on the customer’s part. So where does assertiveness come from? • The root of assertiveness is belief: your belief in what you do, your belief in who you represent, your belief in the products and services that you sell, your belief in yourself, your belief that you can differentiate yourself from (and not compare yourself to) your competitor and your firm belief that the customer is better off having purchased from you. These are not things you believe in your head. Rather, these are things you must believe in your heart. Deep belief is the first step in creating an assertive process. Until you believe, mediocrity is the norm. Once you believe in your heart, all else is possible. • Have an attitude of positive anticipation. In order to be assertive, positive attitude or YES! attitude is not enough. You must possess an “attitude of positive anticipation.” This means walking into any sales call with a degree of certainty that the outcome will be in your favor. It means having a spirit about you that is easily contagious, a spirit that your customer can catch, and buy. • Total preparation is the secret sauce of assertiveness. This must include customerfocused, pre-call planning, as well as creating the objective, the proposed outcome, for a sales call. Most salespeople make the fatal mistake of preparing in terms of themselves (product knowledge, literature, business cards, blah, blah). The reality of total preparation means preparing in terms of the customer FIRST. Their needs, their desires, and their anticipated positive outcomes – their win. If these elements are not an integral part of your preparation, you will lose to someone who has them. • The assertive equation must also contain undeniable value in favor of the customer. This is not just part of preparation, this is also part of the relationships you have built with other customers who are willing to testify on your behalf, and other proof that you have (hopefully in video format) that a prospective customer can relate to, believe in, and purchase as a result of. REALITY: It’s not about changing your beliefs, it’s about strengthening your beliefs. It’s not about changing your attitude, it’s about building your attitude. It’s not about changing your preparation, it’s about intensi- fying your preparation. It’s not about adding value, it’s about delivering perceived value. BIGGER REALITY: When you have mastered belief, attitude, preparation and value as I have just defined them, then and only then, can assertiveness and assertive selling begin to take place. BIGGEST REALITY: Incremental growth in belief, attitude, preparation, and value offered will lead to assertive sales calls and an increase in sales. YOUR STATURE IS THE GLUE: Your professional look, your quiet self-confidence, your surety of knowledge and information that can help your customer, your past history of success, your possession of undeniable proof and your assertive ability to ask your customers to be responsible to their customers and their employees. (Responsibility is an acceptable — and assertive — form of accountability). No customer wants to be accountable to a sales rep – but EVERY customer has a MISSION to be responsible to his or her customers and co-workers. When you combine your belief, your attitude, your preparation, your value, and your assertiveness, the outcome is predictable: It’s more sales. Jeffrey Gitomer is president of Charlottebased Buy Gitomer. He can be reached at salesman@gitomer.com. LET’S KEEP THE ECONOMY MOVING. At Pacific Continental Bank, we’re invested in growing local businesses. The best way to do that is by making money available to fuel business expansion. Contact our Tacoma business-banking experts to discuss your loan needs today: Susan Moblo, 253-552-4802 Thomas Kuljam, 253-522-4803 therightbank.com TACOMA 24 | www.BusinessExaminer.com | February 18, 2013 T:10.25 in BUSINESS CAN’T T:13.875 in WAIT ON OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY FROM THE PHONE COMPANY. With Internet speeds that are 66 times faster than DSL and T1, Comcast Business Class can help your business run more productively. You’ll also get unlimited local and nationwide calling, and TV with networks to keep your customers informed and entertained. Plus, our secure, reliable network means your private data stays that way. Don’t wait. Switch to Comcast Business Class. Go to business.comcast.com or Call 800.501.6000 Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. 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