OAK HARBOR CHAMBER DISHEs OUT AWARDS DURING ANNUAL BANQUET
It was a who’s who of Oak Harbor business leaders at the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet at Whidbey Golf and Country Club on Feb. 9, when the chamber announced the recipients of the 2007 business service and quality awards. The packed room turned out to honor award recipients and hear a special presentation from motivational speaker Tony Ventrella.
The sold-out event was filled with representatives from a variety of businesses from throughout the greater Oak Harbor area, many of whom were nominated for their customer service and quality business practices. The nominees were selected by their fellow chamber members for their business practices and the positive impact they have had on the community.
“We had an impressive list of winners this year,” said Jill Johnson, Oak Harbor Chamber executive director, “but the real story is in the quality of the nominees. There were so many good candidates nominated in each award category that it was really difficult to keep from giving an award to everyone.”
The night’s big winner was Ron Wallin of P&L Construction who received the chamber’s top honor of Business of the Year.
Other awards and recipients were: Ambassador of the Year, Sande Crank-Mulkey of Edward Jones; Business Community Service Award, RE/MAX Acorn Properties; Customer Service Award, Skagit Farmers Supply; Service Organization of the Year, Venture Club for Tree of Hope; Chamber Leadership Award, Gail Turner of Acorn Dental; Non-Profit Organization of the Year, New Leaf, Inc.; Quality Award, Fraser’s Gourmet Hideaway; and Employer of the Year, Skagit Valley College - Whidbey Island campus.
The chamber also honored those individuals and organizations whose dedication and community commitment has played a large role in helping Oak Harbor grow into what it is today with special Acorn Awards. These awards were presented to: Karl Krieg for his work in helping to create a user-friendly and permanent home for the Oak Harbor’s Farmer’s Market; KC Pohtilla for her photography that has documented community events; and NAS Whidbey Homecomings and Stan Stanley for bringing the successful Race Week to Oak Harbor.
Two special Visionary awards were presented to Troy Muljat and Kent Thomas of KT Development for the architectural design and quality construction of Harbor Station and to Captain Brett Ginther and Terica Taylor of Deception Pass Tours for the launch of their new tourism business that allows tourists to view Deception Pass Bridge from the water.
The chamber presented a Lifetime Achievement award to John and Myrtle Allgire, who opened The Casual House in 1963.

Agencies tackle wood-treatment stench
Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike and Northwest Clean Air Agency Executive Director Mark Asmundson announced they have reached an agreement with Brooks Manufacturing officials to end the company’s use of odor-causing pre-mixed chemicals effective at the end of March. Neighbors dubbed the odor the “Sunnyside stench,” and several complaints had been registered with Asmundson’s agency.
Pike said Brooks’ officials told him they expect to begin using a different solvent and mix their chemicals on-site, rather than purchasing pre-mixed chemicals, which they expect will allow them improved quality control.
“While the chemicals causing the smell appear to be non-toxic, the impact of the odor is very real for the people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods,” Pike said. “The city is committed to protecting our residents’ quality of life, and we appreciate Brooks’ willingness to address this problem.”
Asmundson said that the resolution of the outstanding violations against Brooks for the odors will be addressed during the next several weeks.
Brooks Manufacturing, a wood treatment facility, is located at the corner of Iowa and Pacific Streets in the Roosevelt neighborhood. According to information supplied by Brooks’ officials, the odors are caused by a non-toxic solvent used in the wood-treatment process.

WECU OPENS FERNDALE BRANCH
Whatcom Educational Credit Union officially opened the doors to its new Ferndale branch office on Feb. 19 and celebrated with a grand opening on Feb. 21.
The new 9,572-square-foot building in the 5600 block of Barrett Road was unveiled on Jan. 19. It features a four-lane drive-up, self-access safe deposit boxes, 82 parking spots and a 1,712-square-foot Education Center. At 1,680 square feet, the original Ferndale location was too small to fit all of WECU’s members, so the credit union built the new branch in the rapidly growing city of Ferndale to alleviate congestion and welcome members properly.
In addition, WECU is applying for LEED certification. The site also will be wired as a backup for the main campus on Holly Street in Bellingham, ensuring that WECU will be able to serve its members in the case of a natural disaster.

Shred Day is April 18
In an effort to promote identity theft awareness to consumers and business owners, Business Bank’s Burlington branch is hosting its second annual Shred Day between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on April 18. Business Bank is proud to partner with ALLDATA SHREDDING for this event. Mary Gould from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office and Sergeant Pete Lindberg and Detective Jeff Nelson from the Mount Vernon Police Department will be on site to answer questions and provide educational materials.

MOVING & STORAGE SOLUTIONS INC. EARNS RECOGNITION
Moving & Storage Solutions, Inc. (MSS) of Bellingham was named Prime Agent of the Month for January 2008 by Arpin Van Lines of East Greenwich, R.I.
Criteria for the award is based on measurement in several areas, including increased business with the van lines during the previous 12 months. Recipients also are measured in the following stringent quality metrics by Arpin Van Lines Quality Standards, which include but are not limited to: low customer damage claims, maintaining outstanding customer services scores, maintaining a strong financial position with Arpin Van Lines and maintaining a strong safety record.
David and Kim Powell started MSS, a family owned company, in 1995. The company has been a member of the Arpin Agency Family since May 2003.

IAAP EVENT FOCUSES ON MOVING CAREERS FORWARD
Would you like to develop new skills? Meet new people? Become even more successful?
The Skagit Valley Chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) will present a free networking event this month with guest speakers, samples and ideas on how to move your career forward.
The event will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 17 in the Eagle Room at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Burlington. Light appetizers and beverages will be served.
For reservations, call Brenda Nunn at 360.416.7712.

Applications being accepted for Leadership Skagit
Now in its fifth year, Leadership Skagit selects 24-30 existing and emerging leaders each year to participate in an intensive 9-month training program. Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues facing the county, the resources available to address these issues and unmet needs. They also practice their own leadership skill development, including communication skills, teamwork, conflict resolution and motivating groups to achieve a goal. In addition to the course work, each participant in the program becomes part of a small team that will choose, plan, organize and complete a service project that provides lasting benefit to the community. A recent survey of alumni of the program revealed that 90 percent of LS graduates say they are using their new leadership skills in the workplace, and more than 67 percent have volunteered for an increased number of nonprofit organizations.
Applications for the 2009 class of Leadership Skagit are available through May and are due by June 2. For more information about the program, contact Kathryn Bennett at 360.395.8727 or leadershipskagit@skagit.org. Applications also are available online at www.leadershipskagit.org.

AIKI HOMES AWARDED FIVE-STAR RATING
Aiki Homes, a leader in sustainable design and construction since 1992, has recently been awarded EnviroStars’ highest rating of five stars.
EnviroStars is a progressive environmental certification program for businesses. A 5 Star certification demonstrates proactive leadership and commitment to prevent waste and spread an ethic of environmental responsibility.

NEW LOCATION PROVIDES BOOKKEEPING SOLUTIONS NW ROOM TO EXPAND
Bookkeeping Solutions NW moved March 1 to a larger location within Lynden’s Fair Square to accommodate expansion of its staff and clientele.
The new location in the 1800 block of Front Street has 3,800 square feet of space, nearly four times as large as the previous location.
Owner Bill Pate said the larger location will facilitate expansion of the company’s growing tax practice. The company also is adding workstations for use by clients and a classroom for teaching clients and the community about subjects such as taxes, bookkeeping and QuickBooks.

‘MILLION DOLLAR MAN’ OFFERED TIPS TO MOUNT VERNON PROFESSIONALS
Peter Legge, leader of the largest independently owned publishing company in Western Canada, shared his wisdom at an evening business event on Feb. 19 at Sound Cedar Company in Mount Vernon.
Those in attendance included Mount Vernon City Mayor Bud Norris and more than 100 other community members, most of whom are involved with the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce. The Skagit Valley Food Co-Op catered the three-hour event, and Skagit River Brewery provided beverages.

BMR Design+Advertising Announces New Location
BMR Design+Advertising has moved its office two blocks south of it original location. For BMR, the new office offers greater client service, better parking, more room for team members and additional room for growth.
Owner and Creative Director Jacque Beamer noted, “We were fortunate to find such an ideal space so close to our current office. It was important to us to stay in downtown Mount Vernon where our offices have been for the past 16 years. The new address will enable us to continue to grow and evolve thereby better serving our clients’ needs.”
The office space was designed by Julie Blazek, a partner with HKP Architects, and was renovated by building owners Steve Broman and Vern Curtis. BMR is now located in the 800 block of Cleveland Avenue; phone and fax numbers, email, and web addresses will remain the same.

SPRING WINE & TULIPS FESTIVAL GATHERS GUSTO THIS MONTH
The fourth annual Spring Wine & Tulips Festival continues this month, with specialties from Carpenter Creek Winery.
This year, the winery introduces live, local music throughout the month to its list of festival entertainment. The winery also will provide samples of some of Skagit Valley’s finest wines and gourmet products, including dipping sauces, mustards, infused olive oils and shortbreads. During weekends in April, on-site food service will feature the winery’s unique gourmet burgers, brats and specialty sandwiches. On April 26 and 27 a seafood extravaganza will feature grilled salmon and clam chowder, as well as other treats from the sea to wrap up the festival.

MBT TICKET OFFICE MOVES TO TEMPORARY LOCATION
The Mount Baker Theatre ticket office moved this month around the corner to the 100 block of West Champion Street, where it will be located during a construction project expected to last through November of this year. One hour before each performance during the construction period, an additional ticket window will be added in the theater’s main lobby.

REUSE WORKS RECYCLES NAME, BECOMES APPLIANCE DEPOT
ReUse Works celebrated its name change to Appliance Depot in February.
The new name for the business, located in the 800 block of Marine Drive, was created in response to customer feedback that ReUse Works was often confused with RE Store, the Bellingham nonprofit that salvages and sells building materials and related goods.
Appliance Depot is a nonprofit training business that accepts donations of unwanted appliances and assesses them for reuse potential prior to recycling. Donated appliances are tested, repaired, cleaned and sold for reuse. Sales revenues support the job-training program. Appliances not suitable for reuse are stripped for parts and recycled.

WWU’S SBDC RELEASES ECONOMIC-IMPACT FIGURES
Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics’ Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has announced its Whatcom County economic-impact figures for 2007.
The SBDC accomplished the following:
• Assisted local businesses in either saving or creating 750 jobs and helped clients in obtaining more than $23 million in loans and new investments.
• Counseled 436 clients, including clients seen through its eight satellite offices throughout Whatcom County with its five certified business advisers, and provided more than 3,910 hours of in-depth counseling and research, approximately nine hours per client, via its staff.
• For every dollar of local funding the SBDC received, SBDC clients generated more than $49 new dollars in new investments for Whatcom County.
“These impacts benefited all of Whatcom County, and highlights the quality of our economic-development activities in 2007,” said SBDC Director Tom Dorr.
The SBDC is funded through the Port of Bellingham; the State of Washington, Washington Department of Community Trade and Economic Development; the U.S. Small Business Administration; WWU’s College of Business and Economics; the cities of Bellingham, Ferndale, Blaine, Lynden and Sumas; Whatcom County; the Economic Development Administration; and private donations.

BELLINGHAM-PRODUCED DOCUMENTARY SNAPS UP NATIONAL EXPOSURE
Steve Robinson, a policy analyst for Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission in Olympia, was assigned to make a documentary film with an environmental message for Washington state’s public middle-school system. With big-name star talent and a Bellingham producer, “Shadow of the Salmon” distribution went beyond the educational platform – it debuted in March at the National Smithsonian - National Museum of the American Indian – and is showing at various venues around the state.
Robinson wrote the script and is developing Washington state middle-school curricula to reinforce the film’s message about the integrity of the salmon life cycle for the environment. For the movie component, Gene Tagaban, who previously appeared in “The Business of Fancy Dancing,” took a leading role, and Michael Pearce of Three Sixty Productions in Bellingham, produced the project. Robinson’s goal of producing a movie drove the high-end production.
Robinson, Tagaban and Pearce brought together a team of creatives who worked respectfully with local coastal Salish tribes to produce the film, shot entirely in the Pacific Northwest. As an example of state-of-the-art filming, one portion of the film was shot on an underwater green screen at the Arne Hannah Aquatic Center in Bellingham using dive gear donated by WA Divers of Bellingham. Production and cast also were invited by the Lummi Tribal Nation to shoot footage during the historic 2007 Paddle to Lummi Canoe Journey. Sound Wise Studios of Bellingham engineered on-location and post-production sound, as well as the soundtrack.
Three Sixty Productions cast included Noah Hunt, Tagaban, Roberta Sam, Bill James, Terry Williams, Antone George and the West Shore Canoe Family and a special appearance by Billy Frank Jr.
“Shadow of the Salmon” was produced by Three Sixty Productions, in association with Northwest Straits Commission, Potlach Fund, Salmon Defense and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

FERRY PROCUREMENT BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed Senate Bill 6794, which approves the procurement of new ferries to replace the Steel Electrics that were pulled off the Port Townsend-Keystone run. The measure was supported by 10th District State Reps. Barbara Bailey and Norma Smith.
Senate Bill 6794 requires the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to construct three new vessels to replace the four Steel Electrics taken out of service due to safety concerns. It also requires that all the vessels be constructed in Washington state.
“It’s now important for the DOT to carry the plan forward efficiently and effectively,” said Bailey, R-Oak Harbor. “Our state ferry system needs accountability, vision and leadership if it is going to be viable in the future. As we move forward with this plan, it’s important the state learns from its past mistakes. We should not be in the position we are in today. The state must do a better job of navigating problems, using tax dollars wisely, and ensuring promises are kept.”
Bailey and Smith have said that it is important to work toward a short-term solution immediately, while crafting a workable solution for the future. They believe Senate Bill 6794 can offer this opportunity.
“I’m pleased with the quick action on this legislation to start the process of replacing the boats on our Port Townsend to Keystone route,” said Smith, R-Clinton. “The route is an important link for citizens, businesses, tourism and our Naval bases around the region.”

LARSON GROSS MOVES FROM BLAINE TO BIRCH BAY SQUARE
The public accounting firm of Larson Gross PLLC has moved its operations from Blaine into the newly constructed Windermere Plaza Building at the south end of the Birch Bay Square Shopping Center off Interstate 5 at the Lynden-Birch Bay Road exit.
“This new facility provides more convenient access from I-5 for our many clients in northwest Whatcom County and British Columbia, as well as some much deserved elbow room for the Blaine office team,” said Aaron Brown, director of operations for Larson Gross. “This was also an important investment in the continued growth of our U.S./Canada cross border practice.”
The new office opened for business on Feb. 11. The office team is comprised of Gail Kruk, Kevin Stickle, Wendy Chambers, Kristen Visser and Kay Oltman.

NEW BUILDING OPENS AT SKAGIT VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS
Skagit Valley Medical Center (SVMC) completed moving various departments into its new 33,000-square-foot addition to the clinic’s Mount Vernon campus this month. The new facility is named the Maynard L. Johnson Building, after one of SVMC’s founding physicians, who practiced locally for more than 50 years.
SVMC’s last expansion on the Mount Vernon campus was in 1991. With significant growth in the number of physicians and staff since that time, a larger facility was necessary.
“We have been running out of space to use as offices for new physicians joining our clinic,” said Larry Thompson, SVMC CEO. “Since 2006, we have added about 40 new providers of care in a variety of specialties. Additionally, we have needed modern and more spacious facilities for our ancillary services such as lab and radiology.”
The Maynard L. Johnson Building offers three floors dedicated to patient care. A combined suite for urgent care and occupational medicine is located on level one, along with an expanded dermatology department. Women’s health, internal medicine and a ProTime clinic are on the second floor. Orthopedics, lab and imaging are located on the building’s third floor.