As we set our sights for the new year, we are happy to share our 2020 Policy Agenda, urging lawmakers to:
Deliver a supplemental budget that is sustainable, maintains healthy reserves, limits spending growth, and is supported by tax policy that is predictable and supports economic growth for all.
Protect 2015 Connecting Washington investments dedicated to asset preservation and maintenance and improvements in key economic corridors. Further degradation of the state’s highway and bridge systems in response to funding cuts required by Initiative 976 will significantly compromise safe and efficient movement of people and goods and undermine economic growth.
Support policies that promote economic development and job growth, particularly in non-urban regions.
Thank you to all Roundtable board members who contributed to the development of this agenda. We look forward to working together with state leaders to make Washington a better place to live, work, and do business. Click here to read our full 2020 Policy Agenda, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for updates throughout the legislative session.
Around The Table: Boeing, Seattle Seahawks, Virginia Mason, ‘Power 100’
Boeing Provides $125,000 in Donations to Two Moses Lake Organizations
Credit: Big Bend Community College
Boeing has announced two grants in Moses Lake: a $100,000 grant to Big Bend Community College to support pilot and aircraft maintenance technician programs, and $25,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin to support education and career preparation programs. The company is deepening its connection with Moses Lake as it works to ensure the proper storage and maintenance of 737 MAX airplanes during the pause in deliveries. The company recently announced the temporary hiring of several hundred skilled workers in Moses Lake to support the airplane’s safe return to service. Click here to read more.
Seattle Seahawks and Virginia Mason Team Up to Raise Awareness for Cancer and Early Detection
Credit: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks, Virginia Mason, and CHI Franciscan are teaming up to raise awareness for cancer and early detection through the NFL’s Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer initiative, a month-long endeavor filled with cancer-awareness activities designed to encourage individuals to get screened for cancer regularly. “One of the best defenses against cancer is a good offense, with a playbook consisting of regular health screenings,” said Virginia Mason Chairman and CEO Gary S. Kaplan, MD. The Seahawks will host the team’s annual Crucial Catch Game on October 20 versus the Baltimore Ravens. Visit Seahawks.com/CrucialCatch to learn more about cancer screenings and early detection.
Roundtable Members Well-Represented on List of Most Influential Executives
Credit: PSBJ
The Puget Sound Business Journal released its ‘Power 100,’ a list of the 100 most influential leaders in the Seattle area. Congratulations to the 21 Roundtable Directors recognized by PSBJ: Phyllis Campbell, Bill Hilf, Kevin Johnson, Gary Kaplan, Mary Knell, Tod Leiweke, Kevin McAllister, Margaret Meister, Jim Mortensen, Susan Mullaney, Bart Ricketts, Dave Sabey, Kerri Schroeder, Michelle Seitz, Clay Siegall, Brad Smith, John Stanton, Devin Stockfish, Brad Tilden, and Alisha Valavanis. Read the full article here.
Around The Table: McKinstry, Microsoft, PNNL, Seattle Genetics, Wells Fargo
McKinstry, University of Washington and Gonzaga Create a New Regional Health Partnership Center in Spokane
Credit: Spokesman Review
Spokane is getting a new center for medical education, health sciences and innovation, with the announcement of an 80,000-square-foot building that will serve as the new home for the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership (RHP). McKinstry will develop, design, build, and manage the four-story facility for use by the University of Washington and Gonzaga University. The universities have each made the commitment to enter into long-term lease agreements for use of space in the facility. Estimated at $60 million, the privately funded project leverages and expands the public-private partnership to reduce risk, expedite completion, and save taxpayers money. Learn more here.
New Book from Microsoft President Brad Smith
Credit: Microsoft
Congratulations to Roundtable member Brad Smith on publication of a new book! As noted in GeekWire, “In ‘Tools & Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age,’ the longtime Microsoft executive and his co-author Carol Ann Browne tell the inside story of some of the biggest developments in tech and the world over the past decade – including Microsoft’s reaction to the Snowden revelations, its battle with Russian hackers in the leadup to the 2016 elections and its role in the ongoing debate over privacy and facial recognition technology.” Check out an excerpt of the book in The Seattle Times.
NASA funds PNNL Microbe and Plant Research in Space
Credit: PNNL
Janet Jansson and Christer Jansson of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have each been awarded a NASA grant to explore how life adapts and changes during spaceflight. These grants, designed to help NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, represent the convergence of PNNL’s scientific development and NASA’s interest in PNNL’s science. The projects consist of parallel experiments: a control group at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and an identical cohort on the International Space Station. Learn more here.
Seattle Genetics/Astellas Win Priority U.S. Review of Armed Antibody Aimed at Bladder Cancer
Credit: Seattle Business Magazine
Seattle Genetics has secured a speedy review of its second armed antibody, courtesy of the FDA. The company’s ‘breakthrough’ Astellas-partnered drug – enfortumab vedotin – has procured priority review from the US regulator, after data showed it helped patients with a stubborn type of bladder cancer. A marketing application for the drug has already been submitted – and a late-stage trial designed to confirm the drug’s safety and efficacy in this patient population is ongoing. Learn more here.
Manufacturing Academy Students Develop Financial Stability Through New Wells Fargo Partnership
Credit: AJAC
The Wells Fargo Foundation is offering students in the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) access to financial wellness resources as they begin their professional careers. AJAC provides hands-on advanced manufacturing training and to high school youth in Washington. Thanks to Wells Fargo, AJAC apprentices will be eligible to participate in financial health webinars and conversations with a phone banker on topics like budgeting, saving, or strengthening credit. Apprentices will also have access to Hands on Banking, which provides on-demand courses, checklists, and other tools. Wells Fargo is also providing one-hour training twice a month during the students’ internship on topics ranging from basic finance to managing more advanced financial resources. Learn more here.
Around The Table: Avista, Boeing, Kaiser Permanente
In ‘Around The Table,’ we highlight member news and share information on industry trends. In this edition, we shine the spotlight on Avista, Boeing, and Kaiser Permanente.
Avista: Bringing Career Pathways in Energy to Life
A relatively new program from Avista is bringing career pathways in energy to life for young people. Now in its second year, the Energy Pathways program is designed to expose high school juniors and seniors to careers in the utility industry – and generate a pipeline of potential future employees. During the four-week course, students learn about utility history and electric and natural gas theory. They walk through the energy generation process, visit Avista’s hydroelectric dams and thermal plans, and participate in multiple job shadows. Learn more about the program in this blog post.
Boeing Employees Help “Dreams Take Flight” Through Employees Community Fund
Since 1948, the Employees Community Fund of Boeing (ECF) has funded approximately $1 billion to local communities across the United States. Approximately $630 million of that total has supported organizations in Washington state. To recognize the generosity of these employees, Boeing will soon unveil a special full body decal for its 787 Dreamliner. Check out a sneak preview of the special decal wrap here.
Kaiser Permanente Partners with Local Schools to Combat Teacher Stress
Research estimates between 23% and 42% of teachers stop teaching within the first five years. Further, one in four teachers have chronic absenteeism, placing a burden on other teachers in the building. To reduce stress, burnout, and absenteeism, Kaiser Permanente has teamed up with schools in the Central Kitsap School District. Through free workshops, Kaiser Permanente hopes to create a culture of health and well-being in schools. “We often talk about supporting our kids, and the biggest way we can do that is to support staff,” said Meghan Rubman, assistant principal at Klahowya Secondary School. In addition to workshops, Kaiser Permanente is offering these schools access to the RISE (Resiliency in School Environments) Index, a diagnostic tool to evaluate school culture and environment. It addresses both staff well-being and their responses to students’ social-emotional needs. Learn more about the partnership from this Kitsap Sun article.
