The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2012 Washington state Minority Champion of the Year is Albert Shen, owner of Shen Consulting, Inc., a project planning, design, and construction management company. His firm helped complete some of the largest transportation capital improvement programs in the Puget Sound region including a third Sea-Tac runway, and a new…
Tag Archive: Washington state
State invests nearly $153 million in public infrastructure projects
The Public Works Board recently announced the approval of $152,781,000 for 58 public infrastructure construction projects around the state. “In December 2011, Governor Gregoire adopted the Board’s recommended loan list of infrastructure projects in her capital budget proposal,” said Stan Finkelstein, Chair of the Public Works Board. “Over the past four months, we have worked…
Walmart Provides Over $15 Million to Washington Charities During Last Fiscal Year
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced $958.9 million in cash and in-kind contributions around the globe during the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2012. The company’s U.S. giving grew nearly 20 percent, largely due to increased donations of produce, meats, poultry and other nutritious food to local food banks from Walmart stores, Sam’s Club locations…
State Budget Agreement Welcome News to Association of Washington Business
The Association of Washington Business is pleased that lawmakers reached bipartisan agreement early this morning on a supplemental budget that puts Washington on a path toward responsible, sustainable spending. “It wasn’t easy – and nobody got everything they wanted – but lawmakers proved it is possible to come together and find a way to protect…
BV Coastal Estates Wines Benefits Hunger Relief in Washington State
Beaulieu Vineyard (BV), the great American winery in the heart of the Napa Valley, continues a long term project to benefit hunger relief in America. BV Coastal Estate Wines began the Give & Give Back campaign in fall of 2011 with donations to provide more than 1,000,000 meals to hunger relief agencies, including Seattle based…
Washington endorses lifelong learning benefit for workers
Washington has become the first state in the nation to formally recognize a voluntary employee benefit program that encourages workers to continue their education with assistance from their employer. Today, Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law Senate Bill 6141 creating the Lifelong Learning Program. The bill legally defines Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs) which are savings…
Senate passes bill to encourage film production, jobs in Washington
Many world-famous movies and television shows are set in Washington State– recent examples include Twilight, Grey’s Anatomy, and AMC’s The Killing. But, most viewers likely don’t realize these have been filmed in Canada, Oregon, or California, where stronger tax incentive programs are in place than Washington’s to attract the film industry, along with its money….
When it Comes to Taxes, Keep it Simple
By Don C. Brunell, President, Association of Washington Business “Keep it simple.” This old saying is more than a bumper sticker slogan, it’s a principle that is especially important when it comes to taxes and regulations. Washington employers have been working for decades to simplify our state’s tax and regulatory policies. Currently, employers must work their…
Jobs Index Says: Washington State Employment Grew 1.1 Percent in September
Small businesses created 55,000 new jobs in September, and employees worked more hours and made more money. These are among the results of the latest update of the Intuit Inc.(Nasdaq: INTU) Small Business Employment Index, covering the period between Aug. 24 and Sept. 23.The monthly report found that small business employment grew by 0.3 percent…
Washington State wine industry commits $7.4 million to construction of Wine Science Center
The Washington State Wine Commission has formally committed $7.4 million to support construction of the Wine Science Center at the Washington State University Tri-Cities campus in Richland, Washington. These funds will be generated through assessments levied on grape and wine production beginning with the 2011 harvest, and the Commission estimates that it will collect this…
