Your Regional Voice and Resource for Building Business Success
2008 Major Sponsors
Thanks to the following members for their support of Chamber events in the
amount
of $500 or more.
A*C*E AWARDS
Baker Commodities
Port of Seattle
BURIEN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
El Dorado West Retirement Community
EDUCATION COMMITTEE/SUCCESS FOUNDATION
Alaska Airlines
2008 GET-AWAY GOLF TOURNAMENT
Baker Commodities
BBC Dodge
Homestreet Bank
Southwest King County Chamber Board of Directors
March 5, 2008
Events Week of March 10
Ambassador Committee Meeting
Tuesday, March 11
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Chamber Office
Highway 99 Action Committee Meeting
Tuesday, March 11
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Tukwila Community Center
12424 42nd Ave S.
SeaTac Business Committee Meeting
Thursday, March 13
8:30 am - 10:00 am
SeaTac City Hall
4800 S. 188th St.
March Membership Luncheon
Friday, March 14
11:30 am - 1"30 pm
DoubleTree Seattle Airport
18740 International Blvd., SeaTac
Speaker: Attorney General Rob McKenna
Sponsor: ITT Technical Institute
Upcoming Events - Week of
March 17
March Networking Breakfast
Wednesday, March 19
7:00 am - 9:00 am
Great American Casino
14040 Interurban Ave. S., Tukwila
Burien After-Hours Event
Wednesday, March 19
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
El Dorado West Retirement Community
1010 SW 134th St., Burien
Chairman's Message
Greetings Members and Friends:
Spring is on its way and we are already gearing up for a
great spring and summer here at the Chamber!
I'd first like to thank each of you who attended our
February Membership Luncheon and Business Showcase. Our attendance was
outstanding
and I hope to continue to see all
of you at our future events. Be sure to
sign up for our March Membership Luncheon, to be held at the DoubleTree Hotel -
Seattle Airport. Our speaker this month
is Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and our sponsor is ITT Technical
Institute.
I am also pleased to announce that the 2008 Get-Away Golf
Tournament Committee is already well underway with the planning for this year's
tournament!
The 2008 tournament, to be held at Rainier Golf and Country
Club, is on track to be the best yet! There are still sponsorship opportunities
available and I encourage each
of you to contribute to this event in one way or another - whether through a
sponsorship, an auction item donation, or by volunteering to work at the event.
I am proud to say that the Chamber's Board of Directors have pledged their
support for this year's event and sponsored the lunch, and I hope you, too,
will
find a way to support this Chamber fund raising activity. If you are
interested
in sponsorships or
other opportunities, please contact the Chamber office at 206.575.1633.
Additionally, if you are considering a foursome for this
year's tournament I'd suggest signing up soon, as we anticipate the foursomes
to fill quickly. You can find a registration form at the Chamber’s website.
Watch your mail for your
invitation to this event and be
sure to mark your calendars!
2008 Get-Away Golf Tournament
Thursday, July 31
Rainier Golf and Country Club
Thank you for your loyalty and support of the Chamber. And remember to
"spring ahead"
on Sunday!
Mikel Hansen
Chairman
March Membership Luncheon
Our March Membership Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, March 14at the
DoubleTree
Hotel Seattle Airport, 18740 International Boulevard, SeaTac 98188, from 11:30
am to 1:30 pm. The cost is $20 pre-paid
or $25 at the door.
Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna will talk about consumer outreach
efforts, our legislative agenda this session, his methamphetamine prevention
and awareness efforts, and so forth. He will also be available to answer
questions and address issues of your concern.
To register, contact the Chamber office at 206.575.1633.
ITT Technical Institute
to Sponsor March Membership Luncheon
Special thanks to ITT Technical Institute for sponsoring our March Membership
Luncheon.
For more information on ITT Tech, including campus locations and class
schedules,
please visit their website.
South Sound Coalition
Wrap-Up Celebration
The South Sound Chambers of Commerce Legislative Coalition Wrap-Up Celebration
will
be Wednesday, April 2 from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Twin Lakes Golf & Country
Club
in Federal Way.
Individual tickets are $25. For more information, including registration
and Corporate
Sponsorship information, please contact Nancy Damon at 206.575.1633 or via
email
at ndamon@swkcc.org. The
registration deadline is March 28.
2008 Get-Away Golf
Tournament
It's time to put your foursomes together!
The 2008 Get-Away Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, July 31 at Rainier
Golf
and Country Club.
The day will begin with registration, putting green, driving range, and a BBQ
lunch
on the terrace at 10:30 am. Golf will begin with a shotgun start at noon.
At approximately 5:00 pm we will proceed to the atrium for hors d'oeuvres and
no-host
cocktails. We will also begin our silent auction at that time.
Cost for a foursome is $540, which includes (for four) the BBQ lunch,
18 holes of golf with golf cart, reception and tee prize. Corporate
foursomes are
$600 which additionally include company recognition in the event program. The
individual
golfer fee is $135 and if you wish to attend the reception
only, the cost is $40.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available, beginning at the $100 level.
To
learn more, please contact Dianna Gearhiser at 206.575.7767 or
dgearhiser@swkcc.org.
2008 Get-Away Golf Tournament Sponsors
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Baker Commodities
BBC Dodge
HomeStreet Bank
LUNCHEON SPONSOR
Southwest King County Chamber Board of Directors
RECEPTION SPONSORS
Landmark on the Sound
Radiant Health 4U
PUTTING GREEN SPONSOR
Instant Imprints
DRIVING RANGE SPONSOR
Domestic Abuse Women's Network
To download a golfer registration form, please visit the Chamber’s website at
www.swkcc.org.
Seattle Southside Forum
A Business and Real Estate Opportunity Showcase
Join us for the Seattle Southside Forum, a dynamic gathering of successful
companies, real estate developers, and public officials coming together to
discuss exciting current projects and future development opportunities in
Southwest King County.
As one of the best places for business in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle
Southside is undergoing exciting change. Learn how development plans are positively
transforming
neighborhoods and waterfronts, transportation initiatives are connecting
communities, and prime commercial and residential real estate sites offer
investors and developers profitable opportunities.
Dan Rosenfeld, founding principal of Urban Partners LLC, will be the Forum
keynote
speaker. Urban Partners is the real estate planning, investment,
development and
management firm selected to develop Burien Town Square, a mixed-use project in
downtown Burien.
* The half-day Seattle Southside Forum will bring together business leaders,
real
estate developers, and government officials to underscore the benefits of
living,
working, learning, and playing in Seattle Southside.
* Representatives from successful Seattle Southside firms include Dave Sabey
from
Sabey Corporation who will discuss the benefits of a Seattle Southside location
and
their paths to business success.
* A Showcase Tour of Seattle Southside real estate opportunities and
development
initiatives will take place immediately following the Seattle Southside
Forum.
* A Resource Gallery will feature event sponsors from a range of industries as
well as
representatives from the cities of Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila, the
Port of Seattle, King County, Highline Community College, the Southwest King
County Chamber of
Commerce, and enterpriseSeattle.
Registration Information:
Ticket Price: $20/person
FREE Showcase Tour for the first 50 registrants. For all others, the Showcase
Tour
is $15/person.
To register, contact the Chamber at
206.575.1633 or staff@swkcc.org.
Sponsorship Package Information, please contact:
Allison Clark
King County Office of Business Relations
and Economic Development
206.296.1939 or allison.clark@kingcounty.gov
Ambassador Connection
Meet Your Ambassador!
Chamber Ambassador Paul McFadden has been with Exact Financial Group for two
years now. Previously, he was in apparel sales for over 17 years until the
market changed (people stopped dressing up). So he asked two of his great
friends what they thought a good match would be and they both said mortgages.
Being a trusting, small town Eastern
Washington boy - Dianna Gearhiser and Paul are from the same small town - he
took the plunge.
Paul loves what he does because he feels he is truly helping people realize
their dream of
homeownership. Exact Financial Group is a mortgage broker located in Renton and
handles residential and commercial loans, including purchases and refinances.
Paul emphasizes high-touch customer service and believes in open, honest
communication.
The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors Committee
have been a great way for Paul to not only network and meet new and existing
members of the Chamber, but also to explain the myriad benefits of membership.
They always say you
get out of something what you put in, sometimes many fold over, and Paul
couldn't
agree more with that sentiment. Be sure to give Paul a call if he can help you!
Nonstop Flights to
Beijing Set to Begin in June
Beginning June 9, Hainan Airlines, the largest privateairline in China, will
offer
nonstop service between Seattle and Beijing. Sea-Tac Airport will be the first
U.S. destination served by Hainan, which also will provide convenient
connecting flights, via Beijing, to Shanghai and more than 40 other major
Chinese cities.
"The Puget Sound region is a key trading partner with China," said
Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton. "Hainan Airlines'
nonstop service
to Beijing will continue to promote our region's business, tourist and cultural
connections to the world's fastest growing economy."
It's estimated that more than 75,000 passengers travel to and from China
through Seattle each year, without the benefit of nonstop service. The addition
of nonstop service from Sea-Tac Airport is expected to stimulate even more
travel between the two. The nonstop flight will operate four times a week on
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
"Traffic to and from China is the fastest growing international market in
Seattle, with traffic to China increasing 12 percent a year," said Port of
Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani. "Our
region's global businesses have wanted this kind of direct connection to China,
and we are only now beginning to see what the tourism element will be."
"The Port has worked
with community and state leaders for more than five years to bring about
nonstop service between Seattle and Beijing," said Sea-Tac Airport
Managing Director Mark Reis. "We are really looking forward to the
benefits this will provide to our region."
Additional international flights scheduled to begin in 2008 include Lufthansa's
nonstop service to Frankfurt, beginning March 30, and Northwest Airlines'
nonstop service to London, beginning June 1.
City Beats - Burien
LIBRARY DESIGN: At a public meeting on February
25, the King County Library System presented the designs for the new Burien
Regional Library being built as part of Burien Town Square. The 32,000
square-foot library will include more computers, space for children and teens,
and community meeting space, which will be shared with the City. Burien's new
City Hall will be on the third level of the building, with the library on the
two lower floors. The joint development allows the entities to share the
costs of construction, taxes and consultant fees. The City and Library System
are looking forward to an early 2009 completion of this great new building.
CITIZENS SURVEYED:A survey on the performance of
City government and the perceived quality of life in Burien found that the majority
of residents are satisfied with the work the City is doing for the community,
and said they like living in Burien. Participants responded positively in other
areas, such as value received from taxes, safety in their neighborhoods and the
direction the City is headed. "Lack of economic growth" and
"reducing crime" were mentioned as Burien's greatest challenges. Some
400 Burien residents were randomly selected for the survey and were contacted
by
phone by a market research firm hired by the City.
AMBAUM PROJECT: Construction work is scheduled to begin in March on the Ambaum
Boulevard Corridor improvement project. The segment of Ambaum Boulevard between
SW 153rdand Des Moines Memorial Drive will be rebuilt, with a new continuous
left-turn lane, two travel lanes and a bicycle lane. Sidewalks will be repaired
and street lighting will be added. This stretch of Ambaum Boulevard is one of
Burien's highest accident locations.
CITIZEN AWARDS: The City is holding its annual Citizen Awards Night on March
28. Citizens who have made substantial contributions in the areas of education,
business, the environment, and to the community in general, are honored at the
event, which includes a dinner and silent auction conducted by Discover Burien.
A Birthday Bash recognizing
Burien's 15 years as a City is the following day, March 29, from noon to 4 p.m.
at Highline High School.
SPRING CLEANING:Burien Clean Sweep, the community's annual spring cleaning, is
planned for Saturday, April 26. Individuals, families and other groups gather
at the main fire station downtown in the morning and set out to pick up litter
and other debris in an assigned area of town. At noon, they return to the fire
station for a free lunch donated by Burien merchants and a drawing for prizes.
City Beats - Tukwila
Tukwila Village: The City has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ)
seeking a developer for Tukwila Village. Applications and qualifications statements
are due on March 31, 2008.
Education Corner -
Highline Schools
Global Connections Hosts Iraqi Delegation: A delegation of women from Iraq
visited
Global Connections High School last week. The women are in the US as part of
the US Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. They are
here to explore the role of women as agents of social and political change in
America and to share
strategies with women decision-makers for promoting human and civil rights. The
guests spoke to several classes, then joined staff and students for a lunch
reception.
Cedarhurst Grand Opening Celebration:The Cedarhurst neighborhood, students, and
families all joined together on February 21 to celebrate the grand opening of
Cedarhurst Elementary. Over 400 people took advangtage of the opportunity to
see the 67,000 square foot facility, which incorporates a highly energy-efficient,
two-story plan with two classroom wings, an activities wing, and the
administration area with the library above. The library features sweeping views
of the surrounding mountains - for which the school's wings are
named; Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Olympus, and Mount Baker.
Principal Leslie Perry served as master of ceremonies for the program, which
featured a slide show provided by TCF Architecture. Following the program, TCF
and Babbit Neuman Construction hosted a taco bar dinner for the community and
visitors toured the building.
Student Leaders staffed stations around the school to share information about
special features including the grass rooftop, the cistern system that captures
rainwater runoff for landscape use, and other energy-efficient aspects of the
building. Student musicians entertained guests with a drumming performance.
Included in the celebration were representatives of the Burien/Normandy Park
Fire Department, which headed up efforts to save the new building when it caught
fire on July 14, 2007, during construction.
Education Corner -
Seattle Christian
On Friday, March 7 and Saturday March 8 Seattle Christian Schools will be
holding its annual auction called ALIVE! Friday night is a silent auction with
hundreds of items available and Saturday is a silent and live auction dinner in
the evening.
Tuesday, April 22 at 7:00 PM
there will be an Open House at Seattle Christian for prospective families.
For the high school, the third week of March is called InterSCession where
students spend the week in community service projects, travel, choir tour,
learning new skills, college tour, etc. Students can choose from many options
but all spend the week participating in an activity that they would not be able
to do during a regular school week. During this week 45 students will be making
a tour of Greece while 27 students will be touring France. Twenty-five students
in choir will be in California performing for various groups. Some students
will
be working with the homeless at the South Sound Dream Center; others will package
and distribute food and clothing items through World Vision. One group will
spend the week helping get a local camp ready for the summer camping season
while others will be helping with housing projects in the neighborhood. There
are over 25 different activities high school students can become involved in
for that week.
Spring Break is March 24-28.
California Pizza Kitchen
Ribbon Cutting
On February 11, California Pizza Kitchen hosted a ribbon cutting in celebration
of their grand opening! They served their signature BBQ Chicken Pizza and
showed us their beautiful facility. Be sure to stop by for lunch or dinner -
they are located at 150 Andover Park W. in Tukwila (across from JCPenney
at Westfield Southcenter). Welcome, California Pizza Kitchen!
Northwest Kidney Centers
Ribbon Cutting
Northwest Kidney Centers celebrated the grand opening of their new location
with
a ribbon cutting ceremony February 21. The event featured tours of their
state-of-the-art facility, located at 17900 International Blvd. in SeaTac.
For more information on
Northwest Kidney Centers and the wonderful service they
provide, please visit their website.
In-House Fine Interiors
Ribbon Cutting
Catherine DuBose, owner of In-House Fine Interiors, celebrated the grand
opening
of her business with a ribbon cutting and reception on February 29.
The business, offering
interior design services and home decor items, is located
at 22341 Marine View Dr. in Des Moines. Please stop by and welcome
In-House Fine Interiors to the Chamber. And be sure to say hello to Dixie the
cocker spaniel, too!
Member Get A Member
Special thanks to our existing Chamber members who have worked to refer new
members!
Paul Barden with Radiant Health 4U invited a guest to the February Networking
Breakfast.
Natalie Elert with Dollar Rent-A-Car referred new member Menzies Aviation.
Elizabeth Paulsen with Cascade e-Commerce Solutions Inc. referred new member
Atelie
Couture.
Guests are always welcome at our events - please feel free to invite potential
members
so they can see how wonderful Chamber membership can be!
New Members
California Pizza Kitchen
Michael San Juan
150 Andover Park W.
Tukwila, WA 98188
206.242.2112
Clear Channel
Shirine Park
3601 6th Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98134
206.353.9188
Evergreen Bank
Britt McAllister
20038 West Valley Highway Ste. 102
Kent, WA 98032
425.306.1970
Group Health Credit Union
Gina Chriscaden
690 Strander Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
206.826.8701
Horizon Pet Supply
Birdie Woodruff
113 SW 153rd St.
Burien, WA 98166
206.242.7387
IPTN North America, Inc.
Aang Suharja
1035 Andover Park W. Ste. B
Tukwila, WA 98188
206.575.6507
Menzies Aviation
Cyndi Mitchell
3100 S. 176th St. Ste. 203
SeaTac, WA 98188
206.248.6389
O Sushi & Grill
Choon Lee
15901 West Valley Highway
Tukwila, WA 98188
425.793.7600
Office Depot - Burien
Scott Russell
15716 1st Ave. S.
Burien, WA 98148
206.241.3727
Panera Bread
Shawn Edwards
17250 Southcenter Parkway Ste. 152
Tukwila, WA 98188
425.251.8701
Renewing Members
The Southwest King County Chamber extends its gratitude to renewing members
for
their continued support.
1-5 Years
Anthony's Homeport Des Moines
Castle Megastore
Compass Consulting Group LLC
Edward Jones
Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub
Exact Financial Group
Instant Imprints, Tukwila
Judson Park Retirement Community
MasterPark Lot C
Primerica Financial Services
Puget Sound Blood Center
Radisson Hotel Gateway
Relax the Back
SeaTac Lighting & Controls
Tukwila Pantry
UTi United States, Inc.
Wesley Homes
6-10 Years
All Seattle Web Design
Cascade e-Commerce Solutions, Inc.
Corporate Recycling Services, Inc.
Emerald Downs
Highline Times/Robinson News Group
Lutheran Community Services NW
Miller Paint Company
Renton Technical College
11-15 Years
Sprint Moving & Storage
16-20 Years
Dollar Rent-A-Car
Highline Athletic Club
21-25 Years
Accurate Enterprises, Inc.
Azteca Restaurant Enterprises, Inc.
Best Western - River's Edge
GVA Kidder Mathews
Green River Community College