At the annual meeting of the Columbia River Economic Development Council Thursday three local companies reported on the positive results they were experiencing owing in large part to the Recruitment/Expansion/Retention efforts of the CREDC along in concert with their economic development partners. Sapa Extrusion, an aluminum extrusion manufacturer secured a lease with the Port of Vancouver in June of 2011 and reported they are already up and running and planning on additional hires in the coming months. Sapa relied heavily on the CREDC and the Port of Vancouver economic development staff in making their decision to locate here as they were consolidating three west coast facilities.
CID Bio president, Leonard Felix talked about his experience working with the CREDC and with Jan Harte at the Small Business Development Center at WSU from his original business plan development to a recent project to buy and restore the former American Legion Hall in Camas. Felix was adamant that the assistance he has received from the Economic Development professionals in the community was instrumental in his ability to continue to grow in southwest Washington.
Kelly Wonton, President of Trail Tek in Battle Ground also told of the support received from the CREDC and others as they grew their company from their home to their new space just south of Battle Ground Village. Wonton also talked about Trail Tek having been accepted by the Business Growth Mentorship and Analysis Program this term in the School of Business at WSU Vancouver. The BGMAP is designed to connect teams of Business major students with local businesses to assist those businesses with a variety of challenges from accounting processes and systems to target marketing. Wonton said their first meeting was coming in the next week but didn’t say what aspect of the business on which the student team would be focusing.
The CREDC also elected members to the Council for a first term as well as electing the officers of the organization for the coming year. New members to the council include: Bob Baker, president of Tetra Pak; Dave Bennett, CEO Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery; Joe Foggia, President, Christensen Yachts; Steve Horenstein, Horenstein Law Group; Bill Hutchinson, vice-president, Harder Mechanical; Andrew Jones, vice president, Pac Trust; Ralph Parker, vice president, Underwriters Laboratories; Kathleen Sego, Sego’s Herb Farm; Victor Winkler, president Metro Metals Northwest. Officers for 2012 are Bill Dudley, Landerholm, PS, Chair; Jim Short, WaferTech, vice-Chair; Lisa Nisenfeld, CREDC, President; John McDonagh, Vancouver Business Journal, Secretary; Lisa Goecke, Perkins & Co., Treasurer; Eric Fuller, Eric Fuller & Assocs., Immediate Past Chair.
