Tri-Cities Local Business Association: Collaborating for our economic future

We look to 2017 as a year of change and opportunity on many fronts. New Hanford prime contracts are taking shape and will affect our community for years to come. One priority for the Tri-Cities Local Business Association (TCLBA) is leveraging Hanford opportunities involving local businesses to build a stronger, more diversified and sustainable economy. This year we will work more directly with our community partners, including TRIDEC and the Tri-City Regional Chamber, to address that priority.

We are committed to finishing Hanford cleanup, diversifying our economy and transitioning our workforce, land and infrastructure in support of a sustainable, vibrant future for our community. According to the Tri-City Herald (1/2/2017) “paychecks at Hanford still account for an estimated 30 percent of the community’s income.” We’re grateful for this significant contribution to our regional economy. At the same time, we recognize it is not sustainable.

Our goals for the Tri-Cities involve replacing the high-tech, well-paying Hanford jobs that currently fuel our local economy. The future growth areas that we’re focused on build on PNNL’s mission, WSU-TC’s and CBC’s growth, clean energy, agriculture, wine, healthcare, the knowledge and skills of the Hanford workforce and the Hanford land and infrastructure becoming available because the cleanup is succeeding. To help achieve that growth, TCLBA in partnership with Visit TRI-CITIES and others, is helping to showcase and advance our community’s growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) identity. This will help sustain and grow TCLBA member companies like 4D GeoViz, which built on PNNL roots to support the Hanford cleanup while leveraging these skills into the commercial sector. A geoscience service and consulting business, 4D GeoViz applies advanced digital graphic technology and extensive geological expertise and analyzes subsurface data for field operations, exploration and drilling.

Meantime, increased use of local businesses in support of Hanford remains the best way to leverage federal cleanup programs for the community’s economic future. Local businesses are highly incentivized to perform well and complete the cleanup, and to use their Hanford involvement as a foundation for supporting the community. TCLBA member Iron Mountain Construction Management is an example. The company has grown its business and community involvement, demonstrating its value as a locally-grown, woman-owned and customer service-focused company that is committed to supporting the community.

To further support this model, TCLBA is providing DOE with specific ideas on policies and provisions for the new Hanford contracts. Our intent is to promote more and better subcontracting practices that benefit DOE, the cleanup, our workforce and our community’s future economy.

This coming year, we will work to advance these initiatives through multiple collaborations with our elected officials, WSU, CBC, PNNL, TRIDEC, the ports, the chambers, Visit Tri-Cities and others. TCLBA will be facilitating forums to help unify and strengthen a collective economic vision and strategies for achieving it, building on anticipated opportunities that arise in times of change.

The TCLBA is a not-for-profit association serving local businesses and organized labor. We provide a forum for members to share information, form partnerships and grow networks. Our members are loyal and committed to the Tri-Cities as demonstrated by their participation and leadership in community initiatives that improve education, create jobs and enhance our quality of life.

We encourage readers to visit our website www.TriCitiesLBA.com and read the submissions from our member companies elsewhere in this Progress Edition. Our members range from small to large local businesses and represent a diversity of high-tech skill sets. We welcome others interested in contributing ideas and energy that can help us achieve a more diversified and sustainable STEM-based economy.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tri-Cities Local Business Association: Collaborating for our economic future."