Junior Achievement Poised for Take Off
I recently attended a training session for volunteers interested in helping Junior Achievement (JA). This national organization teaches work readiness and financial literacy to young people all over the world. Washington State’s JA chapter has been around for over 50 years but it just recently expanded its programs to Central Washington.
It was exciting to learn more about the JA curricula. There are lesson plans and activities designed for children from kindergarden through high school. The whole program builds a great foundation for kids in the areas of business, economic and life skills. At first I wondered whether I could really teach this kind of material in a classroom. After going through the training though I gained more confidence. JA’s lesson plans are easy to follow and they do a great job of orienting a nonteacher like myself to what the kids should learn at each grade level.
| Junior Achievement is building a major learning center in Yakima. To learn more click here |
It is inspiring to learn that over 50 Yakima business and civic leaders are volunteering to deliver the JA curricula at local schools. Programs at local schools should start unfolding this Spring. Junior Achievement is still setting up their programs with local school districts so it is likely that these programs will gain even more momentum in the Fall. The organization is looking for more volunteers so if you are interested please contact Kim Clasen at 206-296-2606 or kimc@jawashington.org. To learn more about Junior Achievement of Washington click here
Successful Entrepreneurship in a Bottle: Yakima Craft Brewing
Recently I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with Jeff Winn, owner of Yakima Craft Brewing. It was great to talk with Jeff about the beer business and see that his company is doing well. Winn moved to Yakima from Portland nearly two years ago to pursue his dream of owning a craft brewery. Our office helped Jeff early on by connecting him with a seasoned employee and identifying potential buildings for his operation.
As we got to know Jeff we were impressed with his entrepreneurial approach. He developed a great business plan for Yakima Craft Brewing and more importantly used it on a daily basis to guide the company through its earliest stages. Winn does not refer to the plan as much now because he can rely on the company’s financial reports and operating metrics to make key decisions. At the same time though Jeff still relies on the business plan as a longer term road map to grow the brewery.
I also smiled when Jeff talked about his philosophy for increasing market share and expanding the brewery. Winn says the market for his product is enormous and that he is currently selling every ounce of beer he turns out. The challenge for Jeff is that his brewing system is small and it limits how much beer the company can produce. Winn is comfortable for now working within these constraints. He is more concerned about managing and digesting the company’s growth. Jeff has significant expansion plans but he is moving forward thoughtfully and incrementally to ensure that the brewery’s growth is sustainable and manageable.
After working with hundreds of companies and entrepreneurs Jeff’s views are refreshing. I have seen too many businesses think that growth is great until they run out of funds to feed the company. I have also seen companies that get too fixed on a big market opportunity and ignore how it will specifically impact their business.
Our hats are off to Jeff and Yakima Craft Brewing. His philosophy on business plans and managing growth are exemplary. More importantly he and his partner Chris Swedin make fantastic beer. To learn more about Yakima Craft Brewing click here.
Expanding Companies Show Interest in Yakima County
One of New Vision’s top priorities is attract new business to Yakima County. Each year our staff implements marketing activities that raise our region’s image as a business location. As part of these efforts we always try to identify specific companies that could benefit from operating facilities within the Yakima Valley.
It has been hard to identify growing firms during the recession, but the New Vision office has nonetheless been busy responding to companies exploring new locations. Over the past year we have responded to over 40 companies that made inquiries about setting up shop in Yakima County.
These leads fall into several categories. Some of these companies are long shots – they are looking at other states and countries and seem to want the golden egg in terms of incentives. It will be difficult to get these firms located in Washington State let alone Yakima County. There are also out of state companies that seem more interested in Western Washington locations. Our office is putting its best foot forward with these companies with information that suggests the Yakima region is more competitive and strategic than locations west of the Cascades. And finally there are prospect companies whose needs dovetail perfectly with our area’s assets. We are keeping in close touch with these businesses and feel confident that at least one of two of these firms could eventually land in the Yakima Valley.
Here is a partial list of companies on the New Vision watch list:
- A nutraceutical company that wants to relocate out of Los Angeles;
- An outdoor decking and furniture manufacturing company;
- An engineering company interested in establishing a biogas fueled electric power plant;
- A New Zealand food processing company; and
- A logistics company looking for an existing warehouse building.
If you have any questions about these companies or other prospective businesses feel free to contact our office at 509-575-1140 or info@ycda.com.
Wine Industry Leader To Speak At New Vision Annual Meeting
We are pleased to announce that Ted Baseler, president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, will be the keynote speaker at our annual meeting on March 10th. The event will take place at the Yakima Convention Center from 12-1:30 p.m.
Baseler started at Ste. Michelle in 1984 as their marketing director and rose steadily wihtin the company until he became president and CEO in 2001. He has focused on building a high quality portfolio which has resulted in wines lauded by critics, including Wine Spectator magazine’s coveted No. 1 Wine in the World title for 2009. Mr. Baseler’s talk in Yakima, From Nowhere to Number One, will chronicle the rise of Washington’s wine industry.
According to Vic Motto, current owner of Global Wine Partners and a player in the industry for nearly three decades: “There aren’t many people in the wine industry who’ve had his kind of impact on the region. As Robert Mondavi did in California, Ted has promoted not only his company, but the entire industry.” Motto adds,“It’s the foundation that he and Allen [former CEO Allen Shoup, who recruited Baseler] built together, and Ted has refined it quite a bit. They’ve probably been helpful to half of the Washington wine business.”
Baseler believes that, as the Washington wine industry goes, so too goes Ste. Michelle: “We want Washington known. All of it. We’re not about to fight over whose bottle of wine gets sold. We’re competing with Napa, with France. We’re not competing with Washington wineries.” It is attitudes like this that provide Baseler his well earned reputation as a leader within the Washington wine industry. According to his colleague and competitor Norm McKibben from Pepper Bridge Winery, “Ted sits in a position where he can take the broad view. If Ste. Michelle had been like one of the big guys in California, I don’t think we’d have a statewide wine industry like we do today.
Tickets for the annual lunch meeting cost $30 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Please contact the New Vision office at 509-575-1140 or newvision@ycda.com to reserve your seat(s).
Story attributed in part to the Seattle Business Magazine
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