Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

⏳ Hurry, time’s running out to apply! Have a passion for making an impact? The Chamber’s Candidate Academy is your first step toward public service. 📅: Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 📍: Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber (950 Pacific Ave, Ste 300, Tacoma, WA 98402) Not sure if running for office is for you? Or maybe you want to learn how to get involved without jumping in headfirst? This is your chance! Connect with experienced elected officials, community leaders, and get the knowledge you need to make a difference. Act fast! Register by February 28th to secure your spot today: bit.ly/TPCC-CA2025.

Last month, the Chamber held its annual Horizons Economic Forecast at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center in downtown Tacoma! Rising with the sun were more than 425 business leaders, community organizers, and public officials, all ready to learn more about economic projections nationally and for Pierce County in 2025. ✨Highlights from the event include: ➡️ Hearing from several Pierce County public officials, including Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland Strickland, Congresswoman Emily Randall, Port of Tacoma Commissioner Dick Marzano, and Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello. ➡️ Exclusive economic insights from our keynote speaker, Angelo Kourkafas, CFA® Senior Strategist, Investment Strategy at Edward Jones. ➡️ Tom Layson, Managing Editor & Producer-Host of Northwest Now, KBTC Public Television, hosted an economic Q&A with Mr. Kourkafas and the author of the newly released Pierce County Economic Index Report, Dr. Neal Johnson. ➡️ Guests receiving a copy of the 2025 PCEI Report, a pivotal tool for understanding the county's economic health and prospects. Check it out now: https://lnkd.in/gyTihhhu. ➡️ Attendees learning from a panel of experts during our three break-out sessions uncovering the forces shaping Pierce County’s economy in 2025. A BIG thank you to our incredible panelists and moderators for the time they invested in preparing for the panels and on the day-of, sharing their expertise with our guests. We are grateful to our event sponsors who helped make Horizons such a success. Horizons 2026 planning is already in progress, and we are eager to facilitate another platform for meaningful discussions in the coming year! Read more about this memorable event on our blog: bit.ly/Horizons-2025-Recap.

We had an amazing time mingling with members and community leaders at our Chamber After Hours last night. Thank you to Foss Waterway Seaport for hosting us, Cafe Pacific Catering for feeding everyone, to our ambassadors for supporting attendees, and to everyone who came out to network and spend time with us. Thank you also to Ryan Spence, program director for the Manufacturing Industrial Council, for helping emcee and supporting tours of his curated collection of Jacques Cousteau memorabilia on display at Foss Waterway Seaport. Special shoutout to Brent from the Seaport who gave an amazing speech about us that we are so appreciative of and still blushing about. 🥰

Dream of making a difference in your community? The Chamber's Candidate Academy is your launchpad into public service! 📅: Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 📍: Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber (950 Pacific Ave, Ste 300, Tacoma, WA 98402) Discover if running for office is right for you—or learn how to engage with the process without taking the plunge. Meet seasoned elected officials and influential community advocates, uncover the ins and outs of various government roles, and arm yourself with the tools and insights you need to step confidently into leadership. Ready to chart your course for change? Learn more and register on our website now! https://lnkd.in/gjU8A7Gk

We welcomed over 30 businesses into our Chamber community in January! Each of these businesses holds expertise from its respective sectors, including insurance, software, retail, and consulting services. To see the list of new members, visit our blog ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gvUPjeFY.

Our Legislative Agenda for 2025 outlining our guiding principles and legislative priorities for the year ahead is here. The Goal ➡️ Improve the business climate, grow businesses, and create private sector jobs in the South Sound Top Legislative Priorities: ➡️ Protect the Puget Sound Gateway, Connecting Washington, and Move Ahead Washington transportation packages and existing incentives to help meet our economic development needs. ➡️ Support legislation to achieve Washington’s BEST Manufacturing Act, SHB 1170 (2021 Legislative Session), “goal of doubling the state’s manufacturing employment base, the number of small businesses, and the number of women and minority-owned manufacturing businesses” by 2031 through strategic workforce development assistance programs, tax incentives and business growth. ➡️ Support legislation that protects small businesses from new taxes and fees like gift card sweeps and delivery taxes. ➡️Support policy solutions to the housing shortage, like rental assistance funds, while avoiding policy choices that discourage housing development like price and market controls. ➡️ Improve public safety for our community’s businesses, their customers, and their employees. View the full Legislative Agenda now: https://lnkd.in/gtTWVMeF.

Congratulations to our Ambassadors of the Month for January AND February! 🎉 1. Bob Hays | President, LegalShield 2. Jeffery Bryant | Financial Professional, New York Life Insurance Company 3. Jenny Tharp | Business Services Officer, Sound Credit Union Chamber ambassadors help grow and positively promote the Chamber, as well as mentor new members. By being active ambassadors and supporting Chamber events, three top leaders are selected to be Ambassadors of the Month. Learn more about the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber ambassador team ➡️ bit.ly/TPCC-Ambassadors.

🙌🏽 We won! Our Chamber was honored by the Western Association of Chamber Executives with a communication award for our e-newsletter. Our team works diligently every week to encapsulate and present relevant news, member features, advocacy work, networking events, and more for our community so that we can highlight information and opportunities that support local businesses. We are so grateful for the recognition and remain committed to evolving our communication channels even more in the year ahead. #WACE #Communications #awards

Our President & CEO, Andrea H. Reay, was excited to present at the #WACE conference on business retention with a focus on how to build and grow an economic development strategy that works for community. Some takeaways from her presentation: Engaging with our members and businesses is paramount to informing us on what’s happening. This includes what planning is in place that will affect the near and long term. We examine a Business Health Index to guide partnerships with other partner entities working in specific areas, whether it’s centered on workforce development or quality of place. Asking questions is key! By having a dialogue we can understand what’s important to businesses, members, and where we can provide value to the business community.

Chamber President and CEO Andrea Reay was happy to attend the celebration for the $4.2 million acquisition of the former Rite Aid on 1105 Martin Luther King Jr. Way by Homestead Community Land Trust and Aya Community Land Trust. The former Rite Aid building has been in transition and under utilized for a long period of time and The Chamber looks forward supporting Homestead and Aya's work of centering community voices, guarding against displacement, and reparative land justice.