Choose Washington effort launched to win Boeing 797

Washington State is making its case to land the design, production and assembly of the next great Boeing airplane.

On December 20, Governor Jay Inslee launched the Choose Washington Council to join him in leading the charge to convince Boeing that Washington State is the best place to design and build the New Market Airplane (NMA), the 797. A Washington State win would preserve and grow aerospace jobs and further strengthen the aerospace supply chain.

Team Washington

Choose Washington brings together a wide swath of stakeholders representing labor, industry, counties and state agencies, including:

• Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier
• King County Executive Dow Constantine
• Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers
• Brain Bonlender, Washington State Department of Commerce
• Larry Brown, International Association of Machinists 751
• Kelly Maloney, Aerospace Futures Alliance (AFA)
• Chelsea Orvella, Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA)
• Robin Toth, Greater Spokane Incorporated

“Securing the NMA for Washington State is important for the future growth of aerospace in Pierce County and throughout the state,” said Bruce Dammeier. “I look forward to working together to make our case that Washington is the best possible place for this new aircraft. We want nothing more than to tell people at next year’s Paris Air Show that Boeing chose Washington to make its NMA, and that their companies will be well served to follow suit.”

EDB President and CEO Bruce Kendall serves on the board of directors of the AFA, an association of suppliers and economic development professionals. He’ll work closely with AFA Executive Director Kelly Maloney, Dammeier and the Choose Washington Council to ensure the state puts its best foot forward. Sarah Bonds, EDB vice president for recruitment, will also be working on the project.

A solid history in Pierce County

“Pierce County and the EDB have a strong history of being part of successful statewide responses to Boeing airplane competitions,” Kendall said, citing Boeing’s 787, 767 Tanker Deal, and 777X. “Creating the Choose Washington Council is a critical step in what will be a state-versus-state competition for the 797. We’ll be ready.”

Boeing is the largest manufacturer of any kind with operations in Pierce County and supports 70 other aerospace businesses in the county and the jobs they represent. The Boeing Frederickson facility has 1 million square feet of manufacturing space and (among other products) produces the tail structure for the 787, and soon the 777X.

Boeing is expected to release an RFP sometime this year. We’ll share updates as they become available.

Submit your nomination for 2018 Excellent 10

Do you know of a company or project that made an impact on the South Sound economy last year? Each year during its annual meeting, the EDB presents the Excellent 10— great economic development projects that were in progress or completed between January and December of the previous year.

Help us ensure people and projects get the kudos they deserve. The EDB is accepting nominations for the 2018 Excellent 10 through February 9.

Learn more about the Excellent 10 and submit nominations at bit.ly/EDBExcellent10. Winners will be unveiled March 8 at the 2018 EDB Annual Meeting.

Linda Nguyen to lead Washington Workforce Association

Congratulations to Linda Nguyen, EDB board member and CEO of WorkForce Central, who was recently named chair of the Washington Workforce Association (WWA).  Nguyen, who represents the Pierce County Workforce Development Council, will serve a two-year term in her leadership position.

The WWA is a nonprofit, non-partisan membership organization that represents Washington State’s 12 government-certified workforce development councils. Working with elected local officials and statewide, regional and national organizations, the group is dedicated to advancing of the economic health of their respective communities through a skilled and competitive workforce.

The WWA provides information, training, tools and recommendations to policy makers, workforce development professionals, WDC members, and the community at large to help make informed decisions about how to invest in workforce strategies.

Nguyen was also recently re-elected to the board of trustees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Workforce Development Council, which helps address national workforce development issues. Nguyen was re-elected during the USCM’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. She’s served on the board each year since taking the helm at WorkForce Central in 2007.