Northwest Aerospace News April | May 2019 Issue No. 8 | Page 66

Member Benefits
IDAA and INWAC are also working
together to investigate benefits for
member companies. These include
401(k) and group insurance plans that
could be particularly beneficial for
small-to-medium sized businesses.
According to Mark Norton, INWAC
board chair, “Employee benefits are
a big concern among our members
as they seek to stay cost competitive
and attract and retain skilled workers.
Small shops often struggle to provide
benefits even though they want to do
so. If we can find a solution through
pooling INWAC and IDAA member
companies together, it will be a major
win for our members.”
Shared Expertise
Staff and volunteer leaders among the
Pacific Northwest Aerospace Cluster
groups are a treasure trove of industry
knowledge. From an understanding of
cluster capabilities and industry trends
to contacts with government and
higher education, there is a wealth of
experience and relationships within the
region. Entities rely on one another to
best share this information with those
they serve.
The Joint Center for Aerospace Tech-
nology Innovation (JCATI) regularly
calls on AUVSI to supply reviewers
for project proposals and, in April, the
Cascade Chapter of AUVSI’s “Drones,
Droids: Unmanned Systems at Work”
conference will include a panel with
representatives from JCATI, PNDC,
PNAA, and the Gorge Technology
Alliance.
66
NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS