washington business
Virtual Legislative Day and Hill Climb Connects Employers with Lawmakers
AWB ’ s Legislative Day and Hill Climb , held virtually this year , had unprecedented attendance .
A record 131 people took part in the online Hill Climb , meeting in Zoom breakout rooms with 95 legislators and AWB ’ s Government Affairs staff .
The event also had strong participation from the Grassroots Alliance , with 20 local chambers joining the event .
AWB hosted more than a dozen lawmakers from both parties and chambers during
two hours of panel discussions on tax & fiscal policy , health care , carbon and the environment , unemployment insurance and employment law , transportation and infrastructure , and child care , plus a keynote talk on the economy .
Gov . Jay Inslee spoke with AWB Board Chair Brian Forth of SiteCrafting and other AWB members during the Zoom board meeting that concluded the day .
Johnson Takes Chair of COSMA
AWB President Kris Johnson took over as chair of the Conference of State Manufacturers Associations ( COSMA ) in January . Todd Bingham , president of the Utah Manufacturers Association , serves as vice-chair .
Johnson takes over for outgoing COSMA chair Kurt Bauer , president of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce .
After being voted in as chair during a virtual meeting in October , Johnson said he looks forward to working with other state manufacturing association leaders to help America ’ s manufacturers rebound from the current downturn and rebuild our economy .
“ This is a pivotal moment for our nation and for the manufacturing sector , which has stepped up in so many ways during the Covid crisis ,” Johnson said . “ As we think about economic recovery and what that will require , I know that manufacturing is going to play a major role , as it always has during key moments in our nation ’ s history .” spring 2021 9