washington business
Inside
U . S . Ambassador to Togo , State Senate Join AWB in Honoring Alaffia
Spring Meeting Brings Together Business Innovators , Medical School Leaders
Two hundred attendees met in Spokane in May for AWB ’ s annual Spring Meeting . The agenda included discussions on the latest trends in health care , education , national politics , state lawmaking and green business practices during the two-day meeting at the Davenport Hotel .
Alaska Airline ' s Joe Sprague kicked off the event with a luncheon keynote address that covered the company ' s merger with Virgin America , recent media attention on airlines and what ' s next for the melding of the two brands .
Alaffia , an international skin products company headquartered in Tumwater , hosted U . S . Ambassador to Togo David Gilmour during an April visit . The state Senate also honored the growing trade relationship between Washington and Togo thanks to the opportunities provided by this growing AWB member .
AWB Government Affairs Director Mary Catherine McAleer moderated the first afternoon panel to discuss energy innovation . Panelists included Scott Endres , Kaiser Aluminum ' s vice president of Flat Rolled Products ; Heather Rosentrater , vice president of energy delivery for Avista Corporation ; and , Frank Holmes , director for Washington State Petroleum Association ' s Northwest region and marine issues .
Gilmour , U . S . Rep . Denny Heck , and a number of state elected officials toured Alaffia before holding a roundtable discussion about international trade and development .
AWB then hosted a women ’ s leadership luncheon , led by AWB Board Chair Wendy Sancewich . This brought together 25 women leaders from across Washington ’ s employer community as well as the Alaffia Empowerment Council , which consists of four women leaders from Togo .
The group also visited the Capitol where Alaffia was honored in the Senate with Senate Resolution 8645 , acknowledging the employer ’ s significance to the economies of both Washington and Togo , and encouraging further growth of the trade relationship between the two countries .
AWB featured Alaffia in this year ’ s Grow Here campaign . The company was founded by Olowo-n ’ djo Tchala and his wife , Prairie Rose Hyde , to create a socially conscious private enterprise that could sustain villages in Togo where Tchala was raised .
The products became such a hit with consumers that the business quickly grew from their garage in Olympia to a 100,000-squarefoot facility in Tumwater . Their company now employs 120 people in Tumwater , and supports 14,000 villagers in Togo who provide products and services for the company .
See the campaign at www . GrowHereWashington . com .
Dr . John Tomkowiak , founding dean for the WSU Elson S . Floyd College of Medicine , and Dr . Suzanne M . Allen , vice dean for academic , rural and regional affairs for the University of Washington School of Medicine , discussed the new developments in higher education with Dr . Christine Johnson , chancellor for the Community Colleges of Spokane .
Finally , communications expert Frank Luntz gave the dinner keynote address , weaving together humor with a deep look into politics and policy at the national level and employers ' role in today ' s rancorous political climate .
AWB is Washington state ’ s chamber of commerce and one of just four state chambers in the country to be “ accredited with distinction ” by the U . S . Chamber of Commerce .
8 association of washington business