from the chair
In An Uncertain World, AWB Is Here to Serve
Fran Forgette
The first half of 2020 brought extraordinary upheaval to our state
and the world.
Businesses closed, some for good, and millions across the country lost
their jobs. More than 170,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 as this
is written. We’re not sure what school will look like in the fall. The world
is waiting for a vaccine, but there are no guarantees.
The reality is, this uncertainty will be with us for a long time. The
challenge for many of us is staying flexible and adaptable, and working
through it.
But there are some things we can count on. AWB’s support for the
business community is one of them.
Challenging times can help us focus on what really matters. In my role
as board chair, I strive, along with our very capable staff, to answer the
most basic and important questions on behalf of our members: Is AWB
serving its members? Can employers rely on us? Are we helping?
I’m confident the answer is yes to each of these questions. I truly believe
the AWB has proven to be more relevant than ever during this pandemic.
Gov. Jay Inslee has spoken directly to and taken questions from our
members several times since March. Two members of Congress, several
state legislators and the regional administrator of the U.S. Small Business
Administration have also sought out this connection with the AWB.
For three months, many of the most critical state agency leaders
engaged in weekly webinar discussions with our members. This activity
reflects how the AWB has really ramped up its internet skills in producing
and delivering effective virtual events as in-person contacts have become undoable.
AWB’s communication output increased significantly as soon as the crisis hit, and hasn’t let up. New websites, surveys,
Grassroots Alliance connections and this magazine are just a few examples. The goal is to give people information they can
use, from shutdown guidelines to federal loans and more.
Our government affairs team continues to seek answers from the legislative committees and state and federal agencies
that have issued new rules and requirements as a result of the pandemic’s economic shock. When lawmakers convene
next year, their work will be even more critical as the state addresses a significant budget shortfall and begins the work
to build back our economy.
And I’m especially proud of the effort led by the membership team to reach out to each of AWB’s nearly 7,000 members to
ask, simply: How are you doing? Is there anything we can do to help?
This is the heart of AWB — To serve our members.
This core principle will continue to guide our work through 2020, and beyond. There are still many unknowns and much
more work to do. Conditions will likely change again. We will need to adjust on the fly. That’s fine. We’ve done that before.
In 1904 a handful of Washington entrepreneurs created the AWB as a unified voice for the state’s employer community. AWB
served employers through the 1918 pandemic, the Great Depression, and two World Wars.
As we work through the current crisis, rest assured that the AWB will work harder than ever to support Washington’s
employers. That’s how it has always performed and, with the continuing support of its members, that is how it will
continue to perform.
8 association of washington business