washington business
Thank You from the Heritage Center
Passages: Sen. Alex Deccio
Sen. Alex Deccio passed away Oct. 25, 2011 just a few days short of his
90th birthday. The Yakima Republican served a total of 32 years in the
state House and Senate and one term as a Yakima County commissioner retiring in 2006. His service to his district included securing
$250 million for various projects, improvements and facilities including the Yakima Valley SunDome, Yakima Valley Community College,
the Yakima Convention Center, the Gateway Sports Complex and the
Yakima Bears stadium. He was also a leader in health care policy serving as chairman and ranking Republican on the Senate Health Care
Committee for 22 years. Deccio is remembered for his commitment to
family, his constituents and his
community service as a member
of a myriad of boards, commissions, committees and civic
organizations — all in addition
to his service in the Legislature.
Deccio participated in the invasion of Normandy during World
War II, was buried with full military honors, and remembered
by thousands at a memorial
service at Yakima’s Holy Family
Catholic Church and reception
at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome.
Dignitaries included all of the
major figures in state government, including Gov. Gregoire.
Service Linen Supply Goes Green
Renton-based Service Linen Supply is now operating with a new Milnor CBW
industrial laundry washing machine. The company says it’s the first of its kind in
the Northwest and that it will dramatically reduce the plant’s water and energy
consumption. Service Linen Supply owners Bob Raphael and David Jassny report
investing more than a million dollars and a year of research to become the first business in the U.S. linen supply industry to use the Milnor CBW. “It was a risky move to
make,” say Jassny and Raphael in a statement on the company’s website. “But in the
end, we knew cutting our water consumption by two-thirds and thereby reducing the
energy needed to heat the water was the right thing to do for both the environment
and our business.” The new washer will save an estimated 20 million gallons of water
every year. In addition, the company estimates the machine, dubbed ‘Rosie,’ will also
reduce electric power consumption by about one-third. The company’s purchase is
part of the Eastside Green Business Challenge which joins seven Eastside cities with
others around the nation in a friendly competition to see who can save the most
money and natural resources in one year. Service Linen Supply employs about 130
people serving more than 3,000 customers in Washington and Oregon.
In December, Secretary of State Sam Reed honored
AWB President Don Brunell for his three years of
service on the Heritage Center Trust Board. The
Washington State Heritage Center Trust manages
private gifts in support of the Heritage Center and its
activities. Learn more at sos.wa.gov/heritage.
Heritage Bank Recognized for SBA Lending
Heritage Bank was named the 2011 Financial Institution of the Year by Ameritrust CDC. Ameritrust CDC
is a development company providing commercial real
estate financing to small business. The award recognizes Heritage Bank for closing nine loans totaling
$9.9 million during fiscal year 2011. Funded projects
include offices for four health care providers, a gas
station and an accounting firm. Heritage is based in
Olympia and operates two community banks, Heritage Bank and Central Valley Bank.
Food Banks Receive Grants
Weyerhaeuser subsidiary Quadrant Homes and the
Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund have provided grants
totaling $24,000 to four nonprofit food support
organizations in King, Pierce and Skagit counties in
2011. Grant recipients include Emergency Food Network of Tacoma, Maple Valley Food Bank and Air
Force Reserve Care and Share Society at Joint Base
Lewis-McChord. At last report in late 2011, Quadrant
Homes reported a total of nearly $39,000 in donations for the year, including grants and sponsorships.
In addition, employees volunteered 277 hours in
the various communities they serve. The company
says that since 1948, Weyerhaeuser’s philanthropic
outreach programs have combined to provide more
than $213 million into local communities.
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