what ’ s working
Employer of the Year
Washington River Protection Solutions of Richland took home the top honor as the 2021 Employer of the Year .
The company ’ s work to clean up 177 underground chemical waste tanks near Hanford is critical . The company also manages a nationally recognized safety record , a robust employee benefits package , a strong internship program , and a commitment to hiring veterans in addition to community work .
“ We all tend to pay our people as well as we can , we afford them great benefits , we seek to hire the best and brightest we can , we ’ ve got an active veterans hiring program . We all do those things , but what sets us apart , and what we strive for every day , is how we treat our people . And it ’ s personal . At the end of the day , I think in my view , people just want to be treated very well , and they want it to be personal . And that ’ s what we ’ ve endeavored to do at Washington River Protection Solutions .”
— John Eschenberg , president and CEO , Washington River Protection Solutions
Finalists : Artesia Systems Columbia Bank
Entrepreneur of the Year
Parrots Inc . is a medical device company that creates smart assistive platforms for people with mobility and communication challenges .
The team at Parrots has a passion for helping people with physical challenges . They ’ ve developed a product that gives a voice to people with neurological disorders . “ Polly ” literally reads the room while keeping an eye on its owner , monitoring , learning and predicting situations in a user ’ s day and environment , giving them their independence back .
“ I ’ m also grateful to all the people who tested our product , even one of my friends who passed away because of multiple sclerosis . And one day I told him when he used our system for the first time – he cried – and I told him ‘ I ’ m going to do it for everyone like you , and everyone who deserves to have this technology .’ Because we do believe there are many millions of people like Stephen Hawking out there who are just missing accessible technology to be the next scientist , the next engineer . And that ’ s why we ’ re here , to empower them to be able to achieve their dreams .”
— David Hojah , CEO & founder , Parrots , Inc .
Finalists : Bluedot Photonics Bunker Labs Seattle
Excellence in Washington Family-Owned Business
Spokane ’ s Empire Bolt and Screw is focused on sourcing high quality parts at a competitive price to meet customer needs . This nearly 50-year-old family-owned business also supports employees by covering 100 % of their medical and optical plans , and offers profit-sharing and bonuses . The entire staff was maintained on payroll throughout the pandemic .
“ We want to thank AWB for including the category of Family- Owned Business when recognizing business excellence , as this group makes up a large part of the fabric and culture of the business community within our state and nation .”
— Ron Stanley , president and CEO , Empire Bolt and Screw
Finalists : Chukar Cherries Metals Fabrication Company , Inc .
Washington Veterans and Families Award
Since 2011 , Humana has provided employment and development opportunities to more than 5,000 veterans and their spouses . Humana supports many local veterans groups , such as the VFW , Nine9Line Veterans Services and the Veterans Resource Fair . Their “ Uniting to Combat Hunger ” campaign , in partnership with the VFW , has raised more than 1 million meals for food-insecure veterans across the country since 2018 .
“ We ’ re truly a great nation because of our military , and our veterans and the sacrifices they ’ ve made for this country . At Humana , it has always been a priority to support our veterans and our veteran communities .”
— Samantha George , market manager , Humana
Finalists : Bunker Labs - Seattle Washington River Protection Solutions
Leading Environmental Practices Award
DTG Recycle is the largest commercial recycler of construction and demolition , industrial and manufacturing waste in the Pacific Northwest . The firm typically processes more than 2,000 tons of wood , metal , drywall , carpet and plastic a day . This material is sent to vendors to make new products or alternative energy fuels . DTG also created a sustainability team to assist with custom recycling
24 association of washington business