Gesa, a community-focused credit union, announced today it will donate $50,000 as part of its continued partnership with Food Lifeline and Second Harvest in honor of Hunger Action Month. During the month of September, the three organizations will work together to raise awareness about food insecurity and mobilize the public to take action on the issue of hunger in the Northwest.
Gesa is the presenting sponsor for this statewide effort and will donate $25,000 to each organization for a total of $50,000 in monetary contributions. Gesa will also host food drives at each of their branch locations and offer its team members various volunteer opportunities. This is the third year Gesa has partnered with both organizations. “Gesa is proud to support Food Lifeline and Second Harvest this Hunger Action Month. They are doing incredibly important work to feed people in need and to raise awareness about hunger,” said Angie Brotherton, Assistant Vice President of Community Relations and Impact. “Through our team’s involvement, we’re honored to come along side these two great organizations and help to make a difference in the lives of those experiencing food insecurity across the state.” Food Lifeline is a non-profit organization that provides food to more than 350 food banks, shelters, and meal programs across Western Washington, which equates to providing 282,000 meals every day. “Hunger Action Month is an important time for us, and we are so grateful for Gesa’s leadership. We know recovery from the pandemic will be slow, and Gesa’s willingness to stand with our communities speaks volumes,” said Ryan Scott, Chief Development Officer of Food Lifeline. “We are pleased to continue this important partnership as we work together to solve hunger.” Similarly, Second Harvest is a non-profit organization that provides 280 food pantries and meal sites, providing food for almost 80,000 meals every day across the 26 counties it serves in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. "Gesa's motto is 'People helping people,' and whether it's volunteering at our warehouse or sponsoring our Bite2Go weekend food kits for schoolchildren, the credit union is true to that maxim," said Jason Clark, president and CEO of Second Harvest. "Gesa's generous matching gift offer for Hunger Action Month will amplify the impact of donations. Their invitation to employees and community members alike also will activate hands and hearts as volunteers during the month of September." For more information about Food Lifeline, visit their website https://foodlifeline.org/. To learn more about Second Harvest, visit https://2-harvest.org/. For more information about Gesa Credit Union’s involvement in the community, visit https://www.gesa.com/community.
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Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) is the 22nd largest employee-owned company in the United States, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). This week, the NCEO released its 2022 Employee Ownership 100, a list of the nation’s largest companies that are at least 50 percent employee-owned.
SEL has steadily moved up the NCEO’s annual list, rising 27 spots since 2011. The ranking is based on the number of full- and part-time employees in the U.S. and worldwide. The list also highlights companies that are 100 percent employee-owned. SEL ranks 17th in this category. SEL first transitioned to employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 1994 and became 100 percent employee-owned in 2009 as part of the company’s long-term strategy for sustained growth, stability and customer focus. “Employee ownership has become part of SEL’s DNA and has been key to our success,” said Chief Business and Financial Officer Joey Nestegard. “It creates an environment where employees own, run and grow the company and have a personal stake in the outcome. This is a business model that results in long-term employment, high levels of employee engagement and exceptional relationships with customers. It’s not one driven by quarterly earnings or other short-term concerns.” According to NCEO research, employees at ESOP companies have an average of $67,000 more in retirement savings than employees in non-ESOP companies, and ESOP companies are associated with 33% higher median income from wages and 53% longer median job tenure. For more information, visit ownershipeconomy.org. The companies on the list employ more than 645,000 people worldwide. The National Center for Employee Ownership is a nonprofit organization that conducts original research and shares information about employee ownership. To learn more and to view the 2022 Employee Ownership 100, visit The Employee Ownership 100: America's Largest Majority Employee-Owned Companies | NCEO. Trios Health is pleased to announce that Jozef Pavnica, MD, has joined Trios as a General Surgeon. Dr. Pavnica will be working in the Trios Care Center at Southridge- 5th Floor, located at 3730 Plaza Way in Kennewick.
Dr. Pavnica completed his undergraduate education at Creighton University and obtained his M.D. degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he also completed general surgery residency. “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Pavnica to Trios Southridge Hospital,” said Emilia Keener, Market Senior Director of Physician Services. “His experience and knowledge are of great value to our patients and our community.” STARS Technology Corporation (“STARS”), a Tri-Cities startup, announced an investment round from local investors to assist with deploying its first protype hydrogen generator for commercial operation. STARS was founded in 2017 to commercialize a portfolio of cutting-edge hydrogen production technologies licensed from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Fuse fund, a made up of local community minded investors based in Richland, Washington, led the financing round at $150K and is the first institutional investor in STARS. Fuse worked with other local investors to raise over $500K in total.
The market for hydrogen is expected to grow exponentially over the next few decades driven by the wide adoption of fuel cells in a new class of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Fuel cells produce electricity via a hydrogen based chemical reaction and are an ideal alternative to batteries where the weight and/or recharging time of batteries are problematic, given a fuel cell weighs a fraction of an equivalent battery pack and can be refueled in minutes, akin to gasoline powered vehicles. As the nation transforms to electric propulsion, it is expected that at least 30% of the transportation sector will utilize fuel cells for electricity. Applications include cars routinely driven long distances, constantly on the go delivery vehicles, long haul trucking, mass transit and even ships and aircraft. The advanced STARS hydrogen generator unit operates on a combination of natural gas, water and electricity, incorporating additively-manufactured, microchannel reactors and heat exchangers for highly efficient operation. The units are compact, occupying a small footprint, and modular, enabling their placement on the natural gas grid to deliver affordable hydrogen – at costs below the equivalent use of gasoline – at filling stations and elsewhere wherever hydrogen is needed. STARS’ first hydrogen generator will be deployed next month by Southern California Gas Company, the nation’s largest natural gas utility, at the SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, CA . Fed with renewable natural gas, this first commercial demonstration will produce clean hydrogen – meeting the new Federal Clean Hydrogen Standard – for Sunline’s fuel cell buses. SoCalGas also announced a partnership last week with Ford Motor Company earlier this month to demonstrate a fleet of Ford F550 SuperDuty Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Trucks. Director of Commercialization at PNNL, Christina Lomasney commented “We applaud the work by Bob Wegeng and his team at STARS in translating cutting-edge, taxpayer-funded, PNNL research into economic impact. The STARS team are pioneers in the realization of a viable clean hydrogen economy. It is gratifying to see the local venture ecosystem – led by Fuse fund – bringing support to our home-grown entrepreneurs and their visions for a better future.” Hydrogen has been recognized by many as the most viable solution to large scale decarbonization of the heavy lift transportation industry . The momentum is growing for hydrogen fuel cell deployments, with the Federal Government recently passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that included $8 billion for regional Hydrogen Hubs and the Inflation Reduction Act which carried about $370 billion in subsidies and credits for clean energy investment in the United States. STARS is uniquely poised to deliver a scalable and cost-competitive technology solution to US and global markets. Noting the increase in new driver activity, the Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) reminds all Uber, Lyft, and other transportation-network company drivers that they must obtain a For-Hire Business License from the City of Pasco in order to operate in the city. This includes picking up or dropping off passengers at the airport.
All for-hire drivers must submit a copy of a current For-Hire Business License to the airport administration office and also be able to produce that business license when requested by PSC staff. The city’s licensing program ensures that drivers operate a vehicle that has passed inspection, carries the proper levels of insurance, and is affiliated with a licensed company. Applications for Pasco’s For-Hire Business Licenses can be found at www.pasco-wa.gov/192/Business-Licenses. The City of Pasco is also a licensing partner with the State of Washington Business License Service’s (BLS) combined licensing program. This city-state partnership saves time by combining renewals and applications into one easy process with one yearly payment. With BLS, drivers can apply for or renew a Pasco license along with hundreds of other state and city licenses online through the Washington State Department of Revenue, at dor.wa.gov or (360) 705-6741. For more information, visit www.pasco-wa.gov. Port of Benton is hosting a community block party and triple ribbon-cutting event to welcome two tasting rooms and a boutique with a bakery that opened during the COVID-19 pandemic at Vintners Village.
The celebration will be Thursday, September 15, from 3 to 5 p.m. at 236 Port Avenue in Prosser. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests are invited to visit the new and established Vintners Village businesses and enjoy an onsite food truck, live music and face painting. The new businesses include:
“We are thrilled to recognize these locally-owned businesses that opened during the pandemic and are thriving,” said Diahann Howard, Port executive director. “The new tasting rooms and gift shop are vital to the community’s economy and attract visitors from around the region.” The Port constructed phase two of Vintners Village in 2018. The new tasting rooms and gift shop join the Prosser Economic Development Association and 12 other local businesses found throughout the walkable wine village. Vintners Village is in the heart of Washington wine country, learn more at vintnersvillage.com. Wildhorse Resort & Casino announced that it will host the Epson Tour at Wildhorse Golf Course, September 2-4, 2022. Known as the “Road to the LPGA,” the Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).
The Wildhorse Ladies Classic is the 17th stop on the Epson Tour’s 2022 schedule, welcoming professional female golfers from across the nation and over 30 countries around the world. The public is invited to come watch world class golfers compete. Tickets are on sale at wildhorseresort.com. The Epson Tour enters its 42nd competitive season in 2022 and annually awards the top ten players on the season-long “Race for the Card” money list with LPGA Tour membership for the following season. Recent Epson Tour graduates include Olympic Gold Medalist and top-ranked American, Nelly Korda, as well as fellow Major Champions, Hannah Green and Patty Tavatanakit. The Epson Tour’s 2022 schedule features record-setting total purses and average purse size, as well as the largest single-event prize in Tour history. The purse for the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic is $200,000. “Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are excited to showcase and welcome some of the most talented young professional golfers from around the world to our Tribal and local communities,” CEO Gary George announced. Wildhorse has committed to host the tournament for at least two years, bringing around 2000 visitors to the area for each yearly event. Epson and LPGA staff, volunteers, sponsors, spectators, and professional and amateur players will begin pouring into Pendleton a week before the tournament finals. The Wildhorse Ladies golf classic begins with two youth clinics and two Pro-Am tournaments that include participation by professional golfers from the Epson Tour. The first and second rounds for the professional women are played September 2-3 with the final round taking place on Sunday, September 4. When asked why Wildhorse joined the Epson Tour, George explained, “This event aligns with the Tribes’ efforts to provide meaningful opportunities for Tribal youth and to grow the game of golf in our region.” The Epson Tour is hosted by other Tribal venues throughout the season including Circling Raven Golf Club in Idaho and Morongo Golf Club in California. The tournaments often feature events for young golfers who are interested in pursuing the game and many of the LPGA’s best players have come up through the LPGA USGA Girls Golf program. The Wildhorse Ladies Classic will be seeking about 125 volunteers to help with a multitude of tasks during the event. Volunteers will assist with live scoring, help with parking and ticket distribution, act as marshals and spotters, help VIPs and vendors, provide housing for Epson Tour competitors, and much more. Interested volunteers can visit https://www.wildhorseresort.com/resort/golf/tournaments/ for information and to register. The Epson Tour Championship to conclude the 2022 season takes place in Daytona Beach, Florida in October. Port of Benton will begin construction on the Van Giesen/State Route 224 railroad crossing on Thursday, August 18, 2022 at Noon (12 p.m.) This project will fully replace the railroad crossing, rail, ties, concrete crossing panels, and the road on both sides of the crossing will be repaved.
The railroad crossing replacement project will require full closure of Van Giesen Street for the duration of the project, with the crossing reopening for traffic no later than Monday, August 22, 2022 at 6 a.m. The roadway will be opened earlier if construction is completed ahead of schedule. Detour signs will be in place and electronic highway notification will be displayed directing traffic around the detour, generally Van Giesen Street, to Bombing Range Road and Keene Road, and then via Duportail Street back to State Route 240. The Port has contracted with Railworks Track Systems for replacement of the Van Giesen/State Route 224 crossing project. Plans are in place to also replace the Swift Blvd./Cemetery crossing in September 2022. Both rail crossing projects are 100% Port-funded. For additional information, please visit portofbenton.com/projects, or call 509-375-3060. Benton County election officials have a little more work to do before they can wrap up the 2022 Primary Election. After the Canvassing Board completed their work on Tuesday, August 16, one office remains in machine recount territory. Candidates William “Bill” Jenkin and Barry Bush are 33 votes apart for the second spot on the ballot.
Following initial certification of the results for the office of Benton County Commissioner District #2, a machine recount was required by law, and election officials anticipate one day to complete. The recount process will begin Monday, August 22 at 9:00 am at the Benton County Voting Center located at 2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland. The Canvassing Board is tentatively scheduled to review these items and certify the recount results on Tuesday, August 23 immediately following the Board of County Commissioners meeting. Observers are welcome to attend the recount and certification processes. For more information, contact the Election Department at (509) 736-3085. ![]() • Michelle Whitney, Pasco SD • Sarah Murphy, CBC Foundation • Ryan Beard, Richland SD • Sara Cardova, Yakima SD • Dr. Traci Pierce, Kennewick SD • Pete Peterson, Kiona-Benton SD • Don Miller, Gesa • Chris Ferenz, Walla Walla SD • Jim Cochran, Liberty Christian School • Monty Sabin, Moses Lake SD • Lance Hahn, Finley SD Gesa, a community-focused credit union, is proud to announce the total 2021-2022 school year earnings of its Affinity Debit Card Program exceeded $300,000 for partner school districts across Washington state. The program supports local schools by earning funds for partner districts to use toward academic programs, technology needs, extracurricular programs, and athletics. The announcement was made at the annual Affinity Card celebration, in Richland.
“Gesa is a proud supporter of education across the state, and we’re especially passionate about supporting our local school districts and the remarkable educators in our community,” said Don Miller, President and CEO of Gesa Credit Union. “We’re thankful to our members who continue to embrace and support this program, as it allows us to award these funds that truly make a positive difference in the lives of local students and local educators.” Since the program began in 2015, Gesa has raised more than $1 million for the 30 schools it partners with. “Pasco School District has seen firsthand how impactful the funds from Gesa’s Affinity Debit Card Program can be for local schools,” said Michelle Whitney, Superintendent. “This year, we plan to use the funds to provide additional career-connected learning experiences including industry tours, job shadows and special events in addition to supporting student participation in our Career and Technical Student organizations. These career exploration and leadership experiences help shape the future leaders of our community.” With every swipe of a Co-Branded Affinity Debit Card, Gesa makes a donation to that particular school district. Co-Branded Affinity Debit Cards are available exclusively at Gesa Credit Union and are free to Gesa members with a checking account. There is no fee for members to switch their card to any of the school designs. For more information about Gesa Credit Union and the Affinity Debit Card Program, visit www.gesa.com. |
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July 2024
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