Published February 2006

Business Briefs

Stanwood nurse starts
childbirth education service
Kali McCauley, a registered nurse with obstetrics certification, has started Loving Arms, a breastfeeding and childbirth education service based in Stanwood.

McCauley said she’ll offer both classes and in-home services for new and expectant mothers. For more information, call 360-629-0813 or go to www.lovingarmsbreastfeeding.com.

Printer Ink Source opens second outlet
Printer Ink Source of Everett is opening a second outlet at 8719 271st St. in Stanwood.

The company, formed in 2004, provides hand-filled ink cartridges for printers. For more information, visit www.printerinksource.com.

Heart machines off to Hungary
Cardiac Science Corp. of Bothell said the Hungarian National Police Department will install the company’s Powerheart automated heart defibrillators in the agency’s police vehicles.

The defibrillators will be used to help save lives when police encounter people suffering from sudden cardiac arrest.

To date, 25 of the units have been installed in police vehicles, with 375 more to be installed in the coming months.

Zipper Zeman joins Terracon
Zipper Zeman Associates Inc. of Lynnwood has joined Terracon Consultants Inc., a consulting engineering firm providing geotechnical, environmental, construction materials and related services. ZZA will continue functioning under the same name, but as a subsidiary of Terracon, ZZA officials said.

John Zipper will remain president of ZZA and also will serve as the Terracon division manager.

“The service offerings and technical expertise developed by Terracon over the past 40 years are a perfect fit with ZZA,” Zipper said. “We are looking forward to continued growth in the Northwest and are prepared to fully support the needs of Terracon’s national accounts.”

For more information on Terracon, go online to www.terracon.com.

Diagnostic Ultrasound donates
to urology-teaching program
Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp. of Bothell has pledged $30,000 in cash and equipment to support two resident physicians to travel overseas with a team that teaches urological procedures to local doctors. The program is called International Volunteers in Urology.

Panera Bread opens at Alderwood
Panera Bread celebrated its grand opening Jan. 11. The bakery, located at 3000 184th St. SW, Suite 947, in The Village at Alderwood, serves freshly baked bread, pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches, bagels and assorted beverages. For more information on Panera Bread, go online to www.panera.com.

ICOS and Caprion expand partnership
Caprion Pharmaceuticals Inc., a private biotechnology firm based in Quebec, is expanding its joint research into possible cancer treatments with ICOS Corp. of Bothell.

The two companies will use Caprion’s expertise in finding biomarkers, certain proteins and compounds that are indicative of certain cancers, in the new research.

Caprion and ICOS began working together in spring 2005 after a number of ICOS’ potential drugs failed in human trials.

Chiropractic clinic relocates
Edmonds Chiropractic Therapy Clinic recently relocated to 420 Fifth Ave. S. in downtown Edmonds.

The clinic is operated by Dr. Ted Edwards, a doctor of chiropractic, who moved to the Puget Sound area in January 2004 from Los Angeles, where he had been practicing as an associate doctor with the Universal City Medical Group. In October 2004, he acquired an existing clinic in Edmonds.

For more information, call the clinic at 425-776-8657 or go online to www.chiroted.com.

Firm fights breast cancer
with Cruise for the Cure
Cruise Center of Lynnwood has joined the Puget Sound Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in sponsoring the inaugural Cruise for the Cure. For details, go online to www.cruise-center.com or call 425-775-1314 or 800-755-1191.

Edmonds company buys
Seattle association management firm
Melby, Cameron & Hull, an Edmonds-based association management firm, has purchased the assets of Cantrall & Associates, a Seattle-based association management firm.

New employees are Jane Kennedy, Chas Johnston, Duane Braconnier and Jillanne Bates. Jane Kantor has been named association executive.

TERRA acquires
Renton-based staffing firm
Everett-based staffing firm TERRA Resource Group recently purchased Renton-based Allstaff Inc., said Steve Neighbors, TERRA’s chief executive.

Financed by The Commerce Bank of Washington, the transaction was finalized Dec. 19. The acquisition doubles TERRA’s annual revenues and increases the firm’s staff size by 50 percent, Neighbors said.

“We’re excited about Allstaff joining the TERRA family,” he said. “The acquisition is an important step forward in meeting our growth objectives. The addition of Allstaff allows us to expand our market reach and offer existing clients a new value proposition: high-volume, just-in-time industrial staffing.”

Neighbors said he does not foresee significant changes to the Allstaff business model. The name will be retained and staffing services will remain available through Allstaff’s offices in Renton, Seattle and Federal Way. Division Manager Tony Massey and Operations Manager Gary Zumwalt will continue overseeing day-to-day functions. Both men report to Greg Lambert, chief operating officer of TERRA.

According to Neighbors, TERRA may consider additional acquisitions. The firm’s growth model is based upon developing complementary staffing services that enable continued expansion in the Puget Sound market.

Everett Mall gets PetSmart store
PetSmart opened its new Everett Mall store in January, offering a range of pet supplies, as well as grooming and care services. The store, which employs 30, is in The Village on the west side of the mall.

CombiMatrix lands more defense work
CombiMatrix Corp. of Mukilteo will receive $2.4 million from the 2006 Defense Appropriations Bill recently signed by President Bush to further develop technology that detects biological and chemical weapons.

Since March 2004, CombiMatrix has received more than $10 million in federal money to create a silicon chip-based system that can check for toxins, bacteria and other potential threats to soldiers.

Mervyns to close stores
in Everett, Lynnwood
Mervyns will close its stores in Everett, Lynnwood and the rest of Washington by early next year to improve profits.

The struggling department store chain has occupied its 117,000-square-foot anchor space at Everett Mall since 1992. Before Frederick & Nelson moved out of the mall, Mervyns operated for years at a space along Evergreen Way.

Despite the long history, Everett Mall’s management took the news in stride.

“We are not surprised by the announcement. We anticipated this very thing happening,” said Linda Johannes, the mall’s general manager.

The mall’s owner, Steadfast Cos., began planning last year for a future without Mervyns, she added.

Both the Everett Mervyns and the store at 3301 184th St. SW in Lynnwood will remain open through late January 2007, a spokeswoman for Mervyns LLC confirmed. Bellingham, Bellevue and Redmond are among the 11 other locations in Washington where Mervyns is closing.

The chain also is closing six stores in Oregon and one in Salt Lake City. Altogether, the closures will mean the loss of 1,400 part- and full-time jobs, including 880 in Washington.

Emergency radio system
receives $1.5 million
Federal funding of $1.5 million has been secured for the Snohomish County Emergency Radio System to buy the equipment and frequencies to add four channels to the emergency response system.

“No higher priority exists than that of protecting the lives of our citizens and of our police, fire and emergency management service workers,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, who announced the funding at a Jan. 10 news conference that included U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and other community leaders.

The funds will help to create a countywide response system in an emergency that eventually could link public utilities, transportation systems, public works departments, hospitals and schools.

The 800-Mhz radio system was founded in 1998 by Snohomish County and nine cities including Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Brier, Woodway, Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds. Today, the Snohomish County Emergency Radio System is a nonprofit organization, with an operating budget of $1.4 million and staff of five. The county and cities provide the financial support for the organization.

Boeing nets record
airplane orders in 2005
The Boeing Co. recorded 1,002 net commercial airplane orders during 2005, setting a new Boeing record for total orders in a single year, the aerospace company said in January.

The 2005 total surpasses the previous Boeing record of 877 net orders in 1988, which includes both Boeing and then-McDonnell Douglas totals; the companies merged in 1997. Boeing posted 272 net orders for commercial airplanes in 2004. Gross orders in 2005, which exclude cancellations and conversions, totaled 1,029.

Three airplane programs — the 737, 777 and 787 programs — also achieved individual records with net orders of 569 for 737s, 154 for 777s and 235 for 787s, according to Boeing. Previous record totals for these programs were 438 737s in 1996, 116 of the 777s in 2000, and 56 of the 787s in 2004. The 747 and 767 programs also had a very successful sales year, with 43 and 15 net new orders, respectively.

In total, more than 72 different customers ordered Boeing airplanes in 2005, including passenger airlines, cargo carriers, leasing companies and private customers, Boeing said.

County jobless rate at 4.8 percent
Snohomish County continued to produce jobs in December, but at a slower rate than the previous month, pushing unemployment down to 4.8 percent over the holidays.

That’s the report from the state Employment Security Department, which said the county jobless rate dropped from 5.1 percent in November to 4.8 percent in December.

Statewide, unemployment dropped from 5.6 percent in November to 5.3 percent in December.

Donna Thompson, a labor economist who focuses on Snohomish County, said the county added about 200 jobs in December, mostly in aerospace and retail stores. However, some jobs dropped in other areas, including construction, financial services, government, and business and health services.

“Overall, 2005 proved to be a good year for the Snohomish County economy,” Thompson said, noting that the county added 15,700 jobs in 2005, a 7.1 percent increase.

Snohomish County was the fastest-growing county for jobs in the state during 2005, with the growth led by the Boeing Co. but spread throughout most employment sectors.

The only group that lost overall last year was financial services, which dropped by 100 jobs. Construction added 3,200 jobs; manufacturing added 3,600; services added 8,900; retail trade grew by 1,500; professional services swelled by 1,900; and leisure and hotels grew by 2,000. Education jobs were up by 1,300.

AWB publishes labor-law guide
The Association of Washington Business recently published a guide designed to assist employers in deciphering Washington’s complex labor laws. The fifth edition of “Human Resources File Cabinet & CD” covers a wide range of business forms spanning the entire employment relationship — from pre-hire all the way through termination.

AWB worked closely with employment law attorneys at Lane Powell PC to make sure the guide covers the correct way to prepare, revise and review employee business forms to avoid liability, according to the association. Job applications, affirmative-action forms, background checks, performance evaluations and confidentiality agreements are only a small portion of the forms found in the guide, which business owners can purchase for $84 plus shipping and handling.

“We understand that not every business has enough resources to staff a human resources manager or to hire an employment law attorney,” AWB President Don Brunell said. “By publishing this guide, smaller businesses now have the ability to have a human resources guide nearby at all times.”

To order a copy of the guide, contact AWB’s Alisha Boggs at 360-943-1600.

AWB creates freight program
The Association of Washington Business has partnered with several service freight carriers to create the AWB Freight Program, with AWB members receiving a 67 percent discount — minimum — directly off selected carriers’ base rates for all “less than truckload” shipments, the association said.

Members will have the ability to track all inbound and outbound shipments, view the best possible rates between the carriers and arrange for new shipments online via an integrated Web site.

“Members can control every aspect of their shipping needs through this program,” AWB President Don Brunell said. “By using AWB Freight, smaller companies can gain the competitive advantage they need for success.”

To learn more about the program or to enroll, go online to www.awbfreight.com or contact Alisha Boggs at alishab@awb.org.

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