Published June 2002

Business Briefs

Wills, estate-planning seminar set
A free seminar titled “Basic Wills & Estate Planning” is set for June 26 at the United Way of Snohomish County offices, 917 134th St. SW, Suite B-1 in Everett.

The seminar, which will run from 6 to 8 p.m., will include the advantages of living trusts, current tax laws and benefits, and things to think about in order to prepare a plan. A local attorney, certified public accountant, financial adviser and trust officer will be on hand to answer questions.

For more information or reservations, call 425-921-3413.

AT&T Broadband to add 150 employees
AT&T Broadband is hiring 150 additional customer-service representatives for its Everett call center in south Everett.

“We’ll start adding immediately, and we expect to be hiring over the next several months,” company spokesman Steve Kipp said. About 260 people work full time at the Everett facility now, he added.

The staff expansion is part of AT&T Broadband’s goal to provide the firm’s 1 million cable television, high-speed Internet and video services subscribers in Washington with more locally-based customer-care representatives, though some operators in national call centers will still be used.

Donations sought
for USS Shoup ceremony
In May, Naval Station Everett became the homeport for the USS Shoup, the Navy’s newest Aegis-class destroyer, named for Medal of Honor winner Gen. David M. Shoup, a former commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The USS Shoup, which replaces the recently decommissioned USS David R. Ray, brings about 400 crew members with an annual payroll of approximately $13.3 million to the Everett and Snohomish County area.

But because the Navy cannot use public funds for many aspects of the commissioning ceremony planned for June 22 in Seattle, the Shoup Commissioning Committee is asking Snohomish County businesses to help raise about $110,000. The group includes members of the Everett Navy League Council.

Funds raised for the event will pay for such things as “plankowner plaques” for each of the original crew members, a party for the crew following the ship’s arrival in Everett and receptions for the 3,000 attendees expected at the commissioning ceremony, including political and military dignitaries.

For more information on the fund-raising drive, call Niles Fowler at 425-252-9286 or Michele M. Sales at 425-226-9168.

Eden Bioscience lays off 20
Eden Bioscience Corp. is cutting 20 positions — nearly one-quarter of the company’s staff — in an attempt to reduce operating expenses.

The layoff affects 13 people in the Bothell headquarters. The rest of the affected employees work for the company in Europe.

Eden is developing and manufacturing natural protein-based products to improve and protect crops. Its first commercially approved product, Messenger, gained federal approval two years ago but has sold slowly so far in the depressed agricultural market.

The layoffs, which leave Eden with 66 full-time employees, will affect all areas of the company except sales, said Brad Powell, Eden’s Chief Financial Officer and Interim President. In Europe, the company will continue working with key accounts, but other work there will be significantly curtailed.

Severance pay for laid-off employees and other expenses related to the staff reduction will force Eden to take a $250,000 charge for the quarter, according to the company.

In April, Eden’s outlook improved when the company announced that sales of Messenger had helped reduce losses during the first quarter. The fourth quarter of 2001 saw no sales of the crop treatment.

The company said it had $41.5 million at the end of the first quarter, enough cash to fund operations for at least the next 18 months if expenses are kept in check.

AWB honors Express Personnel Services
Express Personnel Services of Edmonds was one of 17 companies throughout Washington state recognized by the Association of Washington Business for its community contributions. In honoring the company, the AWB cited Express Personnel Services’ role in many local youth organizations.

Cascade Rehabilitation
offers aquatic therapy
Cascade Rehabilitation’s Harbour Pointe clinic has added aquatic therapy to its service offerings, according to a news release issued by the therapist-owned company.

The therapy, a specialized form of physical therapy performed in a swimming pool, uses the buoyancy, warmth and variable resistance of the water to make it possible for patients with acute or chronic pain to exercise seriously weakened muscles, according to Cascade Rehabilitation, which has four clinics in Snohomish County.

EdCC beefs up tech offerings for summer
Edmonds Community College’s Business and Technology Center has two new offerings this summer: a class to prepare students for the SUN Certification Exam for Java 2.0 programmers and, in partnership with Vector ESP Inc. of Woodinville, Citrix certification courses.

The preparation class for the SUN test will be from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 25 through July 18. Cost for the three-credit course is $269.

The Citrix MetaFrame XP 1.0 for Windows Administration course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15 through 18. It’s the first of three courses that will be offered at the college to train Citrix Certified Administrators. Cost for the two-credit course is $1,850.

For more information or to register, call 425-640-1840, send e-mail to btc@edcc.edu or visit EdCC’s Internet site, www.btc.edcc.edu.

NEPCO cuts 40 from staff
NEPCO, a local subsidiary of bankrupt Enron Corp., laid off about 40 employees at its headquarters in late April as it struggled with fallout from Enron’s collapse and current economic conditions.

In addition to the reductions in staff at the Bothell office, the power plant engineering and construction company laid off a dozen employees in other locations.

NEPCO, officially known as National Energy Production Corp., already laid off at least 40 employees in Denver in April when it closed its office there.

“At this time, we do not anticipate any further material reductions to the approximately 5,000-person NEPCO work force,” a short statement on the company’s Web site noted.

Michele Powell, a market analyst and spokeswoman for NEPCO, said she couldn’t add any further information about the layoffs.

Started in 1938, NEPCO was purchased by Houston-based Enron in 1997. When the energy giant filed for bankruptcy last fall, it left NEPCO without cash and in need of other buyers.

In late February, five key executives at NEPCO expressed interest in a buyout of the company. The potential buyers, including the firm’s longtime president, John Gillis, went on administrative leave as discussions got under way with Enron.

Cogswell College offers
tuition assistance for laid-off workers
Henry Cogswell College in Everett is offering immediate tuition assistance of up to 50 percent to all workers laid off from Boeing and related industries since Sept. 11, according to a news release issued by the school.

The tuition assistance will apply to all students, including continuing and returning students and new applicants, and will continue for two years or until the recipient returns to work for a company offering tuition benefits.

The college offers bachelor’s degrees in business, computer science, digital arts, electrical and mechanical engineering, and professional management. All programs are covered in this assistance package.

For more information, call Kelly Campbell or Rob Hatfield at 425-258-3351.

Everett Optometry Clinic
celebrates opening
Drs. William Church and James Schrader of The Everett Optometry Clinic recently hosted a grand opening to showcase their new facility at 3702 Colby Ave.

The newly remodeled clinic was completed by Kirtley-Cole Associates’ Special Projects Division and consisted of select demolition of the existing commercial structure, Baker Medical Center, with remodeling and upgrades/additions to the remaining portion. Also included in the project was complete demolition of a neighboring house for a parking lot. The project, which began in early December, was completed March 8.

Joan Robinett-Wilson of Robinett Wilson Architects was the lead architect on the project.

Providence Pavilion
focus of BPW luncheon
The Greater Port Gardner Bay Business & Professional Women chapter continues its Lunch & Learn series June 11 with a presentation on Providence Everett Medical Center’s new Pavilion for Women and Children.

Fran Schlaefer-Wall, Clinical Director of Family Services for Providence, will be the speaker at the event, which runs from noon to 1 p.m. at The Flying Pig Brewing Co. in downtown Everett.

For more information or to register, call 425-355-8805. Deadline for registration is June 4.

Half Price Books opens in Lynnwood
The eighth Puget Sound outlet for Half Price Books opened in Lynnwood in May in the James Village Shopping Center at Highway 99 and 196th Street SW. The store is the chain’s 71st location.

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