Peter Ruffatto is joining the Bellingham law firm, Chmelik Sitkin & Davis P.S., as a principal. Peter is a well-known municipal lawyer having worked as the Bellingham City Attorney since July 2012. Peter joined the City Attorney’s Office in 2003, where he worked in the areas of Labor and Employment; Public Works and Contracting; Municipal…

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All American Marine (AAM) owner, Matt Mullett has completed the private sale to family-owned Bryton Marine Group. AAM, located in Bellingham, WA. is at the forefront of aluminum vessel design and manufacturing. The company has built a sterling reputation for building technologically enhanced designs with characteristics that ensure high-speed travel, industry-leading fuel efficiency, and customization…

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Bellingham City Councilman Dan Hammill recently proposed a new sales tax, with revenue dedicated to addressing the City’s ongoing homelessness crisis. The proposed sales tax would be .1%, with Hammill and the City indicating that it could raise up to $3M that would be used to address root causes of homelessness and provide services for…

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Peoples Bank announced promotions on its Executive Team and Commercial Banking Groups. Executive Team Promotions: Derek Thornton Derek Thornton was promoted to Executive Vice President while retaining his title of Chief Financial Officer. Derek joined Peoples Bank in 2013 with expertise in finance and accounting and has held leadership roles in retail, small business, and…

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Governor Jay Inslee recently announced “Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery,” a new regionally focused reopening plan that will begin on January 11th. The Inslee Administration believes the new plan will allow the state to ease some business restrictions without overwhelming hospital systems. “No one was untouched by the effects of the pandemic in 2020;…

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Listen as WBA Executive Director Barbara Chase and KGMI’s Mike Davis discuss the recent petition efforts by WBA to County Executive Satpal Sidhu and the challenges all businesses are facing as we move into the next year. KGMI podcast: Whatcom Business Alliance

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On January 1, 2021, minimum wage will increase to $13.69 in Washington State, putting additional financial pressure on Whatcom County businesses. Furthermore, there are changes to overtime pay rules, raising labor costs even more on top of the wage increase.    The planned minimum wage increase has been expected for some time. Still, with the ongoing…

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In response to increasing coronavirus cases, Governor Jay Inslee announced sweeping, potentially devastating new restrictions on business. Those restrictions include the closure of indoor dining, bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys, museums, restricting retail to 25% capacity (including grocery stores), and banning indoor gatherings of any kind with individuals outside of your own household. Unlike the…

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Brist Mfg., a Bellingham producer of quality custom merchandise for diverse brands, earned a place on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2020. With a three-year revenue growth rate of 195%, Brist Mfg. was the top-ranked Whatcom County company on the Inc. 5000, 45th among 100 Washington state…

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