The AWB Podcast: Recent Episodes
AWB Communications
The Association of Washington Business is Washington state's chamber of commerce and manufacturing and technology association. Our goal is to be the catalytic leader and unifying voice for economic prosperity throughout Washington state.
AWB President Kris Johnson gets the latest on the pandemic’s impact on trade and the global supply chain, with input from Laurie Trautman, Director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University, Lee Gibbs, Seattle Regional Export Finance Manager at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Zack Merrill, Sales Account Manager at the Port of Vancouver, and Hart Hodges and James McCafferty, Co-Directors of the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University.
AWB President Kris Johnson invites experts from the hospitality industry to talk about the safe and smooth reopening of restaurants in Phase 2. He’s joined by Pam Cant, Consultant Program Operations Manager with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Chris Knudson, Owner/Director of Operations at the Olympia and Lacey Casa Mia locations and Well 80 Brewhouse, Lacy Fehrenbach, COVID-19 Response Agency Administrator with the Washington State Department of Health, and Susan Stahlfeld, Partner at Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP.
AWB Vice President of Communication Jason Hagey is talking about crisis communication Michelle Cole, Director of Content & Research at Gallatin Public Affairs, Stephen Daniels-Brown, President of Daniels-Brown Communications, Taylor Bickford, Senior Vice President of Communications Strategy at Strategies 360 and Michelle Hege, President & CEO of DH.
AWB President Kris Johnson is talking about e-commerce, with insights on how to utilize web based tools, digital marketing, innovation, research and the importance of telling your story through online messaging and branding. He’s joined by Brian Forth, Founder and President of SiteCrafting, Trisha Letourneau, Northwest District Retail & eCommerce Marketing Manager for UPS, Justin Stiefel, Co-Founder & CEO of Heritage Distilling Company, Olowo-n'djo Tchala, Founder & CEO of Alaffia, Erin Callahan, Storytelling Strategist at Trillium Creative Solutions and Tory Graf, Rogue Leader with Trillium Creative Solutions.
AWB President Kris Johnson is talking about financial assistance programs that are currently available, and what is to come with Christopher Gray, Deputy Chief of Staff with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer with U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Diana DUKE-us, Manager for Economic Impact, Facebook, and Nicholas Matthews, CEO, with The Main Street Initiative by Mainvest.
AWB President Kris Johnson talks about insurance claims, risk management, business interruption coverage and tele-health policy updates as they relate to COVID-19. He’s joined by Kris Lawrence, Sales Director with Propel Insurance, Kenton Brine, President with the NW Insurance Council, Harold Kim, President with the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, and Vickie Kennedy, Assistant Director of Insurance Services with the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries, with a quick word from Rick Abbott, VP of Product and Market Solutions at Premera Blue Cross.
Amy Anderson, AWB's Government Affairs Director for Federal Affairs, Education and Health Care talks with Representatives Derek Kilmer and Jaime Herrera Beutler about their bi-partisan legislation to increase funding to the Paycheck Protection Program, and what is to be expected overall as the country moves into economic recovery efforts.
AWB President Kris Johnson is joined by AWB Government Affairs Director for Employment Law and General Counsel Bob Battles for part two of our look at employment law and managing a virtual workforce. They are joined by Jennifer Dye, Certified Business Advisor, Washington Small Business Development Center; Rick Goggins, Ergonomist, Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries; Tim O'Connell, Partner, Stoel Rives LLP; and Britt Provost, VP, People and Culture, Accolade Inc.
AWB President Kris Johnson dives into the employment law and employee benefits side of the COVID-19 discussion with a panel of legal experts.
AWB President Kris Johnson discusses the latest health updates on the coronavirus pandemic with the head of Washington’s COVID-19 Health System Response Management, Raquel Bono, Associate Scientific Investigator from Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute, Dr. Michael Jackson PhD, and Jeff Kaas, Co-Owner of Kaas Tailored, a manufacturer from Mukilteo.
AWB President Kris Johnson dives deeper into the loans and grants available to small businesses, with Mark Costello of the Small Business Administration, Dan Zeitlin of the Employment Security Department, Ken Plank with Numerica Credit Union, and Jack Heath and Burke Jackowich of Washington Trust Bank.
Bill Akers, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Premera Blue Cross delivers opening remarks.
AWB President Kris Johnson is joined by federal leaders and financial experts to discuss the recently passed $2 trillion CARES Act. Today’s guests include U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, Mary Burke Baker of K&L Gates, Jack Heath and Mark Perko with Washington Trust Bank, and Keith Smith and Chris Netram of the National Association of Manufacturers.
AWB President Kris Johnson welcomes Gov. Jay Inslee and other top state officials to help inform employers about the potential impact of COVID-19.
AWB Vice President of Government Affairs and the Government Affairs team give us a look ahead at what's in store during the 2020 Legislative Session.
AWB Vice President of Government Affairs and the Government Affairs team give us a look ahead at what's in store during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Chandler and his GA Team take a look back at the 2018 legislative session, talking about what passed, what didn't, and what work lies ahead for 2019.
AWB Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Chandler and the GA Team give our members an update as we reach the midway point of the 2018 legislative session
AWB Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Chandler and the rest of the GA Team discuss some of the most important issues that will come up in this year's legislative session.