Northwest Aerospace News June | July Issue No. 15 | Page 58

@UPSAirlines
Dale King
Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance
Business Development Manager
www.pnaa.net
PNAA
Goes to Portland
By Dale King, Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, Business Development Manager
The Seattle region is known as a tech mecca for Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
Brands like Nike, REI, Nordstrom, Starbucks, and yes, even Rainier Beer are household
PNAA SPOTLIGHT
names. But what came first? The high-tech computing and world class retail stores or the
airplane?
Some would argue that the region’s technology sector began in aerospace manufacturing, specifically Boeing’s large airframe
construction and assembly. I mean, come on, the first Bill had a head start, opening up his airplane manufacturing “barn” in
1917. It seems the Northwest has always been characterized by forward thinkers who peer past limitations, throwing themselves
into their ventures with more courage than most. This pioneering spirit lives on throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Two aerospace associations were formed in the 1990’s, each representing their respective states: Washington and Oregon.
Founding member and former Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) Chair, Bill King, recollects the joining of these
two industry organizations, creating a PNAA to not only represent aerospace in the I-5 corridor, but also to collaborate with
other organizations from British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon and Idaho and Western Montana as well. PNAA has
recognized the ingenuity of small and medium enterprises and supported them in their mission to supply Boeing in building
their large commercial aircraft. This is where the story gets interesting. Let’s turn our eyes to Southwest Washington, more
specifically Vancouver, and a few stand out.
58 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS