Washington Business Summer 2017 | Washington Business

washington business Women’s Women’s Leadership Leadership Luncheon Luncheon Leadership Washington Class of 2017 AWB Director of Finance Greg Welch Named a Finalist for South Sound Financial Executive of the Year The Business Examiner named AWB Director of Finance Greg Welch to its list of 14 finalists for South Sound Financial Executive of the Year. “Greg Welch has been a controller or CFO some 19 years, so you can reliably assume that he knows his way around financial reports, spreadsheets and budgets,” the newspaper wrote. “But this finalist for 2017 South Sound Financial Executive of the Year appreciates 'soft' assets, too.” AWB Institute Leadership Washington Class of ‘17 Graduates at Spring Meeting The 10 members of the AWB Institute’s Leadership Washington Class of 2017 officially graduated at AWB's Spring Meeting in Spokane on May 8. This was the third group to graduate from the state’s premier busi- ness leadership development program. Participants attended nine sessions in different corners of the state, learning about Wash- ington’s diverse regions and economic sectors. Members of Leadership Washington’s 2016-17 graduating class are: • Tricia Cauthers, State Farm Insurance Company Welch, who joined AWB in January of 2014, wrote in his nominee questionnaire that “I learned (from my dad) that people are the most important factor in an organization’s success.” • Robyn Denson, Washington office of Measured Intentions • Kyle P. England, Kaiser Aluminum • Maggie Grega, Lane Powell Before joining AWB, Welch spent 18 years at the Washington Association of REALTORS. • Peter Guzman, State Board for Community & Technical Colleges • Todd Kiesbuy, Avista Utilities As AWB's top financial and operational manager, Welch manages AWB's non-profit and for-profit sides, as well as its retrospective rating program. • Brittany Marshall, Inland Northwest Health Services • Sean V. O’Brien, U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R — 4th Congressional District • Rich Rhodes, State Farm Insurance Company • Jake Riddell, WGU Washington Welch and the other 13 finalists for South Sound Financial Executive of the Year were honored at a luncheon on April 16 in Tacoma. AWB Videos Win Big in International Hermes Creative Awards Contest AWB’s communications department received eight awards for video and writing in this year’s Hermes Creative Awards. Brian Temple, AWB's videographer and digital media coordinator, took home six awards for work done in 2016, including two platinum and two gold statuettes, for his video production featuring AWB members and events. In a sign that AWB's digital forms of storytelling are working, two of the videos were 100 percent "graphics compositing," or computer animated. Brian Mittge, an AWB writer and photographer, received two gold statuettes for work published last year in Washington Business magazine. The fourth class of Leadership Washington will meet for the first time at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum during the Policy Summit in September. To learn more about the program, visit www.awbinstitute.org/leadership. Cross-State Manufacturing Week Bus Tour Coming Your Way in October As the state’s Manufacturing Association, AWB is planning a big new event this October to tell the story of Washington’s vibrant manufacturing sector. AWB will cross the state Oct. 2-6 in a week-long tour of facilities large and small. The event includes the AWB Institute's annual Manufacturing Summit and presentation of the Manufacturing Excellence Awards on Oct. 5, then concludes with Manufacturing Day on Friday, Oct. 6. AWB leaders, state and federal lawmakers, local chambers, teachers and administrators, community college educators and many other special invited guests will join the tour and events to be held in locations across the state. summer 2017 9

Washington Business Summer 2017 | Washington Business | Page 9