business backgrounder | economy
visionary business leadership
Brad Tilden, president and CEO of
Alaska Airlines, offered a look inside
his Seattle-based airline, the latest air
carrier to be added to the Fortune 500.
He also discussed the responsibilities
businesses have to ensure a strong
community, particularly by supporting
a world-class educational system.
At the same time, he said, society
should recognize the importance
of employers.
“We should live in a state where
we’re seen as the good guys,” Tilden
said. “We should be in a place where
we do get involved, we do our part,
we help, and where we’re also lifted
up, we’re helped by our civic leaders,
by our government. That’s the sort of
place I’d like to live.”
Tilden was followed by a panel of
Kevin Klock, president and CEO of Talking Rain, center, and Michael Senske, president and
CEO of Pearson Packaging Systems, talk with Melanie Hoefer, owner and general manager
young executives who talked about
of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, during a panel discussion.
taking risks, making tough choices, and
focusing on long-term success, even if
it means short-term difficulties.
Inslee made one thing clear: He believes the Legislature
Michael Senske, president and CEO of Pearson Packaging
should increase revenue in 2015 to pay for education, infraSystems in Spokane, joined Kevin Klock, president and CEO of
structure, stewardship of natural resources and a safety net
Talking Rain, to talk with Melanie Hoefer, owner and general
for the vulnerable.
manager of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.
Legislative leaders from all corners of the Capitol and both
They agreed that younger generations joining businesses
sides of the aisle indicated that there are many perspectives on
want a sense of ownership. Wise leaders help them grow into
how to address the challenges facing the state and its budget.
bigger and better opportunities, both within the company and
David Schumacher, Gov. Jay Inslee’s top budget advisor,
even outside of it, Senske said.
said the state is expected to collect more than $2 billion in
“People want to be led, people want to know what’s expected
additional revenue over the next biennium, but this increase
of them, people want to know how they can contribute,”
“is taken up by the growing cost of current state government”
Senske said.
— mental health treatment, pension costs, debt service,
Klock said the addition of the millennial generation to
cost-of-living raises and health care costs for state workers,
the workforce has added a social consciousness, a sense
and other bills.
of enthusiasm and wanting to belong to something larger
Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, said the arithmetic of all
than themselves.
the needs will require a serious conversation about voting for
“It’s making us better,” Klock said. “We’ve always wanted to
revenue increases.
be that way, but that wasn’t the way we were structured. It’s
Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, however, said
making us much stronger as companies moving forward.”
balancing the budget within current revenue is doable, and
that meeting the McCleary school funding obligation will be
mayoral perspective
difficult but not impossible.
The mayors of some of Washington’s biggest cities discussed
Rep. Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, said that in Olympia, talk
their cities’ competitiveness and needs, particularly for
of cuts is generally about a reduction in increases.
infrastructure maintenance and improvement.
“If we can’t lower the bow wave and lower that growth
Bellevue Mayor Claudia Balducci, Spokane Mayor David
curve, then we will have a crisis budget every biennium as far
Condon and Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt agree that the
as we can see into the future,” Chandler warned.
32 association of washington business