Washington Business Winter 2015 | Page 32

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