David Graybill, president and CEO of Tacoma Pierce County Chamber since September 1983, has announced his pending retirement.

The move came 27 years to the day of his hiring to lead the largest business organization in Pierce County. Graybill says he will stay in his post through Dec. 31, 2010, to assist the board of directors in finding his replacement.

Nonprofit organizations that want to increase tourism and overnight stays in Federal Way can get a little financial help from the City of Federal Way.

Applications for the City's Tourism Enhancement Grant program are due Sept. 30. Applicants will be invited to a committee review in October and grants will be awarded by December.

With the Labor Day holiday approaching, the Washington State Department of Transportation has made it even easier for smart-phone users to "know before you go."

A new mobile application for iPhone and Android keeps real-time traffic conditions always at hand.

Heritage Bank has been selected as the Bronze Award winner in the Large Business Category of Washington's Best Workplaces by Puget Sound Business Journal.

Finalists were chosen in five categories: Small Business, Medium Business, Large Business, Extra Large Business and Nonprofit Organization.

Heritage Bank has been in business for more than 80 years and is a part of Olympia-based Heritage Financial Corp., which also operates Central Valley Bank.

The median six-month auto insurance rate in Washington has remained steady over the last six months, increasing less than 1 percent to $637 according to InsWeb, an online insurance comparison provider.

A Washington household that pays the six-month median rate of $637 and earns the Washington household median annual income of $45,909 pays about 2.8 percent of its gross income for car insurance.

The nation's 89,526 state and local governments employed 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2009, statistically unchanged from 2008, according to government employment data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

However, the number state and local government FTEs in Washington increased nearly 4 percent, rising from 349,729 during 2008 to 362,997 last year.

WashACE Blog is taking a late summer break and won't be blogging for a while, but you can catch a video of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby singing "Gone Fishin'."

The Live Wire takes a look at the field of candidates narrowed during the primary election and provides a wrap-up of the South Korean ambassador's visit to the area.

Simmons Manufacturing Co. in Sumner has been accepted as a participant in the Voluntary Protection Program, which recognizes companies demonstrating a commitment to workplace safety and health.

VPP is a program of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration but in Washington it is administered by The Department of Labor and Industries and its Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

Looking toward the final months of the year, 11 percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report said they expect to increase the number of full-time staff they employ in professional occupations during the fourth quarter.

Five percent anticipate declines, resulting in a net 6 percent increase in hiring activity, up three points from the third-quarter forecast.

Despite a downturn in overall construction activity, private nonresidential construction spending was up 0.8 percent in July – the first increase since March 2009, according to today's report by the U.S. Census Bureau.

However, on year-over-year basis, private nonresidential construction spending is down 23.7 percent.

While the pace of job creation continues to disappoint, job security appears to be stronger than ever. The latest report on downsizing activity reveals that planned job cuts announced by employers in August fell to 34,768, the lowest monthly total in more than a decade.

August job cuts were down 17 percent from the 41,676 cuts announced in July, according to a report released today by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. This marks the first decline following three consecutive months of increases.

Online advertised vacancies dropped 57,100 in August to 4,236,200 following an increase of 139,200 in July, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series released today.

The gap between the number of unemployed and advertised vacancies (supply/demand rate) stood at 3.4 unemployed for every advertised vacancy in July (the last available unemployment data) but is down from its peak of 4.73 in October 2009.

Private sector employment decreased by 10,000 from July to August on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report.

The estimated change of employment from June to July was revised down slightly, from the previously reported increase of 42,000 to an increase of 37,000.

Baristas Coffee Co. Inc. has broken ground on what will be the company's new flagship costume themed drive-thru espresso location.
 
The store in Kent allows multiple cars to be served from two separate windows as well as indoor walk-up traffic. The property also provides additional space that can be utilized for promotional events such as car washes or other gatherings.

The South Sound Association of Health Underwriters has installed its 2010-11 executive board. They include: Chris Free of Rapport Benefits Group in Tacoma, president; David Maddock of Maddock & Associates in Tacoma, past president; Dan Eich of Oak Insurance Services in Olympia, president elect; Jan Smith of GHB Insurance Inc. in Olympia, vice president; Patty Rice of Albers & Co. in Tacoma, treasurer; Lisa McKay of Regence Life & Health in Tacoma, secretary; Jill Flodstrom of Flodstrom-N-Daughters Insurance in Puyallup, education/events; Ann Miller of Group Health, membership; and Nancy Harris of Regence BS in Tacoma, awards.

The Washington State Health Care Authority has selected Group Health Cooperative as the lead organization for two Accountable Care Organization pilot projects to help transform the health care delivery system and improve health care quality for Washingtonians.

The ACO concept is a collaborative approach to individual and population health, where multiple, diverse provider groups take joint responsibility for the cost and quality of care delivered to their combined population of patients cared for by the groups' clinicians.  

Ambassador Han Duk-soo of South Korea toured Port of Tacoma customer facilities today to talk about the Korean Free Trade Agreement.



If approved by Congress, the Korean agreement would be the first U.S. free trade agreement with a major Asian economy and the largest trade deal since the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement.

Students from Saint Martin's University in Lacey have come up with an idea to slash energy usage within the paper- and pulp-drying industry.

Their research project involves a paper-dryer concept based exclusively on flat ceramic infrared electric emitters.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had declined in July, improved moderately during August. The Index now stands at 53.5 (1985=100), up from 51 a month earlier.

The Present Situation Index decreased to 24.9 from 26.4. The Expectations Index increased to 72.5 from 67.5 last month.

The public will soon be able to nominate its favorite community-based corporations for Washington's highest civics award.



Sept. 1 marks the first day that residents can nominate businesses for a Corporations for Communities Fall Award. Oct. 15 is the deadline to submit a nomination.