Looking back over the past 12 months of 2018, anyone in the Southwest Washington area will note a year of numerous large construction projects, an abundance of economic development, continued strong housing sales in what is still considered a seller’s market and a continued influx of new businesses in the area. This year has been one of many new tech companies moving to the area, as well as other types of new businesses.
In this special edition of the Vancouver Business Journal, we’ll take a look back at some of the year’s most successful growing businesses, notable projects and accomplished business professionals.
BUSINESS GROWTH AWARDS
Each year, hundreds of business professionals from around the Southwest Washington region join the Vancouver Business Journal in celebration of the area’s growing companies during our annual Business Growth Awards. The awards recognized growth in 2017 and included recognition of start-ups, innovators and growing businesses in Southwest Washington.
The awards were presented during a reception and showcase held on May 23, 2018, at Warehouse ‘23. Award recipients, and the categories they were recognized in, included the following companies:
2017 Fastest Growing Company 1-5 Years
Hubb
In 2016, Hubb, “event technology by event planners for event planners,” saw 115 percent growth in first-year bookings and a 165 percent growth in contracts, as they expanded to more than 60 clients at the end of the year, including Microsoft, Intel, Tableau and Atlassian. Their retention rate was 88 percent and every Hubb client that renewed with Hubb expanded the scope of their contract.
In 2017, the company continued that success, increasing their base to 95 customers.
Hubb offers a one-stop shop for meeting planners, including abstract grading, speaker management, session management, calls for content, sponsor management, task management and analytics, delivered through a web portal, mobile app and digital signage. The company allows all the stakeholders involved with planning an event to use a single intuitive system to deliver content to attendees.
“Being recognized by our community in Southwest Washington is such an honor,” said Allie Magyar, CEO of Hubb. “Involvement in the community is one of Hubb’s core values, so that makes this recognition extra special for us. I can’t believe how far we’ve come in such a short time, and we owe much of our success to support from the regional business community.”
Finalists in this category: The Heather DeFord Group – Cascade Sothebys; Riverside Payments
2017 Fastest Growing Company 6-10 Years
DiscoverOrg
DiscoverOrg has been a pioneer in the sales and marketing intelligence software space since 2007. Designed to reduce the time-to-direct-connection with targeting prospects, the company’s platform provides sales, marketing and staffing professionals with both the contacts and context needed to sell and market more effectively.
DiscoverOrg helps companies across all verticals and stages fill their pipelines and improve their bottom lines. The company guarantees in writing that at least 95 percent of DiscoverOrg’s data is accurate.
In 2017, DiscoverOrg added 1,700 new customers, and the number of DiscoverOrg employees increased from 317 in 2016 to 474 in 2017. In addition to acquiring a number of new customers, DiscoverOrg also acquired their biggest competitor, RainKing, in August 2017. With this acquisition, the company added a second office location in Bethesda, Maryland.
In 2017, DiscoverOrg’s revenue increased to $91,764,020 from $59,417,104 in 2016.
“I’m honored that the Vancouver Business Journal has chosen DiscoverOrg for a Business Growth Award for the second year in a row,” said DiscoverOrg CEO Henry Schuck. “As we create our path for future growth, I know we couldn’t be in a better spot than Vancouver, right here, right now.”
Finalists in this category: Interject Data Systems; Pacific Energy Concepts
2017 Fastest Growing Company 10+ Years
On Line Support, Inc.
Founded in 1998, On Line Support, Inc. provides IT support, including technical helpdesk support, networking, security, computer support and technology consulting, to small- and medium-sized businesses. The company provides 24/7/365 monitoring that takes care of issues before they become a problem and reduces on-site visits by 90 percent.
On Line Support partners with many types of businesses in the area, and they strive to eliminate IT issues before they cause expensive downtime, so business owners can continue to drive their business forward.
“We’re not just technology providers, we are technology partners with the businesses we serve,” said Eric Olmsted, president of On Line Support. “Our customers’ goals are out goals. Our job is to utilize technology to get them where they want to be.”
“In the 20 years since On Line Support was founded, business technology has evolved at lightning speed, and we’ve evolved our services and product offerings along with it,” Olmsted continued. “Our customers rely on us to bring them the latest technology customized to their specific needs and goals.”
Finalists in this category: Opsahl Dawson; Westby Associates
2017 Innovator of the Year
Hubb
In 2016, Hubb, “event technology by event planners for event planners,” saw 115 percent growth in first-year bookings and a 165 percent growth in contracts, as they expanded to more than 60 clients at the end of the year, including Microsoft, Intel, Tableau and Atlassian. Their retention rate was 88 percent and every Hubb client that renewed with Hubb expanded the scope of their contract.
In 2017, the company continued that success, increasing their base to 95 customers.
Hubb offers a one-stop shop for meeting planners, including abstract grading, speaker management, session management, calls for content, sponsor management, task management and analytics, delivered through a web portal, mobile app and digital signage. The company allows all the stakeholders involved with planning an event to use a single intuitive system to deliver content to attendees.
“Being recognized by our community in Southwest Washington is such an honor,” said Allie Magyar, CEO of Hubb. “Involvement in the community is one of Hubb’s core values, so that makes this recognition extra special for us. I can’t believe how far we’ve come in such a short time, and we owe much of our success to support from the regional business community.”
Finalists in this category: Ryd
2017 Start Up of the Year
Life Force Chiropractic
Life Force Chiropractic is on a mission to bring hope, health and healing the way nature intended to the city of Vancouver and its surrounding communities. They envision a community where true health is something striven for by all and achieved by many. It is a right and not a privilege for everyone to live to their full health potential and Life Force Chiropractic’s goal is to help facilitate this for anyone who walks through their doors.
Life Force Chiropractic’s team consists of Dr. Kyle Kurscheidt, Dr. Cody Kurscheidt and Dr. Tiffany Thorne.
A deep and personal experience with health and healing lead Dr. Kyle at a young age to know he wanted to become a chiropractor. Dr. Cody has known from a young age that he wanted to help those around him. Dr. Tiffany began her chiropractic journey when she was in just second grade.
“We are truly grateful to be recognized by the Vancouver Business Journal as one of this years’ finalists,” the three doctors said. “To see all our hard work and effort being recognized is very humbling.”
Finalists in this category: Precision Personal Training; Burntown Fitness
TOP PROJECTS
On July 25, the Southwest Washington community joined the Vancouver Business Journal at Block 2 of the Vancouver Waterfront to celebrate the accomplishments of area contractors, architects, engineers and other building industry professionals during the 2018 Top Projects & Building Excellence Awards. The area’s top projects – commercial, residential, multifamily and public works – were then highlighted in the July 27 special print edition of the VBJ.
Here are the top three projects (ranked by construction cost) in each category:
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
1. RiverWest
Construction Cost: $51,350,544
RiverWest, also known as Block 8 of the Vancouver Waterfront, is a mixed-use project on a full city block, with one level of below-grade parking, ground-level retail, restaurant and parking, level-two parking and apartments on levels 3 through 7. The total gross square footage for this project is 323,693.
General Contractor: Robertson & Olson Construction Inc.
Project Owner: Block 8 Investment LLC
2. Bonaventure of Vancouver
This new 160-unit community offer state-of-the-art amenities for retirement, assisted living and memory care within a single four-story building containing 178,738 square feet. Bonaventure of Vancouver will include 72 independent living suites, 60 assisted living suites and 28 memory care suites, which are in a secured section of the building. Indoor amenities include a fitness center, two half-scale bowling lanes, cinema, restaurant style dining, private dining room, library, full service espresso cafe, activities and craft rooms, full service pub and hair salon.
General Contractor: Mountain West Community Construction LLC
Project Owner: Bonaventure Senior Living
3. Columbia Palisades Phase 1
This project is the first stage of a master plan development in East Fisher Quarry. 150,000 cubic yards of excavation and embankment make way for 8,500 linear feet (LF) of new roads. This work improves the existing Brady Road by adding curbs and sidewalks, as well as a landmark roundabout. Turn lanes were added to 192nd Avenue. There will be 10,600 LF of new storm mains and associated manholes and catch basins that lead to underground detention/infiltration systems and two small rain gardens. There will be 7,172 LF of gravity sanitary sewer mains and laterals and 1,684 LF of grinder pump pressure pipe running to a new pump station with 2,200 LF of force main. There are two water systems feeding the entire site from the cities of Vancouver and Camas. The project will include an amphitheater with a play area and a vista park to serve the master plan.
General Contractor: Tapani Inc.
Project Owner: Columbia Palisades Corp.
MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS
1. Parkside II Apartments
Construction Cost: $26,000,000
This project is a four-story, 206-apartment unit multifamily development with parking, office and amenity terrace, pool and spa.
General Contractors: Sierra Construction and Tapani Inc.
Project Owner: Columbia Tech Center LLC
2. The Lavonne
Construction Cost: $12,751,775
The Lavonne is a new 75-unit apartment community at the corner of Andresen and the new Vancouver Mall Drive extension. The Lavonne will feature a sparkling community pool, child play area, private dog park, and is located near popular restaurants and the Vancouver Mall. Offering 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments, residents will have ample parking, as well as private garages and private storage.
General Contractor: Team Construction
Project Owner: MAJ Place, LLC
3. The Reserve Apartments Phase 5
Phase five of The Reserve Apartments project includes 106 apartment units and associated parking and drive aisles.
General Contractors: Rotschy Inc. and Gaither and Sons
Project Owner: Columbia Tech Center LLC
PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS
1. Sunset Ridge Intermediate School and View Ridge Middle School
Construction Cost: $55,900,000
This is a 145,000-sq-ft facility that will house two distinct schools, an intermediate school for grades 5-6 and a middle school for grades 7-8, with shared core spaces. Built to accommodate 1,200 students, the new two-level school has 44 regular classroom spaces; a dedicated STEAM wing (science, technology, engineering, art and math); band and choir rooms plus a black box space; two gymnasiums; a multi-purpose space to be shared with the high school athletics programs; and a large commons that can be converted into a performance space.
General Contractor: Emerick Construction Inc.; Site Work General Contractor: Tapani Inc.
Project Owner: Ridgefield School District Funding Source
2. Lacamas Lake Elementary School
Construction Cost: $23,932,705
The school will serve 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grades. Two-story classroom wings branch off each side of the building’s core, like a bird’s. The library – with abundant natural light and large, exposed wooden beams – is a showcase of the new educational facility. Joining the library in the core of the 74,000-square-foot school are the gymnasium, cafeteria, kitchen, commons and music room. An Idea Lab, administrative offices and lobby welcome visitors at the single-story main entrance. Creeks, meadows and wooded areas surround the new elementary school, which sits on 40 acres spanning six designated wetland areas. The building features Douglas fir window frames, and maple casework and nooks for children to sit in and read. Boulders and trees from the site are reincorporated into the playground.
General Contractor: Todd Construction Inc.
Project Owner: Camas School District No. 117
3. Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex
This project is a 53-acre outdoor facility for sports, recreation, and education that will benefit the Ridgefield School District and the Community. The site features six multipurpose sports fields, a playground, trails and more. When complete, Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex will be able to host tournaments, and has the potential to add additional sports and other activities, such as concerts, festivals, gatherings, etc. With the lack of sports fields in the region, especially artificial turf soccer fields with lights, Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex will be a much needed community resource. The overall project also includes mass grading and utilities, Hillhurst Road Water main extension, and Frontage improvements. The RORC Mass Grading and Utilities Project by Tapani Inc. laid the groundwork by completing all the excavation and embankment construction, storm water and sewer utilities, cement amended fields, drainage aggregate, and erosion control stabilization.
General Contractor: Colf Construction; Site Work General Contractor: Tapani Inc.
Project Owner: City of Ridgefield and Ridgefield School District
RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
1. Four Seasons Subdivision
Construction Cost: $51,350,600
The Four Seasons subdivision is located in Vancouver’s Landover-Sharmel neighborhood, bordered on the south by Northeast 18th Street and just east on Northeast 112th Avenue. The community began as three parcels and will be divided into 234 attached, single-family lots.
General Contractors: Legacy 6, Rotschy Inc.
Project Owner: Four Seasons Subdivision LLC
2. Greenview Estates
This East County subdivision will have 55 townhomes and 49 single family detached home lots.
General Contractor: Green Construction
Project Owner: Green Construction/Mike Green
3. Barnett Subdivision
Construction Cost: $27,820,000
The Barnett Subdivision is located in Vancouver’s Sunnyside neighborhood between Northeast 119th Street, 70th Avenue, 112th Street and 65th Avenue. It will be subdivided into 60 single-family detached lots in up to five phases.
HEALTHIEST COMPANIES OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
Multiple studies have shown that good health practices and access to healthy options at work create a more productive and efficient environment with less absenteeism.
In October, the Vancouver Business Journal recognized several different companies and nonprofit/public sector organizations for their commitment to employee wellness with our annual Healthiest Companies of Southwest Washington awards.
Award recipients, and the categories they were in, included the following companies:
Healthiest Company Nonprofit/Public Sector
Clark County
With 1,600 employees to think of, the Clark County Living Well wellness program supports the county’s mission – “to enhance the quality of life in our diverse community by providing services with integrity, openness and accountability” – through its strategic plan.
The Living Well wellness program mission is to “establish and promote the Living Well Employee Wellness Program to create a culture and environment that supports and promotes the value of good physical and mental health for County employees and their families to make healthy and informed choices.”
The program, which encourages employees to “be ENGAGED, be EMPOWERED, be WELL,” strives to help employees and their families by:
Reducing health risks through emphasis on prevention of illness or injury, not just treatment;
Empowering employees to make healthy and informed choices, focus on improved health;
Providing education and resources, and;
Celebrating actions taken for health.
Nutrition weight management and physical activity at work are both two important factors of the County’s Living Well program. This year, the County partnered with the Vancouver Farmers Market for the second year to host the Franklin Street Market in the Public Service Center plaza. The market was extended for 12 weeks this summer, and vendors provided a source of fresh produce and other healthy local foods for employees as well as the public to purchase weekly. The Living Well program offered Farmers Market tokens and branded reusable shopping bags this year through weekly drawings to incent employees to return to the market each week.
Numerous additional nutrition weight management resources and activities were provided to County employees throughout the year.
Physical activity at work continues to be encouraged for County employees through “Walking Wednesdays;” lockers and showers available in some buildings for employees to use after exercise; some sit-stand workstations for employees with sedentary jobs; promotion of local fitness facility discounts; a summer parks challenge; and more.
In their submission, the County wrote: “In our third year since rebranding the wellness program, one major outcome has been that more employees and more worksites have become engaged in wellness efforts. This is demonstrated by requests from work groups off the main downtown campus for onsite seminars, EAP (Employee Assistance Program) orientations and involvement as ‘department wellness champions.’”
Healthiest Company Small Employer
Northwest Personal Training
With a staff of 20 employees, Northwest Personal Training was named the Healthiest Company in the Small Employer (fewer than 50 employees) category.
As part of the communication education for their employees, Northwest Personal Training hosts monthly team meetings to provide information and education to their team. They also write a weekly health and fitness column for a local newspaper, weekly fitness and health blogs, and various other health and fitness content that is regularly circulated to their team through email.
Northwest Personal Training hosts three nutrition/fitness challenges per year that their team members can participate in for free, and they also host two health and nutrition conferences each year that their team members can attend for free. Monthly health and fitness workshops are offered that staff can attend for free, and team members receive $200 per year to use for continuing education.
In order to encourage nutrition and weight management, Northwest Personal Training only supplies healthy food products within the work environment, offering healthy food at team meetings, etc. They have also authored the Northwest Personal Training Six-Week Fitness Results Manual, which includes an extensive section on nutrition and weight management. Team members must read this material and complete a quiz to assess their understanding.
Physical activity at work is, of course, encouraged. Team members can attend group training classes for free; they can participate in 12 runs and triathlon events per year for free; team members are able to train each other for free; Northwest Personal Training offers outdoor activities such as hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, running, biking and triathlon clinics that their team can attend for free; and team members are able to attend two fitness conferences per year for free.
In their submission, Northwest Personal Training wrote: “‘The proof is in the pudding,’ they say. We challenge any other company against our employees in any form of fitness challenge or body composition assessment. Our employees are healthy, fit and strong. As a company, we enjoy low health care premiums and minimal sick days.”
Finalists in this category: Opsahl Dawson; NW Staffing Resources
Healthiest Company Mid-Sized Employer
LSW Architects
LSW Architects has a staff of 58 employees and was chosen as the Healthiest Company in the Mid-Sized Employer (50-100 employees) category.
Something that LSW began this year was the company’s “Bootcamp For Business.” This free fitness networking bootcamp involves bringing the business community together in a unique way outside of happy hours or luncheons. It’s to get healthy and fit together and get to know each other in a way that shows it’s good to get away from your desk and sweat every Friday from noon-1 p.m. in Esther Short Park. LSW started doing this in July of 2018 and it is every Friday, rain or shine.
LSW offers their employees flexible schedules in order to support healthy families and give employees an opportunity to participate in outside organizations and interests. Also, in order to support a healthy office, LSW pays for 100 percent of their employees’ medical and dental insurance, and 50 percent for spouse and children. Employees pay zero or no deductible for routine preventative exams and tests.
LSW encourages physical activity at work in a variety of ways, including the “Move Your Feet” Campaign that was initiated last year by LSW’s Principal Casey Wyckoff. The premise of the campaign is that participating employees would purchase a pair of athletic shoes, provide a shoe “review” after 30 days of using them and in turn would be reimbursed up to $100 for their expense. The definition of “athletic shoe” was left open to interpretation – it could include running shoes, hiking boots, water shoes, dance shoes, etc. After eight months, 19 staff members at LSW have participated with their shoe reviews posted on Instagram.
As one of the results of a company committee, LSW also swapped their fixed-height workstations for sit-to-stand desks. LSW also added monitor arms and keyboard trays to the desks, as well as anti-fatigue mats for those who choose to spend the majority of the time on their feet.
Finalists in this category: Biggs Insurance Services
Healthiest Company Large Employer
Nautilus, Inc.
With a total of 480 employees, Nautilus was chosen as the Healthiest Company in the Large Employer (100+ employees) category.
Through the efforts of their Wellness Committee, Nautilus holds bi-monthly Wellness Wednesdays where they bring in speakers from the community to speak on a variety of wellness topics that hit on all of the dimensions of wellness. The company sponsors an annual Wellness Fair filled with vendors and service providers focused on assisting employees and families on their wellness journey.
As part of their encouragement of nutrition weight management, Nautilus holds three weight loss challenges every year for employees to participate in. Employees are eligible for a stamp in their “Road to Wellness Passport” for achieving personal weight of fitness goals. Nautilus also offers free fruits and vegetables in their break room, along with healthy vending options.
As far as physical activity at work is concerned, the wellness program at Nautilus supports fitness activities in their company gym, basketball hoop and company-sponsored events such as the American Lung Association Fight for Air Stair Climb, American Heart Association Heart Walk, Reach the Beach Bike Ride, Rugged Maniac, Ragnar, Tough Mudder, Hood to Coast, Portland to Coast, and Nautilus softball and kickball teams.
Employees are also encouraged to participate in nutritional and emotional wellness activities, and to establish personal goals to improve overall health. The program rewards employees for taking preventative measures, including annual exams and flu shots/vaccines, as well as financial wellness such as increasing 401(k) contribution or completing a financial planning course.
Since the creation of the Nautilus Road to Wellness Passport, the company has seen year-over-year increase in employee participation. In addition, company employees have already logged more than 14,855 workouts by 194 employees through September.
Nautilus has also been offering free on-site biometric screenings to employees since 2012 and spouses since 2013 with a year-over-year increase in participation.
Finalists in this category: Corwin Beverage Company
Accomplished & Under 40
Last, but not least, in this year in review, we must recognize the Vancouver Business Journal’s Accomplished and Under 40 Class of 2018. Honorees are selected each year by a panel of Accomplished and Under 40 alumni after being nominated by members of the community.
This year’s honorees were:
- Melissa Baker, Council for the Homeless
- Briana Blocker, Ameriprise Financial
- Jen Dawson, Opsahl Dawson CPAs
- Zane Freschette, Washougal Police Department at Camas High School
- Andrew Gratzer, iQ Credit Union
- Rebecca Kennedy, City of Vancouver
- Jennifer Loftin, RJL Business Services
- Miriam Martin, Workforce Southwest Washington
- Kareen Mills, LegalShield
- Michelle Nisle, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn
- Morgan Parker, Next Youth Career Center
- Zack Parnell, Industrial Training International
- Merry Saari, LSW Architects
- Marshall Stagg, Landerholm
- Ken Stryker, Blaze Restoration
- Tina Vlachos, American Family Insurance
