Washington Roundtable

10/16/2026

Our president Rachel Smith sat down with our long-time partner Marc Casale of Kinetic West to talk about what we learned in Prices We Pay: The Cost of Doing Business in Washington. Here’s just a piece of the conversation; it’s a candid look at what it takes to keep a small business going in our state, from a winery whose sales keep growing while its profit disappears to a restaurant company raising prices and keeping less of every dollar. Give it a watch, and thank you to Marc and the Kinetic West team for the great work on this research. And a big thank you to the business owners and workers across Washington who make our communities what they are.

10/13/2026

The first step toward an early talent program can be as small as one motivated supervisor or one strong school connection.

Our education foundation, Partnership for Learning, built the Roadmap to ROI to walk employers through six stages for building an early talent program, from defining the business need and settling practical details like timing, pay and supervision to running a small pilot and collaborating with peer companies. Each stage names the decisions to make and the actions to take, and how a pilot can shape future growth.

Whether your organization is starting an early talent program or growing one, this is a practical place to begin. Download the Roadmap to ROI: https://bit.ly/RoadmapToROI

10/01/2026

Something encouraging is happening in Washington state. The economy, jobs, and economic development are showing up on the front page of the paper, in community conversations, and from the lips of public officials. In a fairly compressed window of time, serious efforts to strengthen our economy have mobilized at every level of government and civic leadership, simultaneously.

Something different is happening. We’re starting to have the right conversations about the economy, and that’s a good thing.

Roundtable President Rachel Smith wrote about what's changed, what the data tells us, and what it will take to move from good conversations to durable outcomes.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years at tables and in meetings where conversations felt urgent, but the response ended up being fragmented. Case in point: economic competitiveness.

09/29/2026

Our members continue to invest in the future of Washington state. From new cancer research at Fred Hutch, to expanded workforce training through Nordstrom's Future of Tailoring Program, to a conversation on AI and the future of pediatric care facilities between Seattle Children's Dr. Chris Longhurst and McKinstry’s Matt Allen, Washington employers have a deep interest and commitment to helping shape what comes next for our state. We also celebrated a milestone quarter for Remitly and congratulated co-founder and Chairman Matt Oppenheimer on his induction into Dartmouth's Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Kudos to all, and here's to what's next! https://bit.ly/September-2026-Roundup

04/14/2026

Applications are now open for Washington State STEM Signing Day 2026—celebrating high school seniors committed to pursuing STEM pathways after graduation.

We’re proud to support Boeing and the Seattle Seahawks alongside our education foundation, Partnership for Learning, in this moment to recognize students stepping into STEM pathways and celebrate the futures they’re building.

In Washington, 75% of job openings will require a postsecondary credential—and efforts like this send a powerful message to students: our communities are behind you in pursuing the credentials that will support your future.

Know a high school senior who should be part of this moment? Encourage them to apply—and help spread the word so more students across Washington can be recognized and feel supported as they pursue high-demand STEM pathways.

Apply by May 1: https://bit.ly/STEM-Signing-Day-2026

Boeing in Washington

04/13/2026

Washington now sits squarely among the most expensive states in the nation—and that’s a reality felt every day across the state.

Over the past decade, costs for essentials like housing, groceries, and transportation have risen 50% or more, reshaping how people live, work, and spend. As highlighted in FOX 13’s The Brief recently, these pressures may also be contributing to more people deciding to leave Washington for lower-cost states.

Thank you to FOX 13 for spotlighting this new research and the real impacts of rising affordability pressures across the state. https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/study-washington-5th-most-expensive-country

(FOX 13 Seattle)

A new study shows Washington state is the fifth most expensive place to live in the nation, and it's getting harder for people to make the numbers work.

04/09/2026

Appreciated this thoughtful conversation with TVW last week, highlighting what many Washingtonians are feeling every day—rising prices are making it harder to make the math work here. Thank you to Mike McClanahan for hosting and to Marc Casale for bringing a clear, data-driven perspective to the discussion.

As our recent report highlights, Washington’s affordability challenge is showing up across communities statewide, from housing to food, healthcare, transportation, and other everyday expenses. While experiences vary, the underlying trend is consistent: Costs are high in every corner of the state—and rising faster than anywhere else in the nation.

Understanding what people are experiencing is an important starting point as leaders across sectors work toward solutions to address affordability. Let’s keep the conversation going.

(TVW -- Washington Public Affairs Network)