Mike Fong, the new director of the Washington State Department of Commerce, paid a visit to the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 23 during a stop in the Tri-Cities. 

He spoke with chamber leaders and small business owners for about an hour, in a wide-ranging conversation that touched on everything from Covid-19 impacts, to the need for more bilingual resources, to the chamber’s participation in the department’s Small Business Resiliency Network.

Tony Lozano, a local small business owner who works in early learning, asked about funding opportunities, noting that child care is a top concern for workers and employers alike. 

Lozano operates Fun to Learn and Lolita’s Little Ones with partner Elodia Gutierrez. 

“The early education field has been underserved,” Lozano said. “It’s a domino effect for everybody. We hope that the Department of Commerce focuses on that because early education is essential for the future and for the economy. I think injecting more money benefits everybody.” 

Fong agreed that child care is a critical issue in business.  

“Right now, one of the top questions and concerns we get from small business and medium-sized businesses is workforce. It’s hard to find workers. A lot of that stems from child care,” he said, adding that his department “has a growing responsibility in this space.”  

Fong thanked the small business owners for sharing their ideas. 

“There’s a lot more to talk about,” he said. “We just started to touch on education, future opportunities, pathways to jobs. There is a bigger conversation for the Tri-Cities, this area, what the future looks like. We want to make sure that communities of color are part of this prosperity that is coming.”