Business Briefs — October 2026
Laundromat earns payday while striving to save money
A Richland business is reaping the financial rewards of going green.
The Wash Laundromat received a check for more than $159,000 from Cascade Natural Gas Corp. on Sept. 25, thanks to qualifying energy-saving incentives.
The payment stemmed from The Wash’s plan to install an ozone system into its cold water supply for its washing machines. The system converts oxygen to ozone, which helps break down soils and odors in fabric, when mixed into the wash water. The result means less reliance on detergent, hot water and the natural gas used to heat it.
The laundromat has since installed the system and, along with the recent check, is saving an estimated $30,000 a year in energy costs. The business also has secured incentives to install three highly efficient water heaters that will save tens of thousands dollars more per year in energy costs.
“It’s a plus when the community knows they have a clean, safe place to go wash and sanitize their clothes,” said The Wash’s owner Jeffrey L. Peterson in a statement. “We’re providing that without harming the environment and saving energy.”
Go to: cngc.com/energy-efficiency/commercial-rebate-offerings.
State recognizes wastewater treatment plants
Three Mid-Columbia wastewater treatment facilities are among those being celebrated by state ecology officials for protecting water quality and public health.
The state Department of Ecology honored 125 plants for their work in 2025 with Outstanding Performance Awards, according to a release. The awards indicate that a given facility has regularly met numeric effluent limits, conducted required water quality monitoring and submitted reports on time.
“Wastewater infrastructure is something that often goes unnoticed. Many of us don’t think about where our water goes or how it gets treated, while wastewater operators think about it every day,” said Jon Kenning, Ecology’s Water Quality program manager, in a statement. “Their work often goes unseen, but it benefits everyone in the state.”
The Mid-Columbia facilities that were recognized are:
- Basin City Mobile Home Park.
- Kennewick Wastewater Treatment Facility.
- West Richland Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Kennewick Kiwanis launches new speaker series for students
Kennewick Kiwanis has rolled out a new initiative as it prepares to celebrate its centennial.
The service-oriented community organization recently announced the launch of the new Kiwanis Speaker Series, an initiative that will bring notable and impactful individuals into schools to share their stories with students.
“The new biannual series is built around a simple idea: young people should have the opportunity to hear from people who have lived extraordinary lives, overcome challenges, served their country and communities, and pursued goals that once may have seemed impossible,” Kennewick Kiwanis said in a statement.
The inaugural event was held at Kamiakin High School in September and featured former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Bob Darling, who was in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center at the White House on Sept. 11, 2001, during the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks.
“Twenty-five years later, Darling’s story provides an opportunity for students to hear firsthand about leadership, courage, service, perseverance, and the responsibility that comes with being entrusted with something larger than oneself,” the club said in a release.
The first September event was a private evening event for Kiwanis members, sponsors and community leaders. The following morning the series brought the speaker to Kamiakin High School students and teachers.
Kiwanis plans to expand the student portion of the Speakers Series to additional local high schools in future installments. No plans were announced to host similar events for the general public.
In addition to the new speaker series, Kiwanis said it is also pledging to give $100,000 back to students and the community in celebration of 100 years of Kiwanis service in Kennewick.
Mid-Columbia company gets grant for industrial symbiosis
A Benton County company has received a $469,000 state grant to advance its research and development of a new means to generate renewable natural gas from carbon dioxide.
Clean-Vantage was one of seven companies around the state to receive $2.4 million from the state Department of Commerce’s Industrial Symbiosis Grant Program, according to a news release. The program funds research and development, feasibility studies, engineering and design, pilot projects, deployment, scaling, and the development of industrial symbiosis parks.
Clean-Vantage specifically is developing a biological means to convert the carbon dioxide emitted by wet organic waste into high grade renewable natural gas by combining it with molecular hydrogen.
Industrial symbiosis, where technology converts biowaste to a renewable resource or reuses its waste heat to support other manufacturing or industrial processes, has come to the forefront in recent months in Washington state and the Tri-Cities. The Port of Pasco has studied the concept for years and is currently working toward developing an industrial symbiosis park.
Amazon upping minimum pay, adding worker benefits
Online retailer Amazon, which is expected to hire hundreds of additional workers in the Tri-Cities in the coming years, is looking to make its positions more appealing to potential employees.
The company announced on Sept. 16 that it was raising pay across the board by $1 per hour, bringing its starting wage for even entry-level position requiring no experience to $20 per hour. The move will move the company’s average hourly wage to $24 per hour.
Additionally, Amazon will provide some employees membership in a new banking program through First Tech Federal Credit Union and also provide a 10% discount to all employees buying groceries through Amazon or Whole Foods.
“We talk a lot about continuous improvement at Amazon – about always wanting to get better, even when things are going well,” said Udit Madan, senior vice president, worldwide operations, in a blog post. “I love that approach because it starts with listening to our customers and teammates, and then investing and inventing to make their experience even better. We do that in small ways throughout the year, then in big ways in moments like this.
Amazon recently began operations at one of two warehouses it built in the Tri-Cities in 2021. One had remained dormant. Workers at the neighboring facility are now working in the building as the company prepares to renovate the other. Once that work is complete, the company has said it plans to hire up to 800 additional workers to operate it.
PNNL energy grid tool goes to market
A tool developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory aimed at helping utilities evaluate and identify problems with power plants as they respond to power grid disturbances is going commercial.
Virginia-based software company Simple Thread has licensed the technology, built on PNNL’s Generator Scorecard, and will market it as Aion Pulse, according to a release.
The technology uses data from time-synchronized measurements of grid conditions dozens of times per second. It automatically detects disturbances in the data and generates performance assessments for each power plant.
Historically, engineers analyzed those events manually, reviewing large volumes of measurement data one generator at a time, a time-consuming and difficult process to scale as power systems become more complex.
“Through our collaboration with PNNL, we’ve created something rare – a tool engineered by people who deeply understand both the physics of the grid and the modern software required to support it,” said Simple Thread’s CEO and founder, Justin Etheredge, in a statement.
Successful fundraiser for business owner benefits cancer center
Organizers of a fundraiser for a restaurateur fighting cancer for the second time announced it was successful and donations in excess of the campaign’s goal were donated to the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in Kennewick.
A GoFundMe for Ron Swanby hit its $25,000 goal within four days of launching, according to a press release. Swanby and his wife Christina committed to donate any contributions over their goal to the cancer center, and they donated $5,000 in early October.
Swanby of Swampy’s BBQ Sauce and Catering was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2024 and underwent surgery to remove it. However, six months ago, he was diagnosed with stage 2 rectal cancer and is now undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the Cancer Center.
Friends launched the “Rally for Ron” GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Swanby’s medical expenses not covered by insurance, backfill lost income while he is unable to work and pay for other household and living expenses while Christina cares for him.
Pretreatment facility restarts at Hanford site
The system that pretreats hazardous tank waste at the Hanford site before it can be transformed into glass is back online after a more than six-month shutdown.
The Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system was paused in late February as the tank it sends pretreated waste to reached capacity. There are currently about 1 million gallons of pretreated waste stored in the tank, waiting to be vitrified, or turned into glass, at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, or vit plant.
During the operational pause, workers with Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure, commonly called H2C, completed maintenance, equipment upgrades, training and other project work, including installing a new weather enclosure to better protect workers and equipment.
The current batch was expected to run through September and produce about 230,000 gallons of pretreated waste destined for treatment and disposal.
More than 242,000 gallons of pretreated waste has been fed through to the vit plant since it began hot commissioning less than a year ago.
“The restart underscores why Hanford is advancing a dual glass-plus-grout approach for appropriate treated waste streams,” said Mat Irwin, assistant manager for tank waste operations, in a statement. “Glass remains central to the mission, while grout could add another disposal path to reduce bottlenecks and support continued cleanup progress.”
Richland launches superintendent search
The search for Richland School District’s next top administrator has officially begun.
The district’s board selected search firm McPherson & Jacobson to lead the search for its next superintendent, who will replace Shelley Redinger after she departs at the end of June 2027.
In the formal announcement of the search, the district said the board “has emphasized its commitment to conducting a transparent, inclusive and community-centered search process.”
“Recognizing the importance of broad stakeholder involvement, the Board will seek input from students, families, staff, and community members to help identify the qualities, experiences, and leadership characteristics that are most important in the district’s next leader.”
The first round of stakeholder input sessions are currently scheduled for the week of Oct. 19, according to the district’s website. That input will be reviewed by the board in early December as its members make decisions about the interview process.
The board anticipates interviewing candidates in February and making its selection for the next superintendent by the end of that month.
Go to: rsd.edu/district/superintendent-search.
Lamb Weston starts new fiscal year strong
One of the Tri-Cities’ largest employers kicked off its new fiscal year on a high note largely due to a surge in its domestic business, according to its latest quarterly report.
Lamb Weston’s overall net sales grew slightly compared to the first quarter of 2026, with its North American market seeing 5% growth to $1.14 billion compared to the same quarter the previous year. That was enough to offset declines in the company’s international business and other pressures such as inflation, President and CEO Mike Smith said in a statement.
The company still experienced a decline of 5% in overall earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), with challenging market conditions affecting its international business.
“At the same time, we continue to make meaningful progress advancing our Focus to Win strategy, including cross-functional efforts to sharpen our prioritization of markets and channels. We expect to complete this work in the coming months and look forward to sharing our road map for driving long-term shareholder value at our Investor Day in early calendar 2027.”
Lamb Weston also reported stronger liquidity, with the company recording $166 million in cash and cash equivalents as of Aug. 30, an increase of $98 million compared to the end of fiscal year 2026.
The quarterly results were strong enough to lead the company to revise its outlook upward, with adjusted EBITDA in fiscal year 2027 between $1.125 to $1.215 billion and net sales growing more than 1%.
Lamb Weston has 2,806 employees working in its processing facilities and administrative offices within and outside the Tri-Cities, according to 2025 data in the Journal’s Book of Lists.
Athena Award winners honored at Women in Business
A longtime Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce leader and the CEO of a hospice and palliative care organization were named Athena Award winners at the Sept. 22 Women in Business luncheon.
Lori Mattson, president and CEO of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, received the Athena Leadership Award at the chamber’s signature Women in Business conference. The chamber leader announced in June that she would retire in February 2027, after nearly 20 years in her role.
Mattson helped launch the chamber’s first Women in Business conference in 2012, and the chamber earned five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce under her leadership.
She was named one of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ People of Influence earlier this year, and in 2025, she received the Legacy Award as part of the Women of Distinction program at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
Shelby Moore, CEO of Heartlinks, received the Athena Young Professional Leadership Award.
Moore was one of the Journal of Business’ Young Professional winners in 2020. She began work with Heartlinks in 2016 and was promoted to executive director in 2019 – at the age of 25.
The Athena Awards honor women who show excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; provide service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and serve as a role model for young women both personally and professionally.
Athena Young Professional Leadership Award winners must be 40 years or younger at the time of the award presentation.
Chamber begins national search for its next leader
The Tri-City Regional Chamber has launched a nationwide search for its next president and CEO.
The chamber’s current head, Lori Mattson, announced in June that she would be retiring in February 2027, prompting the search. The search will be led by Chamber Concepts.
The regional chamber’s board of directors is looking for a leader who will be able to collaborate across the region’s four cities and two counties and serve as an ambassador and spokesperson for the business community. The president and CEO will also be responsible for the chamber’s strategy, operations, financial performance, community engagement and leadership.
The job has a salary plus bonus range of $150,000 to $190,000, and the selected candidate is expected to live in Benton or Franklin County once employed.
The deadline to apply is Oct. 23.
Go to: drive.google.com/file/d/1swlKQ3w-D57I3nuAbmVcLY7A8_sAf6fp/view.
Southridge High grad lands national scholarship
A Southridge High School graduate was one of 100 in the nation to be named a 2026-28 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship recipient.
Ashwin Joshi
Scholarship winner Ashwin Joshi, a junior year student at the University of California, Berkeley, launched his own nonprofit focusing on financial literacy while still in high school in Kennewick.
Joshi is the first winner of the Voyager Scholarship from the Tri-Cities area, he told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business. The scholarship, created by former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, helps support young leaders interested in public service.
It provides up to $50,000 in financial aid over the two years, as well as a $10,000 summer stipend and up to $4,200 in free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience.
After graduation, Airbnb will provide Voyager Scholarship students with a $2,000 Airbnb travel credit every year for 10 years to allow students to broaden their horizons and make new connections throughout their careers.
“This scholarship grounds my past work and gives me momentum for what’s next,” Joshi told the Journal of Business. “The past year, through late nights and more than one reset, made something clear: no accolade is your identity, it’s a marker you’re headed where you intend to go. The Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship tells me I’m getting closer, and the next step is studying how international models make private capital accountable for senior housing.”
Benton County communities receive public works funding
The cities of Richland and Prosser will get a helping hand from state to the tune of more than $10 million to improve their sewer systems while West Richland received money to help it recover from last December’s flooding.
The financial aid originates from the state’s Public Works Board, which recently awarded $214 million in grants and low-interest loans to 65 local governments across the state.
“The PWB provides communities with a funding partner that can help address immediate needs while also supporting long-term solutions and resilience,” said PWB vice chair Dean Reynolds, in a statement.
Richland received a $9.2 million loan to improve the anaerobic digester at its wastewater treatment plant. Prosser received a $1.3 million loan, as well as a $226,500 grant to improve the headworks of its sanitary sewer system.
West Richland’s $1 million grant will be used to rebuild the only access road to its wastewater treatment plant. The project will lower portions of the road to allow flood waters to pass over it, rather than erode it from underneath.
“We’re grateful to the Public Works Board and the Department of Commerce for investing in our community’s resilience,” said West Richland Mayor Fred Brink in a statement. “These improvements will help protect public health and the Yakima River during future floods.”
Report: Restraint, predictability from state needed to aid WA economy
Realistic budgeting. Restraint and thorough review of new taxes. Reduce regulation and permitting and licensing timelines.
Those are among the key points of a new report issued by two statewide business organizations on how Washington can strengthen its economy.
The Economic Future Solutions Summit Report was the result of input from more than 150 business leaders, policymakers and economic development experts who attended an Association of Washington Business and Washington Roundtable event this past summer, according to a release.
The report acknowledges that the state has taken steps to address some of the recommendations; Gov. Bob Ferguson has directed agencies to speed up permitting and created a new Economic Development Council to advise on how to strengthen the state’s economy.
But tax and regulatory predictability remain badly needed in the state after two straight legislative sessions when taxes were raised by state lawmakers.
“Washington has long had an economy that is the envy of the world, but we’re losing ground to other states,” said AWB President Kris Johnson in a statement. “We hope policymakers take these recommendations seriously and act to strengthen Washington’s competitiveness.”
Go to: awb.org/reports-data/economic-future-solutions-summit-report.
L&I proposes workers’ comp rate increase
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing a 4.9% increase in the rate employers and workers pay for workers’ comp insurance in 2027. Hearings are scheduled for public input.
If adopted, the proposed increase would raise the cost of coverage by about $1.44 a week per full-time employee, on average. Employers pay about 75% of the premium and workers pay 25%.
The proposed increase would help pay for the rising cost of providing wage replacement and medical care benefits when a worker is injured on the job or develops a work-related illness, according to an L&I news release about the rate increase.
The proposal wouldn’t pass along the full projected cost increases to businesses and workers who pay premiums. Instead, the agency would use funds from the workers’ compensation contingency reserve to cover the potential difference between what the rate increase will bring in and what the projected costs will be.
Virtual hearings will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 28 and 2 p.m. Oct. 29. Final rates will be adopted Nov. 30 and go into effect Jan. 1.
