Two regional organizations have made changes to some of their longtime programs this year, which now sport new names and revised focuses.

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce has refreshed its Business on a Roll awards program, now rebranded as Business of the Year, and has added a new award to the mix.

The Tri-City Development Council, better known as TRIDEC, has discontinued its annual Regional Economic Outlook event, replacing it with a new monthly Donuts & Development program meant to create more regular dialogue.

Chamber awards

The regional chamber’s longstanding Business on a Roll and Nonprofit on a Roll awards have seen several changes this year. Instead of the categories of small, medium and large Business on a Roll, nominations were accepted through Feb. 3 for Small Business of the Year, New Business of the Year and overall Business of the Year.

The name change comes with a shift in focus: While growth statistics were at the center of the Business on a Roll awards, growth is only one factor for the new awards. 

Other criteria that will be considered include future planning, innovation and community involvement, making for a more rounded picture, said Austin Regimbal, the regional chamber’s marketing and communications director. 

The Nonprofit on a Roll award, now Nonprofit of the Year, has shifted away from growth-based evaluation as well. Impact, partnerships and public awareness now have a part to play in the award, he said. 

Businesses eligible for the small business award should have under 50 employees. That’s a change from the previous awards, in which small businesses had to have 10 or fewer employees and medium businesses, 11 to 50. 

New businesses must have been founded less than three years ago to be eligible for the New Business of the Year Award, and there are no restrictions on the Business of the Year award. 

All four of these awards are given only to chamber members. A new, fifth award, is open to the entire community: the Spirit of Tri-Cities award. 

This award focuses on who is making the biggest impact on the community, and in addition to being evaluated by the chamber’s awards and recognition committee, the final winner will be selected by a panel of stakeholder-level members, Regimbal said.

These awards, along with others, will be presented at the regional chamber’s annual meeting and awards luncheon, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 26 at the Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.

TRIDEC has discontinued its annual Regional Economic Outlook event, but the conversation will continue in new monthly Donuts & Development program. Spudnuts will be served at some of the meetings.

| Photo by Rachel Visick

TRIDEC events

After 25 years, TRIDEC has discontinued its annual Regional Economic Outlook event.

Its new Donuts & Development event series, which launched in February, seeks to open a space for dialogue, collaboration and networking in the community. 

The shift to a monthly format was driven by a need for more frequent engagement on key economic issues. 

“While the annual event provided valuable insights, a once-a-year gathering limited the opportunity for ongoing dialogue and real-time discussion of emerging challenges and opportunities,” said Traci Jao, TRIDEC’s director of business and community relations, in a statement.

The Donuts & Development series, which will be held both in person and online, will cover critical issues, including infrastructure, housing, workforce development and diversification. 

The events will be held at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Bechtel Board Room of the Tri-Cities Business and Visitor Center, with networking starting at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided, and Jao confirmed that Spudnuts will be served at some of the meetings.

The series kicked off with a Feb. 11 event featuring the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the No. 1 employer in the Tri-Cities, according to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ Largest Employers list.

Steve Ashby, the laboratory’s director, spoke at the hourlong inaugural event.

Donuts & Development is free to TRIDEC members and is “presented as a TRIDEC member-exclusive event,” Jao said.

TRIDEC is open to the future participation of nonmembers, she said. “As we continue refining the program, we are evaluating potential costs for nonmembers. Our goal is to provide valuable discussions on key economic and community issues while also encouraging nonmembers to consider joining TRIDEC to gain full access to these opportunities,” Jao said.