WorkForce Central Continues Sustainable Economy Discussion

Tacoma, Wash. – WorkForce Central is pleased to announce the Pierce County Sustainable Economy and Environment Study (SEES), which aims to support growth of a sustainable local economy.

SEES is organic in nature, and will be based off the direction of a leadership group made up of representatives from business, city and county regulatory, higher education, non-profit and organized labor. The leadership group’s goal is to make Pierce County’s economy, environment and social structure more sustainable. Each member has committed to an initial one-year term of service.

SEES is sponsored by WorkForce Central, and lead by Dr. Alan Hardcastle and Stacey Waterman-Hoey of the WSU Extension Energy Program. Sally Zeiger Hanson, also of the WSU Extension Energy Program, will be assisting in the study as well.

Two meetings were the basis for the decision to move forward with SEES. WorkForce Central focused on convening both private and public organizations at these meetings, and from there the leadership team was developed. Some of the stakeholders who volunteered to be part of the team include: Brad Sayer, of Absher Construction Company, Gary Nomenson, of Puget Sound Energy, Andrew Williamson, of McKinstry, Eric Hahn, of General Plastics Manufacturing Company, John Wilson, of Peninsula Light Company, and Trevor Green, of Azure Green Consultants.

“Based on the feedback we received from attendees of the first meeting, we increased our efforts to recruit and invite more business and industry leaders to the table to encourage them to become involved in the leadership team,” Linda Nguyen, WorkForce Central CEO, said. “Across all of the communities represented was a unified interest to hear more from businesses and a desire that this sustainability effort should be industry-lead.”

“The second meeting was a big step towards the project’s ultimate goals,” said Arabie Jaloway-Hill, a sustainability consultant helping WorkForce Central coordinate the SEES forum. “Those goals include a comprehensive inventory of sustainability efforts in Pierce County; a credible, transparent forum for information sharing; the prevention of project duplication and inefficient use of resources; identification of promising directions for workforce investment; and meaningful reduction of environmental impacts. Having the input of Pierce County businesses is essential to this work. It’s a big job, but the enthusiasm and know-how of today’s participants gives me confidence they’ll be equal to the task.”