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Whatcom Community College Celebrates Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with October Events

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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Submitted by: Whatcom Community College

Today, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degree equals career opportunity. Whatcom Community College strengthens the local and regional talent pool in these critically important fields through relevant degrees and certificates, scholarship opportunities and programs for middle and high school students.

In October, WCC will celebrate STEM Month with a series of events open to the public. Highlights include an Oct. 5 Chuckanut Radio Hour with author Nathalia Holt in partnership with Village Books and a free screening of the TED Talks on PBS film “Science & Wonder” at Pickford Film Center on Oct. 17.

Celebrate STEM and learn more about Whatcom’s programs by attending these October events (all events are free and located on WCC’s campus unless otherwise noted):

  • 5: Chuckanut Radio Hour with Dr. Natalia Holt, author of “Rise of the Rocket Girls,” in Heiner Theater. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., seating for the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5. Tickets and more information available at villagebooks.com
  • 11: Western Washington University engineering program information session for transfer students in Laidlaw Center 121, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
  • 11: WCC Cybersecurity Center dedication ceremony at Baker Hall, 4:30 p.m.
  • 17: TED Talks on PBS: “Science & Wonder” film screening at Pickford Film Center, 6:30 p.m. Reserve your free ticket at the Pickford box office.
  • 24: Engineering major information session in Laidlaw Center 121, 11:00 a.m. General major and career information session in Laidlaw Center 211, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
  • 25: Western Washington University majors fair for WCC students in the Pavilion, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Biology and chemistry major information session in Laidlaw Center 121, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Recent WCC achievements STEM:

  • Whatcom is the lead institution of CyberWatch West, one of only four National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded centers in the nation dedicated to cybersecurity education.
  • WCC ranked third in the state (behind University of Washington and Washington State University) and 150th in the nation in fiscal year 2015 grant funding from the NSF. The most recent awards (totaling more than $600,000) recognize WCC’s excellence and innovation in STEM education.
  • The College’s first four-year degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in IT Networking, began this fall.
  • The Aspen Institute ranks WCC among the top nine community and technical colleges in Washington and among the top 150 in the nation, based on successful student outcomes.

About Whatcom:

Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 11,000 students annually. On its campus in Bellingham and through online courses Whatcom offers transfer and professional-technical degrees as well as basic education, job skills training and community education classes. The College is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017. For more information, visit whatcom.edu/50.

Whatcom County’s Kali Crow-Liester: Growing Alliances, Growing Empowerment

By
Joy Wiggins
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The growing Alliances crew has fun in the dirt. Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

There’s something magical about growing food. It’s amazing how you can plant this tiny seed, water it, make sure it has sun, keep the bugs off and it grows into something you can eat. I remember my first garden and that feeling of sheer excitement when I bit into my first tomato.

Kali Crow-Liester is the Executive Director of Growing Alliances. Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

Even when a critter was clearly biting into them, I would comb through books (and now online) to try to remedy whatever was ailing them. I remember how big the zucchinis would get when I couldn’t see them through the foliage. I was so proud when I could actually make a meal out of the tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli and kale. The better the first round of plants got, the more variety of vegetables I wanted to plant. It ignited a passion to see what else I could grow and like a worried parent anticipating the growth of her little plants, I was fully invested in their survival. That’s what one entrepreneur hopes will happen with her young employees.

Whatcom County’s Kali Crow-Liester, Executive Director of Growing Alliances, is on a mission. She aims to create a cadre of alums of the community garden program to come back and work with youth to create a cycle of empowerment around food security and justice. Growing Alliances is a non-profit community garden that employs youth transitioning out of foster care and other young people.

Young Growing Alliance employees having fun with watermelon. Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

“We have several goals,” said Kali. “We grow our food to go to food banks but we also are simultaneously building skills to prepare them for the workforce and building awareness around the food system.”

Growing Alliances leadership started with Heather Tiszai, with whom Kali volunteered. Heather would later recommend Kali for the executive director role when she stepped down. When Kali took over, she had to register a new license, change the mission and members of the board all within a few weeks.

Kali is a recent graduate of Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University where she studied food security and environmental resilience. Throughout college, Kali was most interested in the capacity of sustainable agriculture towards creating food security. Her first experiences were with the WSU extension Community First Garden Project and as the Garden project coordinator for Northwest Youth Services. She continually asks herself how we can use urban farming as a social justice tool to provide resources and food for people who don’t have it.

After a hard day’s work of weeding, the crew plays. Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

“Our mission with Growing Alliances is empowering youth through opportunities with vocational agriculture. We want to give them as many opportunities to build their confidence around empowering themselves and see how they can improve other people’s lives. This builds that re-investment for them to return to the program to train the next group.”

This is where Kali gets particularly passionate about Growing Alliances … her vision for the future. She would like to see a community of alumni where five to 10 years from now, the alums are talking to the current employees so that they are teaching each other.

Having fun in the garden! Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

“I’d love to see the people who have gone through the program turn around and help us improve and then teach those improvements,” Kali said. “I really hope they will take over to teach the way they wanted to be taught.”

Kali would also like to partner with the schools so Growing Alliances can award credit to schools and students participating in the program. In addition to growing and donating the food to local food banks, she would also like to see the youth actually prepare and serve the food. They would have the chance to engage with the community they are serving and hopefully build trust and a sense of investment with the program long term.

The growing Alliances crew has fun in the dirt. Photo courtesy: Kali Crow-Liester.

So, how does one gain employment in this program? Kali says it’s very simple and they will be hiring in March 2018. Go to the Growing Alliances website for more information about the program itself. Then if you’re interested, you can email info@growingalliances.org to introduce yourself, give examples of your volunteer experience and why you’re interested in the job. It’s that simple. (Don’t forget to give her your contact information.) The next step would be to have an informal interview to discuss what the job will look like and your level and ability to commit.

If you’re interested in donating to Growing Alliances, you can do that too. Simply go here and donate away! The more money raised, the more hours of youth employment and organic food-based production can happen. If you are interested or know someone who is passionate about this project, Growing Alliances is also looking to grow its board.

For even more information about growing your own food or their latest news, you can check out their blog here. Now, go forth and grow!

WhatcomTalk Seeks Bellingham Sales Professionals for Business Development Job

By
WhatcomTalk Editor
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Enjoy morning on the bay at Keenan's at the Pier. Photo credit: Kali Klotz-Brooks.

Sell a product that customers love.

Put your entrepreneurial spirit to work in Bellingham and Whatcom County.

Use your network to close deals and drive revenue.

WhatcomTalk is the fastest growing media company in Bellingham.  Our community social network showcases positive stories about people, businesses and organizations doing good things around Whatcom County. We’re looking for self-motivated individuals to join our sales team. Educate businesses about the value of advertising on our platform. Bring your exceptional sales skills to our company. Leverage your connections around Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County to close sales.

Apply by sending your resume to submit@whatcomtalk.com by Friday, September 29.

Salary: $2,000 base plus commission

Major Responsibilities:

  • Provide outstanding customer service to retain customers.
  • Grow new customers by generating leads, conducting outbound calls, following up with emails and drop-ins, and closing sales.
  • Serve as a positive “face” of WhatcomTalk in the Whatcom County area.
  • Promote WhatcomTalk to business leaders and readers as appropriate.
  • Be active in business networking groups to promote WhatcomTalk.
  • Deliver presentations to local business groups to drive sales.

Skills and Experience:

  • At least three years sales experience required.
  • Proven ability to meet goals and budgets required.
  • Ability to manage a task list and coordinate follow-up required.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with a wide variety of people, both written and verbal, required.
  • Technical skills including experience with all Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required.  Past experience managing customers via Salesforce preferred.

Discover Business Solutions at LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions

By
Lynn Bakeman
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LaserPoint has a versatile supply of attractive award options waiting to be engraved. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.

There’s something universally appealing about seeing your name in print. Even better? Seeing it printed on something long lasting. For over 20 years, Whatcom County has been turning to Kathy and Randy Cross and their laser engraving business, LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions. Perusing their website proves they have the imagination to source wonderful things to thank your employees, promote your business or mark a memorable occasion.

Kathy and Randy received the 2016 Small Business of the Year Award. Photo credit: Radley Muller.

Why do people like incentives? “People like to be recognized and feel that someone is really watching and appreciating their efforts,” Kathy explains. “When you are given an award and thank you, that’s huge. We know because our customers are so happy with the outcome of their recognition events.”

With the internet at your fingertips, it’s tempting to think you can source these items yourself and perhaps save your company a few dollars as well. Many have tried and that’s where the expression “penny wise and pound foolish” comes to mind.

Kathy illustrates that concept with a story about a hapless new employee of a longtime customer who ordered hundreds of flash drives for a huge event with reps coming in from all over the world. Two days before the event, as the employee tried to load them, they failed.

Yet another example of a handy item that people will use over and over to light their way. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.

As Kathy explains, “We’re very selective and we know which vendors have quality dialed in and who will come through in a crunch because stuff happens.  A faceless 800-number doesn’t care when things go south. In the previous example, our vendor would have sent new drives out via overnight delivery. It’s important for companies to work with someone local when things happen, because they do!”

Another benefit of having long-term, trusted relationships is that LaserPoint has a history of all past orders so they can quickly access details and repeat or turnaround jobs quickly. With this familiarity also comes the benefit of working with someone who understands your business.

This cool cat, Uber dog, greets all customers to the business. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.

Since Kathy and Randy keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry, they know what’s new and trending and are in the best position to offer advice. They see the big picture and can provide incentives that are effective and will get your business noticed.

The Crosses live out on five acres and run LaserPoint from a showroom and fulfillment area. Here they work with apparel, promotional items, awards, name tags, screen printing and embroidery. When you can feel and touch things and order samples, it makes a big difference over disconnected online ordering.

Kathy is quick to point out that LaserPoint fills a lot of versatile niches. They love making personal occasions memorable. They can engrave bridesmaid or groomsman gifts like flasks or ornaments, personalize wedding gifts and mark special events like baby showers or anniversaries.

In 1997 the couple transitioned their manufacturing business into LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions. They already had the laser equipment and realized that they were the only company north of Seattle with the ability to offer laser engraving, providing a substantial benefit over their competitor’s rotary engraving efforts. The laser could render logos and copy by reading from an art program. Although we take this capability for granted, 20 years ago it was unheard of and there were substantial charges to set up artwork. Now clients could have all the graphics they wanted and they were thrilled since it made things so simple and elegant.

Everyone needs reusable bags in Whatcom County. Think of the mileage your business name could get on these useful options. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.

Another important lesson Kathy would like to impart is the value of realizing that if something has your name on it, you want it to be a quality item. “I always tell new customers, ‘Do not put your name on cheap pens because your name is the last thing someone sees as they’re throwing it in the trash can in frustration.’ You need a pen that writes well – not necessarily expensive – but not just a pen. The pen we have I’ve sold thousands of because people love the weight and the feel of it, how it writes and its fraud-proof ink. Randy and I were in a restaurant and the bill came with one of our pens. We complimented the waitress and she warned us not to take her favorite pen.”

LaserPoint has a versatile supply of attractive award options waiting to be engraved. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.

LaserPoint received the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce 2016 Small Business of the Year which was an impressive honor in a town full of great local businesses. Kathy points out that their customer service philosophy has earned them much of their repeat business. “A lot of our competition requires two-week leads and we recognize that with the pace of business today, that isn’t always possible. We have a lot of stock on hand and I don’t think we’ve ever turned anyone down. We can make any last-minute item happen. Randy has a notebook filled with hundreds of thank you notes for things we’ve been able to pull off in record time.”

So if you are looking for a quality item to recognize the important people or employees in your life, give LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions a call. Randy and Kathy will take good care of you.

Sponsored

What To Do This Weekend around Bellingham—September 22—24

By
Events Editor
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Bellingham---September 22---24
Photo credit: Jeff Duncan.

The weekend is here—hurray! Time to get out there and have some fun! And fortunately, we live in a great place for fun and interesting activities. There are plenty of fun things to do this weekend in and around Bellingham—September 22—24. And don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the great local happenings this weekend.

Up Next Weekend:

WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.

Why Digital Marketing Firm Intellitonic Calls Bellingham Home

By
Sara Holodnick
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The Intellitonic team from left to right: Clint Keller, Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo, Blake Lester, Frank Marcinkowski and Alex Bruner. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.

At its core, Bellingham-based Intellitonic is a digital marketing agency with a heart. “We decided to build a digital marketing firm that’s more altruistic in nature,” shared Founder, Alex Bruner. Until recently, Bruner managed a team for the Tribune Company’s digital marketing agency, overseeing the web efforts of 800+ clients. He probably could’ve continued to grow his career working for big businesses, but he wanted his work to mean something more.

Intellitonic’s leadership Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo and Alex Bruner love Bellingham’s supportive business community. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.

“Rather than just focusing on bottom-line revenue, we’re more interested in building relationships,” he shared. “Because of that, we thought some of our first offerings should be catered to nonprofits.”

In an increasingly digital world, digital marketing firms like Intellitonic have become integral to the business landscape. Cutting through the noise can be a challenge for organizations who are looking to share what they’re up to. Having experts who can help guide their marketing efforts (all while staying faithful to a budget) has become a must-have. Intellitonic works with businesses and nonprofits from all over the country but they saw a real need to help nonprofits share their good work so they can be free to do more of it.

In addition to Bruner, the Intellitonic team is made up of two other founding members, two team members focused on business development and sales, and interns from Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College. Bruner, along with Owner and Principal, Jared Keller, and Owner and Director, Courtney Rambo, has thought a lot about the choice to build a business in Bellingham. In addition to commonly listed perks like abundant natural beauty and proximity to Seattle and Vancouver BC, Intellitonic sees Whatcom County as a strategic setting for their current and future well-being.

Quality of Life

Intellitonic founder Alex Bruner is most interested in building relationships. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.

One of the first reasons the Intellitonic crew gave for setting up shop in Whatcom County had to do with quality of life. “I really liked Chicago but I missed the small town feel of Bellingham,” shared Bruner. “I got really jaded with the daily grind at a thousand-person company. Plus you can’t beat the natural beauty here.”

“I appreciate that Bellingham has a real strong sense of community and work-life balance, which is important for what modern businesses are turning into,” added Keller. Keller has a track record of creating business in Whatcom County. His first company Conversica, an artificial intelligence sales platform, was also founded and developed in Whatcom County.

An Opportunity to Shape the Future

Businesses like Intellitonic are investing time and talent to encourage Bellingham’s growth. “I think Bellingham is growing in a really awesome direction,” shared Keller. “The sense of community is a huge part of it. We want to build more jobs, more opportunities and more business development in Bellingham. Being in digital marketing, it’s what we do. We identify businesses that are looking to grow and get to play a hand in that growth.”

Intellitonic is hoping to play a unique role in Bellingham’s growth, especially the downtown business core. Their team members each worked from home for the first year of business but Rambo said that moving into their downtown office gave them a greater sense of investment in the community. “Bellingham and Whatcom County became almost unofficial clients once we got our office,” she explained, which is located in the in downtown Bellingham at the National Bank Building.

Collaborative Business Culture

The Intellitonic team from left to right: Clint Keller, Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo, Blake Lester, Frank Marcinkowski and Alex Bruner. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.

When the opportunity arose for Bruner to move back to Washington and for Intellitonic to open and share an office space with Technology Alliance Group in downtown Bellingham, the team leapt at the chance. Intellitonic found the local business community to be supportive, especially those businesses who would typically be considered competitors.

“There’s an incredible amount of competitiveness [in Chicago] and it’s not a very nurturing environment for small, local businesses,” he shared. “Here, even people who work in the same field as us are willing to come in and give us tips on development practices,” Bruner explained.

“And vice versa,” added Rambo. “The level of collaboration here is awesome.”

“We’ve found the business community here to be almost aggressively cooperative,” Keller said.

Intellitonic’s practices reflect that culture of enthusiastic collaboration. They’re passionate about their work and they want to share what they know to help others succeed.

“We love talking about this stuff and we love being helpful,” shared Keller. “Our priority is to help organizations grow.”

Some organizations never ask for help because they don’t know what to ask for or they’re worried about being sold to, but that’s not Intellitonic’s style.

“We’re not about the hard sell,” Bruner explained. “We give away massive amounts of information for free every day because it helps improve our own processes and inform our next steps. Talking about this stuff doesn’t have to be painful.”

Plus this service-minded company culture also helps the folks at Intellitonic build relationships with the right clients. “We want to work with people we want to work with,” shared Rambo. “It needs to be a good fit on both sides.”

“There’s dentists who say, ‘I’m the gentle dentist,’” shared Bruner. “We want to be the gentle digital marketing firm.”

Know a small business or nonprofit who could benefit from a gentle approach to digital marketing? Visit Intellitonic’s online tools or get in touch for questions.

Bellingham’s Ormolulu: Breathing New Life into Vintage Finds

By
Lynn Bakeman
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Imagine a creative in-home theatre sculpture. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.

Searching for a polished gem to add eye candy to your home or office décor? If you believe that Portland, Seattle or San Francisco are the only options for finding a well-edited store with unique, one-of-a-kind vintage finds, then you haven’t seen Bellingham’s Ormolulu.  

Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau have created a magical wonderland of curated and reinvented antiques in their 3,000 square foot space located in the Bay Street Village building. Although summer road construction and upcoming building renovations have frustrated shoppers from easy access, their doors remain open … and it’s so worth the effort.

Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau are the hard-working team behind Ormolulu Vintage Works. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.

An “ormolu” is the term for gilt brass on decorative art objects from the 18th and 19th centuries. Jim and Debi liked the alliteration of adding an extra “lu” to the store’s name. Although they have a passion for French antiques, you will find a cornucopia of antiques from traditional and mid-century to trends like modern farmhouse, cottage-style and industrial vintage.

This isn’t your father’s antique store, however. Gone are crowded stacks of books, dinged and dented furniture, and shelves stuffed with dusty knick-knacks. Some folks love the thrill of the hunt and thrive on plowing through heaps of debris to unearth a wonderful find, but Jim and Debi have already done the legwork.

“We offer more value in creative content by imagining things as they could be. We don’t just find them, clean them and throw them out in the store. We salvage everything we buy,” explained Debi. “You know the popular trend of taking something cool and upcycling it into something else? I don’t think people realize that everything they’re looking at is for sale because we curate it and set it up into visual vignettes that are pleasing to the eye so it’s an experience when you come in.”

Everything old is new again. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.

Jim set the stage for these vignettes with some creative demolition of their space within their circa 1928 building. He used a cement grinder to carefully scuff the floors to look like distressed leather and they discovered their “rough luxe” creation fits everything from elegant to industrial furnishings. Debi honed her craft with 35 years in the business and gained a reputation for show-stopping, creative booths working antique shows up and down the West Coast for 22 years. “One aspect of Debi’s genius is the ability to take disparate objects and create vignettes that show how people would actually display these objects in their home,” adds Jim. “She is showing people how they can take these precious objects and incorporate them into their own design … and she does it in her sleep!”

Plan to spend some time discovering all the treasures that unfold in Ormolulu. The music is designed to encourage a pleasing, slow pace. Debi and Jim encourage their guests to take a few laps and then change direction. They have some of the coolest lighting fixtures in town and Jim has used his wizardry to bring everything up to code – rewired, tested and ready to brighten another home into the next century.

Debi’s creative vignettes help customers visualize items in their home decor. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.

As previously mentioned, there’s no digging for diamonds in the rough as the gems are out and visibly sparkling here. That may fool some people into believing that the prices are unaffordable. “We have everything from the whimsical to fine antiques with prices ranging from 50 cents to $10,000,” mentions Debbie.

Jim says, “We frequently hear the comment, ‘You belong in San Francisco,’ and our friends call us trendsetters.”

Debi quickly adds, “We’re not trendsetters. What we are is aware of the trends and we love to bring that to Bellingham.”

One thing Jim and Debi missed while being on the road so frequently was building relationships with repeat customers. They are happy to share their deep knowledge of the antiques world with anyone who stops in their store. Ignore the construction signs and stop in for some eye candy today!

For a map to Ormolulu, click here.

Trying to Figure Medicare Out on Your Own? Work with a Local Agent who Specializes in Medicare

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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VibrantUSA Medicare
The VibrantUSA team is ready to help you find the best plan to fit your needs today. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.

Submitted by: VibrantUSA

Even the savviest consumers seem to be confused by Medicare insurance. Social Security, Medigap, Medicare Advantage plans, Part D, enrollment periods, HMO, PPO … how does one make sense of it all?

VibrantUSA shares information at seminars to help educate the community. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.

Medicare Insurance is far from simple, and will likely only get more complicated in the future. But seniors don’t have to figure it out on their own—there’s a local agency specializing in Medicare insurance, right here in Whatcom County! VibrantUSA is an independent agency, providing assistance at no cost to clients. In Whatcom County alone, they have helped 12,000 clients review their options and enroll in a plan.

Without working with an agency, you may be exposed to the risk of what you don’t know. Which plans are available and best for you? Will your doctors accept it? Do you qualify for assistance? Will you need referrals? Will your plan work when you spend time in another state? Consider working with an insurance agent who specializes in Medicare year-round to ensure you choose the right plan and your questions are answered.

VibrantUSA is independent and unbiased – very important qualities when it comes to helping you navigate insurance plans. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.

VibrantUSA is independent and unbiased, representing nearly all available Medicare Advantage, Supplement and Part D prescription drug plans available. Salaried agents are highly trained and committed to assisting clients with enrollment and customer service issues not just during open enrollment, but throughout the entire year. Local to Whatcom County, Vibrant agents can work by email, phone or in person, so we can serve clients throughout the state, through whatever means they prefer. Trust VibrantUSA to help you navigate Medicare confusion and help you find the plan that’s best for you.

 

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