Biz Buzz

Best Western Lakeway to Become Sheraton

The 132-room Lakeway Inn is changing brands from Best Western to Sheraton. On Oct. 1 it will officially be called the Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham Hotel and Conference Center. The Bellingham facility will become part of Starwood Hotels company, which has more than 1,200 properties in 100 countries with 10 different brands, according to the company website.

Children’s House
International Celebrates 40 Years & DC
Recognition

Children’s House International is simultaneously celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the nomination of their colleagues as Angels in Adoption™ by Senator Murray and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption™ Program   in Washington DC.
Three of Children’s House International’s staff will be making their journey to Washington D.C. early this October to be recognized at a gala for bettering the lives of foster children and orphans domestically and internationally.

People’s Bank and WECU Come Out on Top
With $730.3 million in Whatcom County deposits at the end of June and a 22.4 percent market share, Peoples Bank tops the list of banks with local branches, according to a new report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Bank of America had the next highest bank market share at 13.7 percent, followed by Washington Federal (10.3 percent market share), Wells Fargo (9.1 percent) and U.S. Bank (9 percent).

Whatcom Educational Credit Union continues to have the highest amount of local insured deposits, with $895.9 million at the end of June, according to data from the National Credit Union Administration. WECU had 75,518 members at the end of June, a 3.8 percent increase compared to the previous year. Industrial Credit Union had the second-highest deposit total among credit unions in Whatcom County, with $164.6 million, followed by North Coast Credit Union at $153.8 million and WestEdge Credit Union at $43.9 million.

In the Visitors Center

We are sad to announce the passing of long-time Visitor Center volunteer, Barb Siemion, in early September 2015.

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Summer Visitor Center Numbers

July: 227

August: 145

September: 102

 

 

A Word From Chamber President Larry Hoffman

larryFall is upon us!   With that brings us just that much closer to another great year at the Chamber.   Some of the successful things we can look back at over this year are the Spring Run Off, the Chelsey Ebert Event, Flicks in the Park and of course the moving of the Chamber office to the Pioneer Pavilion location.

This will be my last note to you as Chamber President.  I will be stepping back and letting someone else take you to the next level.  As my second term winds down, I look back and reflect on the changes that have been made over these last few years to make the Chamber into a useful tool for you and your business.  The upgraded website, the new facilities, the expansion of the Visitor Center and interaction the Chamber can provide to you not only locally, but at a State level.

Some of the things that are left to do, will be coming soon.   The addition of the “ChamberMaster” software will be a great addition to the tools that will be available to help you grow your business.  This tool alone will enhance your membership.  Look for announcements coming up on how it can help you.

As I step away, I would like to thank the past and present Board members who helped me make the last 2 years something that I will look back on fondly.  I would also like to thank the staff for their hard work.   They put in long hours to make the Chamber work for you.  Finally, I would like to thank all the members for their support through my steep learning curve as president.

I look forward to the last 3 months, and hope to see you all at either a luncheon, or one of the upcoming events.

—Larry Hoffman, Ferndale Chamber President