2012 Regional Training Conference, Portland, OR , May 4, 2012

Sponsored by EDA , Seattle Regional Office

Job Creation Through

Innovation, Collaboration

and Leadership

Economic Development . . .

The Tri-Cities of Southeastern Washington has a solid reputation for creativity, ingenuity, and

cooperation.

Innovative

The Bogert Group

Innovative, lifesaving pneumatic jack

Innovative

Lampson International

Innovative andprecise

Tough Times Never Last . . .But Tough People Do!

1943 -- Construction started on the world’s first full-scale nuclear reactor.

1963 – President Kennedy delivered his famous “Swords to Plowshares” Speech.

Tough Times Never Last . . .• 1980 – WPPSS under full construction of FIVE nuclear plants,

roughly 18,000 workers• 1982 – When all plants were terminated, 10,000 workers were laid off

in just 4 weeks. Roughly 6,000 of these were in the Tri-Cities• 1986 – President Reagan announced that the Basalt Waste Isolation

Project (BWIP) at Hanford, would be one of 3 sites considered for storing high level waste.

Tough Times Never Last . . .• 1987 – Congress decided that Yucca Mt. would be the ONLY high

level waste repository, and BWIP was terminated. In just 6 week. some 1,000 workers were laid off.

• April 1986 – Chernobyl accident in Ukraine

• Nov/Dec 1986 – because of some similarities, N-Reactor at Hanford was NOT RESTARTED. Over a two year period some 600

N-Reactor/Hanford Generating Plant workers were laid off.

Tough Times Never Last . . .

• Established in 1963 as TCNIC in response to the pending closure of Hanford and loss of 8,500 jobs

• Focused on attracting more atomic, nuclear and space work

• TCNIC’s vision, operational model, and concept implementation

WORKED !

But challenges remain . . .

What Now?

TRIDEC has identified five sectors important to our communities:

oFood ProcessingoResearch and DevelopmentoBiomaterials and productsoWarehousing and Distribution

And, of course, ENERGY

MCEI: Energy . . . for our Future

• MCEI is focused on economic development that capitalizes on local infrastructure, resources, and expertise in the energy sector

• MCEI is involved in business retention, attraction, and recruitment of skilled workers in sectors most capable of solving current and future energy challenges.

Vision

The skill to imagine the future, and the ability to assemble sufficient financial and

human resources to make the vision a reality.

Economic Development . . .

Thank You!