From the Desk of the CEO – September 2026

September is Eat Local Month, giving us an opportunity to put extra attention on the restaurants, cafés, food producers, and other businesses that are an important part of Mason County’s economy. For Chamber members, it is also a reminder of the role we each play in supporting and referring business to one another. That focus on strengthening the businesses we have today carries into next week’s Education at Work luncheon and, later this fall, the Future of Work Summit and Regional Economic Forecast & Innovation Expo as we look at the workforce and economic trends shaping what’s ahead.

These topics are closely connected. Businesses need customers, access to a skilled workforce, and the information and relationships necessary to adapt and grow. This fall offers several opportunities for our members to engage in each part of that equation.

Throughout Eat Local Month, I encourage you to think about how your business can participate. Take a client to lunch at a local restaurant. Choose a Chamber member for catering. Recommend a favorite spot to customers, employees, or visitors. Cross-promote with another business. Mason County’s food and hospitality businesses create jobs, purchase goods and services, support local events and organizations, and contribute to the experiences that keep people coming back. Our individual choices can help strengthen that economic activity.

Looking longer term, employers throughout Mason County continue to think about where they will find their next employees, managers, and leaders. That makes next week’s Chamber luncheon, Education at Work, particularly timely. We will welcome Dr. Chantae Recasner, president of Olympic College; Wyeth Jessee, superintendent of Shelton School District; and Lance Gibbons, superintendent of Hood Canal School District for an update on local education and its connection to our talent pipeline.

Our schools and colleges are preparing the people who will enter workplaces across Mason County and the region. Career and technical education, credentials, higher education, and partnerships with employers can help students understand the careers available to them while giving businesses opportunities to connect with their future workforce. Those connections work best when employers are part of the discussion.

The conversation continues regionally this fall. Save the date for the Future of Work Summit on October 14 at Saint Martin’s University, where employers, educators, workforce partners, and students will examine how work is changing and explore approaches to attracting, developing, and retaining talent.

Also save the date for the Regional Economic Forecast & Innovation Expo on December 10 at Great Wolf Lodge. This annual gathering gives businesses a broader look at economic trends affecting our region and the ideas and innovations shaping what’s next.

Supporting fellow businesses, strengthening our talent pipeline, and helping employers anticipate change are all part of building a stronger local economy. They also reflect the Chamber’s role as a catalyst for business growth and a convener of leaders and influencers: connecting our members with the people, information, and opportunities that can help them succeed.

I encourage you to take advantage of what’s ahead. Support fellow members during Eat Local Month, join us for Education at Work, and mark your calendar for the regional events this fall. Most importantly, keep sharing what you are experiencing in your own business. That perspective helps the Chamber understand where our members see opportunities, where challenges remain, and where bringing the right people together can make a difference.