Two of the five University of Washington Minority Business of the Year Awards for 2006 went to PTAC clients: Warrior Electric of Spokane, Washington and Farrow Concrete Specialties Inc. of Tacoma. These awards recognize outstanding achievement by people of color in building and sustaining businesses in Washington State.

The Business of Tomorrow Award was presented to Warrior Electric. Owner Buzz Desjarlais found success in large industrial projects. Desjarlais had worked on electrical installations for 30 years before founding Warrior Electric in July 2004. Revenues soared from $10,000 that first year to $1.9 million in 2005, and were slated to reach $2.3 million in 2006. Future plans call for branching out to include fire alarm and security systems as well as control systems.

Farrow Concrete Specialties, Inc. was honored with the Rising Star Award. Owner and founder Danny Farrow finds that word-of-mouth and repeat business have been the keys to his success. Pouring concrete for parks, waterfalls, sidewalks, marble-look countertops and floors enabled him to reach revenues of $240,000 in 2003, then leaping up to $1 million in 2004 and $1.8 million in 2005. What separates Farrow Concrete from his numerous competitors is his positive, friendly attitude coupled with his willingness to work with others in a team setting.

PTAC PROGRAM MANAGER RECEIVES AWARD

Erin Nielsen was honored as one of 12 Rising Stars: Young Women Making a Difference. The ceremony took place at the Women of Color Empowered Luncheon on January 26, 2007.

Congratulations Erin!

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PTAC'S NEW WEBSITE

You can now find PTAC on the web at their NEW website, www.washingtonptac.org. Recently launched, this website has information on services offered, how to become a client and upcoming events. To talk with a PTAC consultant please contact Kylene Binder or call 425.743.4567.

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Thank you to all Snohomish County EDC Investors. For a complete list or for information on becoming an investor, please visit the EDC website.

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Innovations is Proudly Sponsored By:

The Snohomish County EDC is proud to present the 2006 Economic Development of the Year Award to the Tulalip Tribes for their outstanding achievements in growth and development in Snohomish County. The award was presented to the Tulalip Tribes at the EDC's Annual Meeting on January 24th. There to accept the award was Chairman Stanley Jones, Sr. and Business Manager Glen Gobin.

The Tulalip Tribes have seen a tremendous amount of success in the past few years from their three casinos and the Quil Ceda Village in Snohomish County. Since 2002, the casinos have seen a steady rise in revenue. The success has allowed the Tulalip Tribes to continue expansion. Construction on a four star hotel recently began. The new $125 million, 12-story, 360 room luxury hotel will include a new museum with over $1 million in tribal art and several new restaurants and bars. The opening is scheduled for spring of 2008.

Operating from a facility at Paine Field, located in South Everett, Precision Engines is the world's premier large radial engine and accessory overhaul facility. The company's reputation is based on expert workmanship, advanced overhaul equipment, and strict standards of quality control.

Founded in 1982, Precision Engines established its reputation for quality when the classic DC-3 and DC-6 represented state of the art aircraft technology. "Radial engines are what we used in World War II, stated Dave Cort, President of both Precision Engines and Precision Fuel.

Today, the company continues to invest in the longevity of radial engines. The radial reciprocating engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney and Curtis-Wright were, and remain, the standard of propulsion technology, a technology that ultimately gave way to the economics of modern gas turbine engines.

Operating worldwide, these engines garner more interest as time passes. Customers include commercial airlines, government agencies, museums, and enthusiasts. According to Cort, "We take pride that we offer the largest supply of the best radial engines in the world. Royal Australia Air Force, Canadian CL-215 air craft used for fighting fires, antique aircraft owners, and freight haulers in Alaska are among some of our loyal customers."

The challenge for Precision Engines and its 35 employees is to keep their customers abreast of all the maintenance and operating procedures radial engines require. Precision Fuel, with 13 employees, works to fulfill the industry requirement for small turbine fuel controls. The community and industry is well served by these two venerable companies with remarkably loyal and dedicated employees; most of whom remain at Precision an average of 15 years and some as long as 35 years. They proudly declare, "Our reputation for quality is unsurpassed. We do it right."

For more information on Precision Engines, please visit www.precisionengines.com