2014 Regional
Economic Vitality Index
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Photo credit: Walker Photography
Intent of the Thurston EVI
Provide a snapshot of economic conditions
and a multi-year trend analysis
of Thurston County’s economy
2014
2013 Regional
Regional Economic
Economic Vitality
Vitality Panel
Index
Research & Analysis
J Robertson and Company
Saint Martin’s University
Partners
Thurston County Chamber of Commerce
Lacey Chamber of Commerce
Tumwater Chamber of Commerce
Yelm Chamber of Commerce
Olympia Downtown Association (ODA)
West Olympia Business Association (WOBA)
Design
Daniels-Brown
Communications
Photography
Printing
Walker Photography
Capitol City Press
2014
2013 Regional
Regional Economic
Economic Vitality
Vitality Panel
Index
Thurston EVI Sponsor
2014
2013 Regional
Regional Economic
Economic Vitality
Vitality Panel
Index
Thurston EVI Sponsor
2014
2013 Regional
Regional Economic
Economic Vitality
Vitality Panel
Index
Thurston EVI Sponsor
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Regional Economic Vitality
Panel Discussion
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Photo credit: Michael Bruce
“We have recovered all the jobs
lost during the recession, but that
recovery has been mixed across
industries … and across areas of
the state.”
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Non-Farm Employment in WA is up
70,900 from prerecession peak
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Trends
Developments
Primary Drivers
Opportunities
Challenges
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Matt Matayoshi, Lewis EDC
Dru Garson, Grays Harbor,
Inc.
Paul Philpot, Pacific EDC
Lynn Longan, Mason EDC
Michael Cade, Thurston EDC
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
So, how are we doing in
the 5-county region?
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Strong Recovery in Thurston
• Consumer & business confidence highest
in 5 years
• Strengthened consumer spending
• Business sales driven by market demand
• Leading Indicators index at prerecession
levels
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Thurston County Unemployment by Industry
Chart on page 19 of Thurston EVI
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
2/3 of workers
in Thurston
County are
private wage
employees
Chart on page 17 of Thurston EVI
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Regional Economic
Drivers & Trends
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Lodging tax
revenue receipts
up an estimated
7% in 2014
Photo credit: Marc Sterling
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
International Kite Festival
Long Beach
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Skydive Kapowsin
Shelton
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Northwest Sports Hub
Centralia
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
502 Industries
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Renewed Interest in Industrial Land
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Tumwater Brewery
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Update on Industry
Clusters in the 5-county
region
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Port of Grays Harbor
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Fungi Perfecti
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Taylor Shellfish
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Mellen St., I-5 junction
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
2013 Top 7
products
exported
from Port
of Olympia
800
700
$744
$703
600
500
400
300
$390
$350
$345
$310
$247
200
100
0
(value in $millions)
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Labor and Workforce as
a Component of Growth
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Grays Harbor Community College
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Hiking in
Pacific
County
Chart on page 26 of Thurston EVI
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Mason General Hospital
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Thurston Social
Photo credit: Walker Photography
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
Economic recovery is
happening in the 5
county region
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel
2014 Regional Economic Vitality Panel