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The Gig Harbor Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce is working with an economic development consultant to outline a strategy for bringing jobs and economic development to the area. The chamber's Business Economic Development Committee launched a project in November to identity the community's strengths and use them to leverage future opportunities.
The work is part of a broader effort the chamber undertook about two years ago to improve business climate and recruit new businesses while identifying major challenges existing businesses have.
“There was an agreement among members of the (Economic Development) Committee it was time to take the efforts to the next level, start looking at what we want the future to look like and develop a strategy,” said Rep. Derek Kilmer, the co-chair of the chamber's committee.
About four to five dozen people attended the first session, moderated by renowned author, consultant and community developer Luther K. Snow. Action teams created during the session were tasked with meeting with five community members each to get suggestions, identify assets, and get them engaged in the effort. A follow-up “action session” is scheduled for January.
“We want to come up with a plan that will help us target what it is we want in the Gig Harbor area… identify assets and what people are interested in,” said Julie Tappero, co-chair of the committee and owner of WestSound Workforce.
The action teams are focusing on areas such as marketing the local schools - identified as one of the strengths - along with business recruitment and strengthening environmental studies. Tappero said with Gig Harbor coming under new leadership and with the Tacoma Narrows Bridge under construction, the timing was right to make economic development a priority. The group's approach is somewhat different from other planning processes--instead of focusing on challenges or needs, they are focusing on assets.
“There is an opportunity here and it's neat to see the organization step up to the plate and seize that opportunity,” Kilmer said. | 
