8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HOSPITALITY & MEETING FACILITIES
Banquet & Meeting Facilities
Here is a table displaying information about 50 of the best meeting and banquet facilities in the Kitsap Peninsula area...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Tips for setting up an efficient home office
By Maura Hallam Sweley
Just because you run a home-based business doesn’t mean you should make do with a card table for a desk or dial-up Internet access. Even if the only one who sees your home office on a regular basis are you and your dog, it’s still important for you to have a professional workspace to help you stay organized and productive...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Second-generation family businesses
not uncommon at all around here
By Rodika Tollefson
The American small business system thrives with family-owned businesses, and the Kitsap Peninsula is no exception. Not only are these small enterprises succeeding with tough competition from corporate giants, but are also passing the tradition from one generation to the next...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
WINNERS IN BUSINESS
Pizza is family business for this young couple
By Rodika Tollefson
Nick and Joleen Reynolds entered the enterprise world when they were around their mid-20s. Joleen’s father, Jerry Anderson, opened Seabeck Pizza in 1989 at the Seabeck Marina, and two years later expanded to Belfair...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
PLU seeks nominees for Family
Business of the Year awards
Pacific Lutheran University’s (PLU) Family Enterprise Institute is seeking nominations for its annual Best in the Northwest Washington Family Business of the Year Awards...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Popularity of home-based
businesses continues to grow
By Rodika Tollefson
Rosanne Newton loves travel and culture. She found a good way to extend that passion — by arranging cruises, vacations and other trips for others. A travel agent of 12 years and a certified Hawaii specialist, she owns TravelWi$e...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Hanley Construction:
A second-generation business affair
By Rodika Tollefson
In 1985, longtime teacher Oliver Hanley started building roofs “on the side.” Born and raised in Port Orchard, Hanley at first did some dirt work, installing septic systems etc, when a contractor he worked for asked for a roof. One roof here, another there, and soon Hanley was busy doing more and more of them on the weekends...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - FAMILY & HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Paul Clemmons turned a layoff into
a “Wicked” business opportunity
By Maura Hallam Sweley
When Minolta eliminated its senior network engineer position from all its offices in 2002, it did two things for Paul Clemmons. It placed him among the ranks of the unemployed, and it provided him with a home-based business opportunity...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HOSPITALITY & MEETING FACILITIES
Choosing the right food for your event
doesn’t have to be a challenge
By Maura Hallam Sweley
Hosting an event at your office or place of business can be an excellent way to promote your business, recognize your clients or reward your employees. One of the many elements that contribute to a successful corporate event is selecting the right menu...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HOSPITALITY & MEETING FACILITIES
B&Bs offer a cozy, comfortable,
‘home away from home’
By Rodika Tollefson
According to the Professional Association of Inkeepers International, the Bed & Breakfast industry saw $3.4 billion in revenues in 2004, with about 20,000 inns operating in the United States — vs. 1,000 in 1980...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HOSPITALITY & MEETING FACILITIES
Increase Productivity And Save
On Travel Costs
Online Meetings Are Now Everyday Simple
Your alarm goes off on a Monday morning, but you crawl back under the covers. It's hard to get excited about work when your calendar is filled with meetings. First you have the requisite 9 a.m. Monday meeting. And then you have to meet with a client downtown on Tuesday. Next, there's the red eye Thursday to meet with the L.A. office on Friday. You feel that you spend more time at meetings than actually doing work. Indeed, work often suffers when you have to dart in and out of the office to meet with clients or coworkers...   (Full Article)
8-4-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HOSPITALITY & MEETING FACILITIES
Organizing a Successful Business Open-House
Your company has just won that big contract, or opened a new branch office, and you want to celebrate, and invite your clients and business associates. If don’t want to be bound by strict time frames and a set schedule for your event, why not host an open-house...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
KPS growth continues strong
after sale to Group Health
By Maura Hallam Sweley
A year or so ago, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner surprised everyone in Kitsap County by announcing it had tentatively accepted Group Health Cooperative’s offer to purchase KPS Health Plans. At the time, KPS was working its way out of a state-run receivership, where it had been since 1999, and earlier in 2005 KPS president and CEO Elizabeth Gilje had reported that KPS expected to emerge from state control sometime in 2006...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
KPS $1.9 million closer to repaying
its 335 physician-provider creditors
On Friday, June 16, KPS Health Plans made its second payment on surplus notes to 355 local healthcare providers, bringing the total amount of re-payments made by the local health insurance carrier to $1,969,994...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Gig Harbor hospital may clear major hurdle
By Rodika Tollefson
A proposed hospital in Gig Harbor was set to clear a major roadblock at the end of June that had caused the project to be placed on hold previously by its developer, Franciscan Health Systems. The city of Gig Harbor Planning Commission recommended approving an amendment to a comprehensive land-use plan that would allow the property to be rezoned to business park, the only zone within the city that allows a hospital (as conditional use). City Council members considered the request at their June 12 meeting, with a vote expected at the July 10 meeting...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Rising costs challenging for
high-risk medical fields
By Rodika Tollefson
Dr. Loren Finley, MD, the only independent OB/GYN physician left in Gig Harbor, describes some of his experiences of being in a high-risk practice this way: For the average baby delivery today, he collects about the same amount of money as he did in 1990, and even less for a hysterectomy...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Franciscan to open family practice
in Port Orchard
By Rodika Tollefson
The Franciscan Medical Group plans to open a new clinic in Port Orchard in August. The group is a network of primary-care and specialty-care clinics and is part of Franciscan Health System, which owns several hospitals in Puget Sound and is planning to build a new one in Gig Harbor...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
What you need to know about the Bird Flu
By Rodika Tollefson
Avian influenza, or bird flu, has been in the spotlight recently, thanks to Hollywood. When the movie “Fatal contact: Bird Flu in America” aired, the federal government’s pandemicflu.gov Web site had a jump in the number of visits...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Do physician assistants change
medicine’s legal landscape?
By Maura Hallam Sweley
It is becoming increasingly common for patients to see physician assistants, often referred to as mid-level professionals or advanced care practitioners, when they visit a doctor’s office or medical clinic. And, not surprisingly, it’s a growing field...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Harrison Medical Center goes wireless
By Rodika Tollefson
Harrison Medical Center patients and families can now stay in touch with others via e-mail while at the hospital — thanks to wireless Internet access launched in May...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
More than just skin deep:
Dermatologist Eric Rasmussen
By Maura Hallam Sweley
Founded in 1999 by Dr Eric Rasmussen, Peninsula Dermatology and Laser Clinic, which has offices in Silverdale and Gig Harbor, is one of the few medical practices in Kitsap County that can serve patients who require medical treatment for skin ailments, as well as those who are looking for a little assistance in turning back the hands of time...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
Successful recruiting practices
used by local employers
By Rodika Tollefson
Recruiting as well as retaining good employees can be a challenging task for businesses. Some businesses find a hard time finding qualified candidates, but others seldom have to advertise openings. “Believe it or not, they (the candidates) come to us,” says Dave Johnson, president and CEO of Westsound Bank based in Bremerton...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
Charm school for CFOs?
Can training help turn a promising but unpolished finance manager into a company’s next CFO? Maybe, but it’s not easy...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
Insuring management skill and experience
By Jason Mayer, CPCU, CIC
A company’s most important assets are its employees. The loss of a key employee (or owner) can devastate a business. It can be a major business interruption that is impossible to overcome. An employee with unique skills and abilities can be difficult to replace, leaving the business temporarily unable to meet the needs of its customers or obligations to creditors...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
Forecast for unions sees fewer
employees available to organize
According to the Labor Research Association (LRA), a union-backed think tank, organizing workers and bargaining for wage and benefit improvements will become more difficult over the next decade, as labor market trends continue to undercut the unionized sectors, and job growth occurs primarily at the lower end of the wage spectrum...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
More HR questions and answers
By Julie Tappero
Q. The receptionist I recently hired just told me she is 5 months pregnant and will need 4 weeks off when she has her baby. In our small company of 10 employees this is a hardship for us. Can I terminate her now and hire someone new...   (Full Article)
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HUMAN RESOURCES
West Sound Workforce recognizes
Laura Ahmadi
Laura Ahmadi has been awarded the April West Sound Workforce Employee of the Month. She joined West Sound Workforce in December 2005, and serves as a receptionist and special projects assistant. Her outstanding attendance record contributed to her success.

In her nomination Ahmadi’s supervisor commented, “Laura is prompt, dependable and positive. She always greets guests and callers with a smile.”

7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Dr. Yuen San Yee elected as
a Fellow of the AGA
Yuen San Yee, M.D., has been elected to a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). He is an American Board certified gastroenterologist, has a private practice in Bremerton, and is a member of the medical staff at Harrison Medical Center. Dr. Yee also volunteers as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington.
7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Digital radiology comes to Belfair
Diagnostic x-ray technology has just arrived in Belfair at Petersen Chiropractic. The clinic recently completed the installation of an HCMI ‘DR’ Digital X-Ray machine.

This digital technology eliminates the need for traditional x-ray film and developing procedures. Exposure times are reduced and the image quality is significantly improved in comparison to plain film x-rays. The digital images are stored on a secure hard drive and a patient or physician can be provided with a copy of the images on a CD. “This technology will save patients time while providing the safest, highest quality image possible utilizing x-ray,” said Dr. Brian Petersen.

7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
Ethel Adams law now in effect
Legislation named in honor of Ethel Adams took effect on June 7. Adams was injured in an automobile accident in 2005 when Michael R. Testa hit her car during an intentional act of road rage. She sought coverage under her uninsured motorist coverage but her insurance company denied her claim. Adam’s insurer believed that because Testa intentionally caused the accident, her coverage did not apply. The injustice of Adam’s case received unprecedented public outcry.

The new law adds a paragraph to the existing uninsured motorist law. The change defines “accident” as an occurrence that is unexpected and unintended from the standpoint of the person who is insured. If an insurance company wants to deny coverage, the burden of proof is on the company to demonstrate that the covered person intended to cause the damage.

For additional information visit www.insurance.wa.gov.

7-8-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - HEALTHCARE QUARTERLY
G.H. resident Pierce County Nurse of the Year
Judy Scott, a Gig Harbor resident who is a registered nurse at St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, has been named the 2006 Pierce County Nurse of the Year by the Pierce County Nurses Association.

“Judy demonstrates the highest degree of dedication and caring both to her patients and to her co-workers,” said Brooks Sutton, Chief Operating Officer at St. Clare. “In her role as a staff RN and relief charge nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Judy has dedicated herself to giving her patients and families the type of caring and compassion we all would want for our loved ones or ourselves.”

Scott has been an employee of St. Clare Hospital (formerly Lakewood General) for 32 years, and was nominated for the honor by her hospital colleagues.

“I am greatly honored to have been selected for this award,” she said. “For me, being a nurse is a calling. I love what I do.”

6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
The return of the boutique real estate firm
After two decades of domination by regional and franchised firms, the personal touch provided by boutique real estate firms is once again in high demand
By Maura Hallam Sweley
When homeowners buy and sell a house it’s natural that the first agencies that come to mind to help them with that task are the large, regional firms or national real estate franchises that established their presence on the Kitsap Peninsula a few decades ago. They’re the ones with the television ads and the full-page spreads in nationally recognized real estate magazines like Homes & Land...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Bremerton Housing Authority develops
nationally thriving enterprise
By Rodika Tollefson
Bremerton Housing Authority, which has been a lot in the news lately thanks to its grand redevelopment plans of its Westpark complex, has a reputation far beyond Kitsap. For the past few years, the agency has been a contract administrator for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs in the state of Washington — and currently does the same in three other states...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Demand for mixed use projects growing locally
By Rodika Tollefson
Some Kitsap area commercial lenders note that while commercial real estate loans continue strong demand, one type of project becoming popular is the mixed-use concept. A scan of current construction activity confirms that, at least in some areas, this relatively new approach has been gaining momentum...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Is the timeshare a workable
vacation option for you?
Nearly everyone would love to own their own vacation home, a place where they can jet off to escape the daily grind for a week or two at a time before returning home refreshed and ready to get back to work...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Being a professional Realtor requires
a lot more than just showing houses
By Rodika Tollefson
The boom in the real estate market in the last few years has compelled a big number of people to enter the industry. Partially fueled by the perception that it’s an easy job, partially due to their own, seemingly easy home-buying experience that didn’t include the behind-the-scenes wrangling, some new real estate agents have entered the market expecting easy deals — but often don’t make it past a year...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Helping your children become homeowners
By J. Lennox Scott
Chairman & CEO, John L. Scott Real Estate
As a parent it can be extremely rewarding to help your children buy their first home — often times your assistance is what is able to make their dream of homeownership a reality. There are a variety of ways you can go about helping your children, ranging from gifting them money for a down payment, to loaning them money at a low interest rate, or purchasing the home for them outright. It all comes down to your personal situation and financial circumstances...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Sandy Foote has her finger on the pulse
of local real estate market
By Maura Hallam Sweley
When Sandy Foote and her husband relocated to Kitsap County from Southern California a dozen years ago, the long-time IT director knew that she was going to have to make a career change...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
CFA Northwest Mortgage offering homeowners
the opportunity to become the “Bank of You”
By Maura Hallam Sweley
Homeowners fork over huge sums of money every month for their mortgage payments. These payments frequently eat up a significant percentage of a family’s monthly income and, with most mortgages loading interest payments up front, it can take years for homeowners to make a significant dent in their principal...   (Full Article)
6-5-2006
SPECIAL REPORT - KITSAP PENINSULA REAL ESTATE
Is a second home the right move?
While many people dream of owning a vacation home, oftentimes it is looked at as a luxury available solely to the wealthy. That's a perception that is largely true, as approval for second home mortgages is more difficult than for primary home mortgages...   (Full Article)