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Board Member Spotlight
Name: Cynthia Vaughn
Company Name: Magnolia Music Studio
Title: Founder/Director
Years at Company: 5 years in WA (Founded in Fort Collins CO in 2008)

What are three things you use at work every day?
Imagination, social media, Apple tech gadgets

What was your first job?
McDonalds! I won a trophy for fastest french fries before it was automated.

Where is your hometown?
Commerce City, Colorado

How do you spend your free time?
Going to live local concerts and theater and restaurants. There is so much to do in Tri-Cities!

What are three words that best describe you?
Kind, creative, energetic

What did you want to become as kid?
A teacher

Where is your favorite place to travel?
My homestate of Colorado, Seattle or Portland to visit our kids, or anywhere in Europe. I love to travel!

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities?
Almost five years. I left my music faculty job at Colorado State University (“Go, Rams!”) to join my husband, who works for a Hanford contractor.

What is your favorite movie?
Funny Girl

How do you define success?
Making a difference in your community and the world.

What excites you the most about the direction of the Tri-City Regional Chamber?
I’m excited to see arts and culture included in myTRI 2030 as part of Thrive. At the top of my wish list is a performing arts center to bring top touring entertainment to Tri-Cities and to provide a “home” for our local symphony, ballet, theater companies, and Mid-Columbia Mastersingers.

Congratulations to Horn Rapids RV Service & Sales on their ribbon cutting! Visit them at 2451 Henderson Loop in Richland.

Congratulations to Moonshot Brewing, LLC on your ribbon cutting ceremony! Visit them at 8804 W. Victoria Ave., Ste. 140 in Kennewick.

Name: Karen Blasdel
Company Name: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Title: Director, Community Affairs
Years at Company: 30
 
What are three things you use at work every day? 
Laptop, Skype, diplomacy
 
What was your first job?
Working in my fathers’ fields on a Walla Walla Sweet Onion Farm
 
Where is your hometown?
Walla Walla, WA
 
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my free time with Family, RVing with friends, shopping, and reading books.
 
What are three words that best describe you?
Resourceful, Orchestrator, Supportive,
 
What did you want to become as kid?
Not an onion farmer - I wanted to become an accountant
 
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Anywhere I haven’t been, I love to travel. My husband and I like to cruise.
 
How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities?
40 years
 
How do you define success?
Doing your very best at whatever you are doing. Challenging yourself beyond your comfort level and always completing the project. Ensuring those that you are working with have a positive experience.
 
What excites you the most about the direction of the Tri-City Regional Chamber?
The Tri-City Regional Chamber always pushes the boundaries to be creative and innovative. Taking a leadership role on regional issues elevates the value of the Chamber. 

Name: Elisabeth Holt
Company Name: Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce
Title: Vice President
Years at Company: 5 ½ this time, 7 total 

What are three things you use at work every day?
Phone, computer, post-it notes

What was your first job?
Hubby’s Pizza (well, not really. I worked at Granny’s Buffet for 3 weeks before that but I don’t count that)

Where is your hometown?
Right here in Kennewick 

How do you spend your free time?
Watching some kind of kids activity or sitting on my back patio visiting with friends and family. 

What are three words that best describe you?
Friendly, loyal, hard-working

What did you want to become as kid?
A dolphin trainer – who wouldn’t want to?!

Where is your favorite place to travel? 
I’m not too picky. Love to see new places! 

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities?
Almost all of my life (not gonna say how long that is 😊). We moved to Wenatchee for about five years but other than that, right here in Kennewick.

What is your favorite movie?
Toss up between The Greatest Showman and The Cutting Edge

Favorite Quote?
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and—snap!—the job’s a game!” – Mary Poppins

What excites you the most about the direction of the Tri-City Regional Chamber?
There are so many people with so many great ideas. I admire the people who I get to work with and excited to hear what is going on and how we can be involved. ​

​Good news! The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that after a comprehensive self-review, the United States Chamber of Commerce has awarded us with 4-Star Accreditation. This prestigious honor puts us among the top 3 percent of chambers nationwide.

Accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the only program of its kind that defines excellence in chamber planning and recognizes chambers for outstanding  contributions toward positive change in their communities. The purpose of the U.S. Chamber’s Accreditation  Program is to facilitate continuing excellence in the chamber industry and to foster a pro-business environment across America.

This past year, the staff of the Regional Chamber spent countless hours completing the Accreditation process. Our task: Demonstrate competency in nine core areas ranging from finance to facilities. The result of our hard work is evidenced by this impressive rating. With approximately 7,000 chambers in the United States, Accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a significant honor that distinguishes the high quality, expertise, and strong leadership displayed by Accredited state and local chambers of commerce. We are the only Accredited chamber in Washington.

We are very proud of the value we provide to your business. This 4-Star Accreditation affirms our sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on our community.

Congratulations to Smile-A-Mile Painting on their beautiful new building! Visit them at 8804 W. Victoria Ave. in Kennewick.

Thanks to all who attended our June 2019 luncheon featuring our State of Washington Retail Program. 

Congratulations to U.S. World Class Taekwondo on their new location! Visit them at 5025 N. Rd. 68, Ste. E in Pasco!

Name: Grover Hettel
Company Name: Energy Northwest
Title: Chief Nuclear Officer/VP Nuclear Generation
Years at Company: 7 years

What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
I chose the field of engineering and nuclear power because the town where I grew up had a nuclear plant and the nuclear plant had the best paying jobs in the area. Also, one of my older sisters thought that I should be an engineer (because she was dating one at the time).

What are three things you use at work every day?
My leadership skills, my knowledge/experience, and computers (desktop, tablet, and smart phone).

What was your first job?
My first job was working around the home place. We raised our own food for the most part. We had about 10 acres of gardening (truck patch), a milk cow, other cattle for beef, and pigs. My first job away from home, at 15 years of age, was working at an ice plant bagging ice at 5 am and again at 4 pm every day during the summer for around 10 hours per day. Also in the afternoon during the week during school year. The best part about getting my first job was that I didn’t have to help milk the cow every morning before school and again after school. My first full time job during college was working sanitation at a pickle plant to pay for my education. My first job after college was at River Bend Nuclear Station in St. Francisville, Louisiana while it was under construction.

How do you spend your free time?
My wife and I, of 38 years, spend as much time with our three children and six grandchildren as possible. My two sons and five grandchildren live in Phoenix, Arizona and my daughter and one grandchild lives in Athens, Georgia.  My grandchildren are ages 1 year to 9 years. Other than that we enjoy traveling, riding my Harley-Davidson touring bike, and my soon-to-arrive Corvette ZR1.

What are three words that best describe you?
Trusting, genuine, friendly (a people person).
 
What did you want to become as kid?
As most kids, I wanted to be a professional football player. Living in Arkansas, I grew up watching the Dallas Cowboys (hope nobody in the Tri-Cities area will hold it against me).

Would you prefer to travel back in time or into the future?
Back in time. I would like to talk with some of the people in the biblical times such as Moses, Daniel, and the Apostle Paul, to name a few.  Also, even more recent history, I would like to talk with some of our founding fathers and see what they would think of some of our current political views.

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities?
I have lived in the Tri-Cities for little over seven years (March 2012). Prior to that I lived four years in Phoenix.  Since graduating from college in May 1982, I have lived in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, and now in Washington. I did not travel much prior to graduating from college. I did not travel outside of Arkansas until I was about 15 years old.

Where is your hometown?
Russellville, Arkansas

Do you have any special talents?
I do not think I have any special talents. I enjoy learning and that is why I like the nuclear industry so much. We stress continuous learning. I guess I would say I am more of a jack of all trades – master of none.

One piece of advice you’d give a young person that wants to get into your field?
Stay after you dreams! Be persistent, don’t give up! When I get to speak to the students at the Columbia Basin College Nuclear Technology graduation, I share with them my story about when I graduated from college at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas in hopes of getting a job at the nuclear plant in our town, which I did not. It wasn’t until 8 years later after working at nuclear plants in Louisiana, Texas and Florida that I got a job back in Arkansas at the nuclear plant in my home town. So stay after you dream; stay persistent and don’t ever give up!

What was the first concert you attended?
Billy Joel, Little Rock, Arkansas.

What excites you the most about the direction of the Tri-City Regional Chamber?
MyTri 2030 “Shaping the Future of our Region – I believe that with the 6 areas of focus (Agriculture, Education, Energy, Inclusion, Life and Prosperity) we have a great opportunity to make a big impact for the Tri-City area.