Greater Grays Harbor selects new business development specialist
Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. announced the hiring of Grant Jones as marketing and business development specialist. Jones will be responsible for coordinating, developing, implementing and monitoring strategies that improve the economic health and business climate in Grays Harbor County, resulting in the creation and retention of quality employment opportunities.
“Grant Jones will be a terrific addition to the Greater Grays Harbor staff, and I look forward to the positive energy, fresh ideas and enthusiasm that he will bring to this position,” said Dru Garson, GGHI’s CEO. “His background as an entrepreneur — combined with his strong business, finance and marketing experience — will provide him with a solid foundation in his new position.”
Jones currently lives in Shelton, attended the University of Washington and graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and philosophy. Shortly after graduating, he followed an entrepreneurial path. In 2009, Grant founded a popcorn company and grew the KuKuRuZa Gourmet Popcorn brand from initial concept to more than 20 shops around the world and more than 10 million dollars in annual revenues. In 2015, he was selected as Washington State’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Crackdown on illegal contractors in Washington finds nearly 50 violators
TUMWATER — Surprise sweeps for unregistered contractors in Washington in June resulted in nearly 50 citations in three days.
Inspectors with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries discovered the violations during unannounced visits to 636 construction sites throughout the state from June 12 to 14.
L&I inspectors conducted the contractor compliance sweeps as part of a national effort to highlight the issue of illegal contracting in construction and to track down violators. The coordinated effort just wrapped up, and also involved construction compliance crackdowns in Arizona, California, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas and Utah.
Hiring unregistered contractors endangers your dollars
“As we head into the height of the summer construction season, L&I is urging consumers to hire registered contractors,” said Dean Simpson, the department’s contractor compliance chief.
State law requires construction contractors to register with L&I. The department confirms they have a business license, insurance and bond — requirements that provide some financial protection in case a project goes wrong.
Consumers can check whether contractors are registered at ProtectMyHome.net.
In Washington alone, 22 inspectors checked 636 active construction sites and 1,522 contractors, plumbers and electricians. They issued 48 citations to unregistered contractors and unlicensed electricians and plumbers.
Inspectors also checked whether contractors were following other L&I requirements. The sweeps resulted in 53 contractors being referred to the workers’ compensation audit program, 63 to collections, and one to the L&I Division of Occupational Safety & Health.
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