Data. I love data. I love reviewing the trends, identifying the story behind the data, and wondering what might not be told in the charts and the numbers.

When I look at GGHI’s 2021 Economic Vitality Index (EVI) I notice a story of a changing community. An influx of new residents, a growing fanbase of tourists, innovative and expansive port tenants, and motivated small business owners.

Wanting a bit more insight, I like to track AWB’s Vitals page which really digs into issues related to talent, job creation and innovation.  Again, the trend of new residents, housing demands, increasing retail sales and workforce needs enforces what we already know by just walking down the street.

Next to consider is what isn’t trending in the direction we want it to. Education attainment, business and job creation and SBA loans. In the case of SBA loans this metric is designed to indicate whether the small business sector is investing in their business, property, or growth. If small businesses are not investing in their business growth, then job creation might be lagging. Keep in mind that small business is not necessarily “small” and employee counts can range well into the hundreds if not higher, depending on industry and receipts.

A new tool from AWB is “FutureCast,” a snapshot of what the county will look like in 10 years. All signs point to growth in employment and population. I personally think the population growth is on the low side given what we see in Ocean Shores and east parts of the county. If these projections are true, we can expect over 5,000 new jobs a year during the later part of this decade. Are you ready? How does a community prepare for such growth?

Later this month GGHI will be hosting the State of Grays Harbor with a presentation of our 2022 Economic Vitality Index (EVI) report. Included in the program will be speakers from the Port of Grays Harbor, Grays Harbor College and Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council. We’ll talk data, the stories behind the data and the future that it is forecasting.

Please join our team and Presenting Sponsor, TwinStar Credit Union at this one-of-a-kind event and conversation.