Deb Sogge named director of the Chamber of Commerce
September 17, 2008
Deb Sogge, new executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, talks with Stanley Gunno, a small business owner interested in joining the chamber at the Sammamish Farmers Market. Photo by J.B. Wogan
Perhaps the statistic that best explains why Deb Sogge has the first full-time position at the Chamber of Commerce is its increase in membership. As the membership director for the last three years, Sogge has seen membership more than quadruple from 60 to 250.
“She’s really been the driving force,” said Dawn Sanders, board president for the chamber. “She just really appreciates small businesses.”
Every Wednesday, Sogge is a smiling fixture in the chamber booth at the Sammamish Farmers Market, offering a handshake or a map to passersby.
Sogge joined the chamber in 2003 as a representative for a small Redmond business. Within a year, she was marketing for the chamber and then became the membership director in 2005.
Before becoming the executive director this fall, Sogge was already getting paid to work for the chamber. For the last two years, she received commission each time a member joined. But Read more
Business notes
September 17, 2008
Small businesspeople can save for healthcare
The U.S. Small Business Administration has developed a new Web site to help small business owners learn about Health Savings Accounts.
The accounts are tax-preferred and owned by an individual. They can be used to pay for current and future medical expenses, including deductibles, co-payments and other kinds of cost sharing. Visit www.hsa.gov.
Business seminar
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a series of business seminars called “5 Essentials to Business Success” designed to help small business owners. Seminars are scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays starting Oct. 8 at the chamber offices, 268 228th Ave. NE.
To register, visit www.sammamishchamber.org.
Member lunch
The Sammamish Chamber’s monthly membership luncheon is scheduled for 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 18 at Bake’s Place at Providence Point.
This month’s speaker is Scott Bradbury, CEO of Brandstream. His branding strategies helped drive Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign, and helped Starbucks re-make coffee.
To register, visit www.sammamishchamber.org.
Shop around in Sammamish
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce maintains a new Web site in order to encourage more residents to frequent local business.
Check out www.shoparoundsammamish.com. With the site, residents can peruse local business and print out coupons to buy merchandise at a discount.
Bank insured?
The Washington Department of Financial Institutions has developed a guide to let residents find out what levels of insurance their banks have.
In general, deposits of up to $100,000 in most accounts in banks and credit unions, or up to $250,000 in Individual Retirement Accounts, are insured by the federal government. Individuals may be able to get insurance for more money through certain federal agencies.
For more information, visit www.dfi.wa.gov.
In-home substance abuse counseling
Evergreen Healthcare offers a new in-home substance abuse services program. The program includes assessment, diagnosis and development of a care plan for adults with disabilities and adults over age 60 who may have a substance abuse problem.
Referrals are accepted, but should be discussed with the person to receive the assessment before calling in. There is a sliding scale fee for those without insurance.
Call 206-923-6300 and ask for “intake” from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Wine and beer tastings on tap for a Sammamish grocer
September 10, 2008
Sammamish’s Safeway may soon feel a little like a boutique wine shop.
The state Liquor Control Board announced that the Safeway on 228th Avenue is one of 30 grocery stores it has randomly selected to participate in a new beer and wine Read more
Business brief
September 10, 2008
Chamber hires director
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce has hired Deb Sogge to be its full-time executive director. This marks the first full-time employee for the chamber.
Sogge has been the membership director for three years. In that time, the membership rolls of the chamber have grown from 60 to 120 members, according to a statement released by the chamber.
Sogge, who has run a marketing business, has lived in Sammamish since 1984.
Business seminar
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a series of business seminars called “5 Essentials to Business Success” designed to help small business owners.
Seminars are scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays starting Oct. 8 at the chamber offices, 268 228th Ave. NE. To register, visit www.sammamishchamber.org.
Member lunch
The Sammamish Chamber’s monthly membership luncheon is scheduled for 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 18 at Bake’s Place at Providence Point.
This month’s speaker is Scott Bradbury, CEO of Brandstream. His branding strategies helped drive Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign, and helped Starbucks re-make coffee. To register, visit www.sammamishchamber.org.
Shop around in Sammamish
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce maintains a Web site to encourage residents to frequent local businesses, peruse local business and print out coupons to buy merchandise at a discount. Check out www.shoparoundsammamish.com.
In-home substance abuse counseling
Evergreen Healthcare offers a new in-home substance abuse services program.
The program includes assessment, diagnosis and development of a care plan for your adults with disabilities and adults over age 60 who may have a substance abuse problem.
Referrals are accepted, but should be discussed with the person to receive the assessment before calling in.
There is a sliding scale fee for those without insurance.
Call 206-923-6300 and ask for “intake” from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Check out a contractor
Having some work done around the house?
The Washington Department of Labor and Industries keeps an online searchable database of contractors.
Residents can check that a contractor is licensed, bonded and insured. The department also maintains a listing of complaints filed against contractors. Visit
www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Contractors/HireCon/default.asp?WT.svl=QL.
Bank insured?
With the recent closure of the California-based bank, Indy-Mac, the Washington Department of Financial institutions has developed a guide to let residents find out what levels of insurance their banks have.
In general, deposits of up to $100,000 in most accounts in banks and credit unions, or up to $250,000 in
Individual Retirement Accounts, are insured by the federal government. Individuals may be able to get insurance for more money through certain federal agencies.
For more information, visit www.dfi.wa.gov.
Sammamish wedding venues profit in summer
August 26, 2008
Private clubs and public parks top the list of popular spots in the city
Megan and Tyler Snow have a toast at the Plateau Club.
When Karen and Mike Policar were planning their wedding reception, they wanted to pick a place where guests could stand outside, rain or shine, near the church where they held their ceremony. They also wanted on-site catering.
The Policars became one of 30 couples to book the Plateau Club for a wedding reception this year. Three-quarters of those weddings will take place from May to September. Last year the club hosted 20 weddings.
Sammamish couples do not have to look far to tie the knot. The city has several wedding venues that draw brides from around the region.
Price and value are some of the differentiating factors between venues, which draw in the majority of their profits in summer.
Couples pay a minimum of $2,500 to hold their weddings at the Read more
Businesses turn in 3.5 tons in annual recycling event
August 26, 2008
Sammamish businesses dropped off 101 loads of recyclables, totaling Read more
Menu labeling will take effect soon
August 13, 2008
Law is in effect, but restaurants have until January to implement
A new menu labeling law passed by the King County Board of Health has had minimal impact on some fast food restaurants in Sammamish since it took effect August 1.
The law applies to chain restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide that have gross annual revenues of $1 million or more, standardized menus and recipes and operating permits with Seattle and King County’s public health boards.
The legislation requires chain restaurants to label the calories, sodium, saturated fat and carbohydrate content of items that are on the menu for more than 90 days. They must post the calorie information on the menu board next to the items, on signs next to the menu board or on a sign within eye level of the board.
The law also requires the restaurants to post additional nutrition information in a clear and visible format where customers order the items. Restaurants must post the calorie information in a print size that is at least as large as the price of the items, said Matias Valenzuela, a spokesperson for the King County Board of Health.
Valenzuela said the board had initially intended for the standard to apply to chains of 10 or more restaurants, but raised the number to 15 to please the Washington Restaurant Association.
The board also amended the original regulation, which it had passed on July 19, 2007, to allow restaurants to post calories on a sign board next to the menu board rather than requiring them to post it on the menu board itself. The board passed the current version of the regulation on Mar. 12, 2008.
Although the law took effect Aug. 1, violations will not be issued until Jan. 1, 2009 to give restaurants time to print new menus. The penalty for labeling violations will be five points against the restaurants.
Restaurants that accumulate more than 100 points face the risk of being closed down.
In Sammamish the chain restaurants that will be required to comply with the regulation include Taco Time, McDonalds, Cold Stone Creamery, Jack In The Box, Papa John’s and Subway Salads and Sandwiches, among others. Those surveyed had not made any immediate changes in response to the law going into effect.
Mike Frizzell, Portland-based marketing director for Papa John’s pizzerias in the Seattle area, said the company is working on developing a new overhead menu with the required information and expects to install the menus in several months. The design work has been challenging, Frizzell said, since the company must make it clear on the signs that the information posted applies to each pizza slice rather than an entire pie, which requires words like “per slice” in addition to the numbers.
“Because it’s a group-purchased food we have to use more room on our board. It has been a little bit of a barrier,” he said.
Papa John’s, which has a restaurant at 721 228th Avenue Northeast, has offered nutritional information brochures in the lobbies of its restaurants for the past year, Frizzell said. Those brochures also contain allergy information, which Frizzell said is as important to provide for customers at fast food restaurants as nutritional information.
“I get more inquiries on gluten and peanuts,” Frizzell said, than about nutritional content. “People know they’re consuming some calories. It’s not diet food.”
Other chain restaurants in Sammamish also reported no immediate changes.
Jack In The Box, 620 228th Avenue Northeast, keeps a brochure behind its counter containing a list of ingredients and nutrition information for 48 products.
That change was made in response to another Board of Health ban on margarine and trans fats that took effect May 1 and requires restaurants to change its fry oils by Feb. 1, 2009.
Jack In The Box products, according to that nutritional guide, include a 24-ounce Oreo cookie ice cream shake with 1290 calories and 67 grams of fat and a Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger with 1040 calories and 73 grams of fat.
Allan Mullen, a manager at the McDonalds at 615 228th Avenue, said his restaurant has not made any changes in response to the law since the restaurant has displayed nutrition information on the back of every tray liner for the past three years.
“That hasn’t actually come down the line yet,” Mullen said about the regulation requiring restaurants to display nutrition information on sign boards at the counter.
Debbie Chaney, owner of Cold Stone Creamery at 22830 Northeast 8th Street, said her ice cream shop has always provided nutritional information to customers and has posted the information on menu boards for several months already. She offered tentative support for the new law and even stronger support for the trans fat ban.
“I think it’s a good thing that we want to keep our customers healthy. I just feel bad for restaurants that have to make a lot of costly changes,” Chaney said.
The city’s Taco Time and Starbucks restaurants both provide nutritional brochures on or near their registers but have not yet posted the information on sign boards. Taco Time menu items include a Beef Mexi-Platter with 1,169 calories, 62 grams of fat and 23 grams of fiber and a 724-calorie Veggie Roma Burrito.
Starbucks items include Café Mocha drinks, which contains a range of 170-320 calories without whipped cream, and Frappuccino coffee drinks, which contain a range of 180-550 calories and 0-11 grams of fat.
Reporter Emily Keller can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or ekeller@isspress.com.
Local businesses looking to hire teens
July 9, 2008
Plateau bucks national trend, continues to bring on youth workers
For recent Eastlake High School graduate Andy Shee, working a summer job this year was a foregone conclusion. Read more
Local vendors anchor Sammamish farmers market
June 11, 2008
Heidi Bohan is on a mission to keep the Sammamish Farmers Market as local as possible. Bohan, the market’s manager, said about a third of its vendors - and about 90 percent of the crafts people - have strong ties to Sammamish.
“We’re not accepting crafts vendors unless there’s a local link,” said Bohan.
The market boasts three Sammamish vendors in the food Read more
Business briefs
June 11, 2008
Chamber luncheon
This month’s Chamber of Commerce luncheon features speaker Dellann Elliott, executive director of the Chris Elliott Fund, which funds brain cancer research.
The luncheon is set to run from 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. June 19 at Bake’s Place at Providence Point.
Visit www.sammamishchamber.org to register.
Shop around in Sammamish
The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce has launched a new Web site in order to encourage more residents to frequent local businesses.
Check out www.shoparoundsammamish.com. With the new site, residents can peruse local business and print out coupons to buy merchandise at a discount.
Free foreclosure counseling
The state of Washington offers free foreclosure and homeownership counseling services.
The service is designed for residents who are thinking about buying a home, or who are having trouble with their mortgage.
For more information, visit www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/homeownership.
