News

Economic development can take many forms, and for Economic Development Week, May 4-8, we’ll be sharing some of the ways in which EDASC applies economic development practices to the needs of businesses and the community.EDASC is proud of its longest running program, Leadership Skagit, which graduated its first class in...Continue Reading

Economic development can take many forms, and for Economic Development Week, May 4-8, we’ll be sharing some of the ways in which EDASC applies economic development practices to the needs of businesses and the community.Tourism is an important part of the economic development landscape in Skagit County.EDASC has been among...Continue Reading

What is economic development? We at EDASC are asked that question frequently.In short, it is the intentional practice of improving a community’s economic wellbeing, prosperity, and quality of life. A lot goes into economic development, much of it behind the scenes as we work confidentially with local, domestic and overseas...Continue Reading

Prepare for the new retirement savings program coming in 2027 Washington Saves is a new state-facilitated retirement savings program scheduled to open in July 2027. Certain employers will be required by law to make the program available to their employees if they don’t already offer a qualified retirement plan. See how...Continue Reading

The Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers confidential advising, group training and diverse tools and resources to help you achieve your goals. One-to-one, confidential technical assistance, and nearly all SBDC services are provided at no cost to the business owner.Typical areas of advising include assisting with cashflow management, applying...Continue Reading

Late last year, the Department of Defense (DoD) implemented new cybersecurity requirements that directly impact contractors across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). Known as CMMC Level 1, these rules are now being integrated into DoD contracts, and the message is clear: If your company does not meet Level 1 standards,...Continue Reading

Economist Don Rissmiller, a founding partner of Strategas and featured speaker at EDASC’s Economic Forecast Night, cautioned inflation may be in the U.S. economy’s future – just not yet. “I characterize the inflation picture as the ‘seeds of inflation’ still in the economy, but 2026 is probably a little premature to...Continue Reading

Skagit County is one of the Pacific Northwest’s best kept secrets for business, investment and economic development.No other location is as centrally and strategically connected with the Seattle and Vancouver metropolitan regions, which are North America’s leading gateways to the Asia-Pacific region.  Home to innovative, solution-oriented industry leaders, and a...Continue Reading

Low-interest disaster loans now availableThe U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) in King, Lewis, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties to assist businesses, private nonprofit organizations and residents affected by the 2025 severe winter storms occurring Dec. 5-22, 2025.SBA customer service representatives are on hand...Continue Reading

Heading east on Highway 20, grey-green foothills provide the backdrop to Big Leaf Maples presenting their rust-and-gold autumn finery, brilliant against the early November scene. The maples serve as a fitting welcome to Pacific Rim Tonewoods, maker of fine wooden components for stringed instruments – mostly guitars – that include the...Continue Reading

Many people know of Northern State Hospital, the former mental hospital in Sedro-Woolley that operated from 1912 to 1973. The landscape of the campus and the architecture of the buildings are rich with as much history as beauty. Today, the campus is brimming with activity of a different kind, and...Continue Reading

2025 saw new faces, systems, and a new logo at EDASC. While all these things happened behind the scenes, EDASC continued to engage with its partners and the community to advance a prosperous, equitable and sustainable Skagit County. Noted economist makes return engagement at Economic Forecast Night Back by popular demand, Beacon...Continue Reading

Businesses that sustained losses during December 2025’s historic flooding can apply for disaster relief funds through local business organizations. Each organization is administering its own grant process – be sure to note specific application deadlines. Check out the details below for the communities of Mount Vernon, Burlington/Edison, Sedro-Wooley/Upriver, and relief...Continue Reading

Since 2004, Leadership Skagit has been the cornerstone for professional growth in Skagit County. Over the past two decades, local employers haven’t just witnessed the program’s value – they’ve experienced it. Many business leaders begin as participants themselves, going on to sponsor their employees year after year.This enduring investment stems...Continue Reading

Today in Washington, tens of thousands of baby boomer business owners are preparing to step away from their companies and into retirement. Commonly referred to as the “Silver Tsunami,” it translates to 67,000 local businesses, 682,000 jobs, and billions in payroll and tax revenue potentially at risk. In rural towns,...Continue Reading

Finding qualified candidates is a top challenge for 46% of U.S. companies, according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey. EDASC’s own survey data backs up that trend for Skagit County, where nearly 60% of employers surveyed in 2025 stated hiring and retaining employees is a top challenge. That is...Continue Reading

The Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County is hosting its annual Economic Forecast Night on Feb. 25. Economic Forecast Night is EDASC’s biggest event of the year, bringing more than 300 business and civic leaders together for networking and to hear from regional and national speakers. The evening is presented...Continue Reading

EDASC welcomed four new board members elected at its Annual Investor Meeting. The new members are Sam Riley from Mount Vernon-based Allixo; Rich Fowles, Scratch and Peck Feeds in Burlington, Nate Scott from Windermere North Sound in Anacortes, and Marna Hanneman, mayor of La Conner. Riley, Fowles and Scott will serve...Continue Reading

Amelia Cook, owner and managing member of Goodwinds Composites, a composite component manufacturer in Mount Vernon she co-founded with her brother, has been named a winner of the 2026 Enterprising Women of the Year Award. This long-running awards program recognizes the world's top women entrepreneurs. It is widely considered one of...Continue Reading

More than 61 million people live in rural communities like Skagit. Small towns we call home. Where folks wave hello, lend a hand, and work side by side. Where an entrepreneurial spirit can thrive and innovation sparks.Rural America is an economic engine, providing goods and services that cross counties, state...Continue Reading

EDASC has rolled out a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database. While it will streamline internal operations for us, it will also benefit you, our Investors, via: More accurate company data – you can make updates directly to the system at any time. Your main contact information, including company logo, will...Continue Reading

Juan Morales has joined the staff of the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County (EDASC) as its equitable economic development manager.Morales is a former member of the Mount Vernon City Council and previously worked as the programs coordinator for the Northwest Agriculture Business Center. At EDASC, he primarily will work...Continue Reading

Cultivating a highly qualified and skilled workforce is key to the vitality of our local economy. It’s why the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County (EDASC) remains committed to addressing the area’s biggest workforce challenges.In response to concerns voiced by our business community, EDASC has continued addressing workforce barriers such...Continue Reading

EDASC has a new look.This is the first major rebranding of the organization in more than a decade. The logo’s new look is a modernization of the past logo, notes EDASC CEO John Sternlicht, and represents how EDASC continues to modernize its approaches and programs to fit ever-evolving circumstances. “The new...Continue Reading