washington`s legacy companies

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WASHINGTON’S
LEGACY COMPANIES
In business for a century or more, they play critical roles
in our economy and have wisdom to share.
B Y R I C H S I M M O N D S & R O N A L D D O H R , P A C I F I C F A M I LY B U S I N E S S I N S T I T U T E
EDITORIAL RESEARCH BY ROSS DOHRMANN
www.SeattleBusinessMag.com/section/special-section
www.SeattleBusinessMag.com/section/special-section
Energy
for life.
Avista has been energizing
lives since 1889, when we first
harnessed the power of the
Spokane River as Washington
Water Power Company.
We created opportunities,
sparked imaginations
and fueled innovation.
Today, our legacy lives on. We
are helping to modernize the
grid and continue to invest in
biomass fuel and wind power.
And we are as committed as
ever to helping communities
grow and prosper, bringing
economic vitality to the
regions we serve. We can’t
wait to see what the next
125 years will bring.
Learn more
at avistalegacy.com
Learn
more at avistalegacy.com
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W
hile all businesses are important to the Washington state
economy, our oldest companies — those that have survived and thrived for more than a century — play a particularly important role. ¶ These enduring institutions, representing
a broad cross-section of industry, have made a long-term commitment to the region, and in doing so they have shaped our communities. They have helped preserve values of hard work and integrity
and built a stable foundation for the state’s economy by adapting as
the world has gone from stagecoaches to railroads to jet aircraft. ¶
They have employed and trained hundreds of thousands of workers
through good times and bad, creating a skilled labor force capable
of building houses, trucks, airplanes — and dreams. They bear testimony to the great things that can be achieved by entrepreneurs
who have vision, resilience and dedication.
Some of these centurions are well known, publicly held
companies like Paccar and Weyerhaeuser. But an overwhelming majority are privately held, and most are family
controlled. A surprising number are businesses that have
been controlled by a single family for three, four, even five
generations. They are all exceptional success stories: Only 10
percent of family businesses survive through the third generation, and only a tiny fraction of all companies last more
than 100 years.
What does it take to beat those odds? What can we learn
from these Washington businesses that have thrived and
survived more than 100 years? What shared characteristics
have helped them become such exceptional businesses? Here
we identify some of the best practices of companies that have
successfully transferred their businesses from one generation
to the next to survive a century of turbulence and growth.
Based on interviews with business leaders and our combined experience of more than 60 years working with
THE
LIST
privately held businesses in the Pacific Northwest, we have
identified four keys to long-term success: passion and vision,
adaptability and innovation, company culture and values, and
strategic planning. Those who want to lead their own businesses into the next century should consider applying these
best practices within their own ventures.
PASSION, PERSISTENCE AND VISION
the founder’s passion and early financial success are
critical in launching a new business, but they constitute just
the starting point. Business founders and the leaders who follow in their footsteps must demonstrate vision, which begins
with knowing what one wants. Founders make their dreams
become a reality by having a strong sense of purpose, persistence and self-reliance as well as a clear vision.
For businesses to thrive over the long term, subsequent
generations of executives and owners must also share the
founder’s passion and sense of purpose. Jean Barber, vice chair
100 W A S H I N G T O N C O M P A N I E S T H AT A R E 1 0 0 Y E A R S O L D ... A N D O L D E R .
1. ALASKAN COPPER COMPANIES INC.,
Kent, 1913
2. ALBERBROOK RESORT & SPA,
Union, 1913
3. ALBERT JENSEN & SON INC.,
Friday Harbor, 1910
4. APPLE KING LLC, Yakima, 1914
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5. ARLINGTON HARDWARE & LUMBER INC.,
Arlington, 1903
6. ATTILIO A. MERLINO & ASSOCIATES INC.,
Seattle, 1900
7. AUTOMATIC WILBERT VAULT CO. INC.,
Tacoma, 1905
8. AVISTA CORPORATION, Spokane, 1889
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of Bartell Drugs, says that while the company was founded in
1890, only three generations have run the company. Barber
says she and her brother still recall and act upon their grandfather’s dedication to treating all customers as guests.
At Wilcox Family Farms, founded in 1909, third-generation
family members Jim and Barrie Wilcox attribute the company’s success to its continued focus on quality, even as the
company has reinvented itself. When the dairy industry
struggled in 2004, the family turned its focus to providing
high-quality, farm-fresh eggs. Soon afterward, the family
joined the cage-free and organic movement in response to
the growing demand for organic and cage-free eggs. That
shift also aligned with the company’s desire to sustain the
land, community and company for the future.
Sometimes, a company’s value can be about not growing
too large. That’s what law firm Karr Tuttle Campbell decided,
says President Bruce Larson. He says the firm, launched in
1904, wanted to remain midsize to retain a feel of a smaller
firm and to stay better connected to clients and community.
The company’s longevity, he adds, has been a product of the
relationship between associates and their clients and the role
associates play in the community. In the past 10 years, Karr
Tuttle Campbell has twice been selected as the pro bono law
firm of the year for its free legal service to the community.
SPOTLIGHT
Founded in 1889 in Spokane, Avista started out as the
Washington Water Power Company.
A V I S TA C O R P O R AT I O N
“W
e are in the beginning of a sea change in
the energy business,” says Scott Morris,
chairman, president and CEO of Avista
Corporation. “With the integration of digital technology into
utility operations, and the entrance of a new generation
of workers who have grown up with it, our customers will
experience energy in ways we can only imagine
now.” As a leading energy provider for 125
years, Avista has remained nimble in a competitive industry that doesn’t allow much
years
room for error. Customers in Washington,
Idaho, Oregon and now Alaska depend on
Avista’s electricity, natural gas and other energy
services. It was founded in 1889 as the Washington Water
Power Company, which changed to Avista in 1998. Though
business styles have necessarily changed over the years,
Morris says, “We’ve held close the values of building trust
and working collaboratively. ...The result is a company that
is intertwined with the communities it serves, and what is
good for the communities is also good for business.”
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The Wilcoxes of Wilcox Family Farms in 1918.
9. BAKER BOYER BANK, Walla Walla, 1869
10. BALLARD SHEET METAL WORKS INC., Seattle, 1907
11. BANK OF FAIRFIELD, Fairfield, 1908
12. BANNER BANK, Walla Walla, 1890
13. BARGREEN COFFEE CO. INC., Everett, 1898
14. BEKINS MOVING & STORAGE CO., Mountlake Terrace, 1907
15. BLACK DIAMOND BAKERY, Black Diamond, 1902
16. BLACKSTOCK LUMBER CO. INC., Seattle, 1912
17. BONNEY-WATSON CO., SeaTac, 1868
18. BROWN & HALEY, Tacoma, 1914
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BURKHART DENTAL SUPPLY, Tacoma, 1888
C.C. FILSON CO., Seattle, 1897
CAMPBELL’S RESORT, Lake Chelan, 1901
CAPTAIN’S NAUTICAL SUPPLIES INC., Seattle, 1897
CLISE PROPERTIES INC., Seattle, 1889
COMMERCIAL CREAMERY CO., Spokane, 1908
DAILY ELLENSBURG RECORD INC., Ellensburg, 1909
DUNBAR JEWELERS INC., Yakima, 1898
DUNN LUMBER CO. INC., Seattle, 1907
EWING & CLARK INC., Seattle, 1900
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SPOTLIGHT
Stewardship and leaving a lasting legacy continue to drive
Port Blakely Companies after 150 years.
P O RT B L A K E LY C O M PA N I E S
T
here are three key ingredients to successfully
sustaining a 150-year old company, says Port
Blakely Companies CEO René Ancinas: people
who are risk takers; the ability to adapt to business, family
and environmental changes; and perseverance. Founded
in 1864 by Captain William Renton as a
sawmill on Bainbridge Island (after a couple
of false starts), Port Blakely became the
world’s largest sawmill company under one
years
roof during the next 40 years. In 1903,
Ned Skinner and Jack Eddy purchased it,
with the Eddy family eventually taking over the
mill and accompanying forestland. The family expanded
the business to include forest management and steward-
ship — a particular family passion — and real estate.
Today, Port Blakely Companies comprises Port Blakely Tree
Farms, Blakely Pacific, which owns and manages working
forests in New Zealand, and Pacific Lumber and Shipping,
an export log trading firm. Ancinas, part of the fifth generation of family ownership, says stakeholders and customers
know to expect trust and collaboration when dealing with
Port Blakely, a result of hiring and retaining employees
who are aligned with the company’s family values and
vision. Stewardship continues to drive the company, he
says, and its goal is to keep growing while also “having a
positive impact on the lives of our employees and leaving
our communities and the forests we manage better than
we found them.”
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FARMERS NEW WORLD LIFE INSURANCE CO., Mercer Island, 1910
FOX’S GEM SHOP, Seattle, 1912
GEBBERS FARMS INC., Brewster, 1910
GRAY LUMBER CO., Tacoma, 1903
HALLIDIE MACHINERY COMPANY INC., Enumclaw, 1900
HANSEN BROS. MOVING & STORAGE, Seattle, 1890
HASKELL CORP., Bellingham, 1890
HELLIESEN LUMBER & SUPPLY CO., Yakima, 1903
HOFFMAN MUSIC CO., Spokane, 1913
HOLADAY-PARKS FABRICATORS, Tukwila, 1889
JOHNSON COX CO. INC., Tacoma, 1909
K & H PRINTERS-LITHOGRAPHERS INC., Everett, 1908
KARR TUTTLE CAMPBELL, Seattle, 1904
KAUFMAN SCROGGS CO., Aberdeen, 1903
KELLEHER MOTOR CO., Ellensburg, 1911
KEYES PACKAGING CORP., Wenatchee, 1903
KITSAP BANK, Kitsap, 1908
LAIRD NORTON CO., Seattle, 1855
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| CENTENNIAL COMPANIES |
VALUES AND CULTURE
family businesses face a particular challenge in surviving over the
long term because siblings and cousins
must build relationships that weave
together a connected family whose
members share values. That, in turn,
facilitates alignment, focus and commitment among family members who
may not otherwise agree on the best
course of action. But every business
benefits when owners, executives and
employees share values that define
what is important in a business. Values
should serve as a litmus test for all
business decisions and drive policies,
procedures, practices and strategies.
Ideally, those values are embedded in
a company’s culture so that they help
to shape every element of a business’s
performance and results.
At Burkhart Dental Supply, founded
in 1888, President Lori Burkhart Isbell
says she asks employees to focus on
“integrity (earning the trust of the
client), knowledge of the industry to
make informed decisions and provide
insights, and client success.” Five generations of the Burkhart family have
embraced these values, and that has
helped the company grow to where it
now has 400 employees and provides
more than $150 million a year in equipment, repair, supplies, consulting, continuing education and other services to
some 5,000 dentists across the country.
Baker Boyer Bank focuses on being
a trusted adviser and on partnering
with clients for long-term success. For
more than 140 years, the bank has had
a clear vision of “choosing to be great
rather than choosing to be large” and
providing “world-class services focused
47. LANE POWELL PC, Seattle, 1889
48. LAUCK’S TESTING LABORATORIES INC.,
Seattle, 1908
49. LITTLE SKOOKUM SHELLFISH
GROWERS, Shelton, 1883
50. MARKEY MACHINERY CO. INC.,
Seattle, 1907
51. MERCHANT’S CAFÉ, Seattle, 1890
52. MERRILL GARDENS, Seattle, 1890
While our business
has changed since
1898, our thoughtful
approach hasn’t.
We were founded by a group of farmers in Enumclaw
who banded together to “insure farm and village
buildings and personal property against loss by fire
and lightning.” Our first independent agent walked
and rode horseback throughout King and Pierce
counties, selling policies to farmers.
While we’ve grown and expanded our offerings and
coverage areas, our commitment to policyholders
remains the same. We still offer thoughtful coverage
that truly covers, partnering with independent
insurance agents who are dedicated to serving the
communities they live in. So while we look forward to
exciting times ahead, our humble beginnings remain
with us wherever we go.
Thoughtful is how we do things.
ThoughtfulCoverage.com
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SPOTLIGHT
N O R D STR O M
N
ordstrom’s dedicated customer service is one of
the first associations most people make when they
hear the iconic fashion store’s name. It is one of
the founding principles, along with exceptional selection,
quality and value, that Swedish immigrant John W.
Nordstrom wanted to provide when he opened
that first downtown Seattle shoe store with
earnings from his foray into Alaska gold
mining in 1897. As the company added
years
storefronts in Washington and Oregon and
passed through generations, it quickly became
the largest independent shoe store in the country as of
1960. Shortly after, it began to include women’s clothing.
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MILLS BROS. MENSWEAR, Wenatchee, 1906
MINNICK-HAYNER INC., Walla Walla, 1891
MOSS ADAMS, Seattle, 1913
MUTUAL MATERIALS, Bellevue, 1900
MUTUAL OF ENUMCLAW INSURANCE CO., Enumclaw, 1898
N.A. DEGERSTROM INC., Seattle, 1904
NATIONAL FROZEN FOODS CORP., Seattle, 1912
NEWMAN BURROWS, Tukwila, 1893
NORDSTROM INC., Seattle, 1901
Clockwise from left: Bruce, Everett, Elmer and John Nordstrom
outside the Bellevue store in 1961; a Nordstrom billboard in 1942;
Nordstrom founder John W. Nordstrom outside his Second Avenue store in Seattle in 1915.
Today, Nordstrom is a 70,000-employee-strong fixture in
fashion retailing nationwide — with a still-impeccable shoe
department — and it remains rooted in Seattle and retains
the original vision.
Bruce Nordstrom, a third-generation owner and retired
chairman of the board, attributes at least part of the perseverance of the founder’s legacy to building a company culture that would survive changes. That includes a mantra-like
goal for each generation to “leave it better than you found
it.” It also means empowering employees to always use their
best judgment in serving customers. As a result, the company has consistently been recognized as one of Fortune
magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.
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NORTH STAR GLOVE CO., Tacoma, 1910
NORTHWEST LABORATORIES OF SEATTLE INC., Seattle, 1896
OCEAN BEAUTY SEAFOODS, Seattle, 1910
OLYMPIA FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN, Olympia, 1906
OLYMPIA OYSTER CO., Shelton, 1898
OWENS MEATS, Cle Elum, 1887
PACCAR INC., Bellevue, 1905
PACIFIC LAMP & SUPPLY CO., Seattle, 1912
PERKINS COIE, Seattle, 1912
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Family executives hold bags of gold in
front of the original Baker Boyer Bank
building, circa 1880s.
on the local market,” says Megan
Clubb, the fifth-generation CEO. Baker
Boyer attributes its success to focusing
on the local geographic market, which
allows the bank to understand customers’ dreams and help them achieve
their goals.
HUMAN CAPITAL
DEVELOPMENT
a company’s values may vary
greatly based on what sector it is in
or who its founder was. But one area
that is important for every company
that wants to maintain a competitive
advantage over the long term is in the
quality of its employees. Businesses
that optimize the performance and
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PORT BLAKELY COS., Seattle, 1864
PSF INDUSTRIES INC., Seattle, 1900
R.H. BROWN CO., Seattle, 1911
RAINIER INDUSTRIES LTD., Tukwila, 1896
RITZVILLE DRUG CO., Ritzville, 1900
SALMON BAY SAND AND GRAVEL CO.,
Seattle, 1907
77. SEATTLE BOILER WORKS INC.,
Seattle, 1889
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commitment of employees through careful human capital
development are more profitable and more likely to experience long-term success.
For Mutual of Enumclaw, which started as a mutual insurance company in 1898, that means training the firm’s 435
employees to focus on their clients — who are also their owners — as well as on the independent insurance agents who
serve policyholders. CEO Eric Nelson says the company does
that by measuring client group satisfaction annually. It wants
to make sure employees do the right thing, are responsive to
clients, offer a personal touch and keep processes efficient.
Businesses must hire and develop capable people, set challenging performance goals and consider the business’s impact
on employees, customers and communities. Family-owned
businesses face the additional challenges of managing the intricacies of delicate family relationships and negotiating the
blurry lines of authority. Successful leaders develop policies
and job descriptions that clarify the roles, responsibilities and
boundaries of family members, employees and owners.
Napoleon Co., an importer of olive oil and other affordable
specialty foods, requires family members to attend college
and live or work outside the region before coming back to
the family business. Joe Magnano, the fourth-generation
president, says company values include a strong sense of doing what is right for customers, employees, vendors and the
family. They must also be good stewards in the local community, because so many people count on their businesses.
To that end, Napoleon Co. has invested more than $1 million
in the community and local schools while also investing in its
employees.
ADAPTABILITY
AND INNOVATION
without exception, businesses that have survived for
100 years are characterized as being adaptable and resilient.
All business owners experience tragedies, yet only the most
successful ones are able to respond positively to each of these
crises. Even in their darkest moments, these business leaders
find the silver lining and make the most of a troubling situation — even if that means becoming a pioneer in uncharted
territory and reinventing the business in some way.
Being adaptable means challenging the status quo, remaining agile in the marketplace, forging a new direction, creating
a new vision when business stagnates, or developing new ways
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SEATTLE DAILY JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, Seattle, 1909
SEATTLE-TACOMA BOX, Kent, 1889
SECURITY STATE BANK, Centralia, 1903
SIMPSON LUMBER CO., Tacoma, 1890
SIX ROBBLEES INC., Tukwila, 1913
STANWOOD-CAMANO NEWS INC., Stanwood, 1898
STAR RENTALS INC., Seattle, 1901
STATE BANK NORTHWEST, Spokane Valley, 1902
TAYLOR SHELLFISH FARMS, Shelton, 1890
centennial
SPOTLIGHT
W E Y E R H A E U S E R C O.
E
ven a well-established company can have some
surprises up its sleeve, as Weyerhaeuser did this
year, announcing a move from its iconic Federal
Way midcentury-modern headquarters to Seattle’s Pioneer
Square by 2016. Bold moves define the company, which
began more than 100 years ago in a two-room Tacoma
office, where German immigrant Frederick
Weyerhaeuser and his partners hatched
plans for the timber on the 900,000 acres
of land they’d bought from the Northern Payears
cific Railway. The company soon developed
new products made from wood leftovers,
such as insulation and Pres-to-Logs, and established the very first tree farm in the United States while
also manufacturing paper products and developing real
estate. Today, Weyerhaeuser owns or manages 20.3 million
acres of timberland and operates in 11 countries, poised
for another 100 years producing wood products and defining sustainable timber farming practices while remaining a
quintessentially local company.
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THE BARTELL DRUG CO., Seattle, 1904
THE H. O. SEIFFERT CO., Everett, 1892
THE NAPOLEON CO., Bellevue, 1903
THE SEATTLE TIMES CO., Seattle, 1896
THE WENATCHEE WORLD, Wenatchee, 1905
TIMBERLAND BANK, Hoquiam, 1915
TURNER & PEASE, Seattle, 1902
TW CARROL & CO., Tukwila, 1900
WASHINGTON FRUIT & PRODUCE CO., Yakima, 1910
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| CENTENNIAL COMPANIES |
A Mutual of Enumclaw board of trustees meeting around 1955. From left, Einar Johanson, Nils Anderson, Alan Anderson (near window),
Arthur Kilian, Endre Anderson, Adolph Joergenson, George Deeds, D.E. Hansen and Walter Plogens.
to operate with a sense of urgency. Sustainable businesses must
continually create innovative solutions and strategies to adapt
to a changing world.
Effective business leaders must be catalysts for change
and have the flexibility to seek out new and better ways
of doing business for long-term survival. Our discussions
with local businesses have revealed that most privately held
companies are reinventing themselves in some way, often
adopting a new business model and/or a creative approach
to the marketplace.
Jeff Vincent, CEO of Laird Norton Company, says his
company’s success is a direct result of its ability to constantly
evolve over time. Originally a tree milling business, Laird
Norton transitioned into timber, then into multiple operating
businesses, and finally into real estate, wealth management
96. WASHINGTON TRUST BANK, Spokane, 1902
97. WEYERHAEUSER CO., Federal Way, 1900
98. WILCOX FAMILY FARMS, Roy, 1909
99. WITHERSPOON KELLEY, Spokane, 1884
100. YE OLDE CURIOSITY SHOP INC., Seattle, 1899
and private equity. The company “was able to thrive because
the family desired to stay together,” he says. “Family members were willing to adapt and change, and they were willing
to make the hard decisions.”
Rainier Industries, founded in 1896, started as a business
supplying canvas tents to prospectors during the Klondike
gold rush. Then it supplied the U.S. military with tents during World War II. Over time, as it acquired other tent and
awning companies, it transitioned into the sign and graphics
industry.
Similarly, Taylor Shellfish Farms has continually adapted to
meet new challenges since the 1890s, and today is the largest
producer of farmed shellfish in the United States. Fourthgeneration President Bill Taylor believes “it is hard to grow
without taking risk, and it is OK to fail as long as you learn
from your mistakes.” He recalls the adventurous nature of his
great-grandfather, who initially had a farming business with
Wyatt Earp in Arizona and then followed the Klondike gold
rush to Alaska before settling in Olympia. The Taylor family
encourages risk taking as a way of seeking opportunities to
grow and learn.
STRATEGIC PLANNING & ACTION
all businesses struggle to endure. Businesses
mature, markets and technologies change, suppliers and
customers modify the rules of the game, and competitors
quickly co-opt effective strategies. Yet long-standing busiSeptember 2014 SEATTLE BUSINESS / 41
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SPOTLIGHT
Paccar ironworker Ray Lind atop the
Space Needle in 1961. Today, the company is known globally for its Peterbilt,
Kenworth and DAF trucks.
PA C C A R I N C.
F
ounded in 1905 as Seattle Car Manufacturing Co.,
Paccar (annual revenues: $17 billion) has grown from
a local steel manufacturer to a global technology
company, serving customers in more than 100
countries. Paccar’s 23,000 employees design,
manufacture and support the company’s
world-class quality products — Kenworth,
years
Peterbilt and DAF trucks — in 12 factories
on six continents. Paccar Financial Services,
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Parts, Information Technology, and Engines provide support
to its customers in partnership with 2,000 independent
dealers. Paccar is an environmental leader and has pioneered green solutions, including liquid natural gas and compressed natural gas commercial vehicles, hybrid trucks and
“zero-waste-to-landfill” factories. Paccar has achieved an
outstanding record of shareholder growth, including
75 consecutive years of net profitability, and delivered a
regular quarterly dividend since 1941.
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| CENTENNIAL COMPANIES |
Above, Dunn Lumber Company’s building on Latona Avenue Northeast, not long after rebuilding from a fire in 1938. Below left, Ed
Dunn Sr., Ed Dunn Jr. and Mike Dunn around 1980. Below right, the Lynnwood store opening in 1984.
nesses are able to work through such tough issues, whether
by exploring new resources in the market, creating a new
understanding of what the business needs in order to thrive,
or, in the case of family-owned businesses, “pruning the family tree” by buying out a particular family branch.
In our practice, we often see business owners who resist
strategic planning and thereby fail to develop a framework
for thinking about the future of their businesses. This is
especially true for family-owned businesses. For example,
nearly half of the respondents to the 2007 Laird Norton Tyee
Family Business Survey reported not having a written strategic plan. Almost three-quarters of respondents reported that
they did not have a succession plan in place, and 64 percent
reported having no formal requirements or qualifications for
hiring family members to work in the business.
Yet the benefits are well documented. The Arthur Andersen/Mass Mutual American Family Business Survey of 1995
and 1997 found that businesses with a written strategic plan
were more likely also to have formal buy-sell agreements and
stock redemption plans, to have held more board meetings
September 2014 SEATTLE BUSINESS / 43
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and to have formalized family employment and succession
plans — all important to long-term success.
Port Blakely Companies, a fifth-generation family-owned
business with forestry and forest products interests, provides
a good example of how businesses can reap the benefits of
strategic planning. The business has adopted an organizational strategy to protect and strengthen the Port Blakely
culture, as well as an initiative focused on estate planning and
generational transitions.
René Ancinas, president and CEO of Port Blakely, emphasizes the importance of planning for the future with family
members “who are truly committed to the long-term viability
of the family business” and “aligned with family values and
vision.” With the clearly stated goal of remaining a familycontrolled business, Port Blakely recognizes the need to
build, protect and enhance the business through careful
planning to ensure alignment between the family and the
business. Port Blakely focuses on partnering with stakeholders, family, employees, community and regulators to do what
is right and have a positive impact by “leaving our communities and forests better than we found them.”
Successful family-owned business leaders are experts
at managing the emotional side of matters, but they also
recognize the usefulness of third-party advice and objective
perspectives when resolving conflicting goals and emotions.
They understand that conferring with a board of directors
and other outside experts can provide much-needed objectivity and new ideas.
Businesses need to develop new strategies if they are to
remain healthy and financially viable in a dynamic environment with increasingly competitive markets. Family-owned
businesses that take the time to plan are better positioned to
take advantage of opportunities and enjoy a smooth transition
of family ownership and management to the next generation.
Privately held businesses that have survived for multiple
generations value keeping the business in the family, and
these legacy-oriented families recognized that this requires
a long-term perspective. They repeatedly demonstrate their
willingness to make significant investments, knowing that the
returns may not be realized for 20 years. This stands in stark
contrast to the actions of public corporations, which often
expect a return in the next quarter.
CONCLUSION
businesses that sustain their growth and success over long periods of time continually raise the bar of
excellence with ever-higher standards of performance. They
collect business performance metrics and compare their
performance against that of their competitors. They demand
accountability for management and they regularly monitor
stakeholder satisfaction, alignment and commitment. And
they are not afraid to seek the expertise and guidance of
independent third parties.
The 100-year-old businesses featured in this special sponsored supplement to Seattle Business magazine operate in varied industries, yet they have many shared characteristics that
44 / SEATTLE BUSINESS September 2014
| CENTENNIAL COMPANIES |
Taylor Shellfish has been farming on the tidelands in Washington
since the late 1800s. From left, Bill Taylor, Paul Taylor, Diani
Taylor, Brittany Taylor and Jeff Pearson, representing the fourth
and fifth generations of the family business.
underlie their long-term successes. Our experience consulting with these and other businesses has consistently demonstrated that achieving long-term success requires passion and
perseverance, human capital development, values and vision,
adaptability and innovation, and strategic planning.
We applaud these 100-year-old businesses for their commitment, drive and sense of purpose. They serve as models to
other businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest that aspire
to follow in their footsteps for the next 100 years and beyond.
rich simmonds and ronald dohr, ph.d., are partners
with the Pacific Family Business Institute in Seattle. Since 2010,
PFBI has served as a resource for Pacific Northwest family businesses by facilitating seminars, workshops and affinity groups for
peer-to-peer information sharing.
In addition to offering programs
that foster constructive communication, PFBI facilitates relationships and discussions among family members, as well as between
business-owning families that
can benefit from one another’s
Simmonds
Dohr
knowledge and support. Finally,
through the annual Northwest Family Business Survey and other
studies, PFBI conducts research to study the best practices, trends
and issues affecting family businesses. For more information, visit
pacificfamilybusiness.com.
www.SeattleBusinessMag.com/section/special-section
Taylor Shellfish photo by Bill Whitbeck
100
100
From our origins as a two-lawyer partnership in
ϭϵϬϰ͕ ǁĞ͛ǀĞ ŐƌŽǁŶ ŝŶƚŽ Ă ŵƵůƟĚŝƐĐŝƉůŝŶĂƌLJ Įƌŵ
ǁŝƚŚƚŚƌŝǀŝŶŐƉƌĂĐƟĐĞƐŝŶDĞƌŐĞƌƐΘĐƋƵŝƐŝƟŽŶƐ͕
ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ &ŝŶĂŶĐĞ͕ >ĂďŽƌ Θ ŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ͕ >ŝƟŐĂͲ
ƟŽŶ͕ ĂŶŬƌƵƉƚĐLJ Θ ZĞĐĞŝǀĞƌƐŚŝƉ͕ /ŶƚĞůůĞĐƚƵĂů
Property, Probate & Estate Planning, and so much
more.
Photo Courtesy of Chris J. Roberts ©
tĞ ĂƌĞ ƉƌŽƵĚ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚ ŵƵůƟƉůĞ
ƟŵĞƐŝŶƌĞĐĞŶƚLJĞĂƌƐďLJƐƵĐŚŽƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƟŽŶƐĂƐƚŚĞ
^ĞĂƩůĞŵĞƌŐĞŶĐLJ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞĂŶĚƚŚĞWƵŐĞƚ
^ŽƵŶĚĐŚĂƉƚĞƌŽĨƚŚĞƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶŽĨ>ĞŐĂůĚŵŝŶͲ
istrators as Pro Bono Firm of the Year.
We are spending our second century as we did
ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ͗ ƐƐŝƐƟŶŐ WƵŐĞƚ ^ŽƵŶĚ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ŽĨ Ăůů
sizes to grow and thrive. We can help you, too.
KARR TUTTLE CAMPBELL
701 5th Avenue Suite 3300
Seattle, WA 98104
206.223.1313
w w w. k a r r t u t t l e . c o m