Travels with Mike:
Ellensburg and Central Washington University

Commerce Director Mike Fong started his day in Ellensburg with coffee and art. Photos courtesy Central Washington University.

Commerce Director Mike Fong stopped in Ellensburg in August as part of his quest to visit all of Washington’s 39 counties. He wore his walking shoes to tour Ellensburg and Central Washington University, and he made time for a quick radio interview with a CWU student.

This was a quick stop, Fong said. Next time he’s in Kittitas County, he hopes to see more of the county, including its plains and scenic Yakima River Canyon.

Ellensburg's arts economy and more

Kittitas County has about 47,200 people, with about 19,000 living in Ellensburg, its largest city. Ellensburg sits at the junction of interstates 90 and 82 and near recreational jump-off points on the Yakima River and Cascade Mountains — and community leaders are working hard to bring that interstate traffic into the community to enjoy a locally sourced meal and reset with its bourgeoning arts scene.

During a walking tour of the city’s downtown core with Ellensburg City Manager Heidi Behrends Cerniwey and CWU Vice President of University Relations Andrew Morse, Fong learned about the city’s vision to bridge its small community with big cultural ideas across the state, including its new Arts Commission.

“It’s a great over-the-mountains connection,” Fong said of the Ellensburg Arts Commission and Gallery One, which repurposed the former newspaper’s printing press space into a shared arts space, now called The Ink. “The creative economy is so impactful to both Washington’s rural and urban areas, and this space is such a cool way to support small businesses and the local arts community.”

Artists in residence at The Ink are making larger-than-life puppets, glass, metal, and woodwork creations, fiber arts, and more.

“All of these different things are happening out of a repurposed print shop, essentially,” Fong said. “Activities like this are so important for downtown activation, and the city is very supportive. I’m really impressed.”

A Commerce study recently found that the creative economy contributes nearly $120 billion to Washington’s GDP.

On the air, or up in it, at CWU

Fong views some of CWU's fleet.

Fong tightened up his shoelaces for another walking tour, this time across Central Washington University’s campus. CWU has nearly 10,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs, and the university is working hard to engage more with its local community and meet local economic needs. Central wants to work with state partners and build a more flexible, responsive economy, Fong said. “They want to understand where there’re gaps in workforce development, and how they can fill them,” he said of the university’s leadership, which includes Morse, as well as Rob Ogburn, executive director of Business and Community Services, and Government Relations Director Steve DuPont. “They see themselves as having the potential to be a convener for the regional economic sector, and we are uniquely positioned to support convenings with them, subject matter experts, and other resources.”

One example of CWU’s responsiveness to demand is its commercial pilot specialization, a bachelor’s degree in aviation. Central is one of the few schools preparing students to be pilots. “It’s a super cool program, and it’s in really high demand,” Fond said. Regional airlines are eager to hire graduates, and a looming commercial pilot shortage is only creating more demand. “We have great relationships and a lot of collaboration with universities and colleges across the state,” Fong said. “I was really energized by the conversation at Central and the opportunity to create a new kind of joint effort relating to workforce and economic development.” Fong also toured the CWU Wildcat Pantry and capital facilities, such as a geothermal project and the aviation complex.

The ‘Burg interview

Fong sat down with The 'Burg, 88.1 KCWU-FM. The ‘Burg is CWU’s student run, professionally led radio station. Tommy Skaggs is the general manager. Student broadcaster Ryan Gildersleeve chatted with Fong about the Commerce, including sharing what the agency is and what opportunities it has that could benefit CWU students and the community. Listen to the full interview online.

About Commerce

Commerce works with local governments, businesses, community-based organizations and tribes to strengthen communities. The department’s diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and effective public and private partnerships promote sustainable community and economic development to help all Washingtonians thrive. For more information, visit http://www.commerce.wa.gov. For information on locating or expanding a business in Washington, visit choosewashingtonstate.com.

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