The Rest Of My Story
My career path temporarily wandered from this family business tradition. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Communications from Washington State University, I went to work in sales for KEPR-TV, Pasco, Washington and then marketing for KIRO-TV, Seattle. Later, I worked in business development for Sandeno Simmons, a Seattle based advertising agency. There I was exposed to the magic of manufacturing. It inspired the creation of P’Chelle International, initially specializing in export trading, eventually economic development consulting, all of it in manufacturing.
It became obvious that economic development had become tradition-bound and static. It needed a different perspective, a different model. I believed, and still do today, that manufacturing provided the best model, especially in an industry with many current and potential niches, core and supportive. But which industry? With a little head scratching, much observation and research and reflecting on my family’s business history, it became crystal clear…..food and beverage. Welcome home, Gary.
Over the past two decades, I’ve had the opportunity, with the help of incredible public and private partners, to create some of the coolest food and beverage economic development projects to dot the surface of this good earth. I am blessed!