PORT TOWNSEND — The creation of a new economic development position designed to attract and coach businesses will add versatility to the agency, according to the EDC-Team Jefferson executive director.
“This is partially about succession planning,” said Peter Quinn, who has headed the service for five years.
“But we are offering different skills for people who want to start and run a business.”
On Monday, Brian Kuh, 37, joined the EDC as deputy director, sharing an office and a mission with Quinn.
Quinn and Kuh will work in tandem, with Quinn maintaining his current Wednesday-through-Friday schedule and Kuh in place Mondays, Tuesdays and alternate Thursdays.
Since moving to the North Olympic Peninsula in 2004, Kuh has worked for First Federal Bank, Columbia Bank and nonprofit lender Craft3, which he left in December to move out of banking and to manage investment property.
He served on the Clallam County Economic Development Council board, resigning as president in February 2015 because he said it took too much time from his day job.
He is married and has three sons, ages 6, 9 and 12.
Both Quinn and Kuh will meet with people who want to start, own or locate a small business to Jefferson County.
Quinn will continue to offer his start-up expertise, while Kuh will provide financial guidance and advice about funding a new business.
The advice is free, with Quinn now providing five or six consultations a week that each last five to 10 hours.
After the consultations, business owners have some idea of the necessary next steps, which they can then accomplish on their own, Quinn said.
The agency has an approximate annual budget of $100,000, funded by the state Department of Commerce, Jefferson County, the Port of Port Townsend and grants.
“We get people who are looking to steer and run businesses and to figure out how to do it in a way that can be successful,” Quinn said.
This may include a business planning class where people learn how to develop a business plan and turn it into a business, he said.
Quinn expects to operate in the red for a while.
“We are deficit spending in order to make sure we can prove what a full-time EDC can do,” he said.
One of the EDC’s biggest successes was recruiting Armstrong Consolidated, a high-end recreational boatbuilder, with the eventual goal of creating 30 family-wage jobs, Quinn said.
Quinn said there are several other companies under negotiations to move to Jefferson County, although most them provide two to five jobs.
The EDC, located at 2409 Jefferson St., shares space with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors Center.
This co-location is one of the reasons for their success, both said.
“One thing that impresses me is that we don’t have to go out and solicit businesses,” Kuh said.
“People come to us, and this is happening naturally.”
Said Quinn: “We have a pretty good idea of who our customer is, and we talk about how to help each other.”
For more information, go to www.edcteamjefferson.com or call 360-379-4693.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
