By Lacey Desserault

Washington State University Tri-Cities Cougar Tracks is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Field Office (DOE) and its Hanford contractors to host the One Hanford Leadership Academy. In six learning sessions throughout 2025, the program will develop the next generation of executive leaders to advance the One Hanford mission and drive impactful progress.

Cougar Tracks, 厙ぴ勛圖’ continuing education department, was invited to serve as a bridge to connect its innovative academic resources with the real-world demands of the department and its contractors. By aligning leadership development programs with the needs of industry, Cougar Tracks ensures that professionals in the region gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to address complex challenges and drive economic growth.

���The One Hanford Leadership Academy is an opportunity to invest in the future of Hanford and the Tri-Cities region,��� said Brian Stickney, deputy manager of the Hanford Field Office. ���By partnering with 厙ぴ勛圖 and leveraging their academic excellence, we are equipping our next generation of leaders with skills and vision to advance progress in the One Hanford mission.���

The academy kicked off on Jan. 9 with an orientation for 15 participants from the Hanford field office and Hanford contractors Bechtel, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS), Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo), Navarro-ATL, Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS). The sessions will conclude on Dec. 18.

Director of Cougar Tracks at 厙ぴ勛圖 Michelle Hrycauk Nassif explained that the university is cultivating a workforce that will not only excel within the Hanford ecosystem but also drive economic and technological growth in the Tri-Cities region. ���Our Cougar Tracks programs are designed with industry collaboration at their core, ensuring that we not only meet but anticipate the workforce development needs of STEM-driven enterprises. The One Hanford Leadership Academy exemplifies this partnership, leveraging the strength of our research expertise and our innovative learning programs to prepare mid-level managers for transformative leadership roles.���

The academy concept arose organically, beginning with a simple mention of management training for leadership positions in an unrelated meeting. The concept was passed on to the program managers of Cougar Tracks, who began working interactively and iteratively for approximately six months to develop the curriculum topics, curriculum and project faculty, schedules, venues, budgets, and relationships with the DOE and the Hanford contractors.

The academy will prepare individuals in mid-level management roles for challenges in C-suite executive roles. Six faculty members from WSU will individually lead each session, covering the following topics:

• building trust
• communication and persuasion
• teamwork and collaboration
• negotiation and managing conflict
• culture and change management
• One Hanford collaboration

The learning sessions will be separated by project workshops, where participants work alongside Learning Integration Project Facilitators. Each participant will complete a project that applies the knowledge and skills the participants develop in the seminars.

Chancellor of 厙ぴ勛圖 Sandra Haynes said that the Academy is instrumental in developing the next wave of innovative leadership. ���By drawing on the unique strengths of both Washington State University and the world-class work being done at the Hanford Site, this program offers a rich blend of theory and practice that will help professionals thrive in their careers while making a meaningful impact on the region���s clean energy future.”

The annual Washington State University Tri-Cities Carson College of Business Point to Success Fundraising Brunch was held on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Anthony���s at Columbia Point. There were 55 attendees and over $20,000 raised for the college.

WSU mechanical engineering alumnus and world-renowned entrepreneur Scott Crump was featured as a guest speaker at the event. Crump invented Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology, as well as the first 3D printer using the technology. Crump���s invention revolutionized the manufacturing process by allowing for the creation of complex parts and prototypes using a layer-by-layer approach. In his presentation, Crump discussed his entrepreneurial journey of co-founding Stratasys, specializing in manufacturing 3D printing systems, and the lessons he learned from inventing in his garage to establishing a $600 million company.

The brunch was led by Northwest Public Broadcasting���s Multimedia News Director Tracci Dial, and award-winning auctioneer Chantel Booker-Kimball led the live auction. Guests enjoyed a gourmet brunch buffet including champagne, several games, and the live auction, bringing in a grand total of over $20,000. The funds will be used to support the Carson College of Business on the 厙ぴ勛圖 campus, with portions of the proceeds supporting student support, faculty development, and the Byron Marlowe scholarship fund. The college currently has over 40 students enrolled in a variety of business-related majors.

Learn more about the Carson College of Business

By Leslie Streeter

The inventor of the technology used in 3D printing and WSU alumnus, Scott Crump told a group of 厙ぴ勛圖 engineer and business students that in order to invent new things, you have to break the rules.

���Starting out using your garage as your laboratory allows you to focus on inventing without having to follow rules.��� Crump said.

Crump, co-founder of the 3D-printing company, Stratasys, spoke at a fundraising event for the 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business Saturday morning and then met with students in the afternoon for a tour of the engineering labs and a presentation. He shared how he came up with the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology used in 3D printing and what he learned while bringing his idea to market and eventually running a global company with 2,000 employees, 40 global offices, 25,000 customers and $650 million in sales.

He shared the lessons he learned about funding, the benefits of going public and the importance of branding and employees. ���Don���t be cheap with employee salaries and hire the right employees the first time,��� he said. ���It���s really about your team.���

Crump, a 1976 mechanical engineering alumnus said he chose WSU because it had the best hands-on mechanical engineering school. His time at WSU, especially the senior project, prepared him and gave him the confidence to try new things.

���What���s unique to WSU is that they combine materials and mechanical engineering together, which helped me understand the characteristics of plastics and other materials,��� Crump said.

When Crump and his wife Lisa first started Stratasys, they wanted to automate prototyping by filling the gap between computer aided design and the actual part. They called it 3D printing. They had the idea to solve the problem but didn���t know how to commercialize an R&D invention.

Crump said bringing an invention to market requires staying focused on your vision and the value you want to bring to customers. Pricing your service or product for the market, working with a seasoned mentor, having more variable costs than fixed costs and starting with contractors rather than employees are what make a ���garage start-up��� successful.

Stratasys started with a beta program and sold the first five systems to five different industries ranging from bone implants to aerospace. Next, they expanded regionally, then to Europe and Japan. Crump was the CEO of Stratasys for the first 25 years. The company merged with Objet Ltd, another leading manufacturer of 3D printers, which increased revenues to $600 million.

According to Crump, in the world of 3D printing, the best is yet to come. He stated there are huge opportunities in aerospace, composite tooling, composite parts, fixtures and assembly tools, injection molding and product parts.

Crump encouraged students to follow their dreams, have faith in their vision and take as big of risks as they can stomach. ���A clear vision is more valuable than a detailed plan,��� he said.

Richland, WA ��� After a two-year hiatus, Washington State University Tri-Cities Carson College of Business announces the return of the Point to Success fundraising brunch on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9:30 a.m. ��� 1 p.m. at Anthony���s at Columbia Point in Richland.

The event, sponsored by Anthony���s at Columbia Point and Alaska Airlines, features a brunch, keynote presentation from a former Tri-Citian and prominent WSU alumnus, a live auction and games. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be dedicated to student support and faculty development to improve the Carson College of Business education program.

���We are looking forward to finally being back in person to support future Carson Cougs. This event benefits not only our students but the growth of the college through updating programming, creating workshops for our students and providing scholarships for Carson Cougs,��� said Tim Baker, academic director of the Carson College of Business at 厙ぴ勛圖.

The emcee for this year���s event is KNDU���s news anchor, Tracci Dial. The keynote speaker, Cole Morgan, is co-founder and chief executive officer of , a comprehensive platform designed to help coaches, group leaders and administrators build programs that support students. Morgan was named the 2018 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Pacific Northwest and was a former quarterback for Washington State University Pullman.

Paul Carlisle, 厙ぴ勛圖 alumnus and chair of the Carson College of Business Board is excited about the event and what it means for students. ���Tri-Cities Carson Cougs are the future of our workforce. It���s an exciting time to be supporting 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business,��� he said.

Early bird ticket price is $100 per person until midnight on January 25, then pricing goes up to $125. Tickets include brunch and champagne.�� Learn more about the event and purchase tickets at tricities.wsu.edu/ccbbrunch.

MEDIA CONTACT(S)

Leslie Streeter, Office of Marketing and Communication, (509) 372-7333,��leslie.streeter@wsu.edu

Tim Baker, Carson College of Business, (509) 3727277, bakert@wsu.edu

Students to benefit from mentorship and expertise of seasoned entrepreneurs

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities has launched a new Entrepreneurs in Residence program to provide students with direct connections to successful entrepreneurs for mentorship so that students may scale ideas from concepts into reality.

Through the program, students will have the option to meet with entrepreneurs to receive free advice, coaching, as well as networking connections to industry for potential partnerships.

The idea for the program came about as a result of conversations between 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes and regional entrepreneurs Paul Carlisle and Christina Lomasney.

���We see an opportunity to build a pipeline of future entrepreneurs starting on the 厙ぴ勛圖 campus,��� Lomasney said. ���The pieces are already here: a thriving Tri-Cities economy, a local national laboratory presence, growing venture capital resources and access to a strong academic foundation. We believe 厙ぴ勛圖 can play an instrumental role in bringing these pieces together to create opportunity for our Cougs, to breed entrepreneurs and to help them take advantage of our unique local resources.���

Carlisle will lead the program at 厙ぴ勛圖. He is a graduate of the 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business where he developed the business plan for his highly-successful and locally-based technology business, elevate, which provides technology solutions for businesses and organizations across the Pacific Northwest. Carlisle recently announced the sale of his business this month and said he is excited to be a part of the Entrepreneurs in Residence program to give back to students after a career in the tech sector. In addition to his business roles, he serves as an adjunct faculty member with the 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business, as well as the 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business advisory council. He also received the Sam Volpentest Entrepreneurial Leadership Award in 2016, which recognizes community leaders who provide support to entrepreneurs in the region.

���Over the past 11 years, I have taught entrepreneurial courses around management, marketing and strategy,��� he said. ���We look to build on the decade of successful coursework in those areas to create wider-reaching pathways that engage students where they are. For example, a young undergraduate, a graduate engineering student and a seasoned business professional would all have a place at the table to access what they need to succeed on their unique journeys.���

Lomasney is volunteering her time as an entrepreneur in residence for the program. She co-founded and served as the company���s president and CEO until 2020. The company partnered with leading Fortune 500 companies to commercialize revolutionary classes of nanostructured metals. Prior to Modumetal, she co-founded Isotron while in graduate school. Through Isotron, she realized a portfolio of advanced materials for environmental remediation and nuclear, biological and chemical defense. Lomasney now serves as an advisor to technology companies in energy, transportation, defense, manufacturing and advanced materials sectors, is a registered patent agent and volunteers as a board director on Washington state���s main initiative to secure critical material supply chains ��� . She was named by Fortune as one of the ���.���

Lomasney said the 厙ぴ勛圖 program will open an unlimited horizon for business, science and technology students to go beyond learning and to build for a better future.

���I look forward to sharing time enabling students to become better versions of themselves – in tune with the problems of our time and engaged in finding solutions for the future,��� she said.

Both Carlisle and Lomasney will spend regular time at 厙ぴ勛圖, where in addition to working with business and other classes on campus, they will also meet individually with students and help student groups realize their dreams for projects and concepts.

For more information about the 厙ぴ勛圖 Entrepreneurs in Residence program, including how to get involved, visit .

 

Media contacts:

• Paul Carlisle, founder of elevate and adjunct faculty with the 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business, paul@elevate.net
• Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 director of marketing and communication, 509-372-7333 (office), 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� launched a new online Wine Tasting Room Certificate that trains winery and tasting room servers on wine business customer service, knowledge of Washington wines, sensory attributes of wine, as well as suggestions for selling wine.

The course, which costs $249, is comprised of four modules that take approximately eight hours to complete:

• Exploring wine
• Wines of Washington
• Keys to proper wine service and sales
• Wine tasting, evaluation and food pairing

���We worked closely with winery owners and tasting room managers to determine their needs and develop content that is specifically geared toward what wineries require for customer experience,��� said Joan Giese, 厙ぴ勛圖 Carson College of Business director of lifelong learning. ���The outcomes of this program are well-trained servers that are confident in their abilities to know, serve and sell wine, as well as well-served guests that are delighted with enjoyable tasting room experiences.���

For more information on the Wine Tasting Room Certificate program and to sign up, visit tricities.wsu.edu/wine-tasting-room-training.

Those who complete the course will learn about:

• How wine is made
• Styles of wine
• Types of grapes
• Unique aspects of Washington wines
• American Viticultural Areas specific to Washington state
• How to deliver great wine service to guests, including suggestions for selling wine and wine club memberships
• How to taste and describe wines
• How to serve wine flights
• How to determine wine faults
• How to make suggestions for wine and food pairings

���Upon testing this course in partnership with regional wineries, it has shown to provide winery and tasting room servers with the quality knowledge they need to enter into the profession, as well as a great baseline knowledge of what to know when working with customers in wine businesses,��� Giese said.

For questions about the Wine Tasting Room Certificate program, email tricities.professionaleducation@wsu.edu.

厙ぴ勛圖 is one of few universities nationwide that feature both programs in wine and beverage business management and wine science on the same campus. It is home to the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center ��� one of only a handful of comprehensive wine research facilities in the world.

For more information on 厙ぴ勛圖��� wine and beverage business management program, visit tricities.wsu.edu/business/undergraduate/wbm. For more information on 厙ぴ勛圖��� viticulture and enology (wine science) program, visit tricities.wsu.edu/wine-science-degree.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities is partnering with the Port of Benton to offer wine and culinary education at the newly reopened Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington.

The Clore Center was established in 2014 as the result of a $2 million grant from the Federal Economic Development Administration. It was named in honor of Walter Clore, who is largely known as the ���Father of Washington wine.��� The 15,000-square-foot facility features a tasting room, event space and educational center to teach individuals about Washington���s storied wine and agriculture industries.

As part of the new partnership, 厙ぴ勛圖 will offer seminars, events and coursework at the facility for both 厙ぴ勛圖 students and the public under its continuing education and workforce development programs. 厙ぴ勛圖 will also lead the curatorial direction and display of Clore���s historical wine archive at the center as part of its Washington Wine History Initiative.

Diahann Howard, PPM and executive director of the , said the partnership with 厙ぴ勛圖 presents an ideal opportunity for the center.

���WSU���s alignment with regional wine and culinary education is indisputable and we���re delighted to take this next step with them in ensuring Dr. Clore���s memory is honored,��� she said.

Reopening of the Clore Center

In Dec. 2020, the previous operator of the Clore Center was forced to close the center���s doors as a result of difficulties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Given 厙ぴ勛圖��� established programs in wine science, wine and beverage business management and hospitality business management, representatives from the Port of Benton reached out to 厙ぴ勛圖 to see if the university would be interested in providing educational programming at the center focusing on wine and agriculture.

厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes said 厙ぴ勛圖 was excited to partner.

���The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center is a true gem for not only the regional wine industry, but for the extensive Washington wine industry state-wide and beyond,��� she said. ���We are elated to offer programming that will not only educate individuals about the history of Washington state wine, but also provide sensory and other hands-on experiences that will allow individuals to do a deep dive into all that Washington wine has to offer.���

Educational programming led by 厙ぴ勛圖

Byron Marlowe, 厙ぴ勛圖 associate professor of hospitality and wine and beverage business management and Don Smith Distinguished Professor, will oversee educational programming at the center. He brings a wealth of knowledge in wine, culinary and hospitality business management. He recently returned home after teaching and completing research at the IMC University of Applied Sciences in Austria as part of the Fulbright Program, where he studied best practices for winery tasting room experiences that can be applied throughout the world.

Educational programming began at the center with students completing sensory components for the . Additional educational opportunities, including those open to the public, will be available, soon.

As programming becomes available, more information will be posted about offerings and opportunities to engage with the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center on its new website at��.

Washington State University���s School of Hospitality Business Management was ranked No.��2 in the nation by a global ranking organization.

The school was also ranked seventh in the world by the����in hospitality and tourism management.

The 2021��ranking, reported by the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, focuses on the strength of academic research in the fields of tourism and hospitality management, including international influence and recognition.

Last year, the school was ranked as No.��4 in the United��States and 11^th��in the world.

���The School of Hospitality Business Management���s advancement to higher rankings during COVID���19 speaks to the quality of our faculty, doctoral students, international reach and the ability to continue research and teaching productivity despite limitations posed by the global pandemic,��� said��, the school���s director and Ivar��B. Haglund Chair in Hospitality Business Management.

The hospitality program, which started in 1932, is part of WSU Carson College of Business.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� ��No one went to Oktoberfest in 2020, but chances are those who attended in the past are still thinking about it.

In a case study of the famous German beer festival, researchers tested the theory that events which create memorable experiences can increase life-satisfaction. This deep connection with customers has big benefits for associated businesses, according to Robert Harrington, lead author of the study recently published online in the��.

���If you can do something that transforms people even a little bit, it can have a huge impact on the success of your company and your brand,��� said Harrington, professor and director of the School of Hospitality Management at Washington State University Carson College of Business. ���The more customers are delighted, the more likely they are to be return customers. They are also more likely to give positive recommendations to friends and relatives, and particularly on social media. In today���s environment, people trust those reviews more than paid advertising.���

For the study, the researchers surveyed more than 820 people attending a festival beer tent over several days of the 2018 Oktoberfest. The majority of the respondents were male (56.8%) and largely German, though roughly 12% were from outside the country, including from Italy and the United States. The respondents answered questions related to food and beverage quality, connectedness, experience uniqueness, memorability and life satisfaction.

When the researchers analyzed the relationship among those answers, they found that connectedness to Oktoberfest, such as feeling a close association with a particular beer tent or to Oktoberfest traditions, influenced impressions of food and beverage quality and the uniqueness of the experience. These in turn influenced how highly the participants felt that attending the event increased their overall satisfaction with life.

The researchers purposely chose to study the annual beer festival in Munich because it is so well-known and brings together a mix of tourism and hospitality services.

���Oktoberfest has a very strong brand. It���s almost like a bucket-list event,��� said Harrington. ���As a significant event in visitors��� lives, there���s a greater likelihood that there���s a quantifiable measure of life satisfaction or sense of well-being from those experiences, as opposed to people going out to a neighborhood bar or restaurant.���

Emulating Oktoberfest, which attracts more than 7 million visitors a year, may be a tall order, but the researchers suggest that other businesses can learn from its success. Breweries or wineries can create regional or local events on a smaller scale. Like Oktoberfest, these events could bundle goods and services, such as a tasting that pairs beer or wine with food or adding an experience like a music performance or art show.

The idea is to invite customers to participate in creating a memorable experience that lasts, Harrington said.

���Once people go back home, they will want to bring up that memory again,��� said Harrington. ���They will go buy that beer because they went to a festival where they had a great time.���

This study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences and the Munich University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

 

Media contacts:

• Robert Harrington, School of Hospitality Management, 厙ぴ勛圖, 509-372-7487,��rharrington@wsu.edu
• Sara Zaske, WSU News and Media Relations, 509-335-4846,��sara.zaske@wsu.edu

New agreement helps students save on costs

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri-Cities signed a new agreement on Monday, Nov. 16, that creates a seamless pathway for students to complete their first two years at CBC and transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖, which saves students costs.

Students significantly save on costs, as students in the program do not pay for the transfer application to attend 厙ぴ勛圖, do not pay for the cost of their transcripts to transfer, and tuition is also frozen from their first semester enrolled at 厙ぴ勛圖. In other words, if tuition rates increase anytime while enrolled at 厙ぴ勛圖, students continue to pay the tuition rate from their first semester at 厙ぴ勛圖.

Students also benefit from one-on-one support throughout their educational journey from both CBC and 厙ぴ勛圖 from their first term in the program. They work directly with academic advisors from both institutions to solidify complete programs of study. This helps to ensure that students complete their degree programs on-time and reduce the likelihood of taking courses unnecessarily that won���t directly transfer.

Close partnership a win for all students

厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes said she is excited to sign a new agreement with CBC, as it helps reduce the complications and cost to students who wish to first attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year university.

���Our two institutions work together to create seamless pathways so that students can get the most out of their educational experience and graduate on-track,��on-time and career-ready,��� she said. ���With 厙ぴ勛圖 serving freshman, transfer, first-generation, low-income and non-traditional students, we are opening more doors to meet students where they are,��today.���

Woods said CBC is also excited to strengthen its partnership with 厙ぴ勛圖.

���Many of CBC’s graduates choose to become Cougs, while staying right here in the Tri-Cities,��� she said. ���This agreement smooths that transition. Whether a student chooses to pursue a four-year degree at CBC, 厙ぴ勛圖, or any other institution, we are committed to helping each student find their best path forward.���

Students see direct benefits

Dawn Hughes, a current 厙ぴ勛圖 education student and alumna of Columbia Basin College, said transferring from CBC to 厙ぴ勛圖 provided a great local and affordable option that was a best fit for both her and her family.

���I moved to Tri-Cities in 2006 and was raising a family,��� she said. ���When I decided to go back to school, it fit our budget and our busy schedule. It was also convenient because I could take classes in-person, locally.���

Hughes said she received tremendous support from both her instructors at CBC and 厙ぴ勛圖. When she started school, her sister was diagnosed with cancer. She served as her sister���s bone marrow transplant and was going to have to miss some school.

���My professors were so supportive through that,��� she said. ���Professors from both programs are that way. They want you to succeed.���

Apply to Bridges

Applications are open now for the Bridges Program. For more information and to apply, visit tricities.wsu.edu/bridges. To qualify for the Bridges Program, students must apply in their first year at CBC and complete the ���Declaration of Intent��� form. Have questions or want to meet with someone about your options? Email tricities.bridges@wsu.edu.

For more information about CBC, visit . For more information about 厙ぴ勛圖, visit tricities.wsu.edu.