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Hearth Insight
June 2024

Scott Ongley
President

Edward Hosack/Alaska Rep
Vice President

Ryann Blake
Secretary/ At Large

Pat Braddock
Treasurer/At Large

Jeff Davidson

Daniel Hammer

Troy Olsen

Debbie Hannig

Jake Armstrong

Bill Given/Western WA Rep

Open/Eastern WA Rep

Chris Patterson/Idaho Regional Director/HPBA Region 9 Rep

Guy Hanson/Montana Regional Director

Carolyn Logue/Lobbyist

Harvey Gail
Spire Management
Executive Director

This digital publication will teach you to grow your business through articles by the top experts in our industry.
Each issue will give you access to new products and innovation, as well as provide national market insights so you are never in the dark.

Click here to start reading!
Conference Recap
This year’s Region 9 Conference took place in picturesque Hood River, Oregon, and showcased a blend of insightful presentations, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities.

Conference sessions delved into many diverse topics, ranging to the evolving landscape of wood stoves to hiring and inspiring Gen Z. NWHPBA would like to thank all of our speakers who made this conference a success:

  • Scott Ongley, NWHPBA President
  • Edward Hosack, NWHPBA Vice President
  • Tim Read, WhyFire
  • John Crouch, HPBA Gov. Affairs
  • Carolyn Logue, NWHPBA Lobbyist
  • Corey Krill, HPBA Gov. Affairs
  • Natasha Jackson, NW Gas Association
  • Jill McClure, President & CEO HPBA
  • Dan Hammer
  • Ryann Blake
President's Message
Dear Membership,

Summer is upon us and the Hearth Industry in the PNW is hot and cold - and somewhere in between - depending on what city you are in. It seems builder / remodeler sales are staying brisk while retail sales are off a bit, as to be expected in an election year!

Our Joint Spring Conference with OHPBA in Hood River, Oregon was a great success! We would love to see all our members at this conference in the years to come. If you have not been to the Spring Conference, you and your employees are missing hours of fabulous training and networking with fellow hearth shops throughout our region. Nothing is better than getting fresh ideas on showroom décor, employee relations, sales and maintenance techniques and all that makes a store more successful! Look for dates and times for Spring Conference 2025 and be sure to attend.

Ban the Gas Ban is in Full Swing! Washington State Initiative I-2066 is gathering 405,000 signatures to get this very important item on this fall's ballot. Polling shows that 70+ % of Washington residents want to retain choice in energy products and want to continue to have natural gas in their homes now and in future homes! We have until June 28th to get these signatures so please get the word out. There are several places to sign the petition. If you need help locating a site, please contact us. Thank you to all those who have pledged and donated money to this effort. We are still seeking more funds to fight this battle. If you would like to donate, please contact us. We are seeking $1000.00 minimum from every member which is a small amount considering this could ruin your business!!!

I wish you all a safe and successful summer. Happy grilling and happy vacationing. I am looking forward to a great season in 2024-25.

The NWHPBA Board would like to hear from all our membership about fresh ideas as to how we can continue to serve you best. Please call me directly anytime at 360-606-6731 with your ideas.

Best Wishes,
Scott H. Ongley, NWHPBA President
Beware of Scammers Posing as Labor and Industries
Washington construction contractors are reporting that scammers falsely claiming to be from Labor and Industries (L&I) are demanding they pay money over the phone to ensure their contractor registration remains valid. 

The callers imply that their registration is suspended and that paying a $50 fee will reinstate their license. But the callers are not from L&I, and the money is not going to L&I.

Please don’t fall for this scam! L&I will never call contractors over the phone asking for payment to reinstate contractor registration. While we have heard about this scam the past couple years, it appears to be picking up recently based on contractor reports. Some contractors are receiving emails and texts with the same false information as in the telephone calls.

If you receive one of these calls, hang up immediately. If you receive a text or email that appears to carry this message, don’t open it.

Check your Status

You can check the status of your contractor registration at Lni.wa.gov/Verify. If you have questions, email Contractor Registration at contreg@lni.wa.gov or call 1-800-647-0982.  
NWHPBA 2024 Government Affairs Update
“Ban the Ban” Update - IP 2066

NWHPBA has been working directly with our members to protect energy choice in Washington State. Let's Go Washington and The Main Street Matters to Washington PACs are collecting signatures for Initiative Measure No. 2066, an initiative that would require utilities and local governments to offer natural gas service to all eligible customers.

They need to gather 405,000 signatures by July 5 for the initiative to appear on Washington’s November ballot.

Many of our NWHPBA member businesses – and a few Oregon members - have donated to this initiative or volunteered as signing locations and ballot signature drop-off sites. After the fund raising campaign is over, NWHBPA will have raised over $100,000 to support this initiative. Thanks go out to Carolyn Logue, NWHPBA lobbyist, Edward Hosack and Daniel Hammer for their hard work on this project.

Organizers are asking that I-2066 Petitions be turned in by June 28. They need 405,000 signatures by the end of the month to meet the July 5 deadline to qualify I-2066 for the November ballot! if you are helping with signatures, please mail in or drop off your petition sheet(s) on or before June 28. Every signature counts. They ask that they are turned in, even if it's just a few on a sheet.  

Super Signer Events in the Works

Let’s Go Washington has partnered with BIAW and local associations to make it easier than ever to sign or return signed petitions! Check out the latest super signing events:

• Super Signing Event with Amanda McKinney & Chris Corry in Yakima, Effin Egg Yakima, West Nob Hill Boulevard, Yakima, June 22 from 9 am to 1 pm
• Super Signing Event with Senator Lynda Wilson, Representative Paul Harris & City Councilor Bart Hansen, Hotel Indigo - Near valet, Waterfront Way, Vancouver, June 22 from 10 am to 2 pm, Kitsap Mall Food Court, Kitsap Mall, Silverdale Way Northwest, Silverdale, Saturday, June 22 – 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday, June 23 – Noon to 6 pm
• Super Signing Event with Ari Hoffman, South Side of Fairway Center,1750 Front Street, Lynden, June 23 from 9 am to 2 pm
• Super Signing Event in Centralia, Eubanks Glass, West Main Street, Centralia, June 27 from 11 am to 2 pm
• Johnson’s Home and Garden, Maple Valley-Black Diamond Road, Maple Valley, June 29 from 9 to 11:30 am
• Super Signing Event with Amanda McKinney in Yakima, Chalet Place Mall, Yakima, June 29 from 9 am to 1 pm
 
No Super Signing events in your area? Don’t worry! Aside from super-signing events, Let’s Go Washington has hundreds of signing and petition drop-off locations around the state. They add new pop-up super signing events and drop-off locations every day so check back frequently.

*PLEASE CALL AHEAD: Locations may have turned in their packets already or may have changed hours, etc. Please call ahead to confirm availability.

If you can’t find a place to return your initiative, please contact Let’s Go Washington!
Mark Your Calendars - HPB Expo 2025
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and regulations that impact your business and the hearth and
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Whether you are a retailer, distributor, manufacturer, or consumer of these products, your voice is needed to protect this industry.

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We want to hear from you!!!
The NWHPBA Communications Committee publishes the Hearth Insight monthly. If you have a story or article you would like to have shared. Email the office.
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