Three win prizes in third quarter QUICK Award drawing

Kathy Davis
Communications

Ryan Hevly

Three WSDA employees are eligible to select a prize because their names were randomly selected in the latest QUICK Awards drawing. Agencywide, employees handed out 28 awards to coworkers across the state.

QUICK Awards are presented by employees who see their peers demonstrating good work and service to others – either inside or outside the agency. Here are the prize recipients from the most recent quarterly drawing.

Ryan Hevly – Fruit and Vegetable Inspection, Wenatchee 
Ryan was recognized for his work during this year’s cherry season. His willingness to be available whenever needed showed his team spirit. With a positive attitude, he took charge and explained options available to stakeholders in difficult situations. He took on any assignment at any time and got it done with the highest level of customer service. 

Patricia McCaffrey

Patricia McCaffrey – Financial Services, Olympia 
Pat received kudos for her assistance in tracking down baseline costs for the print management survey. Figuring out where to get started, her ideas and feedback, along with the financial data she provided, made this project a huge success. Her willingness to help and her warm demeanor were much appreciated and valued.  

Linda Condon – Food Safety, Olympia 
Linda has been an amazing resource for Ashlee-Rose Ferguson, the Animal Feed Regulatory Standards coordinator, on the details of the regulatory program standards. Linda provided many great Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards examples and valuable insight on many topics. 

Linda Condon

These winners may contact Robin Schaffer in Olympia or Brandy Thompson in Wenatchee to select a prize. 

December 31 next drawing deadline

When you catch one of your coworkers doing something special for staff or customers, why not let them know with a QUICK Award? You can find the award form on the intranet. Forms are also available from your division coordinator or agency receptionists.

In summary: WSDA staff presented 28 QUICK Awards during the third quarter of 2018. Three of their names were randomly drawn to receive prizes. See who they are and why they were recognized by their colleagues.

Yoshiro Ouye has traveled a long and winding career road

Kathy Davis
Communications

Talk about a diverse career path! Yoshiro Ouye, who is retiring from WSDA on Oct. 31, has worked in a variety of occupations before becoming an information technology professional. He is ending his state career serving as WSDA’s chief technology officer since January 2016. 

As a young man, Yoshi served in the U.S. Army in Erlangen, Germany. He received a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. 

After a stint as a training manager for a Federal Way food manufacturer, he became a correctional officer at the state’s Special Offender Center. 

He stayed on with state government, serving as an investigator, dealer licensing supervisor and administrative hearings officer at the Department of Licensing. At the Department of Labor & Industries, he pursued the IT track, promoting up to an IT program manager where he managed imaging and applications projects. 

At age 17, Yoshi was in the
U.S. Army, where he
served for four years.

WSDA’s important mission

His focus upon joining WSDA has been to “assist the IT staff and the agency to make our team a viable and successful part of the state technology infrastructure,” he said. 

Along the way, he’s had lots of opportunities to make changes and the support he needed to do so, he said. 

Among his most memorable experiences here was joining the agency’s Safety Program team and Human Resources director on an Eastern Washington tour of WSDA offices and agricultural facilities such as potato and apple processing plants.

Yoshi on a visit to a Yakima food bank, posing with a volunteer
(in pink shirt), and WSDA staff Jason Gambill, Julie Youmans
and Ron Hussung.

“It really made me aware of the importance of WSDA’s mission and how everyone working for the agency has such an important role in keeping our food and agriculture safe and viable,” he said. 

How well do you know Yoshi? You may not know that he placed second in the Kansas City Soap Box Derby and went on to stand by as the alternate in the Akron, Ohio race, in case the first-place winner could not compete. 

Next on this soon-to-be retiree’s to-do list is visiting several national parks on his way to his winter residence in Clearwater, Florida. Another goal is to work part-time at Walt Disney World because he said, “I love that place!” 

In summary: Yoshi Ouye, who has been WSDA’s chief technology officer since January 2016, will retire at the end of October. He ends his diverse state career with overseeing our agency’s information technology services team and direction. 

WSDA hosts nationwide ag communicators gathering

Kathy Davis
Communications

Cleaning Cosmic Crisp apples in anticipation of taking a bite are, from left,
Megan Finkenbinder, WSDA executive assistant to the director, Amanda Culp,
communications director of the National Association of State Departments of
Agriculture (NASDA), and Rebecca Allured, Nevada Department of Agriculture
public information officer.

Apples, potatoes, wine and water – those were a few of the uniquely Washington topics state ag agency communicators from all over the United States learned about in Richland at a recent conference hosted by WSDA. 

The Communication Officers of State Departments of Agriculture, or COSDA, held their annual meeting in Washington Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. WSDA’s Communication Director Hector Castro served as the organization’s president for the past year and the annual gathering is always held in the president’s home state.

It was an action-packed few days, especially for those of us on the Communications Office team. After many months of planning, it was show time as 75 COSDA members, presenters and sponsors converged at the conference venue on the Columbia River. 

This annual event is a mix of: 

• Updates from federal agency representatives.
• Workshop sessions that develop professional communication skills.
• Onsite tours to get first-hand exposure to the host state’s ag industry.
• Networking opportunities for state communicators to learn from and support each other on common issues and challenges. 

The workshops covered digital communications, such as using social media before and during a crisis and use of live streaming. A panel of news media representatives discussed how to work effectively with reporters and editors. 

Other workshops featured using clear language for customer understanding, and two sessions on employee communication. A panel of COSDA members presented successes and challenges of connecting with and informing ag agency workers. 

Hector Castro, WSDA communications director, looks up
from the floor of Easterday Farms onion packing plant, as
touring COSDA conference attendees got a birds-eye view.

In addition, we heard from the president of a consulting firm that works with major U.S. employers specifically to improve internal communications. Steve Baskin, from Tribe, Inc. based in Atlanta, presented strategies for reaching non-desk staff. This is a particular challenge for all agriculture agencies with inspectors and investigators who spend the bulk of their time away from a traditional office environment. 

WA ag tours

Of course, seeing is believing, so we loaded onto tour buses to show our guests how ag is done in Washington. 

Stops included the Washington State University center at Prosser, where the group learned about cutting-edge research into hops and apple production. As a special treat, we got to pick the famous in-development apple variety, Cosmic Crisp, and take a rare taste. 

Bill’s Berry Farm outside Grandview showed how enterprising farmers have embraced agritourism to stay profitable. We learned how this family is drawing increasing visitors with tours and seasonal festivals that mix food, fun and farming education. 

It wouldn’t be Washington without a spotlight on the growing wine industry. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center both informed and satisfied with a wine and cheese tasting and a sumptuous state-sourced meal. 

We also toured Ice Harbor Dam on the lower Snake River, and saw potato and onion processing and packing up close and personal.

The COSDA conference is primarily funded by member registration fees and sponsorship gifts. 
The goal is to boost the effectiveness of state communicators to convey the value and tell the story of agriculture. Since only 2 percent of the nation’s population lives on farms, it’s more important than ever to help non-farm consumers and citizens understand where their food comes from and how ag affects the economy, environment and culture of the U.S. 

The professional communicators who gathered in Richland have gone back to their home states with new tools and insights, as well as a better understanding of Washington’s agricultural landscape. 

In summary: State agricultural agency communication professionals from around the U.S. gathered in Richland to develop their skills, learn about Washington State ag, and strengthen their network. 

WSDA’s overseas reps are vital links to Asian markets

Kathy Davis
Communications

The International Marketing Program's overseas representatives, from left:
Scott Hitchman, Francis Lee, Dong Hwan Kim (Danny Kim),
and Li Haidong. 

If you are an ag business looking to export your product to Asia, it could help to know that living and storage space is much smaller there than in the U.S., so single-serve packaging will be more appealing to consumers. Super-size portions or big-box bulk packs are not going to go over as well. 

This is just one of the marketing tips offered by the four overseas representatives with whom WSDA’s International Marketing Program contracts to promote Washington agricultural products to Asian buyers. 

The four were in Washington State last month for their annual visit that includes scheduled one-on-one consultations with companies looking to start or expand selling their products overseas. In all, they met with 40 businesses in Seattle and Yakima from Sept. 17 through 21 and made six site visits throughout the state. 

Meet the reps

Here is where they are based and how long they have been representing WSDA’s International Marketing Program.

• Scott Hitchman, Tokyo, Japan, 25 years.

  

  Mike Smith with Loftus Ranches shows Washington-grown
  hops to Julie Johnson, Francis Lee and Li Haidong. 

• Li Haidong, Shanghai, China, 16 years. 
• Dong Hwan Kim (Danny Kim), Seoul, Korea, 5 years.
• Francis Lee, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 5 years. 

As liaisons between in-state sellers and overseas buyers, these reps juggle many tasks. They maintain databases of buyers, distributors and importers, keep up on market trends, industry news and regulatory compliance issues, and meet with businesses and government officials. 

They need to have a deep knowledge of all the factors that contribute to exporting success. 

In consulting with Washington producers, Francis says he always asks, “Are you market-ready?” For instance, for the long journey overseas, exporters must understand the complex logistics of packing and shipping by cargo ship or plane. 

What’s the Washington brand?

Our marketing reps work to make Washington State products stand out as distinct and desirable. The first hurdle is clearing up confusion with “the other Washington” (state versus D.C.). 

All the reps tout the Evergreen State for our clean, natural environment and stringent food safety regulations. They use videos to show our picturesque mountains, forests and rivers, and talk about how our farmers use best industry practices to grow and pack the safest food.  

WSDA's reps met with 40 state businesses in Seattle and Yakima to advise
them on how to start or expand exporting of their products.  

The prestige of Washington brands also benefits from association. Starbucks and Ichiro have helped put Seattle on the international map. This area also has a global reputation for craft foods and beverages. 

Sometimes popular culture gives a boost. Li said the film “Beijing meets Seattle” was a big box-office hit in China and made consumers more aware of the Pacific Northwest. 

Forty percent of our state’s economy is tied to trade and about one-third of agricultural products exported. WSDA’s international marketing reps play a vital role in opening markets that make Washington’s ag industry thrive.

In summary: WSDA contracts with four marketing representatives based in Asian countries who connect in-state sellers with overseas buyers and help our ag industry thrive through international trade. Learn about them in this Insider blog. 

Fragrances in the workplace represent more than pleasant smell

Julie Amell
Human Resources Director

Some might consider fragrance sensitivity to be a minor annoyance, but for a growing number of people, it is a life-altering condition.  

WSDA strives to be an inclusive environment where everyone is treated fairly and respectfully, has equal access to opportunities and resources, and can bring their full selves to the job. That means respecting our coworkers and making sure they can be comfortable and productive.  

Like all employers, we must also comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Recent case law is establishing that sensitivity or allergic reaction to fragrances can be a disability under the ADA. In a ruling involving a city of Detroit employee, the court found that when an employee has severe symptoms from exposure to odors or scents, that can be considered a disability. 

Employees who have medical reactions to fragrances report that certain odors, even in 
small amounts, can trigger an attack.  Some of these medical reactions include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness, lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Upper respiratory symptoms
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty concentrating
• Skin irritation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety 
• Confusion
• Loss of appetite 
• Depression 

What is it about the smell that causes these reactions? Most fragranced products contain chemicals that make the fragrance disperse widely. In many cases, the reaction is actually to the chemical in the fragrance. 

Since manufacturers are not required to reveal to consumers what chemicals are present in their fragranced products, including perfumes, we may not know exactly what is triggering the response.  

People with fragrance sensitivity have to make many choices about where they go and what activities they participate in to manage their sensitivities. Many with fragrance sensitivity can control it by avoiding certain stores, restaurants, or other public places. However, they do not have control over their need to work and the environment of their workplace. 

In recognizing the potential effects of fragrances in the workplace, WSDA aims to:

• Reduce medical reactions of employees. 
• Reduce office tension around fragrance use. 
• Create a more inclusive environment for employees and visitors.

What can we do?

We can be respectful and understanding of each other by being aware of how we may be affecting others in the close confines of our workplace.  

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Julie Amell, 360-902-1981.  

In summary: Bringing fragrances into the workplace can cause serious health effects for some coworkers. Recognizing fragrance sensitivity reflects respect and courtesy – and it is required by the law. Learn more in this Insider blog post.

ICSEW offers professional opportunities for women in state government

Kathy Davis
Communications

Every year, Washington’s Interagency Committee of State Employed Women (ICSEW) hosts a professional development conference, and this year’s event took place on Sept. 12 at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center. 

Ashley Blowers (in blue shirt), WSDA's representative
on the ICSEW, at the committee's annual conference. 

The agenda offered a wide variety of topics – such as career advice on state applications and interviewing tips, multigenerational workplaces, mentorships, public speaking, values alignment, leadership, and even financial first aid. 

I was a regular attendee this year. As WSDA’s ICSEW representative from 2014 to 2017, I was in the thick of conference planning and execution the previous two years. 

Now, Ashley Blowers, WSDA contracts specialist, is our agency representative and, she worked at the event. 

“It was such a great conference. The speakers were engaging and you could feel the excitement in the air,” Ashley said. “I learned to better understand what limiting beliefs I hold onto and how to break free from those to reach my goals. I highly recommend this annual conference for anyone looking to better themselves and connect with some awesome new people.”

Tips for focus and balance

My favorite workshop at the recent ICSEW conference focused on mindfulness at work. One of the presenters talked about Attention Deficit Trait, or ADT, which is becoming a hot topic in the workplace as the volume of distractions, information overload, and constant tech connection continues to grow. 

The workshop included research that found human brains wander 47 percent of the time. That means we are fully present and focused on our current task only about half the time. Training the brain through mindfulness practice can increase the quality of our attention. 

I also enjoyed the keynote speaker, Theresa Whitmarsh, executive director of the Washington State Investment Board. Teresa talked about her unlikely career path – from her first job as a forestry historian, to journalism, and then the financial world. 

ICSEW professional development conference
keynote speaker, Theresa Whitmarsh. 

She said that living a rural lifestyle on her farm in Thurston County keeps her grounded and real, balancing her professional life spent in meetings, boardrooms and travel. She called her work in her barn and fields “bovine therapy.” 

Professional development and networking

The ICSEW was established in 1970 by Gov. Dan Evans with a mission of bettering the lives of state employees through advocacy, outreach and opportunity. 

Being a representative or alternate offers rich opportunities to learn, practice new skills, and network with people across state government. Through subcommittee work, ICSEW members are involved in conference planning, legislation tracking, wellness activities (including the annual fair), community support and outreach, mentoring, and lots more. 

ICSEW events are interactive and safe spaces where anyone with a desire to better themselves would be right at home. Events provide an excellent opportunity to network with other highly motivated professionals. Topics focus not only on career advancement, but also on personal growth. 

Getting involved

Ashley is looking for two or three agency colleagues who are interested in becoming ICSEW alternates. As such, you would be required to attend bimonthly meetings when Ashley is unable to attend, and any other meetings you choose. 

“I hope some other employees are interested in getting involved in ICSEW to increase WSDA’s involvement and take advantage of this opportunity for professional development,” she said. “This group passionately supports the advancement of women in Washington State. Many matters affecting women would not have the visibility they do without ICSEW.”

The general meetings, which are generally held in the Olympia area, are open to all and attending is a great way to learn more about ICSEW. If you are interested, contact Ashley about attending. 

In summary: The ICSEW annual professional development conference offered a great opportunity to learn, reflect and network for career and personal growth. WSDA is seeking interested staff to become involved in ICSEW. Read the Insider for more details.

Discovery phase of agency website project complete

Hector Castro
Communications 

The team working to update WSDA’s website heard plenty from staff members and stakeholders recently, information that will help them as they design a new public agency website. 

Some of the folks at Status Not Quo working on WSDA's website redesign. 

This first phase of the work, the discovery stage, has now been completed. For this step, the web design firm, Status Not Quo (SNQ), focused on learning what people thought of the current website and what they would like to see in a new one. 

To gather this information, the SNQ team met with the WSDA project steering committee and held two days of focus group meetings with staff representing each of the agency’s six divisions. 

The firm also created a seven-question survey that was posted on our homepage and Facebook, shared with managers and staff, and emailed to more than 20,000 stakeholder and customer addresses provided by staff.

In all, 739 surveys were fully completed.

Consistent feedback

The results from all of these efforts were remarkably consistent. Among all the groups, when asked what they liked about the current website, the most frequent answer was the amount of information our website contains.

When asked what they liked least about our current website, difficulty navigating our website and how our information is organized came up the most often.

SNQ also asked, “What  do  you  feel  are  the  three  most  important  features  the  website  should  provide?” The most common response by far was “ease of use.” 

More members of the SNQ project team. 

In general, the focus groups and survey results showed that those who use our website want a new site that is:

• Intuitive and easy to use.  
• Streamlined, with shorter content and fewer clicks.  
• Mobile friendly.  
• More topically driven.  
• Representative of all divisions.  
• Easy to update, and thus more dynamic.  
• Standardized in design. 

Those of you who participated in the focus groups or the survey have played an important role in shaping what our new website will look like and how it will function. 

The next step of the project will focus on planning how to migrate our current content on to the new website. Some programs are already working to review the content on their web pages. Now would be the perfect time to delete old information, rewrite and reorganize your pages and bring them up-to-date.  

In summary: A survey and focus groups were used to gather information to help the project team that is working toward a redesigned WSDA public website. Much of the feedback was consistent across the board.