CEO Guide to Site Selection

Washington

The Sky is the Limit

Washington’s high concentration of R&D and STEM talent has made it a national leader in innovation capacity. A recent WalletHub assessment ranked the district fifth most innovative, based on its share of STEM professionals and projected jobs. The clean energy, aerospace and life sciences sectors continue to attract investments from global corporations. Aerospace remains a primary economic driver, accounting for $18 billion of the state’s $45 billion in exported commodities in 2024.

“We are working to expand family-wage jobs and support key industries across our state, especially in rural and underserved communities.”
Bob Furguson
Governor

TAXES

No corporate income tax

# 0

on the Tax Foundation’s State Tax Competitiveness Index

EDUCATION

0 %

of adults 25 years of age and older graduated high school

0 %

of adults age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

0 %

RIGHT TO WORK STATE

No

QUALITY OF LIFE

# 0

POPULATION GROWTH

0 %

increase between 2020 and 2024

KEY INCENTIVES

Job Skills Program: Offers a competitive grant, averaging $1,200 per trainee, to help employers partner with colleges to develop training solutions.

Sales and Use Tax Exemption on Equipment: Offers a tax exemption for machinery and equipment used directly in a manufacturing or R&D operation.

Sales and Use Tax Deferral for Clean Tech Projects: Offers a deferral and possible reduction of up to 100 percent of sales and use taxes for eligible investments in clean technology projects and renewable energy facilities.

EDCs

Washington State Department of Commerce

choosewashingtonstate.com

Seattle Office of Economic Development

seattle.ecdev.org

Advantage Spokane

advantagespokane.com

Make it Tacoma

makeittacoma.com

BIG DEALS

  • The American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center was awarded $48 million in January 2025 to help develop a tech hub in Spokane.
  • Amazon announced in September 2025 that it would expand its offices in suburban Seattle.
  • Microsoft continues to modernize and expand its Redwood campus.
  • Manzana Products is investing in a facility in Sunnyside that will employ 150 people.

BIG COMPANIES

Eleven Fortune 500 company HQs in the state.

Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.