SIMBA Members: A Holiday Message from our Board President
Dear SIMBA Members,
As president of the SIMBA Board, I wanted to reach out as we celebrate the holidays and prepare our New Year’s resolutions, and add another reason to have some cheer. I believe it is vital that the Board and I acknowledge the amazing and thoughtful work by our powerhouse staff of two, Robin Haynes and Alexis McLaughlin, in 2025. It is under their tutelage and guidance that free or extremely low-cost programming designed to help independent and local Eastern Washington businesses and entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow their businesses and nonprofits has provided the following:
825 individual consults with over 280 unique businesses and nonprofits across 13 Eastern Washington Counties;
Almost 1000 on-demand video workshop views; and
Dozens of in-person, Zoom, and hybrid workshops with hundreds of attendees.
We at SIMBA believe that this critical work needs to be done because the answer to equitable, regional economic sustainability lies in an active, diverse, locally-owned businesses and nonprofits ecosystem that can engage with the community. When we all support and patronize these local businesses and nonprofits, we revitalize our community and celebrate the richness of the varied cultures in our region.
I also want to welcome our new employee, Emily Phelps. Her passion for local businesses and environmental issues is a perfect addition to our already excellent staff. The Board and I look forward to collaborating with her, as she helps us continue SIMBA's work and explores ways to expand our reach and impact in the region.
I also want to take a moment to thank you for being a SIMBA Member and for your continued support of our staff’s work. You are more than just a member; you are an ambassador for our organization. Your stories are vital to increasing and expanding the impact of SIMBA’s Mission, Vision, and Values with each other and with our community at large to grow not only our membership but our impact. We encourage you to share your support of SIMBA with fellow business owners, non-profit leaders, and community members. Make sure you are maximizing your member benefits and encouraging others to use our resources, like our flagship program, the (free) Live Local INW Directory and Marketplace, which has 25,000+ unique visits per month and counting from community members and visitors who want to support local just like you do. Know a local business that is missing from Live Local? Have them sign up for free here.
Last but not least, I encourage you, as members, to consider the following for 2026:
Volunteer at SIMBA events. We could use help tabling at community events and assisting at fundraisers - mark your calendar for our first-ever gala fundraising event, The SIMBA Circus on May 16, 2026. It'll be unlike any nonprofit event you've attended.
Join a SIMBA Committee. We have several new and existing committees to join in 2026, including Member Engagement, Audit, Annual Event Planning, Revenue Development, and more. We'll do a call for committee members in January. It is important that members’ voices are part of SIMBA's future steps.
Join the Board. We have an incredible team of six, and we'd love to grow to 9 in time. The strength of our board is only maintained by having broad representation that reflects our membership from different demographics, industries, and regions. All our voices are needed to shape the local economy we collectively envision. Please reach out to me directly if you'd like to join our Board.
The Board and I wish you all the best in 2026,
Juan A. Mas, juan@purplecrayonpictures.com
SIMBA Board President
