Magazine

When the digital revolution began in the late 20th century and continued through the 2020s, the promise was that work would become easier, and there would be fewer hands-on tasks. However, as we sit in 2026, mired in a cornucopia of technology and all-inclusive computer systems, one thing remains the same — direct person-to-person customer service still rules the day.

Boeing’s long-standing partnerships with community and technical colleges across Washington are helping students gain the skills and opportunities needed to launch successful aerospace careers — fueling both individual futures and the region’s economy.

Meet the region’s most driven manufacturers and aerospace suppliers — all under one roof. The 2026 Manufacturing Suppliers Expo returns October 19-20 with a simple mission: connect buyers and suppliers in a focused, high‑value environment. No noise. No clutter. No massive trade‑show overwhelm. Just real conversations, real opportunities, and real business. Join us and be part of a growing regional movement to build a stronger, more resilient manufacturing base.

The aerospace manufacturing environment focuses on developing components for commercial and defense aerospace. However, there are many essential facets of a manufacturing facility that are necessary, but often unseen. The flooring, tank liners, parking structures, and physical facility repairs are some of those items — vital, but not always considered.

Many people have asked me, “why are we hosting a low-cost trade show event?” It is a simple answer. We are a builder…

In aerospace, we tend to focus on the tangible — machines, parts, certifications, and capacity — things you can measure, quote, and deliver. But there’s another layer that doesn’t always show up on a balance sheet, yet it influences all of it. Community. Not in the feel-good sense, but in a very real, very practical business sense.

Sarah Clifthorne is the Washington State Department of Commerce’s interim director. She was first appointed as the agency’s deputy director, and her career includes more than two decades of public policy experience bringing together government, industry and community partners.

FFFFFfffffffffftttttt……puuppff! That brief, exciting, and unpredictable sound of a model rocket shooting into the sky above an open stretch of farmland defines so many weekends of my youth growing up in the rural outskirts of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.