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VSH has an equation for growth

Matt Benoit
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VSH has an equation for growth

Lydia Ahn says VSH sees itself as a firm of the future. 

The Bellingham-headquartered certified public accounting firm, founded in 1997, has grown from a small local business to one with dozens of employees, multiple offices and clients across the United States and the world. 

Its future, Ahn said, is one focused on deepening strategic financial partnerships with clients, expanding high-impact advisory services and streamlining operations through technology — freeing up the firm’s experts to deliver even more clarity and value.

“We’re really focused on not letting geographic boundaries define how we operate,” said Ahn, a partner who leads the firm’s cross-border and global families department. “We have a really dynamic up-and-coming partner group that we’re really excited about.”

Ahn is currently joined at VSH by Managing Partner Chris Sullivan, partners Matt Roetcisoender and Kathy Herndon, and soon-to-be-partner Madison Price Zender — in addition to nearly 50 other employees who work in their Bellingham or Burlington offices or remotely elsewhere in Washington state.

Herndon plans to retire in 2026, with a thoughtful succession plan already in place to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for her clients. The firm’s leadership is committed to continuity, with trusted partners stepping in to carry forward Herndon’s standard of clarity, care and long-term partnership.

What accounting firms provide

There often are misconceptions, Ahn said, about what CPA firms can provide a business owner.

Beyond financial compliance and tax matters, VSH provides a multitude of business advisory services and long-term strategy. These include identifying operational “pain points,” improving cash flow management, guiding ownership transitions, navigating tariff planning and handling expansions (including into additional states or countries) and internal accounting matters. The firm also offers financial statement compilations, reviews, audits and business valuations.

While there are a number of CPA firms throughout Bellingham and the region, Ahn said VSH stands out for its locally owned structure and boutique-level, relationship-driven approach.

“Long-term relationships with our clients are really important to us,” she said. “We want to be a strategic partner with business owners.”

Roetcisoender and Price Zender bring expertise in advising owner-operators and family-owned businesses, which are plentiful throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties. Meanwhile, nearly half of the firm’s client base is international, primarily in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Other clients have footprints throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia and South America.

When it comes to dealing with the rocky landscape of international tariffs, Ahn said VSH is being proactive, supporting clients with ideas and resources and encouraging them to prepare as much as they can to weather any storms. The volatility of tariffs under the present US administration has made that planning extra challenging, she added.

VSH also has the ability to provide expert accounting resources well beyond its own offices through its membership in the US arm of the BDO Alliance, an international association of local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms.

That wealth of resources allows VSH the ability to enhance client services and broaden its capabilities with the latest industry information, providing better flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

The tools of tomorrow

VSH also is making investments in accounting technology, Ahn said, including the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence into accounting software.

So far, AI has proven to be a helpful tool for the firm’s professionals, helping automate routine processes but not replacing the humans who make the job possible.

“We are excited for it,” Ahn said of further AI advancements. “We’re not using it to do the job of an accountant but to enhance the value that we bring to our clients. It’s freeing up time to focus on the advising and consulting aspects of our work so we can better do the analyses and make recommendations on the numbers instead of spending all our time in the numbers.”

Ahn emphasized that incorporating AI isn’t about lowering costs — it’s about elevating the quality of service, empowering the firm’s experts to spend more time on the complex, forward-looking work on which clients truly rely.

Gains in efficiency and focus, she added, will likely help VSH advance its 10-year vision: expanding its advisory services and strengthening its position as a strategic partner to business owners.

A third brick-and-mortar office may eventually be in the offing, but for now, Ahn said the firm is maximizing the use of its existing spaces: the Barkley Village office on Rimland Drive, which VSH has called home since the early 2000s, and its Burlington office, which came to fruition around 2015.

The next generation

In addition to having an energetic and talented partner group, VSH also is working to inspire and teach the next generation of up-and-coming accounting professionals.

The firm sits on the accounting advisory committee at Western Washington University and provides presentations on various topics to accounting students and members of Beta Alpha Psi, the university’s honors accounting society. Ahn also sits on the accounting and finance advisory committee at Whatcom Community College.

Presentations include such topics as what it’s like to be a public accounting professional, so that when students enter the job market, they have a better understanding of what awaits them at firms like VSH.  

 “We’re very active in mentorship opportunities and in providing internships for college students,” Ahn said. “We’re usually doing something with Western every quarter.” ■

NOV | DEC 2025

WBA
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NOV | DEC 2025

All American Marine — A powerful presence on our working waterfront

Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy
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All American Marine — A powerful presence on our working waterfront

If you’ve walked onto a foot ferry or taken a dinner cruise or whale-watching tour anywhere in the Puget Sound region, you’ve likely been on an aluminum boat built by local company All American Marine. AAM has a dozen boats operating in the Puget Sound and many more around the country. Even more likely, as you stepped aboard, you took the wondrous machine beneath your feet for granted.

But if you walked into AAM’s 57,000-square-foot building on Hilton Avenue in Bellingham and saw those beautiful boats arising from the shop floor, you’d realize what modern marvels of engineering and craftsmanship they are. The shop — though you can’t call it that because it’s more like an aerospace manufacturing facility — includes four cavernous bays housing giant, gleaming aluminum vessels in various stages of assembly. In one bay, the 108-foot monohull Harbor Breeze, with three decks and a 350-passenger capacity, looms high overhead (more on that boat later). In another, a 77-foot research vessel being built for the University of North Carolina Wilmington is positioned upside down for efficient welding; a “rotisserie” at the front and back will soon roll it over for installation of the pilot house and decking. In another bay, you can stroll beneath the twin hulls of a 65-foot catamaran to view the chines and hydrofoil “wing” that partially lifts the hulls out of the water, producing a boat that delivers more speed with less fuel. The robust hydrofoil is shaped like an airplane’s wing, providing the same lift through water as a plane’s wings do through air. 

Hydrofoils supercharge growth

AAM has built high-speed, hydrofoil-assisted aluminum catamarans since 1999, when it gained exclusive North American building rights to the New Zealand design. That type of boat is AAM’s bread and butter. The company also specializes in hybrid-electric ferries, tour boats and research vessels, said Ron Wille, president and chief operating officer. AAM is known for clean-propulsion vessels, including hydrogen fuel cell, hybrid, and battery-electric. The company has 80 full-time employees and gross sales north of $20 million. Hiring of skilled trades is ongoing.

Like its vessels, AAM’s growth, especially over the past 25 years, has been supercharged. AAM was founded in 1987 in Fairhaven as a builder of aluminum fishing boats. It’s come a long way since then. Now (as of this magazine’s press time), it is to launch the first US-built parallel-hybrid ferry (that 350-passenger ferry mentioned earlier), which is headed for Harbor Breeze Cruises in Long Beach, California. Parallel means the vessel can be driven by electric motors, diesel engines or both at once. That gives operators the option of using quiet, zero-emission operation in a harbor or diesel assist for longer range. Batteries can be charged while connected to shore power or via its engines while underway.

“Our current Harbor Breeze build is the first of its kind that’s set up in this configuration,” Wille said.

Crafting vessels

AAM leadership is happy to be known nationally for its zero-emission and hydro-propulsion commercial aluminum vessels — and locally as a significant waterfront presence.

“We create and sustain family-wage maritime jobs in Whatcom County,” Wille said. “We’re proud to be a major employer and anchor business in Bellingham, fabricating almost entirely in-house. We don’t manufacture engines or doors or carpet here, but we install all of it and fabricate all the aluminum.”

And what fabrication it is. Massive rectangular plates of aluminum come in one door, and finished commercial aluminum boats roll out the other. In between, computer numerical control routers cut the plate into parts while writing instructions for welding right onto the parts. The lion’s share of labor within AAM is welding and fabrication, Wille said.

That’s why AAM resembles an aluminum manufacturing business or aerospace facility more than a traditional shipyard, said Daniel Zech, business development manager.    

“We analyze every part and piece that goes into a boat,” said Bronson Lamb, marketing manager. “We use the lightest, best parts. Weight matters. The lighter we make boats, the less energy they use. Efficiency is in our DNA here.”

Visiting clients have commented on AAM’s output. 

“One of our competitors built six boats over the last seven years,” Wille said. “We built 20.”

Ever forward

AAM moved into its current, purpose-built facility in 2017.

“This building has enabled us to be more efficient,” Wille said. “The Port of Bellingham has been a fantastic partner.”

AAM’s waterfront location allows finished vessels to be loaded onto a waiting 150-foot trailer and then launched at Squalicum Harbor’s public ramp — at “oh-dark-thirty, high tide,” Wille said.

Today, the majority of AAM’s business are those aluminum, hydrofoil-assisted, diesel-powered catamarans that use a third less fuel than the industry standard, Lamb said. But projects currently occupying AAM bays show variety — including the 80-foot passenger vessel with a quad water-jet propulsion system that can do 34 knots. That one is headed for cruise duty with Phillips Cruises & Tours in Alaska, which takes folks up close to view glaciers. Wille said AAM delivered one vessel like that to Phillips in May 2025, and within 60 days the company ordered another.

AAM has built multiple boats for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over the years. Notable research vessels built since 2018 include vessels for customers such as Duke University, University of Hawaii, California Polytechnic State University and, again, NOAA. The boat for Cal Poly, North Wind, was awarded Ship of the Year for 2025 by the publication Professional Mariner.

“Our people here are building some of the best boats in the world,” Wille said. “It’s my honor to help lead them.”

Other newsworthy AAM events include the 2018 launch of the large-capacity 128-foot tour boat Enhydra, a hybrid-propulsion milestone for the US market; the 2021 launch of the 70-foot Sea Change, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell commercial ferry; and the 2023 installation of two new CNC router tables and a 550-ton CNC press brake into the facility. 

Wille joined AAM in 2018 as director of business development, coming from AAM customer Kenai Fjords Tours in Seward, Alaska. He gained his current title of president and chief operating officer in 2021. That year, AAM was purchased by Bryton Marine Group, North America’s largest private, family-owned builder of aluminum boats. “We went from working for one family to working for another, and it was an exceptionally smooth transition,” Wille said. Besides AAM, Bryton Marine Group brands include Alumacraft, BRIX Marine, Duckworth, EagleCraft, KingFisher Boats, Weldcraft, and Freshwater Marina in Campbell River, BC.

AAM has produced 20 aluminum vessels since 2018 and 100 total since its 1987 founding. Today, the company’s boats skim waters along the West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii and throughout the country. That includes boats that patrol, research and cruise.

So, next time you step aboard a foot ferry or excursion boat, think about the craftsmanship beneath your feet — and the Bellingham folks who built it.

To view the timeline graphic for All American Marine, go to the Home page and click on Current issue, then flip to Page 24 in the magazine.

WANTED: more high wage jobs

Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy
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WANTED: more high wage jobs

Whatcom County needs more shovel-ready industrial land — nearly twice as much as we have now. To prosper over the next 20 years, the county is projected to require between 782 and 917 acres of “fully served” industrial land.

We currently have 485 acres.

What’s “fully served”? It means land that is:

• along truck freight corridors that connect industrial areas to Interstate 5;

• ready-to-develop, industrially zoned property within a half mile of an I-5 interchange;

• at least five acres in size, with some parcels at least 20 acres; and

• able to be coordinated among local governments, the Port of Bellingham, and providers of water, sewer and power.

All this is from the Port of Bellingham’s recent study that identified what high-wage businesses here need to grow.

Here’s the nuance in that study: Whatcom County does have enough industrially zoned land for growth through 2045, but it’s not fully served. Utility access, parcel size and transport currently limit its use.

So, work needs to be done. Tyler Schroeder is director of economic development at the Port of Bellingham. His job is to retain and expand living-wage jobs, so he has a clear understanding of what’s needed: Expand wetland mitigation, improve freight corridor infrastructure, promote consistent regulations and preserve space for established and emerging industries.

A few obstacles

Let’s look at wetlands first — and wetland mitigation banking. That’s a system that provides for the establishment or preservation of wetlands to compensate for unavoidable impacts elsewhere. “Nearly half of the industrially zoned land in Whatcom County has a wetland and associated buffer that can’t be developed,” Schroeder said. (The city of Bellingham is working on establishing a wetland mitigation bank.)

Next, freight corridors. The recent study will act as a baseline document for the future improvement and expansion of corridors, Schroeder said. This can be done through coordination with the Whatcom Council of Governments to identify a regional freight network using existing and forecast truck volumes, adjacent land use and roadway design.

What about consistent regulations and preserving space? Schroeder said the study has been received favorably by port, county and city leadership. Consistency requires aligning zoning with desired industries, prioritizing high-wage businesses, identifying allowed uses that don’t contribute high-wage jobs, and eliminating non-industrial uses in industrial zones.

One way to bring that about is a “target employment” method used by other cities. “A business could seek endorsement if they are bringing in or retaining targeted employment,” Schroeder said. “We as a community would define those targets.” If the business wins an endorsement, it could get expedited permitting, lower fees, grants or loans.

“Responsive state and local governments and expedited permitting are important for site selection for businesses and consultants,” Schroeder said.

How do we compare?

How competitive is Whatcom County in keeping and expanding high-wage industrial jobs compared to our neighbors along I-5? Compared to counties such as Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, King, Kitsap, Skagit and Snohomish, Whatcom’s manufacturing employment is decreasing, with no new facilities for manufacturing built here since 2010. A bright spot is that Whatcom’s food and beverage processing sector is growing, supported by improvements in refrigeration and other developments in cold storage buildings, Schroeder said.

Whatcom shows a strong advantage in marine industries, with more than 6,000 jobs — including commercial fishing, trucking and logistics, recreational boating, and the chandleries and other businesses that cater to them, Schroeder said. “More than a thousand of those jobs are commercial fishing-related jobs that not only provide for fishermen and their families but also provide a bounty of wild-caught fish that Whatcom County residents enjoy at restaurants and grocery stores.”

Even the tech industry, often thought to be distant from the marine trades, is impacted by the maritime economy here. Schroeder points to the local examples of Corvus Energy, a marine battery energy storage company, and All American Marine, a commercial aluminum boatbuilder that in 2022 delivered the 70-foot Sea Change, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell commercial ferry with that specific configuration, to the Bay Area.

In Washington, the tech and maritime industries intersect in a “blue economy,” where technology is developed and applied to improve the maritime sector.

Another economic strength in Whatcom is agriculture — especially raspberries, blueberries and dairy (or “berry and dairy,” as old-timers say).

Recent successes in Whatcom’s manufacturing growth include Marcon Metal, which has created dozens of family-wage jobs, Schroeder said. Corvus Energy established its first US manufacturing in a port-owned building in Fairhaven.

The Port of Bellingham continues to work with existing businesses, Schroeder said. “We have a couple of exciting opportunities with local businesses that we hope to be able to announce in the near future.”

Local ‘youthpreneurs’ awarded $9,000 to support their small businesses

Matt Benoit
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Local ‘youthpreneurs’ awarded $9,000 to support their small businesses

For the past several years, three Bellingham entrepreneurs have been meeting early on Friday mornings in the forests of Sudden Valley, taking walks and talking shop.

Discussions among the three men — Isaac Burrous, co-owner of Kent’s Garden & Nursery; Brandon Nelson, local real estate agent with Compass Real Estate; and Trevor Swezey, founder of Highline Construction — have included creating a way to give back to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Those discussions led to the creation of the Youthpreneurs of Northwest Washington program, which awards business grants to three recipients between the ages of 16 and 21 who reside in Whatcom or Skagit counties.

The first-ever trio of winners was announced this summer, with an awards ceremony held in August at Kent’s Garden & Nursery. 

Malachi Larsen, a 19-year-old Burlington-Edison High School graduate, was named 2025 Youthpreneur of the Year and awarded $5,000 toward his business, Pacific Kickz. Larsen was joined by honorable mention winners Ella Jones, 16, and Gunnar Williamson, 17, who each received $2,000 toward their entrepreneurial exploits.

“We wanted to find people that have grit and determination, and that’s present with all three of these students,” said Swezey at the awards ceremony. “What they’re doing now may not be what they do in 20 years, but the reality is that they’re all learning valuable skills now that they can take into the future. We’re excited and proud to support them and give them a leg up.”

Larsen’s business, Pacific Kickz, is a local and online-based company that buys, sells and trades collectible sneakers. He founded the business as a sophomore; it has since exceeded six figures in sales revenue, with an average return on investment of 20% to 30%.

“It’s almost like ‘Pawn Stars,’ but for sneakers,” Larsen explained. 

Being recognized for his hard work, he added, means the world to him, especially since Pacific Kickz’ founding came during a challenging personal time in which Larsen entered the foster care system. 

Larsen’s passion for sneakers, capacity to handle risk and impressive success made him stand out, Swezey said. 

“In terms of running a legitimate business that can turn into something that you can support a family off of, achieving that goal while you’re still in high school shows that you are well on the path to something that is a sustainable business down the road,” he told Larsen.

Larsen said he plans to use the award money to cover inventory and marketing expenses, with the rest going toward his college education at Skagit Valley College. He plans to pursue an associate degree in business. 

Ella Jones, now a junior at Burlington-Edison High School, was awarded despite not being old enough to actually apply for the program.

Nevertheless, Jones — who turned 16 in September — said the risk of rejection was worth taking, just as it was when she founded Ella’s Photo Booth — an open-air photo booth for events — her freshman year. 

“To be an entrepreneur, you have to take risks and be willing to try things,” she said.

After taking a loan from her parents, Jones began buying photo equipment, including a tripod, tablet, props and numerous photo backdrops. In the past two years, her photo booth has appeared at high school dances and auctions, as well as birthday parties and the John L. Scott holiday party.

Burrous, the co-owner of Kent’s Garden & Nursery, said they were impressed by Jones’ initiative. The spirit of entrepreneurship, he added, is often imbued with the knowledge of what rules to break and what rules to take.

Jones said she plans to use her award to purchase a printer so photos can be printed on-site in strips, as traditional photo booths do.

Gunnar Williamson, now a Burlington-Edison senior, received his reward for founding Custom Freeze Drying LLC — a company that prepares, packages and sells freeze-dried fruits, candies and meals.

Williamson’s father approached Gunnar with the idea of selling freeze-dried foods after the family acquired a freeze dryer several years ago. It started with sales to friends and classmates, and now, Williamson’s initial investments toward his business have been totally paid for through his hard work. 

The freeze-drying process removes all water from the foods, Williamson said, enhancing flavor while still retaining nearly all nutrients.

“It melts on your tongue,” he said of eating freeze-dried food. “It throws a crunch in everything.”

Williamson will put his money toward proper permitting of his business, with the rest going toward equipment that will enable him to be a vendor at fairs and farmers markets.

For the three men inspired to create the program, giving away $9,000 to these young business owners was very rewarding.

“It just fills my heart to be part of their journey,” Swezey said. “Because I know that it can be hard, intense and scary to run your own business. They’re at a different stage in life, and it’s a different scale than my own situation, but that passion they have can continue and lead to bigger things. And the bigger things, they have teeth.”

For Nelson, who advocates for having a vision, staying focused and remaining determined, the pluck of these youthful entrepreneurs reminds him of his favorite description of what one is.

“My favorite definition of the entrepreneur,” he said, “is someone who likes to jump off a cliff and build an airplane on the way down.”

Featured image, left to right: Brandon Nelson, Gunnar Williamson, Ella Jones, Isaac Burrous, Malachi Larsen and Trevor Swezey. Courtesy image.

Update on the effort to protect access to natural gas for your home and business

Dann Mead Smith
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Update on the effort to protect access to natural gas for your home and business

Members of the Whatcom Business Alliance and readers of Business Pulse will recall that in November, voters passed Initiative 2066.  This statewide ballot measure, which was approved by nearly two million voters in last year’s General Election, requires that utilities continue to provide natural gas service to commercial and residential customers. I-2066 also repeals regulations passed by the Washington State Building Code Council that restrict the use of natural gas.

The State Supreme Court just announced it will accept direct review of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Initiative 2066.  This means that it will go directly from the King County Superior Court where a judge earlier this year ruled that the initiative was unconstitutional to the State Supreme Court and not be heard by the Court of Appeals, which is the news that the Building Industry Association of Washington, the main sponsor of I-2066, as well as the State Attorney General’s office, was hoping for.

“After fighting countless political efforts to ban natural gas, BIAW crafted I-2066 with a clear and singular goal—preserving natural gas as an energy choice for current and future homeowners in Washington—once and for all,” said BIAW’s Executive Vice President Greg Lane. “In just seven weeks, we collected more than a half a million signatures to bring the issue to the ballot. Then nearly two million people voted yes on I-2066. That’s because maintaining natural gas choice gives homeowners options, reduces stress on our energy grid and helps lower the cost of utilities and housing for everyone.”

The Building Code Council has not implemented the changes required by I-2066 with the initiative tied up in the courts, so homeowners and businesses are stuck in the middle of this legal fight and cannot depend on the future of using natural gas.

In addition, eight trade associations in our state, including BIAW, sent a letter to the US Attorney General in late May asking the Justice Department to act on President Trump’s executive order from April removing impediments to domestic energy production by enforcing federal law and preventing states from enacting harmful gas bans (source The Center Square, June 3, 2025).

Some background on this issue from the Building Industry Association of Washington:

After spending years fighting multiple efforts to ban or restrict natural gas as an energy choice in Washington, BIAW filed the initiative in May 2024. Shortly after filing, opponents unsuccessfully challenged the initiative’s title that delayed the ability to gather signatures. Both sides ultimately agreed to the title that appeared before voters last November which is important to note as this case heads to the State Supreme Court.

Despite the legal delay, BIAW, Let’s Go Washington and natural gas proponents gathered more than a half a million signatures in just a few weeks. Opponents then filed an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging the certification process.

“Opponents have fought us every step of the way,” BIAW’s Greg Lane said. “We’re confident the Washington State Supreme Court will reject this latest challenge as the frivolous claim it is.”

Environmental groups, the City of Seattle, and King County challenged the constitutionality of the new initiative shortly after it passed in 2024. BIAW and the Washington Attorney General’s Office countered their arguments that I-2066 violates the single-subject requirements in the State Constitution.

King County Superior Court Judge Sandra Widlan heard the constitutional challenge to I-2066 in March of this year with former Governor Jay Inslee in the courtroom. Inslee, who appointed Widlan, made banning natural gas a top priority during his time as governor. Shortly after hearing arguments, Judge Widlan issued an oral ruling in favor of the Plaintiffs claiming that it violated Washington’s “single subject rule” for initiatives saying it was too broad and combined multiple subjects “that could confuse voters.” She then waited nearly two more months before filing the final order, which is unusual, delaying the ability to appeal and keeping the implementation in limbo for thousands of homeowners and businesses.

Now that the state’s highest court has accepted direct review of the I-2066 case, the case will be on the court’s calendar for a hearing later this fall or winter 2026. Stay tuned to WBA’s Advocacy page for further updates on this important issue to Whatcom County and homeowners and businesses across our state.

SEP | OCT 2025

WBA
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SEP | OCT 2025

Edaleen Dairy celebrates half a century

Mary Louise Van Dyke
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Edaleen Dairy celebrates half a century

For 50 years, Whatcom County residents and visitors have savored local Edaleen Dairy products, from fresh milk to delicious ice cream available in 40-plus flavors.

Founders Ed and Aileen Brandsma launched their farm-to-store business in 1975 with a small herd of cows. Their motivation was fueled by Ed’s frustration with not having “a whole lot of voice” over the price at which he could sell milk to a local co-op, said Mitch Moorlag, general manager and the Brandsmas’ son-in-law.

The couple constructed a dairy and processing plant next to the family farm in north Lynden and added a dairy store on the Guide Meridian in Lynden. The name Edaleen combines their names.

The store originally focused on selling milk. Ice cream — including Fudgy Wudgy, Caramel Cashew, White Chocolate Raspberry and more than 37 other delicious flavors — was later added to the menu. Whatcom County residents and visitors from Canada and elsewhere quickly fell in love, lining up to buy ice cream available in cones, cups and gallon-sized buckets.

Today’s shoppers purchase ice cream and other items, including milk, butter, cheese, bread, eggs, sandwiches and Edaleen-themed souvenirs at the business’s five stores, located in Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden and Sumas.

Ed and Aileen, now retired, were honored this past summer when they served as grand marshals for the Lynden Farmers Day Parade.

Moorlag keeps busy as he oversees farm and plant operations. These days, there are a lot more cows to keep happy and healthy and many more acres to care for, along with ensuring product quality control and sustainability.

“We milk just over a thousand cows, a mix of Holstein and Jersey cows,” he said.

The farm uses a robotic system that allows cows to be milked on demand. Within 24 hours, the fresh product travels about two miles to the plant for pasteurization and bottling or for a transformation into ice cream.

In total, the farm, processing plant and stores employ about 120 full-time and part-time workers. Moorlag stays in constant communication with managers and other employees to discuss daily needs and determine what steps are needed when planning next year’s crops or meeting other company requirements.

The dairy uses an anaerobic digester to create fertilizer and pathogen-free fiber bedding for the cows and to convert methane gases into electricity by burning biofuels.

Edaleen grows its own corn and grass to ensure total control over the cows’ diets. The farm also raises peas to sell in grocery stores, with leftover foliage turned into pea hay for the cows.

However, doing business in 2025 poses tough challenges that unfortunately can’t be easily solved, Moorlag said.

In the past, the Canadian quota system for how much dairy was produced resulted in higher prices for milk produced in British Columbia. In the 1980s and 1990s, Canadians crossed the border into Whatcom County to purchase items such as milk, gas, beer and other products available at lower rates.

But the current exchange rate doesn’t favor Edaleen — or other Whatcom County businesses — especially at the company’s three main border stores in Blaine, Sumas and on the Guide,
Moorlag said.

Increasing labor costs and ongoing maintenance and repair expenses impact the dairy’s bottom line.

“My greatest business concern is just really the overall ability to acquire and retain great employees with the rising costs associated with the costs of living in Whatcom County and Washington state,” Moorlag said.

The current Nooksack River Basin water adjudication legal process, with water rights for Whatcom County users yet to be determined, is a huge concern for Edaleen.

Asked what the future holds, Moorlag reflected: “Our hope would be that we would be in where we feel is a good spot for us to be. That we can remain a viable business that is able to give back to the communities that we do business in here in north Whatcom County.”

Whatcom County’s economy in 2025: bracing for uncertainty while betting on itself

Jack McKissen
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Whatcom County’s economy in 2025: bracing for uncertainty while betting on itself

Editor’s note: In late spring, the Whatcom Business Alliance sent out a Business Confidence Survey to all WBA members — business owners and leaders in our community. The questions asked were designed to explore how the local economy and businesses are affected by recent tax increases, tariffs and threats of an impending recession.*

If you want to understand how the business community in Whatcom County feels about the economy in 2025, the results of the Whatcom Business Alliance’s latest Business Confidence Survey are a great place to start. The results are clear, and while there are threads of optimism locally, the national mood is one of cautious skepticism.

According to the survey, nearly 58% of respondents conduct business locally or regionally, with 57% of businesses operating on a national or international scale. Over 91% surveyed are concerned about their business as we move into 2026. That’s a pretty stark perspective on the national economic climate — and it mirrors what other economic surveys, including data from recent economic analyses, have shown.

But when it comes to the local economy, caution gives way to optimism. More than 85% of Whatcom County businesses are stable or growing, and less than 5% report they are struggling. Nearly 61% expect to invest in their business in the next 12 months, with only 22% unlikely to invest in equipment, expanding their facilities or launching projects — and that reflects local resiliency.

“Local businesses understand the national economy is facing headwinds, from inflation to labor shortages to regulatory uncertainty,” said Barbara Chase, executive director of the WBA. “But Whatcom County has proven time and again that it can weather national storms with strong community ties, responsible leadership and a work ethic that doesn’t quit.”

For the full story, complete with charts and graphs showing results from this important business survey, please click here and turn to Page 16 in the online magazine.

Family-based business serves niche market

Elisa Claassen
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Family-based business serves niche market

Several generations of the VanderHoek family of Lynden have created not one, not two, but three sporting goods businesses – so far – that have evolved from one generation to the next within the realm of sporting goods.

Make that four businesses, actually – but more on that later.

Jude’s Sporting Goods and Housewares and Dave’s Sports Shop were two of them. The latest enterprise, Borderview International Firearms Logistics, overseen by Joel VanderHoek, is focused on shipping sports firearms across borders.

“Ever since my Grandpa Jude (VanderHoek) started his business in 1957, our family has been involved with lawfully transferring sporting firearms to our Canadian neighbors,” Joel VanderHoek said. “As regulations increased over the years, they adapted – until around Sept. 11, 2001, after which the regulations and border environment tightened. Decades ago, Dad (as Dave’s Sports Shop) used to be able to sell a rifle to a licensed Canadian and bring it to the border, where he’d hand it off, and the Canadian would fill out a form and pay a small fee.”

The events of 9/11 created a lot of changes for many people and businesses. Dave’s was one of them, as the company paused its cross-border gun sales until 2008.

“They stopped doing imports and exports around 9/11,” VanderHoek said, “until one day around 2007 my Dad called me while I was in college at Seattle Pacific University to ask if I could help figure out how to do the paperwork. I dug deep into all of the rules and regulations, and the rest is history.”

VanderHoek’s own résumé includes more than 14 years at his current company as the founder and president. Prior to that, he was the business development manager for Dave’s Sports Shop, the two-year board president for the Lynden Chamber of Commerce, and the founder and president of GunsAbroad (formerly Northbound Sporting LLC), from November 2012 to December 2018.

Where they started & where they are going

Jude’s shop started in downtown Lynden and eventually moved to Fairway Shopping Center, where it continued to sell both sporting goods and homewares such as paint and garden supplies. Eventually, the business divided between partners to become what are now Ace Hardware and Dave’s Sports Shop, located side by side. Dave’s focuses on a full line of apparel, ammunition and gear for hunting and fishing.

Borderview originally was part of Dave’s but became a separate legal entity in 2011, now conducting its US operations on Evergreen Street in Lynden, near the intersection between Main Street and Guide Meridian. Joel’s parents, Dave and Claudia VanderHoek, sold Dave’s Sports Shop in 2022 to Will and Jenn Lathrop, mentoring them to make the transition as seamless as possible.

“From complex to surprisingly simple,” the Borderview website proclaims. It continues: “The government has created multiple barriers, making it extremely difficult for an average person to ship guns across the border. We agree that it’s too complicated. Bureaucracy and red tape shouldn’t get in the way of good people getting guns across the border for good reasons.”

In a video, VanderHoek explains the process to future customers: Borderview ships thousands of guns safely, legally and efficiently, providing in-person customs clearance. First, customers must fill out the import/export form and talk with staff to review the pricing and timeline and ask questions. Second, customers send the firearms and let Borderview’s staff do the rest. Third, customers review confirmation of approval and delivery across the border.

VanderHoek said in addition to the service of driving the company van to the border with the completed paperwork and product, the team has developed relationships with border personnel, and that has made a big difference.

“We know them and have built a sterling reputation of compliance,” he said.

Behind the scenes is where the work happens. Borderview staff have turned countless regulations and permits into a single form, because they do the needed paperwork and have the experience. The company also partners with
Gunbroker.com, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the National Rifle Association Business Alliance, Canadian Shooting Stars, CSAA Insurance Group, Project Childsafe, the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, and others.

Joel’s company is on both sides of the border, with offices within a few miles of it on both sides. There isn’t much direct competition for these services, he said. Customers find him via online searches and by word of mouth, and he and his team also go to trade shows.

Change is inevitable

Business is impacted constantly by factors that can’t be controlled, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 9/11 attack, economic disparities and tariffs.

VanderHoek, who has been watching the continuing changes with tariffs, acknowledges the uncertainty.

“We are working hard to be a source of clear, concise and trusted information on the actual impact of the tariffs on our product categories,” he said. “The changes have been so complicated and so back and forth that even legal and customs professionals that we engage with regularly have had a hard time tracking it all. For our business customers — Canadian retail stores, auction houses and manufacturers — their businesses rely on timely and accurate information. We have made it our goal to provide this to the very best of our ability. This builds trust with our customers but is frankly something we do just to help out.”

The only constant — perhaps especially in the gun import and export business — is change, he said. 

“We face all of the impact of constantly changing gun laws in both the United States and Canada, as well as the rest of the implications and changes of foreign trade. The US underwent a major ‘export control reform’ effort culminating in a complete overhaul of the export licensing jurisdiction and process for our goods in March of 2020. Then the pandemic hit, of course. Since then, Canada has banned many models of firearms, starting with a list in May 2020 then banning the importation and sale of all handguns in 2022, followed by additional model-specific ban lists issued in December 2024 and March 2025.”

Nearly 100% of Borderview’s business is with Canadians.

“We used to work more with Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and beyond but about five years ago decided to focus nearly exclusively on US/Canada business. We ship both directions — export and import, to and from Canada.”

The fourth business

VanderHoek’s oldest son, Jude, just 8 years old, started his own related business in 2024: Jude’s Locker. Jude, named for his grandfather, provides locked storage for those wanting to safely store their firearms.

Joel VanderHoek said he respects his son’s work ethic and desire to be entrepreneurial.

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