Family Business Awards -- Midsize Companies: 51 to 150 employees
WINNER: Rainier Connect
Location: Tacoma
Employees: 58
When Pete Christensen won a small, rural telephone company in a game of pinochle, little could he imagine it would grow into a diversified telecommunications enterprise run by his great-great grandson. It was 1912, and the young carpenter from Denmark was focused on more immediate concerns, including enlisting his daughter to operate the small wooden switchboard that provided phone service to Eatonville.
During the next few decades, Mashell Telephone and Telegraph was run by Christensen, then by his two sons in succession, followed by his grandson, Arne Haynes. Haynes, who died in August, left his job at a cedar shingle mill to grow the company from 300 to 1,800 customers.
When Arne Haynes was set to retire in 1990, his son, Skip Haynes, then a partner at Ernst & Young, faced selling the company or taking over. He jumped in with both feet, immediately moving to diversify and modernize to stay competitive in a market radically altered by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. He added internet and cable service, and made significant inroads providing business service in Chehalis and Centralia—under the name Rainier Group. He also served as chairman of the U.S. Telecom Association, where he was instrumental in making it the leading telecommunications organization in the country.
“We’ve always rolled with the punches. We’ve always taken risks,” says Skip’s son, Brian Haynes, now CEO, president and fifth-generation owner. But Rainier Connect’s biggest strategic asset is the family’s deep local roots. “We’re not leaving,” Brian Haynes says. “We’re here for the long term.” — L.W.
Runner-Up: MacKay Manufacturing
Location: Spokane
Employees: 114
Ringing in its 25th year, MacKay Manufacturing has a lot to celebrate. Since Mike and Debra MacKay bought a 20-person machine shop in 1986, the business has grown into a globally recognized manufacturing company that employs more than 100 people and grosses sales of more than $20 million yearly. Family involvement has likewise grown to include the MacKays’ son, daughter and nephew. The maker of medical devices invests heavily in its employees’ well being, subsidizing trade education and sponsoring community events throughout the greater Spokane area. — S.D.
Runner-Up: Metals Fabrication Co.
Location: Airway Heights
Employees: 65
Founded as a trailer manufacturer by Mark Weaver in 1966, Metals Fabrication Company is a structural steel fabricator near Spokane now situated on 20 acres in Airway Heights with a 120,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, a private rail spur and the latest technological upgrades. Weaver’s son and daughter, Todd and Sara, now own and manage the business. They have worked hard to modernize the firm, keep their workforce intact during the economic downturn and participate actively in the community. — S.W.
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