Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

Great news for the Rainier Valley! Ballard Organics Soap Company is moving from the University District to the Valley and is poised to expand its operations. This will mean new job opportunities for people in Rainier Valley. This move is largely attributable to the work of the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund (RVCDF) and the City’s Office of Economic Development (OED). I once served as legal counsel to the RVCDF and am currently a member of the Housing and Economic Development Committee.

The Ballard Organics Soap Company is the first and only soap producer in the state to be certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The company started in 2007 and its sales grew by 113% in 2008, with another 104% growth projected over the next four years. The company had expansion needs and sought a loan to gear up for it. Specifically, they needed a larger space, new equipment and a larger inventory of raw materials to produce their product. Because of our country’s economic condition, Ballard Organics had difficulty in securing financing. I applaud the work of OED’s Business Relationship Manager, Lance Randall and RVCDF’s Executive Director, Martina Guilfoil. The fruit of their efforts will be a great benefit to the Rainier Valley and hopefully spur continued growth and economic development.

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