Reprinted from the Aug. 2010 Insider
The Ocean Companies, including Ocean Gold Seafoods, Ocean Protein, Ocean Cold and Ocean Express have been involved with the Grays Harbor Chamber of Commerce for the past five years. This year, they chose to join the Chamber for the first time as Gold Leaders Circle Members.
“We’ve always believed our relationship with the Grays Harbor Chamber has been positive,” explained Richard Carroll, VP Intergovernmental Affairs and an active chamber board member. “Our industry is critical to this region and the chamber has always been supportive of our efforts to continue to develop our business over the years.”
The numbers underscore just how important the fishing industry is to our county. Westport, for example, is the fifth largest port for edible landed catch in the nation and the largest port for landed catch of Pacific Whiting on the West Coast. During the fishing season, the Ocean Companies represent the second largest employer in the county. And they are always looking for new ways to innovate and develop business areas.
Ocean Gold Seafoods, the Westport processor of whiting, crab, tuna, sardines, and other fish has been around since the early 90’s when it was a live crab operation on the dock called Merino’s Seafood. When Dennis Rydman and Francis Miller bought into the company in the mid-90s, it became Ocean Gold Seafoods and began expanding the crab business to include other fish markets. It’s first business expansion then came in 2005, when the Ocean Protein fishmeal plant opened in Hoquiam.
Later, in 2008, the company launched a 90,000 square foot cold storage facility called Ocean Cold and a newly launched trucking division kicked off this year called Ocean Express.
Because the company is becoming more fully integrated with divisions that handle a host of areas within the fishing industry, the Ocean Companies believe now more than ever it is important to partner with the Chamber.
“We share the same vision,” added Carroll. “We want to see Grays Harbor County prosper and for there to be more opportunities for entrepreneurial growth. Working together with the chamber we can achieve those goals.”
For the Ocean Companies, those goals are communicated with the mission to “Keep Grays Harbor Fishing.” It’s an idea the company has designed to unify its diverse growth and better focus its mission. According to the Ocean Companies, the Keep Grays Harbor Fishing campaign is about three main goals: Good Jobs. Clean Oceans. Strong Communities.
“If we can filter our business decisions through those core goals,” added Carroll, “we can ensure that we will keep Grays Harbor fishing.”
The company is even launching a new website: www.keepgraysharborfishing.com, that explains this idea further and details more about each division of the company.
“When you look at our Gold Membership with the Chamber,” Carroll added, “you can see that it helps us achieve at least two of our three stated goals. Good jobs are supported with the host of hiring and job training functions we see at the Chamber. And strong communities are developed with opportunities to work with other businesses and community groups in the area. So from our perspective, being a Gold member with the Chamber is a good decision because it Keeps Grays Harbor Fishing.”
