Washington Family Business Awards 2012: Midsize Firms (51-150 employees)

GOLD WINNER:
Cascade Gasket and Manufacturing Co.

City: Kent
Employees: 135

Drawn by the promise of Boeing, Detroit gasket maker Franklin Marshall Terry, known to everyone as Mart, brought his young family to Seattle after World War II. He set up shop in 1946 in a former chicken coop on East Marginal Way, making sheet-metal gaskets on a converted printing press. Over the years, Cascade Gasket and Manufacturing, relocated to Kent, grew steadily with Terrys ability to diversify, including shifting to molding carbon-based materials and fabric-coated seals, which solidified the companys aerospace niche.

Cascade Gasket was nimble, in part, because Mart Terry and his wife, Mildred, were the only stockholders until the 1990s. They made all company decisions together, says company president Lee Terry, the Terrys daughter. After all, the survival of the family rested on the success of Cascade Gasket.

Lee Terry was brought into the company in 1983 after 17 years at Boeing, and eventually became the general manager. After her mother died and her father was spending less time at the office, she knew the company needed to reposition itself for the world market, and it was something she couldnt handle alone. In a critical move, the company in 2004 brought in a general manager from outside the family, Mike Moran. With experience in Lean Manufacturing, Moran has helped Cascade Gasket increase revenues by 45 percent during the past three years.

SILVER WINNER:
Canlis Restaurant

City: Seattle
Employees: 80

On any given night at Canlis Restaurant, youll find Mark or Brian Canlis working the house. Grandsons of Peter Canlis, who opened the modernist icon perched above Lake Union more than 60 years ago, these third-generation owners are guided by a core belief that immediate family sets the tone, values and tempo of the operation. They keep relationships strong with a family lunch every Friday; an annual management development week in some warm, exotic location; Canlis Camp to nurture future leaders; and a strong track record of community support. Last December, Canlis set aside $500,000 to assist Seattle-area nonprofits through its Canlis Matching Campaign.

SILVER WINNER:
The Woods Coffee

City: Lynden
Employees: 82

Wes Herman says he got the idea for The Woods Coffee after seeing the dent that coffee shop purchases put in his four teenagers wallets. He wanted in on that revenue stream. So the Herman family pooled their talents and resources. Eldest daughter Natalie came up with the name. Son Taylor developed the logo, and in 2002 they opened their first coffee shop on Bender Road in Lynden. After six months, they opened their second location and havent looked back. Today, The Woods has its own commissary bakery and 12 stores in Whatcom County. Expired baked goods are given to local food shelters and 50 gallons of coffee are donated weekly to various charities.

More information: Washington Family Business Awards 2012