Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Information about Schedule O (Form 990 or 990-EZ) and its instructions is at| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| FORM 990 - ORGANIZATION'S MISSION | (WFIA) THE ONLY STATE-BASED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE GROCERY INDUSTRY SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 1899. WE ARE COMPOSED OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS, MEANING PRIVATELY OWNED OR CONTROLLED FOOD RETAIL COMPANIES OPERATING IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS, AND THE MANY WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS, FOOD VENDORS/MANUFACTURERS AND SERVICE SUPPLIERS WHO SUPPORT AND WORK WITH THEIR RETAILERS. INDEPENDENTS ARE THE TRUE "ENTREPRENEURS" OF THE GROCERY INDUSTRY AND ARE DEDICATED TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, ASSOCIATES, AND NEIGHBORS, AND ARE OFTEN THE HEARTS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. WFIA STRIVES TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE INDEPENDENTS AND THEIR SUPPLIERS THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT SAVE MONEY IN RETROSPECTIVE RATING, AND REDUCES EXCESSIVE BURDENS OR BARRIERS FOR EMPLOYERS BY WORKING WITH STATE LEGISLATURE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4A | COMPLETED STRATEGIC PLAN WITH PRIORITY FOCUS ON: EXPANDING MEMBER INVOLVEMENT THROUGH REGIONAL MEETINGS; CREATING GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPLIER AND RETAILER BUSINESS CONNECTIONS; IMPROVING SPECIALIZED COMMUNICATIONS ON SUPPLIER LEGISLATIVE ISSUES THAT ENCOURAGES ADVOCACY INVOLVEMENT; DEVELOP ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AND SERVICES OPPORTUNITIES; BOLSTER STAFF RESOURCES AND SKILLS TO IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS; CONTINUE 1 FOCUS ON LEGISLATIVE ACTION TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE INDEPENDENT GROCERY DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY; CONTINUE EXPANSION OF THE WORKERS' COMP RETRO MEMBER SERVICE WITH PRIMARY FOCUS ON SAFETY, INJURY PREVENTION, AND INCREASED PREMIUM REFUNDS FOR RETAILERS AND SUPPLIERS; DIVERSIFY REVENUE SOURCES TO ASSURE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY; RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND COOPERATION, AFFILIATION, AND/OR MERGERS WITH LIKE-MINDED BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTINUED BUILDING OF A GREAT FOOD INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION. SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED MEMBER INVOLVEMENT BY 75% IN THE "FOOD ACTION" GRASSROOTS NETWORK: THIS SOCIAL MEDIA SYSTEM MAKES IT EASY FOR WFIA TO COMMUNICATE ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE CAUSING INCREASED INDUSTRY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTLY WITH THEIR HOME AND OFFICE LEGISLATORS ON PRIORITY PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES. CONTINUED TO BUILD MEMBER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL: THIS YEAR 29 MEMBERS ATTENDED THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND COMPLETED 119 ONE-ON-ONE LEGISLATIVE VISITS IN ONE DAY TO DISCUSS PRIORITY PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY. A GREAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION - PUBLISHED NEW LAWS BOOKLET: EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT NEW LAWS ARE ON THE HORIZON SO THEY CAN STAY IN COMPLIANCE AND AVOID ANY AGENCY PENALTIES. WFIA PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL NEW LAWS PUBLICATION THAT PROVIDES THIS INFORMATION AND ALSO HIGHLIGHTS OUR GREATEST LEGISLATIVE SUCCESS SUCH AS: DEFEATED A 12 MINIMUM WAGE BILL; PASSED AUTHORITY TO SELL BEER GROWLERS IN GROCERY STORES; DEFEATED A CAPITAL GAINS TAX AND THE GOVERNOR'S CARBON TAX; PASSED AN INCREASED GAS TAX WITH PRIORITY FOCUS ON FREIGHT MOBILITY PROJECTS; DEFEATED MANDATED PAID SICK AND VACATION LEAVE AND MUCH MORE. REQUEST A COPY OF OUR NEW LAWS & LEGISLATIVE REVIEW PUBLICATION BY EMAILING INFO@WA- FOOD-IND.ORG. WOW WFIA MEMBERS EARNED A QUARTER OF A MILLION 'S IN ONE YEAR IN RETRO WORKERS' COMP PREMIUM REFUNDS: OVER 200 RETAIL AND SUPPLIER MEMBERS OF THE WFIA ARE SMART BUSINESS PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO BEAT LABOR & INDUSTRIES HIGH WORKERS' COMP PREMIUMS IS TO UTILIZE THE WFIA WORKERS' COMP RETRO PROGRAM. EXPERT SAFETY AND CLAIMS MANAGERS OF ERNWEST ADMINISTER THIS MOST VALUED WFIA MEMBER SERVICE. WFIA IS CONSISTENTLY A LEADER IN REFORMING WORKERS' COMP ADMINISTRATION: RECOGNIZED BY LABOR & INDUSTRIES AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CAUSING MAJOR CHANGES TO THE TIMELY PROCESS OF SCHEDULING INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EXAMS TO HASTEN CLAIMS CLOSURE, AS APPROPRIATE. EIGHT OF WFIA MEMBERS TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ADVOCATE THE INTERESTS OF THE INDUSTRY: IT WAS A POWERFUL TEAM OF INDEPENDENT OWNERS OF GROCERY STORES AND SUPPLIERS WHO TRAVELED WITH WFIA TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO DISCUSS IMPORTANT INDUSTRY ISSUES BEFORE CONGRESS. WE RECEIVED A WARM WELCOME IN MOST OFFICES AS OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HAS LONG LEARNED THAT WE COME EQUIPPED WITH FACTS TO SUPPORT THE POSITIONS AND REQUESTS WE REPRESENT. IN FACT, WFIA WAS FEATURED BEFORE ALL ATTENDEES AT THE NATIONWIDE SUPERMARKET FLY-IN TO SHARE OUR PROCESS FOR PREPARING FOR DYNAMIC AND INFORMED VISITS. WFIA'S CEO SHARES HER LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS SKILLS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WITH FMI: JAN GEE, PRESIDENT & CEO OF WFIA, ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO SERVE ON THE NATIONAL FOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE (FMI) GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. GEE'S LEADERSHIP AND PRESENCE ON COMMITTEES SUCH AS THIS HELPS TO BRING THE STATE'S PERSPECTIVE TO NATIONAL ISSUES AND EXPAND HER KNOWLEDGE OF EMERGING ISSUES AT BOTH THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL. WFIA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION HAS GIVEN OVER 14,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS: SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE WFIA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION IN 2014, OVER 14,000 DOLLARS HAS BEEN AWARDED TO WELL-DESERVING INDIVIDUALS IN THE GROCERY INDUSTRY WHO ARE STRIVING TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES AND THE COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY THEM. WFIA CELEBRATED RECORD BREAKING SPONSORSHIP FOR THE BEST BAGGER BATTLE: THANKS TO MANY GENEROUS SPONSORS, WFIA WAS ABLE TO DONATE 10,000 TO THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE GROCERY INDUSTRY. WASHINGTON STATE CHAMPION DAVID TOCHINSKIY OF ROSAUERS SUPERMARKET WENT ON TO REPRESENT OUR STATE AT NATIONALS AND BECAME THE 2015 NATIONAL BEST BAGGER AND TOOK HOME THE GRAND PRIZE OF 10,000. 2015 INDUSTRY AWARDS RECEPTION: WE HONORED OUTSTANDING BUSINESS LEADERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO THE PROSPERITY, ETHICS, AND IMAGE OF THE INDEPENDENT GROCERY INDUSTRY. GROCER OF THE YEAR: WALLA WALLA'S HARVEST FOODS (NOLAN & KATHLEEN LOCKWOOD; VENDOR OF THE YEAR: URM STORES (RAY SPRINKLE,PRESIDENT); EXCELLENCE IN OPERATIONS: ANDERSON'S GROCERY (CO-OWNERS: KARI BEEDLE, JULIE PADILLA, AND JUDEE YOUNG); COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS: HANK'S HARVEST FOODS (HANK KONRAD, OWNER) AND THE MYERS GROUP (TYLER MYERS,OWNER). NGA SPIRIT OF AMERICA AWARD: REPRESENTATIVE JT WILCOX (R-2). |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 7A | OFFICERS ARE ELECTED BY THE MEMBERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 11B | THE PRESIDENT AND VICE CHAIR-FINANCE REVIEW THE TAX RETURN PRIOR TO FILING WITH THE IRS. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 12C | QUARTERLY AT EACH BOARD MEETING, EACH MEMBER ACKNOWLEDGES THEY HAVE REVIEWED ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. ALSO, AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND NEW BOARD MEMBER ORIENTATION, ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE REMINDED OF WHAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS, AND ARE ASKED TO DESCRIBE ANY CONFLICTS THEY MIGHT HAVE WITH THE ORGANIZATION. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15A | THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REVIEWS AND APPROVES THE PRESIDENT'S COMPENSATION. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15B | THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REVIEWS AND APPROVES THE OTHER OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. |
| FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 19 | GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. |
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