Something unusual happened in Washington’s tech community on Feb. 9. No, it was not the launch of a new version of Windows or a gaming platform or an even smarter smartphone. It was a bus full of tech leaders donning neon orange scarves heading down Olympia.

Taking inspiration from trade associations who are much more experienced in advocating on behalf of their industry, WTIA had matching scarves made to signify our industry’s unity.

As we climbed the steps of the Capital building, a young woman in a group wearing blue scarves asked, “What does the orange represent?” “The tech industry!” I told her. Meanwhile yet another group of several dozens of people in matching red shirts and jackets milled around the building. We were by no means the only color-coordinated bunch.

Jim Justin – a member of our Government Affairs team at WTIA, welcomed us and gave us a tour of the Capitol building. Only a handful of us had ever been inside the domed hall of the state legislature before. Like tourists, we couldn’t help but take selfies inside.

We were a group of 20 that included Karl Triebes, the CTO of F5 Networks; Tim Porter, a partner at Madrona Ventures; Sarah Bird, the CEO of Moz; Eva Cherry, president and CEO of Silicon Mechanics; Doug Brown, CEO of All Star Directories; Tayloe Washburn, CEO of Northeastern University Seattle; and Ed Lazowska, The Bill & Melinda Gates Chair at University of Washington’s computer science program. Microsoft, Google, Indix, Ernst & Young, Verizon, Accenture were also represented.

We didn’t storm the hall. Instead, we stood humbled. Executive titles were left behind. Most of us were more like freshmen, learning first-hand the process by which policies are influenced and laws are made.

We didn’t know what to expect. WTIA’s CEO Michael Schutzler has been going to Olympia for more than 18 months, but most of us were soaking it in for the first time. Unlike manufacturing or agriculture or education, the tech industry is relatively inexperienced in banding together as a community to influence public policy.

For most of the afternoon, we sat in like knights at the round table with legislators in the Senate Rules Room. We had four 30 minute sessions with the following legislators, either in small groups or individually.

• Barbara Bailey, Chair of the Senate Higher Education committee
• Drew Hansen, Chair of the House Higher Education committee
• Reuvan Carlyle, Chair of the House Finance committee
• Ross Hunter, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee
• Bruce Chandler, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee,
• Steve Litzow, Chair of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee

Unfamiliar with the rules of engagement between industry representatives and legislators, we listened respectfully as they explained their positions and roles on various committees. Some of us spoke; most of us were quite reserved. We were there to advocate for computer science funding in higher education as a practical focus for the state budget. Since each software developer generates seven additional jobs in Washington, even a few hundred more grads from our state university system can have significant economic impact on Washington as a whole. Longer term, we were advocating for computer science to become more widely available in the K-12 system. Today, less than 5% of high schools in WA state offer AP Computer Science classes.

Two senators, four representatives, and 2.5 hours later, we sat slightly awestruck by the complex challenges faced by our legislators in the budget negotiation process. In our private debrief as a board, each member of the WTIA was fully engaged and energized by the experience. And as we decided how to do better next time, each person shared a piece of feedback with one common assumption: there would be a next time. This February 2015 bus tour to Olympia is just the beginning.

“This was incredibly valuable. We need to do this more often,” said Karl Triebes, CTO at F5 and long-time WTIA board member.

Tim Porter said, “This was hugely informative. It was good to build direct relationships with key legislators and understand their different concerns.”

Sarah Bird said, “It’s clear that we need to help lawmakers understand that tech workers help produce jobs for the economy as a whole. We as tech leaders have to be more actively engaged. I left with a much greater appreciation for all the demands that legislators face.”

Later that evening, we also met up with Rep. Chad Magendanz, Sen. Cyrus Habib, and Rep. Larry Springer to informally share our views.

I came from the print newspaper industry. Our conversations over the past few years have been about how to save an industry that had shaped how people developed a sense of community in the 20^th century. The trip to Olympia was a completely different kind of discussion because the technology industry in Washington is just beginning to find its voice. As a former historian, I appreciated the significance of this February trip—leaders from different companies from throughout a young industry uniting and going together into an unfamiliar territory. As I watched people tug at the neon orange acrylic around their necks, I sensed some of them finally understanding what the slogan “many unique voices, one dynamic vision” embroidered on the scarves meant.

On the bus ride back to Seattle, our scarves glowed brightly in the dark of the night.

 

Next time, we want to bring 50 people to Olympia – won’t you join us? Meanwhile, if you are interested in telling legislators your thoughts, please email them at

• Barbara Bailey, Chair of the Senate Higher Education committee barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov
• Drew Hansen, Chair of the House Higher Education committee drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov
• Reuvan Carlyle, Chair of the House Finance committee reuven.carlyle@leg.wa.gov
• Ross Hunter, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov
• Bruce Chandler, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov
• Steve Litzow, Chair of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee steve.litzow@leg.wa.gov

 

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