Economic Development

Woman performing a side-bending yoga pose on a mat outdoors, photographed at sunset among trees.

Summer 2026

Yoga in the Wilds

Washington State University business alum Ella Spillane leveraged her love of yoga and the outdoors into a new business. » More ...

Man standing with arms outstretched in the aisle of a video rental store, surrounded by shelves of DVDs and movie posters.

Summer 2026

Neal Cummings

Washington State University alum Cummings retired from an iconic Astoria, Oregon, video store. » More ...

Illustrated farm landscape with rolling fields, grain silos, stylized trees, floating clouds, and a tractor driving across patterned farmland under a blue sky.

Summer 2026

Energizing Future Farms

Building a hydrogen system that could be used on farms » More ...

Fall 2025

Philip Meech and Caffè Lusso take people on a coffee journey around the world. A coffee roaster and entrepreneur for over 25 years, he wants coffee drinkers to slow down, taste the roasted beans, and enjoy the rich variety.

Courtesy Caffé Lusso

In this episode, Philip talks with Washington State Magazine editor Larry Clark about enjoying coffee, his lifelong love of coffee, the art and science of coffee roasting, and his journey from … » More …

Big Door Company truck in front of a construction project

Winter 2024

Big doors, big dreams

There are doors—and then there are really big, automated doors.

For the latter, Darren Kiesler (’05 Arch.) and Boone Helm (’03 Comm.) run the Big Door Company, which installs and automates large door systems throughout the western United States and British Columbia.

The longtime friends met at WSU and then became business partners a few years ago.

Kiesler and Helm answered questions for Washington State Magazine about their unusual company, time at WSU, incredible projects, and how automated doors could help people.

All photos courtesy the Big Door Company

How did you get the idea of a company focused … » More …