Greater Spokane Inc. secured $100,000 from the Working Washington Economic Development Fund grant to assist FAA-certified repair and overhaul facility remain and expand in Washington, add new equipment
(SPOKANE, Wash.) – The Washington Department of Commerce provided a $100,000 grant from the state’s Working Washington Economic Development Fund to Greater Spokane Inc. (GSI) to support expansion and workforce training needs of SkyOne Aerospace.
SkyOne Aerospace, founded in the Spokane Valley in 2015 with three employees, specializes in customer-oriented repair and overhaul of instruments, avionics, electronics, mechanical units and hydraulic units of military aerospace aftermarket. Using the Working Washington grant, SkyOne will purchase new equipment to meet expansion needs and hire additional skilled technicians with military aerospace experience. The company will retain 18 jobs and create 45 new jobs over the course of the next three years. Presently, 40 percent of SkyOne’s workforce are veterans, and the company is committed to hiring more, mostly from Fairchild Airforce Base.
“We are proud of each opportunity to help a business expand and grow,” said GSI CEO Alisha Benson. “The investment in SkyOne Aerospace is important for our region’s, aerospace cluster and is really a win for our community, especially our veterans with the necessary experience to fill these critical jobs. We thank Governor Inslee and Commerce for supporting SkyOne in its growth plans.”
“As a border community, we risk losing companies that can relocate to Idaho and retain their workforce and suppliers,” said Spokane Valley Mayor Ben Wick. “It is important our local, home-grown companies have the right economic environment to succeed. We are fortunate to Commerce’s Working Washington grant that enables SkyOne’s growth here in Washington.
“SkyOne’s expansion is an exciting small business success story in Spokane’s growing aerospace cluster,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “These jobs bolster our state’s highly skilled workforce, strengthening our communities and attracting other growth-oriented companies and industries to the region.”
“We made the right decision to remain in Spokane Valley,” said President and CEO Gary Lee Owens. “These funds provide vital assistance to add new capabilities to SkyOne, and that means growth of the workforce and new business opportunities. Having support from people so eager to help small business is very inspiring.”
Located in Spokane Valley, SkyOne Aerospace leverages a network of vendors located both locally in the I-90 aerospace corridor and worldwide to provide consistent services to and support to customers. Visit SkyOne Aerospace for more information.
About Greater Spokane Inc. Greater Spokane Inc. (GSI) is the Spokane region’s business development organization. GSI creates the place where organizations come together to advocate for the region, drive strategic economic growth, and champion a talented workforce. GSI is funded through a combination of private and public investment, including nearly 900 private-sector members; Spokane County; Washington State Department of Commerce; and the cities of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Cheney, Deer Park, Liberty Lake, Airway Heights, Medical Lake, Millwood, Newport, and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. For more information visit GreaterSpokane.org
