CELEBRATING CHANGEMAKERS AND SILVER STARS
April 1, 2026
“Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” (John Gardner)
It’s that time of year again! Every year I look forward to our annual LeadingAge Washington awards program. It’s a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on exceptional individuals, teams and organizations worthy of recognition at our annual conference. This year, we are reimagining recognition – instead of a traditional awards nomination process, we are inviting members to share real stories of change happening in their communities. These stories will become part of a “ChangeMakers in Action” Poster Gallery at the conference; from those stories, our 2026 ChangeMaker Award recipients will be selected.
I invite you to be part of this celebration by nominating the amazing overachievers and the unsung heroes in your organization who are changing the world for the better. The deadline for submissions is April 17th, so don’t delay! You can find more information about the award criteria and the nomination process here: Awards of Excellence – LeadingAge WA
We’re also looking forward to our annual recognition of LeadingAge Washington Silver Stars. These are staff members who have demonstrated their dedication to serving our seniors with at least 25 years of continued service at one community. We also recognize those celebrating 30, 35, or 40 years with the same community, and last year we honored ten Silver Stars with 40 or more years of service, one of whom had been working at the same community for 47 years! We depend on our members to provide the Silver Star nominations; you can submit information about your eligible team members here: 2026 Silver Star Application
by Glen Melin, President & CEO
MARCH 25, 2026: BEN FRANKLIN WAS MOSTLY RIGHTMarch 25, 2026
“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Taxes have been a part of human history at least since the time of ancient Egypt. While taxes aren’t inherently evil – our own country’s war for independence was sparked not by opposition to taxes, but to taxation without representation – tax policy remains a hot topic at every level of government. Let me share some good news and some bad news on the tax front.
First the good news: Some of our members (particularly skilled nursing facilities) may be eligible to receive refunds for overpaid sales and excise taxes in our state. Agile Consulting, a preferred partner of LeadingAge Washington, specializes in identifying overpaid taxes and securing refunds that can return significant dollars to their client communities. On April 9 at 10 am Agile will present a seminar entitled “Hidden Refunds: How WA Skilled Nursing Facilities Can Recover Overpaid Sales and B&O Taxes”. The presentation walks through how sales tax on medical supplies, software, and select B&O excise tax revenue may be reduced or recovered under Washington law. Learn more and register here: Calendar – LeadingAge WA
Now the bad news: Last year’s state legislature approved a sales tax on live presentations, and although the 2026 state legislature decided to exempt non-profit organizations from the tax, that repeal doesn’t go into effect until July. So when you register for our LeadingAge Washington annual conference in June, you’ll see sales tax applied to the registration fees. As of July 1 this will no longer apply to our non-profit association, so our fall conference and future annual conferences should once again be exempt from sales tax. I do hope we will see you in Wenatchee! We’ve got a great program lined up, and I encourage you to check out our conference webpage: LeadingAge WA Conference & Expo.
Let me finish with good news by wishing those who will celebrate Easter on April 5 (or April 12 in the Eastern Orthodox Church) a most blessed holiday. Ben Franklin may have been right about the certainty of taxes, but when it comes to the certainty of death, that’s another story…
by Glen Melin, President & CEO
“The best public policy is made when you are listening to people who are going to be impacted.” (Elizabeth Dole)
As I write this on March 11, the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session is nearing the finish line. I watched the live feed on TVW yesterday evening as the House finished over 24 hours of debate on the “millionaire tax” and narrowly voted its approval. One theme I heard over and over was how each representative’s position was based on what they were hearing from their constituents.
Advocacy is one of our LeadingAge pillars, and we devote a lot of resources to getting our messages in front of policy makers. But in our system of representative democracy, the strongest and most compelling voice will always come directly from the constituents – from YOU. Alyssa Odegaard (our VP of Public Policy) and Katherine Mahoney (our contract lobbyist) have worked relentlessly and effectively throughout this 60-day legislative session. But when the Legislature finally adjourns, that’s when the real work of advocacy begins. The 305 days before the start of the 2027 legislative session are a golden opportunity for YOU, our members, to make your voices heard by your elected officials!
Most legislators are quick to embrace opportunities to listen to their constituents. Our strongest supporters in the legislature have had their views on aging services shaped by visits to senior living communities and senior service agencies. Your legislators can best represent your interests when they’ve seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities you live with every day, and when they’ve heard directly from (and answered directly to) their constituents who live and work in your communities.
We’re eager to help you make those contacts and build those relationships. Please reach out to Alyssa if we can help you arrange a visit from your elected officials, and please be open to working with us if we reach out asking for your help in building a relationship with a key legislator. We can’t do it without you!
by Glen Melin, President & CEO
