Retired certified public accountant and Spokane community leader Bill Simer says his life would have looked much different had he not happened to meet a young woman and her brother in Spokane more than 50 years ago.

After more than a decade in the works, long-planned infrastructure projects in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood are beginning to take shape, with the first wave of street, sidewalk, and bike network upgrades now complete.

Spokane has served as a filming location for movies and television shows dating back decades, for notable productions such as "Vision Quest" in 1985, "Benny & Joon" in 1993, and "Z Nation," which aired for five seasons from 2014 to 2018. Industry leaders here say the region continues to build on that legacy, with a steady pipeline of productions, studio infrastructure, and a focus on sustaining the area's workforce.

ZBA Architecture PS's niche of designing affordable housing is helping the Spokane-based sustainable design and architectural firm secure a consistent pipeline of work regardless of market conditions.

Seattle-based Triple "B" Corp., which does business as Charlie's Produce, is moving forward with plans to expand its Inland Northwest footprint with a new 66,000-square-foot warehouse at 6505 W. 40th in west Spokane.

Barry Baker, longtime head of prominent Spokane-based general contracting company Baker Construction & Development Inc., says he doesn’t need to go into the office every day, but now he’s having too much fun there to stay away for long.

Phyllis Campbell, 2026 Spokane Journal of Business Icon, led an accumulative 50-year career in banking, philanthropy, and board service across the Inland Northwest and western Washington. 

A new gathering place in downtown Spokane aims to offer more than just an average cup of coffee. Instead, Good Medicine Apothecary & Culture Lounge is meant for cultural exchange, conversation, and a curated listening experience.

From a service clerk in Montana to the leader of a regional grocery chain in Spokane, Jeff Philipps says his legacy was built by consistently restocking a few simple ideas: "Businesses succeed when they invest in people, and communities grow stronger when leaders choose to give back." 

Elaine Couture, former regional chief executive at Providence Health & Services who retired in 2021, is currently living her "best life," staying active and involved following a move to Arizona three years ago. Despite her relocation, her impact on the Spokane community remains anchored in the medical institutions she helped lead and expand over a distinguished 34-year career.