The State of Washington's new "Millionaire Tax" has the potential to influence everything from investment decisions to hiring plans and long-term growth. At a time when economic uncertainty is already shaping how businesses operate, understanding the real implications of this new tax is critical.
CEOtoCEO has assembled a panel that brings together key voices to help business leaders cut through the noise and the promotional sound bites to focus on the new law and what matters most for businesses in Washington State.
If you're responsible for guiding a business forward, managing risk, planning expansion, or protecting margins, this discussion seeks to deliver the clarity you need.
Policies like this don't exist in a vacuum; they ripple through the broader business environment. This event is designed to give you practical, relevant insight so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
For small and midsize business owners across Washington, this is a conversation you can't afford to miss.
The panel will provide a straightforward, fact-based look at Washington's Millionaire Tax, examining both its intended benefits and its potential consequences. Experts will explore what the proposal could mean for those directly impacted, as well as the broader fiscal outlook for the state, including revenue projections and economic competitiveness.
Expect a dynamic, nonpartisan conversation grounded in data, experience, and real-world impact. Whether you're seeking clarity, perspective, or a deeper understanding of what lies ahead, this event will equip you with the knowledge to navigate what could be one of the most consequential policy discussions facing Washington's business community.
Panelist-Joe Fain is the President and CEO of the Bellevue Chamber. He previously served two terms in the Washington State Senate where he worked extensively on economic development, transportation, and education issues.
He was a leading negotiator of Washington's 2015 statewide transportation package. He also led the negotiations and prime-sponsored Washington's Paid Family Leave legislation, which passed in 2017.
Joe has also worked managing a boutique law and consulting firm in Seattle speciailizing in technology and healthcare; at the University of Washington office of technology transfer and commercialization; as a prosecutor for King County; and as Chief of Staff to a member of the King County Council.
Joe was selected in 2012 as one Puget Sound Business Journal's 40 under 40 and was a 2017 Rodel Fellow with the Aspen Institute.
He has a Joint JD/MBA from Seattle University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington.
Panelist-Mark Harmsworth brings a unique combination of legislative experience, technology industry expertise, and small business ownership to the conversation on Washington's Millionaire Tax.
Originally from England, Mark studied mathematics and computer science before relocating to the Seattle area, where he built a distinguished career in the technology sector with Microsoft, Amazon, and Blueprint Technologies, among others. He currently works as a technology consultant and small business owner.
Mark served two terms in the Washington State House of Representatives from 2014 to 2019, where he focused on transportation and technology policy, including serving as ranking member on the House Transportation Committee. Prior to the legislature, he served two terms on the Mill Creek City Council, including as Mayor Pro-Tem.
A longtime community advocate, Mark recently completed a term on the Everett Community College Foundation Board and currently serves as a Director on the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County.
Mark and his family call Mill Creek, Washington home.
Kevin Wallace oversees all development and acquisition activity for the company. He is also responsible for all legal matters for the company's three divisions: Brokerage, Property and Asset Management and Investment/Development.
Wallace Properties builds sustainable, transit-oriented mixed-use development projects in urban centers throughout the Puget Sound region.
Kevin and his team have developed several award-winning projects including Citizen, a LEED Silver, 107-unit project in the Pike/Pine Triangle of the Capitol Hill neighborhood; 507 Northgate and 525 Northgate which together contain 428 apartment units and 80,000 square feet of retail space; The Eddy, 130 units with 14,500 SF of retail leased to Bartell Drug in the Green Lake neighborhood; and most recently Prism, 134 units with 4 live/work lofts in Northgate.
Kevin began his career as a Real Estate Attorney at K&L Gates in 1997, moving to Foster Pepper in 2001.
Active in a variety of civic endeavors, he is a native of Bellevue, where he served on the Bellevue City Council and lives with his wife Natalie and three sons, Gabe, Garrett and Zachary.
Moderator-Eric Johnson is one of the most respected broadcasters in Northwest television. He worked in various markets across the region over the course of a nearly 40-year career, including Boise, Spokane, and Portland, while spending the last 31 years at KOMO-TV in Seattle. Prior to his retirement in June of this year, he anchored the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts at KOMO-TV.
Eric's career began as a sportscaster, with his early positions at KBCI and KTVB in Boise, KREM in Spokane, and KGW in Portland. He joined KOMO News in 1993 as a weekend sportscaster, eventually transitioning to news anchor. His storytelling prowess has earned him over 50 regional Emmy Awards and seven National Edward R. Murrow Awards. Eric has also produced several acclaimed documentaries, including "Seattle is Dying," a groundbreaking piece viewed more than 20 million times, and "The Fight for the Soul of Seattle."
Raised in the Spokane Valley, Eric attended East Valley High School and later majored in broadcasting at the Edward R. Murrow School of Communications at Washington State University.
