by Jack Heath

I’m honored to have the opportunity to author a Lilacs & Lemons column. Like others in recent issues, I will do my best to rise to the occasion. Vince and Emily Bozzi were a dynamic duo in our community, and I always appreciated Vince’s unique perspective that he shared with us in this column. He had a sharp eye (not to mention sharp wit), calling out the highs and the lows of life in this community. While I offer my own perspective as a community member and president of Washington Trust Bank, I will try to do his column’s legacy justice.

Lilacs to the small business owners who persevered through the toughest economic conditions we have experienced since the Great Depression. I have worked with hundreds of small business owners, and I can unequivocally say that they are some of the most resilient and inspiring individuals I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and banking. They adapted through constantly changing health and safety guidelines, as well as a roller coaster of economic fall-out effects. These business owners have shown admirable dedication to their employees, customers, partners and community, and their flexibility is nothing short of amazing. 

Lemons to the forced closure of some great businesses in the Spokane area. In addition to the impact on the physical health of many in our community and the tragic losses we have faced as a result, COVID-19 has created obstacles that have severely impacted many businesses, especially those in the service and hospitality industry. Despite the best efforts on the part of business owners, conditions for some businesses simply deteriorated to the point of no return. The loss of these treasured Spokane businesses will leave a gaping hole for many of us.  

Lilacs to the community for coming together to support regional businesses. From people committed to shopping local to area lenders jumping at the chance to help local businesses, I am inspired by the way our community showed up for one another during this difficult time. I’m proud of our team at Washington Trust Bank who worked tirelessly to fund more than 8,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for businesses across the Northwest, and we weren’t the only Spokane-area lender to make an impact. We stand in good company with many other financial institutions that stepped up to extend the PPP lifeline. It truly was a collective effort, and I am proud of the work our community has done to support the health of our local economies and the businesses we know and love. 

Lemons to distance. For more than a year and a half, we have had to change the way we connect with friends, family, coworkers and community. Virtual meetings, events and happy hours became part of our “new normal.” COVID-19 presented yet another challenge for the amazing nonprofits in our area that often rely on events as major fundraisers. I am so impressed by the efforts to shift these beloved events to digital formats and the way our community rallied to support them. Though this year has shown us that we can be flexible, it has also shown us how much it truly means to gather together, face-to-face, with loved ones and as a community. 

The battle against COVID-19 and the new Delta variant is far from over, but I know our community will continue to support each other and we will come out of this challenging time a stronger and more resilient community.  Let’s continue to be diligent, supportive, compassionate and committed to help each other through this challenging time.

Jack Heath has served as president and chief operating officer of Washington Trust Bank for more than 20 years. Washington Trust is the oldest and largest privately held commercial bank in the Northwest, with more than 40 financial centers and offices in Washington, Idaho and Oregon.