Introducing Our Next Honorees for The 20 Of 2020 Awards Ceremony

Eric Blakemore

Introducing Eric Blakemore! He is the owner of Fredericks Appliance Center in Redmond. Recently, the store was vandalized and a third of his delivery trucks were disabled, as the robbers ripped out the catalytic converters. Despite the financial costs and headaches and the COVID-19 pandemic - Eric and his wife, Margaret, have not missed a beat.

They've watched changes not only in their business but in the whole region and, in particular, the Eastside. Microsoft's growing presence in Redmond brings significant business to Frederick's "But this is anything but a big-box store," Eric said. "It's all about service and relationships. Our motto is, "It's not just business. It's personal and we mean that with every transaction.

Unlike the majority of businesses Frederick's has seen a 25% increase in business since COVID-19 hit, "But it's a double edge sword," Eric said. "We have more customers than we've ever had, but we're faced with some severe shortages of inventory. So, while it's sometimes really difficult to fulfill orders-we're doing it.

Although Eric's business story is different than most during the pandemic, it reflects another dimension of dealing successfully with the uncommon circumstances posed by COVID-19 from serious vandalism to uncommon levels of demand, at a time when supply chains are taxed to the limit.

Michael Nassirian

Introducing the next honoree Michael Nassirian. When retired Microsoft executive Michael Nassirian emerged from a week-long battle with COVID-19 in March, two things spurred his recovery.

One was his eagerness to launch a startup company he named My Immunity Pass, to help "keep people and businesses safe during the pandemic." The second was to write a book about the post-pandemic business world he sees as likely to emerge and what the work-from-home future will mean for businesses and the environments in which they operate.

We can't wait to learn more about Michael tomorrow at the event!