BIZ BITS: SEL ranks 14th largest on list of employee-owned U.S. companies

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories is the 14th largest 100% employee-owned company in the United States, according to a recent ranking from the nonprofit National Center for Employee Ownership.

The manufacturer of products that protect and control electric power systems has more than 2,750 employees in Washington, the majority of them working at its Pullman headquarters along with more than 850 employees in Lewiston and more than 100 in Moscow.

SEL started an employee stock ownership program in 1994 and became 100% employee-owned in 2009 as part of a long-term strategy for sustained growth and stability, according to a news release from SEL.

Employee stock ownership plans are where employees are given ownership interest in a company in the form of shares held in trust until they leave the company or retire, according to the news release.

A recent NCEO study found that such plans are associated with a 92% higher median household net worth, 33% higher median income from wages and 53% longer median job tenure, according to the news release.

New owners taking over Bait Shop Grill spot

LEWISTON — Fans of The Bait Shop Grill are planning a new restaurant in the same Lewiston Orchards building that housed the popular eatery.

Betsy Rowden said she and her husband, Jason Rowden, have leased the building at 3206 Fifth St. They purchased the appliances, equipment and fixtures from Bruce Galles, the owner of the eatery that closed in October.

The two were customers of The Bait Shop Grill and enjoyed its food, Rowden said.

“We felt like it was a great opportunity,” she said. “We felt like if we didn’t jump on it someone else would.”

They’re giving away the decor and developing a new concept for the restaurant which, like The Bait Shop Grill, will serve breakfast and lunch, she said.

The goal is to be up and running no later than the spring of 2025 after completing tasks such as creating a menu and hiring cooks, Rowden said.

They expect to continue their full-time jobs after the restaurant opens. She is a business banking support specialist at U.S. Bank. He is a route sales representative for Franz Bakery.

Jackman Tire comes to Lewiston

LEWISTON — A tire business with roots in the Boise area has opened where the Donkey Den used to be in the Lewiston Orchards.

Jackman Tire is at 245 Thain Road. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The business sells, installs, aligns and rotates tires for domestic and foreign sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and sedans, said Meghan Garrett, who manages the business with her husband.

It has a maintenance and repair department equipped to handle work on air conditioning, air filters, alternators, batteries, brakes, belts and hoses for those types of vehicles, Garrett said.

It also has a mobile service that supplies tires for semitrucks as well as heavy equipment for construction, warehousing and agriculture, she said.

Her husband, Martin Flores, brings 15 years of experience to the venture.

A U.S. Army veteran who served for 10 years, he oversees the tire sale and installation side of the business as well as its vehicle maintenance department. She handles functions such as inventory, billing and personnel.

They worked at American Tire & Auto Service in the Boise area before relocating to Lewiston. They have also held jobs at Les Schwab Tire Center.

The owner of Jackman Tire is Jason Jackman, who founded American Tire & Auto Service in the Boise area 12 years ago, Garrett said.

Jackman, who has 30 years of experience in the industry, sold that business last year, she said.

She and her husband are excited and thankful for the opportunity to build a business in north central Idaho following Jackman’s principles, Garrett said.

“(Jackman) built a successful brand and a prosperous company from the ground up with American Tire,” she said. “He put his heart and soul into providing the best service possible for his customers and into his business.”

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261