Meet the new additions to the EDB
The new year brings new board members to the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Directors. We’re pleased to welcome 10 new leaders who bring a font of knowledge and valuable input to help grow the economy of the South Sound and Washington State.
“We are more than pleased and grateful to have this outstanding group of individuals join the board and bring their unique talents, expertise and perspectives to the table,” said EDB President and CEO Bruce Kendall.
Allan Belton, President, Pacific Lutheran University
Allan Belton was appointed acting president of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in June 2017, and president in 2019. Prior to his appointment he was senior vice president and chief administrative officer. Belton joined the university in 2015 as chief financial officer following a 25-year career with Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Sue Dreier, CEO,Pierce Transit
Sue Dreier has overseen Pierce Transit‘s 900+ employees and $153 million budget since May 2015. She was previously COO for Salem-Keizer Transit in Salem, Oregon. Dreier began her career as a transit operator in Eugene, Oregon.
Nigel English, Market President, Heritage Bank
Nigel English joined
Heritage Bank in December 2005 and currently oversees the commercial banking activities of the bank’s southern footprint. English has worked in the banking industry for more than 27 years, and has spent two decades working in commercial banking in the Tacoma area.
Jackie Flowers, Director, Tacoma Public Utilities
Jackie Flowers joined
Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) in August 2018 and is the first woman to be permanently appointed to the top spot in TPU’s 125-year history. She came to the position with 18 years’ experience managing publicly owned utilities and was previously general manager of
Idaho Falls Power.
Ivan Harrell, II, President, Tacoma Community College
Dr. Ivan Harrell became the 11th president of
Tacoma Community College (TCC) in May 2018. Harrell came to TCC with years of community and technical college administrative experience and was most recently executive vice president of academic and student affairs for
Georgia Piedmont Technical College.
Hyun Kim, City Manager, City of Fife
Hyun Kim has served as the
City of Fife manager since September 2017. Prior to his current position, Kim was most recently finance director of the
City of Boulder City, Nevada. He previously served as town administrator for
Afton, Wyoming, and worked in community banking.
Sean O’Brien, President and CEO, Catalyst Workplace Activation
Sean O’Brien began acquiring Business Interiors Northwest in 1993. Today, the company has a new name and new look along with a stellar reputation in the South Sound.
Catalyst Workplace Activation provides furniture and modular wall construction solutions for commercial customers across North America.
Deana Parker, Human Resources Director, Absher Construction
Deana Parker has been with
Absher Construction since 2012. Parker has been a human resources professional primarily within the construction industry for more than 20 years. She joined Absher from
Zachry Construction in San Antonio, Texas.
Matt Perry, Local Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Puget Sound Energy
Matt Perry has been in his current role with
Puget Sound Energy since August 2016. Matt came to PSE after more than a decade working in Washington State’s Congressional delegation.
Doug Richardson, Chair and 6th District Representative, Pierce County Council
Doug Richardson has represented
Pierce County’s 6th District since 2012. This is in his third consecutive year serving as Council chair. Richardson’s public service career includes 17 years as a member of the Lakewood City Council and seven years as mayor of the
City of Lakewood.
A front-row seat
The EDB Board of Directors is made up of leaders from private businesses and public institutions and elected officials in the Tacoma-Pierce County community. Board members serve three-year terms and get a front-row seat to the region’s business and political environment, and the opportunity to partner with others focused on boosting the Tacoma-Pierce County economy.
Former EDB Board and Executive Committee member Terry Jones, who was South Sound Market president with USBank before retiring last year, found the experience professionally and personally invaluable. “I hadn’t seen that type of collaboration in any other region I’d been a part of during my 37 years in banking,” Jones said. “We all came together through the EDB to serve the greater good and with the same goal in mind-to do the right thing to grow Tacoma-Pierce County.”
Along with new board additions, the EDB is pleased to welcome two news members to the EDB Executive Committee: Brian Marlow, South Puget Sound Market president with KeyBank, and Herb Simon, partner with Simon-Johnson LLC.
