City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels (former Mayor)

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Mayor Names Economic Opportunity Task Force
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    3/5/2002  2:24:00 PM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of the Mayor  (206) 684-4000

Mayor Names Economic Opportunity Task Force

Seattle - Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels today announced the names of the members of his new Economic Opportunity Task Force. Over the next six months, the 38-member Task Force will develop an aggressive action agenda for Seattle’s economy. Improving the region’s economy is a top priority for the Mayor.

Task Force chairs are Kay Hirai, Owner of Studio 904; Joe Quintana, President of Quintana Consulting; and Steve Williamson, Executive Secretary of the King County Labor Council. Other members are key business, labor, education, and community leaders reflecting the talent and diversity of Seattle’s economy. The first meeting of the Task Force will be in late March.

"This task force is an exceptional group of men and women who understand the economic challenges and opportunities facing our city," Nickels said. "They will help the City find more ways to lower barriers to business competitiveness, support employment and workforce development, and attract investment in traditional and new economy sectors."

In particular, the Economic Opportunity Task Force will identify:

• Specific steps the City can take to assist employers large and small, those located in our downtown core and in our neighborhoods, and those that are minority- or women- owned.

• Effective actions that will expand the City's base of living wage jobs and increase apprenticeship opportunities for all people.

• Strategies that the City can use to help traditional businesses and to help growth industries such as biotechnology and clean energy technology.

• Improvements to bring fairness, swiftness, and common sense to our permit process.

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Mayor's Office

Ex Officio: 

• Martha Choe, Director, State Office of Trade and Economic Development
• Jan Drago, Seattle City Councilmember
• Mic Dinsmore, CEO, Port of Seattle

General Business: 

• Joe Quintana, President, Quintana Consulting
• Don Stark, Managing Partner, Gogerty Stark Marriott
• Bruce Brooks, Director of Community Affairs and Corporate Giving, Microsoft
• Bill Krippaehne, Jr., President and CEO, Fisher Communications, Inc.
• William Chao, Registered Principal, LPL Financial Services

High Tech:

• Biotech Ed Fritzky, Chairman, CEO and President, Immunex
• Startups Don Pickering, CEO, Memetic Systems
• Emerging Tech Ron Woodard, President and CEO, MagnaDrive Corp.

Manufacturing: 

• Bob Watt, Vice President of Government and Community Relations, Boeing

Real Estate: 

• Craig Kinzer, President, Craig Kinzer & Co.

Banking: 

• Steven Freimuth, Senior Executive Vice President of Corporate Services, Washington Mutual

Industrial: 

• Sam Olsson, President, Roskelley/Olsson Yacht, Davits and Cranes
• Eddie Lehner, General Manager, Birmingham Steel, Seattle, Washington Steel Division

Transportation: 

• John Odland, Vice President, MacMillan-Piper Inc.

Construction: 

• Sam Anderson, Executive Officer, Seattle Master Builders Association

Retail: 

• Harvey Jones, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Cutter & Buck
• Dennis Steffanacci, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Starbucks

Tourism/Hospitality: 

• Paul Ishii, General Manager, Mayflower Park Hotel

Health Care: 

• Troy Hutson, Director of Legal and Clinical Policy, Washington State Hospital Association

Film, Music, Special Events:

• Film Don Jensen, President, Alpha Cine Labs
• Music Deborah Semer, Executive Director, PNW Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

Labor: 

• Steve Williamson, Executive Secretary, King County Labor Council
• Mark Blondin, District President, Machinists Local 751
• Peter Coates, Secretary-Treasurer, Seattle-King County Building and Construction Trades Council
• Rick Sawyer, Secretary-Treasurer, Hotel and Restaurant Employees Local 8

Education: 

• Richard McCormick, President, University of Washington
• Peter Ku, Chancellor of the Community College System

Civic/Neighborhood Business:

• Kay Hirai, Owner, Studio 904
• Steve Mayeda, Principal, Mayeda & Associates
• Jack Miller, President, Husky Deli
• Larry Vinson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Vinson Brothers Corp.
• Lisa Beckland and Sherry Serino, Owners, Salumeria on Hudson & Le Medusa
• Tricia Murphy, Owner, Urban Fitness
• Glenn Gregory, President, Obsidian Investment Advisors, LLC

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