Three Finalists for Economic Development Director

TACOMA, WA-The City of Tacoma narrowed its list of candidates from six to three Wednesday as it hones in on a new leader of the Tacoma Economic Development Department. City Manager Jim Walton says he plans to appoint the new director by mid-June.A nationwide search generated 24 applications for a community review panel. Six of those applicants were selected as semifinalists. Further interviews determined the three finalists. They include:–Martha Anderson, the acting director of the TEDD since April. Anderson was manager of TEDD’s Development Division from 1991 through February 2004, and during her tenure she oversaw the Neighborhood Business District Revitalization Program in Tacoma’s 12 neighborhood business districts;–Ellen Miller-Wolfe, the economic development manager for the City of Bellevue, a position she has held since 1999. Miller-Wolfe manages recruitment and retention of high technology and other companies in Bellevue, and she oversees development of the Bellevue Entrepreneur Center, a nonprofit regional business center focused on underserved minority and women-owned businesses;–Ryan Petty, the President and CEO of the Rockford Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Rockford Area Council of 100 in Illinois. Petty has held the dual position since 1992. Since 1995, the organizations have announced 40 recruitment wins and 88 local expansions of existing businesses that involved $535 million in new capital investments.The TEDD director position came available in late January when Julie Wilkerson took a state-level cabinet position under Gov. Gary Locke. She was replaced on an interim basis by Wilkerson’s second in command, Bob Arleth, despite his plans to retire at the end of March, which he did. Arleth was replaced by Anderson.