This story first appeared within the Washington State Normal.
Joe Nguyen is stepping down as director of Washington state’s Division of Commerce and is predicted to be named the following chief of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber.
Nguyen advised Commerce workers on Tuesday that he’s leaving however didn’t disclose his new job. He stated he didn’t anticipate taking off “till someday in January.”
“Though I can’t inform you the place I’m going simply but, I can be working in Seattle, nearer to dwelling,” he wrote in an agencywide e mail. “Typically alternative knocks, even if you haven’t invited anybody to your door. Lately I used to be supplied a possibility outdoors of Commerce that I’ve accepted as a result of it was the appropriate factor to do for my household.”
The chamber, an impartial enterprise group with 2,600 members, plans an announcement Monday regarding its chief government officer place. A spokesperson declined additional remark.
Rumors of Nguyen’s choice had begun circulating on-line and amongst enterprise lobbyists in current days. Nguyen didn’t return a number of telephone requires remark.
The job has been open since Rachel Smith left because the group’s president and CEO to develop into president of the Washington Roundtable.
Nguyen, a White Heart Democrat, was in his second time period within the state Senate representing the thirty fourth Legislative District when Gov. Bob Ferguson named him to the high-ranking put up. He’s the primary member of Ferguson’s government cupboard to give up, although others have retired.
Nguyen led an company with a $7.9 billion funds and that administers greater than 100 packages within the areas of housing, power, group and financial improvement, native authorities and enterprise companies. One among its largest portfolios is selling improvement of reasonably priced housing, a high precedence of Ferguson’s.
In his e mail to workers, Nguyen wrote he was “honored” that Ferguson “put his religion in me practically a yr in the past and I thank him for that belief.” He stated he didn’t know if Ferguson would set up an interim chief or rent a brand new director instantly.
In a press release, Ferguson praised the outgoing director and didn’t say how he plans to exchange him.
“I spoke with Joe, and it’s clear he acquired a suggestion he couldn’t refuse,” Ferguson stated. “I deeply admire Joe’s work this previous yr. Joe all the time has an open invitation to hitch my administration sooner or later.”
Republished from Washington State Normal underneath Inventive Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
