Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Thursday the establishment of an economic development council, a broad-based partnership designed to steer economic policy.
The coalition brings together representatives from small businesses, labor unions, tribal nations, educational institutions and industry leaders in technology and aerospace.
The initiative comes as Washington maintains its position as the nation's ninth-largest economy. In his announcement,
"Washington is a great place to do business and raise a family, but we cannot take our strength for granted," Ferguson stated. "I'm launching a historic convening of top leaders from around Washington state to help guide the next chapter of economic prosperity."
Established via Executive Order 26-02, the council consists of 26 prominent Washingtonians tasked with identifying practical strategies to strengthen the economy and expand opportunities. This marks the first time in two decades that such a body has been convened, with the last being Gov. Christine Gregoire's Global Competitiveness Council in 2006. The Department of Commerce will provide logistical and staffing support.
The council's primary focus will involve identifying forward-looking market opportunities and strategies to increase family-wage jobs. Additionally, members will evaluate Washington's competitiveness against other states and global rivals, making concrete recommendations on regulatory reforms and marketing the state to external businesses.
The council builds on a series of recent executive actions aimed at reducing economic barriers. Ferguson highlighted the success of a previous order focused on
Other, notable improvements include the Department of Labor and Industries reducing contractor registration times from 12 weeks to three, and the Department of Financial Institutions halving franchise application times, he said.
The administration is also leveraging the Strategic Reserve Fund to support job creation in emerging sectors, including quantum computing, clean energy and advanced manufacturing, while simultaneously addressing the housing supply through the Housing Trust Fund and building requirement reforms.
Leaders across various sectors expressed optimism regarding the council's potential.
"Washington's long-term economic strength will depend on the innovations and talent we cultivate today," said Betsy Cantwell, president of Washington State University. "WSU looks forward to working with the council to ensure we lead in future-defining sectors like AI and advanced energy."
Mike Katz, chief business and product officer at T-Mobile, echoed those sentiments, noting the value of collaboration between government and industry. Similarly, Heather Kurtenbach, executive secretary of the Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council, highlighted the importance of labor, business and education together developing workable ideas.
The council will meet quarterly and advise the statewide economic development strategic plan, which is set to be finalized by June 2027. Collectively, the council members oversee organizations employing over 250,000 workers and educating more than 100,000 students, representing a significant portion of the state's economic and human capital.
A full list of the members is below:
- Michael Cade — board chair, Washington Economic Development Association; executive director, Thurston County Economic Development Council
- Betsy Cantwell — president, Washington State University
- Leonard Forsman — chairman, Suquamish Tribe
- Denny Heck — Washington State Lieutenant Governor
- Kris Johnson — president, Association of Washington Business
- Trevor Johnson — CEO, Blackwood Homes
- Robert Jones — president, University of Washington
- Mike Katz — chief business & product officer, T-Mobile
- Mary Kipp — president & CEO, Puget Sound Energy
- Heather Kurtenbach — executive secretary, Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council
- Dr. Thomas J. Lynch, Jr. — president & director, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Julianna Marler — CEO, Port of Vancouver
- West Mathison — president & CEO, Stemilt Growers
- Stephen Metruck — executive director, Port of Seattle
- Denise Moriguchi — president & CEO, Uwajimaya
- Stephanie Pope — president & CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
- Heather Rosentrater — president & CEO, Avista
- Michael Senske — chairman & CEO, Pearson Packaging Systems
- April Sims — president, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- Brad Smith — vice chair and President, Microsoft
- Rachel Smith — president, Washington Roundtable
- Bill Sterud — chairman, Puyallup Tribe
- Shane Tackett — president and chief financial officer, Alaska Airlines
- Rebekah Woods — president, Columbia Basin College
- Monique Valenzuela — executive director, Ventures
- David Zapolsky — chief global affairs & legal officer, Amazon
