October 2 gathering brings 140 residents, employers, and local leaders together around Jefferson County's economic future
PORT TOWNSEND, WA
EDC Team Jefferson's inaugural annual dinner, "Our Economic Future: An Evening with Timothy Egan," has sold out ahead of its October 2 date at Fort Worden Commons, bringing roughly 140 guests together for an evening focused on the future of Jefferson County's economy.
The gathering will bring together a broad cross-section of the community, including business owners, residents, elected officials, public agencies, and economic development partners from across the North Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound. Leaders from the City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Port of Port Townsend, Jefferson County PUD, Jefferson Transit, Jefferson Healthcare, and neighboring economic development organizations will be among those participating.
The evening headlines Timothy Egan, the Seattle-based, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and National Book Award-winning author whose work has chronicled the American West for decades. A third-generation Westerner, Egan wrote The Good Rain: Across Time and Terrain in the Pacific Northwest, long regarded as one of the essential books about this region and a fitting starting point for a conversation about the economic future of the North Olympic Peninsula.
Following the keynote, Kevin Decker, an economist with Washington Sea Grant, will discuss where the county's economy is headed in an interview with Karen Bennett. Crystie Kisler will share the Finnriver story and her perspective on what the community needs, followed by a panel of local business owners and community leaders moderated by Mark Knudsen.
"The fact that our inaugural dinner sold out tells us there is a real appetite for coming together to talk about Jefferson County's economic future," said David Ballif, Executive Director of EDC Team Jefferson. "Our goal is to bring together the people who live, work, invest, and lead here, not simply to talk about where our economy is today, but to think together about where we want it to go."
The dinner will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Fort Worden Commons. A Discover Pass or daily permit is required for parking at Fort Worden State Park.