Expanding under the leadership of Foundation Executive Director Emily Mendez-Bryant, the Tacoma Community College Foundation recently gained a new Board Member and a new Director of Philanthropy.
TAPCO Credit Union has supported the Max & Margi Harned Titan Food Pantry since it opened in 2018. The addition of TAPCO CEO Justin Martin to the Foundation Board will help strengthen that partnership, and he brings a wealth of financial knowledge to the role.
The Foundation has also hired a new Director of Philanthropy, Ray Im. Im is an experienced nonprofit fundraiser and relationship builder who is eager to help the college advance equity and strengthen student success.
Justin Martin Joins Foundation Board
Justin Martin is the Chief Executive Officer at TAPCO Credit Union. He is passionate about ensuring the credit union is a catalyst for positive change within the community, with a focus on promoting financial inclusion, providing equitable access to environmentally sustainable products and building generational wealth for all. During his tenure TAPCO received the designation of Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) from the US Treasury Department, a testament to the focus and success the credit union has had in serving traditionally underserved communities. In addition, the credit union recently was named to Forbes Best Credit Union list- a prestigious achievement that less than 3% of all credit unions nationwide received.
Beyond his time at TAPCO, Justin is a passionate advocate for providing equitable access to education. He previously served on the boards of the North Seattle College Foundation and the Seattle Colleges Foundation, where he helped centralize fundraising efforts to maximize support within the college system — bringing in more resources for wrap-around services such as books, food and housing. He is energized around the direction and impact of Tacoma Community College and excited to partner with the Board and leadership to fulfil the Board’s mission: to inspire investment in student success by supporting programs that reduce barriers to education and by funding scholarships that create more equitable access for students of all backgrounds to achieve their dreams.
Ray Im Joins Foundation as Director of Philanthropy
As Director of Philanthropy, Ray will lead efforts to develop and execute resource development strategies in support of the TCC’s annual and long-term funding goals.
Ray joins with nearly a decade of varied experience in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors, most recently serving as the Director of Development at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. Ray has an extensive familiarity with the philanthropy landscape in the Pacific Northwest and has been responsible for driving fundraising growth at multiple organizations through donor, event, and campaign efforts.
As a proud resident of Tacoma, he is excited for the opportunity to serve his local community with TCC by building partnerships to advance equity and strengthen student success. A first-generation college student and son of Korean immigrants, Ray earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
Ray is a dedicated relationship-builder committed to advancing equity work and journeying with partners in community to affect change for good.
