Submitted by Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County.
Tacoma, WA – The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County (“EDB”) announced today that Michael Catsi will serve as the next President & Chief Executive Officer of the EDB. He will take the position in late September. Catsi currently serves as the Economic Development Manager for Tacoma Public Utilities. Catsi replaces Bruce Kendall who announced his upcoming retirement in March, 2024 and has served as the EDB’s President & CEO for nearly 26 years.
Bett Lucas, SVP Commercial at TransMontaigne Partners LLC and Vice Chair of the EDB’s Board of Directors and Brian Marlow, National Head of Investment and Fiduciary Management and President, South Puget Sound Market at KeyBank and past Chair of the EDB’s Board of Directors, co-chaired the EDB’s 8-member Search Committee that worked with Waverly Partners to conduct a national search that included candidates from across the country. Vice Chair Lucas noted, “We are thrilled to welcome Michael Catsi as EDB CEO. Michael is a respected regional and international leader in economic development. The committee recognized his thoughtful and wise approach to complex economic issues. We are confident that his unique combination of international, Alaska, and Tacoma-Pierce County experience will make him a wonderful resource and leader.”
David Moore Devine, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Umpqua Bank and Chair of EBD’s Board of Directors, said “Michael brings a wealth of experience and expertise in economic development as well as invaluable local insight to his new role as CEO. As a member of the broader economic development community in our region, he will take advantage of his existing relationships to hit the ground running. Michael is a strong advocate of our efforts to build a more diverse and inclusive business environment in Pierce County and is committed to ensuring our region remains a vibrant and welcoming place for businesses of all sizes. His commitment to these values will be instrumental in advancing our mission and we are excited to welcome him to the EDB.”
“In joining the EDB as the incoming President & CEO, I’m eager to bring my 20+ years of experience in economic development to contribute to the organization’s essential programming and initiatives,” Catsi said. “The organization’s vision and values resonate deeply with me, and I look forward to collaborating with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to drive success and make a meaningful impact. I am honored and humbled to know that I am stepping into Bruce’s legacy which is nothing short of extraordinary. I am committed to honoring and preserving that legacy while working to expand and enhance the impact of the EDB.”
In his current role at Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU), Catsi is responsible for developing strategies for economic development and identifying growth opportunities within TPU’s service areas. He works closely with staff and key stakeholders, collaborates on multi-party negotiations for major projects, participates in subarea land use planning, and assists with policy analysis related to economic development. TPU is comprised of Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water and Tacoma Rail, serving Tacoma and Pierce County, WA. Prior to joining TPU, Catsi was the Business Development and Communications Director of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority where he pursued business development opportunities, conducted initial financial and economic reviews of new finance requests, and managed the Authority’s business and community outreach efforts.
Prior to that, Catsi served as the Executive Director of the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference, a regional economic development organization, which advocates for the needs of the region’s rural communities and for the responsible development of the region’s core economic sectors.
Catsi began his economic development career as the inaugural Executive Director of the Skagway Development Corporation in Skagway, Alaska. He developed the economic development program for the community and elevated the need for the City to proactively support and finance a permanent economic development entity.
Working collaboratively with multiple entities to help grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Anchorage and Alaska, Mr. Catsi served on the Advisory Boards of Launch:Alaska (accelerator), Blue Pipeline (incubator) and the Alaska Ocean Cluster group. In the past, he has served as President of the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development and of the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership. In addition, he was elected to the Skagway City Council and served on the Board of Directors for the Alaska Municipal League.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Catsi is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP). He received a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of New South Wales. He and his wife, Laura, lived in Alaska for 29 years before moving to Tacoma in 2019. Their daughter, Petra, lives in Vancouver BC where she works as a naturalist. Michael loves the outdoors, traveling, and cooking, and he is an avid gardener and lawn bowler.
About the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County
The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County is a nonprofit economic development organization focused on helping Tacoma-Pierce County businesses reach their pure potential. We specialize in serving companies interested in locating their business in the city of Tacoma and throughout Pierce County. Helping companies create new jobs and grow the economy of the South Sound is our driving force, and has led us to work with companies that have brought more than $1.6 billion in capital investments and over 25,000 jobs to the region over the past two decades. More information on the EDB can be found on its website: www.choosetacomapierce.org.
