Submitted by Bruce Dammeier. Time and time again in my life I have seen the power of a fresh perspective in confronting a problem or opportunity. Asking “Why do we do it this way?” or “Have we ever considered this approach?” can be powerful catalysts for innovation. “Out of the box” (or “out of the […]
Transformation
Submitted by Bruce Dammeier, Executive. Every time I watch the news, we are confronted by stories about crime in our region. And often those crimes are fueled by addiction – which is ravaging peoples’ lives. Sadly, we rarely hear the stories of those who have taken back their lives and embarked on a new and […]
Making progress
Submitted by Bruce Dammeier. Today, we are releasing our fourth Annual DEI Report. It reflects the work many of you are doing to provide opportunities for everyone to reach their full potential. I’m proud of the progress we have made. For example, since 2017 we’ve significantly broadened opportunities in management, hired more women and veterans, […]
History in the making
Submitted by Bruce Dammeier. When we talk about various commemorative “months” or “days” we raise awareness of those who came before us. We do this to remember those who overcame great challenges and to celebrate their achievements – and sometimes – their cultural heritage. These stories inspire us and help us think beyond ourselves. The […]
Put your heart into it
Submitted by Bruce Dammeier. I’ve always said that we work with amazing people, and I recently learned about another extraordinary County employee. During the day, Kyra (O’Keefe) Smithlin is an Accounting Assistant II with the Finance Department. But the rest of her time is devoted to the American Heart Association. Once you hear her story […]
Heroes
Submitted by Bruce Dammeier. The first major cold snap is behind us and for the most part we escaped significant snowfall in the lowlands. But the sustained cold did wreak some havoc – did you hear about the frozen then broken fire sprinkler in Woodland Elementary? The flooding did significant damage. How did you fare? […]
Happy birthday
Did you know our own Pierce County’s Medical Examiner (ME) Office turns 40 years old in a couple of days? The office was established back on January 21, 1984, when Pierce County converted from the elected coroner model to a professional medical examiner. You did not need any specific experience to be elected as the […]