South Sound 911’s Board of Directors executive recruitment committee announced today that five candidates are advancing as finalists for the position of executive director.
The five candidates advancing in the selection process are:
- Mark Buchholz, Director, Willamette Valley 911 (Salem, Ore.)
- Deborah Grady, Public Safety Communications Manager, Sacramento Police Department (Sacramento, Calif.)
- Mark Mears, Deputy Director, South Sound 911 (Tacoma, Wash.)
- Katy Myers, Technical Services Manager, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (Vancouver, Wash.)
- Mark Swiderski, Executive Director, Lake County 911 (Crown Point, Ind.)
Under the direction of the Board of Directors, the executive director plans South Sound 911’s future direction and leads the agency’s day-to-day operations. South Sound 911’s first and current executive director, Andrew Neiditz, plans to retire in early April 2020.
A four-member executive recruitment committee – comprised of Board of Director members Pierce County Councilmember Doug Richardson (chair), City of Sumner Mayor Bill Pugh (vice-chair), City of Tacoma Councilmember Lillian Hunter, and Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Commissioner Matt Holm – selected the five finalists from 13 semi-finalists recommended by recruitment consultants from a pool of 37 total applicants.
The five finalists will be interviewed by the South Sound 911 Board of Directors in an executive session on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.
A summary of the five candidates’ bios is available online.