Ken Guy receives the 2022 Fred Jarrett Award
FBOD Director Ken Guy has been honored with the Fred Jarrett Award, one of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards which highlights a department or division leader who demonstrates leadership excellence. The Fred Jarrett Award is one of three Leadership Excellence Awards honoring King County leaders who embody the Executive Branch values and drive for results that make King County better for employees and customers, and move King County closer to its True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. Ken Guy has served as Director of the Finance… Read More
Kelsey Urban joins Risk Management Services as Deputy Director
Crossposted from the DES Express Kelsey Urban is the new Deputy Director of King County’s Office of Risk Management Services. “I’m confident that she will lead with vulnerability, compassion, collaboration and trust,” said Christine Oh, Director of Risk Management, in an email to leadership. Kelsey comes to King County from the City of Renton, where she led their risk management team for the past five years. She brings 20 years of experience in leadership, including more than ten years of service in the U.S. Navy as an officer and helicopter pilot. Read more.
FMD plays a starring role in new film production studio
Crossposted from the DES Express Actors, directors, producers and others from the film industry converged on the new Harbor Island Studios late last month along with members of the community to celebrate the grand opening of King County’s new film production studio. The studio, a converted flour mill in a hulking 117,000 square-foot warehouse on Harbor Island, was made possible in part by DES’ Facilities Management Division, in partnership with the Office of Economic Opportunity & Creative Economy, the Executive’s Film Advisory Board, KCIT, contractors and others. Read more.
BIPOC Mental Health Month: Accessing culturally responsive mental health care
Balanced You recognizes the resiliency and strength within the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. We also recognize that one’s background and identities can present unique experiences, specific barriers, and opportunities to accessing mental health support; BIPOC and underrepresented communities face additional barriers including structural racism, access to quality care, and cultural stigmas. As a King County employee, you have access to comprehensive health care coverage, including mental health coverage. We have been working with our providers to reduce barriers to access. Most employees have medical plans through either Kaiser Permanente or… Read More
Administrative Professionals Q2 Recognitions published
Celebrate the great work of the County’s Administrative Professionals and read about their accomplishments in the 2023 Q2 Recognitions. King County Administrative Professionals are a large part of King County government’s workforce and valuable contributors to the success of every department. They support and provide direct services to internal customers and the public. Administrative Professionals may include, but are not limited to, Administrative Specialists, Office Assistants, Executive Assistants, Customer Service Specialists, Dental and Medical Assistants, Court Clerks, and more. To show your appreciation and recognize an Administrative Professional that you’ve worked with, click here.
Eight ducklings rescued from airport storm drain
Crossposted from the DES Express Employees at King County International Airport-Boeing Field recently rescued eight ducklings who had fallen into a shallow storm drain, reuniting all of them safely with their mother. Thanks to Ryan Johnston, Brian Kruml, and Jadyn Saporito for the rescue. It all started with a phone call to Airport Operations from a corporate client that a mother duck and her ducklings were walking around near a storm drain on their ramp, according to Sam Priest, Airport Duty Manager. The tenant was worried that some ducklings may have fallen… Read More
King County first in the nation to order new hybrid fire truck
Crossposted from the DES Express King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is the first airport in the nation to finalize the purchase of a hybrid electric fire engine. The Striker Volterra 6×6 Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle is made by Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc. The new rig will complement the airport’s existing diesel-powered firefighting vehicles, also made by Oshkosh, and will allow the airport to retire its oldest diesel fire truck. Read more.
Recognizing 37 years of service of retiring DJA Director Barb Miner
Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) Director Barb Miner is retiring after 37 years with King County. While her last official day is July 21, her last day in the office is Friday, July 14, which King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Patrick Oishi and Chief Administrative Officer Linda Ridge have proclaimed “Barb Miner Day.” “Barb’s commitment to excellence and quality have helped shape DJA into the high performing Clerk’s Office it is today,” they said. View the official proclamation here and congratulations Barb! Thank you for your service.
ARFF attend live fire training in Montana
Crossposted from the King County Sheriff’s Newsletter The King County International Airport’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) Team recently completely rigorous live fire training. The training was held at the esteemed Rocky Mountain Emergency Services Training Center in Helena, Montana. During this intensive training program, the ARFF team demonstrated their excellent skills by fearlessly combating full-scale aircraft fires. Equipped with their specialized fire trucks, they showcased their proficiency in extinguishing these formidable blazes. However, their training didn’t stop there. The team also engaged in simulated scenarios where they skillfully navigated their way into… Read More
DNRP’s Shin Yu Pai talks with disability activist Alice Wong
Shin Yu Pai is not just a storyteller for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP). Among her other accomplishments — and accolades — she’s the author of eleven books of poetry, the current Civic Poet for the City of Seattle, and host of the KUOW award-winning podcast Ten Thousand Things. Recently, Shin Yu had a conversation for her podcast with disability activist Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project and author of the best-selling memoir Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life. Growing up in a suburb of… Read More
Employee News 