Meet WSF Top Candidates in Friday Harbor – Update

Monday, June 9, 4-6 p.m.,  Friday Harbor House, 130 West St., Friday Harbor

Opportunity to talk one-on-one

UPDATE: Location Change

Ferry boss finalists named

— from Lars Erickson, WSDOT Communications —

Following a significant recruitment effort, the Washington State Department of Transportation has narrowed the pool of candidates for Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Ferries Division, to its top two. Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and moves 22 million passengers annually.

WSDOT, legislators and local elected officials are co-hosting community meet and greet open houses in Friday Harbor and Bremerton, providing ferry communities an opportunity to meet and speak with the candidates:

Captain George Capacci: Currently serving as interim Assistant Secretary, Capacci held the position of WSF deputy chief of Operations and Construction. He also served as vice president of Fleet Operations with the Alaska Marine Highway System and is a retired commissioned officer of the U.S. Coast Guard.

John Ladenburg: A practicing private attorney, Ladenburg has an extensive background in local and regional government including being elected as Pierce County Executive, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney and to the Tacoma City Council. He has also served as chair of Sound Transit, president of Puget Sound Regional Council of Governments and president of Puget Sound Economic Development Board.

WSF candidates open houses:

When: 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, June 9
Where: Friday Harbor House, 130 West St. (corner of First St.), Friday Harbor

When: 7 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 10
Where: Norm Dicks Center, 345 6th St., Bremerton

After brief introductions from the meeting hosts, participants will have an opportunity to talk with the candidates. There will be no formal question and answer session.

Joe Copeland, editor at Crosscut.com, the regional online news service, wrote on June 4:

“The state today named two finalists for the top job in Washington State Ferries: Former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg and Capt. George Capacci, the interim leader. It’s sounds like hot competition for a tough job: An inside candidate who’s already doing the job vs. a highly respected candidate who has held challenging jobs elsewhere in government. They are seeking to become the assistant state secretary of transportation overseeing the ferry system. David Moseley stepped down in April after six years running the system.”