OLYMPIA, Wash. — Spokane native Michael Fong has been announced as the new director of the Washington State Department of Commerce (DOC).
Fong's career spans more than 20 years and includes roles in the public sector at the city, county and national level. Before his appointment to DOC, he worked as senior deputy mayor for Seattle and as a policy analyst and legislative aide for Seattle's City Council.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Fong to the position after current director Lisa Brown announced her plans to step down. As director, Fong will oversee economic growth in the state of Washington.
Fong was appointed as the regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration's operations in the Pacific Northwest in January 2022. In the role, he oversaw programs providing small business owners emergency pandemic relief funding, access to capital, business development counseling and government contracting opportunities.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience across local government and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support the agency’s mission to strengthen communities and grow our economy in every corner of the state," Fong said in a statement. "We’ll continue to lead the nation as an equitable, inclusive place to live, work and thrive.”
Fong will begin his new role on May 8, 2023.
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