SEATTLE—November 20, 2003—Tom Tierney, who currently serves as a senior executive with the Port of Seattle has been named to the position of Executive Director of the Seattle Housing Authority. He replaces long-time Executive Director Harry Thomas, who will retire in early 2004, after serving the housing agency for over 13 years.  

“The Seattle Housing Authority is at a crossroads of tremendous opportunity and challenge,” said Peter Moy, Vice Chair of the seven-member Board of Commissioners for the Housing Authority. “I believe that Tom has the right blend of strong leadership skills, experience in development and visionary thinking that will allow us to build on the legacy of excellence that Harry Thomas has established.”

Tom Tierney (standing) spoke briefly with SHA residents on Thursday, November 19. Residents included (clockwise from bottom) Grigoriy Meymis, Abe Gaston, Robert Canamar and Price Cochran.

Tierney will begin work at the Housing Authority on March 1, 2004. “I’m proud to be part of something that touches people in a variety of ways,” he said, speaking about the new position. “This housing authority is one of the best in the country. It is engaged in progressive work that will help to define this city for several generations to come. It is a great privilege to join in this mission and I look forward to applying my skills to help bring that important work to fruition.”

Tierney was chosen from a field 129 applicants from 22 states and three foreign countries. Of these, 96 were male and 33 were female. The Board of Commissioners directed the six-month long national search themselves, using a search committee of commission members headed by Commissioner Bettylou Valentine.

Finalists for the executive director position went through a series of interviews with a 20-member advisory board chaired by attorney and former SHA Internal Auditor Sally Wolf. Finalists were also interviewed by the agency’s senior staff, as well as the Commissioners themselves.

Tierney, 56, has held executive positions at both the City of Seattle and the Port. He is currently Deputy CEO and Managing Director for Economic Development and has directed the development of more than 100 acres of Port land for non-traditional mixed use. While at the Port he directed all corporate departments, including labor relations, personnel, information technology, accounting, finance, public affairs, intergovernmental relations, engineering, construction services, police, and real estate.

During his tenure with the City of Seattle, from 1985–1998, Tierney played key administrative roles on major projects including the Downtown and neighborhood libraries and the redevelopment of Sand Point.

He earned a BA in Economics from Colorado College and a Masters in Economics from San Francisco State University. He has also done advanced graduate work in Economics at the University of Washington, and has served as a lecturer and instructor at Seattle University and the University of Washington.