SEATTLE—February 25, 2004—Andrew Lofton will leave his position as Mayor Greg Nickels' Chief of Departmental Operations to assume a major management role at the Seattle Housing Authority under Tom Tierney, who will take over as Executive Director March 8.

Tierney announced today that Lofton has been appointed as Deputy Executive Director for Finance and Administration.

According to Tierney, "The Housing Authority will face some huge challenges over the next 5 to 10 years, and I'm confident that Andrew Lofton will add a dimension to the leadership of the Housing Authority that will be critical to our success. He's had a tremendously respected career in public administration at every level of government. He has a wonderful reputation as a smart and caring leader, and I am looking forward to working with him."

Lofton will join current Deputy Executive Director Al Levine who will continue to focus his efforts on the agency's extensive asset management and redevelopment initiatives.

According to Executive Director Harry Thomas, scheduled to retire in April, "I have been very excited to transfer leadership to Tom Tierney. With Andrew Lofton coming on board, I am even more confident of the agency's future."

For Lofton, the position offers a combination of hands on work to provide housing with a link to services that people need to be successful. "I see this as a position where I can really help to make a difference in people's lives," he said. "The positions I've held throughout my career have all had a common theme of providing better opportunities for low-income people, including opportunities for people of color."

Lofton will begin work at the Housing Authority on March 29, at a salary of $150,000. He replaces Jo Ann Ritchie, who retired from the agency in December 2003 as Director of Finance and Administration. According to Tierney, the position has been elevated to deputy executive director, and he expects that responsibilities in connection with the new role will be expanded.

"It is also important to recognize that the Housing Authority has grown significantly over the past several years, and the current level of complexity demands high caliber management," said Tierney.