Starting any new job is exciting. But to the Port of Olympia’s new Executive Director, it’s also full of boundless new opportunities for both personal and regional growth. Alex Smith recently accepted both the position and the challenges that come with overseeing an organization that impacts land, sea and air. She’ll bring experience, enthusiasm and freshness to our community, quite literally from the ground up.
The Port of Olympia creates thousands of local jobs and brings millions of dollars into Thurston County. They host events and festivals, rent storefronts to small businesses and run both a busy working deepwater seaport and regional airport. Smith will have her hands full, but eagerly looks forward to the future.
Executive Director Alex Smith Brings Experience and Optimism to the Port of Olympia
Smith first worked with Western Washington ports as a Seattle-based environmental attorney in the 1990s. It was then, she says, “I got a chance to learn how cool they are: they are governments, and yet have a statutory mission to do economic development in their communities. And the ports I worked with also wanted to do good things for the environment, whether cleaning up legacy contamination, doing habitat restoration or adopting business practices on the cutting edge of environmental protection and stewardship.”
From 2012 to 2016, Smith worked as the Port of Olympia’s Director of Environmental Programs which provided first-hand knowledge that she calls on today.
As she gets settled in, Smith is: “Excited to learn more about the opportunities all Port business lines have, whether at the Marine Terminal, the Airport, the Marina and Boatworks or with our Real Estate Group. I am also excited to see what the community’s priorities are, and how the Port can support them, whether through our business lines or in other ways.”
Strengthening the Port of Olympia’s Social and Economic Footprint for the Future
With its tremendous geographic footprint, Olympians may forget what a vital service the Port provides. Smith explains that ports are important to our daily lives in many ways. They transport people and goods, promote economic development and opportunity, provide land and buildings that foster local businesses, embrace environmental stewardship, clean up legacy contamination, protect endangered species, restore natural habitats and offer modes of transportation in the event of a disaster.
Smith is proud that: “Our Port is one of only about six in the state that have all four Port lines of business: a marine terminal, a marina, and airport and a real estate division. And folks might not know that the Port works with the Thurston Economic Development Council to promote economic development throughout Thurston County, including efforts to support the agricultural community in south Thurston County.”
Building a Strong, Resilient Port of Olympia One Day at a Time
As with any new job, Smith hopes to connect with fellow staff during her first weeks to hear from them what is going well and what we can do better. She’ll then reach out to local partners and the Port Commission to develop a trusting working relationship between them and the staff. Her final goal as she begins will be getting plugged into their bigger initiatives so she can do what she can to help them move along and be successful.
She has been tremendously impressed with Port staff during the entire hiring process. In just a short span at the helm, Smith has quickly acknowledged and values the team’s love for and dedication to their work, while maintaining a passion for serving the community. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and working together towards a shared, successful future.
When not working, San Francisco native Smith – who settled in Olympia in 2000 – relishes spending time throughout her adopted hometown. “I just love the more open and less crowded landscapes, the proximity of forests and agricultural lands and the abundant water and recreational opportunities,” she says. “Outside of work I spend time outside with my four dogs, rowing on Budd Inlet with the Olympia Area Rowing club and riding my bike with like-minded cyclists.”
To find out more about Smith’s journey with the Port or keep abreast of the latest news, sign up for email updates and follow their News Room today. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Jot down not-to-be-missed port Events like the Olympic Air Show, Home | Shoestring Circus, Summer Nights at the Port (Port of Olympia (portolympia.com), Movies at the Marina, Capital City Pride and Olympia Harbor Days. And if you see Alex Smith around town, give her a warm welcome as she tackles this exciting new phase of her life.
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