PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles has rehired Pat Deja, who was fired as properties manager in 2007, as marketing and property manager to fulfill a new marketing strategy.
The port announced the hiring Monday, when Deja began work.
Deja was selected from 31 applicants and four finalists for the job, which pays about $71,500 annually, said Jeff Robb, port executive director.
A group of six staff members helped with the interviewing and unanimously agreed that Deja was the one for the job, Robb said.
“We are excited to have Pat on staff,” Robb said.
“We look forward to fulfilling the port’s mission and growing Clallam County through our new marketing program.”
Robb said the port is focused on marketing all of Clallam County.
‘Border to border’
“We stretch from border to border of the county, and we are committed to economic development within that area,” he said.
Deja had worked for the port for 10 years when he was fired from his position as properties manager, in which he oversaw at least 33 tenants, by former port executive director Bob McChesney in October 2007 and was escorted out of port offices.
Planning Manager Susan Bauer, a nine-year employee, was fired at the same time.
Commissioners later said that the terminations were not related to the employees’ job performances.
Instead, they said, the positions were eliminated because of restructuring.
Deja now will be responsible for more than simply managing the properties, Robb said.
“We’ll be going outside of the area to other parts of the region to try and attract business here,” he said.
Deja said he aims to lure more businesses into Clallam County from the surrounding region.
“The port wants to be proactive because people won’t just coming knocking on our door,” he said.
“We can tell businesses that are trying to cut down on costs how they could get a competitive advantage here.
“This isn’t just about Port Angeles either; we will be marketing all of Clallam County.”
Robb said initially the job will be largely about building relationships.
“It takes a long time to engage people and draw them into the community,” Robb said.
Deja already has appointments set up in the region, Robb said.
New marketing strategy
Robb, who has hiring and firing authority for the port, said the hire is part of the new marketing strategy outlined in the port’s work plan.
The plan involves heavily marketing port properties, as well as casting a good light on the port.
Rob cited several areas as being open for development.
“The airport area, for example, is only 50 to 60 percent full,” he said.
“We could easily accommodate a 20,000 square foot structure in one of the developable areas.”
He said that several areas surrounding the airport could be developed, either with the port building to suit a tenant, or through leasing the land and allowing tenants to build on the property.
Deja said he planned to focus on attracting multiple businesses, each employing from 10 to 15 employees.
“Of course large employers will be welcomed as well,” he said.
“But the good thing about the smaller employers is that if you have five or 10 of those types of employers, if one fails, then you still have all of the other ones.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.