Got this press release today from the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. Once Affholter formally resigns, the Everett City Council will pick a replacement to fill out his term.
Bellevue, Wash. – Shannon Affholter, vice president of business and economic development for Economic Alliance Snohomish County, has been named the new executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBA). Affholter, who also serves as Everett City Council vice president, will start work on Nov. 5, 2013.Affholter replaces Ed Youmans, who is stepping down as interim executive director next month. The MBA board of directors selected Affholter after a 5-month, nationwide search. The Association’s executive search committee consisted of five members led by Doug Barnes, and Affholter was selected from a group of over 300 candidates applying for the job. “After undertaking an extensive search for this position, we’re delighted to have found someone with Shannon’s outstanding leadership skills and business development experience right here in our own backyard,” said MBA President Brian Ross of Yarrow Bay Holdings. “Shannon brings a wealth of knowledge about economic development issues to the executive director position. He has also demonstrated his ability to advocate successfully on behalf of business issues and build alliances in the region, all of which will be valuable assets for the Association.”
“I am grateful and honored to have been selected as the Master Builders Association’s executive director and for the opportunity to lead such a well-respected trade association. Housing is a key sector in our local economy and a critical component of our quality of life. I am excited to get to work advancing the Association’s mission of promoting affordable housing in the region,” said Affholter.
As executive director, Affholter will oversee the Association in its entirety, developing and implementing the Association’s annual budget and strategic initiatives, strengthening the Association’s position as a leading voice of the housing industry, maintaining and expanding member services and driving membership growth. He will also work to ensure success of the Association’s key member programs, including the Health Insurance Trust, the Group Retrospective Insurance Program and the Home Builder Purchasing Program. The MBA is a member-focused association, dedicated to addressing the issues affecting the housing industry and ensuring the availability of quality, affordable homes throughout Puget Sound. The Association facilitates technology sharing and skill development amongst its members. Philanthropic outreach activities of the Master Builders Care Foundation and Master Builders Career Connection include supporting groups that provide transitional housing and shelters for the homeless, building wheelchair ramps for those in need, and providing scholarships and training for the residential construction industry trades. The Association’s green building certification program, called Built Green, promotes environmentally-friendly building practices and products to further preserve the health and sustainability of our region.
Affholter was first elected to the Everett City Council in 2007, and as a council member, he has worked to promote a business-friendly climate for the city and to support strategic investments that help Everett remain competitive with other cities in the region, including infrastructure and educational programs. He is going to resign his city council seat as he assumes the executive director job. In his position at Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC), Affholter has advanced strategic growth plans and fostered economic development in the region.
Prior to his tenure at EASC, he was a business development executive at the regional accounting firm of Moss Adams and an account executive with Merck. He holds an MBA from Western Washington University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University. Affholter serves on the board of directors for United Way of Snohomish County and Junior Achievement of Snohomish County. Affholter grew up in Eastern Washington, in Toppenish, and is married with two children. He currently resides in Everett.
October 3, 2013
Everett, Everett Government