Gig Harbor lawmaker, Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) was appointed by the House Leadership to the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority (WEDFA).

State Representative Kilmer has built a career as a manager with the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County working daily with small businesses. His expertise made him a perfect fit for WEDFA, an independent agency within the executive branch of state government, created by the legislature to “...develop innovative approaches to the problem of unmet capital needs” for small and medium-sized businesses in the state.

Kilmer made economic development his top priority in Olympia this past session. He served on the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee, and prime-sponsored several bills to help local small businesses, including B&O tax relief, permitting efficiencies, expansion of worker training, small business incubator support, and improved efforts to market Washington and its products.