Michael Fong will start as the newly appointed director of the state Department of Commerce on May 8. Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Fong to the position earlier this month.
Kendrick Stewart, Commerce’s deputy director, has led the agency since the departure of former director Lisa Brown earlier this year and will continue in that role until Fong starts.
Commerce oversees more than 100 programs related to community and economic development efforts, including housing, business and international trade.
Fong comes to Commerce from the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he served as regional administrator for the agency’s operation in the Pacific Northwest, overseeing programs that provided small business owners emergency pandemic relief funding, capital access, business development counseling and government contracting opportunities.
Fong has served in various city, county and national public-sector roles for more than two decades. The Spokane native started his career as a policy analyst and legislative aide for the Seattle City Council and later was the city’s senior deputy mayor from 2017 to 2021.
In early March, Brown stepped down as Commerce director after leading the agency for four years. Later that month, Brown declared her candidacy for Spokane mayor, running against incumbent Nadine Woodward.
Brown has lived in Spokane for more than four decades and represented the area for two decades in the Washington Legislature, eventually becoming the first Democratic woman to serve as Senate Majority Leader, and was Chancellor of Washington State University Spokane’s health sciences campus.
Washington state House Republicans have selected Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, to become their minority leader.
First elected in 2014 from the 31st Legislative District, Stokesbary is the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, which deals with spending and budget matters. He takes over from Rep. J.T. Wilcox, a Republican from Yelm who announced on Sunday he would step down from leadership.
“As a lifelong Washingtonian, I know the incredible potential of our state, but too many of our challenges have been exacerbated by single-party control," said Stokesbary in prepared remarks. "I'm proud that House Republicans are fighting for real solutions to the critical issues affecting our state, including public safety, student performance and tax relief.
In addition, Rep. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, was selected deputy Republican leader. First elected in 2016, he takes over the position from longtime Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda. Steele is currently the ranking Republican on the House Capital Budget Committee.
Democrats currently control the House 58-40.