Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Education


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 12:00 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Port exec leaves for teachers union job

John Okamoto is leaving his post as the Port of Seattle's chief administrative officer to become executive director of the statewide teachers...

Seattle Times staff reporter

John Okamoto is leaving his post as the Port of Seattle's chief administrative officer to become executive director of the statewide teachers union.

The 81,000-member Washington Education Association represents K-12 teachers, education-support professionals and higher-education faculty members.

Okamoto, 54, of Seattle, will replace Armand Tiberio, who resigned Jan. 1 for a regional position with the National Education Association.

Okamoto's last day at the Port is May 9. His Port salary is $171,982.

Okamoto oversaw public affairs, human resources and government and labor relations for the Port, where he has worked since 2003.

In a recent reorganization, Port CEO Tay Yoshitani shifted public affairs and government relations from Okamoto to Kurt Beckett, the Port's new director of external affairs. Yoshitani handed Okamoto responsibility for negotiating the Port's purchase of a 42-mile Eastside rail corridor from BNSF Railway.

Okamoto was not named or directly implicated in a scathing audit of the Port's construction practices released in December. He was criticized by a Port of Seattle Commission report last year on sexually explicit and racist e-mails sent by Port police.

That report said top Port executives, including Okamoto, showed poor judgment in allowing the Port Police Department to investigate its own members in the e-mail scandal.

Okamoto could not be reached for comment. In a written statement, Yoshitani said he was sad to see Okamoto leave the Port but was "pleased to know that teachers and educators in our state will be in such capable hands."

Staff reporter Emily Heffter contributed to this report.

Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Education headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

NEW - 12:11 AM
Turnover in store for Seattle board

Obama coaxes states to change with school dollars

Seattle judge rules against parents in school closure suit

Head of Seattle's Alliance for Education resigning

District tweaks Seattle school boundary maps

Advertising

Video

Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Ken Auletta talks about Google with Brier Dudley at the Seattle Central Library.

Medal of Honor
Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan
Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial
Procession for slain SPD officer
Election Night: Approve R-71
Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising