I wear a few hats: Small business owner, Eagle Scout, planning commissioner, Rotarian, board member, entrepreneur, and church volunteer. Those have their place, but the most important titles I hold are husband and father. My wife Taryn and I moved our family to Cle Elum because this is where we wanted to raise our kids – Svea (2.5) and Sören (<1). We weren’t looking to just move to any small town – we chose Cle Elum specifically for the people, the culture, and the character.

My grandfather emigrated to the United States from his hometown of Landskrona, Sweden in his early 20s with a dream of a better life. He arrived just in time to be called into service by the U.S. Army for the Korean War. He eventually started two successful companies before retiring in his late 80s. He instilled in me the meaning of hard work, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit as well as a passion for serving my community.

Most of my professional career has been focused on helping elect quality public servants who fight for open, transparent, and accountable government. While working in the U.S. House of Representatives, I spearheaded the creation of the first searchable database of congressional earmarks. The light we shined on earmarks helped lead to the outlawing of the practice one year later. I firmly believe that government, whether it’s Cle Elum city hall or D.C., should be more open and accessible to its citizens.

I am a proud small business owner of a boutique digital creative agency that primarily works to help local governments communicate effectively with their residents, small businesses grow their customer base and revenue, and elect candidates to office who make excellent policymakers or administrators.

Every day we work with our clients to help them communicate effectively with the public and take advantage of cutting-edge tools to be more engaged and responsive than ever before – something I plan to do as your councilmember. I know what it’s like to take the risk and start a new business, with all of the impediments and uncertainty that come with it. I am passionate about supporting our small businesses and creating an environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to thrive and create jobs.

I feel blessed to be a part of our growing community and have offered my time, enthusiasm and talents wherever I can. I currently serve on the Cle Elum Planning Commission and the Cle Elum parks committee because I want the community our kids grow up in to be the best it can be. Yet, while there’s no denying that our city is growing, it’s critical that we protect the unique heritage, character, and culture in the process.

Every day I’m blown away by the kindness and generosity I see in this community and it makes me even more proud to call it home. There’s so much more we can do to protect our heritage and work toward an even better quality of life. I want to help, and that’s why I am seeking an opportunity to continue serving Cle Elum as a city councilmember.

You can give me a call anytime at 509-201-7402 or email me at [email protected]. It would be an honor to earn your vote.