October 2, 2024 3:29 PM

10/02/2024 - Welcome Derrick Braaten, Community and Economic Development Director

CITY OF SUNNYSIDE PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: October 2, 2024
Contact: City Manager Mike Gonzalez (509) 850-4748
mgonzalez@sunnyside-wa.gov
City Clerk/Communications Director Jacqueline Renteria

Subject: The City of Sunnyside Welcomes Derrick Braaten as their new Community and Economic Development Director.

The City of Sunnyside welcomes new Community and Economic Development Director Derrick Braaten. Braaten will lead a team that includes land use planning, building inspections, permitting, and code enforcement. He will also be responsible for updating the city’s comprehensive planning document. Braaten will manage the city’s contracted engineering firm HLA.

Braaten comes to the City of Sunnyside from Franklin County, where he was the Planning and Building Director for 6 years. At Franklin County, Braaten managed the exploding growth and the ever-expanding urban growth area in Washington State’s fastest growing county.

“I’m extremely excited to be here at the City of Sunnyside. I have a long history of economic development and I wanted to embrace my passion for urban planning again. The opportunity to work for Mike Gonzalez again was very appealing. Mike is someone who supplies the canvas and lets you paint the vision. He’s a great leader. I am excited about the economic development opportunities in Sunnyside and our region,” Braaten.

City Manager Mike Gonzalez, who managed Braaten at Franklin County says he couldn’t be happier he’s here.

“Derrick brings a wealth of knowledge to economic development, planning and land use expertise. He is the right person for the job. He is very customer service focused and always willing to go the extra mile for our residents. He’s a great leader who people like working for. We need someone who can come in right away and make an impact. He is that guy, and I can’t tell you how excited I am he’s here,” said Gonzalez.

Braaten has a long history in community planning and economic development. He began his career as the Government Affairs Director for the Homebuilders of Spokane. Braaten then spent 12 years at the City of Airways Heights as a planner and economic developer during some of the fastest growing times in the city’s history.

Braaten began his first official day on Monday October 1st. Braaten says there’s a lot to accomplish in the next year. “My goal is to bring housing here to Sunnyside and I believe if we have the correct processes in place, we’ll have hammers swinging quite a bit next spring,” said Braaten.

Este comunicado esta disponible en español - https://www.sunnyside-wa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3707/PR2024-17_DERRICK-BRAATEN_SPN

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