SEATTLE—Washington Policy Center (WPC) named former State Representative Mark Harmsworth as their new director of their Center for Small Business. WPC's Center for Small Business focuses on improving Washington's small business climate by working closely with business owners, workers and policymakers. The center’s mission is to provide media, legislators and citizens accurate information and analysis on the state’s regulatory climate and tax structure as it pertains to small business and start-ups.

“I’m excited to join the WPC team and continue the work they do to promote great, free market solutions to improve our state for everyone,” said Harmsworth.

Washington Policy Center has eight areas of focus, including small business, but the center director position has been vacant since the labor portion of the center was spun off as the stand-alone Center for Worker Rights in 2018. The hiring of Harmsworth as center director and re-opening of the Center for Small Business is part of WPC’s new long-term strategic plan and signifies a renewed emphasis for WPC on small business issues.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Mark’s caliber leading on these important issues,” remarked Dann Mead Smith, Washington Policy Center President. “His experiences as an elected official, as an entrepreneur and in the high-tech fields make him a spectacular addition to our team.”

In addition to serving two terms as a state legislator, Harmsworth has served as a city councilmember and on the boards of Everett Community College and Snohomish County Boys and Girls Club.  He has worked in the IT sector for twenty years including at Microsoft and Amazon and has owned his own company, Methodworks since 2015.  Throughout 2019, Harmsworth served as a WPC Research Fellow focusing on Transportation.