Bart Hansen, executive director for the Building Industry Association of Clark County and longtime Vancouver city councilor, has been hired by the statewide Building Industry Association of Washington.
Hansen will be the vice president of business development for the Building Industry Association of Washington, a nonprofit trade association representing the interests of real estate, land development, homebuilding and construction businesses.
“This is an amazing opportunity to support the building industry across the state,” Hansen said.
Hansen relished the chance to continue looking at how to support affordable housing statewide.
Chuck Neibert, president of the Building Industry Association of Clark County and co-owner of Affinity Homes, expressed appreciation for Hansen’s hard work at the local association.
“Bart has brought a unique dynamism to our organization, significantly improving our association by introducing new events and focusing on membership retention,” Neibert said.
Neibert said the association grew substantially during Hansen’s tenure.
In his new role, Hansen will manage the state association’s membership efforts, working with the state’s 14 regional building associations to promote programs and develop new revenue.
Hansen, a Vancouver native, was elected to the Vancouver City Council in 2010. He doesn’t expect his new role to interfere with his city council duties. He won’t be relocating for the job and will only go to Olympia periodically.
He also said city council members usually have second jobs unless they’re retired or independently wealthy.
“We know when we need to recuse ourselves,” he said.
Hansen has a master of business administration from Marylhurst University and spent two decades working for Clark Public Utilities before joining the building association. He serves on the C-Tran Board of Directors and the Vancouver Public Schools Management Advisory Task Force. He’s also a member of the Clark County Mural Society and Downtown Vancouver Rotary Club.
Hansen will start at the state association Nov. 11.
The Clark County association’s executive board will lead the interview process and transition for a new executive director, according to an association spokesperson. But there’s no timeline on a new hire.
