Contact: University Communications, (360) 650-3350
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| Trustee Peggy Zoro |
In August, WWU Trustees and the Port Commission approved creation of the development entity, whose governing board will include the university president, port executive director, a port commissioner, a university trustee and one more person chosen by the entity board. In September the Port Commission selected Commissioner Scott Walker as its representative on the development entity board.
"Peggy Zoro brings substantial business expertise to this very important project," said WWU board Chair Phil Sharpe. "The board has confidence that the development entity will provide a crucial mechanism for Western's presence at the waterfront."
Western President Bruce Shepard said that Zoro "is widely respected, with a thorough and keen understanding of the needs and opportunities facing both Western and our community as the waterfront project moves forward."
In future meetings both the Trustees and Port Commission will be asked to approve an annual operating budget, bylaws and development concepts. Once fully established, this new development entity could contract with a developer to either purchase or lease a parcel of land from the port. This land would include acreage for Western as well as additional property for adjacent commercial development.
Zoro, appointed to Western's Board of Trustees by Gov. Gary Locke in 2003, is currently senior vice president and regional manager of Wells Fargo Bank's Wealth Management Group for the North Puget Sound Region. Zoro's 37-year banking career also includes many years at Key Bank where she served as senior vice president and district president and with Security Pacific Bank where she served as first vice president and regional manager.
Zoro is an active community member. She currently serves as a board member of the Whatcom Alliance for Health Care Access, is past-president of the Western Washington University Foundation Board of Directors, past-president of St. Luke's Foundation and past chair of the Bellingham/Whatcom County Economic Development Council. Zoro has received numerous awards for her community service. The most recent is her induction in 2007 into the Northwest Women's Hall of Fame.
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