Successes, Challenges at Port of Chelan County – A Chat With New Director Jim Kuntz

2018 was a big year for the Port of Chelan County – new businesses at the old Cashmere Mill Site, a diamond foundry coming to Wenatchee, an incubator space opening at Pybus Market, shopping for an airline to fly from Pangborn to San Francisco and hiring a new director.

But challenges abound as well – Pangborn Memorial Airport is in the red, there’s not enough commercial and industrial space in the county and a need to recruit more businesses throughout the county.

Pat Jones, Executive Director of the Port for the last two years, is stepping down at the end of the year and turning the reins over to the new Deputy Director Jim Kuntz. Jones was hired as an interim following long-time Director Mark Urdahl’s retirement.

Kuntz has been Director of the Port of Walla Walla for the last 25 years and said the development plans there are applicable to Chelan County.