At the November 12, 2012 Special Meeting of the Council, Ken Armstrong was appointed as the City of Mill Creek’s new City Manager. Ken will begin work on December 3, 2012.
Ken Armstrong is currently Director of Security, Emergency Management and Safety for Seattle Public Utilities. His previous positions with the City of Seattle include Administrator of the regional Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County and Director of Solid Waste at Seattle Public Utilities. As the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program’s first Administrator, Ken guided the program through a comprehensive internal performance review and strategic planning process, which led to measurably increased efficiencies and improved service delivery. Under Ken’s leadership, Seattle’s Solid Waste Division improved the quality of its services while reducing its operating costs.
Ken, a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, served 22 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. His Coast Guard career included two command assignments – Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Station South Caicos, BWI, and Commanding Officer Coast Guard Cutter Baranof. Mid-way through his Coast Guard career, Ken attended the University of Washington’s Graduate School of Public Affairs, where he also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Quantitative Analysis. Subsequent assignments included serving as Administrative Services Director for the Coast Guard’s 13th (Pacific Northwest) District. Ken’s responsibilities included implementing the region’s annual $20M operating budget, monitoring annual budget performance and overseeing the region’s human resources functions. Ken also served as the regional Coast Guard Congressional Affairs/Government Relations Officer, establishing strong relationships with local, state and congressional offices. In this capacity, Ken played an important role in resolving numerous highly complex and sensitive incidents such as the grounding of the motor vessel New Carissa on the south Oregon coast and its subsequent oil spill; resumption of whaling by the Makah tribe; and tanker and merchant vessel safety in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Earlier in his career, Ken was selected as the sole Coast Guard representative on two U.S. State Department delegations – one to the People’s Republic of China and one to Japan. Do tell.
Ken and his wife Susan reside in Edmonds, Washington.
The City welcomes Ken and wishes him success in his new position. And a big Welcome and Best Wishes from Do Tell Mill Creek, as well!