Aaron Reardon
Snohomish County Executive
Aaron Reardon is serving his second term as Snohomish County Executive. First elected to the position in 2003, Reardon was sworn in as the youngest County Executive in America.
During his first year as County Executive, he produced a balanced General Fund Budget and built up the County’s reserves without a tax increase, ending four consecutive years of deficit spending. In 2008, he also became the first County Executive in Washington state history to successfully cut General Fund property taxes.
Reardon’s leadership in government has earned him national recognition for his work in strengthening government accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and economic development. He recently was honored by the National Center for Civic Innovation for such work.
He is the senior County Executive of the Puget Sound region and serves as Chair of the Sound Transit Board.
His top priority is protecting and creating jobs for our region as well as making the region more competitive. During 2009, he brought together regional business leaders in a series of summits geared toward making the Puget Sound area the most competitive region in the United States. Summits focused on improvements in home and commercial development, entrepreneurial opportunities, aerospace and health improvements as well as agricultural competitiveness.
Earlier this year, Reardon spearhearded a series of resource fairs designed to help families and individuals during these difficult economic times.
Prior to serving as Snohomish County Executive, he served as a Washington State Senator and a member of the state House of Representatives. As a state senator, Reardon was an instrumental leader in passing the legislative package that landed the first Boeing 787 production line. Additionally, Reardon authored and passed the first legislation to create tax incentives for aerospace suppliers. This has encouraged key suppliers to relocate and expand their operations in Washington State, creating tens of thousands of new jobs in the Puget Sound region and throughout the state.
During his tenure in the state House, Reardon served as Chair of the Committee on Competitiveness and Vice Chair of the Committee on Finance. There, he was a leader on aerospace, economic competitiveness and workforce training and unemployment insurance reform. He was the author of the 2000 Worker Training and Unemployment Insurance Reform Act.
He holds a double degree in political science and social science with a focus in public administration and economics from Central Washington University.
Aaron is married to Kate Reardon. They have two children: Madeline and Jack. They live in Everett, WA.