John Thornquist, the director of Washington state’s Office of Aerospace, visits Chinook Enterprises in Mount Vernon, Wash., in August 2016. (Chinook Enterprises Photo)
The head of Washington state’s Office of Aerospace, John Thornquist, says he’s returning to the private sector next month due to frustrations over state budget cuts.
“I’m not trying to leave in a huff,” said Thornquist, who was named to the post by Gov. Jay Inslee 19 months ago. “I loved the job that we were doing for aerospace, but things have moved on, and I’m moving on.”
Thornquist said he tendered his resignation a couple of weeks ago, and will be leaving his job in the Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, or OEDC, on Dec. 8 after tying up loose ends.
After a weekend off, he’ll start his new job as director of consulting services for Bellevue, Wash.-based Cascade Business Group. Thornquist said he’ll continue to focus on aerospace as well as the software and retail industries.
