Speaker: Erik Kvarsten, Gresham City Manager
Erik Kvarsten was appointed City Manager on August 1, 2004 following six months as Gresham’s Assistant City Manager. Prior to managing Oregon’s fourth largest city, Erik gained management experience in a number of Oregon cities including:
- Eight years as City Manager of Troutdale;
- Six years as City Manager of Independence;
- Three years as City Manager of Sweet Home;
- Two years as the first City Manager of Turner; and
- Two years as the Community Services Manager of Stayton.
Erik was drawn to public service because he saw it as “an opportunity to participate in striking a balance between liberty and equality and between individuality and community.” A graduate of the School of Community Service and Public Affairs at the University of Oregon, Erik was introduced to local government through a 1982 internship under Pete Wall, the former City Manager of Mt. Angel. According to Erik, the internship, which included the negotiation of a solid waste franchise and solving a long standing neighborhood cat problem, “sealed my fate forever.”
His greatest professional accomplishments in both Troutdale and Gresham are being part of “recasting the organizations to provide the best services possible with the resources available.”
Luncheon will be at Fairview City Hall at 12:00pm.