Hi everyone.
I'm glad I got to go after Director Nguyen because
she adjusted the mic for me, so thank you for that.
Good morning everyone.
As your Chair of Human Services, Labor, and
economic development it is my distinct honor to be
introducing director Beto Yarce before us today.
Now, Beto Yarce is a business executive, an entrepreneur,
a nonprofit and public sector leader dedicated
to advancing economic equity and entrepreneurship
with over 15 years of experience driving growth and
impact across all sectors.
Now, from his days as a solo immigrant entrepreneur,
word on the street is you could buy the most
gorgeous jewelry from him.
From his time leading at Ventures to his time leading the
Small Business Administration's regional office,
Director Yarce has always put his expertise and experience
to work in service of community.
His generosity and civic-mindedness have
already delivered so much value to our community.
And in the past few months, I've been able to work directly
with Director Yarce, and I've been so impressed
by the depth and breadth of knowledge of the whole spectrum
of our city's economic climate.
And I've been even more impressed by his understanding
of the human factor at the foundation of everything
we do on the policy front.
I also want to note how much excitement has been in community
about Director Yarce coming into this particular role.
I know we've received a number of community letters from key
organizations really celebrating his coming into this role.
And I want to also highlight even our committee appointment
process where my colleagues who sit on the Human
Services, Labor and Economic Development Committee were
teaching me things about Beto's work from the amazing
leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just it was really incredible to see the excitement on the
committee, just championing everything that you've already
done for our community.
The goal of economic development is not about improving metrics
on a spreadsheet.
It's about expanding opportunities for
everyone in Seattle to thrive here.
And our small businesses are more than a livelihood
for Seattle's entrepreneurs.
It's their whole lives.
and Director Yarce gets that and so I'm excited to
see where we go as a city with Director Yarce at
the helm of our Office of Economic Development
and with that I'd like to invite Director
Director, Beto Yarce, to the podium to share his remarks.
Thank you.
BETO YARCE: Wow.
I just feel so honored for the introduction.
Do I really need to do a remarks after that?
So, well, I want to start with a thank you
for all our public servants, all the elected officials
that are in the room that serve our city,
our state, our county.
And it's just wonderful to call away with you
for all those 20 years that I've been here in Seattle.
So thank you for your support, especially to Mayor Wilson
for trusting me in this work that I'm just
always been dreaming about serving for the city.
I try in multiple ways as an outsider.
As you remember, I ran for office in 2018.
I always try to kind of figure out how I get to OED,
and I made it.
So I feel like I just did it.
So I'm feeling so proud as I was just listening
to all these wonderful leaders and then just
looking to the window and seeing the pride flag there.
I feel like how I got here.
So as someone who was immigrating from Mexico in 2003
with a tourist visa and a lot of dreams and starting my own
business with only $250 selling jewelry at farmer's markets
in Fremont, how I was able to get here, how I
was able to navigate the the system.
It was very complicated, I will
say. And then just the opportunity to start getting
there for me to get where I am today.
I feel like the city is in a really pivotal time
for me to kind of share my knowledge and how I
want to continue just sharing those experiences
that I just have, and I reached my American dream
with an incredible community that I have my back.
Many of you are here.
This not happens by accident.
It happens by community and by a tribe.
And I really appreciate all those members of my community
that have just been there for me to achieve
what I have been achieve.
We are not finishing, and I'm gonna need your help
to continue making impact.
So I really, really, really need that you are part of this.
The city of Seattle is an important moment,
a chance to reset and build a future
where we continue making progress as a region
to our more equitable economy that works for everyone.
And I'm so committed for that.
I've been doing it for 20 years in multiple sectors,
and now I have the opportunity to do it at the city.
It's time for us to kind of build that equitable economy
that works for everybody.
I understand very well that the economy is an ecosystem.
We need a thriving small business sector.
From small businesses that you know,
that's what I have done all my career,
you have a very special part in my heart.
I will continue advocating and doing everything
that you need for supporting those small businesses,
removing barriers, how do we create more programs,
how we're more creative, how do we use our resources
in a much better way.
We are already doing some of that.
The Office of Economic Development is
doing amazing work, and we have a really good
suite of programs, but it's time for us to also expand.
I know how hard it is to run a small business,
and I also understand how hard it is for those who
are being underserved.
They are BIPOC, black, indigenous people of color.
I am one of them, and I know how hard it was for me,
and I'm committed to do this work.
At the same time, I am here to kind of work in an ecosystem.
We can do better when we work all together.
Mid-sized business, large businesses,
we all have to come together to the table
to solve the challenges that our city is facing.
And I'm committed to do that by bringing people together.
My mom always said, like, food bring people together.
And that's part of my culture.
And that's what I want to do to bring everybody in Seattle to
come together and work together to solve the big issues that we
have.
I want to also add that the small business are the backbone
of the economy.
On my previous job, we have all the data.
They really confirm that all small business create jobs,
create the backbone, vibrancy on our neighborhoods, public
safety and that's what I'm really dedicated to
do the best possible to continue supporting you.
We are in a vital moment in this time in our city to reset and
when I say that if you look into history of our city in
multiple times we've been able to reset.
We have listened a lot of challenges
that we're facing, at the same time, it's time for us
to diversify our economy.
And how can we do the diversification of our economy?
It's starting building infrastructure and resources to
our key industries, like, for example, clean energy that
we've been talking about, clean jobs, maritime, infrastructure,
workforce development, so creative economy, all the
things that we do in my office, and I'm dedicated on
how do we expand to that.
The last thing that I want to add is how lucky I am to be
able to collaborate with an amazing team, all my OED team
that is here.
You guys are talented, smart, creative, resourceful, curious.
I've been learning so much in the last 90 days from you,
and I'm just looking forward to continue collaborating
and learning from all of you, because you are amazing.
You are public servants, and then you show up every day
in the needs of our economy.
I will just finish with congratulations
to all my colleagues, all directors.
I'm really looking forward to collaborate with you.
You are amazing leaders, and we are going to make
this city much better.
And my last thing, just a little commercial.
I don't know if you have heard that we just launched
the World Cup yesterday.
So my team is really leading a lot of those activations.
And I really hope that you can enjoy this very, very
magical moment in our city.
And with that, I say goodbye.
And I wish you a very nice Friday.
y muchas gracias.
I feel like I'm getting married.
Are you ready?
I am ready.
Can we do it in Spanish?
Just you.
Just repeat after me.
I, Beto Yarce, swear that I possess all of
the qualifications prescribed in the Seattle
City Charter and the Seattle Municipal Code for the position
of the Director of the Office of Economic Development,
that I will support the Constitution of
the United States, that I support the Constitution
of the United States, the Constitution of the
State of Washington, the Constitution of the
State of Washington, and the Charter and Ordinances
of the City of Seattle, and the Charter of Ordinances
of the City of Seattle, and that I will
faithfully conduct myself, and the faithful conduct myself,
as the Director, as the Director,
of the Department of Economic Development.
of the Department of the Office of Economic Development.
Thank you.
I'm going to get your pen.