By Mark Edward Nero
The Port of Port Angeles said June 30 that it has hired Jennifer States as its new Director of Business Development.
As the Director of Business Development, States is responsible for “developing and implementing strategies to encourage new business development, stimulating job growth, coordinating business retention and promoting expansion activities” within Clallam County, according to the port.
States brings to the port 15 years of experience in energy and environmental issues, with an emphasis on business and economic development. A Nebraska native, she was recruited by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to Washington state in 2007, where her focus grew to include hydropower and emerging wave and tidal energy technologies.
At PNNL, she served as program manager for Wind and Water Power Technologies, as well as Renewable Energy for National Security. While there, she received the Women of Wind Energy’s Rising Star award in 2010, partially due to her efforts implementing the Treasury’s Section 1603 renewable energy grant in lieu of tax credits. This incentive has supported construction of more than 96,000 renewable energy projects.
Since 2012, she has been a board member of the nonprofit Oregon Wave Energy Trust, a Portland-based public-private partnership that helps develop ocean energy by connecting stakeholders, supporting research and development and engaging in public outreach and policy work.
