Rep. Steve Tharinger’s Biography

Steve Tharinger was first elected to the Legislature in 2010 to represent the 24th Legislative District, which includes all of Clallam and Jefferson counties and a portion of Grays Harbor County. He has a long record of community service, volunteerism, and small business experience.Back home, Rep. Tharinger is a former Clallam County commissioner and small business owner. He is a member of the Sequim Sunrise Rotary and a state-certified, volunteer mediator with the Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center. In 1994, Rep. Tharinger received the Clallam County Community Service Award.He lives in Dungeness with his wife, Yvonne.

Years in Legislature: 2nd Term

Education: Bachelor of Arts, Colorado College

Community Activities and Appointments:

Community Development

Clallam County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (chair)

Board of the Clallam County Economic Development Council

Board of the United Way of Clallam County from 2003-2009 (Treasurer 2003-2006)

Clallam County Planning Commission from 1992-1997 (chair 1995-1997)

Carlsborg Urban Growth Area Task Force (chair 1994)

Clallam County Forest/Mineral Lands Committee (1991)

Clallam County Agricultural Resource Lands Committee

Clallam County Agricultural Advisory Committee (chair)

Health

United Way Access to Health Care Committee and Community Solutions Committee

Clallam County Board of Health

Clallam County Chemical Dependency/Mental Health Fund Advisory Board (chair)

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Health Care Reform Realization Committee

Natural Resource Issues

Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition Board (ex-officio member since 2011)

Dungeness River Management Team

Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board since 2002 (chair since 2008)

Salmon Recovery Council and Ecosystem Coordination Board, Puget Sound Partnership

Watershed Planning Implementation, Washington Biodiversity Council (state legislative advisory committees)

Regional Representation

Council of Governments for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which includes Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties

Peninsula Regional Support Network for Mental Health (chair) and the Olympic Consortium for Workforce Development, both of which include Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap Counties

Washington State North Coast Local Loan Board

Washington Association of Counties’ Coastal Caucus