Port of Grays Harbor Commissioner Tom Quigg has announced his candidacy for the District 2 seat he was appointed to fill last November.

“The work I’ve done all my life and my interest in the history of Grays Harbor has been very helpful in this position,” said Quigg. “I have dug deep into local history and written articles about some very famous people from Grays Harbor and it all interconnects in one way or another. I think this background has helped me a great deal in providing some value to the Port.”

Quigg was selected from a field of seven candidates vying for the seat left vacant by the sudden passing of longtime Commissioner Jack Thompson, who died from injuries sustained in a fall while on Port business in Santiago, Chile, in October.

“The first couple of months on the commission have been interesting,” he said. “As far as Port activities go, I have a good understanding of that. I’ve been around waterfront, commercial and industrial properties all my life. The politics is a little different, but it’s part of what we do.”

Quigg started his career in marine construction with Quigg Bros.-McDonald Inc. in 1966 and has been around the maritime industry most of his life. Currently, he is a commercial and industrial real estate broker with Windermere Real Estate in Aberdeen.

“Just in the last two years I sold my real estate offices, so I have the time to do the work of the Port Commission and am enjoying it very much,” said Quigg.

Port commissioners serve six-year terms. Whoever wins the November election will serve out the remainder of Thompson’s last term, which is up Dec. 31, 2023.

No other candidates for the position have come forward yet; the filing period for this and all other offices open in the 2019 election is in May. Quigg is already formulating his campaign strategy, saying, “There will certainly be some campaigning involved. I’m obviously going to run because I hope to win.”