Bill Clark has had a varied, exciting and diverse employment life. From farming to law enforcement to Port Commissioner and many experiences in between.
Farming was a family tradition for the past 100 years. Henry Clark, his grandfather, is the first farmers to plant Pennsylvania potato seed in Idaho that when harvested became the seed stock for the famous Idaho Russet potato.
Bill has been in public service for over thirty years. He began his law enforcement career in Kennewick, Washington in 1970. Having a desire to broaden his law enforcement experience, Bill and his family moved to San Jose, California in 1973 where he went to work for the San Jose Police Department. Bill was selected as one of the first Field Training Officers for San Jose who then went onto be the Tactical Officer at the San Jose Police Regional Academy.
Bill later worked as a Tactical Response Team Officer for Hanford Patrol, Assistant to the Chief and Captain of Staff Services. In 1992, Bill was hired as a Captain to manage the Franklin County Corrections Facility for the Franklin County WA Sheriff’s Office for seven years. While with Frankling County he served as a sniper and entry officer on the SWAT team. Bill also was tasked with operating the Sheriff’s Patrol boat on the Columbia and Snake River system.
While working for Hanford Patrol and later for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Bill simultaneously was elected as a Port Commissioner for the Port of Pasco. He served in that position for approximately 18 years.
In 1998 Bill, he was hired by the City of Newport, Washington as its Police Chief, which required his stepping down as a Port Commissioner. He served as Chief of Police until 2003, when he retired from a 28 year law enforcement career.
Bill is married to his wife of 37 years, Sandy, his college sweet heart and are both Born Again Christians. They have two grown sons, Micah and Matt. Matt and his wife Jamey, have three children; Nadia, Nathan and Jalan and live in Spokane. Micah operates Camp Patriot in NW Montana, a non-profit that takes injured and disabled veterans on outdoor adventures in Montana.
Bill has served as the longest elected President for the Benton Franklin Council of Governments, serving an unprecedented seven years as its leader. During that time, he was and still is active in the Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Metropolitan Planning Organization and Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla Good Roads Association.
In 1997, Bill was elected as Chair of the Eastern Washington Transportation Forum and hosted an Eastern Washington Transportation Conference. The Forum brought together State and local elected officials, representatives of transportation, agriculture and international trade. The Forum emphasis was to facilitate communications between various levels of State, local government and private sector in identifying freight mobility issues and challenges on Eastern Washington highways. The overall goal is to improve farm to market roads, rail, and airport and waterway access for improved freight mobility.
Bill was also elected as the President of the Washington State Council of Governments and presided over the West Coast Council of Governments when hosted in Washington State.
Bill recently concluded his service the President of the Association of Pacific Ports (APP). APP is an organization, created in the early 1900’s as a mechanism to enhance communications between Ports of the Pacific Rim.
Currently serves on:
Camp Patriot Board of Directors and Secretary/Treasure
John Mast Foundation as Treasurer