Friday, the council’s Human Services, Labor, and Economic Development Committee chaired by Alexis Mercedes Rinck took up the appointment of Beto Yarce as the director of the city’s Office of Economic Development.
Yarce began serving in March after helping lead Ventures, a Seattle-based nonprofit dedicated to helping low-income, and historically underrepresented entrepreneurs start and scale small businesses.
In 2019, Yarce made a surprise u-turn and suspended his campaign to challenge incumbent Kshama Sawant for her position leading District 3 on the city council. At the time, Yarce said his decision was based on his dedication to his work with Ventures.
Sawant went on to defeat Broadway Business Improvement Area leader Egan Orion in a race marked by massive campaign spending.
Seven years later, Yarce is now at City Hall to lead the relatively small but funding rich OED. The department’s 2026 budget weighs in at $40.4 million as it manages various grants and programs across core areas like small business support, key industry sectors, neighborhood business districts, and creative industries. The department has a staff of around 63 people.
“What excites me most is the chance to deliver real results by uniting multiple partners around a shared goal. I’ve built a career bringing people together across sectors, aligning different perspectives, and turning collaboration into action,” Yarce said in his answers (PDF) to questions from the council. “In this role, I want to continue doing that for Seattle’s businesses and neighborhoods by strengthening partnerships, expanding access, and helping create a more inclusive economy for all.”
Yarce, OED, and the rest of City Hall will face growing financial challenges as Seattle is facing a projected budget deficit of nearly $488 million over the next three years, with a $175 million shortfall projected for next year.
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