With 20-plus years on the Port of Grays Harbor Commission already under his belt, Jack Thompson has announced he will run for re-election this year.

“I feel like we’ve got a lot of interesting stuff going on,” he said. “I feel good physically and mentally and feel like I can still add something to the mix. We have a good group to work with; we don’t always agree with each other on everything, but we have been able to be really successful and I’d still like to be a part of that.”

When asked about some of the accomplishments he’s seen on the commission the past two-plus decades, he said the assembly of the current team of Port leadership tops his list.

“There are several things, like the ability of the Port Commission to work together and be able to hire the quality of management we have to run it; that has been a great accomplishment,” he said. “And the fact that we were able to diversify the Port from a single-use facility to a multi-use facility, and the growth as a result of that has been tremendous for all of Grays Harbor.”

Thompson, along with County Commissioner Bob Beerbower and then-PUD Commissioner Tom Casey, spearheaded the Port’s efforts to purchase the Satsop Business Park. Two major tenants of the Park, including a customer service call center for online retailer Overstock.com and a major marijuana growing operation, are opening this year and are expected to bring more than 200 jobs with them.

Thompson is looking for his fifth six-year term as commissioner of district 2. All candidates for the office must file a declaration of candidacy with the Grays Harbor County Auditor’s Office by Friday, May 19.