Scott Reynvaan, economic development director of the Quinault Indian Nation, will be honored Saturday at the 2017 Harborite of the Year Dinner at the Aberdeen Museum of History.
He’s been volunteering his time and expertise to Grays Harbor nonprofits his whole life, focusing on creating plans to improve the local economy, attracting visitors to the area and increasing access to riverfront property.
It’s a family thing. His mom (a descendant of the Aberdeen pioneer Malinowski family) and dad instilled in him a sense of community, and it’s reflected in the countless hours he has given to improve the quality of life in the area.
“We’ve had our foot in the pond for quite some time,” he said. “My family has been actively working in the community since before Aberdeen and Hoquiam were officially towns.”
Reynvaan said he was “pleasantly surprised” when he was told he would be 2017’s Harborite of the Year.
“I’m not much into fanfare,” he said. “I like to get out there at a grassroots level and put in the type of work in the wings, and let other people cut the ribbon.”
Still, when longtime Aberdeen Museum of History volunteer Tony Airhart broke the news to him, he asked Reynvaan to attend the dinner to accept the award in person so he could inspire others to get involved in the community. He told Reynvaan it would help to get the message out there for people to “step up and commit” to bettering the place they live and work.
“Scott is simply a dedicated Harborite, right to the core,” said Airhart. “His roots stretch back here, he was raised here and he has never forgotten the Harbor. He brings quiet leadership, a vision of prosperity for Harborites, and does everything with a positive, upbeat attitude.”
Reynvaan is active with several nonprofits, including the Grays Harbor Community Foundation, Grays Harbor 20/20, the Aberdeen Revitalization Movement and the Historical Seaport Authority.
He’s also part of the team pushing for Main Street designation for Aberdeen. Supporters say the program — part of the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation — would give businesses in the downtown core some of the tools they need to grow, and would lead to a better economy and an improved downtown appearance.
When formulating its Main Street plan, the team focused on three main priorities. “One of them was calming traffic and mitigating downtown traffic, which was done with the lane reduction and bike lanes,” said Reynvaan. “Another was an enterprise center, the Gateway Center, which could double as a visitor’s center on that end of town. The third leg was accessibility to waterfront property.”
A lot of waterfront property on the Chehalis River has been privately owned for many years after the mills they housed shut down. Reynvaan said a possibility involved bringing in the Trust for Public Lands — a nonprofit that facilitates and funds the creation of parks and protected lands — to purchase that acreage and make it accessible to the public.
While Reynvaan appreciates the honor, he says there are plenty of others out there who put in time for the community.
“The real heroes are the Lions, Rotarians, museum volunteers, Beautification Team, and countless others who step up and volunteer every day, without any direct recognition,” he said. “They are the real Harborities of the Year.”
Reynvaan splits his time between the Harbor and a home in Kitsap County, where his wife and two young children live.
“The older I get, the more I appreciate the value of being a kid who was blessed in growing up on the Harbor,” he said. “I’m looking forward to eventually moving home 24/7 versus three to five days a week.”
Saturday’s awards dinner at the museum will begin with a 6 p.m. social hour, with drinks provided by GH Wine Sellars. The dinner, catered by O’Brien’s, will be served at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available for $30 at the museum, or by calling 360-533-1976.
