Port of South Whidbey commissioners may have chosen a new executive director, and it’s not one of the island’s own.

On Thursday, the board voted unanimously to extend an offer of employment to Randy Mueller of Ridgefield, Washington. Mueller’s 18 years of experience working for other port districts in the state appeared to impress the commissioners. Negotiations were still ongoing.

Other applicants who were interviewed this week include Stan Reeves, the previous Port of South Whidbey executive director who served from 2018 to 2023, and Blaine Oborn, the former city administrator for Oak Harbor who was terminated by Mayor Ronnie Wright in 2024.

Reeves drew from his past experience as the port’s director, deftly answering a question about the way he handled a controversial decision on the fairgrounds that led to a long-term tenant occupying a building usually reserved for Whidbey Island Fair activities.

“In that particular instance, it’s entirely possible that we overstepped a little bit,” he said, but added something had to be done to get more business to the property.

Oborn, on the other hand, said he may be a little overqualified for the role, despite having no prior experience working in port districts, and admitted that he had never been inside the fairgrounds. He spoke about wanting to get out of the “political light” of Oak Harbor, where he had a rocky tenure, as previously reported by the Whidbey News-Times.

Ultimately, the commissioners decided Mueller was the man for the job. If hired, he will replace Angi Mozer, the port’s current executive director who has served at the helm of the district since 2023 when Reeves resigned to take a job with the Navy, which he explained he did to qualify for a military retirement pension. Mozer is a military spouse and resigned because her family will be deploying later this year. Her last day is June 30.

Mueller most recently served as the CEO of the Port of Ridgefield and before that, the CEO for the Port of Chehalis, which he said are similar in size to the Port of South Whidbey.

“I work to embed myself in the community,” he said. “I become a part of that community. I’m not someone that’s going to clock out at five and go home and not be part of things.”

During his interview, he highlighted his ability to seek grants for various past port projects. His time as the Port of Ridgefield’s director of business development also appealed to the commissioners, who pointed out an increasing need for economic vitality in the South Whidbey community.

After spending some time in the area, Mueller and his wife are prepared to relocate to Whidbey Island since he resigned from his last role in March. At the end of his interview, he handed out a 90-day plan he had prepared for his first steps.

Following a lengthy executive session, the commissioners threw their support behind Mueller. Commissioner Curt Gordon said he thought Mueller could help grow the port with his experience in acquiring grants and other types of financing. Commissioner Jack Ng liked that he was willing to engage with the community.

The board convened a second executive session to discuss Mueller’s salary, in violation of the state Open Public Meetings Act — which specifically states that discussions about salary must be in public. After returning, the commissioners agreed to stick with the range listed in the executive director job description, which is $80,000 to $105,000 per year.