Port of Poulsbo has named Tom Rose as its new commissioner following the decline of former city council member Ken Thomas who needed to attend to a family emergency.

Rose will be taking over for former commissioner Mark DeSalvo, who resigned soon after his arrest by Poulsbo police for the alleged desecration of a memorial to Stonechild Chiefstick, a Native American man killed by police at a community event last year.

“I think it’s going to be important here, with the prior sad events, to get things back on track. To re-establish a relationship and rapport with the community, specifically the Suquamish Tribe,” Rose said.

One of the things Rose would like to see happen at the Port is growth and expansion for programs to include groups that may otherwise feel left out of being involved in port activities, such as youth sailing, rowing, etc.

Rose holds a philosophy in service leadership.

“The more you’ re given the more you give back, so I’m looking at this as sort of community service, to begin with but as far as my professional background I’ve been involved in the marine industry and building them as part of the yacht club down in the bay area so I have some practical skills there,” Rose said.

Rose has been involved with the Port since 1995 and has spent much of his career in the marine industry.

“I went through the California Maritime Academy in 1974, but I sailed offshore, transferred over to ocean tugs…became a San Francisco pilot in 1983. I was there for 12 years before I transferred up to Puget Sound in 1995, and I retired six years ago as a Puget Sound pilot for the U.S. Navy,” Rose said.

Rose had a parallel career as a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserves, and was deployed several times to Somalia and other parts of the Persian Gulf, working primarily with humanitarian agencies on port relief and salvage.

One of the things Rose is excited about regarding this position is making the Port a “go-to” spot.

“I am excited about the fact that Poulsbo, if you looked out at the anchorage, through the smoke, people are coming out just to get away,” Rose said.

He is also excited about the new challenges the breakwater from Elliot Bay will pose.

“I look foreword to working with the other commissioners and staff as well,” he said.