https://almanac.conventioncityseattle.com/tags/pfd/Recent content in Pfd on Convention City AlmanacHugoen-us© 2026 Ivan Schneider · <a href="https://conventioncityseattle.com/">Convention City Seattle</a> · Licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://almanac.conventioncityseattle.com/cities/seattle/governance/Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://almanac.conventioncityseattle.com/cities/seattle/governance/<h1 id="seattle-governance">Seattle: Governance<a class="anchor" href="#seattle-governance">#</a></h1> <p>How the convention center is governed — the PFD structure, board composition, state backstop, and key contracts.</p> <p><strong>Primary sources:</strong> RCW 36.100, PFD board meeting minutes (2018–2025), bond official statements, CFO letters.</p> <hr> <h2 id="pfd-structure">PFD Structure<a class="anchor" href="#pfd-structure">#</a></h2> <p>The Washington State Convention Center Public Facilities District is a special-purpose municipal corporation created under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=36.100">RCW 36.100</a>. It is not a city department and does not report through the Seattle city budget.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Board:</strong> 9 members (appointing authorities TBD from board minutes)</li> <li><strong>Taxing authority:</strong> 7% lodging tax on hotel rooms in Seattle</li> <li><strong>State backstop:</strong> Washington State guarantees bond debt service shortfalls — <strong>expires 2029</strong></li> </ul> <h2 id="leadership-sequence">Leadership Sequence<a class="anchor" href="#leadership-sequence">#</a></h2> <h3 id="ceo--president">CEO / President<a class="anchor" href="#ceo--president">#</a></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Name</th> <th>Title</th> <th>Period</th> <th>Prior Role</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Jeffrey Blosser</td> <td>President &amp; CEO</td> <td>As of Jan 2019 – 2024</td> <td>—</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jennifer LeMaster</td> <td>CEO</td> <td>Sept 2024 – present</td> <td>Georgia World Congress Center Authority (Atlanta)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3 id="cfo">CFO<a class="anchor" href="#cfo">#</a></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Name</th> <th>Period</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Chip Firth</td> <td>—</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Sam Hecker</td> <td>—</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Erwin B. Vidallon</td> <td>Current (signs FY2024 audit)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3 id="external-finance">External Finance<a class="anchor" href="#external-finance">#</a></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Name</th> <th>Firm</th> <th>Role</th> <th>Since</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Matt Hendricks</td> <td>Hendricks &amp; Bennett</td> <td>Director of Finance / Treasurer</td> <td>2018 bonds; still presenting at Oct 2025 retreat</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3 id="key-staff">Key Staff<a class="anchor" href="#key-staff">#</a></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Name</th> <th>Role</th> <th>Period</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Michael McQuade</td> <td>Director of Sales → Senior Advisor</td> <td>1988–2026 (38 years)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Aaron Davis</td> <td>Assistant Director of Sales</td> <td>Current</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Linda Willanger</td> <td>VP Admin / AGM</td> <td>— (not CEO)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> <h2 id="board-members">Board Members<a class="anchor" href="#board-members">#</a></h2> <p><em>Source: <a href="https://seattlecc.com/governance/">seattlecc.com/governance</a>, retrieved April 2026.</em></p>