Olympia hires Mary Verner as city’s chief financial officer

Mary Verner has been hired as Olympia’s new administrative services director and chief financial officer.

Verner, 60, is a former mayor of Spokane who ran as a Democratic candidate for Washington Commissioner of Public Lands in the 2016 primary. She will begin her new position Feb. 27. The position pays an annual salary of $153,800.

Verner recently served as deputy supervisor for resource protection and administration for the state Department of Natural Resources. She also worked as CEO of Spokane Tribal Enterprises, a group of businesses owned by the Spokane Tribe.

Verner has a law degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane, a master’s degree in environmental studies from Yale University in Connecticut, and a bachelor’s degree in medical anthropology from Davidson College in North Carolina.

“I was immediately impressed with the breadth of her background,” City Manager Steve Hall wrote in a statement. “She is a proven and innovative leader who comes to us with unique experience in and perspective of organizational operations.”

Verner will replace Jane Kirkemo, who is retiring after 32 years with the city.

On a side note, Verner became a minor internet sensation in 2009 after rapping about Spokane’s history — along with a little personal history — in a duet called “Coming Together.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Olympia hires Mary Verner as city’s chief financial officer."