February 3, 2026 — The Port of Skagit capped off the end of 2025 in belated fashion with staff recognition and an overview of the year’s accomplishments.
The event was postponed due to flooding and the flood response work by the Port in December. The Port of Skagit played a key role in the local flood response, including supporting the 300 National Guard staff housed at Skagit Regional Airport; providing airfield support for Search & Rescue, Air Force, Coast Guard and Dept of Natural Resources teams; supplying hundreds of wooden pallets for sandbag distribution; coordinating the relocation of more than 2,000 cars from local auto dealerships to the airport and higher ground parking for school busses in La Conner; and helping stand up an animal feed and hay distribution site with volunteers. Skagit Regional Airport, owned and operated by the Port of Skagit, is designated as an essential public facility by Skagit County, and is often used in emergency and/or disaster response efforts.
The flood response was just one noteworthy element in a list of accomplishments by the Port of Skagit in 2025. Additional highlights included the expansion of the Port’s Granary facility in support of local agriculture, new trail construction at SWIFT Center with Skagit Trail Builders, preparation for dock replacement in the South Basin at La Conner Marina, the first major building renovation at SWIFT Center to establish the NW Innovation Resource Center’s IRC Lab-SWIFT, acquisition of three buildings at Skagit Regional Airport and Bayview Business Park, installation of major utility infrastructure at Watershed Business Park to prepare property for development, continuing to build broadband infrastructure into our rural communities, and public access improvements at La Conner Marina. The Port also hosted several community events in 2025 including a world-class airshow and establishing the first music in the park event at the SWIFT Center.
“Our team delivered an extraordinary year,” said Sara Young, Executive Director of the Port of Skagit. “They advanced major, complex projects across our properties while keeping daily operations running smoothly and finding new ways to deliver value to our community. That level of focus, professionalism, and teamwork is impressive, and I couldn’t be prouder of this staff.”
Several Port staff members were recognized for their contributions throughout the year. The Port was happy to recognize and thank the following staff members for their achievements: Nick Bitto for Exemplary Service, Joe Hayes for Notable Achievements, Jesse McCarty for Outstanding Safety, David Millenaar for Spirit of the Culture and Laura Schumacher as Brand Champion.
