Past Presidents

Ray Towry

Past President
"The ability of the Grant County EDC to bring public and private entities together to pursue desired growth in our region is vital to the success of each and every one of our communities. The foresight of the staff and directors is proving fruitful and will continue so long as membership participation is strong. Our community has benefited greatly from the work of the EDC and we look forward to working with the EDC for a long time to come."

Ray Towry was born and raised in Ephrata, graduating from Ephrata High School. He was active in sports and clubs as a student. He attended Bellevue Community College, where he played soccer then transferred to Washington State University.

Ray graduated from Washington State with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Administration and Leisure Studies with an emphasis in Business. At Washington State, Ray became a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Vice President of the Recreaction Club and operated his own landscaping business.

Ray also earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington Evan’s School of Public Affairs.

Fortunately his wife is from Moses Lake, thus making coming home to Grant County after graduation an easy decision. He was with the City of Moses Lake seasonally through college and then in a full time capacity for a decade before accepting a full time position with the City of Ephrata as the Recreation, Public Relations and Tourism Director. He has served in many positions with the Washington Recreation and Parks Association, most recently Vice President, President Elect, President and Past President. He’s also volunteered for other local organizations.

Ray currently serves the citizens of Sweet Water, OR as the City Manager; working closely with the department heads to help serve the community.

*Personal Views of the Staff & Directors do not reflect the views of the Grant County Economic Development Council