OLYMPIA – The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) announced that Orting Mayor Josh Penner was recently appointed to its board of directors.

“The four years of greatest growth I’ve had as an elected leader have occurred in tandem with my engagement in AWC,” said Penner. “It has opened my eyes to the larger community of peers in city leadership. Working together on our shared challenges and opportunities is easier and more effective through AWC.”

Penner will represent AWC District 6, which includes 27 cities and towns in Thurston and Pierce counties. Penner has served as Mayor of Orting since 2018 and as Orting city councilmember from 2012 to 2017. He has served on AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee, Statement of Policy Committee, and Nominating Committee.

The AWC Board of Directors is the association's governing body. The board is comprised of 25 directors, 23 of whom are mayors or city councilmembers from Washington cities or towns, and two non-elected city officials who also serve as the president and past president of the Washington City/County Management Association.

AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. Membership is voluntary. However, AWC consistently maintains 100 percent participation from Washington's 281 cities and towns. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers' Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium.