EVERETT — Housing Hope announced Thursday that it is reorganizing its top leadership with long-time executive director taking on a new role.
Ed Petersen, the CEO of Housing Hope, will transition into chief strategic officer for the nonprofit. Fred Safstrom, the agency’s chief operating officer, has been promoted to the CEO position. Both of their new roles will extend to Housing Hope’s affiliates including HopeWorks Social Enterprises.
“This is great work,” Safstrom said. “I have done some exciting things in my career. I’m a lifelong resident of Snohomish County and Everett. I’m extremely excited about continuing this service and helping make this community a better place.”
Safstrom, who joined Housing Hope on a fundraising committee in the 1990s, spent 24 years at Everett’s Cascade Bank from 1976 to 2001. He spent his last 10 years at the bank as the president and chief operating officer. (Cascade was purchased by Opus Bank in 2011.)
He then went on became the executive director for the Everett Public Facilities District in 2001 during the development of what is now Xfinity Arena.
Petersen is the founding executive director of Housing Hope, which started in 1987. Petersen led the nonprofit as it has developed into a housing, job training and child development agency.
Much of Petersen’s new focus will be on the strategic and financial development of HopeWorks and HopeWorks Station, creating more social enterprises and developing workforce housing onsite for people wanting to pursue jobs and internships at the social enterprises.
Some of the nonprofits current projects include:
• Monroe Family Village with 47 residential units serving homeless and very-low income households with children is the biggest development in Housing Hope’s history and will is scheduled to open on Oct. 30.
• Twin Lakes Landing at Smokey Point, scheduled to break ground next summer, will include 50 residential units serving homeless and very-low income families.
• HopeWorks will soon be launching their fourth social enterprise — CafeWorks at HopeWorks Station, which is the first step toward a culinary training program.
“This is a very exciting time at Housing Hope,” said Patty DeGroodt, Housing Hope Board President, in a statement. “With the agency’s growth all over Snohomish County, having Ed transition to a chief strategic officer position will target his vision in specific areas. Fred’s knowledge and expertise of Housing Hope and the community will keep the momentum and success of the agency going strong.”
For more information, go to www.housinghope.org.
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