Bruce Dammeier: Leading with Purpose: A Public Servant’s Journey of Integrity and Impact

About Bruce Dammeier:

Bruce Dammeier is a lifelong Pierce County resident. He grew up in University Place, graduated from Curtis High School, and went on to graduate with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1983. Bruce served eight years as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer in the U.S. Navy, deploying worldwide and gaining valuable leadership experience. After his military service, Bruce worked in his family’s printing business for eight years and remains a partner in a printing business today. 

His public service began with the Puyallup School Board, and he later served eight years in the Washington State Legislature. In 2016, he was elected Pierce County Executive, a role he held until 2024.

During his time as County Executive, Bruce led Pierce County through the challenges of the pandemic, earning national recognition for innovation and fiscal responsibility, including achieving two bond rating increases, culminating in an Aaa rating from Moody’s. He also launched the Open Pierce County website and created the Emmy-winning Inside Pierce County video series to enhance transparency.

Bruce spearheaded efforts like the Blue Zones Project and Good Neighbor Village Partnership, working to build healthier and stronger communities.

Bruce has been married to his wife Lauren for over 40 years and has three married sons and four granddaughters. His dedication to family, service, and community has left a lasting impact on Pierce County.

In this episode, Jim and Bruce Dammeier discuss:

• The unexpected path from Navy officer to community leader
• How to win elections in opposing-party districts by prioritizing people over politics
• The importance of building diverse, high-performing leadership teams
• Leading through crises and staying grounded in your core values
• The dangers of polarization and what it will take to bring common sense back to public service

Key Takeaways:

• The best leaders serve, not perform. Lasting leadership isn’t about applause or popularity — it’s about doing what’s right for your people, even when it costs you personally.
• Winning trust starts with working hard, serving well, and showing up for your community. Over time, consistent integrity can flip even the toughest districts.
• Crisis leadership requires calm, collaboration, and clarity. Bruce proved that bipartisan, mission-driven teams outperform echo chambers every time.
• The loudest voices aren’t always the wisest. True progress happens when reasonable people work together, away from the extremes, for the good of their community.
• Things are rarely as bad—or as good—as they first appear. Taking a breath, assessing with clarity, and responding thoughtfully is one of the most underrated leadership tools.

"You do the right thing because it’s the right thing, regardless of personal consequences." – Bruce Dammeier

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