City of Marysville Community Development Director Gloria Hirashima received one of two “Public Employee of the Year” awards presented by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties and the Puget Sound Section, Washington Chapter, of the American Planning Association.

Robert Thorpe, past president of the Puget Sound APA and principal of Robert W. Thorpe and Associates in Seattle, joined Jennifer Jerabek and Michael Pattison of the MBA in presenting the award to Hirashima at the APA’s annual holiday celebration in Seattle.

The joint MBA-APA award program, now in its third year, was created to honor public employees who best exemplify the spirit of seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges presented by growth while maintaining responsible environmental stewardship.

Hirashima was named a “Public Employee of the Year” for her leadership during a period of significant growth for the city of Marysville.