Staff
J. Thomas Ranken, President and CEO
Tom is the President & CEO of the Washington Clean Technology Alliance. Under Tom’s leadership, the WCTA’s membership has quadrupled to 134 companies, research institutions, and organizations. The WCTA has developed a value proposition that includes business service programs, events focusing on an array of industry topics, a rebuilt website and blog, an email newsletter communications system, and a database with nearly 6,000 recipients.
Prior to joining the WCTA, Tom was a Seattle-based entrepreneur and management consultant. Tom co-founded and was CEO of VizX Labs, a bioinformatics company that developed GeneSifter, the first web-based gene expression microarray analysis service now used worldwide by hundreds of labs. Tom also led a team that turned around and doubled the size of Axio Research Corporation following significant losses, which was later sold to Solutia. He directed public affairs at the state’s largest biotechnology company, Immunex (now Amgen), and was President of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association. He spent seven years in banking.
Tom was elected Chair of the national Council of State Bioscience Associations. He was appointed Chair of the DC-based Biotechnology Industry Organization’s State Government Committee, was instrumental in crafting the highly successful state affiliate strategy, and was elected to the Emerging Companies Section of BIO’s Board. He was also a key player in the state’s Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association for many years as Chair of the Board, Chair of the Government Affairs Committee, member of the Board, and as CEO for three years.
Tom spent fourteen years as a Trustee of Harborview Medical Center including serving as President of the Board. He has served on the Boards of VizX Labs, Axio Research, the Technology Alliance, the University Sunrise Rotary Club (President), Seattle Mental Health (Chair), and the Crisis Clinic. He currently is Treasurer of the Washington News Council board and is Vice Moderator of the Magnolia United Church of Christ Coordinating Council. An Eagle Scout, Tom spent five years as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 80 and now serves on the Aurora District Committee as Finance Chair. At last count, 35 of the Scouts in Tom’s troop had made Eagle including his son.
Tom has an MBA from the University of Washington and a BA in economics from the University of Virginia. His MBA thesis was “U.S. Petroleum Dependence and Energy Alternatives.”
On weekends, he can often be found playing his guitar or camping with the Boy Scouts.
Sharon Schierle, Event Planning and Operations
Joe Meyer, Intern
Joe is graduating from Western Washington University studying economics/environmental studies. He was appointed by Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell to serve as a US Senate Page. Joe is an Eagle Scout from Boy Scout Troop 80 in Seattle. He worked as a summer intern for WCTA and lifeguard at Pop Mounger Pool.
Michelle Ranken, Intern
Michelle will be graduating from the University of Washington. She is majoring in political science and plans to attend law school after completing her undergraduate degree. She studied in the International Baccalaureate program in high school and played competitive volleyball for her high school and for club teams.
Lynn Coppedge, Intern
Lynn is majoring in Sustainability and Urban Planning at Arizona State University. After graduating, she plans to complete her Masters Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning at ASU’s graduate college.