New Mattawa port commissioner interested in diversification

MATTAWA — Port of Mattawa Commissioner Kevin Anderson said the port is looking for new customers and ways to diversify the economy of the Mattawa area. It’s a lesson he learned during a 40-year career in maritime businesses, he said.  

He cited the barge company he managed as an example. 

“When I was in the barge business, we had one leg of a stool, and that was we were really tied to the fishing industry,” Anderson said. “But if the fishing industry had a tough year, then we suffered as a company, because that was our main income. So, over the years, what we worked on was to diversify and get into other areas of strength, so if one struggled, the other one did well, and (evened) out the peaks and valleys of the business.” 

Anderson, a resident of Desert Aire, said he joined the port commission about two months ago. Anderson is one of two new commissioners; Matthus Leitz was elected for a six-year term in November 2025. 

Economic development and business recruitment are the port’s job, he said. He thinks the Port of Mattawa has some advantages when port officials are recruiting businesses.  

“Over the years, they put in a lot of infrastructure like water and fiber optics, sewer and streets and different things like that, (and have access to) cheap electricity. There's a lot of things out there that we can say, ‘This is what we have to offer, and this is what we can do to help you grow your business in eastern Washington, or in particular, here in the Mattawa area,” he said. “I think that's the key, is to get everybody thinking in that way. And that's what we're working on right now. And we do have some good projects that are coming together that I think could be cornerstones to really helping this area grow.” 

Those include promoting the area along state Route 243, he said. 

“The highway is a busy highway, lots and lots of people driving through. Developing something along that corridor, I think, will help people stop. Whether it’s getting fuel or food or whatever, I think there are opportunities,” Anderson said. 

There is interest in Mattawa as a location for a data center. While the number of jobs may be limited, they’re good jobs, Anderson said. 

“You don’t have to have a college education – they'll train you. You can go to high school and have training programs for people who want to stay in this community and raise families and have a full-time job,” he said.  

The key, he said, is encouraging diversification. 

“I just believe you get a couple of cornerstone-type businesses like that, and the rest will come. I think you'll build off that,” he said. 

To help that process along, port officials are working on rezoning sections of port property to allow light industrial uses, he said. 

Anderson said he’s been coming to Desert Aire most of his life — his parents were among the first people to build a house there. He and his wife moved permanently to Desert Aire about two years ago, he said. Eventually, people asked him if he’d be interested in the port commission job. To a guy who spent his career in the maritime industry, the idea of a port in Mattawa was kind of unusual.  

“I drive by those places and they say they’re ports, but I don’t see any ships,” he said.  

But he was interested in economic development. 

“I said, ‘I would love to get involved in something where I could give back to the community. Since I think we’re going to live here for a while, and if I can be of any benefit, then yeah, I’ll take a look at it.’ That’s how it began,” he said. 

    The Port of Mattawa is working on diversifying the area’s economy, said commissioner Kevin Anderson. While agriculture is predominant in and around Mattawa, other opportunities could help shore up the community economically.