Candidates for Kirkland City Council are beginning to come forward as the filing period, May 15-19, draws closer.

The most recent resident to announce his candidacy for council is Tom Neir. He plans to challenge for position No. 2.

Neir has served on the Kirkland Transportation Commission for eight years, two as chairman, and is a co-founder and board member of the Kirkland Parks Foundation. He currently serves as a board member of Tilth Alliance (formerly Seattle Tilth) a statewide organization.

He spent his youth in Kirkland, attending Lake View Elementary, Kirkland Junior High and graduating from Lake Washington High School.

“I view Kirkland as a wonderful gem of a city with a long and proud history of citizen involvement,” Neir said. “I plan to build on this incredible foundation to ensure our citizens continue to enjoy a healthy, safe, and caring community.”

He went on to graduate from the University of Washington and then the University of Virginia Darden School of Business to obtain his MBA, before moving to California and eventually Hong Kong while working for Tandem Computers.

In China, he founded the Pacific Coffee Company in 1993. The Company’s revenue exceeded $25 million when sold in 2005.

Neir has served as a business strategy consultant for Cow Hollow Associates, LLC since 2006 and as the CEO of TorrX, Inc., a startup in the sporting goods and sports marketing industry, since 2013.

Neir’s passion for sports began when he was a youth, as he was part of Kirkland’s Senior Babe Ruth 1975 National Championship team.

He has early endorsements from former mayor and 48th District State Rep. Joan McBride, former mayors Dave Russell and Mary-Alice Burleigh, author and former mayor Bob Neir, former councilmember and park steward Nona Ganz, former city manager Dave Ramsay, former parks director Lynn Stokesbary, former parks director Jennifer Schroder, former parks board chair Sue Keller, former Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) co-chair Bea Nahon and former KAN co-chair Lisa McConnell.

Neir is married with two sons.

Position No. 2 is currently held by Jon Pascal, who was named to the seat last fall after former councilwoman Shelley Kloba won a state representative seat in the 1st District. Pascal has said that he will challenge for retiring Councilwoman Doreen Marchione’s position No. 7 this fall.

For more about Neir’s campaign, visit www.tomneir.com.