Dan Thomas.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: Balance sheet - Port of Seattle - Interview

Dan Thomas says advice from his father--"If you're going to do a job, do it right"--has served him well in all areas of his life, though he sometimes has to restrain himself from a tendency towards perfectionism.

Also, he routinely asks: "What can I do today that will make a difference tomorrow?"

Title: Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Company: Port of Seattle, consolidated airport/seaport authority in Seattle

Born: Scranton, Pa., May 1958

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Spouse: Laura, 18 years

Children: Sons Cole, 14, and Luke, 10

Education: BS in Economics, Pennsylvania State University, 1980; MBA, Finance, University of Washington, 1991

Career Summary: Professional musician, 1980-87, various locations; Heartland Group, Real Estate Sales Assistant, Seattle, 1987-89; Port of Seattle: Financial Analyst, 1991-94; Manager, Finance, 1994-97; Director, Finance and Budget, 1997-2000, CFO, 2000-present.

Board of Directors: Northwest Harvest, Washington State hunger-relief agency, 2004-present, immediate past chair.

FEI Chapter: Washington State Chapter since 2004, Chapter President 2007-08.

Leisure: I enjoy camping, hiking and skiing with my family, travel, digital photography and playing music and song-writing (when I can find the time).

Time Management: Office productivity tools (calendar, task lists, PDA) for keeping track of appointments and projects. The approach outlined in the book Getting Things Done, by David Allen, is particularly helpful in terms of breaking complex tasks and projects down into smaller action steps.

Stress Management: Exercise, reading and meditation.

Favorite Book: I enjoy books on history, philosophy and science. A favorite is American Creation, by David Ellis, which provides a rich perspective on the founding of the American republic and the key personalities involved. The portrait that emerges is that the founding fathers were exceptional individuals but also had human flaws, and that the republic was formed not by grand design but evolved through an unfolding series of events, decisions and actions that could easily have led to a very different result if minor variations had occurred--government by natural selection, in a way.

My hero is: Abraham Lincoln. His ability to steer the nation...