Meet Dave Rucklos

Hello Dayton. My name is Dave Rucklos, and I am stepping into the newly created role as Director of Tourism and Economic Development. It’s my first day on the job and I am thoroughly excited about joining your city and staff.

My most recent position was as the Executive Director of the McMinnville Downtown Association. I took that job one week before pandemic restrictions were mandated. It was a trying time where we were challenged to find ways to support the city’s business community. We embraced some creative ideas that contributed toward weathering the storm and we exited that period with renewed enthusiasm for our downtown.

Understanding the needs of your city and community is at the top of my list as I settle into this new role. There is so much excitement about the prospects for Dayton and it is important that residents share in that feeling and where it could lead. I’m a big advocate of the careful approach to first crawl, then walk before you run. Listening will be a big part of my initial experience here.

As I navigate my way around and familiarize myself with the workings of the city, I look forward to meeting many of you in the months ahead. Reach out to me at drucklos@daytonoregon.gov. with both questions and concerns. I hope to be a positive complement to what is already a city with incredible potential.