Citing his 18 years in public service and a successful business career before that, the Edmonds Daybreakers Rotary Club Tuesday morning presented former Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson with its 2014-15 Professional of the Year Award.

The award is presented for those who aspire to high ethical standards in their occupation and who “contribute their vocational talents to the problems and needs of our society,” noted Daybreakers Rotary member Jeff Scherrer in making the presentation.

Here’s the video of Tuesday morning’s event:

Haakenson, who retired last summer after four years as deputy executive and executive director for Snohomish County, served on the Edmonds City Council from 1996-1999, and was Edmonds’ mayor from 2000-2010. He left the mayor’s job in July 2010 to become deputy director for then-Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon. After Reardon left the county May 31, 2013, the Snohomish County Council appointed then-Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick to take Reardon’s place. Haakenson was called upon to serve as the county’s long-term disaster manager for the SR 530 Slide following the devastating March 22, 2014 mudslide near Oso that claimed 43 lives.

Prior to his time in public service, Haakenson co-founded the Lynnwood-based international retailer Zumiez, which now has over 600 stores.

“As an elected official, Gary strived to be accessible to the public and to keep everyone informed about city business,” Scherrer said in his presentation. “As an appointed official, Gary did his best to be an effective communicator among all elected officials at the county.”

Haakenson also was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship award, named in honor of Rotary founder Paul Harris, for his “assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world.”

In brief remarks following the presentation, Haakenson said he was “honored…and humbled,” adding it was only fitting to close out his career by helping those affected by Oso. “The peope, what they suffered, what they went through and what they are going through — it was just amazing,” Haakenson said. “The looks on their faces when you were able to help them or to solve the problem for them, in the state that they were mentally…I can’t think of a better way to finish working in public service than that.”

Haakenson has been married 44 years to his wife Dolly, who accompanied him during the presentation. The couple has two sons and four grandchildren.