Mark F. Dederer

Mark Dederer joined Safeco Insurance in April 2007 as their Director of Corporate Citizenship and in November 2008 was named Vice President, Director for the Safeco Insurance Foundation and Manager of Community Relations. Based in Seattle, he reports to Mike Hughes, President Safeco Insurance.

Mark grew up in Seattle and began working with community organizations when he was in middle school. He continues a family legacy of civic duty established by his grandfather, Michael Dederer, an early Seattle businessman and passionate community advocate who was one of the chairmen on the committee that brought the 1962 World's Fair to Seattle.

Today, Mark oversees Safeco's charitable contributions nationally, where in 2008 the company gave $8.6 million to support community organizations working hard to rebuild & strengthen cities nationally with the highest need. He works closely with a wide variety of nonprofits, from the arts and environmental issues to Youth & Education. Mark has been instrumental in coordinating contributions from a number of different business lines within Safeco to increase the company's impact on the quality of life in Washington and other cities around the U.S. where Safeco Insurance is located.

A Seattle resident, Mark serves on the boards of, Virginia Mason Hospital, Urban Enterprise Center, Seafair and YMCA camping services. Mark's community involvement also includes memberships on, The Meredith Matthews East Madison YMCA Black achievers fundraising committee and Washington State University College of Education Advocacy Board, most recently Mark was part of the advisory committee for Northwest Center's annual Golden Hearts Luncheon, Honoring and celebrating volunteers committed to helping those with disabilities.

Prior to his role with Safeco Mark was the Vice President & Manager of Community Relations for Wells Fargo in Washington, Mark also worked for Wells Fargo's Community Support Programs, a department that manages scholarships, education and volunteer programs companywide. He also helped coordinate fundraising campaigns for United Way of King County.

A Seattle native, Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration specializing in International Business from Central Washington University in 1995. He also studied photography and art at Washington State University from 1982 to 1984. In his commitment to CWU it should also be noted that Mark just completed his term on the Central Washington University Foundation board of directors.