Drewel worked as an assistant sales manager at the Rhodes Brothersdepartment store in Seattle and later for a labor-relations firm before moving to Everett. Drewel was hired by Everett Community College in 1974 to work in their personnel department and twice served as interim president in 1981 and 1984. He was appointed permanently to the position in December 1984, and became interested in politics while involved in the college's lobbying efforts in the Washington State Legislature. During his tenure at the college, Drewel led efforts to rebuild the campus library after it was destroyed in a fire, as well as paying back $1 million in debt to the state after a miscalculation in enrollment numbers, and the establishment of early-retirement and retraining programs for staff.
Political career
Drewel was encouraged to run for the office of Snohomish County Executive by local Democrats, including outgoing executive Willis Tucker, and announced his candidacy in April 1991. He received the early endorsement of the Snohomish County Labor Council over Republican candidate and state senatorCliff Bailey, who he narrowly defeated in the September primary; both candidates advanced to the general election in November, defeating two other candidates from both parties. Drewel won 53 percent of votes in the general election, and pledged to "restore confidence in government". Drewel was re-elected to a second term in 1995, and a third term in 1999. He was term limited after his 1999 re-election, and was seen as a possible Democratic gubernatorial candidate for the 2004 election. Drewel was appointed the executive director of the Puget SoundRegional Council in December 2003, and served in that position until his retirement on January 2, 2014. He later served as interim chancellor for the Everett satellite campus of Washington State University in 2014.
Personal life
Drewel married his wife Cheryl in 1968 and raised two daughters with her at their home in Arlington. Drewel was well-known as a charity auctioneer, a role he began in the 1980s, raising money for United Way and other local charities. He also worked as a part-time cowboy and opened the annual Evergreen State Fair rodeo in cowboy boots and jeans. Shortly after his election to a third term in 1999, Drewel was successfully treated for prostate cancer.
