Joe Raymond was recently named general manager of Pleasant Beach Village.

But he’s not a stranger in a strange land. Raymond grew up on Bainbridge Island, and his first job as a teenager was actually at the nearby Lynwood Theatre.

Today, he and his wife, Christen, who is a graduate of Bainbridge High School, live about 2 miles south of Pleasant Beach Village with their three young children.

“This job is a dream come true,” Raymond said. “I used to ride my bike to Walt’s, right near the entrance to Pleasant Beach Village with my friends when I was a boy. Now I get to come to work every day in the same neighborhood where I grew up. My kids will get to grow up where my wife and I grew up, too.”

In his new role, Raymond will oversee the day-to-day management of the entities that comprise Pleasant Beach Village, including the Manor House Weddings & Events venue, The Beach House Bar & Grill, Hammy’s Burgers, The Marketplace Café, the Inn at Pleasant Beach, the Pool at Pleasant Beach, The Barn Cat, residential apartments, and commercial retail space.

He is also responsible for more than 89 full- and part-time employees, has financial oversight for the development, and oversees property management and the apartment residences.

“The addition of Joe’s leadership to the Pleasant Beach Village will bring an enhanced focus on customer service for the village’s guests, merchants and tenants,” said John Jacobi, owner of Pleasant Beach Village. “Having grown up here, Joe also brings a deep knowledge of the island and its residents, which is invaluable in running a local business.”

Raymond was previously general manager for Insignia Seattle, a mixed-use condominium development, after relocating back to the Pacific Northwest from New York where he was director of residences for The Residences at Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan.

Raymond commuted to O’Dea High School from Bainbridge Island, where he graduated in 2001. He attended Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where he studied history.

Established in 2011, the Pleasant Beach Village development is one of the largest of its kind completed on Bainbridge Island. Visit www.pleas antbeach village.com to learn more.