Those of us who love the City of Destiny for the great city that it is today - and all that it will one day become - know that in a city this size, change takes work. Every achievement, every successful event, new local business and great stride forward is built on the sweat and tears of Tacomans just like you.

As we sought this year's Tacoman of the Year, we looked at people who, step by step, bite by bite, move by move, are pushing the City of Destiny to become all that it can be.

Erik Hanberg was born and raised in Tacoma, and since his first job back as a fresh-faced 23-year-old executive director of Tacoma's Grand Cinema, he has been working, bit by bit, to make positive changes in our city.

From his early partnership at local blog Exit133.com, to helping elevate the discourse around civic issues for several years at City Club of Tacoma, to his eventual appointment (and then election) to the Metro Parks Tacoma board, Hanberg has found creative ways to get involved and keep our city moving forward in big and small ways.

As a downtown resident raising two children and running the design and marketing business, SidexSide Creative, with wife and business partner, Mary Holste, Hanberg sees the challenges that face residents and business owners in our city firsthand, and he has found creative ways to meet them.

In addition to his involvement in Tacoma 360, Tacoma Reads (Weekly Volcano dubbed him Tacoma's Head Bookworm) and Tacoma's chapter of The American Leadership Forum, Hanberg is also an author of two non-fiction books (with a third on the way) that help non-profit organizations raise money and improve their online presence as well as several mysteries and a sci-fi trilogy.

Hanberg's example of using his talents where they can best be used to move the community forward encourages us to find ways to use our own talents to make a difference in our city.

Go Erik!