WSUV grad competes on ‘The Bachelorette’

Marcus Lathan, who has Clark County connections, will compete on the 17^th season of “The Bachelorette” premiering at 8 tonight on ABC.

The Columbian’s phone call to Lathan was quickly returned — but not by him.

“We received your request to speak with Marcus,” a publicist for Warner Bros. replied in email. “At this time, contestants from this season will not be available for interviews until after their elimination from the show has aired. If and when that happens, we’d be happy to revisit any interview opportunities for Marcus should you still be interested in speaking with him at that time.”

ABC’s website says Lathan, 30, lives in Portland. Lathan’s Facebook profile identifies him as a real-estate broker who works on both sides of the Columbia River. Brantley Christianson Real Estate’s Camas office lists him working there.

The Columbian’s archives indicate Lathan attended Mountain View High School, where he competed on the track-and-field team. He graduated from Washington State University Vancouver, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Lathan joins 29 other men competing for the attentions of bachelorette Katie Thurston, a marketing manager from Renton.

“Marcus is a sweet guy with a calming presence about him. He has built a very successful professional life investing in properties, but now he is ready to shift his focus and invest in himself,” according to Lathan’s “bachelor biography” on ABC’s website. “He loves to play board games – Monopoly being his all-time favorite – and finds great joy in taking in all that the Portland culinary scene has to offer.”