Presentation Summary

This presentation provides an introduction to the Port of Seattle and its vital role in driving regional economic development. As the steward of key transportation infrastructure, including maritime facilities and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Port ensures the efficient movement of people and goods across the globe. Positioned as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most powerful economic engines, the Port advances trade, travel, and commerce while supporting tens of thousands of jobs and creating new opportunities for businesses throughout Washington state.

Sam’s Bio

Sam Cho was elected to the Port Commission in 2019 and served as Commission President in 2023. Commissioner Cho is the son of immigrants who immigrated from South Korea to the United States through the Port of Seattle in the 80’s. He is the youngest and first person of color to become Commission President since the founding of the Port in 1911.
Driven to help shape the economy of the future, Commissioner Cho’s career has spanned from government and emerging start-ups to established companies in the tech and sustainability space.
Commissioner Cho currently serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Seattle. He also held positions as an analyst at the US Department of State, as a Legislative Assistant to both a Washington State Senator and a member of the United States Congress, and served as a political appointee under President Barack Obama. Prior to his election to the Port, Commissioner Cho was the founder and CEO of Seven Seas Export, an international trading company that exported over 2.5 million pounds of eggs to various countries throughout the Asia-Pacific.
Commissioner Cho earned his Master of Science in International Political Economy from The London School of Economics and his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from American University.
His priorities as a commissioner include creating economic opportunity, promoting environmental sustainability, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and ending human trafficking.