gary locke

???

21st Governor of Washington In office

January 15, 1997 – January 12, 2005 Lieutenant Brad Owen Preceded by Mike Lowry Succeeded by Christine Gregoire 5th King County Executive In office

January 4, 1994 – January 15, 1997 Preceded by Tim Hill Succeeded by Ron Sims Member of the Washington House of Representatives

from the 37th district In office

Januray 10, 1983 – January 3, 1994 Preceded by Peggy Joan Maxie Succeeded by Vivian Caver Born January 21, 1950 (1950-01-21) (age 59)

Seattle, Washington Political party Democratic Spouse Mona Lee Locke

(??/Li Méng) Alma mater Yale University

Boston University Religion Baptist Gary Locke Traditional Chinese: ??? Simplified Chinese: ??? Cantonese Jyutping: Lok3 Gaa1-fai1 [show]Transliterations Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin: Luò Jiahui Cantonese - Jyutping: Lok3 Gaa1-fai1

Gary Faye Locke (Chinese: ???, Luo Jiahui) (born January 21, 1950) is an American politician who served two terms as the the 21st governor of Washington from 1997-2005. He is the first Chinese American to serve as governor of a state in United States history.[1] On February 23, 2009, numerous media sources reported President Barack Obama is likely to nominate Locke as the next Secretary of Commerce.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Family and education 2 Political career 2.1 Leaving office 2.2 Cabinet nomination speculation 3 Footnotes 4 External links //

Family and education

Locke was born on January 21, 1950 in Seattle, Washington. A third-generation American with paternal ancestry from Taishan, Guangdong Province, China, Locke is the second of five children of James (a native of the United States), and Julie Locke (from Hong Kong). His parents gave him the Chinese name of Lok Ga-fai, similar phonologically to his English name of Gary Faye Locke.

He graduated with honors from Seattle’s Franklin High School in 1968. Locke achieved Eagle Scout and received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America.[1][3]

Through a combination of part-time jobs, financial aid and scholarships, Locke attended Yale University, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1972.[4] He then earned a law degree from the Boston University School of Law in 1975.

In 1994, Locke married Mona Lee, a Seattle television reporter. Her father was from Shanghai and her mother from Hubei. They have three children: Emily Nicole, Dylan James, and Madeline Lee.

Political career

In 1982, Locke's South Seattle district elected him to the Washington House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Eleven years later, in 1993, Locke made history by becoming the first Chinese American to be elected King County's County Executive, defeating incumbent Tim Hill. In 1996, he won the primary and general elections for governor, becoming the first Chinese American state governor in United States history. He