By Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke shakes hands with some of the Chinese artisans who are working on the Knowing the Spring Courtyard at the Seattle Chinese Garden. (Photo provided by Jonathan Geiger and Elizabeth Hattemer)
U.S. Commerce Secretary and former Washington state Gov. Gary Locke came home last week. Amid a schedule that included speaking at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting on Sept. 17, Locke also visited the Seattle Chinese Garden (SCG), which is undergoing new construction that was started in August. Locke also helped raise funds for Suzan DelBene, a Democratic candidate for Congressional District 8 and Denny Heck, a Democratic candidate for Congressional District 3.
The Seattle Chinese Garden
The construction at SCG will result in a gathering place known as Knowing the Spring Courtyard. A team of 21 artisans from Changshu Ancient Style Garden Construction Company arrived in Seattle from China on Aug. 6 and 7. To complete the project, artisans used centuries-old methods and shipped materials from Chongqing, Seattle’s sister city.
Jerry Lee, chairperson of MulvannyG2, and Jonathan Geiger, SCG’s president, showed Locke around the garden. Locke visited with the garden’s artisans, saw their work at the garden, and posed for pictures after making a few brief remarks.
“Thank you very much for the wonderful work you’re doing,” Locke told the artisans. “You are creating a beautiful garden here in Seattle. This is an important project that will help build stronger relations between China and the United States.”
Locke, former two-term Washington governor and the nation’s first Chinese American to head a state, returned to Seattle to discuss progress on the National Export Initiative, which aims to double U.S. exports over the next five years.
 At a fundraiser for Suzan DelBene, from left: U.S Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, DelBene, Roger Nyhus, and Rod Hearne (Photo provided by Nyhus Communications) |
DelBene and Heck
On Sept. 17, Locke gathered with other supporters of DelBene for an event held at the home of Nyhus Communications President and CEO Roger Nyhus and Rod Hearne. DelBene and Locke talked about how DelBene will address issues facing the people of Washington, especially by strengthening and enhancing job creation to rebuild the state’s economy.
Locke also fundraised for Heck. Heck is an entrepreneur and an original investor in Real Networks, the digital entertainment company that pioneered streaming media on the Internet. He is also co-owner of Bruin Development. ♦
Elizabeth Hattemer contributed to this story.