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"A port of the future"

In 2019, we ran on a campaign that promised to transform the Port of Seattle to a port for the people. In my first term in office, I am proud of all the progress we made to put people over politics and become a port that lifts all boats.

I’m asking for 4 more years so we can continue the fight and create a port of the future!

About Sam

Sam is the incumbent for Position 2 of the Port of Seattle Commission. When he was first elected, he was the youngest Port Commissioner elected since the founding of the port in 1911.

In 2023, Sam became the President of the Port Commission, this made him the first person of color to serve as President in the port’s 111 year history.

First elected port commissioner in 2019

A Legislative Assistant to a State Senator & a Congressman

Former founder & CEO of Seven Seas Export

Political appointee in the Obama Administration.

more about sam

Economic Growth

The Port of Seattle is the largest public sector economic development agency in the region. Our job is to create opportunities and good paying jobs. I am committed to ensuring that we continue to promote economic growth–especially for small and minority businesses and workers.

read more

Sustainability

Our goal as a port should be to become the greenest port in North America. In order to do this, we must become more aggressive in pursuing sustainable practices and new technology. We are well on our way to doing this.

read more

End Human Trafficking

The State of Washington has the 8th highest call volumes to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. As a port, we must continue to implement programs and policies that stop human trafficking.

read more

Endorsements

mayors

  • Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell
  • Mayor of Bellevue Lynne Robinson
  • Mayor of Redmond Angela Birnay
  • Mayor of Renton Armondo Pavone
  • Mayor of Seatac Jake Simpson

Legislators

  • State Senator Noel Frame
  • State Senator Bob Hasegawa
  • State Senator Claudia Kauffman
  • State Senator Patty Kuderer
  • State Senator Joe Nguyen
  • State Senator Javier Valdez
  • State Senator Lisa Wellman
  • State Senator Claire Wilson

Unions

  • International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 19
  • Seattle Building Trades Union
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
  • LiUNA Local Laborers 242
  • Northwest Carpenters Union

Advocacy Organizations

  • Washington Conservation Action

Recent news

Articles related to Sam Cho
  • news

Port Commission President Sam Cho aims to re-engage international trade partners

Cho is eyeing opportunities in offshore wind, artificial intelligence and automation as he plans trips to re-connect with sister ports and markets in Southest Asia, Europe and the Midwest.

read more
  • news

Sam Cho is one of Seattle’s 25 most influential people reshaping our region.

When King County voters elected Sam Cho to the Seattle Port Commission at age 29, he became the youngest commissioner in the Port’s 111-year history.

read more
  • news

Kirkland’s Cho Takes Helm on Port of Seattle Commission

The Port of Seattle Commission on Tuesday confirmed Commissioner Sam Cho as its new president. The 32-year-old Kirkland resident is the first commission president of color and the youngest president in the port’s 111-year history.

read more
  • news

The Most Influential People in Seattle Sports, Travel, and Recreation

The transport of goods and people runs through Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac and the city’s shipping area.

read more
  • news

Sam Cho, sworn in as Port of Seattle’s only minority commissioner, voices concern about immigration and border policies

U.S.-Iran tensions, Australian wildfires and climate catastrophe all got airtime at newly elected Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho’s first meeting Tuesday.

read more
  • news

From unknown to Port Commissioner—How and why Cho won big in the election

Several months ago, when candidate Sam Cho’s name was mentioned, people likely responded, “Sam who?”

read more

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  • sam@electsamcho.com
  • 425-780-7776
  • 9805 NE 116th Street #7497
    Kirkland, WA 98034
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About Sam

Sam is the son of immigrants from South Korea who immigrated to the United States through the Port of Seattle in the 80’s. For Sam, serving as the Port of Seattle Commissioner is a full circle moment and testament to the American Dream.

Today, he serves as the Port Commissioner with the hopes that he can preserve and promote that American Dream to the next generation through the work of the port. His priorities as a port commissioner have been to promote growth and economic opportunity, to fight climate and change and make the Port of Seattle the greenest port in North America, and to end human trafficking.

Sam was elected to the Port of Seattle Commission in 2019 after defeating the former mayor of Bellevue in the general election. Prior to becoming the Port Commissioner, Sam was the Founder and CEO of Seven Seas Export, a international trading company that exported American goods to Asia.

He also served as a Legislative Assistant to a Washington State Senator and a member of Congress. He was also a political appointee serving in the Obama Administration.

Sam brings a rare package of both public and private sector experiences that make him tailored to serve as the Port Commissioner.

Economic Growth

The Port of Seattle is the largest public sector economic development agency in the region. Our job is to create opportunities and good paying jobs. I am committed to ensuring that we continue to promote economic growth–especially for small and minority businesses and workers.

Key First Term Accomplishments: 

  • Successfully managed unprecedented supply chain congestion during COVID-19 which resulted in record levels of container volume through our gateway and preserved thousands of longshore jobs during the pandemic.

  • Took historic action to provide relief to dining and retail businesses at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in ZERO business failures at a time when the airport experienced an unprecedented drop in passengers.

  • Successfully expanded the auto-import and processing business through the gateway by taking Hyundai automobiles away from the Port of Portland and bringing them to the pacific northwest. Now, every imported Kia and Hyundai comes through the Pacific Northwest.

    Negotiated and signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding between the Port of Seattle and the US Small Business Administration to provide more resources to small and minority businesses.

Sustainability

Our goal as a port should be to become the greenest port in North America. In order to do this, we must become more aggressive in pursuing sustainable practices and new technology. We are well on our way to doing this. 

Key First Term Accomplishments:

  • Made a commitment to halve port emissions by 2030 and become net-zero by the year 2040–10 years ahead of the IPCC recommendations. 

  • Successfully installed the first shore power infrastructure for container vessels at Terminal 5 in the Seattle harbor. 

  • Initiated a “Green Shipping Corridor” between the Port of Busan, South Korea and the Northwest Seaport Alliance and a “Green Cruise Corridor” between the Seattle and Alaska cruise route. 

  • Signed the Northwest Clean Air Strategy between the Ports of Vancouver, Tacoma, and Seattle to create a coordinated regional effort towards reducing emissions.

End Human Trafficking

The State of Washington has the 8th highest call volumes to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. As a port, we must continue to implement programs and policies that stop human trafficking. 

Key First Term Accomplishments:

  • Became the first port in the country to have proprietary port-wide employee anti-human trafficking awareness training modules for both aviation and maritime. 
    • 90% of port employees are trained in anti-human trafficking awareness. 

  • Led a state-wide campaign to raise awareness of labor and sex-trafficking. 

  • Launched the Port Allies Against Human Trafficking Program which calls on airport tenants partners to sign a pledge to raise awareness of human trafficking with their employees. 

  • Won the 2022 US Department of Transportation Combating Human Trafficking Impact Award



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