YPIN: Navigating Global Trade: Seattle’s Strategic Role in the Global Economy
February 18th, 2025 5:00PM -6:00PM
Join us for a fireside chat with Port Commissioner Sam Cho to explore Seattle’s pivotal role as a gateway to the Pacific Rim, its strategic trade partnerships with East Asia, and the city’s approach to navigating global challenges such as geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. Key topics include sustainability in maritime operations, technological innovations in trade logistics, and leadership opportunities in international commerce. This program is free for students, YPIN, and WAC members and open to all interested in Seattle’s global economic impact.
About the Speaker
Sam Cho was elected to the Port Commission in 2019 and Commission President in 2023. Cho is the son of immigrants who immigrated from South Korea to the United States through the Port of Seattle in the 80s. 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 startups to established companies in the tech and sustainability space.
Commissioner Cho currently serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. He also held positions as an analyst at the U.S. 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.
About the Moderator
Parker Lee is a student in the Foster School of Business, specializing in Information Systems and Supply Chain. He has interned at the U.S. Department of Transportation, supporting policy and tech initiatives. Parker also leads the Economics & Business division at the Rainer Institute, focusing on international trade relations