Gary Locke
U.S. Ambassador to China (2011-2014); Secretary of Commerce (2009-2011); Governor of Washington (1997-2005)
A history-making diplomat, Gary Locke, has made an incredible impact on American politics throughout his impressive career. With unprecedented access to the international political work between the United States and China, as well as the responsibilities of being a White House representative, Locke's speeches are invaluable to those wanting to gain a unique insight. Voted into the position in 1983, Locke's role as a Member of the Washington House of Representatives was the beginning of a successful career serving Washington State. Serving eleven years in the role helped Locke build his reputation which allowed him to be voted in as the Governor of Washington in the 1996 Democratic primary and the general election. Becoming the first-ever Chinese-American Governor in the history of the United States, Locke was a groundbreaking politician, and he was only just getting started. Re-elected due to his popularity in 2000, he spent eight years as the 21st governor of Washington before announcing he wouldn't run again. Prior to making waves in politics, Locke earned his education at the esteemed Yale University, graduating with a degree in political science in 1972. After excelling in his undergraduate studies and even being awarded a number of scholarships, he went on to gain his Juris Doctor from the equally well-regarded Boston University School of Law in 1975. His early dedication to education was an indicator of the dedication he would later show for his political career and country. After retiring from his service to Washington State, Locke remained prominent in US politics and progressed into key roles for the former President. Appointed as the Secretary of Commerce for Barack Obama’s cabinet in 2009, Locke proved popular with both businesses and the public during his two years in the role. The first ever Chinese-American to serve as the US ambassador to China, he commenced the new position in 2011 and was chosen again by President Obama. Gaining a reputation as a down-to-earth and humble diplomat, Locke dedicated his service to strengthening communications between the two nations, reveling in both the challenges and rewards of the role. A politician who will be remembered in history for his dedication, Gary Locke has served America’s political industry for four decades. The longevity and depth of his career enabled him to provide insightful political speeches for all manner of occasions and purposes to the value of his listeners.
A history-making diplomat, Gary Locke, has made an incredible impact on American politics throughout his impressive career. With unprecedented access to the international political work between the United States and China, as well as the responsibilities of being a White House representative, Locke's speeches are invaluable to those wanting to gain a unique insight. Voted into the position in 1983, Locke's role as a Member of the Washington House of Representatives was the beginning of a successful career serving Washington State. Serving eleven years in the role helped Locke build his reputation which allowed him to be voted in as the Governor of Washington in the 1996 Democratic primary and the general election. Becoming the first-ever Chinese-American Governor in the history of the United States, Locke was a groundbreaking politician, and he was only just getting started. Re-elected due to his popularity in 2000, he spent eight years as the 21st governor of Washington before announcing he wouldn't run again. Prior to making waves in politics, Locke earned his education at the esteemed Yale University, graduating with a degree in political science in 1972. After excelling in his undergraduate studies and even being awarded a number of scholarships, he went on to gain his Juris Doctor from the equally well-regarded Boston University School of Law in 1975. His early dedication to education was an indicator of the dedication he would later show for his political career and country. After retiring from his service to Washington State, Locke remained prominent in US politics and progressed into key roles for the former President. Appointed as the Secretary of Commerce for Barack Obama’s cabinet in 2009, Locke proved popular with both businesses and the public during his two years in the role. The first ever Chinese-American to serve as the US ambassador to China, he commenced the new position in 2011 and was chosen again by President Obama. Gaining a reputation as a down-to-earth and humble diplomat, Locke dedicated his service to strengthening communications between the two nations, reveling in both the challenges and rewards of the role. A politician who will be remembered in history for his dedication, Gary Locke has served America’s political industry for four decades. The longevity and depth of his career enabled him to provide insightful political speeches for all manner of occasions and purposes to the value of his listeners.
100 Years to Travel One Mile; from Houseboy to Governor: America's Immigrant Experience
This is the story of the Locke family’s journey in America. Starting with Gary’s grandfather, who came to America from China as a young teen and worked as a houseboy for a family in the state capital, to Gary being sworn in as Governor and moving into the Governor’s Mansion 100 years later – one mile from the house where his grandfather washed dishes and swept floors. Fittingly for the American Dream, the Locke clan was raised on the principles of hard work, education, and taking care of...
Inspiring and Achieving Superior Organizational Performance
In today’s globally competitive marketplace, innovation, efficiency, and performance are vital to success. As Chief Executive of Washington State, the head of Commerce – a 40,000-person Government agency that spans 80 countries – and Ambassador to a critical U.S. mission abroad, Gary Locke is widely respected as a results-oriented, efficiency-driven leader. Locke’s hands-on leadership style focuses on rethinking and reforming processes that aren’t working well. By peeling back the layers...
U.S./China Relations: Critically Interdependent, yet Fundamentally Different
Relations between these two powerhouse countries have never been more important, and perhaps nobody is better positioned to shed light on the intricacies that make up this relationship than Ambassador Gary Locke. In August 2011, Locke was sworn in as the 10th U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, having been nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the Senate – making him the first Chinese-American to assume that post. Locke assumed the post during a...
Balancing U.S. Foreign Policy with Jobs Diplomacy
As he has done throughout his career, Locke approached his role as Ambassador to China with unparalleled depth and efficiency. Not only did he initiate the first-ever ambassadorial business development missions to promote many different American industries – including software, aviation, healthcare, rail, energy, and environmental technologies – he did so as a strong advocate for intellectual property rights. Protecting and encouraging American innovation has never been more important, and...
