Pete Knutson, fisherman and anthropologist
Pete Knutson has been a commercial gill-net fisherman since the 1970s. In 1979, he and his wife, Hing Lau Ng, founded Loki Fish Company, a family-owned business they continue to operate with their sons, Jonah and Dylan. (For more information, go to http://lokifishco.com/) During the off-season, Pete teaches anthropology at Seattle Central Community College. He grew up in Everett, Washington, the son of a Lutheran clergyman.
Boyd Dingman, fisherman and the unofficial “Mayor of Fishermen’s Terminal”
Boyd Dingman was the longest residing tenant at Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal until The Port of Seattle confiscated his boat in 2001. He visits the Terminal regularly, and currently lives in his camper. He started mooring at Fishermen's Terminal in the late 1930s, and has recently started writing down the stories of his adventures on sea and on land.
Mark Johansen, fisherman and carpenter
Mark Johansen comes from generations of Norwegian fishermen. The Seattle native has fished for salmon, halibut and prawns for more than two decades. In the off-season, he works as a carpenter. His boat is the Cora J.
Maria Hines, Executive Chef, “Earth and Ocean”
Chef Maria Hines was named “One of the Best New Chefs of 2005” by Food and Wine magazine. She is currently the Executive Chef for the W Hotel in Seattle where she oversees the culinary direction of Earth & Ocean, In-Room Dining, Banquets and the W Bar.
Hsiao Ching Chou, Food Writer, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Hsiao-Ching Chou comes from a family she describes as very “food-centric.” She grew up working in her family’s restaurant business in Missori, and has been a staff writer at the Seattle Post Intelligencer for several years.
Alec Fisken, Port Commissioner
Alec Fisken was elected to the five-person Port of Seattle commission in the fall of 2003. He works as a Senior Policy Analyst for the City of Seattle. Educated at Harvard and Yale, Alec has a strong background is in public finance (including port finance) and publishing (part owner of Marine Digest and Marine Regulatory Bulletin). For more information, visit http://seattleportwatch.blogspot.com/
Jonathan Raban, author and yachtsman
Jonathan Raban was born in the U.K and has lived in Seattle since 1990. He is the author of Waxwings, Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings, Badland and several other remarkable books. His honors include the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Heinemann Award of the Royal Society of Literature, the PEN/West Creative Nonfiction Award, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers’ Award and the Governor’s Award from the State of Washington.
Phil Talmadge,
Phil Talmadge started his political career as a Washington State Legislator representing the 34th District Democrats, a position he held for 16 years. Later, he served for six years as a state Supreme Court Justice. The Seattle native was a gubernatorial candidate in 2004. He is one of the few politicians to serve in both the judicial and legislative branches of government. He lives with his family in West Seattle.
Mic Dinsmore, CEO, Port of Seattle
Mic Dinsmore has held this position since 1992. As CEO, he oversaw the redevelopment of Seattle’s Central Waterfront in Seattle, including the World Trade Center, Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Pier 66, Port headquarters at Pier 69 and expanded the cruise terminal. Before joining the Port, he was vice president for Sankyo Transportation and vice president, Pacific, for Burlington Northern Worldwide. He also served as executive vice president for Eagle Marine Services, which is an operating arm of American President Lines (APL) and director of North American Operations for APL. Mic has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Washington.