Washington Business Spring 2019 | Washington Business | Page 17

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Retired Congressman Dave Reichert to Battle Human Trafficking
After five decades of public service, the former King County sheriff and congressman of
Washington’s 8th District, Dave Reichert, retired in December at the end of his term.
In January, he announced that he was taking a new job with Gordon Thomas Honeywell
Government Affairs (GTH-GA). The firm, based in Tacoma and Washington, D.C., will put Reichert
to work on a $4 million U.S. Department of State grant project to combat human trafficking in
Central America. The project seeks to help Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador develop DNA
databases of known missing children that ultimately would be shared among the countries.
Reichert’s role in the project will be to speak to government officials and others, drawing on his
33-year career in law enforcement, to draft a legal framework and legislation to allow the DNA
collection from families of missing children — as well as help the countries’ governments and law
enforcement agencies create a protocol for communication when children go missing.
“One of the things that we felt was missing was a champion … somebody that can go down there
from public service and explain the power of DNA,” said Tim Schellberg, president of GTH-GA,
on the choice of Reichert to lead the project.
Reichert told The Times that he could retire, but he’s not ready to “lounge about” and said he sees the human-trafficking
work as “a calling” and a good fit with his background.
Washington Business magazine featured Reichert in the spring 2018 edition, which can be read online at
bit.ly/Spring18-Reichert.
Alaska Airlines to Hire More Than 3,000 Employees
in 2019 32nd NHL Franchise Lands in Seattle, Set to Begin
Play in 2021
Alaska Air Group, (AAG) hired its
10,000th employee in Washington
state, the company announced
in January. And, in the coming
year, AAG plans to hire 3,000
more mostly front-line employees
— three - quarters of them in
Washington.
“An airline needs great planes, but also great people. We’re
thankful for the community here in our home state that is
producing diverse talent and strong local partnerships,” said Andy
Schneider, Alaska Airlines vice president of people. “Together,
we’re building long-term, sustainable growth across Washington
and, most importantly, giving the next generation a chance to
succeed.”
As the fifth-largest air carrier in the United States, Seattle-
based Alaska Airlines connects 44 million passengers a year to
115 destinations across North America.
A new economic impact report shows that AAG contributes $7
billion to the Washington state economy.
In 2017 alone, Alaska supported more than 23,500 jobs across
the state, including positions at AAG, companies in its supply
chain and jobs supported by the earnings of its employees. The
company’s total employment impact in Washington is growing
quickly — it’s up by 42 percent over just the last five years.
AAG includes Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, McGee Air Services,
and the newly integrated Virgin America. It’s official. After a year of deliberation, Washington state will
be home to its own National Hockey League (NHL) team.
The announcement was made in December and 5,000 fans
are already on the waiting list for when ticket sales begin for
the team’s first season in 2021.
“It’s been incredible,” said NHL Seattle CEO and President
Tod Leiweke. “It was a complicated matrix of inter-related
agreements, but it all got done.”
The sport isn’t new to the Emerald City.
Seattle’s hockey history actually goes back to 1915, when
the Seattle Metropolitans played their first game at the Seattle
Arena on Dec. 7.
The Metropolitans were the first U.S. team to win the
coveted Stanley Cup when they defeated the Montreal
Canadiens 3-1 in a best-of-five series in 1917. The team folded
after just a decade.
Fast forward to today when the city is preparing to bring
the sport back to the Pacific Northwest with its yet-to-be-
named NHL team.
For the announcement in Sea Island, Ga., NHL Seattle flew
out Beverley Parsons, niece of Frank and Lester Patrick, the
brothers who founded the Metropolitans. Parsons, 83, wore a
Metropolitans scarf to connect to the past.
Construction of the new home for the NHL’s 32nd franchise
is underway on the Seattle Center campus. More information
on the team and ticket sales can be found at nhlseattle.com.
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