Commissioner Gael Tarleton has been elected president of the Port of Seattle Commission. Tarleton was elected to the board in 2007. Commissioner John Creighton, who began serving in 2006, will be vice president.

"2012 begins the port's second century - we're online, open to the public, and open for business. We are on a path to creating a sustainable public port in the heart of our urban communities," said Tarleton.
"As the local and global economies recover from a prolonged recession, this port will be an economic engine - and an engine of equal opportunity - for King County's nearly 2 million residents."

Commissioner Tom Albro will serve as secretary.

Tarleton and Commissioner Bill Bryant were also sworn in for their second term in office. Commissioner Tarleton was sworn in by El Centro de la Raza Director Estela Ortega; former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton presided over Commissioner Bryant's oath of office.

Commissioners also passed a motion recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which will be recognized nationally on January 11. As many as 17,500 people, many women and children, are trafficked into the United States each year.

The port is joining King County and the City of Seattle in taking action to raise awareness of the crime and to take steps to eradicate it from our communities.