Seattle’s Hall of Fame
The innovators and trailblazers who put Seattle on the map
By Linda Morgan, Tim Appelo, Robin Avni, Alison Krupnick, Jasmine Moir, Jennifer McCullum and John Levesque October 31, 2016
This article originally appeared in the November 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.
Photographed on September 7, 2016, in the Olympic Suite at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Over the years, the 1924 hotel has hosted multiple presidents (including two visits by FDR) and celebrities (from Bing Crosby to Elvis), many of whom have called the suite home.
Every city possesses its own, unique spirit—its zeitgeist. It’s what makes a metropolis move, defines its identity and propels it forward. We owe much of ours to our city’s shapers—those leaders, trendsetters and trailblazers who, over the past 50 years, have transformed the town in extraordinary ways. In honor of Seattle magazine’s 50th anniversary, we’re spotlighting some of these innovators—all nominated by our panel of experts (below). Our list started out much longer and was culled after many hours of debate.
The people on these pages—living legends who have made a major contribution during the past five decades—are influential in their own right, but are also just a representative cross section of the many talented visionaries, big thinkers and risk-takers who have shaped our city into the remarkable place it is.
Food and Beverage // Beauty // Music // Arts and Culture // Books
Philanthropy // Sports // Transportation // Architecture //Technology and Business
Urban Spaces // Commercial Development // Outdoors and Environment
Activism/Social Justice // Civic Discourse and Community Leaders // Civil Rights // Cannabis
Politics // History/Preservation // Media/Journalism
Education // Health Care // Research/Medicine/Science
>> Ed. Note: In 2003, we ran a similar story. Click here to read “City Shapers.” <<
Most Influential Advisory Panel 2016
As part of Seattle magazine’s 50th anniversary celebration, we created an advisory panel and invited members to nominate some of the most influential Seattleites from the past 50 years. During a series of meetings, these individuals helped to vet the candidates via some intense and lively debate.
Joni Balter, multimedia journalist and host of Civic Cocktail
Kenan Block, owner, Kenan Block/Media & Communications
Rita Brogan, founder, PRR Inc.
John Cook, cofounder, GeekWire
C.R. Douglas, political analyst, Q13 Fox News
Rebecca Hughes, senior media consultant, Group Health Research Institute
Naomi Ishisaka, journalist and photographer
James Keblas, founder, City Inspired
Alison Krupnick, Seattle-based writer
Diane Mapes, writer/editor, Fred Hutch News Service, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Marie McCaffrey, executive director and cofounder, HistoryLink.org
Mary McWilliams, former executive director, Washington Health Alliance
Steve Scher, part-time instructor at the University of Washington and former host of the KUOW-FM Weekday program
From Seattle and Seattle Business magazines:
Rachel Hart, Virginia Smyth, Linda Morgan, Jennifer McCullum, Jim Demetre, Jessica Yadegaran, Knute Berger, Leslie Helm and John Levesque
Project coordinator: Mandolin Brassaw
Follow Us
Getting Ghosted
Kim Fu’s latest novel turns a rain-soaked Pacific Northwest winter into the backdrop for a story about grief and loneliness.
In their latest novel, Seattle-based author Kim Fu gets one thing right about the Pacific Northwest: the rain. Set during a particularly bleak winter, The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts tells the story of Eleanor Fan, an online therapist grappling with the recent loss of her mother, Lele. After Lele’s passing, Eleanor inherits money to put…
Go See Diné Artist Eric-Paul Riege’s Largest Show to Date at the Henry Art Gallery
With a mix of mediums, ojo|-|ólǫ́ examines questions surrounding the authenticity and ownership of Indigenous work.
It’s a phrase that’s been drilled into most of us since we were young children: When you’re visiting a gallery, please, do not touch the art. In many cases, it’s with good reason: the pieces on display are fragile, one-of-a-kind, or historic works that cannot be reproduced. It’s such an ingrained approach to the museum-going…
Rearview Mirror: Ballet’s Saddest Story, New Art in the Sculpture Park, and a Home-Grown Wine Label Promoting Social Justice
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
Circular Thinking I am very lucky to live just a 12-minute walk away from Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park. It’s a regular destination for my weekly walks and, aside from the world-class art, has one of the city’s best views of Puget Sound. Earlier this week, I went on a wet, windy walk and discovered…
Studio Sessions: Gabriel Stromberg
For his current show at studio e gallery, Gabriel Stromberg explores the challenges of working with clay.
Gabriel Stromberg has been a name about town for nearly two decades. As one of the cofounders of design firm Civilization (where he was the creative director and lead designer from 2008 to 2022), Stromberg worked on many award-winning projects, helped produce the wildly popular and always packed Design Lecture Series, and co-created and moderated…