Gary Lock US Secretary of Commerce Date of Birth: 21.01.1950 Country: USA

Biography of Gary Locke

Gary Faye Locke, also known as Lok Ga-fai, was born on January 21, 1950, in Seattle. He was the second of five children to Jimmy Locke and Julie Locke, and the grandson of a Chinese immigrant. Growing up in poverty, his family eventually purchased a restaurant and later a grocery store. Locke spent his early years in Yesler Terrace, a municipal housing project for World War II veterans' children. Before attending preschool, he spoke only Chinese.

At the age of 14, Locke achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. He worked in his father's grocery store and restaurant. Through part-time jobs, financial aid, and scholarships, Locke was able to attend Yale University. His admission was partially influenced by the university's commitment to racial equality. In 1972, he graduated from Yale with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He went on to receive a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University in 1975.

From 1976 to 1980, Locke served as a deputy prosecutor in King County, the most populous county in Washington state. He handled serious criminal cases during his time in this position. In 1980, Locke was involved in organizing the campaign of Democratic candidate Jim McDermott for governor, which ultimately ended in defeat.

Locke then worked as a lawyer for the Washington State Senate Committee on Higher Education and in the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. He also reportedly served as a manager for a telephone company. In 1982, Locke was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives, representing the Democratic Party. He was re-elected twice and focused on improving the education system and combating crime.

In November 1993, Locke was elected as the King County Executive, which includes Seattle, and took office in January 1994, leaving the State House of Representatives. He served as the County Executive until January 1997. In 1996, Locke, who had expressed his desire to run for governor as early as 1992, was elected as the Governor of Washington state. He took office in January 1997 and became the first governor of Chinese descent in U.S. history. This brought him special status within the Asian community and a significant responsibility. Just two months into his term, Locke visited China.

Shortly after becoming governor, Locke became involved in a scandal related to foreign campaign donations to President Bill Clinton during the 1996 election. However, in 1998, the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight announced that there was no evidence suggesting that Locke intentionally accepted illegal contributions. In 2000, he was re-elected as governor for a second term.

After leaving the governorship in January 2005, Locke played a role in organizing the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States. He then joined the Seattle law firm Davis Wright Tremaine as a partner, where he focused on China-related issues and government relations.

During the presidential campaign leading up to the 2008 election, Locke became one of the leaders of Hillary Clinton's support group in Washington state. Some publications even mentioned him as a potential future U.S. president, although he never publicly expressed such aspirations. On February 23, 2009, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, who had recently taken office, nominated Locke for the position of Secretary of Commerce. Locke became the third nominee proposed by the new Democratic administration, following the rejection of the previous two nominees at earlier stages of consideration. Chinese media linked Locke's nomination to President Obama's potential desire to consider the interests of the Chinese government. On March 24, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Locke as Secretary of Commerce.

Locke has been married twice. His first marriage was to Diane Wong during his time at Boston University, which ended in divorce after four years. He married Mona Lee, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a television journalist, in 1994. He has three children with Mona - Emily Nicole (born in 1997), Dylan James (born in 1999), and Madeline Lee (born in 2004).