By Karen Robes Meeks
The Port of Seattle has tapped Pete Ramels, a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Civil Division of the King County Prosecutor’s Office, to be its General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer.
“I am honored to join the Port of Seattle as General Counsel and look forward to using my years of legal experience in government, real estate and land use to help our region prosper during this time of economic growth and opportunity,” said Ramels.
In his new role, Ramels will advise port leaders on legal matters and oversee the port’s legal team and public records office. As Chief Compliance Officer, he will be tasked with managing the port’s Workplace Responsibility office and compliance with its code of conduct.
“Our General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer is critical to maintaining trust with our community and showing employees, residents, and partners the respect that they deserve,” said Port Commission President Courtney Gregoire. “We appreciate Pete’s expertise on the key legal issues and his commitment to helping a public agency meet the highest ethical standards.”
Ramels, who earned his Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Washington School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington State University, arrives at a very crucial moment for the port.
“The port just approved a budget blueprint that commits to some of our most significant investments we’ve made in decades, particularly along our working waterfront,” said Port Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck. “Pete’s expertise in real estate, environmental, land use, and regulatory issues will help the port work effectively while being governed by the highest ethical standards.”
Ramels is expected to start on Jan. 14.
