King County Council member Pete von Reichbauer hosted Northwest Seaport Alliance CEO John Wolfe at his August Good Eggs breakfast.

South King County civic and business leaders joined the group at Auburn’s Phoenix Rising Café on Wednesday.

Wolfe provided an overview of the recent alliance between the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, emphasizing the shared culture and history of their working waterfronts that helped bring the two together. Following the alliance, the Northwest Seaport Alliance is now the fourth largest gateway in all of North America for container trade.

Wolfe spoke about the important role the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma play in our regional economy. Forty percent of Washington state jobs are tied to trade. The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma serve as a critical gateway to industrial and agricultural exporters, not just in Eastern Washington but throughout the country, who need to access foreign markets to sell their goods.

During his presentation, Wolfe also discussed changing industry trends such as consolidation and e-commerce that have increased competition, as well as the potential effects of tariffs and the critical role South King County plays in the supply chain both as an agriculture exporter and freight corridor.