OLYMPIA—The Association of Washington Business is proud to present the 2008 C. David Gordon Award to Ralph Munro for his outstanding civic leadership.
The Gordon Award is AWB’s highest award for outstanding civic achievement. The award recognizes state leaders who have provided outstanding leadership and made a difference in public service to our state.
In 1980, Washington’s voters elected Ralph Munro to the office of secretary of state — a position he would hold until he retired from public service in 2001. While in office, Munro brought about many innovative changes in Washington’s election process and a dramatic increase in international trade.
His awards include the Order of Civil Merit (awarded by King Juan Carlos of Spain), the Order of Friendship (awarded by Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Federation), the Executive Leadership Award from the League of Women Voters, Humanitarian of the Year, the Warren G. Magnuson Award, and many more. He is a leader in environmental efforts and an advocate for the orcas of Puget Sound. In both his official and private lives, he has been involved in many efforts to improve the lives of developmentally disabled children.
Munro served as president of the largest and fourth-oldest Rotary Club in the world, Seattle Rotary Club No. 4. In 2006, he received the International Service Above Self award from the Rotary International Board of Directors. With other Seattle Rotarians, he is now heavily involved in the effort to eliminate polio on the African continent.
Currently, Munro sits on the boards of directors for several companies including Dategrity, dedicated to improving the safety and integrity of the voting process; Prepared Response, a company committed to enhancing public safety; and InterLocking Software, promoting efficiency and ease of communication between government entities.
“Ralph Munro, both as secretary of state and in his private life, has long stood as an example of good citizenship, at home and across the globe,” said AWB President Don Brunell. “It is our pleasure to recognize his service by presenting him the C. David Gordon Award.”
Past recipients of the C. David Gordon Award include ChangMook Sohn (2007), former Sen. Jeanette Hayner, R-Walla Walla (2006), and Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg (2005). The first C. David Gordon Awards, presented in 2004, went to Gordon, former president of AWB, and his close advisor C. Lee Coulter. AWB will honor Munro at its annual Spring Dinner in Spokane on May 21.
AWB is Washington's oldest and largest statewide business association. Formed in 1904, its 6,600 members employ more than 650,000 workers. AWB also acts as the state's chamber of commerce and the umbrella organization for more than 130 trade and professional organizations. While AWB's membership includes the state’s major employers like Boeing, Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser, more than 85 percent of AWB members employ fewer than 100 people, and one-third of our members hire fewer than 10.
