Gary Locke began his career in public service upon his election to the Washington State House of Representatives serving from 1983-1994. He was then elected as King County Executive, serving from 1994-1997. Since then, he has served as Governor of Washington State (as the first Chinese American to be elected governor in U.S. history and the first Asian American governor on the mainland), U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and most recently as America's envoy to China.