Fred Felleman

Current Outside Board Assignments:

• Highline Forum
• City of SeaTac — Port of Seattle Joint Advisory Committee
• King County Cities Climate Collaborative
• Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board
• Visit Seattle Advisory Board
• U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board
• Puget Sound Regional Commission (PSRC) Growth Management Policy Board

Education:

• Master of Science, Fisheries Biology, University of Washington
• Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Michigan

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About Commissioner Felleman

Commissioner Fred Felleman is currently the longest-serving member of the Seattle Port Commission, having been first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2023.

Fred began working with the Port as a private consultant to several national marine conservation organizations since the first cruise ship called on Pier 69 in 1999. During that time his work focused on reducing the air and water emissions from cruise ships, which he continues to do in his public capacity on the Commission.

His interest in the maritime world began when he traveled to the San Juan Islands in 1980 while still a student at the University of Michigan to begin his study of the region’s resident killer whales (Orcinus orca). He subsequently earned his MSc. from the University of Washington on their Feeding Ecology in 1986.

Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, his focus turned to advancing maritime safety and innovation to help prevent such a catastrophe from occurring in Washington’s waters. He championed a variety of state and federal maritime regulations and was also instrumental in the creation of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve.

Fred has long recognized that in order to advance durable protections of the marine environment he needed to work with all those dependent on it. He has developed close working relationships with several tribal governments and members of the maritime industry and maintains strong ties with the academic community. He serves as a tribal liaison on the Commission and is keenly aware of the nexus between environmental protection and social equity.

Shortly after being elected to the Commission in 2015, Fred founded the Port’s Energy and Sustainability Committee, where he has led the Port’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by expanding the use of shore power by ships, installing solar arrays on Port buildings, and advancing the use of sustainable aviation and marine fuels.

He views the advancement of innovation as essential to environmental protection and creation of the jobs of the future. Fred is committed to demonstrating how the Port’s environmental leadership will be a competitive advantage as businesses respond to public demand.

Since 1990, Fred has lived in Ballard, where he raised his son Jess. Fred and his amazing wife, Amy, also spend considerable time in the San Juan Islands, which enables him to remain connected to the briny source of his motivation for public service.