Ralph Munro

Ralph Munro
13th Secretary of State of Washington
In office 1980–2000
Preceded by	Bruce Chapman
Succeeded by	Sam Reed
Personal details
Born	1943 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Residence	Thurston County, Washington
Alma mater	Western Washington University

Ralph Davies Munro

Washington State’s 13th Secretary of State

One of Washington’s best known and best loved politicians and humanitarians

Ralph Davies Munro was born on June 25, 1943 in Seattle, Washington, the third child of George Alexander Munro and Elizabeth (Betty) Troll Munro. His father was an electrician at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard and his mother a first grade and kindergarten teacher. His Munro grandparents were Scottish immigrants who settled on Bainbridge Island in the late 1880s and Ralph was raised in the little house that was once the Munro Family Store, at the center of a close knit extended family and community. Ralph graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1961 and in 1966 he earned a B.A. in education and political science from Western Washington University.

While in Junior High, High School and College, Ralph held numerous part time jobs including mowing lawns for neighbors, selling newspapers at the Pt. White ferry dock, wheel boy on the Virginia V steamship, salmon barbeque cook for Sunset Lodge at Fort Ward, chef at the Teepee Salmon Barbeque at the Seattle World’s Fair, caretaker of Lakewood Properties on Lake Whatcom, bartender in numerous Bellingham taverns, etc.

After graduation from Western Washington University, he went to work at the Boeing Company at their Renton Plant. Boeing taught him to be an industrial engineer and he worked for Boeing off and on for several years.

Ralph became very involved as a volunteer with developmentally disabled children. Working mostly at Fircrest School in North Seattle, he became a daily volunteer with two young boys at the institution. Terry Sullivan and Fred Shank.

Ralph’s first job in the political world was as a supply clerk in the basement of the Legislative Building in Olympia. A short time later later Governor Dan Evans recruited him to serve as the state’s first volunteer coordinator and then as a special assistant on education and social-service issues. From there Ralph built a long and distinguished record of public service in Washington State and across the globe. From 1980 through 2001 he served as Washington's Secretary of State, a position to which he was elected five times. During his tenure, Ralph was instrumental in improving voter registration participation, streamlining the corporate registration process, promoting economic development and serving as the state’s goodwill ambassador to the world.

However, Ralph’s finest achievements are examples of his boundless compassion and deep commitment to improving the lives of others. To quote former Washington State Governor Dan Evans: "Ralph was the one who taught me how to care”. Ralph’s accomplishments seem to effervesce from limitless energy, commitment, and generosity laced with love. He’s fond of saying “We’ve been blessed”, and to those watching the incredible show that is Ralph Munro, it appears that his mission in life is to share those blessing with as many people as possible. Some of his accomplishments include the following:

• · Fighting for measures to improve life for the state's disabled residents, including an "education for all" bill in the mid-1970s that paved the way for disabled students to attend public classrooms long before federal legislation did the same.
• · Coordinating the state’s efforts to eliminate architectural barriers for people in wheelchairs. Passing legislation requiring curb cuts, ramps
• · wider doors, wheelchair ramps, etc. as a statewide mandate.
• · Instrumental in preserving historic landmarks, such as the Walla Walla site of the state's 1878 constitutional convention, the steamship Virginia V, etc.
• · Spearheading numerous wildlife-protection efforts. He gained national attention 25 years ago when he led a drive to ban the capture of killer whales in Puget Sound. Orca J-6 was named Ralph in his honor.
• · Honoring and assisting military and veterans’ groups. Including construction of the Vietnam and WWII memorials on the Washington State Capitol Campus.
• · Tirelessly working with Rotary International to eradicate Polio around the world, including 14 trips to Ethiopia and East Africa over the past dozen years to vaccinate children, provide clean water, and build better schools.
• · Initiating and facilitating archeological preservation and education in partnership with the Squaxin Island Tribe and South Puget Sound Community College. The partnership is now in their 12th year of an archeological dig on the Munro property at Mud Bay.
• · The 7th American to be awarded the Medal of Friendship by the government of the Russian Federation. The award was presented by Consul General of Russia Georgi Vlaskin in front of a Joint Session of the Washington State Legislature hosted by Governor Gary Locke and Lt. Governor Joel Pritchard.
• · Received the Award of Civil Merit from King Juan Carlos of Spain. It is the highest award given to non-Spanish citizens. The medal was presented in Madrid, Spain.
• · Commended by the Foreign Minister and the Government of Japan for unending work to strengthen relationships between Japan and the State of Washington.

Ralph was married to Karen Hanson Munro from 1973 to 2011 and together they raised their son, George Alexander Munro. Ralph currently resides on Triple Creek Farm in Thurston County, Washington and is married to Nancy Koelsch Bunn of Olympia. He continues to serve on numerous local, national and international boards and commissions. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of several domestic corporations, including Prepared Response, The Squaxin Island Tribal Museum, Panorama City Retirement Centers, Thurston First Bank and Ruckleshaus Board. He also remains active in election reform and international trade issues, continues to advocate for wildlife and environmental causes in the Puget Sound, and to champion causes that support people with disabilities. He continues to strive to make Washington State a better place for our children then it was for us.

Professional Summary

Occupations:

· Industrial Engineer. Boeing. 1966-1968.

· Volunteer Coordinator. Washington State. 1969. Governor Dan Evans appointed Munro as the first Volunteer Coordinator of Washington State.

· Advisor. White House. 1970. Helped formulate the federal agency ACTION, the "Federal Domestic Volunteer Agency".

· Special Assistant. Washington State. 1972-1976. Special Assistant on education and social-service issues, enlisted by Governor Dan Evans.

Offices:

· Secretary of State. Republican, Washington. 1981 - 2001. 20 year(s).

· Member. Western Washington University Board of Trustees. 10/01/2009 - 09/30/2015. Appointed by Governor Christine Gregoire.

Awards:

· Association of Washington Business C. David Gordon Award for outstanding civic achievement (2008).

· Order of Civil Merit awarded by King Juan Carlos of Spain.

· Order of Friendship awarded by Boris Yeltsin, former president of the Russian Federation.

· League of Women Voters Executive Leadership Award.

· Warren G. Magnuson Award.

· Rotary International Board of Directors Service Above Self Award (2006).

· Puget Sound Energy Pioneer Award (2008).

· Seattle Biomedical Research Institute Advancing Global Health Award (2006).

· World Affairs Council World Citizen Award (1998).

Affiliations:

· Co-Chairman, Washington State Centennial Committee, 1989.

· Co-Founder, Orca Conservancy, 1996.

· Director, Action for Retarded Children.

· Founder, Bald Eagle Preserve on Skagit River.

· Member, Advisory Committee on Volunteer Programs.

· Member, Board of Directors/Board of Trustees, Serves on corporate and non-profit Boards of Directors, including Prepared Response, Thurston First Bank of Puget Sound, Panorama Retirement Center, Squaxin Island Tribal Museum and Ruckleshaus Committee.

· Past President, Seattle Rotary Club #4, the world’s largest Rotary Club.

· President, National Association of Secretaries of State, 1990-1991.

Links:

• Oral History with Ralph Munro
• The Seattle Times, December 29, 2000:"Ralph Munro leaving a career carved in stone"

· Washington's Secretaries of State - Past and Present: Ralph Munro

· http://sos.wa.gov/legacyproject/HistoryMakersDetail.aspx?Munro/Ralph/751

Sources:

· The Legacy Project, Office of the Secretary of State: “History Makers Details on Ralph Munro”

· The Seattle Times, December 29, 2000: "Ralph Munro leaving a career carved in stone";

· Governor's news release, September 25, 2009: "Gov. Gregoire appoints Ralph Munro to WWU board of trustees";

· Puget Sound Business Journal, May 9, 2008: “Mud Bay archeological site has profound lessons for Ralph and Karen Munro”

· Puget Sound Energy, press release June 3, 2008: "PSE recognizes Karen and Ralph Munro with 2008 Pioneer Award"

References

Preceded by Bruce Chapman

Secretary of State of Washington 1980–2000

Succeeded by Sam Reed