Secretary of Commerce

Name: Gary Locke
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Current City: Washington, D.C.
Job at time of appointment: Lawyer, Washington co-chairman of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's bid for president
Age: 59

A third-generation American with paternal ancestry from Taishan, Guangdong in China, Locke is the second of five children. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in political science in 1972, and went on to gain a law degree from Boston University School of Law.

After serving in the Washington house of representatives, Locke was elected the first Chinese American state governor in United States history in 1996. While some Democrats criticized the governor for his stringent no-new-taxes strategy, but he would become a favorite of the party and was even considered as a vice-presidential pick in 2004.

In a surprise move, Locke announced in July 2003 that he would not seek a third term. He went on to join an international law firm and to campaign for Hillary Clinton. On February 25, 2009, Locke was announced as President Barack Obama's choice for Secretary of Commerce. His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on March 24, 2009.