A 2012 legal memorandum from outside counsel Gerry L. Alexander to the Port of Seattle Commission reviews whether CEO Tay Yoshitani's appointment to the Board of Directors of Expeditors International, a Seattle-based Fortune 500 global logistics company, created a conflict of interest with his public duties. The review was triggered by a September 2012 Commission motion seeking to verify compliance with Yoshitani's Retention Agreement, which allowed outside board service only after the Port's General Counsel confirmed no conflict of interest existed. The opinion examines relevant ethics codes, state law, and the business relationship between Expeditors and the Port of Seattle.Open full document
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A memorandum of opinion prepared by outside legal counsel Gerry L. Alexander for the Port of Seattle Commission, reviewing whether CEO Tay Yoshitani’s service on the Board of Directors of Expeditors International creates an actual, potential, or apparent conflict of interest. The opinion analyzes compliance with the CEO’s Retention Agreement, Washington’s Code of Ethics for Municipal Officers, and other applicable statutes and codes. The review was prompted by a Commission motion passed on September 11, 2012, following Expeditors International’s August 2012 announcement of Yoshitani’s appointment.