Cheers to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Opening

The Atrium

Tonight, Ken and I attended the opening reception for the new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Campus.  It was an opening event that included partners, grantees and community leaders.  What am impressive complex of offices, conference center, meeting rooms, windows everywhere and soaring ceilings!

Susan Hutchison, Ken Hatch, Melissa Milburn

It was definitely an evening to see and be seen.  It was fun to see so many friends and community leaders there including a few that I had a chance to speak with including Renee & Carl Behnke, Bob Wallace, Stewart Parker, Jon Fine, Rob McKenna, Susan Hutchison, Laura Peterson, John Carlson, JJ McKay, Jack Faris, Colleen Brown, John Hamer, Carol & Buster Brown, Martha Choe, Bob & Anne Farrell, Cindy & Dan Brettler, Tama Smith, Marilyn Mason Plunkett, Frank Blethen, Kate Janeway & Howard Wright III, Melissa Milburn, Jane & Robert Nellams, Dean Allen, plus another 980 or so that I didn't have the chance to speak with.

JJ McKay, Ken Hatch

I arrived just in time for the program which included a performance by the Total Experience Gospel Choir, an invocation by Cecile Hansen, the chair of the Duwamish Tribe and brief remarks by CEO Jeff Raikes, and Bill & Melinda Gates, Co-Chairs.  Bill shared that this achievement is really Melinda's vision and that he had very little interaction with the project until there was a budget shortfall, which he was expected to solve  He also talked about how his Dad had really created the structure for the foundation by offering to take over looking at the many requests that Bill and Melinda started receiving requesting financial support for a plethora of good causes.  Melinda spoke and was so pleased with the outcome of the project giving special recognition to the landscape architect  and the project designers for keeping the project on track to meet the goals that they had set which included commitment to sustainability and connection to the community.  She also said, "We plan to be here a very long time."

As the brochure handout says, the new campus really does feel like "a place for community and innovation" featuring numerous sustainable features including living roofs, rainwater storage, thermal energy storage, specially engineered windows, drought-tolerant and non-invasive plants and trees, smart lights, and water and energy-efficient systems. I loved the inscription on the one of the upstairs walls that is the famous African saying "If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together."  It is easy to visualize huge solutions to numerous world problems being developed in such an amazing space.  Our community is lucky to be home to  this extraordinary resource.

Congratulations and cheers!