KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Gary Zimmerman is a fourth-generation resident of Seattle, and officer in the Pioneer Association of the State of Washington and the President of the Fiske Genealogical Foundation.  He is retired from a professional career as a university administrator, with thirty-three years of service to Seattle University and Antioch University Seattle.  He also was involved in local politics for many years, serving as Mayor of Bellevue in the 1970's and chairman of Seattle METRO from 1980 to 1990.  He currently serves a chair of the Pacific Hospital Public Development Authority in Seattle and on the boards of the Chief Seattle Council, Boy Scouts and of the Bellevue Rotary Club. Gary's work in genealogy began with a 5th grade assignment and his exploration of family history has been continuous since that time.  In the early 1960's he began teaching other people how to do genealogy.  In the 1980's, he began to consult with lawyers and title companies on how to use genealogical techniques to resolve land ownership and "living heir" problems.  Today, most of his work is through the instructional programs of the Fiske Foundation and in supervising the responses to genealogical questions asked of the Pioneer Hall organizations.