Seattle, WA
Melinda French Gates, ex-wife of Bill Gates, to join Seattle Kraken as minority investor
SEATTLE (AP) — Melinda French Gates, a billionaire philanthropist and businesswoman, will join the Seattle Kraken as a minority investor, pending NHL approval.
French Gates, 61, is the ex-wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. She and her $30 billion net worth, according to Forbes, join an ownership group headlined by majority owner and managing partner Samantha Holloway, as well as investors David Wright, Andy Jassy and longtime Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
“As a longtime Seattle resident, it means a lot to me to have the chance to make this investment in our city and its future,” French Gates said in a statement. “I’m a big believer in the power of sports, and after many years of cheering on Seattle from the sidelines, I’m excited to have an even deeper connection to the Seattle sports community.”
French Gates has never previously had an ownership stake in a major professional sports franchise. She will do so at a time when the Kraken ownership group is positioning itself to own an NBA franchise should the NBA return to the Emerald City for the first time since the SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City nearly 20 years ago.
In March, the Kraken ownership group announced the creation of One Roof Sports and Entertainment, which serves as the umbrella brand of the organization to “oversee a growing portfolio of properties and fuel new opportunities.” At the time, Holloway announced that One Roof would pursue an NBA team in Seattle, should the league move forward with expansion.
Holloway also announced in March that the group had entered an agreement to purchase additional equity in Climate Pledge Arena from Oak View Group, and would make the organization the majority owner of the building. OVG has retained a minority stake.
French Gates, who grew up in Dallas and received a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics, as well as an MBA from Duke, currently heads Pivotal, a group of organizations she founded to accelerate the pace of social progress for women and young people in the United States and around the world.
French Gates previously founded and co-chaired the Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropy.
“I am excited to welcome Melinda to our ownership group,” Holloway said in a statement. “Melinda is an impressive business leader, philanthropist and importantly, a Seattle sports fan. We share many of the same values, including a deep commitment to Seattle and a belief in building organizations that create lasting impact.”
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
(PHOTOS BY DAVE GERSHGORN FOR WEST SEATTLE BLOG)
Three hours of remembering and reconnecting are just wrapping up at West Seattle High School, where alumni from many years gathered for the annual All-School Reunion.
Above, WSHS Alumni Association president Karen (Seamens) Dobbs and Nancy (Rutherford) Sleight led attendees in singing the historic alma mater song. Memorabilia was on display as usual:
And more-modern logos adorned school merch offered for sale:
Along with gathering in the commons …
… people also gathered class by class in smaller spaces including classrooms and the library:
Every year the 50th-anniversary class is spotlighted – that meant this year was the turn for those who graduated in the bicentennial year, 1976. You can read what various classes’ alums are up to – and about this year’s two Hall of Fame inductees – in the latest issue of the Alumni Association publication, the Chinook.
A third-round pick out of Wisconsin in 2012, Russell Wilson proved to be a steal for the Seattle Seahawks.
He surprisingly won the starting job as a rookie, leading Seattle to an 11-5 campaign. They followed that up with a 13-win season in 2013, with Wilson helping them win the first Super Bowl in franchise history. They returned to the Super Bowl in 2014, which they lost in painful fashion.
Wilson continued to lead Seattle to wins, but they eventually decided to move on. That happened in 2022 when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, along with a fourth-round pick in 2022, for the Broncos’ first, second, and fifth-round picks in 2022 and their first and second-round picks in 2023. Seattle also received quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, and defensive tackle Shelby Harris.
Russell Wilson trade among the biggest in NFL history
That trade didn’t work out for Denver, but the Seahawks were more than happy with the results. As Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox says, it helped them rebuild their roster, ultimately leading to their latest title. That’s why he ranked this as the fourth-biggest trade in league history.
“Seattle had won the Super Bowl in 2013 with Wilson at the helm, and it reached the big game again in 2014. However, while Wilson had earned his ninth Pro Bowl nod in 2021, the Seahawks hadn’t advanced past the divisional round since 2014 and were clearly looking for a fresh start,” Knox wrote.
“They got it by dealing Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for a massive haul. The Seahawks’ return netted key contributors to their 2026 run, including outside linebacker Derick Hall, edge rusher Boye Mafe, offensive tackle Charles Cross, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon.”
All of those players were vital to their recent Super Bowl win. Mafe, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, is the only one who is no longer with the Seahawks, whereas Witherspoon, Hall, and Cross remain as key pieces.
Russell Wilson was never the same after leaving Seattle
As happy as Seattle was with the trade, the Broncos weren’t thrilled with the results. Wilson wasn’t the same player in Denver and they went 11-19 in two seasons with Wilson as the starter.
He then spent one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing with the New York Giants in 2026. Following an 0-3 start with the Giants, Wilson was benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart and recently announced his retirement from the NFL.
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(Photo by Don Brubeck)
Congratulations to two local organizations just honored with one big award. Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you:
The Seattle Parks Foundation honored the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group and the Ridge to River (R2R) coalition with a Love Parks award on Wednesday, June 3.
Accepting the award were Joanna Florer, Craig Rankin, Paul West, and Judy Bentley. The trails group has been promoting walking and hiking trails in Seattle’s largest contiguous forest for more than ten years. The Ridge to River Coalition is planning how the greenbelt will be cared for and improved over the long term. Check the website at wdgtrails.org to find out how you can participate in this work or just enjoy the greenbelt.
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