Adopted into the Ekberg family, 5 Days old May 10, 1959, joined my 18-month-old adopted sister at our adopted home in the Riverton area of Tukwila. Given name of "Allan Erik Ekberg"

Born to a single mother of a little girl, given up for adoption. Birthday, May 5th.

Chest cut open, hole in heart repaired. Hospital roommate didn't make it.

I tried to keep my parents' troubles or pending divorce to myself, too embarrassing. But small town and word got out.

Good to be back with friends.

Jumped a Grey Hound bus to Tukwila; mother not expecting me at her one-bedroom apartment but welcomed me with open arms. My bed was the couch or floor.

Attended Anacortes High. Jumped by a football player, I knocked the wind out of him; we became good friends. Fun to start a new school.

Showalter had 9th grade then, it was a 7th, 8th, 9th grade school.

On Mom's dishwasher job she couldn't afford the apartment rent, we moved to the trailer park. My bed was in the hallway, like a bunk.

Once searched for a discarded hand gun. At Christmas stood watch on the roof of the Southcenter Mall for car thieves.

Mom scrimped and saved for a mobile home of her own.

Recognized as one of the top 10 students.

J.C. Penny stock room boy during Christmas holiday season.

Started my education at Highline College to seek a criminal justice degree.

Swept floors at McDonald Miller corporation and drove sheet metal parts to construction sites throughout the Puget Sound metropolitan region.

Volunteered to serve our Country, after Lackland Air Force Base basic training, attended U.S. Army Camp Bullis to learn front-line defense tactics. With a Secret Clearance I supported the security of one of our nation's first-responder flight lines and weapons.

Joined the college to begin my educational pursuits. I worked swings and midnight shifts for four years so attended college each morning carrying full-loads while working, too, in the U.S. Airforce.

An alcoholic. We had planned a road trip to get to know each other, again. He died before the trip. I was 20 years old.

Recognized and promoted.

Received degree from Riverside City College.

Took only five trimesters to graduate after accumulating so many units from community colleges.

After four and a half-year of service to our country I wanted to finish my education.

Business Administration/Computer Information Systems. Got employed prior to graduation and started off my technology career with EDS, Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems corporation. I was first in class at their training program.

Operations Coordinator.

After our marriage, Trish wanted to attend the U of W for her Master's in Library and Information Science. We left California for my 'home'.

Trish and I married in Arcata, California. Our anniversary date is April 13th, and sometimes that is a Friday the 13th. Ha. 34 years later we are going strong.

After college, work, and marriage; settled back into Tukwila by buying our first home in Riverton, in Tukwila.

Fought successfully King County's re-zoning of lower Riverton to commercial business. Caused us to seek annexation of the Riverton area into Tukwila.

Weyerhaeuser subsidiary, Methods and Procedures Analyst.

I testified to retain Cascade View independent of SeaTac so it could later Annex into the City of Tukwila so that our school district would be all within one City. The Board ruled in our favor allowing Cascade View to annex to Tukwila in 1991.

Annexation leaders of Riverton, Thorndyke, and Foster met with SeaTac citizens whom wanted to annex Cascade View into SeaTac. We wanted the Cascade neighbor to be part of the City of Tukwila and keep the South-Central School District (now called the Tukwila School District) intact in one City. Neither of us budged.

Led citizen effort to annex Riverton into Tukwila. Annexation was successful, with us came the Foster and Thorndyke areas. At join meetings I was on stage, like at Foster H.S., facilitation discussions.

Elected to first term council at age 29.

Started as an IT analyst, finished as a Process Coach to Boeing senior management. 5 years.

Our daughter is born.

Riverton, Thorndyke and Foster successfully annex into the City of Tukwila via a popular vote.

Yearly thereafter. Member in all my kid's institutions, elementary, junior and high schools; parents make it happen along with the teachers.

Served 1990-1997. The City Council forms the legislative branch of City government, it is the policy-making branch of government, the City Council is responsible for passing legislation, adopting the biennial City budget, approving long-range planning documents and capital improvement programs, and other responsibilities as set forth by State law.

Specifically the 'Riverton, Foster, Thorndyke Annexations' section in this history book.

Our son is born.

Re-elected for years 1994-1997

Started as a Process Management specialist, ended as the enterprise wide IT Best Practices Manager reporting to the CIO. 5 years.

Reason: to spend time raising our six and eight-year-old kids in Tukwila. Officials with young children should think of their children first.

A loving and lovely lady. Died from metastasized breast cancer.

City sponsored board with business and community members to reroute Sound Transit through our City.

Recognized with plaque for my contributions to its efforts. Now called TIBAC, the Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee

Fought successfully against King County's Sound Transit to keep light rail from splitting our community apart with a poorly designed route through our City.

Senior Consultant to E*TRADE, Xcito, Safeway LTD)

Started as Lead Business Analyst, ended as Retail Sales Technology Program Manager, Vice President, over specific Intranet IT technologies. 5 years.

Achieved my MBA after 18 months of night school while working full-time.

Served between 2003-2009. The Planning Commission acts as the land use advisory body for the City Council and reviews and makes recommendations to the City Council on the City's Comprehensive Plan, Shoreline Plan, Subdivision, Zoning and Sign Codes.

Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. Three surgeries over four years kept it abated. It wasn't until 2013 found the source, i.e., the tube running from the kidney had cancer cells that flowed into bladder.

Youth performed in State, CSU, Ellensburg, WA

Attended meetings, took and distributed minutes.

Worked to identify new sign code regulations. I championed the vision of Baker Blvd, at Southcenter, being like a Downtown Disney, or mini-Wall Street with digital billboards. I was ahead of my time; others couldn't envision it. It would be the only location in the state, and a tourist draw.

Employed as an Internet Technology Program or Project Manager as a contractor or employee for companies such as: Cobalt, Onlineshoes.com, Dendreon, Razorfish, Iron Mountain, Starbucks, lululemon, Accenture Consulting, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Online, BECU. 8 years.

Tree Tsar; organized Christmas Tree sales to raise money for the band.

Attended meetings, took and distributed minutes.

Youth performed in Universal Studio's, Florida.

Three person race, won the vote.

Served 2010-2015. Contributed six years on the City Council before becoming Mayor, on top of another eight contributed in 1990 to 1997.

Organized Christmas Tree sales to raise money for the band.

Youth performed in Carnegie Hall, New York, won Best in Sportsmanship

Served 2011-2015. Oversight and administration of the Tukwila Pool under its elected park district.

Youth performed at Disney Land, Florida, won 9 awards for excellence.

Tube between kidney and bladder had cancer; took the tube and the kidney out.

Fund raising winner at the pool's re-opening in April 2013. As a result of the money I raised, I got the privilege of being the first person to jump into the renovated pool.

Served years of 2014 and 2015. In 2015 ran for Mayor.

Served 2014-2015. Contributed on a team to make the 100th Year celebration of Foster H.S. possible; oversaw all credit card transactions, and donations.

Elected the 20th Mayor of Tukwila. Thank you for your support.

Representative on planning committee to review facility needs of the City, including Fire, Police, Courts, Public Works.

She lived a hard life.

Oversee with other City's mayors Lakes Tapps' infrastructure and public consumption water distribution.

Oversee the jail administration along with other member city mayor's and city managers. Was board president who ran the hiring process for the executive director replacement, and the withdrawal of Federal Way from the financing model.

Founding Ex-Officio member of this organization to help feed our youth via the Tukwila Snack Pack program.

Oversee operations with other City's mayors of this first-responder call center.

Took office January 1st, 2016

Come Sit At Our Table self-invited event coordinator; fund raised considerable amount to make it happen; also provided electricity via generator for the stage performances.

Founding board member as we work to establish the center's rental programs and operations to empower a place for all our community members.

I thank you for your support.

The Mayor of Tukwila is a member of the Board.