25 years in business is worth celebrating. Founded by five friends in three states and inspired by our namesake, Gallatin Public Affairs has grown and changed along with the economy and politics of the Pacific Northwest. We’re mostly behind the scenes and occasionally out front. But from our front row seat, we're always seeking to make sense of the complicated intersection of business, government, politics and the media. As noted by our own Marc Johnson, our people and our clients deserve the credit for our longevity and success. In honor of 25 years, we’re taking a look back at some of the Northwest’s top stories and Gallatin’s proudest achievements.

1990
Our firm - known today as Gallatin Public Affairs - launches, signs five clients by year end

Photo Credit: Running Magazine

Nike Inc. opens its World Campus near Beaverton and first Nike Town retail store in downtown Portland

Photo Credit: J.M. Garg

Northern Spotted Owl listed as a threatened species

Photo Credit: Melanie Clothing

Idaho celebrates its state centennial.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The grunge rock band Pearl Jam, initially called Mookie Blaylock, forms in Seattle

1991
“Meierotto, Carlson, McGavick, Smith & Piedmont” changes name to The Gallatin Group
Albert Gallatin was a diplomat, congressman and the longest-serving U.S. Treasury Secretary

Get to know Albert

Photo Credit: Willamette Week

Barbara Roberts sworn in, first woman elected to be Oregon governor

Photo Credit: Criterion

Premiere of the film “My Own Private Idaho" by Portland filmmaker Gus Van Sant

1992

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Federal agents engage in shootout with Randy Weaver and family at Idaho’s Ruby Ridge

Photo Credit: Seattle Times

Patty Murray elected to U.S. Senate from Washington declaring herself a “mom in tennis shoes”

1993

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Vera Katz becomes Portland mayor

Photo Credit: Mail Tribune / Jim Craven

President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore attend Northwest Forest Conference in Portland

1994
Marc Johnson joins Gallatin Idaho, named firm president in 2004


Get to know Marc

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Oregon voters approve first-in-the nation law legalizing doctor assisted suicide

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Oregonian Tonya Harding knee-caps Nancy Kerrigan’s dreams of Olympic gold

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Kurt Cobain singer-musician for the grunge band Nirvana, commits suicide in Seattle

Photo Credit: Agenda Magazine

Pianist Thomas Lauderdale founds “Pink Martini” in Portland

1995
Gallatin reaches 25 clients

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Grey wolf packs reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho

Photo Credit: Idaho Statesman

Phil Batt sworn in as first Republican Idaho governor in 25 years

Former Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus joins Gallatin as of Counsel

Photo Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft launches Windows 95 on its corporate campus in Redmond

Photo Credit: Reuters

Longtime Oregon U.S. Senator Bob Packwood resigns after Senate ethics committee recommends expulsion for misconduct

1996

Photo Credit: Seattle Times

A 9,200 year-old skeleton, later known as the “Kennewick Man” or “Richland Man,” found by the Columbia River in Kennewick, WA

Photo Credit: Medford Mail Tribune

Two future U.S. Senators from Oregon face-off in January vote-by-mail special election to replace Sen. Packwood. Ron Wyden narrowly defeats Gordon Smith. Weeks later, Smith announces he will run for the seat of legendary, retiring Oregon U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield and wins in November

1997

Photo Credit: MyNorthwest.com

30,000 people turn out as the Seattle Mariners officially break ground for the new Safeco Field

Jeffrey Bell joins Gallatin Spokane, adds media & presentation training to firm services.

Get to know Jeffrey
1998

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Idaho’s Picabo Street wins gold medal in Olympic giant slalom

1999

Photo Credit: High Country News

First shipment of nuclear waste leaves Idaho National Lab for permanent storage at WIPP in New Mexico

Photo Credit: Mic.com

Thousands of protestors force the World Trade Organization to cancel the opening session of a 3-day summit meeting in Seattle

2000
Gallatin reaches 57 clients
Dan Lavey joins Gallatin Oregon, named president in 2010

Get to know Dan

Photo Credit: Controlled Demolition, Inc.

The Seattle Kingdome blows up in a controlled implosion

Photo Credit: Columbian

Democrat Maria Cantwell wins Washington Senate seat from Republican incumbent Slade Gorton

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Oregon becomes first state to conduct presidential election entirely by mail

2001

Photo Credit: American Insurance Association

Former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot tells the Associated Press he’s been “impressed with both the integrity and quality of services provided by The Gallatin Group”

Photo Credit: ign.com

Microsoft introduces Xbox video game system

2002

Photo Credit: Fluor

Bush administration announces an additional $450 million to speed the cleanup of the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington

Photo Credit: Davenport Hotel Collection

Historic Davenport Hotel reopens, revitalizing downtown Spokane

2003
Julia Weisenburger joins Gallatin corporate team in Seattle

Get to know Julia

Photo Credit: Fluor

Voodoo Doughnut opens in Portland

Gallatin Oregon helps Pacific Seafood protect 200+ jobs on Northern Oregon Coast with public-private partnership managing water discharge
2004
Gallatin Oregon works with regional coalition to secure federal support to deepen Columbia River channel

Photo Credit: The Oregonian

Neil Goldschmidt – former Portland mayor, Oregon governor and U.S. Transportation Secretary –forced to withdraw from public life after he admits sexual relationship with teen-age girl

Photo Credit: Seattle Weekly

Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire finally certified as winner over Republican opponent Dino Rossi 40 days after the general election in Washington

Photo Credit: Idaho Daily Photo

Billionaire J.R. Simplot donates hilltop home in Boise for Idaho governor’s mansion

Gallatin assists BNSF permitting fueling station in Rathdrum, Idaho

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Trojan, Oregon’s only nuclear power plant, decommissioned

2005
Gallatin reaches 120 clients

Photo Credit: Seattle Tall Poppy

Seattle Chef Tom Douglas defeats chef Masaharu Morimoto on the Food Network’s Iron chef of America

Photo Credit: National Wildlife Foundation

The US government declares the Puget Sound orcas an endangered species

Gallatin Oregon assists Nike in stopping hostile local government annexation of corporate HQ
2006
Gallatin reaches 150 clients
Eric Williams joins Gallatin Spokane

Get to know Eric

Photo Credit: Spokane Spokesman Review

Republican Butch Otter elected Idaho governor after representing the state in Congress

Greg Peden joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Greg
Mckinsey Lyon joins Gallatin Idaho

Get to know Mckinsey
2007

Photo Credit: AP

Boise State Broncos win the Fiesta Bowl, completing undefeated 13-0 season

Bruce Gryniewski joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Bruce
Gallatin Oregon helps Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson launch successful campaign to renovate historic downtown stadium and bring Major League Soccer to Oregon

Photo Credit: Christian Science Monitor

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, resigns following airport restroom sex sting

2008
The Gallatin Group changes name to Gallatin Public Affairs
Bob Royer joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Bob

Photo Credit: DailyKos

Record crowd of 75,000 attend rally for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in Portland

Former Portland Mayor Vera Katz joins Gallatin as of Counsel
Gallatin Idaho assists Monsanto in Environmental Impact Statement process, federal permitting of Idaho Cobalt Project
Shannon Berg joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Shannon
2009

Photo Credit: Telegraph UK

The Seattle Post Intelligencer prints its last newspaper edition

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Portland Timbers become Major League Soccer’s 18th team

Photo Credit: Aviation Explorer

Boeing’s new 787 jetliner makes its inaugural flight from Everett’s Paine Field

Jared Webley joins Gallatin Spokane

Get to know Jared
2010

Photo Credit: Washington State University

Washington State University designates WSU Spokane as its Health Science Campus with Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Gallatin Spokane helps persuade state officials to allow Shriners Children’s Hospital of Spokane to bill private insurers and Medicare patients

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Democrat John Kitzhaber wins historic third term as Oregon governor

2011

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Portlandia begins national broadcast

Photo Credit: KTVB

Sweeping education reform package passes Idaho Legislature

Nicole Codd joins Gallatin corporate team in Seattle

Get to know Nicole

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Oregon Congressman David Wu photographed in tiger suit, resigns

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Seattle voters approve a measure to build the biggest-ever deep bore tunnel to carry cars past the city’s downtown

Kelsey Wilson joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Kelsey
Anna Boone joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Anna
2012

Photo Credit: Wikimeida Commons

Oregon Ducks win 2012 Rose Bowl, defeating the Wisconsin Badgers

Photo Credit: KOMO News

Micron CEO Steve Appleton killed in plane crash

Photo Credit: NBC

Gov. Christine Gregoire signs into law a measure that makes Washington the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage

Jessica Moss joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Jessica

Photo Credit: AP

Washington approves I-502, a measure establishing a system of state-licensed marijuana growers, processors and retail stores where adults can buy up to an ounce of marijuana

Gallatin Spokane participates in successful siting of the First Wind's Palouse Wind Project
Jay Natoli joins Gallatin, launches digital advocacy services

Get to know Jay

Photo Credit: Boise Weekly

Idaho voters reject Legislature’s education reforms

Gallatin Oregon assists Facebook on legislation related to construction and operation of data centers
Michelle Cole joins Gallatin, launches content and research services

Get to know Michelle
2013

Photo Credit: Spokesman Review

The state of Idaho gives hilltop mansion back to the Simplot family

Cameron Kinzer joins Gallatin Idaho

Get to know Cameron
Gallatin and GS Strategy Group launch G Squared Public Strategies to help clients win Northwest ballot measures and advocacy campaigns
Emily Baker joins Gallatin Idaho

Get to know Emily

Photo Credit: AP

Cover Oregon Health Exchange launches, crashes

2014
Natalie Podgorski joins Gallatin Idaho

Get to know Natalie

Photo Credit: AP

The Seattle Seahawks win their first Super Bowl, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

After years of planning and nearly $200 million spent, the deal to build a new I-5 Columbia River crossing collapses

Photo Credit: AP

Mudslide destroys entire community in Oso, Washington, killing 43 people

Gallatin Gives Program implemented –Gallatin matches employee donations to charitable causes
Morgan Beltz joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Morgan
Holli Johnson joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Holli
Martin Bilbao joins Gallatin Idaho

Get to know Martin

Photo Credit: AP

Reece Witherspoon gets “Wild” in Oregon, lands Oscar nomination

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota wins Heisman trophy

2015
Former Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa joins Gallatin as of Counsel

Get to know Ben
Former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem joins Gallatin as of Counsel

Get to know Sandi

Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Oregon’s famous wandering wolf, OR-7, finds a mate, fathers pups and wins pack status; dubbed “the Rogue Pack” by wildlife officials

Photo Credit: Reuters

President Barack Obama visits Idaho following his State of the Union address to promote strengthening the middle class

Photo Credit: The Oregonian

John Kitzhaber becomes first Oregon governor to resign in 52 years, amidst a public corruption scandal involving his fiancee

Alex Alston joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Alex

Photo Credit: WSU Spokane Magazine

Gov Jay Inslee signs legislation establishing WSU Medical School April 1 2015. First year entering class Fall 2017.

Eric Schudiske joins Gallatin Seattle

Get to know Eric
Matt Friesen joins Gallatin Oregon

Get to know Matt

Photo Credit: The Oregonian

Portland Timbers win 2015 MLS Cup, the first championship in club history.