The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber announced yesterday it will honor former Port of Tacoma Commissioner Jack Fabulich with the George Francis Train International Business Commemorative award. The award will be presented to Fabulich Feb. 7 at the World Trade Center Tacoma’s Globe Awards.
According to the Chamber, the award recognizes Pierce County individuals and businesses that have contributed significantly to the local growth of international trade. Given annually since 1989, the award memorializes George Francis Train, a champion of early Tacoma who campaigned for the city to become the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad and who coined the Tacoma moniker, “City of Destiny.” He also made a hobby of circumnavigating the globe in record time. His exploits gave life to Jules Verne’s novel “Around the World in Eighty Days,” and a plaque in downtown Tacoma notes his world record, 67-day, Tacoma-to-Tacoma trip in 1890.
Fabulich first served as a Commissioner 31 years ago, when the Port of Tacoma was a small regional port focused on breakbulk and grain, logs and other natural resource-based cargoes. In addition to his work for the Port, Fabulich is the former President of Tacoma-based Parker Paint Manufacturing Company. He is a graduate of the Tacoma’s University of Puget Sound and a U.S. Navy veteran.
He helped found the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County and is a member of the Executive Board of the Puget Sound Regional Council and the Tacoma Chapter of the Propeller Club of the United States. He served on the Board of the Washington Public Ports Association and the Board of Directors of Columbia Bank.
In December, the Port, honored Fabulich by rededicating the Port Business Center, a five-story office building that hosts Commission meetings, as The Fabulich Center.
This year’s commemorative will be presented at the World Trade Center Tacoma’s 15th Annual Globe Awards dinner and auction, an event that celebrates advances that the state has made in international trade. The dinner will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bicentennial Pavilion at Hotel Murano in downtown Tacoma.