Greg Nickels
Seattle's two-term mayor who championed environmentalism with the 'Cool Cities' initiative but saw his tenure end in a primary upset.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American politician·Birthday: August 7·Baby Boomers
Biography
Greg Nickels steered Seattle through a transformative and tumultuous decade. Elected mayor in 2001, he focused on ambitious urban projects like the South Lake Union redevelopment and championed light rail expansion. His signature issue was the environment; he spearheaded the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement after the federal rejection of the Kyoto Protocol, rallying hundreds of city leaders to commit to its goals. This 'Cool Cities' push cemented his reputation as a green mayor. However, his second term was marred by controversy over downtown transportation projects and the city's handling of a major snowstorm in 2008. These issues led to a stunning third-place finish in the 2009 primary, cutting his time in office short. Nickels's legacy is a mix of bold climate advocacy and the volatile politics of managing a rapidly growing city.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Greg was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Greg Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Greg's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2005, committing cities to meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol.
- Oversaw the successful voter approval and initial construction of the Sound Transit light rail system's first major expansion.
- Championed the redevelopment of the South Lake Union neighborhood into a major biotech and urban center.
- Served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2008, advocating for urban priorities at the national level.
Did You Know?
Before becoming mayor, he served on the Metropolitan King County Council for over a decade.
Nickels is a graduate of the University of Washington.
He was the last Seattle mayor to serve more than one term until the city switched to a new election system.
After leaving office, he served as a deputy secretary at the Washington State Department of Transportation.
“We can't wait for the federal government. Cities have to lead the way on climate change.”
