The Seattle Seahawks’ success might have never happened if it wasn’t for the man who brokered the deal that kept them here in 1996.

That man is Federal Way resident Pete von Reichbauer, the King County Councilman who represents south King County cities.

His role in keeping the Seahawks on Northwest soil was one of many accomplishments that were recognized as von Reichbauer was presented the Public Official of the Year Award at the Municipal League’s 56th Annual Civic Awards ceremony on April 2.

“I felt really proud to be recognized,” said von Reichbauer in an interview. “But [the recognition] wasn’t just for me, it was for the people who’ve worked with me over the years. It’s the people in this office that make a difference.”

Von Reichbauer said he subscribes to the Nordstrom’s principle, “the customer’s always right,” but in the sense that it’s the “constituent who’s always right.”

An advocate for south King County since 1993, von Reichbauer has been re-elected by south King County voters five times.

He’s worked to bring cities together on regional issues, he’s acted as chairman on the King County Council’s Budget Committee, Transportation Committee, Government Accountability and Oversight Committee  and Regional Policy Committee. And he’s gathered funding for the many sports fields in Federal Way, but the most satisfying accomplishment was his role in keeping the Seahawks local.

“I’ve never seen anything unite a region more than the Seattle Seahawks,” von Reichbauer said. “The last time we were as united was World War II.”

Von Reichbauer took the lead on persuading Paul Allen to purchase the team in 1996 as they were getting ready to move to California.

The councilman said he ventured into an area that politicians have “historically avoided” when he brokered the deal.

“A lot of politicians saw their careers shortened,” he said, referring to the risk of mixing sports and politics. “But I see sports as not just an economic engine but a social engine.”

Von Reichbauer said King County and Federal Way are very diversified but the camaraderie the Seahawks have brought about is apparent.

“It’s amazing how many people, blue collar, white collar, they all love the Hawks,” he said.

To honor the work he did, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider presented von Reichbauer with a 12th man jersey and he was recognized as the original 12th man at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on June 2, 2014.

“The truth is no one in today’s day would believe it but the team was on its way out of here,” he said. “We had an out-of-state owner who already owned the team,” he said. “People were just tired of it.”

But after he “stuck his neck out” during the sale, after Allen bought the team, and after the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII, von Reichbauer said the real reward is seeing the community come together.

“In 2007, when this team started to show the life we wanted it to, I walked back from the stadium after the North Carolina game and I was amazed to see smiles on everyone’s faces,” he recalled. “It just told me then and it was reinforced a decade later — this was [the right move].”

Von Reichbauer wholeheartedly attributes Allen as the “man who saved the Seattle Seahawks,” because he gave up his privacy, made a financial and personal decision and took a risk when he did so. But von Reichbauer can’t deny that his belief that sports greatly benefits the community played a part.

As budget chair on the King County Council, he worked to save baseball in Seattle when the Kingdome was failing and he also advocated for Safeco Field to stay on budget.

Through a statewide referendum vote, the Century Link stadium was built and as a “side bar effect,” major league soccer in Washington was born.

“No one at the time realized the Seattle Sounders would be as popular,” he said, noting south King County has an incredible interest in soccer. “I don’t think there would be as high of a level of soccer play if it wasn’t for the Sounders being so popular.”

South King County includes cities Algona, Auburn, Federal Way, Pacific, Kent, Milton and unincorporated King County.

As a Sound Transit board member, von Reichbauer helped bring the Federal Way Transit Center to the city. He also facilitated construction on the South 317th Street HOV ramps on Interstate 5 and the interstate’s triangle interchange.

He’s also worked to protect the Hylebos Wetlands by forging public and private partnerships.

“Federal Way’s got great energy,” he said, adding that it was at a crossroads and is often referred to as a bedroom community. “There’s a lot of changes that took place — the loss of Weyerhaeuser could be a blessing in disguise.”

Von Reichbauer said his No. 1 job as a County Councilman is to create jobs for young people.

“The economy is changing and we need to find ways that the young people who grow up in Federal Way and south King County have a place to work,” he said. “We want them to stay in south King County.”

When asked what his plans for the future are, von Reichbauer said he’s enjoying what he’s doing.

“I’m really honored because I love our region,” he said. “It’s vibrant, it’s not a stagnant pool.”

Von Reichbauer was a Washington state senator before joining the County Council. He grew up in Lakewood and graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in history. He joined the U.S. Army and was stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina; Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; Ft. Benning, Georgia and in Japan before serving on active duty with the U.S. Army Reserve and Washington Army National Guard.

Elected officials from the city of Federal Way attended the Municipal League’s 56th Annual Civic Awards to support Federal Way’s own King County Councilman, Pete von Reichbauer, as he received the Public Official of the Year award. From left, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell, Federal Way City Council members, Kelly Maloney and Susan Honda; King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer; Federal Way City Council members, Dini Duclos and Martin Moore; Federal Way Deputy Mayor Jeanne Burbidge; and Federal Way Councilwoman Lydia Assefa Dawson. Courtesy of King County