Armen Yousoufian's Blog

After 30 years in business/investment real estate, I added "citizen activist" to my resume in 1997 when I requested sports stadium documents of King County Executive Ron Sims. After being "stonewalled", I sued, winning more at every stage, up to the state Supreme Court. Documents disgorged by Sims (after 4 years denying they existed!) revealed rigged studies. Sims misled the public on the stadiums. Other issues found me (e.g. Critical Areas Ordinance). Google “Armen Yousoufian” for more.

About Me

Name:
Location: Vashon, Washington, United States

I was born and raised in New York City. I took classical violin lessons for 10 years and studied astronomy. I built telescopes, grinding the mirrors from scratch. I was a nerd! I considered a career in classical violin but chose astrophysics. I majored in Physics at Rutgers University for 2 years, then switched and graduated in mechanical engineering. I moved to Seattle in 1969 to work on missiles for Boeing, got an MBA from Seattle University, and became a business and real estate entrepreneur for over 30 years. In 1997 I became involved in open government activism when I asked King County Executive Ron Sims for sports stadium documents. I was stonewalled. I sued under the Open Records, or Public Disclosure, Act. I won the case in King County Superior Court, but still didn’t get all the documents, nor recovered my legal fees, which the law said I was entitled to be reimbursed. I appealed and won more in the Court of Appeals and the court of public opinion. But I still didn’t get all the documents! I appealed again and won yet more in the Washington State Supreme Court. But I still don’t have all the documents! While that fight goes on I have become involved in new issues.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

May 11-12, 2007 Freedom of Information conference in Seattle

This spring, the non-profit Washington Coalition for Open Government (www.WashingtonCog.org), whose board of directors I sit on, and the National Freedom of Information Coalition(www.nfoic.org), are jointly sponsoring the annual NFOIC conference, to take place at the Seattle waterfront Marriott hotel.

Consider attending this event.

Here's the link, from which you can access the schedule of events, etc.

I am organizing one of the panels, on "Sports Secrecy: Economic negotiations in the dark", and helping with other panels and sessions. More to follow.

For now, here's the link to more information:

http://www.nfoic.org/2007_summit/

Armen Yousoufian

posted by Armen Yousoufian | 4:05 PM

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