23-03-2025
Biographer shares impacts of former Oregon Gov. Vic Atiyeh in new book
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Gov. Vic Atiyeh was the most recent Republican governor in Oregon, serving as governor from 1979 to 1987. He was the first elected U.S. governor of Middle Eastern descent, with his parents emigrating from Syria and Lebanon. For years, he also ran the family's carpet business.
Atiyeh is credited with helping turn tourism into a viable Oregon industry and he opened up trade between Oregon and the rest of the world, especially Asia. Nicknamed 'Trader Vic,' there's a statue of Atiyeh in the international concourse of Portland International Airport.
He died in 2014 at the age of 91.
Pacific University political science professor Jim Moore has just released the definitive biography of Gov. Atiyeh, called 'ATIYEH: Governor Vic Atiyeh and the Transformation of Oregon.'
Moore is also the political outreach director of the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement and he's been a frequent analyst on local politics over the years.
Moore returned to Eye on Northwest Politics to discuss the book and Gov. Atiyeh's contributions to Oregon.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
