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Ezra Teshome
Ezra Teshome is a self-made humanitarian, real-estate mogul, philanthropist and leader in Rotary International’s fight to eradicate polio. He and his wife Yobi own and have developed many properties in the Seattle area, and have four grown children—Selome, Hewan, Sophia and Zach. Whether it be insurance, water-access, global health, or any other world issue, Ezra has spent his life in service to others and sharing those values in his family and community.

Childhood
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ezra is the oldest of 13 siblings, and grew up working on the family-owned dairy farm. He went to highschool at Nativity Boys’ School and was among the first group of Ethiopian students to immigrate to the United States for college. He earned a pre-law degree at Seattle University (Seattle U) in the early 1970s.

Education & Seattle U
Currently, Ezra and Yobi (also a Seattle U alum ’83) are on multiple leadership councils and task forces. Ezra sits on the Seattle University Board of Trustees and the Yobi Apartments—an apartment complex developed and owned by Ezra—is popular housing among Seattle University students due to the school’s partnership with Ezra.

Seattle & The Ethiopian Community
When Ezra came to the United States to attend Seattle University, he had planned to finish schooling in America and return to Ethiopia to work for the United Nations or the Foreign Service. However, while at Seattle U, a communist coup threw Ethiopia into extended turmoil, and Ezra made the decision to settle in Seattle and began working for State Farm. He now heads his own State Farm agency.

Ezra and Yobi have had a huge impact on Seattle through their various volunteer efforts, real estate development, and establishment of the Ethiopian community. They both helped lead the establishment of the Ethiopian Community Mutual Association (ECMA) created, ‘to help refugees to become good citizens, find work, and send their kids to school’. The ECMA also created the Ethiopian Community Center, purchasing the building to provide a cultural backbone—this along with other efforts have established the Ethiopian community in Seattle.

Rotary International
For over 35 years, Ezra has been an active member of Rotary International, a collective of individuals 35,000 clubs organized to ‘take action on [the] world’s most persistent issues. He joined the University District Rotary Club in 1985 as a volunteer and became club president 10 years later. Ezra’s time in Rotary has been most notably defined by his part in the eradication of polio worldwide. After witnessing and learning firsthand about the disease’s impact on Ethiopia at the 1997 Rotary Club peace conference, he pledged to return and assist in vaccination every year until the disease was fully gone. Ezra didn’t stop with the eradication of polio however, raising funds matched by Rotary to build 107 homes and procuring $25,000 in micro-loans to create a home for many without now known as Rotary Village. Ezra also co-chairs clean water initiatives for 17 villages.

Awards
Ezra’s efforts to better the world around him have created real positive change, and he has been recognized with many rewards as a result. He has received the World Affairs Council’s World Citizen Award; Seattle University’s Alumni Community Service Award; the Rotary International Service Above Self Award; the Rotary International Service Award for a Polio-free World; a Distinguished Service Award from the UW and was named a Global Health Hero by TIME magazine in 2010.