Ray L. Olsen

Ray L. Olsen (September 4, 1904 – February 14, 1992) was an American politician in the state of Washington. He served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1951 to 1967 for the 35th district. He was a member of the World's Fair Commission and sponsored two bills to establish the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle, Washington, in 1962.

Early career Olsen was born in 1904 in Baker, Oregon. He attended business college and moved to Seattle, Washington, in 1940. He owned a men's clothing store in Bremerton, which he operated for fifteen years before getting involved in politics. He was the assistant district supervisor in the 1940 and 1950 census, as well as working as assistant director of the community chest and the Washington State Department of Transportation. Olsen was the public relations director for the state Restaurant Association between 1950 and 1959 and edited its monthly trade magazine, Allied Food & Beverage. He was married to his wife, Ellen. He was appointed to the World's Fair Commission in 1955 by House Speaker, John L. O'Brien, as one of two state representatives. The commission was tasked with researching whether the state should hold a 50th anniversary celebration for the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition of 1909. The commission ultimately recommended proceeding with the exposition and Olsen, O'Brien and Edward Carlson were tasked with convincing the newly-elected Governor Albert Rosellini to support the fair in his inaugural address. Rosellini agreed to mention it, but refused to announce a financial commitment. He was on the World Fair Commission until it was dissolved in 1963, when he was named as the state representative to the 1964 New York World's Fair.