Memorial Scholarships & Grants

Susi was born November 29, 1945 in Raindorf, Bavaria, near Munich, Germany. She was the third in a family of 11. Growing up in post-war Germany, with a shattered economy and little food, she definitely knew hardship and “doing without”. After being rescued while running away with a local circus, at age 14, she developed a burning desire to come to America and make a better life. This desire pushed her every day to achieve.

At 17, she married a GI and came to America in 1963, with her 3 month-old son Victor and $60 in her pocket. Living in Boston, with an aunt, she worked 2 jobs, learned English, raised her son and received her college degree. She worked for some time for the Strategic Air Command at several military bases and became extremely proficient in business management.

She eventually moved to California, where she got her first introduction to the shipping industry, moving fresh & frozen eggs, butter and other perishables to Japan, Hawaii & Guam, for Nulaid Foods.

In 1982, Susi moved to Seattle, married Mike Harris and soon answered a newspaper ad for a freight forwarder position with TMX Shipping. She fell in love with the job, the customers and the rapid pace challenges in transporting fresh, perishable fruit.

This opportunity opened her lifelong transportation career as she moved to work with industry leading companies, such as Seaport Shipping, followed by Geo. S. Bush and eventually with Universal Freight Forwarders, where she became the sole owner and operator, specializing in shipping perishable commodities internationally by ocean and air.

She had great support from customers and colleagues and built a widely respected business. During the glory days of breakbulk shipping, she managed full charter shiploads of fruit, scheduling every incoming truck and watching the stowage of every pallet. Every season, shipping fresh cherries by air became her ultimate challenge. Here, there was no margin for error or delay to get high quality cherries to markets in Europe and Asia.

After selling Universal and a short “retirement”, Harris International Freight Forwarders Inc. opened in 2008. Soon, Susi was back again shipping perishable goods and produce, a work she enjoyed along with the customers she loved and cared deeply for. She maintained that passion and commitment every day until her passing.

From a very humble beginning, Susi was a female pioneer in a male-dominated industry. She had a great ability to develop solid working relationships on both sides of the business and she always understood that it was the CUSTOMER who was at the heart of every transaction. They had her persistent attention 24/7. She also mentored generations of transportation professionals, many of whom became leaders in the export business.

Susi doted on her beloved little dogs and was never far from them.