Trustee Biography: Ambassador Charles J. Swindells

Charles J. Swindells served as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa for nearly four years and returned to the private sector August 21, 2005. As the Ambassador he devoted considerable attention to such "soft power" issues as cultural and educational exchanges, personally raising funds for an innovative new scholarship. He also worked tirelessly to encourage the rebuilding and restructuring of the New Zealand Defense Forces.

Ambassador Swindells career in the investment and fiduciary services industry spans over 30 years. Before becoming Ambassador, Mr. Swindells was Vice Chairman of U.S. Trust Company, N.A.; Chairman and CEO of the Capital Trust Management Corporation; and Managing Director/Founder of Capital Trust Company. Previously, he was one of five members on the Oregon Investment Council overseeing the $20 billion Public Employee Retirement Fund Investment Portfolio.

Mr. Swindells formerly served as Chairman of the Board for Lewis & Clark College; a trustee and past Chairman of the Board for Oregon Public Broadcasting; a trustee for the Portland Art Museum; Chairman of the Providence/St. Vincent Heart Institute Advisory Board and a trustee for Providence/St. Vincent Medical Foundation; an executive committee member for Young Life/Washington Family Ranch; a board member for Chess for Success; an advisory committee member for New Avenues for Youth; a board member for the Oregon Growth Account; and on the boards of Portland State University's College of Urban & Public Affairs Advisory Council, College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Center for Writing Excellence. He has also served as Chairman of World Wide Value Fund, a closed-end investment company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Swindells has also chaired several major capital campaigns.

Mr. Swindells received his B.S. from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and attended Willamette Law School in Salem, Oregon, for two years. In May 2001, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) from Lewis & Clark College.

He has completed nineteen National and International marathons which have included: The New York, Boston, Paris, Berlin, Athens, and London Marathons. He is married to Caroline and has two grown children.