Charles J. Swindells ’66

In the years since earning his bachelor’s degree in political science at Lewis & Clark, Charles J. “Butch” Swindells has tirelessly served the College as well as the entire Portland community.

Butch has been a trustee of the College since 1985, and for three years he served as chairman of the board of trustees. In addition to his board service, Butch chaired the Aubrey R. Watzek Award jury for five years and cochaired the capital campaign that ended in June 1997 which raised more than $75 million.

When Butch was only 26 years old, he cofounded his first investment firm. In 1993 he took another firm that he cofounded, Capital Trust Co., and brokered a strategy to merge it into the powerful U.S. Trust Co. of New York, the oldest trust company in the nation, to create U.S. Trust Co. of the Pacific Northwest and currently serves as the managing director.

President Bush nominated Butch to serve as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and was sworn in on September 29, 2001. Butch promoted U.S. trade, articulated U.S. policies, and was involved in all aspects of national defense and security issues in the region, as well as carrying responsibility for all U.S. citizens who travel and work in New Zealand and Samoa.

In 2001, Butch received the Donald G. Balmer Citation, which honors an alumnus/a, faculty or staff member, or friend of Lewis & Clark who has rendered outstanding voluntary service to the College.

(Posted December 2004)