Aubrey Watzek Awards honor Oregonians

Five outstanding Oregonians received the prestigious 2001 Aubrey R. Watzek Awards at the College on June 7.

President Michael Mooney presented the awards to Duncan Campbell, Ed Jensen, Hillman Lueddemann, Mariah Taylor and Donna Woolley.

The awards honor citizens who have pioneered in their fields and who have enriched Oregon.

Lewis & Clark trustees created the awards in 1973 to honor Aubrey R. Watzek, an attorney, lumberman and philanthropist who set a high standard for public service in Oregon.

“In his philanthropic work, Aubrey was motivated purely by the desire to help others,” Mooney said. “He gave broadly in support of higher education, the arts, the environment and youth.”

Duncan Campbell is the founder and chair of the Campbell Group and the founder of Friends of Children, an innovative program providing professional mentors to more than 400 disadvantaged youth. Campbell is also a founding board member of Children First, an adviser to the Governor’s Children’s Agenda and former chair of the Multnomah County Juvenile Services Commission.

Ed Jensen was responsible for the largest corporate charitable contribution ever made in Oregon when US Bancorp donated $1 million to Self Enhancement Inc., a nonprofit organization benefiting Portland’s inner-city youth. Jensen also chaired Oregon Independent College Foundation, Association for Portland Progress, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and Portland Chamber of Commerce. In addition he has served Portland Art Museum, Marylhurst University and other organizations.

In 1994, Jensen left US Bancorp, where he was vice chair and chief operating officer, to become president and chief executive officer of Visa International. He currently is spearheading social venture capital programs to encourage businesses to invest in inner-city neighborhoods.

Hillman Lueddemann, public and community relations consultant for Portland General Electric, has served as a volunteer for the Portland Rose Festival Association for more than 31 years and was its president in 1974.

He has served countless organizations, including St. Vincent Medical Foundation, Oregon Garden Foundation, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Oregon Independent College Foundation, Portland Zoological Society, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and others.

Mariah Taylor, who was raised in a family of 24 children, holds a master’s degree in nursing. She is the founder of North Portland Nurse Practitioner Community Health Clinic, which has provided free or low-cost health care to more than 16,000 children.

In addition to providing medical care, Taylor offers food and clothing to the community. She is the recipient of Oprah Winfrey’s “Use Your Life Award.”

Donna Woolley took over the reins of her husband’s timber business when he passed away, and pioneered as the first woman admitted to the American Plywood Association meeting. She is president and chief executive officer of Woolley Enterprises, Eagle’s View Management Co., and Purl Industries, among others. Her philanthropy benefits organizations throughout the state. Woolley chaired the Oregon Community Foundation and has served on numerous boards, including Umpqua Community College Foundation, Sacred Heart Hospital Foundation, World Forestry Center, SAIF Corp., Oregon Trail Council, Douglas National Bank, Wildlife Safari, University of Oregon Foundation and others.

The Watzek Awards jury, chaired by Charles Swindells ’64, included Joan Austin, Mary Bishop, Marty Brantley, Ed Brunet, Sue Fields, Gerry Frank, John Jaqua, Marilyn Pamplin, Doug Strain and Ann Swindells.