PULLMAN, Wash. — John W. “Jack” Creighton Jr. of Bellevue received the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award Oct. 4 at the Washington State University Foundation Dinner Gala in Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.
The annual award was established in 1981 to recognize an individual who has demonstrated sustained, exemplary service and achievement on behalf of the university and the WSU Foundation.
“Jack’s contribution to the university and the WSU Foundation have had a tremendous impact,” said WSU President V. Lane Rawlins, “He and Jan have shown remarkable generosity in giving time, advocacy, and support, which has been and continues to be a tremendous asset to this institution.”
Cited for his leadership and unselfish devotion to WSU, Creighton earned significant praise from nominators for his work as co-chair of the national steering committee for Campaign WSU, a multi-year effort that resulted in a record $275 million in private gifts to the university. The success of that campaign led to his further involvement with WSU as vice-chair (1996-98) and chair of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees (1998-2000).
“The Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award – the WSU Foundation’s highest honor – recognizes Jack’s generous and effective leadership that has been instrumental in bringing attention to WSU’s many strengths,” noted Richard L. Frisch, president of the WSU Foundation. “His personal experience with the university makes him one of our strongest advocates and his tremendous energy and generosity can’t be overstated.”
Creighton holds undergraduate and advanced degrees from The Ohio State University and the University of Miami. He and his wife, Janet, became involved with WSU when their daughters, Julia and Jennifer, were students. Julia received a degree in fine arts at WSU in 1983 and Jennifer earned a degree in business administration two years later. The couple’s commitment to education is expressed in the endowed scholarship and graduate fellowship they established at WSU for students of Native American descent.
Creighton retired in September from his position as chairman and chief executive officer of UAL Corporation (United Air Lines) and as a member of the UAL board, on which served starting in 1998. He served as president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser Company from 1991-1997, and has been a director on numerous national and international boards, including Unocal Corporation, SaltChuk Resources Inc., Madrona Venture Group and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
The Gibson Award is named for the late Weldon B. Gibson, the WSU Foundation’s founding chair and a founder of the Stanford Research Institute, now SRI International.
