The Washington State University Foundation held its annual Volunteer Awards Celebration on May 8 at the HAPO Center in Pasco near the campus of WSU Tri-Cities. Positioned within the WSU Foundation’s annual Spring Meeting, which rotates each year among campuses within the university system, the Volunteer Awards Celebration recognizes the leadership, service, generosity, and commitment of a select group of Coug supporters.
This year, the WSU Foundation presented its most esteemed volunteer award — the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award — to Doug Grim. The WSU Foundation’s highest volunteer award for service to Cougar Athletics — the William F. “Biff” Brotherton Cougar Spirit Award — was bestowed upon Ron Claudon.
Five additional volunteers, including three WSU faculty members, were also recognized at the event with the prestigious Outstanding Service Award.
“It’s an immense privilege to recognize the dedication, leadership, and advocacy of these exceptional individuals,” said Mike Connell, vice president for Advancement and CEO of the WSU Foundation. “Through their unwavering support as volunteers and donors, they are cementing a legacy that fortifies our students, faculty, research, and programs, while making a meaningful impact on the communities served by the entire WSU system.”
2025 Gibson Award
The Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award represents the WSU Foundation’s highest honor. Named after the WSU Foundation’s founding chair, the late Dr. Weldon B. “Hoot” Gibson ’38, the award honors those Cougs whose service has routinely lifted WSU to new heights.
Doug Grim
Devoted, passionate, and always ready to lend a hand, Doug Grim ’67 has dedicated more than five decades to WSU, both as a student and a volunteer, serving on 20 boards and committees, including his service most recently as a member of the WSU Foundation Board of Directors.
As a student, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and the Butchmen, a group devoted to raising money for food and the travel needed for Butch, WSU’s live Cougar mascot. His commitment has only grown in the years since graduation, beginning with his role on the Martin Stadium Builders Executive Board in 1971.
Since graduation, he has repeatedly answered WSU’s call — supporting Cougar Athletics, the WSU Alumni Association, and other areas. However, Grim’s most profound service to his alma mater has been with the WSU Foundation, where he served on the board from 1995 to 2019. In addition to working as a managing partner and attorney at Brownstein Rask LLP in Portland, his leadership roles have included service on numerous committees, extending his term whenever asked. Notably, Grim has served on the WSU Foundation’s Gift Acceptance Committee, where for more than 20 years, including two terms as chair, he helped shape the future of WSU and the communities it serves through philanthropic support.
Grim and his wife Tina are proud WSU Legacy Associates and Silver Benefactors. Their three children are all WSU alumni, continuing a family legacy of Cougar pride.
2025 Brotherton Award
The William F. “Biff” Brotherton Cougar Spirit Award is the WSU Foundation’s premier volunteer award for service to Cougar Athletics, honoring those who have demonstrated generous philanthropic support and enthusiastic volunteerism on behalf of WSU’s athletic department. The award is named in honor of the late William F. “Biff” Brotherton ’65, whose generosity and devotion to Cougar Athletics knew no bounds.
Ron Claudon
Few people embody Cougar spirit quite like Ron Claudon ’82. A former WSU football center, Claudon’s commitment to the Cougs runs so deep that after suffering a career-ending injury, he relinquished his scholarship to open a spot for another athlete. This setback did nothing to diminish his passion for Cougar Athletics. For over three decades, Claudon has been a season-ticket holder and the heart of one of WSU’s biggest RV tailgates.
As the owner of Valley Buick GMC, Claudon has supplied vehicles to WSU coaches for years and, most recently, stepped up to provide key student-athletes with reliable transportation. As a co-founder of the Cougar Collective, he has played a pivotal role in strengthening NIL opportunities for student-athletes, connecting them with fans and business leaders to build a stronger future for WSU sports. Claudon has also supported the Taylor Sports Complex and is a member of the Champions Circle, WSU Athletics’ annual scholarship giving society. A former trustee and a lifelong Coug, Claudon’s passion, generosity, and unwavering support make him a truly deserving recipient of the Brotherton Award.
2025 Outstanding Service Awards
The Outstanding Service Award honors those who have shown significant service to the WSU Foundation and the university’s fundraising efforts through their time, treasure, and talent while inspiring the broader WSU community to support major projects.
Cheri Brennan
An unwavering advocate for WSU and its mission, Cheri Brennan ’72 has dedicated countless hours to strengthening volunteer engagement and advancing WSU. As a key task force member, she played an instrumental role in developing and shaping an ideal volunteer-engagement network, ensuring WSU’s philanthropic community remains strong and connected.
Brennan’s dedication and generosity extend across multiple areas of the WSU system, from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and WSU Athletics to the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences and the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. WSU and the communities it serves are stronger for her leadership.
Mahmood Ghassemi
For Mahmood Ghassemi ‘82, WSU is more than his alma mater — it is his home. He made his first gift to WSU just six years after graduating and has since established multiple endowments for the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, and Cougar Athletics.
Beyond philanthropy, Ghassemihas served on both the Voiland College Executive Leadership and Construction Management boards and invested in the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall. He is also a tireless mentor and advocate, always working to help fellow Cougs succeed.
Dene Grigar and John Barber
As professors, Dene Grigar and John Barber have transformed the Creative Media and Digital Culture program (CMDC) into an offering unique to WSU Vancouver, blending technology, storytelling, and real-world problem-solving. Their commitment to WSU includes funding a CMDC staff position, regularly participating in campus tours, and opening their home to feed hungry students.
Grigar and Barber’s enthusiastic efforts to forge meaningful community partnerships have truly elevated the program, benefiting both WSU Vancouver and the larger community.
Charles Robbins
With over 40 years of groundbreaking research in wildlife conservation, Charles (Charlie) Robbins has profoundly impacted conservation efforts worldwide. Beyond his research, Robbins and his wife, Barb, are generous benefactors to WSU, funding scholarships, research initiatives, and educational programs that empower the next generation of scientists and conservationists.
A gracious and collaborative faculty member, Robbins embodies the very best of WSU — dedication, innovation, and generosity. His lifelong contributions to science and philanthropy have left a legacy at the university and the communities it serves.
Visit the WSU Foundation website for more information.
