Foundation Spotlight

Tomson Leads UO Foundation in 2007-08

July 2007

Keith L. Thomson of Portland, retired Vice President of Intel Corporation, was named as Board Chair of the University of Oregon Foundation Board of Trustees. He has been a member of the Board since 2001 and will serve as Board Chair for one year.

Thomson, who received a BS in Electronics from CA Polytechnic University in 1961 and a MBA from the University of Santa Clara in 1965, began his career with the Intel Corporation in 1969, nine months after the company was founded. He has served on several civic boards, commissions and committees, including the Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. Board of Directors, Port of Portland Commissioner, Quality Education Commission, Chairman of the Oregon Health and Science University Governing Board as well as the Oregon Health and Sciences University Foundation Board. He has received the “Technology Executive of the Year” award from the Cascade Pacific Council Boy Scouts of America, the “Friend of Education” award from the National Association of State School Boards of Education, and the “Howard Vollum Leadership” award from the OGI School of Science and Engineering at Oregon Health Sciences University. At the University of Oregon he has also served as a member of the Lundquist College of Business Inner Circle.

As Board Chair, Thomson succeeds Robert Kraus of Lake Oswego, OR, Retired Executive Vice President/Regional Director of Smith Barney, Inc. Kraus will serve as Immediate Past Board Chair for the 2007-08 fiscal year.

The Board of Trustees oversees the management and administration of the Foundation and its assets, currently more than $500 million. The Board consists of up to 65 members who donate considerable time and effort in the interest of helping the Foundation and the University grow and prosper. The Foundation, an independent, non-profit corporation, receives, invests and distributes funds from private gifts to the University.

Additional members of the Board leadership for 2007-08 include:

Board Chair Elect – Gwen Lillis of Castle Rock, CO, Chair of the Lillis Foundation.
Second Board Chair Elect – Dan Hollingshead of Eugene, OR, a 1969 UO graduate and Executive Vice President of the Papé Group, Inc.
Treasurer – Norm Brown of New York, NY, a 1968 UO graduate and Senior Managing Director of Brock Capital Group, LLC.
Secretary – Jon Anderson of Eugene, OR, President of Random Lengths Publications, Inc.

Five new members have been appointed to three-year terms on the Foundation Board. They are:

Michael Couch – President, Owner of Couch Properties, Palo Alto, CA. He earned a BS in Political Science in 1964 from the University of Oregon and a MBA in Business Administration in 1969 from Santa Clara University.
Edwin Hagerty – Managing Director, Petro Capital, Dallas, TX. He earned a BS in Political Science in 1982 and a MBA in Finance in 1983 from the University of Oregon.
Steven Holwerda – Chief Operating Officer & Principal, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, Portland, OR. He earned a BS in Economics in 1984 from South Dakota State University and a MBA in General Business Management in 1991 from the University of Oregon.
Douglas Oas – Partner, Deloitte Tax LLP, Parsippany, NJ. He earned a BS in Finance in 1978 and a MBA in Accounting in 1981 from the University of Oregon.
Rohn Roberts – Shareholder, Arnold Gallagher Saydack Percell Roberts & Potter, P.C., Eugene, OR. He earned a BS in Political Science in 1976 and JD in 1979 from the University of Oregon.

Five members have completed their terms of service and have retired from the Foundation Board. They are:

Warren “Chip” Brown – BS ’66 Economics
H. Lawrence Hull – BS ’51 Business
Jordan D. Schnitzer – BA ’73 English
Marty W. Smith
William R. Swindells – Former Chair, Foundation Board (2003-2004), BS ’78 Economics