Continental Chairman Walter Williams Named "First Citizen".SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 1996--Walter B. Williams, chairman of Continental Inc., will be honored as the 59th First Citizen, it was announced today by the Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS(R), which presented the same award to his father in 1945. Fred Weiss, chairman of the 1997 First Citizen program, cited Williams' years of dedicated service and leadership to philanthropic, civic and professional groups, along with significant contributions to local business and real estate communities, as factors in his selection. Among his accomplishments, Williams has chaired the Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo, which occupies the western half of Seattle's (USA) Woodland Park, near Green Lake, began as a small menagerie on the Woodland Park estate of Guy C. Phinney, Canadian-born lumber mill owner and real estate developer. Bond Oversight Committee for the past 10 years, served in the state legislature A state legislature may refer to a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. The following legislatures exist in the following political subdivisions: Williams, 75, was president of Continental from 1963 until 1990 when he became chairman. Continental Inc., parent company of Continental Savings Bank savings bank, financial institution that, until recently, performed only the following functions: receiving savings deposits of individuals, investing them, and providing a modest return to its depositors in the form of interest. and Continental Mortgage Co., observes its own 75th anniversary this year. "Everyone who knows Walt, and who has had the pleasure of working with him, comes away from that experience a little wiser, richer and more appreciative of family, friends and community," said Richard S. Page, vice president and area manager of Parsons Brinckerhoff Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) is a planning, engineering, program and construction management organization. The company has been involved in planning and designing some of the world's largest public works projects, such as Boston's Big Dig, Britain's rail system Network Rail; . Noting he has known Williams for nearly three decades, Page commented, "The overwhelming contribution of Walt Williams For the Major League Baseball player, see Walt Williams (baseball). Walter (Walt) Ander Williams (born April 16, 1970 in Washington, D.C.) is an American former professional basketball player. to our community continues to be the values which he exemplifies in his daily actions, and which are reflected in his family and the staff at Continental." Williams is credited with garnering passage of the Forward Thrust legislation package in the 1967 legislature when he was a state senator Noun 1. state senator - a member of a state senate senator - a member of a senate . Those laws are considered the most comprehensive civic improvement program in Seattle's history. He is also a founding member of the Washington Roundtable, a statewide business group that works to improve public policy in education, fiscal and environmental affairs. Public affairs Those public information, command information, and community relations activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. Also called PA. See also command information; community relations; public information. consultant Neil McReynolds called Williams "the legislator that his peers on both sides of the political aisle would come to for analysis of a complex bill." McReynolds, who was on the staff of then-Governor Dan Evans during part of Williams' 10-year stint in the state legislature, added, "He was smart, thoughtful and loaded with integrity." McReynolds also applauded Williams for being instrumental in advocating construction of Metro's transit tunnel and the downtown location of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. Referring to Williams as "low key" and "low profile," McReynolds said, "He has contributed so much to the many significant things that have occurred in the Seattle area and that have made our community what it is today." Among his involvement with financial services The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. groups, Williams accepted a presidential appointment to serve on the board of the directors of the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae Fannie Mae: see Federal National Mortgage Association. ") from 1975-1976. He is a past president of several banking industry groups, including the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, Washington Mortgage Bankers Association, and Seattle Mortgage Bankers Association. Williams is a 1943 graduate of the University of Washington, where he serves on the Advisory Board for its College of Arts and Sciences. Upon graduating from Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard Law is considered one of the most prestigious law schools in the United States. in 1948, he joined the Seattle law firm of Bogle bo·gle n. A hobgoblin; a bogey. [Scots bogill, perhaps ultimately from Welsh bwg, ghost, hobgoblin. & Gates, and eventually was named partner, a position he held until resigning in 1963 to become an officer of Continental. During World War II, Williams served as a Japanese language Japanese language Language spoken by about 125 million people on the islands of Japan, including the Ryukyus. The only other language of the Japanese archipelago is Ainu (see Ainu), now spoken by only a handful of people on Hokkaido, though once much more widespread. officer with the U.S. Marine Corps, an experience that spawned lifelong friendships and led to his long-term involvement and leadership with the Japan-America Society of Washington, the World Affairs Council World Affairs Council may refer to:
Other community activities include board positions with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce is a private, membership-based organization that promotes economic prosperity in the metro region of Seattle, Washington, and provides businesses with tools to grow. , the Municipal League of King County and The Evergreen State College Foundation. Williams is a lifelong member of University Congregational Church, where he formed the committee that recruited Dr. Dale Turner (the First Citizen Award recipient in 1982) as senior pastor. Williams continues a reputation for business acumen combined with a commitment to community service that began with his late father, W. Walter Williams. The elder Williams also served as president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America and was active in politics, various economic development councils, Rotary, the YMCA YMCA in full Young Men's Christian Association Nonsectarian, nonpolitical Christian lay movement that aims to develop high standards of Christian character among its members. and other civic groups. Joining Williams in his leadership of Continental is the third generation of his family. Two of his four children are current officers: son Bruce is executive vice president of operations and his daughter Kathryn is senior vice president of community relations and communications. His son-in-law, Richard Swanson, serves as president of Continental, which won the 1996 Washington Family Business of the Year Award in the large business category from the Family Enterprise Institute of Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Lutheran University is located in the Parkland suburb of Tacoma, Washington. As of September 2007, PLU had a student population of 3,669 and approximately 250 full-time faculty. . Under Williams' leadership, Continental has grown to include over $700 million in assets and to be an important contributor to the area's real estate market. Continental currently has a servicing portfolio of $3.7 billion in home loans representing the financing of approximately 37,000 homes, and is a major provider of construction loans, having provided more than $140 million in new home construction during 1995. In addition, Continental has financed many commercial properties such as the Group Health Hospital and partnered in the development of Northgate and University Village shopping centers. Williams will be honored at the First Citizen Award banquet to be held May 22, 1997, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers. Reservations are being handled by the event sponsor, the Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS (telephone: 206/820-3277) Sponsored since 1939 by the REALTOR(R) association on behalf of the community, the annual First Citizen Award honors a King County resident who has provided outstanding public service and leadership. This decade's "First Citizens" recipients include Stanley O. McNaughton (1996), Mary Gates & Family (1995), Phil M. Smart, Sr. (1994), Constance W. Rice, Ph.D. (1993), Lester R. Sauvage, M.D. (1992), Buster and Nancy Alvord (1991), The Rev. William J. Sullivan Justice William J. Sullivan is presently a Senior Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Connecticut Appellate Court by Gov. John G. Rowland in 1997 and remained there until his elevation to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 1999. , S.J. (1990). Other previous winners include Royal Brougham (1946), Edward E. Carlson (1965), Milton Katims (1966), Norton Clapp (1970), Ned and Kayla Skinner (1974), Rabbi Raphael Levine (1976) and Samuel Stroum (1988). -0- Note to editors: A photograph of Walter B. Williams may be requested by contacting Mary Kelley at Continental Savings Bank, 206/389-4427. CONTACT: Seattle-King County Association of Realtors Ann Hyde, 206/820-3277 or Alliance Communications Cheri Brennan, 206/957-0654 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion