Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr.
Born (1941-09-03) September 3, 1941 (age 83)
NationalityUnited States
Occupation(s)Businessman, philanthropist, farmer, minister, educator, historical preservationist, author

Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. (born September 3, 1941) is an American businessman, philanthropist, farmer, minister, educator, historical preservationist and author.[1] He and his wife Marilyn live near Portland, Oregon.

A longtime Oregonian, Pamplin is chairman, president and CEO of R.B. Pamplin Corporation, a family-owned company headquartered in Portland. It is one of the largest private corporations in Oregon.[2] He has appeared on the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans.[3] In 2001, he was reported to be the third-wealthiest person in Oregon.[4]

Pamplin's holdings include textile company Mount Vernon Mills[4], the Pamplin Media Group, and Ross Island Sand and Gravel, a concrete and asphalt company.[5]

Early years

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Pamplin was born in Augusta, Georgia to Robert B. and Katherine Reese Pamplin.[6]

In 1953, Pamplin moved with his family to Oregon. As a 10-year-old recovering from a year-long bout with hepatitis that made him bedridden, Pamplin began training in the Charles Atlas weightlifting method to regain his strength. In high school, he became an AAU Olympic Lifts weightlifting champion which led to a lifelong commitment to fitness.[7]

In 1965, while in college, Pamplin became a licensed stockbroker and transformed a modest inheritance into his first million dollars through careful investing.[7] Pamplin paid his way through college, and for all of his subsequent degrees, by working and investing.

In 1974, at age 33, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Education

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After graduating from Lincoln High School in Portland, Pamplin studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, ultimately transferring to Lewis & Clark College in 1962 to complete his undergraduate training. Pamplin has earned eight degrees from accredited institutions, including two doctorates:[1]

  • Three undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration (1964), Accounting (1965) and Economics (1966) from Lewis & Clark College
  • Masters in Business Administration (1968) and a Masters in Education from the University of Portland (1975)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration from California Coast University (1976)
  • Masters of Arts in Theology (1978) and a Doctor of Ministry in Theology (1982) from Western Seminary

Business

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In 1976, at age 35, Pamplin started his own business and managed the R.B. Pamplin Corporation. As Chairman, President and CEO of the R.B. Pamplin Corporation, Pamplin oversees several subsidiaries across three industries, including textile manufacturing, construction and media.[8]

Holdings include:

Pamplin's ownership of both media and major business interests in the Portland area has been controversial.[4][9] When the Tribune was launched in 2001,[10] and again as of fall 2012,[11][12] Pamplin's media holdings have been said to be engaged in a "newspaper war" over local circulation with the Oregonian and its affiliated papers.

Pamplin is also founder, chairman of the board and CEO of Columbia Empire Farms, one of Oregon’s largest farming operations. Its holdings include Anne Amie Winery and Pamplin Family Winery, and R2 Ranch, site of the historic Bother stagecoach stop and Cross Keys post office.

Educator

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After receiving his masters degrees, Pamplin began teaching as a lecturer at Lewis & Clark College and went on to become a tenured business professor at the University of Portland.

Pamplin has also served on several state and presidential appointed commissions, and college boards of directors. He is a past trustee of five college boards,[1] and past chairman of three, including Lewis & Clark College,[7] Western Seminary and the University of Portland. He served on President Gerald Ford's National Advisory Council on Vocational Education from 1975 to 1980.[13] He was appointed by two governors to the Oregon State Scholarship Commission, serving from 1974 to 1980.[14][15]

Pamplin is an active donor to numerous colleges, universities and scholarship programs.[16] The business school at University of Portland is now named for him and the college of business at Virginia Tech is named for him and his father. Scholarship programs created by Pamplin include The Pamplin Scholars Program at Virginia Tech and The Pamplin Society of Fellows at Lewis & Clark College.

Preservationist

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Pamplin is the creator of Pamplin Historical Park (established 1993), which contains the NRHP-listed Petersburg Breakthrough Battlefield;[17] and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier (established 1999),[18] and has preserved critical aspects of the Civil War.[19]

The Dr. and Mrs. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. International Collection of Art and History encompasses 5,000 years of antiquities and art.[20]

Pamplin was one of the backers of the effort to preserve Shaniko, Oregon, a former mining boomtown that is now considered a ghost town.[21]

Philanthropist

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Through personal and corporate giving, Pamplin has donated more than $150 million to numerous charities and has been instrumental in raising $500 million more for various causes. The Pamplin Foundation owns and operates Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier.

Pamplin also ran a food ministry for many years through Christ Community Church, where he was founder and senior pastor.[5] The program fed between 500 - 1,000 daily in Portland.[7]

Recognition

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In recognition of Pamplin’s business leadership, he has received the Woodrow Wilson Center Corporate Citizenship Award,[22] the national Herman W. Lay Award for entrepreneurship,[23] and the Businessman of the Year Award from Beta Gamma Sigma International.[24]

Pamplin has been awarded many honorary degrees and national awards, including the Freedom Leadership Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge,[6] the National Caring Award from the Caring Institute, Philanthropist of the Year by the National Association of Fundraising Executives and national Volunteer of the Year from Volunteers of America.[25]

In Oregon, he has been honored with the Governor's Gold Award,[26] the Oregon Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Oregon Entrepreneur Forum,[26] the Governor's Arts Award, and Portland's First Citizen.[8]

Works authored

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Pamplin is the author of 14 books,[3] including:

  • Worcester, Thomas K.; Pamplin, Robert B., Jr. (1973). A portrait of Oregon. Beaverton, Or.: OMSI Press; distributed by the Touchstone Press. ISBN 0911518223.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Three in One. Touchstone Press. 1974. ISBN 0-9115818-30-4. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
  • Worcester, Thomas K.; Pamplin, Robert B., Jr. (1976). A portrait of Colorado. Portland: OMSI Press, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. ISBN 9780911518436.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • The Storybook Primer on Managing: According to the Wedding Cake Concept. The Touchstone Press. 1977.
  • Pamplin, Jr., Robert B. (1985). Everything is just great : a story of faith, adventure, and success. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press. ISBN 0880701188.
  • The Gift. Christ Community Church. 1986.
  • "Another Virginian: A Study of the Life and Beliefs of Robert Boisseau Pamplin". R.B. Pamplin Corporation. 1986.
  • One Who Believed: Volume I. Christ Community Church. 1988.
  • One Who Believed: Volume II. Christ Community Church. 1991.
  • Climbing the Centuries. R. B. Pamplin Corporation. 1994. ISBN 2221135654245. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid prefix (help)
  • Pamplin, Robert B., Jr. (1993). Heritage: The Making of an American Family, Master Media Limited. New York: Mastermedia. ISBN 0942361962.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Pamplin, Robert B., Jr. (1995). Prelude to Surrender: The Pamplin family and the siege of Petersburg. New York: Mastermedia Ltd. ISBN 1571010491.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Pamplin, Robert B. (1995). American heroes : their lives, their values, their beliefs. New York: Mastermedia. ISBN 1571010106.
  • Reese, Robert (pen name) (1998). Alaskan gold. New York: Berkley Books. ISBN 042516263X.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Carlson, Scott (January 21, 2000). "An Oregon Philanthropist Spreads a Philosophy of Learning by Doing". Chronicle of Higher Education. Vol. Vol. 46, no. Issue 20. pp. A33-35. {{cite news}}: |number= has extra text (help); |volume= has extra text (help)
  2. ^ a b Siemers, Erik (July 27, 2012). "Price of cotton influences R.B. Pamplin's gross sales". Portland Business Journal.
  3. ^ a b (no author) (October 12, 1998). "The Forbes 400". Forbes. Vol. Vol. 162, no. Issue 8. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help); |number= has extra text (help); |volume= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ a b c Jaquiss, Nigel (January 30, 2002). "The incredible shrinking empire of Bob Pamplin: The struggling Portland Tribune is the least of his problems". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  5. ^ a b Fost, Dan (August 1, 2001). "Twice-weekly Tribune making a run at Portland news market - Wealthy owner may be guarantee of staying power". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  6. ^ a b McDermott, Judy (November 13, 1989). "A Feast of Spirit". The Oregonian.
  7. ^ a b c d Taylor, John H. (October 19, 1992). "Creative philanthropy". Forbes. Vol. Vol. 150, no. Issue 9. pp. 64–66. {{cite news}}: |number= has extra text (help); |volume= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ a b Dworkin, Andy (April 2, 2000). "An Old-Economy Evangelist". The Oregonian.
  9. ^ Sherman, Christopher (September 2001). "Oregon Controversy: Owning It All". American Journalism Review.
  10. ^ Davis, Joel (March 27, 2001). "New Paper Challenges Mighty 'Oregonian'". Editor & Publisher.
  11. ^ Culverwell, Wendy (October 12, 2012). "Oregonian, Trib scuffle in suburbs". Portland Business Journal.
  12. ^ Frost, Allison (November 8, 2012). "Looking at Community Newspapers".
  13. ^ "Pamplin Son Named to Post". The Oregonian. March 25, 1975. p. 20.
  14. ^ "Rose Named to Board". The Oregonian. July 9, 1976. p. 35.
  15. ^ "Atiyeh Fills State Posts". The Oregonian. July 8, 1980. p. 62.
  16. ^ Griffin, Anna (July 8, 2007). "Robert Pamplin Jr., 'as is'". The Oregonian.
  17. ^ pamplinpark.org
  18. ^ http://www.pamplinpark.org/national_museum.html
  19. ^ Hogan, Dave (May 30, 1999). "War Remembered". The Oregonian.
  20. ^ Gragg, Randy (March 14, 1999). "To Have and to Hold: Maverick Businessman Robert Pamplin Jr. has Built One of the Northwest's Most Extraordinary Art Collections - And He's Keeping it in the Family". The Oregonian.
  21. ^ Sachs, Peter (July 29, 2007). "Portland millionaire's money is on Shaniko - But not all residents in the tiny town are happy". Bend Bulletin.
  22. ^ (no author) (September 15, 2012). "Pamplin, Hatfield receiving national award". Portland Business Journal. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  23. ^ http://www.apee.org/award-lay.html
  24. ^ (no author) (April 27, 2012). "Awards and announcements". Portland Business Journal. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  25. ^ Butterworth, Beverly (December 7, 1991). "Caring Award Recognizes Oregonian's Good Works". The Oregonian.
  26. ^ a b "Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum honors Scott Gibson for lifetime achievement". Portland Business Journal. September 6, 2001.
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