Washington State Magazine

John W. "Jack" Creighton, Jr., Bellevue, received the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award at the Washington State University Foundation Dinner Gala in the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum last fall.

The annual award, established in 1981, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated sustained, exemplary service and achievement on behalf of Washington State University and the WSU Foundation.

Cited for his leadership and unselfish devotion to WSU, Creighton earned praise from nominators for his work as co-chair of the national steering committee for Campaign WSU. The multi-year effort raised a record $275 million in private gifts to the University. The successful campaign led to Creighton's further involvement with WSU as vice-chair (1996-98) and chair of the WSU Foundation Board (1998-2000).

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 ('83 Fine Arts) and Jennifer ('85 Bus. Adm.) were students. 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.

In September Creighton retired as chairman and CEO of UAL Corp. (United Air Lines) and remains on the UAL board, where he has served since 1998. He was president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser Co., 1991-1997.

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.