The Shy Tycoon Who Owns 1/640th of the U.S. - SI.com Ian from China. Matt Driscoll is a columnist at The News Tribune and the papers Opinion editor. Meyer served with Mr. Weyerhaeuser for a decade when Meyer was executive director of the Foss Waterway Development Authority and Mr. Weyerhaeuser was a board member. Weyerhaeuser reports record high $2.6 billion in earnings for 2021 While George Weyerhaeuser rarely talked about the ordeal in the years that followed and long maintained that it didnt leave him scarred Johnston believes it influenced his view on life. Over his many years as president and CEO, he brought transformational changes to our company, including important advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, as well as expansion into overseas markets, among many other achievements.. William Dainard, then 33, was sentenced to 60 years in prison; Harmon Metz Waley, then 23, was sentenced to 45 years in prison; and Margaret Eldora Thulin, then 19, was sentenced to 20 years. Over that period, the Weyerhaeuser company became famous for a technology-driven high-yield forestry model that boosted output and transformed the industry, but which also earned the enmity of many environmentalists in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. In one of the nation's most sensational crimes, on May 24, 1935, George Weyerhaeuser (1926-2022) the 9-year-old son of timber baron John Philip Weyerhaeuser Jr., was kidnapped. George was an extraordinary person and leader one of the most influential in the history of the industry, said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. He served as board chairman from 2004 through 2008. George Hunt Walker Weyerhaeuser was born July 8, 1926, in Seattle, to Helen (Walker) Weyerhaeuser and John Philip Weyerhaeuser Jr., grandson of company co-founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser. He didnt talk too much about it, Johnston added. Family members said they are planning a private service, as well as a public memorial. During its heyday, Weyerhaeuser employed as many as 5,000 workers locally, according to TDN archives. He always had a kind, supportive word and very good advice. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the companys founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. At the same time, the FBI prepared to put its full weight on the case, employing a small army of agents in hopes of tracking down the kidnappers. I mean, they sent over a reporter from the London Times to cover the trial, Johnston said. The last member of the founding family to lead the company, Weyerhaeuser was named CEO in 1966 when he was 39. "George was an extraordinary person and leader one of the most influential in the history of the industry," said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. It began on May 24, 1935, around noon, as the young Weyerhaeuser walked to the familys home on North Fourth Street from the former Lowell Elementary school for lunch. Weyerhaeuser was soon taken into the woods near Issaquah and chained up, while his kidnappers sent off a ransom letter, signed by George Weyerhaeuser in schoolboy cursive for authenticity, demanding $200,000 in small, unmarked bills. Your father was loved by many. Percy Minnie.. I know my dad had the fondest memories about George that he shared with us as we grew up. Weyerhaeuser served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1991 and continued to serve as Board chairman through 1999. He was also a key supporter for WeyerhaeuserKing CountyAquatic Center, which was a central venue in the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games. At one point, he was shackled at the bottom of an underground pit. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. The Weyerhaeuser family is planning a memorial service which will take place later this summer. George quickly became a darling of the rampant and often salacious press of the era, Johnston said, while his father quickly became weary of the attention. It was designed by architect Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; landscape architect Peter Walker; and George Weyerhaeuser. News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. I think that incident forced him to reckon with who he really was at a very young age, and he realized how he could get through it, Leilee Weyerhaeuser said Monday. He was a coach, a cheerleader and mentor to all of us. George was an extraordinary person and leader one of the most influential in the history of the industry, said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. HIs parents were Helen Walker Weyerhaeuser and J.P. (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr.. During the early years of his life, the family lived. In the last 100 years no one has had more influence on the shaping of South King County than George Weyerhaeuser, said Peter von Reichbauer, a King County councilman who represents Federal Way. friend, said Mr. Weyerhaeuser was a people person. Locals gathered in the Hyatt Regency-Lake Washington at Rentons Southport, City looked at building new public maintenance facility at Steel Lake Annex, Court documents reveal details of Feb. 9 incident, The suspect, a 31-year-old man, is in custody after Feb. 18 shooting at the Brickyard Pub, OLYMPIA A day after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Continue reading, The development includes 334 units in Federal Way near Kent border, Mans father lives in Kent; police say the suspect driver returned to the scene, https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/, WA Lottery reveals Auburn woman as winner of $754.6 million Powerball jackpot, State bill to implement inclusive learning curriculum passes Senate, What do you do with your food waste? George Weyerhaeuser Sr., great-grandson of timber company founder and No memorial events are currently scheduled. George Weyerhaeuser kidnapping - Wikipedia you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. I wish I had the right words. Before Mahan was captured, the Waleys returned to Tacoma to face justice. There was the public transportation catastrophe that marred July 4, 1900 when an overpacked trolley on its way to Tacomas annual holiday parade jumped the track and plunged 100 feet into a ravine, killing 43 people. George Jr. died of a heart attack in 2013. He will be missed. Weyerhaeuser Mourns the Passing of George H. Weyerhaeuser Sr. - PR Newswire Our deepest sympathies for your family. As someone who had worked in the mills and forests, he was never thinking that Wall Street knew how businesses should be run., Amazon shutters some convenience stores, including 2 in Seattle, Boeing WA state workers split $513M in bonuses as CEOs pay tops $22M, Thousands of WA workers may have to repay millions of dollars in pandemic benefits, Amazon Pauses Construction on Second Headquarters in Virginia as It Cuts Jobs, King County needs 17K new homes every year to address housing shortage. And a comprehensive remaking of states approach to drug possession advances toward action in the Senate. He was also heavily involved in the design of the companys 425-acre corporate campus in Federal Way, which opened in 1971 to international acclaim as one of the first suburban headquarters. George Weyerhaeuser went on to graduate from Yale University, and held various roles at the company until he was named CEO and president in 1966 until 1991. This week's passages | The Seattle Times https://www.wsj.com/articles/george-weyerhaeuser-child-kidnapping-victim-survived-to-lead-forestry-giant-11655474416. Timber heir's kidnap ordeal: Young George Weyerhaeuser held for ransom George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the company's founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. Following the safe release of George Weyerhaeuser, federal law enforcement launched what was described at the time as the greatest manhunt in the history of the Northwest, according to HistoryLink.org. According to Johnston, on the first night John Weyerhaeuser failed, unable to find all the markers. It was a huge story, on the front pages of all the major newspapers, Baarsma said. Weyerhaeuser, whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather also led the timber company that carries the family name, served as CEO from 1966 to 1991 and board chair until 1999. It was a typical springtime day on May 24, 1935, when . George was 9 years old when he disappeared on a Tacoma street. The show features past winners from national competition and tour. He is also survived by four sisters and a brother. I know his daughter has said that he had a much more forward view (after the kidnapping) you know, always look ahead, dont look back on the past. George Weyerhaeuser went on to graduate from Yale University, and held various roles at the company until he was named CEO and president in 1966 until 1991. Mr. Weyerhaeuser joined the company in Dierks, Ark., in 1978 and served there in various capacities including forester and contract logger administrator before becoming sawmill supervisor in 1980. Im the third director the museum has had. But the ordeal wasnt over. This story was originally published June 18, 2022, 5:00 AM. On top of his nearly six decades with the timber firm, George Weyerhaeuser also found time to serve on boards at Boeing, Safeco, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the Rand Corporation, and Chevron, among others. In the late 1950s, George Weyerhaeuser Sr. entered the executive ranks at company headquarters in downtown Tacoma, as an assistant to the executive vice president, but quickly moved up. But Leilee Weyerhaeuser thinks the incident taught her father to be forward-looking. In 2021, we generated $10.2 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,200 people who serve customers worldwide. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WY. He went on to say the Weyerhaeuser Company cut down the construction cost so the facility could be constructed within the limited budget available. Edit Search New Search Filters (1) To get better results, add more information such as Birth Info, Death Info and Locationeven a guess will help. A McClatchy Presidents Award winner, Driscoll is passionate about Tacoma and strives to tell stories that might otherwise go untold. This website is best viewed using the latest That lesson certainly applied to his own life. Unlike many heirs, Weyerhaeuser joined the ranks at the beginning of his career, working at the Longview kraft mill in 1949 and 1950, according to TDN archives. Stockfish went on to say that over his years of leadership in the company, he brought about transformational changes to the company. He basically said, Alls well that ends well.. A [young} boy is a pretty adaptable organism, he said. The kidnapping of nine-year-old George Weyerhaeuser occurred in 1935 in Tacoma, Washington, United States.The son of prominent lumberman J. P. Weyerhaeuser, George was successfully released for ransom and eventually succeeded his father as the chairman of the Weyerhaeuser company. NextMed said most of its customers are satisfied. George Weyerhaeuser was transported to a rental house in Spokane, while his parents John and Helen Weyerhaeuser worked to collect the ransom money on short notice, which was no small feat even for a family of considerable financial means. Billed as a glimpse into Teslas future, Investor Day was used as an opportunity to spotlight the companys leadership bench. We own or control approximately 11 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. In my opinion, its the most fascinating crime story in Washington state history, by an absolute mile, said Bryan Johnston, who published a book on the ordeal just last year. Shes refused treatment since 2022, Puyallup police officer arrested Thursday on suspicion of rape and fired, chief says, Bellarmine Preps state title hopes end in heartbreak following controversial buzzer-beater, He brought craft beer to Tacoma before it was cool. In 1935, 8-year-old Weyerhaeuser was kidnapped in Tacoma while walking home from school and held for $200,000 ransom. It was the week he spent in captivity as a young boy, however, that made Weyerhaeuser a household name. He thought it was terrible, Leilee Weyerhaeuser said. WA to end masking requirement in health care, correctional facilities, Fire on Lake City Way in Seattle raises smoke, flooding concerns, Tacoma woman refusing tuberculosis treatment continues to face arrest, Be bolder to get light rail done, expert panel tells Sound Transit, One Seattle business is taking a stand against tipping mania. It was his obituary, which detailed the familys timber wealth, that reportedly inspired the kidnapping plot by William Dainard, 33, Harmon Metz Waley, 23, and Margaret Eldora Thulin, 19. In Federal Way, the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center has been the site for dozens of championship swim and dive meets, Olympic Trials and other important events. The company said he oversaw a great amount of growth of the company which included several major timberland acquisitions. HIs parents were Helen Walker Weyerhaeuser and J.P. (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr.. During the early years of his life, the family lived in Idaho, and then moved to Tacoma in 1933. He also worked in a Springfield, Oregon mill, before moving up to management positions. The kidnapping had made the national news, thanks to a reporter who maneuvered to interview George even before he returned to his family, and the result was a media frenzy, said Leilee Weyerhaeuser, He had told us that for him, the worst trauma came from being encircled by reporters with cameras and questions and microphones, she said. In 1971, George Weyerhaeuser moved the companys headquarters to Federal Way, a city which was shaped by his vision. Mr. Weyerhaeuser was president of the Thea Foss Waterway Development Authority, a board on which he had served for many years. In a June 14 news release by the Weyerhaeuser Company one of Americas largest forestry firms founded by Weyerhaeusers great-grandfather the company addressed Weyerhaeusers passing. He also served as Board chairman through 1999. George Weyerhaeuser, whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all headed the Federal Way timber products company bearing their surname, has died. The four participants in the kidnapping were apprehended and sentenced to prison terms totaling 135 years. "Over his many years as president and CEO, he brought transformational changes to our company, including important advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, as well as expansion into overseas markets, among many other achievements. Sincerely, . The videos include the Tacoma Dome under construction, the old Hi-Ho Shopping Center in Puyallup and South Hill before it was choked with sprawl. He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community, he said. His kidnappers were eventually caught and found guilty. Mr. Weyerhaeuser suffered a heart attack Sunday evening on his boat on Commencement Bay. And he was an incredible multitasker. For a week, the police and federal agents searched for young George while his family assembled a ransom payment. George Weyerhaeuser Sr. dies at 95 | Seattle Weekly He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community.". He wore his name well. On June 1, after eight days imprisonment in earthen pits, car trunks, closets and even a Uneeda cracker carton, George Weyerhaeuser was left on the side of a forest road near Issaquah with two blankets and a dollar. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., 95, the fourth-generation timber family scion who ran one of America's largest forestry firms and was briefly one of America's most famous kidnapping victims, died . Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: CMWJR Added: 26 May 2021 George Weyerhaeuser was released along a road in Issaquah, found his way to a nearby farmhouse, and was then taken back to his familys home in Tacoma. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. His kidnappers were eventually caught and found guilty. George Hunt Walker Weyerhaeuser was born July 8, 1926, in Seattle, to Helen (Walker) Weyerhaeuser and John Philip Weyerhaeuser Jr., grandson of company co-founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, according to his obituary. Please share your story tips by emailing [email protected]. Learn more atwww.weyerhaeuser.com. The company has been scrutinized over fake reviews and criticized by customers who had trouble getting refunds. In 2021, the company reported net earnings of $2.6 billion on sales of $10.2 billion. (Well only publish your name and hometown.) He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community, said Stockfish. Current Weyerhauser President Stockfish said in a press release his passing will be felt by many. Challenges that would be discouraging to some people, he would be looking for the way to go into the future and have it be better, she said. Distribution and use of this material are governed by In 1979, the company launched NORPAC, a joint operation with Nippon Paper in Japan, based in Longview. George Weyerhaeuser Obituary (1926 - 2022) - Lakewood, WA - News Yet George Weyerhaeuser Sr. is perhaps more famous for another role: As an 8-year-old in 1935, he was kidnapped in broad daylight off a Tacoma street, kept in a pit in the woods and released only after his family paid a ransom of $200,000 in unmarked bills.