Jim Howland, the last living co-founder of CH2M Hill, died at his Corvallis home Thursday from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 92.
Howland was chairman of the internationally recognized construction and engineering design company for 30 years. He founded the firm in 1946 along with fellow Oregon State University graduates Holly Cornell, Burke Hayes and their former professor Fred Merryfield.
The small engineering consultancy that began in an upstairs office in downtown Corvallis grew rapidly. Its merger in 1971 with Clair A. Hill & Associates, a California-based company owned by another OSU alumnus, transformed the company into CH2M Hill.
In 1980, its corporate headquarters moved to the Denver area. But Howland, who was still working with the company although he'd retired as chairman, chose to stay in Corvallis, where a smaller regional office remains.
After his retirement in 1977, Howland led a busy life of philanthropy, activism, athleticism and creativity alongside his wife, Ruth, whom he married in 1941. He often referred to her by her nickname, Meisy.
Mayor Charlie Tomlinson said Howland was a cornerstone of Corvallis.
"He was a prince of a man and a huge contributor to the community," he said. "We're going to miss him dearly."
The Howlands were key members of the Madison Avenue Task Force, formed in 1973 with the aim of connecting the OSU campus with downtown Corvallis. A "town and gown sort of thing," Howland once called it. By beautifying Madison Avenue, making it more pedestrian-friendly and lining it with public art, the task force continues to try to link the university with the downtown business district.
David Livingston grew up as a close friend to the Howlands' four children, and after graduating college, he went to work for CH2M Hill for nine years. He also was a member of the Madison Avenue Task Force. Through all those opportunities, Livingston said, he had a chance to witness Howland's easy-going, accessible leadership style. He recalled that even when Howland was CEO of CH2M Hill, he kept his number listed in the phone book to make sure he was available to others.
"He was genuine; he would put a person at ease," Livingston said. "He was not pretentious."
Livingston appreciated Howland's patience, his determination to make solid plans and get the work done quickly, and his honest and ethical nature. He also liked Howland's commitment to gleaning ideas from everyone around him.
"He was a seeker of ideas and an implementer," he said.
Madison Avenue ends at Riverfront Park, another project the Howlands supported, and the portion of the park where Madison ends is known as Howland Plaza. Some of Howland's sayings have been engraved onto plaques and decorate benches around the plaza.
Former Corvallis mayor Helen Berg is a longtime friend of the Howlands. She said the Howlands' role in the Madison Avenue Task Force was crucial, and she recalled that at task-force meetings, Jim always had an ever-sharp pencil and a slide rule at his side. When the proposed Riverfront Park project created controversy in the community, Berg said, the Howlands were voices of calm and reason. Jim even kept a model of the proposed park project in his car and pulled it out at every opportunity to gain support for the project.
"They were so stalwart through all of the community discussion about the riverfront," she said. "They were always the voice of reason in that whole discussion."
While Howland shied away from most controversies, he was a leader in his own right.
"He didn't like politics and he didn't like speeches," Berg said, "but he was still a part of a great community decision."
Howland was known for his ability to use humor as a way to teach people important principles. He created a small publication known as "The Little Yellow Book," which he distributed to employees at CH2M Hill, as well as people he met along the way. The book featured cartoons and wise sayings, including "Work is enjoyable when one is doing a good job" and "Admit your own mistakes openly and in good humor. Everybody will feel better."
Ralph Peterson, the current CEO of CH2M Hill, worked with Howland for 43 years. Although Howland retired in the 1970s, he continued to work for the company through the Corvallis office, and when his health finally prevented him from making the trip, he worked from home, responding to e-mails and sending out autographed copies of The Little Yellow Book.
In a voice mail Peterson sent to employees of CH2M Hill on Friday morning, he likened Howland's death to the passing of a parent, whose lessons will remain a vital part of the company's culture.
"He enriched the lives of all who knew him because he truly inspired the very best in all of us," Peterson said. "When it comes to loyal service to CH2M Hill, Jim's contribution to our company was without equal."
In addition to his tireless work on behalf of art, Howland was an artist himself. His southwest Corvallis home was decorated with some of his silkscreen prints, depicting the Pacific Northwest's natural and architectural beauty. His commitment to the arts community was significant, said Hester Coucke, curator of The Arts Center in Corvallis.
"He was a big guy, and CH2M Hill is a big company, but he was always connected to the community, and always humble," she said. Not only did his financial contributions help The Arts Center purchase public art, but ongoing gifts, including a large donation of fine art prints, helped the center with its fundraising efforts.
"It was fun to see how enthusiastic Jim and Ruth were" in helping out the center, Coucke said.
The Jim and Ruth Howland Endowment supports awards for all age groups in The Arts Center's annual community open exhibit. The couple also supported many Arts Center projects related to the Madison Avenue Task Force. The Howlands founded Pegasus Gallery, which was later purchased by Bill Shumway.
Longtime friend Livingston understands how long-lasting the Howlands' legacy will be.
"This town is so lucky they decided to stay here."