James “Jimmy” Miller’s connection with Portland State began nearly 90 years ago as a student at Lincoln High School, which was renamed Lincoln Hall and became the university’s first building in the South Park Blocks.
Loyal to his Park Block roots
James “Jimmy” Miller’s connection with Portland State began nearly 90 years ago as a student at Lincoln High School, which was renamed Lincoln Hall and became the university’s first building in the South Park Blocks.
After a career that took him across the country to New York and years of philanthropic efforts towards Portland State, Miller’s influence returned to the South Park Blocks earlier this week with a $25 million grant from his foundation.
“He was a legend,” friend and colleague Chuck Putney said of Miller, who passed away at the age of 99 in 2004. “He was charming and generous with his money and friends.”
Ironically, the announcement was made at the Simon Benson House, only a short jaunt away from the building where Miller had spent his final year of high school.
Following a failed attempt to finish college at the University of Washington for financial reasons, Miller began working as an office boy at Blyth & Co., now UBS Financial Services, in the 1920s. He continued to ascend the corporate ladder before becoming president of the company.
“He was an extraordinarily accomplished guy,” Putney said. “He had a great sense of humor, and he could sing and dance and do it all.”
Fueled by his own inability to complete college due to finances, Miller–a man who loved reading, the arts and learning–gave donations to a plethora of institutions.
While the $25 million grant is Miller’s largest to the university, his foundation–the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation–has bestowed several gifts upon Portland State over the years.
Some of Miller’s largest gifts include $3 million for the Northwest Center for Engineering Science and Technology building in 2004; $1 million for the Miller Challenge Scholarship and Koinonia House in 2005; and just under $500,000 for the Millar Library in 2001.
Before the announcement of $25 million this past week, Miller had given Portland State a total of $5,377,470 since 1998.
For his philanthropic involvement and devotion to the university, Portland State honored Miller at its annual Simon Benson Awards ceremony in 2003. The Miller Foundation was also given the Millar Library’s Gary Robinson Leadership Award in 2005.
Putney said Miller was deeply loyal man. As evidence of this fact, Putney said Miller would carry around a black pocketbook bearing the words, “A promise made is a debt unpaid.”
The Miller Foundation
What: An independent private foundation that was established in 2002 to support the arts and education in Oregon through providing grants and helping with educational projects.
Directors: Charles H. Putney, William K. Blount, Alice P. McCartor, Charles (Charlie) U. Walker and interim Executive Director Charles S. Rooks.
Large donations to Portland State: Total: $30,337,4702008: $25 million challenge grant (paid in $2.5 million installments over 10 years) 2005: $1 million for Miller Scholarship Challenge and Kiononia House2004: $3 million for Northwest Center for Engineering Science (Maseeh College) 2001: $477,720 for the Millar Library
More information: www.millerfound.org
