News
Broadcasting icon Walter Cronkite will be the featured speaker for Portland State's Simon Benson Awards dinner schedule for Oct. 6 at the Oregon Convention Center.
In its sixth year, the dinner honors Oregon residents who are advocates for philanthropy. This year's award winners are Caroline and Tom Stoel and Patricia and William Wessinger.
Cronkite, affectionately nicknamed "Old Iron Pants" for his unflappability under pressure, has covered virtually every major news event during his more than 65 years in journalism—the last 54 while affiliated with CBS News.
Cronkite will be on hand to acknowledge the accomplishment of the Stoels and Wessingers. Tom Stoel is a partner in Stoel Rives LLC, which employs 300 attorneys in five states. His leadership has benefited Metropolitan Family Service, Portland Art Museum, American Red Cross, and Willamette University. Caroline is closely involved with Planned Parenthood, the Nature Conservancy, Oregon Council of the Humanities, Oregon Historical Society, and the PSU Foundation.
Bill Wessinger, a great-grandson of Henry Weinhard, co-founded the Wessinger Foundation with his brother Fred in 179. It has awarded over $6.4 million in grants to social service, educational, cultural, and environmental organizations throughout Oregon. Pat has provided crucial leadership to the Berry Botanic Garden, Polar Bears International, and the Oregon Zoo.
Tickets and tables for the Simon Benson Awards dinner are now available by calling Leslie Grass at 503-725-8212.
