University of Oregon

Lorry I. Lokey

Biographical Information

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BUSINESS: Chairman of Business Wire, the international media relations company he founded in 1961 in San Francisco. The company was sold in 2006 to Berkshire Hathaway. Lokey started Business Wire with one part-time employee, seven clients, and 16 media outlets in the Bay Area. Today, Business Wire has more than 25,000 clients; operates out of 25 domestic and six foreign offices; and has 470 employees.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION: Born in Portland, Ore., March 27, 1927. Graduated from Alameda Elementary School and Grant High School. Graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1949 from Stanford University, where he was editor of The Stanford Daily.

EARLY CAREER:

    • Feature editor of Pacific Stars & Stripes, Tokyo, Japan during World War II service, 1946.
    • Night wire editor for United Press (now UPI) in Portland, 1949-50.
    • Reporter for the Longview ( Wash.) Daily News, 1950-52.
    • Administrator, Western Highway Institute, San Francisco, 1952-53.
    • Public relations representative, Shell Development Co., Emeryville, Calif., 1953-55.
    • Western news bureau supervisor, General Electric Co., San Francisco, 1955-61.

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

    • Trustee of University of Oregon Foundation; Santa Clara University; Leo Baeck School, Haifa, Israel; Mills College, Oakland, Calif.
    • Regent for Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, Calif.
    • Member, Board of Governors, Peninsula Jewish Community Center, Foster City, Calif.
    • Past president, Public Relations Roundtable, San Francisco; the San Francisco Publicity Club; and the San Francisco chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists.

RECENT PHILANTHROPY:

    • University of Oregon—$10 million for the new Integrative Science Complex; $12.5 million for the College of Education’s new complex; $5 million for the School of Music and Dance building expansion and renovation; and $4.5 million for the School of Journalism and Communication’s new Portland program.
    • Stanford University —several endowed chairs, tuition grants, and lead gifts for a new chemistry/biology research laboratory and a new Stanford Daily publications building.
    • Mills College —funds for a new child care center and a new master of business program and building.
    • Alameda Elementary School in Portland—funds for a new library and classrooms, new wiring, and equipping of a new computer room.
    • Leo Baeck School in Haifa, Israel—funds for the Lokey International Academy.