Distinguished Alumnus Banquet

This is a cross-post from that other blog that I post on, but I thought my two readers might find it interesting (thanks for reading Mom and Dad). Missi and I attended the banquet on Friday night.
###
The Distinguished Alumnus Banquet was an enjoyable event. My wife and I were able to meet several alumni of this school, but I think the highlight of the evening was learning all about John Jaqua. It would take me several hours to type out all of the things Mr. Jaqua has done for the law school, but suffice it to say he was a very deserving recipient of the first annual Distinguished Alumnus Award. Here are two tidbits about John Jaqua:

1. John Jaqua received his law degree from UO in 950. Follwoing his service in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Major, Jaqua and William Wheatley established Jaqua & Wheatley LLC in 1962. In 1992, the school presented him with a Meritorious Service Award, an honor given at the discretion of the faculty to individuals who have provided outstanding service to the school or to the field of legal education. In 1999 the University presented John and his wife Robin with Presidential Medals.

Among other achievements, Jaqua has served as president of the Oregon State Bar and, for 20 years, served as the Oregon bar's elected representative to the American Bar Association. He has also been active on the boards of the Lane County Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Relief Nursery, the Law School's Board of Visitors and many other community organizations. (this was printed in the banquet's program).

2. This story about John Jaqua was told by UO President Dave Frohnmayer:

"When the new Knight Law Center was nearing completion, preparations were underway for the opening ceremonies, which included Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor attending and speaking. John Jaqua was at the law school one day and looked around and realized that the building looked 'bare.' He knew that to get funding from the University for landscaping would be difficult and very slow, so he took out his checkbook and wrote a six-figure check and called his landscaper and trees, plants, and bushes miraculously sprung up around the law school in a matter of days."


This is fellow blogger Colleen and me with University of Oregon President Dave Frohmayer


This is my wife and me with law school Dean Margie Paris