Portland Executive and Renowned Philanthropist Peter W. Stott Selected for Prestigious Horatio Alger Award - Class of 2014

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Peter W. Stott, president of Columbia Investments, Ltd., will be inducted as a Member of this prestigious Association next spring.  Mr. Stott joins eleven other outstanding business and civic leaders from across North America in receiving this honor.  Since its inception in 1947, this annual award has recognized exceptional leaders – all with a commitment to philanthropy and higher education – who have overcome significant personal challenges to achieve success. 

Mr. Stott was born the oldest of five children and quickly learned the value of hard work.  As a child he earned money mowing lawns, delivering newspapers and picking berries.  He attended Portland State University, and while there in 1969, he took his $90 in savings, a loan from a supportive professor and a $212 draw against a life insurance policy to purchase his first truck.  In just two years, he had six trucks and had founded Market Transport Ltd., one of the largest "asset-based" transportation and logistics services companies in Oregon.  Before selling the company in 2006, he grew the company to 2,500 employees and contractors and $359 million in revenue.  Concurrently with this venture, Mr. Stott co-founded Crown Pacific, a forest products company, which he took public during his tenure as president and CEO.  Today, Mr. Stott serves as president of Columbia Investments, Ltd., a private company primarily focused on equity and real estate investment opportunities.

"The entrepreneurial spirit that is so innate in Mr. Stott is a hallmark of our Membership," said Tony Novelly, president and CEO, Horatio Alger Association and 2000 Horatio Alger Award recipient.  "We honor his work ethic, determination and drive as much as we honor his success.  We look forward to welcoming him as a lifetime Member, and we have every confidence that his life story will serve to inspire our Scholars for years to come."

Mr. Stott serves on the board of Con-way Inc., Gerding/Edlen Development Company and Omega Morgan.  He is on the Foundation Board of Portland State University and a trustee of the Portland Art Museum.  Mr. Stott and his wife, Julie, have also provided financial support for 14 young adults to realize their dreams of receiving a college education.  He has been honored with the Oregon Entrepreneur of the Year Award, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Hope Award, the Portland State University President's Award and the AFP Outstanding Philanthropist Award.

In accepting this honor, Mr. Stott commented, "I am grateful to be selected for this honor by Horatio Alger Association and to join its extraordinary list of Members.  To join an Association that supports the pursuit of higher education, which I feel so strongly about, is a wonderful opportunity.  I look forward to supporting the mission of the Association and assisting outstanding students pursue their dream of a college education." 

Mr. Stott and his cohort will officially be inducted as Members during the Association's annual three-day induction ceremonies, which will be held in Washington, D.C. in April 2014.  In addition to honoring these outstanding leaders, Horatio Alger Association will also recognize its 2014 National Scholarship recipients, providing an opportunity for Scholars and Members to meet and exchange stories of their respective perseverance and success.

In addition to presenting its annual award, Horatio Alger Association administers one of the largest, privately-funded scholarship programs for at-risk students in the United States and Canada.  Funding for its scholarships, which annually provides more than $9 million to selected students in need, is wholly supported by private donations from Association Members and friends. 

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and a full list of its Class of 2014, please visit http://horatioalger.org/news_pr_members2014.cfm.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people.  For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

CONTACT:
Nikki Elkins
484-385-2958 (office)
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SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.