Whitworth board names new chairman
Friday, July 24, 2020
The Whitworth University Board of Trustees has elected Brian Kirkpatrick to be the next chair of the board, succeeding Jason Thackston ’92, who served as chair from 2014-2020.
Kirkpatrick joined the board in 2010 and served as co-vice chair for the past year along with fellow trustee Andrea Lairson. He also previously chaired the board’s Finance and Administration Committee.
From 2001 to 2011, Kirkpatrick was employed by T-Mobile USA and its predecessor companies, serving both as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He then went on to become executive vice president and chief financial officer for CRISTA Ministries in Seattle for three years.
Kirkpatrick and his wife, Nancy, have three children, Kevin, Christine ’11 and Tyler ’12. The couple previously served on Whitworth’s Parent and Family Council.
Kirkpatrick currently serves or has served on several non-profit boards, including A Christian Ministry in the National Parks and the Global Business Advisory Board of the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. He has also served as an ordained elder in his church.
“Brian Kirkpatrick joins a long and distinguished line of board leaders at Whitworth, including most recently Chuck Boppell ’65 (1990-2008), Walter Oliver ’67 (2008-2014), and Jason Thackston ’92,” says President Beck A. Taylor. “I’m thrilled that Brian has accepted this important responsibility. As a long-time and dedicated trustee, and as a former Whitworth parent, Brian has demonstrated his love and support for Whitworth’s Christ-centered, mind-and-heart educational mission. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Taylor added, “My partnership with Jason Thackston for the past six years has made me a better leader and has strengthened Whitworth in numerous ways. I’m grateful to Jason and his wife, Julie, for their personal support, friendship, and unwavering commitment to the university’s students and employees. I know the other members of the board join me in expressing our thanks that Jason will continue to serve on the board.”
Kirkpatrick was elected chair on April 17 and began his three-year term on July 1.
About Whitworth University:
Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Scott McQuilkin, vice president for institutional advancement, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4386 or smcquilkin@whitworth.edu.
