2002 Honoree, Kerry Killinger

Kerry Killnger is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Seattle-based Washington Mutual, Inc. Under Kerry's leadership, Washington Mutual has grown from a Seattle thrift to an industry giant and is now one of the nation's largest banks. With assets of $242 billion and over 40,000 employees nationwide, Washington Mutual also is the nation's largest mortgage originator and mortgage servicer.

Beginning his career as an investment analyst with Banker's Life Insurance of Nebraska, Kerry moved to the Northwest in 1976 as a securities analyst for brokerage house Murphey Favre Inc. That firm was sold to Washington Mutual in 1982, and Killinger rose quickly to increasingly higher positions. He was named executive vice president for financial management, research, investor relations and corporate marketing in 1983. He was instrumental in positioning Washington Mutual for success in a deregulated environment, helping to turn the bank around to strong profitability. He was elected president in 1988, chief executive officer in 1990, and chairman of the board in 1991. He has led the company through numerous acquisitions, and today Washington Mutual is one of the most well-regarded consumer-oriented financial institutions in the country.

In addition to his business acumen, Kerry is an active community leader, with interest in the arts, education and housing.

He serves on the boards of the Washington Financial League, the Washington Roundtable, the California Business Roundtable, and the University of Washington School of Business Advisory Board. He also is a director of Simpson Investment Company.

Previously he has held leadership roles with the Federal Reserve Board's Thrift Institutions Advisory Council, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Foundation, Downtown Seattle Association, Leadership Tomorrow, America's Community Bankers, Partnership for Learning, the Alliance for Education, and Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle.

Kerry was honored with the 1998 Business Leadership Award from the University of Washington Business School. In December 2001, he was awarded the annual Banker of the Year award by American Banker newspaper.

Kerry earned bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from the University of Iowa, where he graduated with honors.

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