Dennis Washington
Encyclopedia
Dennis R. Washington is a Montana
-based industrialist and philanthropist
who owns, or co-owns controlling interest in, a large consortium of privately held companies collectively known as the Washington Companies and, in Canada, another collection of companies known as the Washington Marine Group
. With an estimated net worth of around $4.2 billion, he is ranked by Forbes
as the 58th-richest person in America
.
, Dennis Washington grew up in Spokane, Bremerton, Washington
, and Missoula, Montana
. Following graduation from high school, he worked in construction in Alaska
and Montana
. He began his business career at age 30 in 1964, with a $30,000 loan and a single bulldozer . He created Washington Construction, which worked primarily on highway contracts and by 1969 was the largest contractor in Montana.
In the 1970s he moved into mining and dam construction. In 1986 he acquired a copper
and molybdenum
mine at Butte, Montana
. He successfully reopened the mine and it became a very profitable operation. This success helped him diversify into railroads, marine services, coastal shipping, aviation and real estate. In 1996 Washington Construction acquired global construction and engineering company Morrison-Knudsen Corporation of Boise, Idaho
, creating Washington Group International
.
Dennis Washington also owns a large private estate on Stuart Island, British Columbia, including a luxury fishing lodge and golf course. The Washington-Grizzly Stadium
for football
at the University of Montana is named for him.
Included in the Washington Companies' holdings are:
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
-based industrialist and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who owns, or co-owns controlling interest in, a large consortium of privately held companies collectively known as the Washington Companies and, in Canada, another collection of companies known as the Washington Marine Group
Washington Marine Group
Seaspan Marine Corporation provides marine-related services to the Pacific Northwest. Within the Group are three shipyards, an intermodal ferry business, and a tug and barge transportation company that serves both domestic and international markets. Seaspan Marine Corporation is part of the...
. With an estimated net worth of around $4.2 billion, he is ranked by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
as the 58th-richest person in America
Forbes 400
The Forbes 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by Forbes Magazine magazine of the wealthiest 400 Americans, ranked by net worth. The list is published annually in September, and 2010 marks the 29th issue. The 400 was started by Malcom Forbes in 1982 and treats those in the list like...
.
Biography
Born in SpokaneSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Dennis Washington grew up in Spokane, Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, and Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
. Following graduation from high school, he worked in construction in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. He began his business career at age 30 in 1964, with a $30,000 loan and a single bulldozer . He created Washington Construction, which worked primarily on highway contracts and by 1969 was the largest contractor in Montana.
In the 1970s he moved into mining and dam construction. In 1986 he acquired a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and molybdenum
Molybdenum
Molybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is from Neo-Latin Molybdaenum, from Ancient Greek , meaning lead, itself proposed as a loanword from Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages, since its ores were confused with lead ores...
mine at Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
. He successfully reopened the mine and it became a very profitable operation. This success helped him diversify into railroads, marine services, coastal shipping, aviation and real estate. In 1996 Washington Construction acquired global construction and engineering company Morrison-Knudsen Corporation of Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, creating Washington Group International
Washington Group International
Washington Group International was an American corporation which provided integrated engineering, construction and management services to businesses and governments around the world. Based in Boise, Idaho, it had approximately 25,000 employees working in over 40 states and more than 30 countries...
.
Dennis Washington also owns a large private estate on Stuart Island, British Columbia, including a luxury fishing lodge and golf course. The Washington-Grizzly Stadium
Washington-Grizzly Stadium
Washington-Grizzly Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Missoula, Montana, located on the campus of the University of Montana. It is home to the Montana Grizzlies college football team, a dominant program of the Big Sky Conference and consistently a top team in Division I FCS, formerly known...
for football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at the University of Montana is named for him.
Included in the Washington Companies' holdings are:
- Washington Marine GroupWashington Marine GroupSeaspan Marine Corporation provides marine-related services to the Pacific Northwest. Within the Group are three shipyards, an intermodal ferry business, and a tug and barge transportation company that serves both domestic and international markets. Seaspan Marine Corporation is part of the...
- Montana Rail Link
- Aviation Partners Inc.Aviation Partners Inc.Aviation Partners Inc. or API is a Seattle-based private corporation, which specializes in the production of performance enhancing winglet systems...
- Montana Resources LLPMontana Resources LLPMontana Resources LLP is an American mining company with headquarters in Butte, Montana. The company is owned by businessman Dennis Washington. The company employs about 350 people, and operates the Continental mine, an open pit copper and molybdenum mine at Butte...
External links
- Dennis Washington.com - official biography
- Forbes.com - Forbes World's Richest People - 2004
- Forbes.com - 2006 Forbes 400 list - #98
- Attessa - photo of Dennis Washington's prize-winning megayacht