Trustees

Following the will of Jack Murdock, three Trustees provide oversight to the assets from his estate and to the functions of the Trust established to implement his directive of using his estate for “…religious, charitable, scientific, or educational purposes”. The original Trustees, named in his will were Paul L. Boley, James B. Castles, and Walter P. Dyke. All three are now deceased and have been succeeded by a second generation board consisting of the following three individuals:

John W. Castles	Lynwood W. Swanson	Neal O. Thorpe

John W. Castles

John was named Trustee September 15, 1995, to succeed his late father, founding Trustee, Jim Castles. A self-described "recovering venture capitalist," John has served as a founder, director, or officer of numerous emerging companies in the Pacific Northwest. John is currently a director of one company and a board advisor to several others. His passions include his family—wife Sarah, and two grown sons—flying and tennis. He has been a pilot, an interest he credits to Jack Murdock, who took him flying as a boy.

Lynwood W. Swanson

Lyn was named to the Board August 25, 1987, to succeed founding Trustee Paul Boley. He has a wide background in research and in academic teaching and administration. From 1968-1973 he was Academic Dean at Linfield College. From 1973-1987 he was associate professor, then professor, of applied physics at Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology in Beaverton, Oregon. From 1987-2002 he was CEO and Chairman of FEI Company in Hillsboro, OR, which he founded in 1971. Lyn is the recipient of many honors, including the Howard Vollum award; the Outstanding Scientific Contribution Award as Scientist of the Year; and the NASA New Technology Award. He holds twelve patents and has written extensively on technical subjects. Lyn received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from University of California/Davis in 1959 and his B.Sc. in physics and chemistry from University of the Pacific in 1956. He is married and has four children and 9 grandchildren.

Neal O. Thorpe

Neal joined the Trust in 1989 as a Senior Program Officer. A short time later he was named Executive Director and served in that capacity until 2006. In 1995, following the death of founding Trustee Walter Dyke, Neal was named to the Trust's Board of Trustees. Prior to coming to the Trust, he was professor of biology and chairman of the Biology Department of Augsburg College, Minneapolis, where he had taught and conducted research for 22 years. Neal holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics from Augsburg, a Ph.D. in physiological chemistry from University of Wisconsin, and has done postdoctoral work at University of California/San Diego. Extracurricularly, he is an instrument-rated pilot, flying frequently out of Vancouver's airfields. He has an equally strong interest in music, especially sacred choral music, and has conducted a cappella choral groups. Neal is married; he and his wife have three children and one grandchild.