Bill Naito

Bill Naito
Naito in 1991
Born
William Sumio Naito

(1925-09-16)September 16, 1925
Portland, Oregon
DiedMay 8, 1996(1996-05-08) (aged 70)
Portland, Oregon
MonumentsNaito Parkway (street) in Portland, Oregon
EducationMaster's degree, Economics
Alma materReed College, University of Chicago
Occupation(s)Businessman, real estate developer, entrepreneur; President and co-owner of Norcrest China Company (which also owned Made in Oregon, Naito Properties, Skidmore Development Co. and others)
SpouseMillicent (Micki) Naito (1951–1996)
Children4

William Sumio Naito (September 16, 1925 – May 8, 1996) was an American businessman, civic leader and philanthropist in Portland, Oregon, U.S. He was an enthusiastic advocate for investment in downtown Portland, both private and public, and is widely credited for helping to reverse a decline in the area in the 1970s through acquiring and renovating derelict or aging buildings and encouraging others to invest in downtown and the central city.[1]

In the 1980s and 1990s he was one of Portland's most esteemed business and civic leaders,[1][2][3][4] honored with "dozens" of awards[5] and holding positions on several volunteer boards, commissions, and advisory committees.[3] He commonly went by the name Bill, as opposed to William.[1] An arterial street in downtown Portland, Front Avenue, was renamed Naito Parkway in his honor.[5][6]

  1. ^ a b c Oliver, Gordon (May 9, 1996). "Bill Naito, 1925–1996: Portland loses a civic treasure" Archived 2020-05-06 at the Wayback Machine (and sidebar, "The Naito File: Facts & Figures, Awards and Achievements" Archived 2020-05-06 at the Wayback Machine). The Oregonian, pp. A1, A14–A15. Via NewsBank (login required).
  2. ^ "Citizen of Vision: Cancer-stricken Bill Naito has made Portland a better place for being here [editorial]". The Oregonian. May 8, 1996. p. E8.
  3. ^ a b Senate Joint Memorial 8 (memorial resolution paying tribute to Bill Naito, summary thereof), passed by the 69th Oregon Legislative Assembly (1997), archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference naito divided was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Orloff, Chet. "William Sumio Naito (1925–1996)". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  6. ^ Stewart, Bill (June 21, 1996). "City picks Front Ave. as memorial to Naito". The Oregonian, p. 1.