2005 Laureate

The 2005 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize recipient, our first laureate, was George F. Russell, Jr. Mr. Russell was nominated by Karin Moye Kelley, of Bates Technical College, for his work in the realm of peace education, security and peace awareness both regionally and globally. While his success in the investment field is no secret, his calling to spend the rest of his life dedicated to peace endeavors is far less public. He has been called a visionary, in that he sees time not in terms of months or years, but in generations and centuries. His “hands-on” efforts in the arena of peace work have touched lives in our own neighborhoods and in countries around the world.

Just a few examples of his work include the following:

• Big Homie Project, Tacoma — through Jane’s Fellowship Program, The Russell Family Foundation is supporting the gang intervention work of Lawrence Stone in Tacoma.
• Hate Free Zone, Seattle — piloted a high school curriculum on promoting peace and understanding following September 11th.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative — to resolve global threat posed by loose nukes.
• Transmutation Technologies —  focused on the possibility of destroying nuclear waste.
• Business Humanitarian Forum — This group focuses on global peace issues.
• National Bureau of Asian Research — committed to promoting effective and far-sighted policy in the United States, throughout Asia and in Russia.
• East West Institute —  various projects promoting democracy, government transparency and related peace issues in the former Soviet Union.

Through research support and meeting with political leaders around the world, his work will undoubtedly have a positive impact on families and communities for generations to come.