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James F. Miller Biography

Jimmy Miller grew up in Oregon, leaving in 1955 to pursue his finance career in New York. He attended Lincoln High School in his final year of high school (now Lincoln Hall at Portland State), and two quarters at the University of Washington. Miller was disappointed that he was unable to finish college. He started his career as an office boy at Blyth & Co. (which later became Paine Webber and then UBS Financial Services) in the 1920s before the crash and worked his way up to president. He worked at Paine Webber and its successor firms well into his 90s.

Miller became known for his philanthropic involvement in education and the arts, both in Portland and in New York. Miller won several awards for his philanthropy, including the Vollum Award for Lifetime Philanthropic Achievement (1996, National Society of Fundraising Executives); the Aubrey Watzek Award (1999, Lewis & Clark College); and the Presidential Leadership Award (1999, Marylhurst University.) Portland State honored him with the Simon Benson Award in 2003, and awarded the Millar Library’s Gary Robinson Leadership Award to the Miller Foundation in 2005.

Miller’s financial inability to finish college coupled with his lifelong love of learning likely led to his passion for funding scholarships and other educational initiatives. He gave to many educational institutions in Oregon including the University of Oregon, Willamette University, Linfield College, Catlin Gabel School, the Multnomah County Library and the Oregon Historical Society. He was a life trustee at Lewis & Clark College, where he funded many projects including the James F. Miller Center for the Humanities.

Miller was also a major funder of the arts, particularly opera. He credited his wife Marion for his love of music, and often recounted that she would not move to New York with him unless they got season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera. Miller’s support extended to arts organizations in New York and Oregon. He was a significant supporter of the Oregon Symphony, chairing their first fundraising drive. He also supported the Oregon Repertory Singers, Metropolitan Opera (New York), and City Opera (New York).

Miller was an avid reader, especially of the classics, with an impressive memory. He also liked to golf. Marion L. Miller died in January of 1998. Jimmy Miller passed away in June of 2004 at the age of 99.

Foundation Background

Source: www.millerfound.org.

The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, an independent private foundation, was established in 2002 to enhance the quality of life of Oregonians through support of the Arts and Education.

Areas of Interest

The Foundation is interested in making single or multi-year grants for projects that advance the arts or education, including libraries and museums, in Oregon. Their primary interests are:

ARTS

› Enhancing programming and audience building
› Financial capacity and stability development
› A limited number of essential capital projects

EDUCATION (K-12, Higher Education and related areas)

› Strengthening or lifting the level of student achievement and success
› A limited number of capital projects that favorably impact student achievement

The Foundation favors organizations whose basic mission is in arts or education, not projects that are related to arts or education from organizations whose primary mission is in other fields.
In both the arts and education areas the Foundation will make responsive grants and, from time to time, issue requests for proposals and develop initiatives deemed relevant and needed.

Board and Staff