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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Four Oregon State University volunteer leaders who have played key roles in the university's advancement will be honored at the Destination OSU awards banquet in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Friday, Feb. 20.

Honorees are James H. Rudd of Lake Oswego; Suzanne Phelps McGrath and Bernard K. McGrath of Portland; and Harold Ashford of Bend.

"The transformation of Oregon State University over the last decade could not have taken place without dedicated volunteers who shared their expertise, helped us make connections and were leaders in giving," said OSU president Edward J. Ray. "Jim, Harold and Sue and Bernie are extraordinary examples." 

The OSU Foundation will present its highest honor, the Lifetime Trustee Award, to Rudd, CEO and principal of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management. He was a foundation trustee from 1993 to 2007, serving as chair when the university publicly launched its first comprehensive fundraising campaign. Rudd co-chaired a committee guiding The Campaign for OSU, which concluded at the end of 2014 after raising $1.14 billion to support university priorities.

The university named Rudd an honorary alumnus in 2006. He joins other lifetime trustees: Robert W. Lundeen of Deer Harbor, Washington; and Portland area residents C.W. Knodell, Duane McDougall, Kenneth R. Poorman, Norbert J. Wellman and Benjamin R. Whiteley.

Ashford will receive the OSU Alumni Association's Dan Poling Service Award, an honor named for an influential dean of men who served the university for more than five decades. Head of a Bend accounting firm and a 1972 Oregon State alumnus, Ashford serves as an OSU Foundation trustee and helped to build relationships between leaders in Central Oregon and OSU-Cascades. The rapidly growing branch campus is expanding from a two-year degree completion program to a four-year university and will enroll its first freshmen this fall.

The McGraths will receive the Martin Chaves Lifetime Achievement Award from OSU Athletics. The award honors the legacy of Chaves, who was captain of the 1942 Rose Bowl team and became an influential booster in various fundraising activities.

In addition to being loyal supporters of OSU football, the McGraths, class of 1970 graduates, made an especially significant impact as volunteer fundraisers for the renovation of Goss Stadium and the creation of the Pat Casey Baseball Endowment. Both have served on numerous OSU boards. Bernie McGrath, who is retired from a teaching career with the Tigard-Tualatin School District, is currently vice president of the Our Beaver Nation advisory board. Sue McGrath is president of Vision Capital Management.

The Destination OSU awards gala at the Hyatt Regency Resort in Scottsdale will include a special appearance by OSU's new head football coach, Gary Andersen. He will join OSU head baseball coach Pat Casey at an athletics event on Feb. 21. Earlier that day, Oregon State supporters will gather for a tailgater before the OSU Beavers play Oklahoma in the Pac-12 versus Big 12 baseball tournament in Surprise, Ariz.

This is the third consecutive year Oregon State alumni and friends have gathered in Arizona for Destination OSU. The state is home to more than 3,000 OSU graduates: the largest concentration of alumni beyond Oregon, Washington and California. Destination OSU is presented by the OSU Foundation, OSU Alumni Association and OSU Athletics. Event registration and information: osufoundation.org/DestinationOSU.