{{short description|American billionaire industrialist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox person | image = DennisWashington (cropped).jpg | name = Dennis Washington | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|7|27}} | birth_place = Spokane, Washington, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Owner, The Washington Companies and Seaspan Marine Corporation | spouse = Phyllis Washington | children = 2 sons }} '''Dennis R. Washington''' (born 1934) is an American billionaire industrialist who owns a controlling interest in a large consortium of privately held companies, collectively known as the Washington Companies. The consortium's main assets are in British Columbia, Canada, Washington, and Montana. The largest holding is a family-managed industrial ship manufacturer and marine freight transport service known as Seaspan Marine Corporation based in Vancouver, B.C.<!--that article says Dennis owns it, SFAIK his son Kyle is the CEO-->
== Early life == Born in Spokane, Dennis Washington grew up in Spokane, Bremerton, Washington, and Missoula, Montana.<ref name=dwash2>{{cite web|title=125 Montana Newsmakers: Dennis Washington|url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers4/washington.html|work=Great Falls Tribune|author=Tribune Staff|access-date=August 27, 2011}}</ref> His parents separated when he was very young, and Washington lived with his mother. He rarely saw his father, who worked in construction overseas. Washington did not grow up in a wealthy family. Additionally, he states his parents' divorce as his motivation to provide his own wife and children with a stable family environment.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakroll/2013/06/04/billionaire-highway-man-life-lessons-dennis-washington-learned-when-he-was-25/#7fab158716c0|title=Billionaire Highway Man: Life Lessons Dennis Washington Learned When He Was 25|last=Kroll|first=Luisa|work=Forbes|access-date=September 15, 2018|language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Following graduation from high school, Dennis Washington worked in construction in Alaska and Montana. He began his business career at age 30 in 1964, with a $30,000 loan and a single bulldozer.{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed|date=September 2011}} He created Washington Construction, which worked primarily on highway contracts, and by 1969 was the largest contractor in Montana.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
In the 1970s he moved into mining and dam construction. In 1986 he acquired a copper and molybdenum mine at Butte, Montana. He reopened the mine and it became a profitable operation. This success helped him diversify into railroads, marine services, coastal shipping, aviation and real estate. In 1996 Washington Construction acquired global construction and engineering company Morrison-Knudsen Corporation<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB832277663454464000| title = Washington Construction Group Agrees to Buy Morrison Knudsen - WSJ| newspaper = Wall Street Journal| date = May 17, 1996}}</ref> of Boise, Idaho, creating Washington Group International.
== Washington Companies == The Washington Companies are a group of individual privately held companies headquartered throughout the United States and western Canada and conducting business internationally.
Included in the Washington Companies'<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtoncompanies.com/companies/ | title=Companies – the Washington Companies }}</ref> holdings are: * Seaspan ULC is an association of Canadian companies involved in coastal marine transportation, shipdocking and ship escort, ship repair and shipbuilding services in western North America. * Montana Rail Link is a Class II regional railroad that operates over 900 route miles of track in Montana and Idaho. * Aviation Partners Inc. develops and markets the Blended Winglet Performance Enhancement System for business jet aircraft. . * Envirocon Inc.’s core services include environmental remediation, ecological restoration, and decommissioning and demolition for government and commercial clients. * Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY) is a major transporter of freight in British Columbia. * Modern Machinery Co. Inc. sells and rents heavy equipment, and supplies parts and service to support the construction, mining, aggregate, and logging industries. * Montana Resources LLP operates an open-pit copper and molybdenum mine in Butte, Montana, near the Continental Divide. * Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW) is one of the world’s leading independent containership owners, owning and managing ships which are chartered long-term.
==Political activity== Together with his spouse, Washington contributed $1{{nbsp}}million to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.<ref name="Trump 2020 donors">{{cite web |title=Here Are The Billionaires Who Donated To Donald Trump's 2020 Presidential Campaign |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2021/02/19/here-are-the-billionaires-who-donated-to-donald-trumps-2020-presidential-campaign/ |website=Forbes |accessdate=March 28, 2024}}</ref>
== Personal life == thumb|right|''Attessa IV'' in North Vancouver, Canada Washington is married to Phyllis and lives in Missoula, Montana. His son, Kyle Washington, is co-chairman of Seaspan Marine Corporation.<ref name=Forbes>{{cite web|title=Forbes profile: Dennis Washington|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/dennis-washington/|website=Forbes|access-date=January 8, 2020}}</ref>
Washington also owns a private estate on Stuart Island, British Columbia, including a fishing lodge and golf course. The Washington–Grizzly Stadium for football at the University of Montana is named for him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gogriz.com/facilities/washington-grizzly-stadium/1|title=Washington-Grizzly Stadium - Facilities - University of Montana Athletics|website=gogriz.com|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref>
His private yacht Attessa IV has been featured in Forbes magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/hhkh45ll/attessa-iv/|title=Attessa IV|website=Forbes}}</ref> He has a Boeing Business Jet, 737-700 registration N162WC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538681|title=BBJ N162WC Flying With Advanced Technology Winglet - Airliners.net|website=www.airliners.net}}</ref>
== Awards and honors == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Association ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |- | 1990 | rowspan="2" | American Academy of Achievement | Golden Plate Award | | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#business}}</ref> |- | 1993 | {{N/A}} | Host; ceremony held in Glacier National Park, Montana | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web| date= June 27, 1993|title= 1993 Salute to Excellence: Stars of Today and Tomorrow Meet in Glacier|publisher= Great Falls Tribune |url= https://achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Great-Falls-Tribune-June-27-1993.pdf}}</ref> |- | 1995 | Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans | Horatio Alger Award | | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|title= 1995 Horatio Alger Award Winner|publisher=Horatio Alger Association|url=https://horatioalger.org/members/member-detail/dennis-r-washington/}}</ref> |- | 1996 | Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) | Ellis Island Medal of Honor | | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|title= 1996 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipients|publisher=Congressional Record Online|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-1996-06-27/html/CREC-1996-06-27-pt2-PgE1207-3.htm}}</ref> |- | 2007 | Mining Foundation of the Southwest | American Mining Hall of Fame | Inductee | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|title= 2007 Inductee into American Mining Hall of Fame|publisher=Mining Foundation of the Southwest|url=https://www.miningfoundationsw.org/Dennis_Washington}}</ref> |- | 2012 | Maritime Museum of British Columbia (MMBC) | SS ''Beaver'' Award for Maritime Excellence | | |- |}
== See also == *List of billionaires
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.washingtoncompanies.com/our-leaders/dennis-r-washington/ WashingtonCompanies.com] – official biography * [https://www.dpwfoundation.org/ Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation]
{{Current U.S. Richest People}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Dennis}} Category:1934 births Category:Living people Category:American businesspeople in construction Category:American billionaires Category:People from Missoula, Montana Category:American businesspeople in mining Category:ARCO