It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Norb Wellman, co-founder of our firm. He died on August 8, 2015, from complications of a stroke that occured in 2013. Nearly 40 years ago, Norb and Joe Ferguson came together to start a business that is now one of the largest, privately-held investment firms in the Pacific Northwest.

Norb was born and raised in the Mt. Angel area and graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree. He was a pitcher for Oregon State baseball and led the team to the NCAA College World Series in 1952. He started his investment career in the brokerage industry and worked with Joe Ferguson at Herron Northwest. Both men sought to provide customized investment portfolios and form lifelong relationships with individuals and institutions. They started FJW Financial Management on October 13, 1975 and some of those early clients are still with Ferguson Wellman today.

Although Norb retired from Ferguson Wellman in 2004, he continued to advocate for the firm and introduce new clients to us for over 10 years. He was actively involved with Oregon State Athletics, OSU Foundation and Western Rivers Conservancy. Each of these organizations honored him with awards for his leadership and philanthropy.

Our hearts go out to his family and we share in this loss with all those who knew him.

Click here to see a video produced by the OSU Foundation when he was honored with Martin Chaves Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

Norb’s family is establishing an OSU Baseball scholarship in his name. Contributions can be sent to Oregon State University Foundation, 850 Southwest 35th Street, Corvallis, Oregon 97333, or online at osufoundation.org. Remembrances can also be made to Western Rivers Conservancy, where Norb served as a founding board member from 2002 to 2011. Contributions to Western Rivers Conservancy will pay tribute to Norb and his efforts to further Oregonians’ connections with wild rivers, wild fish and wild places.