Columbia Land Trust

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A river runs through him Ray Hickey's lifelong fondness for the Columbia continues even in retirement Monday, January 22, 2001 By Rick Bella of The Oregonian staff VANCOUVER, Wash. -- To many, the Columbia River looms large and forbidding, an unforgiving swath of water that can swallow a boat -- or a town -- in its unrelenting flow. But to Ray Hickey, the Columbia has been a steady, if occasionally cranky, partner throughout his life. First, the Columbia provided the stage for Hickey's improbable career, by any yardstick a throwback to a bygone age. He started out as a deckhand on a tugboat, then worked his way up until he bought Tidewater Barge Lines and built it into the largest shipping company on the river. Even now, five years after selling the company, the Columbia remains a backdrop for Hickey's personal projects and charitable works, which contribute to the quality of life in communities along the river's banks. "Sometimes I like to go and just look at the river," Hickey, 73, said quietly. "It's always meant a lot to me." And Hickey definitely means a lot to the river and its people. He donated a $1 million chunk of land to the city of Vancouver to build a 4,200-foot stretch of Renaissance Trail, a recreational walkway that will stretch 18 miles along the city's Columbia River waterfront. He bankrolled the Columbia Land Trust's purchase and preservation of 50 acres east of Washougal, near the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and since has donated more than $90,000 to the trust. He donated a $1.5 million endowment to the Celebrate Freedom forum, ensuring for the annual festivities a continuing roster of big-name speakers such as Gen. Colin Powell, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and newsman Tom Brokaw. He gave the Oregon Maritime Center & Museum in Portland a $100,000 barge that serves as floating exhibition space on the Willamette River and moorage for the Sternwheeler Portland, the last steam-powered tugboat afloat in the West. And when developers complete the mixed-use Tidewater Cove project he launched, Vancouver will reclaim access to a large stretch of its old industrial waterfront through hundreds of homes and offices, two restaurants and a marina. "Ray Hickey is not only a man who made his living on the 'River Road' -- the Columbia," said Glenn Lamb, executive director of Columbia Land Trust, "but he's also someone who's changing the lives of people who live in the Lower Columbia region. And he has such a kidlike joy about everything he pursues." Vancouver Mayor Royce E. Pollard praises Hickey's vision and largesse. "Ray is probably one of the real heroes of our community -- and not a lot of people know about him or what he does," he said. "He's a real role model and a humble person. I admire him." And although Hickey's view of the Columbia primarily as a shipping highway pits him against environmentalists, many said they're sure his love for the river is no less genuine than their own. From deckhand to owner But Hickey didn't set out to be a captain of industry -- or even a river man. It just kind of happened. He quit high school to join the U.S. Marine Corps during the waning days of World War II. When he was discharged, he worked for three years in a lead, silver and zinc mine in Wallace, Idaho, before getting the itch to try something new. Then one day in 1951, his sister spotted an ad in a Spokane newspaper saying Tidewater needed deckhands. Hickey jumped. "At the time, I didn't even know where the Columbia River was or what a tugboat was," he said, laughing. "Well, I started out working 20 days on and 20 days off. One time I worked 50 days straight, and I wasn't convinced this new life was for me. But there was something about those tugboats that made me want to go back and learn more about them." Soon, Hickey put his mechanical aptitude to work as a tugboat engineer, working 12 years on the river. By the late 1960s, he became the company's manager of ocean operations, also taking over the river operations in 1970. A few years later, he became Tidewater's general manager. In 1977, he became company president. Six years later, he bought the company. At first glance, Hickey's ascent might seem to have a storybook quality. But those who know him say he built his career with old-fashioned building blocks: honesty, integrity, common sense and hard work. "Ray was the type of guy who, whatever he said, that's the way it was," said Don Peterson, retired regional manager for Harvest States, the largest grain shipper on the Columbia. "He always was good for his word. We went into some enormous agreements with just a handshake." Along the way, Hickey also earned a reputation as a risk-taker. When riverborne shipping was in a severe slump during the mid-1980s, Hickey purchased a big share of Knappton Corp. and bought out Columbia Marine Lines, his biggest rival at the time. Soon after, the river-shipping business took off, and Tidewater was in a perfect position to dominate the market for years to come. When Hickey sold the company in 1996, Tidewater boasted 122 barges for hauling grain and fuel, 18 tugs and 250 employees. "I probably didn't know any better," Hickey said with characteristic modesty. "But I really believed in the industry. I kept saying, 'There's grain up there, and it's got to come down this river.' I guess it paid off in the long run." The company's success also put Hickey in a position to help others. During the down times, everyone in the company voluntarily accepted a 10 percent pay cut. But when business began to improve, Hickey gave everyone a hefty cash bonus -- unpromised and unexpected. That's also the time that Hickey began to look beyond the company. Quietly, with no publicity, he began donating money to local charities and doing good works on a personal level. For a while, he took a young cancer patient to ballgames in Seattle. And last month, he contributed $25,000 toward construction of the Jack, Will and Rob Kids Center in Camas, Wash. "He really derives great pleasure from putting something back into the community," said Skip Hart, retired marketing manager for Tidewater. "People probably look at him as unapproachable. But he's a normal nice guy who never forgot his roots." Capt. Glenn Cramer of the Washington State Patrol was an 8-year-old kid watching Little League practice when the coach, Ray Hickey, called him over. "He asked if I wanted to help out," Cramer said. "Then he took me under his wing and became my mentor -- he still is, as a matter of fact. I'm 48 now and we're still good friends." Balancing the environment Of course, Hickey's roots are deep in river shipping, and that puts him at political odds with a new generation of environmentalists who want to breach four lower Snake River dams in hopes of saving endangered salmon. Hickey also supports dredging the Columbia, saying that deepening the channel would enhance the river's link to ocean-going shipping. The proposed project, under review, is a red flag for environmentalists, who say the river's value as a cargo highway should not dominate our approach. "Yes, the river is a form of a highway," said Nina Bell, executive director of Portland-based Northwest Environmental Advocates. "But the issue is how to see the river as more than a shipping highway. And the question is whether the other uses we value the river for -- a home to mammals, fish and birds, as well as a place for human recreation and human enjoyment -- are compatible to viewing it only as a shipping highway. The answer is no." Nicole Cordan of the Seattle-based organization Save Our Wild Salmon agrees. "Of course, our position is that if you're looking for a healthy river eco-system, it wouldn't include big dams upstream, close to fish-breeding habitat, or continuous dredging," Cordan said. "But I recognize all the good things Ray Hickey is doing for river-related issues. It's wonderful that he's thinking in those terms and giving back to an ecosystem and a community that helped to bring him along." Family matters When Hickey sold Tidewater, he retained ownership of much of the land and equipment, which he leases to the company. Tidewater, which is privately held, remains the largest presence on the Columbia-Snake-Willamette river system, running the largest number of tugs and barges while hauling the most cargo. Selling Tidewater allowed Hickey to turn his attention to Hickey Family Co. and to tackle the redevelopment of Tidewater Cove. The mixed-use project is taking shape at Tidewater's former riverfront headquarters between Vancouver's Wintler and Marine parks, which the company vacated when it moved downstream in 1987. Two years ago, Hickey Family Co. sold a 37-acre tract at Tidewater Cove to a Lake Oswego firm that will develop the area into an upscale complex of residences, businesses and a public marina. An additional 51 acres there, including tidelands, wetlands and rights of way, were donated to the city of Vancouver's Renaissance Trail project. Tidewater Cove, which will dramatically transform the Columbia's north bank, remains a special assignment for Hickey's daughter Linda, who began working with her father 10 years ago. "For me, working with my Dad is great because we have such a special relationship," said Linda Hickey, 33. "Even in the best of situations, a family business is not easy. But we have a relationship based on mutual respect, both in the father-daughter sense and in regard to work. I really enjoy it." These days, Hickey's life may appear to be slowing down, but that's just because he is navigating deeper water. He has bounced back well from sextuple-bypass heart surgery. He works at keeping his diabetes under control, and he is looking forward to having knee-replacement surgery. He says the time he spends with his wife, Pat, his three children and five grandchildren is precious. But he still goes to his office in East Vancouver's Columbia Tech Center every day. Naturally, it's decorated with tugboat models, tugboat paintings, tugboat sculptures and tugboat photos. Just don't expect him to sit by the phone all day. Not when the river is so close by. You can reach Rick Bella at 360-896-5718 or 503-294-5900 or by e-mail at rickbella@news.oregonian.com

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