Robert Edward Craves

Bob CravesA Passionate and Innovative LeaderWho Made a Major Impact on College Access in AmericaBob Craves, age 72, died peacefully in the company of his family after a brief illness. Bob was a man who knew how to think big, knew how to tackle big problems, and was a genius at motivating others to join in his quest. After 18 years as a founding officer at Costco Wholesale, Bob co-founded the College Success Foundation in 2000, and served as its CEO until his retirement in 2013. During his tenure, along with co-founder Ann Ramsey-Jenkins, the Foundation introduced dozens of innovative programs and public-private partnerships, raising over $600 million to provide college scholarships and mentorship to thousands of high achieving, low-income students. The Seattle Times recognized Bob's impact on the community in an editorial in January 2006, calling Bob Craves "the voice for higher ed". The Times declared: "More young people are attending college in Washington State in no small part because of Bob Craves".In addition to his work in his home state, Bob founded the College Success Foundation-District of Columbia in 2006, he was also a catalyst behind the launching of the Arizona College Scholarship Foundation where he served as a board member and advocate. He also served as a Board Member for the District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP) a privately funded nonprofit chaired by Donald Graham. Bob's work in higher education began in 1997 when Governor Gary Locke asked him to chair the state's Higher Education Coordinating Committee, overseeing budgets and policies for all four year institutions and administering the state's financial aid programs. In 1998, he was appointed as co-chair of the 2020 Commission on the Future of Post-Secondary Education. In that work, Bob saw the critical need to form a public-private partnership to help thousands of qualified low-income students get into college. He and Ann Ramsey-Jenkins formed the Washington Education Foundation, later renamed the College Success Foundation, and brought together leaders from across the state to tackle the issue. Along with major support from both the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Costco Wholesale Corporation, Bob and Ann launched their first two scholarship programs in 2000 and 2001. Over the next 13 years, Bob steered the Foundation in its mission to help qualified but needy students pursue a college degree. In recognition of the impact these programs had on improving access for low-income students, in 2011 Bob and Ann were named Champions of College Access by the National Association of College Access. Bob also served as Chair of Washington State's Communities in Schools from 1995 to 2005, was a founding board member of Washington State Mentors, and was a proud member and emeritus member of the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, Catholic University of America in Washington, DC., and most recently, he co-founded the National Education Foundation along with his daughter, Dr. Stacie Moore of Seattle. Bob wanted to share his experience with innovative leaders in other states. He co-authored and published a book called Funding the Future, Practical Strategies for Scholarship Development, to bring public and private interests together to raise scholarship dollars and mentorship for at risk students.In this quest to raise money and improve college access for low-income students, whenever Bob encountered a challenge, he approached it with big innovative ideas and with an infectious laugh that became irresistible to those he recruited to help him. From the halls of the State Capitol in Olympia, to the toughest areas in Washington, DC, Bob had a single focus: helping poor kids get an education. He passionately believed that this was the great equalizing force for those seeking to participate in the American Dream. Bob walked his talk, and led others with great enthusiasm, passion, and joy. Apart from his successful professional life at Costco, and his outstanding leadership in the nonprofit world, Bob had many passionate interests, including international travel with his devoted wife Gerri, spending time in their winter home in Scottsdale, Arizona, and collecting rare and antique automobiles. He proudly served as a board member of the Le May Museum in Tacoma, and enjoyed attending many national events where rare and collectible automobiles are exhibited and sold. Bob was born in Bay City, Michigan in July 1942, to Robert S. Craves and Edith Mish Craves. He was the eldest of five siblings, and like the children of so many devout Catholic families, Bob began to prepare for life in the priesthood, leaving home for seminary life at the age of 13, but later decided to pursue a career in business rather than the priesthood. He earned both his undergraduate degree in Philosophy and a master's degree in International Studies from Catholic University in Washington, DC. He was later awarded honorary doctorate degrees from both Seattle University and University of Puget Sound. The start-up of Costco Wholesale in 1983 attracted Bob and his family to relocate to the Seattle area from Southern California. Bob is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 42 years, Gerri, along with their daughter Stacie, her husband Kris Moore and their daughters Siena and Sabrina. He is also survived by his sister Teri Renz (Dave) of Napa, California, his sister Mary Holland (Gary) of Des Moines, Washington, and his brother Jim (Jo Anne) of Portland, Maine. He was preceded in death by his brother, Tom Craves. Requiem Mass at St. James Cathedral,804 9th Ave, Seattle, WAat 10:30 AM, Thursday, November 13, 2014.The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob's memory to the Bob Craves Endowed Scholarship Fund, in care of the College Success Foundation, 1605 NW Sammamish Rd #200, Issaquah, WA 98027.Hoffner Fisher & HarveyGuestbook at harveyfuneral.com