John Fiske Raynolds

Raynolds, John Fiske A U.S. Navy frogman and underwater demolition team officer in the Korean War, served as CEO of Outward Bound USA during the 1980s, the organization's most significant period of growth. He died at his home in Vero Beach, Florida on November 11, 2011. He was 82. As a diver in the Navy, Mr. Raynolds served on the first team to jump from helicopters into the ocean, an operation that led to the genesis of the U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.S. Mr. Raynolds graduated from Williams College and continued to a career in car dealerships in California, then returned to government service, spending four years with the U.S. Intelligence Service in Ghana, West Africa. His following careers included investment banking with Butcher & Sherrerd in Philadelphia before becoming President and CEO of Outward Bound USA, a position he held from 1981 until 1991. During this time, Outward Bound's enrollment increased from 7,000 to over 30,000 students per year. The Wall Street Journal was intrigued by Mr. Raynolds' unusual combination of corporate and not-for-profit careers and did a feature article on him, entitled "The Stew Pot Theory of Career Building", and CNN produced a 30-minute special on him in their program "Pinnacle", which aired internationally. In 2009, Mr. Raynolds received a Bicentennial Medal from Williams College for distinguished achievement in experiential education. A lifelong mountaineer, he was a member of the American Alpine Club and the Explorers Club. John Fiske Raynolds III was born in Minneapolis, MN on September 25, 1929 to John Fiske Raynolds II and Valeria Blunt Raynolds. He grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from The Blake School. He is survived by his wife Eileen Blaker Raynolds; three children from his previous marriage, William S. Raynolds, Virginia Raynolds Stark, and Helen Winton Griffith; two stepchildren, Kelley McCabe Ruff and Linda Weiss; two sisters, Virginia Raynolds Humphrey and Helen Raynolds Anderson; and six grandchildren. Memorials preferred to Outward Bound USA, 100 Mystery PT RD, Garrison, NY 10524 c/o John F. Raynolds Memorial Fund or to The Nature Conservancy, 1101 W. River Pkwy., Mpls., MN 55415. A memorial service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, November 26, 2011 at The Wayzata Community Church, 125 Wayzata Blvd. East, Wayzata, MN.