About the John J. Hemmingson Foundation
John J. Hemmingson lives in the Inland Northwest. He focuses his giving on Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and beyond.
Building resiliency in our communities is the foundations goal. Through the foundation, John gives primarily to local organizations that address poverty, education, and medical needs. He also has a soft spot for the welfare of animals.
History
John was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and after living both there and Montana, moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1993. John has built many successful for-profit enterprises in the region. In 1997 he founded Lakeside Companies, a family firm which owns and operates businesses throughout the region and pursues investments through private equity, partnerships, publicly traded assets and more. You can learn more about John here.
From his very first venture, philanthropy has always been a huge part of John’s life and is ingrained in Lakeside’s culture. Lakeside and its portfolio companies are rooted in John’s personal mission to give back to the community and make significant donations through their Cares programs every year. You can learn more about Lakeside Cares and our portfolio company’s philanthropy here.
Currently
Though John has been giving through personal donations and his Foundation for decades, a formal board structure with John as the chairing member was established in 2023. Under John’s guidance, the board selects causes for support that remain true to his mission to build resilient communities and support families throughout the region.
The foundation continues to focus on the four core areas established by John:
Legacy Projects
John and the Foundation have undertaken several legacy projects – larger donations that will have a lasting impact. These projects were selected by John because they elevate and transform our region for generations to come. These projects include:
The John J. Hemmingson Center at Gonzaga
The Jack H. Finance Lab at Gonzaga
Venessa Behan Foundation Donation
Gonzaga Preparatory $1,000,000 Match
