Pullman Chamber of Commerce will honor new Walk of Fame inductees Aug. 16

Washington State University President Kirk Schulz and notable alumnus Jack Thompson are among the 2024 honorees for the Pullman Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame.

Started in 2003, the Walk of Fame was established to honor people who have served the Pullman community, promoted goodwill, improved the quality of life for Pullman residents, or brought acclaim to the area through their contributions.

The 2024 walk of fame class will be inducted at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug.16 at the Pullman Depot Heritage Center. It is sponsored by the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club of Pullman, Rotary Club of Pullman, and the Pullman Lions Club.

Honorees are selected for the following categories: WSU presidents and distinguished members of the WSU community, Pullman mayors, famous sports figures, and distinguished residents. This year's inductees also include Mike and Susie Gormsen, Glenn A. Johnson, Jack Thompson, Ken Vogel, and Ted Weatherly.

Kirk Schulz has served as the WSU president since 2016 and has embraced a community-focused leadership mindset throughout his tenure.

Schulz partnered with former Pullman Mayor and fellow 2024 honoree Glenn Johnson to create the Town Gown Collaborative, a group of stakeholders working to strengthen relationships between the campus and broader Pullman community. He also guided WSU and the Pullman Regional Hospital in signing a memorandum of understanding to improve the quality of healthcare in rural Washington and partnered with the City of Pullman, the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, and local business owners to establish the Downtown Pullman Association.

"As a land-grant institution with a presence in every county, we are called to serve Washington residents through education and outreach. Over the last eight years as president, it has been a privilege to help forge partnerships here in Pullman and across the state that benefit students, faculty, staff, and community members alike," Schulz said.

Joining Schulz at the ceremony is alumnus Jack Thompson. Thompson was a quarterback at WSU from 1975 to 1978. He had three record-breaking seasons, setting six league and Cougar football records. He was the third overall selection in the 1979 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, who he played with for three seasons before playing two seasons with Tampa Bay.

Staying true to his WSU roots, Thompson founded CougsFirst!, a non-profit designed to encourage WSU alumni to purchase products and services provided by Cougs. He is a former member of the Board of Directors for the WSU Foundation, the co-founder and board member of the Cougar Collective, and the chairman of the selection committee for the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.