22nd Annual Goldmark Award Luncheon

2008 Charles A. Goldmark Distinguished Service Award recipients Mike and John McKay were honored during he Goldmark Luncheon Friday, February 29, 2008 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel.  Nick Straley of Columbia Legal Services opened the luncheon with a client story.

Pictured L-R: Foundation Trustee Bill Hyslop (Lukins & Annis) introduced Mike McKay.  Executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, Starbucks Coffee Company Paula Boggs introduced John McKay.  Peter Goldmark, Foundation President Nancy Isserlis (Winston & Cashatt Lawyers), honorees Mike and John McKay (McKay Chadwell and Seattle University School of Law), Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, WSBA President Stan Bastian, Columbia Legal Services attorney Nick Straley

Paula Boggs followed Bill Hyslop's introduction of Mike McKay to present the award to John McKay

SMOOTH JAZZ...WHEN I THINK OF JOHN MCKAY, I FIRST THINK OF SMOOTH JAZZ. THOUGH HE CERTAINLY HAS MORE THAN A LITTLE OF JOHN TRAVOLTA'S GREASE... ALONG WITH A TOUCH OF JOHN PHILIP SOUSA, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE NODDED HELPLESSLY TO JOHN'S SOOTHING BARITONE AS HE CHARMS YOU INTO DOING SOMETHING TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE?  IT HAPPENED TO ME ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO AND LIKE MANY FOLKS, ONCE IT HAPPENS, THERE'S REALLY NO TURNING BACK!

JOHN LARKIN MCKAY CAME TO THIS WORLD ON JUNE 19, 1956 RIGHT HERE IN SEATTLE. TRUE TO HIS GEMINI SIGN, HE IS ADAPTABLE AND VERSATILE, COMMUNICATIVE AND WITTY, INTELLECTUAL AND ELOQUENT, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUTHFUL AND LIVELY!

JOHN IS THE 5TH OF 12 CHILDREN AND OF COURSE IS THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF MIKE MCKAY, ALSO HONORED TODAY AS CO-RECIPIENT OF THE GOLDMARK AWARD. THE LEGAL FOUNDATION CREATED THE CHARLES A. GOLDMARK DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHOSE LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING CIVIL LEGAL AID IN OUR STATE MAKE A POSITIVE AND ENDURING IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE. WITH THAT DEFINITION IN MIND, I CAN THINK OF NO ONE MORE WORTHY TO RECEIVE THE GOLDMARK AWARD THAN JOHN MCKAY. LITERALLY SPEAKING, JOHN WAS BORN TO SERVE, TRAINED TO SERVE, AND FOR HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, HE HAS SERVED.

IN PREPARING THESE REMARKS, I WENT FIRST TO WIKIPEDIA...I KNOW, I KNOW...BUT IT REALLY GAVE ME EVEN DEEPER INSIGHT INTO WHY JOHN MCKAY TICKS THE WAY WE ALL SEE... AND OF COURSE... ADMIRE AND LOVE.

JOHN STARTED HIS SCHOOLING AT ST. JOSEPH'S, FOUNDED BY JESUITS ON CAPITOL HILL IN SEATTLE. ST. JOSEPH'S MISSION IN PART IS TO INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO SERVE OTHERS. FROM ST. JOE'S, JOHN ATTENDED SEATTLE PREP. ALSO FAITHFUL TO THE JESUIT TRADITION, PREP'S MISSION IS TO DEVELOP YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO LEARN TO LIVE AND TO LOVE - BOTH THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. AFTER A 4 YEAR INTERLUDE AT U-DUB, JOHN RETURNED TO THE JESUITS BY ATTENDING AND RECEIVING HIS LAW DEGREE FROM CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA. ACCORDING TO ITS WEBSITE, CREIGHTON STRIVES TO BRING THE RICHNESS OF A 450 YEAR OLD EDUCATIONAL TRADITION TO BEAR ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. IT'S JESUIT TRADITION COMMITS IT TO FORM MEN AND WOMEN OF COMPETENCE, CONSCIENCE AND COMPASSION. THEY DO THIS IN THE SERVICE OF A FAITH THAT NOURISHES AND PROMOTES JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AND COMING FULL CIRCLE, JOHN IS NOW A PROFESSOR AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, ANOTHER JESUIT INSTITUTION, ONE WHOSE MISSION IS TO EDUCATE THE WHOLE PERSON AND EMPOWER LEADERS TO HELP CREATE AND SHAPE A MORE JUST AND HUMANE WORLD. SO WHETHER IT'S SERVING AS A DOTING UNCLE, AN ACE ADVOCATE FOR HIS CLIENT -- NO MATTER ABILITY TO PAY - AS A BAR LEADER PAR EXCELLENCE, AS INAUGURAL CHAIR OF WASHINGTON'S EQUAL JUSTICE COALITION, AS PASSIONATE AND EFFECTIVE LEADER OF THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION, AS PRINCIPLED AND COURAGEOUS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, AS INSPIRING HONORARY CO-CHAIR OF WASHINGTON'S CAMPAIGN FOR EQUAL JUSTICE, AS BOARD MEMBER FOR THE ENDOWMENT FOR EQUAL JUSTICE, OR AS THE PROFESSOR OF CHOICE FOR SO MANY STUDENTS BEGINNING THEIR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF WHAT MATTERS, JOHN MCKAY, LIKE HIS HERO SIR THOMAS MORE, IS A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS AND A MAN FOR THIS SEASON.

JOHN'S EVERY PORE BELIEVES THAT FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF JUSTICE FOR ALL WILL MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND FAIRER. JOHN WALKS THE WALK AND THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE YOU DO JOHN. SO IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER DR. SEUSS: CONTINUE TO BE WHO YOU ARE AND SAY WHAT YOU FEEL. THOSE WHO MIND DON'T MATTER, AND THOSE WHO MATTER CERTAINLY DO NOT MIND!

JOHN, CONGRATULATIONS!