Henry “Hank” A. Ashforth III ’80

Hank Ashforth has built an impressive professional and personal resume thanks to his investment in people and places. As a student at St. Lawrence, he earned honors in history, studied abroad in Spain, and was a member of the men’s lacrosse team, the Outing Club and Student Environmental Association.

Following his Commencement in the spring of 1980, Hank began working for The Ashforth Company, a diversified real estate operating company that owns, develops, and invests in commercial and multifamily assets on the East and West Coasts. The company also provides third-party services including asset and property management, general contracting, and construction management. He’s held many positions within the company, now serving as the Executive Vice President, concentrating on providing strategic direction and sales for The Ashforth Company’s third-party service subsidiaries and serves on the company’s Investment Committee.

Prior to his current position, Hank was Chairman and CEO of Ashforth Pacific, Inc., the West Coast affiliate of The Ashforth Company located in Portland, Oregon. In this position, Hank grew the company’s office portfolio from 600,000 square feet to over 3 million in the Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle markets. He also led the development of the 3.3- mile extension of The Portland Streetcar into Portland's Lloyd District and Central Eastside neighborhoods. In addition, he spearheaded the creation of and is the current Chairman of the Lloyd Enhanced Services District, a public/private partnership, that focuses on economic growth through sustainable practices, and transportation and security issues in Portland’s Lloyd neighborhood.

While his career is certainly impressive and showcases his tireless work ethic, Hank still finds time to serve both local and national organizations and St. Lawrence University communities. He is on the boards of several local organizations including Columbia Green Technologies, a national leader in green roof technologies. He is a past Chair and current board member of The Freshwater Trust, whose mission is preserving and restoring freshwater ecosystems. In addition, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the Greenwich Library and is a member of the Urban Land Institute. Hank has also answered the call for his alma mater and its students, having offered meaningful career advice and mentorship, as well as support for Admissions. Hank and his wife Francie have also co-hosted St. Lawrence presidential events in Greenwich, Connecticut. They have also supported the University financially by endowing a family scholarship for students with financial need and have made several gifts to Saints athletics.