Wayne's Legacy of Impact & Influence
49 Years of Unwavering Commitment to OlyFed & Our Community!
Wayne E. Staley grew up in Toledo, WA and moved to Longview where he graduated from Mark Morris High School in 1969. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University (WSU), graduating in 1973. He married his college sweetheart, Jeannie Manwell of Aberdeen and after working briefly in the forest industry he was hired in 1974 as a Lending Officer with Olympia Federal Savings.
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Wayne helped launch two new branches for OlyFed in Belfair and Lacey. He then went on to lead the Loan Department and was eventually named Senior Vice President. In 2000, Wayne became the bank’s sixth President & CEO and held that position until 2008 when he retired and became Chair of the Board of Directors. Wayne remained on the Board with OlyFed until his passing in March of 2023. To thank Wayne for his 49 years of service to the OlyFed family and to honor his unwavering commitment to always do the right thing, the bank established the Wayne E. Staley Scholarship so that his legacy and positive impact would live on for generations to come.
About the Scholarship
OlyFed created this endowed scholarship to celebrate Wayne’s legacy in perpetuity. The endowment will produce an annual scholarship for a WSU student from Thurston or Mason County. In the event there are no qualified recipients, the selection criteria may be expanded to include bordering counties. In years when it is helpful for narrowing the pool of applicants, additional priority may be given for any student working toward a business degree.
By having the scholarship established through the WSU Foundation, students need only complete a single application to determine what scholarship they’re eligible for, including the Wayne E. Staley Legacy Scholarship. The goal with the scholarship is to give students from our region the opportunity to thrive in their academic pursuits and to eliminate the financial barriers to ensure a WSU experience like the one Wayne enjoyed.
How to Contribute to the Scholarship
Donations to the Wayne E. Staley Legacy Scholarship Fund are made directly with the WSU Foundation. Contributions can be made to support the scholarship award in the next upcoming academic period or to the endowment pool to grow the principal for future scholarships that will be awarded in perpetuity. If you choose to contribute funds for immediate award, in the comment field please indicate that your donation is for “current use.”
If you have any questions please email marketing@olyfed.com or call (360) 754-3400.
