Sir Jim Vatn

Three important things to know about Jim Vatn: He’s Norwegian, he’s a banker and he’s a true blue Ballard Beaver, graduating in 1962. Jim and his wife of 27 years, Joan, are proud to have daughter Elisa become the third generation to graduate from BHS, starting with Jim’s mother Emma in 1934. A lifelong Ballardite, Jim has been very involved in many Seattle civic events and community projects. He’s served as a member and chair including Seattle Seafair, an original member of the Seattle Mariner RBI Club, the Rotary Club of Ballard, the Swedish Medical Center Board of Governors, Seattle’s 17th of May Committee, U of WA Dept. of Scandinavian Studies, Nordic Heritage Museum, and the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce. Jim’s biggest honor came in 1997 when His Majesty King Harold VI King of Norway knighted Jim with the Royal Order of Ste Olav’s Medal for all his work in promoting the relationships between Norway and the United States. Jim was one of the early members of the successful BHS Foundation and chairs the Athletic Committee. He received the Foundation’s Capt. Wm R. Ballard Award for exceptional service to the school. He received the Ballard Chamber of Commerce’s Stan Boreson award. The BHS PTSA recognized him with their 2007 annual Acorn Award for exceptional service to BHS. He has been the Chair of the Golf Classic the last three years...and for all this, we do indeed honor him.