LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Dennis Washington
built 224 days ago
Dennis Washington is a Montana businessman and founder of The Washington Companies, a dynamic group of individual companies in which he holds a controlling ownership position. He has been recognized and honored by peers, business and service organizations for his success and philanthropy. Dennis Washington rose from humble beginnings to rank among the Forbes 400 Wealthiest Americans by building a heavy construction business that later diversified into mining, transportation, environmental remediation, aviation services and real estate development. His inspiring journey has been termed an American success story.
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On a recent late summer day in Vancouver, B.C., Dennis Washington was polishing his latest project, 226-foot Attessa. To other eyes the yacht was finished; she had even been photographed. Yet, carpenters scurried to follow his ad hoc directions for better cabinet storage partitions and to reposition screens containing precious Lalique panels. There is an elevator aboard the yacht but he didn’t use it, bounding up and down staircases with the energy and lankiness of a teenager, although he’s 50-something years the wiser. Washington’s enthusiasm for his latest Attessa overflows. But mixed with a gentle air of pride in doing things with his own hands is the same steely determination that took him from hard times to the Forbes 400 list.
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Dennis Washington, in his bid to acquire more money, has one pet project that has been thwarted by environmentalists on Montana. He has tried for years to get a pipeline built from the West coast of the U.S. to Minneapolis. So far, Washington has remained unsuccessful in seeing his dream fulfilled.
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Born in Spokane, Dennis Washington grew up in Spokane, Bremerton, Washington, and Missoula, Montana. Following graduation from high school, he worked in construction in Alaska and Montana. He began his business career at age 30 in 1964, with a $30,000 loan and a single bulldozer. He created Washington Construction, which worked primarily on highway contracts and by 1969 was the largest contractor in Montana.
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Dennis Washington's childhood was often chaotic. The future founder of The Washington Companies contracted polio as a young boy, and lived with a number of different relatives after his parents divorced. After graduating from high school in Missoula, Montana, Washington set off for Alaska and found a job in heavy construction. For two years, he was part of a team that built a pulp mill. He returned to Montana soon after, and worked for King and McLaughlin, a construction company owned by his uncle. He rose through the ranks, and by the time he was 23 he oversaw Montana's largest highway construction project.
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Washington continued to diversify his holdings. In 1976, he acquired Modern Machinery Co., which sold heavy equipment to the construction, mining, and logging industries. Modern Machinery ... supplied parts and services. At the time Washington purchased Modern Machinery, the subsidiary consisted of a single dealership in Spokane, Washington. However, during the late 1970s Washington quickly added new dealerships in Boise and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as in Missoula and Billings, Montana.
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Dennis Washington