Dr. Bernard B. Sutcliffe
"Bible knowledge is dangerous unless it affects the heart and changes the life."
Multnomah President 1936-1943
Dr. Sutcliffe co-founded Multnomah School of the Bible in 1936 and served as its first president. He also pastored the First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma Wash., and was a member of the visiting faculty at Dallas Theological Seminary. He served as assistant Northwest director of Moody Bible Institute. Sutcliffe was known for his strong convictions and keen mind. He retired as president of Multnomah at the age of 70, but taught at Multnomah and served as Board of Trustees Chairman until his death in 1949.
- Co-founded Multnomah School of the Bible (1936)
- Multnomah established Days of Prayer (1938)
- Multnomah established Missionary emphasis week (1941)
Dr. John G. Mitchell
“Don’t you folks ever read your Bibles?”
Multnomah Vice President 1936-1990, Chairman of Board of Trustees 1949-1987
Dr. Mitchell called for and presided over the meeting on February 14, 1936, with the four ministers and six businessmen that founded Multnomah School of the Bible. He desired to start a Bible school in the Northwest that taught the “distinctive doctrines of grace.” Dr. Mitchell was well loved and remembered for his dry sense of humor, Scottish brogue and an amazing ability to quote Scripture from memory. Dr. Mitchell served as Multnomah’s Vice President until his death in 1990 at the age of 97.
- Co-founded Multnomah School of the Bible (1936)
- Pastored Central Bible Church (1931-1967)
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees (1949-1987)
- Developed a radio Bible-teaching ministry, “Know Your Bible Hour” (1958-1995)
Dr. Willard M. Aldrich
“If it’s Bible you want, then you want Multnomah!”
Multnomah President 1943-1978
With Dr. Sutcliffe and Dr. Mitchell, Dr. Aldrich founded Multnomah School of the Bible and served as its first registrar. During Multnomah’s first year, he became engaged to the dean of women, Doris Coffin. He pastored Emmanuel Baptist Church in Vancouver, Wash. In 1940, Dr. Aldrich resigned from faculty and was absent from Multnomah for two years. He returned as an instructor in 1942 and became president in 1943 at Dr. Sutcliffe’s retirement. After Doris died, he married Multnomah alumna Mildred “Mimi” Boukaert in 1959. Dr. Aldrich and Mimi were married 47 years until her death in 2006. Dr. Aldrich served as Multnomah’s president until 1978. He subsequently served on the board of trustees until his retirement in 2004 and was an Honorary Life Member. Dr. Aldrich died from natural causes on Nov. 26, 2009. He was 100 years old.
- One-year Bible certificate initiated (1947)
- Multnomah moved to new campus, formerly Oregon School for the Blind (1952)
- Lytle Gymnasium constructed (1973)
- A-Frame constructed (1974)
Dr. Joseph C. Aldrich
“God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick.”
Multnomah President 1978-1997
Dr. Aldrich, one of Willard Aldrich’s nine children, was born in Portland and grew up in Vancouver. In 1962, he married Ruthe Miles and they had two children: Kristen and Stephen. He was appointed Multnomah’s president in 1978 on Willard Aldrich’s retirement. He retired in 1996 due to Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Aldrich died February 12, 2009 at the age of 68 after a 15-year battle with Parkinson’s.
- Construction of the John and Mary Mitchell Library (1980)
- Founding of Multnomah Graduate School of Ministry (1987) and renamed it Multnomah Biblical Seminary (1993).
- Charter membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). (1988)
- Chairman for the Pacific Northwest Billy Graham Crusade. (1992)
- Renaming Multnomah School of the Bible to Multnomah Bible College and Seminary. (1993)
- Second majors introduced. (1994)
- Construction of the Scruggs Married Student Apartments. (1995)
- Accreditation of Multnomah Biblical Seminary through the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). (1996)
- Wrote more than a dozen books, including “Lifestyle Evangelism: Learning to Open Your Life to Those Around You.”
- Frontieered the prayer summit movement called Northwest Renewal Ministries, now independent and renamed International Renewal Ministries. (1994)
Dr. Daniel R. Lockwood
“Multnomah takes the Bible very seriously. Always has; always will.”
Multnomah President 1997-present
Dr. Lockwood often uses illusions to communicate God's Word. He and his wife, Jani, have one daughter, Elise. Dr. Lockwood taught Bible and Theology at Multnomah Bible College beginning in 1979. In 1987, he joined the seminary faculty and served as Seminary Dean from 1990-1997. After Dr. Joseph Aldrich retired, Dr. Lockwood became the fourth president of Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary in 1997.
- Oversaw the construction of Aldrich Dorm, Travis-Lovitt Hall, Spencer-Goodrick Apartments and Joseph C. Aldrich building. (1999-2006)
- Oversaw Multnomah’s change to university status. (2008)
- Superintended Multnomah’s acquiring a campus in Reno/Tahoe. (2008)
- Serving a two-year term as President of the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, now the Association of Biblical Higher Education.
- Chaired two visiting teams for the Association of Theological Schools.
- Ushered in Multnomah’s NWCCU accreditation. (2006)