Charles Howard Vollum (May 31, 1913 – February 5, 1986)[1] was an American electronics engineer, businessman, and philanthropist in Oregon, United States.
[1] The company mission was stated in the articles of incorporation as "to install, repair, service and sell, purchase, manufacture and otherwise acquire and deal in radio and other instruments.
He developed an interest in experiments measuring bio-electrical phenomena, and this ultimately provided his philanthropic motivation and led Vollum to endow an institute for advanced biomedical research at OHSU.
Vollum supported many Oregon educational institutions, including Reed College in Portland, which has a prominent academic building and student activity program named for him.
Angel, Oregon; the award-winning building was one of very few structures in the United States designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, and stands as a remarkable architectural accomplishment.