Robert R. “Pete” Reid was born on August 7, 1923 in Spokane, Washington. Initially enrolled at the University of Washington, Reid later enrolled at Whitman College after being discharged from the Navy in 1946. While at Whitman, Reid became president of Phi Delta Theta and, in his senior year, was elected student body president.

In 1949, Reid graduated from Whitman and was hired to serve in the offices of career services and admission. This would begin a career of over sixty years with Whitman, including assistant business manager, business manager, treasurer, chief financial officer, special assistant to the college president, and overseer of the college’s farmland. Reid attempted to retire three times over the course of this career, but his permanent retirement was in 2009. Among the titles he held, Reid’s position as treasurer and chief financial officer was the longest and most impactful. Between the years of 1966 to 1990, Reid worked to improve Whitman’s endowment and increase financial gifts to the college. Additionally, Reid worked to expand the physical size of Whitman’s campus. Reid’s legacy can be seen in Reid Campus Center, which serves as the student union and administrative hub. Other buildings that were constructed while he was chief financial officer include Cordiner Hall, Olin Hall, and Maxey Hall (the latter were also possible thanks to funding from the F.W. Olin Foundation).

Reid also worked to connect Whitman College to the greater Walla Walla community. Reid was involved in town planning for Walla Walla, as well as working to advocate for local businesses. Widening the scope of his efforts, Reid was also involved in the wind turbine project in 2001. His efforts were so impactful that, in 1975, Reid received the Town-Gown Award, and in 2015, Walla Walla declared a “Pete Reid Day.” In the words of G. Thomas Edwards, “Pete Reid was one of the most popular individuals ever to work for Whitman…He was a fair-minded college treasurer in the lean years, and has been a loyal advocate of his alma mater, a reliable bridge between the school and the town, and a stalwart defender of the Greek system.” Reid passed away on April 9, 2017 at the age of 93.