Title: President
Company: Camano Schoolhouse Foundation
Location: Camano Island, Washington, United States
Charles F. Durland Jr., President at Camano Schoolhouse Foundation, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Nonprofit Fundraising and Administration.
Following a long and successful career spanning more than four decades in the nonprofit sector, Mr. Durland now works in a non-paid position as the president and volunteer executive director of the Camano Schoolhouse Foundation on Camano Island, Washington. Leveraging his expertise in fundraising and administration, he has been administering the small nonprofit organization since 2017, running board meetings and creating agendas, writing grants and fundraising letters, maintaining grantor statistics in the database, and, among other tasks, overseeing organizational operations. Mr. Durland’s leadership has been instrumental in preserving the historic one-room schoolhouse built in 1906, the last of its kind open to the public on Camano Island.
Under Mr. Durland’s guidance, the foundation completed extensive restorations, including a new roof, new electrical wiring, a new heating system, refinished floors and restored wraparound blackboards on the 1,000-square-foot first floor. He was also instrumental in establishing an archive to safeguard local history. Notably, Mr. Durland recently secured a $45,000 grant to construct a new Americans with Disabilities Act ramp for the schoolhouse, exemplifying his persistence and commitment to accessibility.
Before his current positions, Mr. Durland served as the treasurer of the Camano Schoolhouse Foundation from 2013 to 2015. He also contributed as a board member beginning in 2012. During this period, Mr. Durland played a pivotal role in helping the foundation acquire the schoolhouse property and launch major restoration projects that have ensured its continued use as a community center.
Mr. Durland’s commitment to these volunteer roles mostly came after he retired from his full-time career. More recently, he worked for Snohomish County Human Services in Everett, Washington, where he spent 2013 and 2014 as a human services specialist II, helping to develop housing acquisition and construction contracts for affordable housing projects. The previous year, he acted as a development consultant for the Stanwood Community and Senior Center in Stanwood, Washington. Mr. Durland notably worked for the center from 1995 to 2004 as its executive director.
Mr. Durland’s tenure as the executive director of the Stanwood Community and Senior Center stands out as a significant chapter in his career. Seeking proximity to family in Portland, Oregon, but finding no opportunities there, he accepted this position in Stanwood. Over nearly a decade at the center, located in a repurposed school building, Mr. Durland oversaw the construction of more than 40 senior apartments adjacent to the facility through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This project remains his proudest professional achievement, often reflecting on how these apartments expanded affordable housing options for seniors while continuing his unique connection with revitalizing old school buildings.
Between 2004 and 2012, Mr. Durland excelled as a senior grants analyst with the Office of Housing and Community Development for Snohomish County, where he applied his deep knowledge of grant writing and program management to support housing initiatives across the county. Before relocating to Washington state, Mr. Durland served as the executive director of Leah Rose Residence for Senior Citizens in Nashville, Tennessee. In this role, he managed operations for a 17-story low-income senior housing facility dedicated to serving older adults’ needs.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Durland led Senior Citizens Inc. in Nashville for more than five years as its executive director. The organization was among Tennessee’s largest senior centers during his tenure. Mr. Durland’s professional journey began with the Tennessee Commission on Aging (now the Commission on Aging & Disability), where he advanced from a staff member to the assistant executive director.
Mr. Durland’s commitment to service extends back to his military experience. From 1967 to 1971, he served in the U.S. Air Force after earning his commission as a second lieutenant and rising to captain before completing his service. While in the military, Mr. Durland earned a bachelor’s degree, followed by a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1967 and 1973, respectively. His educational background laid a strong foundation for success throughout his career.
In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Durland has maintained active involvement with several civic organizations over many years. He has participated with El Camino Grange since 2010, where he works alongside others striving to preserve another historic building on Camano Island, and has been a board member of the Camano Schoolhouse Foundation since 2012. Mr. Durland’s dedication is further reflected by long-standing memberships in both the American Legion and the ELKS Association.
Mr. Durland’s contributions have been recognized through multiple honors within his community. He was named Grand Marshal for the annual parade hosted by the Stanwood Camano Rotary Club every year from 1996 through 2024, an event he participated in 30 times over three decades living on Camano Island. Mr. Durland also received the Jeanne Ovanelle Spirit Award from the Camano Chamber of Commerce in 2024 for extensive volunteer work.
Persistence is at the heart of Mr. Durland’s approach to both professional challenges and personal goals. He attributes much of his success to maintaining a calm demeanor and positive outlook while setting clear objectives and working diligently toward them. These qualities have enabled him to secure significant funding for community projects. Mr. Durland’s legacy is marked by steadfast dedication to improving lives through nonprofit leadership, creative problem solving and unwavering persistence, qualities that continue to shape meaningful outcomes for communities across Washington state and beyond.
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