Background
Karlen, Gottfried Emanuel was born on October 12, 1893 in Helena, Montana, United States. Son of Gottfried and Emily Maude (Betchen) Karlen.
distributor lumber company executive
Karlen, Gottfried Emanuel was born on October 12, 1893 in Helena, Montana, United States. Son of Gottfried and Emily Maude (Betchen) Karlen.
Student public schools, Long Prairie, Minnesota.
Car loader Red River Lumber Company, Akeley, Minnesota, 1911-1913. Checker International Lumber Company, International Falls, 1913, Shevlin-Clarke Company, Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada, 1914. Foreman, assistant superintendent St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, 1915-1917.
Buyer J. E. Morris Lumber Company, Seattle, 1919-1922. Vice president Schwager-Karlen Lumber Company, 1922-1928. President Karlen-Davis Company, Tacoma, 1928-1973.
Now honorary chairman. Senior partner Eatonville Lumber Company, Washington, 1943-1953. Partner Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company, 1945-1951.
President Timber Development Company, Inc., Tacoma, 1937-1954, Orwaca Land Company, since 1951, Thunderbird Park, Inc., 1954-1973. Chairman Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, 1958-1961. Advisory board Puget Sound National Bank.
Past campaign chairman Tacoma Community Chest and Council. Honorary director Tacoma General Hospital. Honorary trustee University Puget Sound.
Trustee College of the Desert, Palm Springs, California, since 1974. Served with United States Army, 1917-1919. Member National Lumber Manufacturers Association (past director, vice president), W. Coast Lumbermen's Association (past president), Washington History Society, Tacoma Chamber of Commerce Clubs: Rainier, Washington Athletic (Seattle).
Tacoma Country and Golf (past president), Tacoma, Tacoma Lumbermen's (past president) (Tacoma). Arlington (Portland, Oregon). Pacific-Union, Bohemian (San Francisco).
Thunderbird Country (past president), Committee of Twenty-Five (Palm Springs, California). Balboa (Mazatlan, Mexico). Eldorado Country (Indian Wells, California).
Pennask Lake Fishing and Game (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada). Lodges: Masons, Shriners, Rotary.
Married Anastatia Baldwin, July 6, 1921 (deceased April 1963). Married Ruth Estes Huber, March 22, 1976.