Charles & Susan Nipp
Susan was born and raised in Spokane, Washington and graduated from Whitworth College with a B.A. in music in 1966. She taught high school English in Marysville, Washington, and elementary music in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Charlie was born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, attended Coeur d'Alene High School and graduated from Whitworth College in 1967 with a degree in economics and business administration. He received an M.S.T. from Portland State University in business education in 1975. Charlie taught high school economics, business law, and accounting at high schools in Marysville, Washington, and Lake Oswego, Oregon, and coached basketball and baseball. In 1977 Susan created Wee Sing with collaborator and music teacher Pam Beall. Wee Sing is a line of children's books, tapes, CDs, videos, and toys. Over 60 titles have been produced with sales reaching 50 million items worldwide. Wee Sing is used not only in the United States by educators and parents to teach traditional and original music but in Europe, Asia, and Africa to teach English through music. The authors continue to create and produce new book titles, write screenplays, oversee audio and video production, and compose music. They have traveled extensively, nationally and internationally, speaking at conferences, giving music workshops for teachers and parents, and entertaining children. Numerous awards have been received including Parents' Choice, Bronze Telly, Silver Angel, Cindy, RIAA Multi-Platinum, and the Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence. In 1979, Susan moved with her husband Charlie and two sons Ryan and Devin, to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She is a Trustee at Whitworth College in Spokane, on the Coeur d'Alene Library Foundation Board, and the North Idaho Nature Conservancy Advisory Board. Susan has been active at the Presbyterian Church as Elder, choir member, and director of the children's music program. Upon moving to Coeur d'Alene with his family, Charlie started developing commercial real estate properties. He is the owner, developer, and manager of projects located primarily in Idaho, including general office, medical office, light manufacturing, and retail. He is a principal in the firm Parkwood Business Properties. Charlie has been very active in a variety of civic organizations in Idaho and the Northwest. He is a past President of the Coeur d'Alene Area Chamber of Commerce, past President of Kootenai Medical Center Foundation, and past President of Jobs Plus, an economic development corporation. Charlie is a former director of Security Pacific Bank, and Bank of America, Idaho. He is a member and past Elder of First Presbyterian Church in Coeur d' Alene. Charlie currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Mountain West Bank; chairman of the Board of Lake City Development Corporation, Coeur d'Alene's urban renewal agency; Director for the Idaho Youth Endowment for Activities Foundation; Director for the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture; and Director for Life Center Northwest Donor Network. In 2000, Charlie received the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. |
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