Denver, Colo., Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Indian College Fund honored Pendleton Woolen Mills’ long-time Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Robert Christnacht, at their headquarters on Tuesday, February 10 for his dedication to Native higher education ahead of his planned retirement this spring.
Christnacht started with Pendleton 26 years ago, leading the Home and Accessories Division. In 2012, Christnacht moved into a global sales role and has led Pendleton’s strategic planning and execution of sales and marketing initiatives for the last 14 years. He has also been instrumental in the company’s involvement with the Pendleton Round-Up, a legendary, century-old rodeo held annually in Pendleton, OR. Christnacht received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Accounting from the University of Montana.
Since 1995, Pendleton Woolen Mills has supported the American Indian College Fund (College Fund) to help Native college students pursue their dreams of obtaining a college degree through direct financial gifts, royalties from a blanket line designed exclusively for the College Fund, and scholarships and financial prizes awarded to the winners of the yearly Tribal College Blanket Design Contest. Pendleton created an endowed scholarship through its relationship with the College Fund. That endowment has a fair market value of over $2 million today and provides scholarships to students. Christnacht has been an enthusiastic collaborator in this partnership since he first joined Pendleton.
In 2012, Christnacht said, “We are pleased to be part of the American Indian College Fund family. Our relationship with the Native American community goes back to our company’s earliest days over 100 years ago. It is with a sense of pride and community that Pendleton makes these donations.”
Christnacht and Pendleton have maintained this close relationship with the College Fund and dedication to Native student scholars and communities. The College Fund presented Christnacht with a poster including photos of all of Pendleton’s blanket creations since the inception of its partnership.
“Leading Pendleton’s partnership with the American Indian College Fund has been one of the most meaningful projects of my career,” Christnacht shared. “It has been an honor to work so closely with the team and I have been deeply humbled by the opportunity to support Native students and help amplify their voices within their communities and beyond.”
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.
About Pendleton Woolen Mills —Weaving iconic designs since 1863, Pendleton operates two of America’s remaining woolen mills located in Pendleton, Oregon and Washougal, Washington. With six generations of family ownership, Pendleton is focused on a legacy of creating quality lifestyle products with timeless styling. Inspiring customers for 160 years, Pendleton products are available at Pendleton stores across the US, select retailers worldwide, and on pendleton-usa.com.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
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