James W. (Jim) Whittaker (1929-1926) was the first American to summit Mount Everest on May 1, 1963, as part of the American Mount Everest Expedition led by Norman Dyhrenfurth, alongside the Sherpa Nawang Gombu (a nephew of Tenzing Norgay). Whittaker graduated from West Seattle High School and Seattle University, and became the first full-time employee of Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) in 1955. He was also the company's CEO in the 1960s. Whittaker, along with the other members of the Expedition were presented with the Hubbard Medal by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Named for Gardiner Greene Hubbard, first National Geographic president, the medal is awarded by the National Geographic Society for distinction in exploration, discovery, and research.