Springfield Chamber Elects Board Members
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has announced the election of seven new directors representing businesses across the region from professional and banking services, agriculture, wood products, construction, and tourism. Newly elected directors will be seated on January 1, 2023. The Board also voted to support a one-year extension of Board Chair Avril Watt’s two-year term. Watt, General Manager at heavy equipment manufacturer ASTEC, will serve as Chair through the end of 2024.
Watt anticipates a promising future. “The Chamber is thriving, and the caliber of leadership represented by incoming board members will enable us to execute on several exciting initiatives in the coming years.”
Charlie Kimball, Murphy Company (Chair, 2020-2021) and Nancy Bigley, Oregon Medical Group (Chair, 2018-2019) will be stepping down from the board of directors having actively served in multiple leadership roles during their tenures. Watt acknowledged Kimball and Bigley’s contribution to the Chamber saying, “I personally want to thank both Nancy and Charlie for their leadership and how that has enabled us to be where we are today.”
Meet the Newly Elected Directors
Courtney Griesel
Courtney is the Oregon community relations manager for Sierra Pacific Industries. She holds a master’s in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and bachelor of science in planning, public policy and management from the University of Oregon. Courtney began her career in public sector service and nonprofit global consulting. She served as Economic Development Manager for the City of Springfield, Oregon, focusing on trade sector industry support and growth, land development, and public-private partnerships before joining Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI). Her shift from public service to SPI, one of the largest, family-owned, private forest management and wood products manufacturing companies in the U.S., has provided an exciting opportunity to further support an industry critical to local Oregon communities, including the Springfield/Eugene region. She has lived in Lane County since 2000 and enjoys spending time traveling with her family and running.
Ken Brown
Ken grew up in Elmira, Oregon, attended Elmira High School, Eugene Bible College then the University of Oregon. He has been employed at Rexius Forest By-Products for the past 30 years where he serves as the community relations and engagement director.
Ken is also the executive director of the Hope Project, a local nonprofit that specializes in fast response service to people in need in Lane County. He serves on the boards of The Oregon Club, Downtown Rotary, The School Garden Project of Lane County, U of O Fellowship of Christian Athletes, MultiFamily NW of Oregon, and is the chairperson for the Eugene/Springfield Alzheimer’s Walk for Life. He has served as the chaplain for the Eugene Emeralds for the past 29 years.
Ken is married to Pam and has a son, Connor, a graduate of Springfield High School and a graphic designer in Portland, as well as a daughter, Bella, a senior at Springfield High.
Mary Ann (M.A.) Reilly
M.A. was born and raised in the Big Apple and moved to the left coast in the 70s. As much as she loved her real estate development career, her passion for food and wine made her quit her day job and attend the Epicurean Cooking School in Los Angeles. After graduating, she also attended the Ritz-Escoffier Cooking School in Paris, France, completing a certificate program. M.A. began teaching cooking as well as special events at UCLA. In 1994, M.A. decided to shake things up and moved to the Entertainment Capital of the World, Viva Las Vegas, where she spent 23 years producing award-winning corporate and private social events.
Executive director at Carte Blanche Caterers was a perfect fit until the pandemic hit. Luckily, M.A. had stayed active in the Chamber and Travel Lane County and thrives on her position as director of partner development at Travel Lane County. Past co-chair of the Eugene Greeters, M.A. is every excited to be the 2023 co-chair of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Greeters. Also, she serves on the board of directors for Next Step.
Pablo Valentine
Pablo is an attorney at Hershner Hunter, LLP, focusing on transactional and real estate matters. Pablo was born and raised in the Springfield/Eugene area, attending Springfield Public Schools before going to the University of Puget Sound and then the University of Oregon School of Law. As the son of small business owners, he understands the inspiration, hard work and help it takes for a business to thrive, and he hopes to help Springfield Chamber members find success. In his spare time, he enjoys enjoying local restaurants, skiing, getting on the water, and gardening.
Stacy Koos
Stacy is Summit Bank’s senior vice president and market development officer. She oversees all business development activities in the Springfield, Eugene and the mid-Willamette Area. Stacy brings over 26 years of experience in leadership and commercial banking to Summit Bank.
An active member in a number of area businesses and civic organizations, Stacy is the vice chair of the Samaritan Albany General Hospital Board, as well as a member of the Oregon chapter of Women in Manufacturing, the Springfield Chamber’s Economic Development Committee, and the Lane Government Affairs Council. She previously served on Albany Millersburg Economic Development Corporation and Linn Economic Development Group.
Stacy is honored to serve on the Springfield Chamber board and support the Springfield business community.
Tiffany Monroe
Tiffany Harper Monroe was born in Springfield, Oregon, and was raised on her family farm in Junction City, where she graduated high school. She received her bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in crop and soil science. She later obtained her master’s degree in community and leadership development with an emphasis in agricultural education from the University of Kentucky.
She has served as president of the Lane County Farm Bureau and the Lane Families for Farms and Forests organizations. Tiffany is a co-chair of the Environmental Equity subcommittee of Governor Kate Brown’s Racial Justice Council, a member of the Oregon Environmental Justice Council, co-founder of the Black Food Fund, and an advisor to the Letitia Carson Legacy Project. Tiffany is associate director at Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Executive Secretary of McKenzie Business Association, and farms with her family.
Tyler Hedden
Tyler has more than 20 years of progressive experience in the healthcare industry (15 of which have been in Catholic healthcare) and this experience includes provider, payor and entrepreneurial settings. Tyler provided executive and operational leadership for acute care hospitals, including a regional level II trauma center. Most recently, he served as chief executive for Providence Sonoma County in California.
Having started his career as a nurse assistant where he learned how important the frontline caregiver role is in the overall care and healing of patients, Tyler maintains a steadfast commitment to the caregiver, the patient, and the mission of Catholic health care to increase access to quality, safe and affordable care for all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, Tyler received a master’s in healthcare administration from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, with a fellowship in healthcare administration at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children, and Tyler and his family enjoy outdoor activities including running, skiing, tennis, hiking and biking, and attending many sporting events.
The 2023 Board of Directors will be installed in February at the Chamber’s 73rd Annual Awards and Installation Event – Inspire Excellence.
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2023:
Officers
Chair: Avril Watt, ASTEC
Treasurer: Debi Creager, Chambers Construction
Secretary: Liz Dahlager, Merete Hotel Management
Directors
Amber Kelel, Systems West Engineers
Charles LaBorn, Partnered Solutions IT
Courtney Griesel, Sierra Pacific Industries
Jason Stubbs, Oregon Insurance Company
Ken Brown, Rexius Forest By-Products
Mary Ann Reilly, Travel Lane County
Matt Roberts, University of Oregon
Nick Nelson, Keller Williams Realty
Pablo Valentine, Hershner Hunter
Stacy Koos, Summit Bank
Tab Davis, Bicoastal Media
Tiffany Monroe, Lane Families for Farms and Forests
Tyler Hedden, PeaceHealth
Ex-Officio Directors
Kenny Weigandt, Willamalane Park & Recreation District
Nancy Newton, City of Springfield
Jeff Nelson, Springfield Utility Board
About the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, not-for-profit member association offering business resources, education, connections, professional development, advocacy, and promotional opportunities to member organizations.
Mission
Fostering a prosperous community by strengthening, representing, and promoting business.
To learn more about the Springfield Chamber visit us at our offices in Springfield 101 South A Street (The historic train depot), online at www.springfield-chamber.org
