Governor Gregoire Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments

For Immediate Release: November 21, 2007

Citizens appointed from Bellevue, Benton City, Bothell, Burien, East Wenatchee, Federal Way, Kelso, Kennewick, Keyport, Longview, Mountlake Terrace, Oak Harbor, Okanogan, Olympia, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Poulsbo, Pullman, Rochester, Seattle, Spokane, Spokane Valley and Wenatchee

OLYMPIA - Governor Chris Gregoire today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:

Community Economic Revitalization Board
George Raiter of Longview has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending September 2, 2010. Raiter is a Cowlitz County Commissioner and a member of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, the Cowlitz Economic Development Council, KLTV Community Access Television and Toastmasters International.

Mark Urdahl of Wenatchee has been appointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending September 2, 2010. Urdahl is executive director of the Port of Chelan County and the former manager of the Port of Ridgefield. He is vice president of the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Wenatchee, a member of the board of the Wenatchee Valley YMCA and the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, and is active in the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation.

The Board works to strengthen economy in areas of the state that have experienced high unemployment rates or below-average economic growth; encourages economic diversification within Washington and provides incentives for the expansion of employment opportunities.

Governor�s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment
Kaheya Cunningham of Port Townsend has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Cunningham is the disability representative for the Olympic Agency for Aging and a member of DASH (Disability Awareness Starts Here), a non-profit organization in Port Hadlock; the Jefferson County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board; the Jefferson County Housing Authority Resident Board and the Jefferson County Transit Advisory Board.

Raina Girton of Oak Harbor has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Girton is the vocational coordinator for New Leaf, Inc., a non-profit employment services company. She served on the Island County Advisory Council, the Island County Health Advisory Board and has been a member of the board of the Opportunity Council.

Catherine Griffith of Spokane Valley has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Griffith is a homeownership specialist for the Arc of Spokane. She is the secretary of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium and the Northeast Washington Fair Housing Alliance and a member of the Spokane Homeless Coalition and the Regional Homeownership Council.

Mary Jo Harvey of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Harvey is the senior housing and community developer for Community Frameworks, which offers low-income housing solutions. She is a member of the board of the Washington State Self-Help for Hard of Hearing, the Coalition of Responsible Disabled and the National Association of Housing and Rehabilitation Officials.

Marshall Mitchell of Pullman has been appointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Mitchell is clinical assistant professor and coordinator of disability studies at Washington State University. He is member of the Society of Disability Studies and has served as the vice chairperson of the Committee on Disability Issues and Employment.

Henry (Tony) Murkins of Keyport has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Murkins is an administrative/technical specialist for the United States Navy. He is a member of the NAACP, Blacks in Government, the Urban League, the Kitsap County Developmentally Disabled Advisory Board and Operation Warfighter, a temporary assignment or internship for Service members undergoing therapy.

Gerald Otis of Mountlake Terrace has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Otis is a founder of RAMP, a non-profit organization that builds affordable wheelchair ramps. He is a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Gloria Tolaro of Rochester has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Tolaro is a retired occupational therapist and senior fitness instructor and was a therapist coordinator for the Washington Department of Labor and Industries for 26 years. She is a member of Thurston County Master Quilters, the Washington State Senior Games Association and the Washington Occupational Therapy Association. She is a charter member of the Industrial Rehabilitation Association of Washington.

Julian Wheeler of Seattle has been appointed to a term November 2, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Wheeler is a contract attorney with Hardman & Johnson, Attorneys at Law, and is the administrative specialist for the Seattle Office of Civil Rights. He is a member of the Washington State and King County Bar Associations and the Seattle Human Rights Commission. He served on the admissions committee for the University of Washington School of Law and was a member of the board of the Roosevelt Neighbors Alliance in Seattle.

The Committee advises the Governor and the Legislature on disability issues, initiates projects to address specific issues, provides training and assistance to individuals and organizations statewide, conducts workshops and conferences and publishes disability-related materials.

Economic Development Finance Authority
Nathaniel Greene of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective November 1, 2007, ending October 19, 2011. Greene is president of Empire Ford, Inc., and is the vice chairperson of the Economic Development Finance Authority. He is a member of Spokane Public Facilities District.

Robert Meredith of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective November 2, 2007, ending October 19, 2011. Meredith is retired from his position as district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration Seattle office. He is a member of the advisory board for City University�s school of Business Administration and has been a member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, the Federal Executive Board and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

The Authority helps small and medium-sized businesses meet their capital needs.

Board of Hearing and Speech
Sheryl N. Arends of East Wenatchee has been appointed to a term effective November 1, 2007, ending June 6, 2010. Arends is a hearing instrument specialist and clinic manager for Sonus Hearing Center. She serves on the advisory board of the hearing instrument specialist degree program for Spokane Falls Community College. She is a member of the Washington Hearing Society, the Wenatchee Central Lions Club, the Speakeasy Toastmaster Club and the Wenatchee British Brass Band.

Diana F. Thompson of Bellevue has been appointed to a term effective November 1, 2007, ending June 6, 2010. Thompson is a retired attorney and an inactive member of the Washington State Bar Association. She is a member of the Bellevue Network on Aging and has served on the board of Hopelink, the Bellevue Youth Symphony and the Custom Industries Board.

The Board examines and licenses hearing instrument dispensers, recommends standards for equipment and procedures and adopts rules for standards of care relating to hearing instrument fitter/dispensers, audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Home Care Quality Authority
Stan Fukui of Bothell has been appointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending July 1, 2010. Fukui is a retired solutions engineer for Hewlett Packard. He is a member of the youth council of the Workforce Development Council of Snohomish County and is on the advisory board for the Snohomish County Developmental Disabilities Council. He is active with the Snohomish County Leadership Project and the Snohomish County Developmentally Disabled Education and Community Initiative.

The Authority was established to regulate and improve the quality of long-term in-home care services by recruiting, training and stabilizing the work force of individual providers.

Governor's Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board
Anthony Howard of Kelso has been appointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending December 31, 2008. Howard is the regional safety manager for Hoffman Construction Company and is a certified safety professional with construction specialization. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and, in 2001, received their �Safety Professional of the Year� award.

The Board is a non-profit organization that works to prevent industrial injuries and occupational diseases among employees in the state and promotes the efficient, safe, healthful and productive operation of industry within the state. The Board functions in an advisory capacity to the Governor.

Massage Examining Board
Martin Bernstein of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending September 7, 2011. Bernstein is an attorney and is self-employed as a legal and business consultant. He is a member of the Culver City Bar Association (CA), the national board of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, the board of the Los Angeles Jewish AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles Mayor�s Garment Industry Advisory Board.

Scott Miller of Burien has been reappointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending September 7, 2011. Miller is a self-employed licensed massage therapist and a certified Pilates instructor. He is affiliated with Pacific Massage and is a Pilates instructor for Washington Natural Gas.

Laura Williams of Spokane has been appointed to a term effective September 26, 2007, ending September 7, 2011. Williams is a self-employed licensed massage therapist and a massage instructor at Noetic School of Massage and Education Center. She owns Medical Business Consulting and is a business administrator for NorthWest Medical Rehabilitation, P.S. Williams is a member of The Exchange Club of Downtown Spokane, the International Massage Association, the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and the Inland Northwest Medical Group Management Association.

The Board examines candidates for licensing and registration; recommends and adopts rules and regulations for administering the regulatory law and defines, evaluates, approves, and designates those schools, programs and apprenticeship programs, including all current and proposed curriculum, faculty, and health, sanitation, and facility standards from which graduation will be accepted as proof of an applicant's eligibility to take the licensing examination.

Optometry Board
Robert H. Gander, O.D. of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending September 19, 2010. Gander is the president and senior optometrist of Dr. Robert Gander & Associates, P.C. He is a member of the King County Optometric Society and Optometric Physicians of Washington, the American Optometric Association, the Spokane Mayor�s Riverfront Park Citizen�s Committee and is the optometric advisor to Spokane Community College.

Grant E. Lindberg, O.D. of Bellevue has been appointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending September 19, 2010. Lindberg is an Optometrist with Binyon Vision Center in Burien. He is a member of Optometric Physicians of Washington, the American Optometric Association and the Alberta Optometric Association and College of Optometry.

Mariann J. Tonder, O.D. of Poulsbo has been reappointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending September 19, 2010. Tonder is self-employed with Poulsbo Eyecare Center. She is a member of the Washington State Board of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, Optometric Physicians of Washington and the Kitsap Optometric Society. She was the editor of Washington Optometry Today and served as education chairperson for the student association board of the Southern California College of Optometry.

The Board examines candidates for licensing or registration, holds disciplinary hearings and adopts regulations to promote safety and protect the public.

Commission on Pesticide Registration
Rick Hamman of Benton City has been reappointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending September 14, 2010. Hamman is the director of horticulture and grower relations for Hogue Cellars. He served in the Peace Corps in Guatemala and was a horticulture specialist for Colorado State University. He is a member of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and serves on the technical committee, and is a member of the American Society for Ecology and Horticulture.

Trent Munden of Kennewick has been appointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending September 14, 2010. Munden is the raw product procurement manager for the JR Simplot Company. He is a licensed pesticide consultant and a member of the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association.

Byron Phillips of Wenatchee has been reappointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending September 14, 2010. Phillips is an integrated pest management consultant for Columbia Fruit Packers, Inc. and is a pest control consultant for the Washington Department of Agriculture. He is a member of the Douglas County Pest and Disease Control Board, the Washington Pest Consultants Association, the North Central Washington Fieldmen�s Association, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and the Washington State Horticulture Association Commission.

The Commission provides guidance to Washington State University (WSU) Food Safety and Environmental Quality Lab in the area of pesticide registrations for minor crops and minor uses and regarding the availability of pesticides for emergency use. It also approves the use of state monies appropriated to WSU specifically for studies or activities regarding pesticide.

Podiatric Medical Board
Stewart Brim, D.P.M. of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending June 30, 2012. Brim is in private practice at the Medical Foot Center in Spokane and is the medical director of the Spokane Surgery Center. He is a member of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

The Board examines candidates for licensing or registration; investigates charges of malpractice, unsafe conditions or unprofessional conduct; conducts disciplinary hearings and recommends and adopts rules and regulations to promote the safety and protection of the public.

Salmon Recovery Funding Board
Stephen Tharinger of Port Angeles has been named chairperson of the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. Tharinger is serving his second term on the board, ending July 15, 2009. He is a Clallam County Commissioner and owns Dungeness Woodworks. He is the chairperson of the Dungeness River Management Team and the Clallam County Lodging Tax Advisory Board and is a member of the Washington Biodiversity Council, the Clallam County Economic Development Council, the Olympic Consortium for Workforce Development and Clallam NetWorks. Tharinger is active in the forum council of the Shared Strategy for Salmon Recovery, the Clallam County Agricultural Resource Lands Committee, the Dungeness River Flood Control Advisory Board, the Water Resource Inventory Area and the Clallam County Board of Health.

Donald (Bud) Hover of Okanogan has been appointed to a term effective October 3, 2007, ending July 15, 2011. Hover is an Okanogan County Commissioner and is a self-employed farmer and rancher. He is on the board of the Okanogan County Electric Co-Op and is a member of the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board and the Fire Protection Policy Board.

Bob Nichols of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective October 25, 2007, ending July 15, 2011. Nichols serves as senior advisor to the Governor on natural resource issues, focusing primarily on the Columbia River and salmon recovery policy issues. He also serves as the Governor�s designee on the Board of Natural Resources. Nichols previously served governors Gardner, Lowry and Locke on environmental and natural resource issues.

The Board is responsible for making grants and loans for salmon habitat projects and salmon recovery activities and provides assistance to grant applicants.

Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute (SIRTI), Board of Directors
Gary Flood of Spokane has been appointed to a term effective October 29, 2007, ending
June 30, 2009. Flood is the president and chief executive officer of ReliOn, a supplier of backup power solutions. He was the vice president of marketing and business development for ReliOn and was the chief executive officer of Metawave Communications Corp.

The Board is responsible for developing and approving the SIRTI general operating procedures and annual operating budget, approving and allocating funding for research projects and coordinating research, development and training programs with other institutes of higher education

Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board
Creigh Agnew of Federal Way has been appointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending June 30, 2011. Agnew is vice president of government affairs and corporate contributions at Weyerhaeuser. She is the sponsor for Weyerhaeuser�s philanthropic organization, the Office of Corporate Contributions. She serves on the boards of the Association of Washington Business and Sterling Savings Bank-Spokane and is a member of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Public Affairs Council and the Foundation for Public Affairs.

Rick Bender of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective October 26, 2007, ending June 30, 2010. Bender is the president of the Washington State Labor Council and is a former Washington State Representative and Senator. He is a member of the Evergreen Safety Council, the Puget Sound Regional Council Housing Group, the Washington Economic Development Commission, the Governor�s Council of Economic Advisors, the board of the King County Housing Authority, the Northwest Migrant Housing Fund Advisory Board and United Way of King County.

The Board provides planning, coordination, evaluation, monitoring and policy analysis for the state training system. It also advises the Governor and Legislature on the state training system.

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