Brad Fisher
Chair

Senior Vice President & Branch Director, RBC Wealth Management
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Brad Fisher has served as the branch director and financial consultant for RBC Wealth Management since July 2006. Prior to this position, he was a financial advisor and branch office manager at Piper Jaffray the previous 20 years. A native of the Tri-Cities, Fisher has been actively involved in community service in the area and was a former Mayor and councilmember of the City of Kennewick. He was the president of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation, a board member of the Columbia Basin College Foundation, co-chairman of the Tri-Cities Goodwill Games Organizing Committee and a member of Richland Rotary. In 1998, Senator Slade Gordon invited him to be on his Washington State Advisory Committee. Fisher attended the University of Washington and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington State University in 1979. He presently serves as a member of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees and is a board member of the Mid-Columbia Reading Foundation.

He and his wife Jennifer have four children and reside in Richland.

Carl Adrian

CEO TRIDEC
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Carl Adrian has been the CEO and President the Tri-City Industrial Development Council (TRIDEC) since September 2003. TRIDEC is the leading economic development organization for Benton and Franklin Counties. It offers businesses interested in expanding to the Tri-Cities area the most comprehensive and business-specific assistance available in the region. Adrian comes to TRIDEC from the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area of Iowa, where he served as President of the Cedar Valley Economic Development Corporation since 1994. Prior to accepting the position with Cedar Valley EDC, Adrian served as the President of the Casper Area Economic Development Alliance, Inc. based in Casper, Wyoming and before that was Vice President of the Quad-City Development Group in the Quad-City area of Iowa and Illinois. Adrian is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. He has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Economic Geography and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Geography from the University of Iowa.

Vicky L. Carwein

Chancellor
WSU Tri-Cities (ex-officio)

Fran Forgette

Ex-Officio
Chair, WSU Board of Regents

Francois X. Forgette was appointed to the Board of Regents in May of 2005. He is a partner with the Tri-City law firm of Rettig Osborne Forgette, LLP, which he joined in 1977. His full-time practice includes business, real estate, agriculture, insurance defense and health care and related mediation and civil litigation. He is a Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member. Regent Forgette has also been actively involved in Tri-City education issues. He was named Tri-Citian of the Year in 2001 for his community service. He received the first Proud to be a Lawyer “Hero Award” from the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) in 2000 and the WSBA Board of Governors annual Award for Professionalism in 2001. He was named Kennewick Man of the Year for 2001. Regent Forgette graduated from Seattle Preparatory School in 1970 and the University of Washington in 1974 with a B.A. in English Literature. He then attended Gonzaga Law School in Spokane where he graduated with honors in 1977. He and his wife Debbie live in Kennewick and have two sons, Joseph and Patrick.

George Garlick

President & CEO, George Garlick Enterprises
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

George Garlick is the President and CEO of George Garlick Enterprises. He has lived in the Tri-Cities since 1962, when he accepted a position at Hanford Laboratories. He began teaching 30 local students who were working on their Master’s degree. In 1967 and with the approval of Battelle, he became Director of the Center for Graduate Study, where he raised funds to build the first campus of what is now Washington State University Tri-Cities campus.  While in the position Garlick established the first faculty recognition, student graduation recognitions and the first ability for local students to meet the residency requirements at WSU. Through his work at George Garlick Enterprises he has developed and formed companies related to real estate development primarily in the Tri-Cities Science and Technology Park for which he was one of the founding members in 1990. The 600,000 sq. ft. Stevens Center Business Park provides facility support to assist the local major companies in meeting their objectives on the Hanford Project. This Park also includes a Montessori School, Corporate Fitness Center, lakes and recreational areas. Garlick is also active in many community boards and committees, including the Tri-City Chaplaincy, CREST and TRIDEC, and he was named Tri-Citian of the Year in 2007. He also founded the Gloria Meek Garlick Foundation in honor of his sister-in-law who passed away from cancer. The Foundation will provide medical imaging systems manufactured in the Tri Cities for use by underserved peoples. Garlick earned his Ph. D. degree in Electrical Engineering and Solid State Physics from Iowa State University.

Vicki Gordon

Owner, Gordon Brothers Family Vineyard
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Vicki Gordon, with her husband and daughter, is co-owner of Kamiak Vineyards and Gordon Brother Cellars, Inc. In addition to her work in the wine industry, she helped found Pay+Benefits, which was the first Professional Employer Organization in Washington State. Vicki has dedicated much of her time to serving the local community and she has served for eight years on the Board of Directors of Lourdes Health Center, three years on the Tri-City Industrial Development Council and Executive Committee and six years on the Community Economic Revitalization Board appointed by Governor Locke. Gordon currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Three Rivers Community Foundation. She attended Washington State University from 1968-1971 and is Washington State University Foundation trustee.

Cindy Goulet

Owner & Manager, Florentyna's
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Saundra Hill

Superintendent of Schools, Pasco School District
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Michael Kluse

Laboratory Director, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Michael Kluse is Laboratory Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to this assignment he had responsibility for all of PNNL’s national security business, which includes science and technology for DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration, DOE’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the Intelligence Community. From 1996 through 2002, Kluse was the Vice President and General Manager of Battelle’s Navy Sector. Prior to transferring to PNNL in 1997, he served as Vice President of Operations of Battelle’s Defense Systems and Technology Business Group. Kluse joined Battelle in 1976 as a defense and space systems research scientist. Before joining Battelle, he served as an officer in the United States Air Force, where he was assigned to the Freeman Mathematical Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base. Kluse is a member of the U.S. Army Science Board and currently serves on the National Utility Training and Education Center Board of Directors, and on the Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Steering Committee in Richland, WA. He holds a B.S. degree in Systems Analysis from Miami University, and a M.S. degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University.

John Lehew

President & CEO, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Christina Lethlean

President and Chief Executive Officer, Gesa Credit Union
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Christina Lethlean is President and Chief Executive Officer of Gesa Credit Union, Southeastern Washington’s leading financial institution. Lethlean joined Gesa Credit Union in July of 2007 where her leadership and passion have become hallmarks of her tenure at the company. Lethlean has been a distinguished leader in the larger credit union movement since 1993. Prior to joining Gesa, Lethlean served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations for Xceed Financial Credit Union (Formerly Xerox Federal Credit Union), a progressive institution with over $750 million in assets.

As Vice Chairperson of its Executive Committee and an active member of multiple Credit Union National Association (CUNA) CFO Council subcommittees, Lethlean helped to increase national membership in the CUNA CFO Council to 600 members. Additionally, she has presented on financial topics at numerous educational seminars detailing new and innovative ways to increase the effectiveness of credit union staff and volunteers to benefit credit unions. Lethlean holds a BA degree in Accounting from California State University.

Valoria Loveland

Former Director, Department of Agriculture,
State of Washington
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Valoria Loveland served as director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Originally appointed by Gov. Gary Locke, she was reappointed to the position in April 2005 by Gov. Christine Gregoire. As Director, Loveland oversaw an agency responsible for animal health, water quality, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, and marketing the state’s agricultural products regionally and internationally. More than 600 people work for WSDA. She has also served on several agricultural advisory boards and committees. Prior to her appointment as WSDA Director, Loveland was the government relations director at Nuvotec, a technology commercialization and consulting company in the Tri-Cities. Loveland has a long career in public service; she was a state senator representing the 16h Legislative District, which includes Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, from 1993 to 2001. While in the Senate, Loveland served as chairman of the powerful Ways & Means Committee and vice-chair of the Senate agriculture committee. During her first term in the Senate, she was elected to the leadership position of Senate Democratic Caucus chair. Prior to serving in the Senate, Loveland was the Franklin County Treasurer for 10 years, chaired the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, and was a member of the Nuclear Waste Advisory Council.

Wayne Martin

Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Wayne J. Martin is an environmental scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Martin is a graduate of Washington State University with a Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, an M.S. in Radiological Sciences with an emphasis in environmental transport from the University of Washington, and a B.S. in Wildlife Management and a minor in Chemistry from Washington State University. His 29-year career at PNNL includes positions as a researcher, principal investigator, and project manager of a variety of projects related to hazardous, toxic, and radioactive wastes. These research projects related to the purpose of understanding contaminant migration within the environment. Martin is currently a technical group manager who oversees 50 scientists and support staff dealing with projects related to applied geology and geochemistry. One of Martin’s most notable qualities is his focus on nurturing and influencing young people in taking on scientific and technological endeavors. He mentors graduate students at PNNL and strongly encourages staff to support student intern involvement in scientific endeavors internally and externally. He has served on the Executive Committee for the Trustee Association for Community and Technical Colleges. He has been a judge in national and local science competitions and has worked at the national level with the organization that sponsors and conducts the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference where he is a member of the selection and seminar committees. Martin has also received a performance award for his support to PNNL in assisting with diversity issues.

Matthew McCormick

Manager, Department of Energy Richland Operations Office
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Matthew S. McCormick was named Manager of the Richland Operations Office on July 9, 2010.  In this role, Matt is responsible for management and oversight of much of Hanford cleanup except the construction of the Waste Treatment Plant and the management of underground tank waste which is under the purview of DOE’s Office of River Protection. Matt and the Richland Operations Office are committed to implementing and completing the safe cleanup of the Hanford Site in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment.  Matt values a cleanup process that engages an open dialogue and considers the values of Hanford Site stakeholders and Tribal Nations.  Matt also leads a diverse and high performing federal work force that is dedicated to the safe and effective cleanup of the Hanford Site. Under Matt’s leadership, the Richland Operations Office is focused on implementing the RL 2015 Vision which has the major of objective of completing cleanup along the Columbia River by 2015.  

Prior to becoming Manager, Matt was the Assistant Manager for the Central Plateau at Richland for seven years.  He was responsible for overall management and oversight of most of the cleanup activities of the central portion of the Hanford Site.  Matt was also responsible for groundwater remediation across the Hanford Site. Before becoming the Assistant Manager for the Central Plateau, Matt was a member of the DOE Top to Bottom Review Team for Environmental Management (EM) cleanup and the EM Corporate Project Manager for Safeguards and Security.  Prior to coming to RL, Matt worked in the Rocky Flats Field Office as the Deputy Assistant Manager for Facility Closure and the Operations Division Director.  In this capacity, Matt was responsible for oversight of nuclear operations, nuclear material stabilization, waste management and deactivation and demolishing of nuclear facilities.  He has also worked in Defense Programs at DOE Headquarters where he was responsible for overseeing the restart of the Savannah River Site Production Reactors.  Matt started his DOE career at Headquarters with the Office of Environment, Safety and Health (EH) and was an EH Site Representative at the Savannah River Site.

Matt began his civil career as a nuclear engineer in the Naval Reactors program at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.  He was responsible for overhauling, refueling and testing of naval nuclear reactors.

Matt received his Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Montana State University.
 

Duke Mitchell

Trustee, Columbia Basin College

Ray Robinson

CEO and President, RKR, Inc.
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Dr. Ray K. Robinson has been the CEO and President of RKR, Inc, a management and technology consulting company, for over 20 years. He has over four decades of hands-on experience stimulating, identifying, incubating, and integrating ideas and resources into successful and sustainable projects and ventures. He was one of Battelle Northwest's entrepreneurial senior scientists and managers charged with finding, funding and implementing innovative ideas and customers outside of Battelle Northwest's principal U.S. Department of Energy customer base. He was a senior executive and director in Exxon's "start with a clean sheet of paper" creation of a diversified nuclear fuel cycle company and was a senior executive in charge of three of those startups with major operations that spanned three states and two countries. He also managed one of Exxon's oldest mainstream manufacturing companies. After Exxon sold the nuclear and manufacturing companies, Robinson founded or co-founded four for-profit companies and two national non-profit corporations. He collaborated with community leaders to help conceive, start and/or grow highly successful incubators, a science and technology park, a land grant state university branch campus, a Southeastern Washington "commercialization partnership" and two federal agency centers of excellence (HAMMER and the National Counterdrug Center). He serves in a leadership capacity on four boards of directors (two as chairman), and is active in three new start-ups. He has a Doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, a Master's of Business Administration from University of Washington and a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Texas.

Coke Roth

Attorney, Coke Roth Law Office
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Albert Coke Roth, III, known by all as “Coke,” is an attorney at Roth*Colmen. He has been in private practice since 1996 and his work consists of estate planning, business and commercial law, landlord/tenant law, and real estate law. Coke was admitted to practice in the Eastern District of Washington on June 24, 1994, the Western District of Washington Federal District Courts on April 7, 1995 and was admitted to practice in Oregon in 2002. Roth is well known as an international wine judge and has been a community volunteer throughout his entire life. Coke was awarded the Governor’s Award for Volunteerism in 1996, Kennewick Man of the Year and Tri-Citian of the Year in 1997, Community Professional of the Year from the ARC in 2007, and numerous other awards recognizing his volunteer activities. Roth graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from University of Puget Sound School of Law and earned his Bachelor of Arts in German Area Studies/Germanics from University of Washington.

Mike Schwenk

Vice President and Director, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2013

Mike Schwenk has more than thirty years of technical and business management experience in government, non-profit, and corporate settings. For much of that time, he has championed numerous efforts to move research out of the laboratory and into the hands of business. In his current roles for both Battelle and PNNL, his responsibilities involve coordination of all technology transfer and economic development activities. This spans a nationwide network of six DOE national laboratories and Battelle's private laboratories at the corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Nationally, Mike serves on the Industrial Research Institute’s Science and Technology Policy Committee and is co-chair of IRI’s Managing Technology Transfer working group. He sits on the Public Policy Advisory Committee for the International Economic Development Council, including subgroups on Innovation and Energy. Mike is an active participant in the National Academies’ University Industry Demonstration Project (UIDP), and was an invitee to the National Science Foundation’s Discovery-to-Innovation Project.

Regionally, Mike was appointed by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire to the board for the Washington Technology Center, a statewide economic development organization focused on technology and innovation. He is heavily engaged with Washington State University, chairing both the WSU Research Foundation and the WSU-Tri-Cities Advisory Council. Closer to home, Mike chairs the Three Rivers Community Roundtable, and is chair of the Tri-City Development Council. In 2008, he was named Tri-Citian of the Year, an annual recognition awarded to an individual in the community who has demonstrated "service above self," as well as outstanding leadership and contribution for positive development, economic growth and quality of life in the Tri-Cities.

Albert Torres

CEO & Publisher, Tú Decides Media
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Albert Torres is the publisher of Tú Decides, a statewide weekly newspaper that is published in English and Spanish. He works toward building relationships and bridging the gap between the Hispanic community and the non Hispanic community. He started Tú Decides in January 2007 with a circulation size of 5,000, which has now grown to 26,000. Educational institutions have begun to include Tú Decides as part of their curriculum through a program called Newspapers in Education (NIE), whereby schools receive free copies of the newspaper to be used in classes where students are learning English, Spanish or multi-cultural business. Schools from eastern and western Washington are currently participating in the program. Torres, along with his business partners, also created Expo NW, which organizes the Latino Business, Consumer and Career expos www.ExpoLatinoBusiness.com in eastern and western Washington.

Albert and his wife Blanca were honored at the White House under the Bush administration in 2006 during their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration for their community involvement in helping permanent residents prepare for their citizenship tests. Albert graduated from Pasco High and Columbia Basin College. He graduated from Washington State University Tri-Cities with a Bachelor of Arts in Management Information Systems.

Rand Wortman

President and CEO, Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Term Expires: Dec. 31, 2012

Rand Wortman became the President and CEO of Kadlec Medical Center in November 2000. He is a leader dedicated to patient safety and patient centered care and is committed to providing the highest quality care to the patients in the Tri-Cities and surrounding region. In his time at Kadlec, Wortman has established the hospitalist, pediatric hospitalist and intensivist programs and a physician portal which allows Kadlec physicians to access patient information, including radiology images and reports, from their offices. Kadlec also became the first accredited Chest Pain Center in the Northwest and the first Chest Pain Center to receive Level 2 accreditation and is the only hospital in Eastern Washington affiliated with the prestigious Planetree Organization. He participates in various quality care programs including the 100,000 Lives Campaign, Leapfrog Group and JCAHO Core Measures. He also instigated construction of the Outpatient Imaging Center, a state of the art emergency room, and a critical care unit. Rand received his BS in Business Economics from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and obtained his Masters in Hospital and Health Administration from University of Iowa in 1975.