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Board Members Since 1938

There have been a number of board members who have served since the Foundation's beginning.  We appreciate the hours of committed service and the benefit that this type of service provides the citizens of Pendleton!  Review the List

Cook retires from PFT Board

Donald and Helen Cook are moving to Charbonneau for their retirement. Donald has
been a member of the Board of Pendleton Foundation Trust for fourteen years and has helped in many ways. He has served on various committees and his work on the Finance Committee has been outstanding. He has analyzed our standing and results with our five depositories and has presented these results at each of our quarterly meetings. Donald is a graduate of Pendleton High School and Oregon
State University, with time out for one year’s service in the Navy during World War II. After college graduation, he began working with Pendleton Grain Growers, where he was employed for 42
years. He served in three branches and retired as overall manager of PGG in 1992. He was also chosen to serve on several other boards, as
well as serving as President of the Pendleton Round-Up for two years. In 1987, Donald was chosen as Pendleton’s Outstanding Citizen.
We wish Donald and Helen much happiness and success in their retirement years at Charbonneau.

 

For 30 Years, Bealer Helps in Growth of the Foundation

Anyone who has ever had a question about the Pendleton Foundation Trust knows that secretary Jerri Bealer has all of the answers.

Jerri has served as secretary to the Foundation since 1976. She started working for attorney Steve Corey the year before, and it wasn’t long before she became involved with the Foundation activities. Steve was serving as legal secretary to the Foundation and continued until 1998. Jerri then worked with attorney Alex Byler and now Henry Lorenzen when they became the PFT legal secretaries.

Jerri and her husband, Jim, came to Pendleton from Southern California in 1975. With a background which included working as a bank general ledger bookkeeper, mortgage loan processor and escrow officer for private businesses, Jerri was well qualified to assist PFT.
In her role as secretary, she keeps track of bank investments, records and donations, files charitable returns, manages the application process and distributes the grants given by the Foundation. Her job has grown as the Foundation has grown.  Jerri was elected as Secretary of the Board of Directors in April 2004.

“It took a while for the Pendleton Foundation Trust to be able to make substantial gifts, but as it has grown, it is pretty exciting to see the variety of ways that donors are finding to contribute to the Foundation,” Jerri noted. In addition to memorials, creative donations have been made to honor people who have reached retirement, have served as a favorite teacher, and have celebrated a birthday. One donation was a tribute for a retiring post master and another was in celebration by a new business that was opening in Pendleton. She added that some donations have been made in appreciation of a project funded by PFT. Others have donated annuities, life insurance policies and estates.

For the past thirty years Jerri has watched changes that the Pendleton Foundation Trust has made. “I think that the original Foundation founders would be very pleased with the progress PFT has made “ she said. The board members are very appreciative of the assistance Jerri has given to help us reach this level.
The Bealers have raised two daughters, Jamie and Juliann, in Pendleton. Jim and Jerri live north of Pendleton where they can enjoy their horses—time permitting.

 

Foundation Board Members 2012

Pendleton Foundation Trust Board of Directors
 Back  Row -  Ron Hughes,  Kevin Hale, Chairman, Sharon Brown 
 ,Front Row - Pat Terjeson,  Ken Jackson, Brent Fife, John G. McBee,

 

Director Supports Foundation's Endeavor

Pat Terjeson exemplifies the volunteerism that makes Pendleton a great community in which to live.  Born and educated in Pendleton, she continued her education, graduating from the University of Oregon. She remains an avid supporter of her alma mater. After graduation, she married Ron Terjeson and moved to the ranch near Helix. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Following Ron’s death, Pat returned to Pendleton and became very involved in volunteer activities. She served as director and president of the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. She also was a director on the Heritage Station museum board, worked with the exhibits and continues to volunteer at the museum.

In 1993, Pat served as chairman of the exhibit in the Round-Up pavilion for the sesquicentennial of the Oregon Trail, where they entertained over 10,000 visitors during the summer. As a member of the Episcopal Church, Pat co-chaired the church’s centennial celebration and has served on both the vestry and Altar Guild. In 1994 she received the well-deserved recognition as Pendleton’s First Citizen.

Having served on the Pendleton Foundation board for eleven years, Pat says that it gives her the most satisfaction of any of her volunteer endeavors because of the good that is done to improve our community. She feels fortunate to be allowed to serve on the board.

Senior Board Member Serves the Community Well

In 1973, when John McBee went onto the Pendleton Foundation Board, $13,040 was awarded in grants to the Pendleton community. Thirty-three years later, the Board is annually giving $175,000 back to the community. “Grant awards have increased because the corpus of the Foundation is near $4,000,000,” he explains.

Johns adds that he has enjoyed being a part of a board whose mission is to find worthy projects for the betterment of the City of Pendleton

John went on the PFT Board as an appointment from the Pendleton School District, replacing J. W. Forrester, Jr. He is the senior member of the present PFT Board of directors and has served with sixteen other directors since 1973.
“One of the highlights of my term on the Board was when we gave $100,000 to each of three community entities that had begun new construction for their buildings,” John remembers. Recipients of these grants were UCHS Heritage Station, Pendleton Arts Center and the Pendleton Round-Up/Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. Each organization was able to complete their building project with this assistance.

After another successful State 2-A Basketball Tournament in Mar successful tournament it has become.
Although retired as a dentist, participating in these roles and trying to keep up with his grandchildren's’ programs, concerts and sports events keeps John actively involved in our community. As the senior member of PFT, he is respected by the other Board members.

 

A Lifelong Commitment to Our Community

Pendleton Foundation board member Kenneth Jackson has always valued and supported community service. Born and raised in the Heppner and Lexington area on a cattle ranch, Ken was very athletic, having played on several district championship teams for Lexington and Heppner. That love of sports continued at the University of Oregon where Ken lettered in Track and Field. After graduating from Oregon in 1945, Ken entered the Army Air Corps to become a pilot. There he received his most memorable honor, his ‘wings’ flying medium bombers. In 1949, Ken married his college sweetheart, Elaine, and moved back to the Eastern Oregon where he managed a cattle operation with his father and started to raise their four children. Ken and Elaine moved to Pendleton after the family sold the ranch.

While in Pendleton, Ken was with the Farm Credit Services as their local branch manager. During those years. Ken served on the Happy Canyon Board of Directors, the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Pendleton Country Club Board of Directors, Rotary for over 20 years, and served on the St. Anthony Hospital Board of Directors. Ken has served on the Pendleton Foundation Board since 1981.
Ken says some of his proudest accomplishments were that all four of his children graduated from college and became active members of their own communities.

His early work on the PFT, helping to bring the Bell family estate funds to the Pendleton Foundation, is a lasting accomplishment. The Bell family estate was one of the first large bequests that continue to support our community through the Pendleton Foundation Trust.

Ken still enjoys his golf game and continues to volunteer his time for the benefit of our community. Ken’s lifelong commitment to the Pendleton area is a great example that we at the Pendleton Foundation Trust .are honored to highlight.

 

Board welcomes new member Brent Fife

As the newest member of the board, Brent Fife appreciates the opportunity to work and serve as a Foundation board member. Brent replaces the recently-retired Don Cook.Brent is a lifelong Umatilla County resident. He and his wife, Fran, both grew up in the West end of the county and have lived in Pendleton for 38 years. During those years Brent was self-employed as a CPA, retiring in 2010. Prior civic involvement includes board memberships in Red Cross, United Way, Pendleton Country Club and Happy Canyon Co. Brent currently serves on the St. Anthony Hospital Board and Peace Lutheran Church Council. Pendleton has been very good to the Fife family and has been a wonderful place to raise their children, Sarah and Tucker. Brent hopes that through the Pendleton Foundation Trust he can contribute to maintaining the Pendleton lifestyle that he appreciates so much.

 

Director's Background Enriches Board

A board of directors is only as strong as the members who serve on it, and Ron Hughes brings a long list of talents and strengths to the Pendleton Foundation Trust board.

Ron was raised on a dairy farm in Ontario, Oregon and graduated from Ontario High School. While attending high school, he enrolled in a radio class that was offered and worked with the local radio station for two years. After attending Military Prep School in Washington, D.C. and the Merchant Marine Academy in New York City, he returned to Eastern Oregon to work at the radio station in Payette, Idaho.

Ron has been in the radio business his entire professional career. Before returning to Pendleton in 1992, where he had earlier worked as a salesperson and announcer at KTIX, he served as General Manager for KGAL Radio in Albany, Oregon and KVAN Radio in Vancouver, Washington. When he returned to Pendleton, he bought KUMA-AM/FM with his partner, Dave Capps. In 1997, the partnership bought KOHU-AM/FM in Hermiston and took over owner ship of KWHT/KTIX. After rearranging ownership in 2002, Ron now owns KOHU/KQFM in Hermiston.
Public service to Pendleton fills a large part of Ron’s time. He has served as past president of the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce, helped with fundraising for Heritage Station’s new addition, worked as a volunteer for the Round-Up, served as a member of the City Council and is currently vice president of the Pendleton Country Club board of directors. He has been on the PFT board for six years. Ron said, “Serving as a board member of the Pendleton Foundation Trust is one of the most enjoyable things I have done for service to the community. To be a part of helping the Pendleton community in so many ways on the Pendleton Foundation is truly an honor.

Board Member feels it’s important to Serve Community

Sharon Brown, a Pendleton Foundation Board member appointed by the City of Pendleton, is a long time community volunteer. She is a graduate of BYU in Elementary Education and is married to Kelly Brown.   As a mother of four children she served in classrooms for many years and served as Parents Club President.  Sharon became a substitute teacher in the Pendleton Schools and has done so now for 28 years.  In supporting her children's activities she has been involved with swim team, little league, Babe Ruth, and high school sports teams. 

 Sharon is an active member of the LDS church, serving often in the Young Women organization and being a youth leader at church camp each summer for 25 years.  She helps as a SMART reading volunteer.

 Sharon is honored to be serving on the Pendleton Foundation Trust Board and serving the Pendleton community. 

 

Board Member, Kevin Hale, Enjoys Community Service

Kevin Hale, newest director of the Pendleton Foundation Trust, enjoys the opportunity to serve the Pendleton community and be a part of the Foundation.
Kevin was born and raised in Pendleton. He graduated from Pendleton High School, BMCC and Oregon State University.

He came back to Pendleton with the opportunity to work in the family business, Pendleton Electric. He helped manage Pendleton Electric and then became a part owner. In 2008 he sold his ownership to pursue new professional challenges and opportunities, and spend more time with his family.Kevin has been married for 20 years to Lori, principal of Lincoln Elementary School. They have two children; Hannah is a sophomore at Pendleton High School and Joseph is a 6th grader at Sunridge Middle School.

Kevin attends Peace Lutheran Church. He has been very active in serving the Pendleton community including: on the Board of the American Red Cross; Peace Lutheran Church Council; Pendleton Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation; Past President of the Pendleton Rotary Club; and Past President of the Happy Canyon Company. He is the current President of the Round-Up City Development Corporation, and Chairman of the Pendleton Economic Development Board.
He is currently a Real Estate Broker with Coldwell Banker-Whitney and Associates in Pendleton.

Kevin is very sincere and appreciative of the opportunities to serve Pendleton and the Pendleton Foundation Trust when he says, “Pendleton has been very good to my family. I feel fortunate to have the chance to raise my own family in Pendleton. My folks, Robert and Lois Hale, instilled in me an understanding that we all have the opportunity, not the obligation, to make your home a better place to live. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with the Pendleton Foundation Trust, where “Pendleton people help Pendleton people.”