CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber today announced the nominations of 14 members of Oregon State University's new institutional board of trustees. The nominees must still be confirmed by the Oregon Senate, which is expected to meet next month.

Establishment of institutional governing boards at three of Oregon's public universities was authorized with the passage of Senate Bill 270 during the 2013 legislative session.

The OSU board members reflect the university's broad teaching and research disciplines, as well as its statewide presence. Kitzhaber selected members who represent the state's diverse geographic regions as well as its significant economic sectors.

OSU President Edward J. Ray expressed appreciation for the governor's approach.

"The most important factor in guiding Oregon State's future is to have a board that understands the unique role that the university plays in the state, nation and world," Ray said. "The board members nominated by Gov. Kitzhaber reflect that and I am very pleased with the breadth of experience in many facets of life that our board members bring to the table."

Among the responsibilities of the Oregon State University Board of Trustees will be establishing policies for all aspects of the university's operations; overseeing tuition and fees; guiding academic programs; approving the university's budget for submission to the state; and appointing and employing OSU's president in consultation with the governor.

The board members include:

  • Mark Baldwin, of Albany, Ore., is an analyst and programmer in OSU's Information Services division. He has had a long and successful career in information systems and technology in higher education and the private sector. Prior to joining the OSU staff, he worked at Western Oregon University and a number of private sector firms. As specified in SB 270, he represents the staff at Oregon State.
  • Patricia Bedient, of Sammamish, Wash., has been executive vice president and chief financial officer of Weyerhaeuser Company since 2007. She began her career and worked for 27 years with Arthur Andersen LLP, becoming partner in 1987. She serves on the boards of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and has served two terms on the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees. She also is on the World Forestry Center board.
  • Rani Borkar, of Portland, Ore., is corporate vice president and general manager of the Intel Architecture Development Group for Intel Corporation. She leads numerous global engineering teams that are responsible for the development of a full range of processors for server, client, and handheld devices. She has been with Intel since 1988 and earned the Intel Achievement Award in 2002.
  • Darald "Darry" Callahan, of San Rafael, Calif., is former president of Chevron Chemical Company, and served as executive vice president of Power, Chemicals and Technology for ChevronTexaco Corp. from 2001 until his retirement in 2003. He also has served as president of Chevron Oil Bahamas Limited and president of Warren Petroleum Company. He is a former chair of the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees.
  • Michele Longo Eder, of Newport, Ore., is an attorney whose practice includes an emphasis in marine and fisheries law.  In partnership with her husband, Bob Eder, she is a shareholder in Argos Inc. and is president of Eder Fish Company, a wholesale fish dealer for domestic and foreign buyers. She is a member of the NOAA Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee and former commissioner of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. 
  • Elson Floyd, of Pullman, Wash., has been president of Washington State University since 2007. He was president of the University of Missouri from 2003-07, and Western Michigan University from 1998 to 2003. He began his career at University of North Carolina, where he held several executive positions. He is on numerous national boards including the Washington STEM Center Board, Association of Public Land Grant Universities Board, and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.
  • Orcilia Zúñiga Forbes, of Portland, was appointed to the State Board of Higher Education in July 2012; her term expires in 2014. She retired from OSU in 2004 as vice president of University Advancement, and has served as a trustee for the Meyer Memorial Trust since 1999. She is also serving on the boards of the Chalkboard Project and the University of New Mexico Foundation.
  • Paul Kelly, of Portland, Ore., was named to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education in 2007 and served as president from 2008-11. He recently retired from the law firm Garvey Schubert Barer. From 1987 to 2005, he served in several positions at Nike, Inc., including general counsel and global director of public affairs. He is on the Oregon School Funding Defense Foundation board and Legal Aid Services of Oregon board, among others.
  • Brenda McComb, of Philomath, Ore., is dean of the OSU Graduate School and a former forest habitat researcher. Before being named dean of the graduate school in April of 2011, she led the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society in the College of Forestry. Her research has focused on the effects of land management practices on animals and natural habitats. As specified in SB 270, she represents the faculty at Oregon State.
  • Laura Naumes, of Medford, Ore., is vice president of Naumes Inc. The company has orchards in California, Oregon and Washington and is a leading producer of pears. It also produces several varieties of apples, along with cherries, Asian pears and persimmons. She is a former member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco advisory council and began her first term as trustee on the OSU Foundation Board in 2012.
  • Patricia "Pat" Reser, of Beaverton, Ore., is board chair of Reser's Fine Foods, Inc., a family-owned fresh refrigerated food company. She previously served as corporate secretary for 13 years, and is a retired employee of the Beaverton School District. She is one of three co-chairs of OSU's Capital Campaign Steering Committee and is serving her third term as an OSU Foundation Trustee.
  • Taylor Sarman, of Corvallis, Ore., is a sophomore majoring in political science at Oregon State and is executive director of government affairs for the Associated Students of OSU. In that role, he oversees ASOSU's local, state and federal lobbying efforts. The graduate of Union High School in eastern Oregon served as an intern during the 2013 Oregon Legislative session, and is a past president of the national Future Business Leaders of America. As specified in SB 270, he represents the students of OSU.
  • Kirk Schueler, of Bend, Ore., is chief administrative officer for St. Charles Health System. Previously, he was president of Brooks Resources Corporation, a real estate development firm in Bend.  He was appointed to the State Board of Higher Education in 2009; his term expires in 2013. He serves on the boards of the Bend Foundation, Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, and the Jeld-Wen Tradition Foundation.
  • John Turner, of Pendleton, Ore., retired as president of Blue Mountain Community College in June. He joined the college in 2003 as executive vice president and provost, becoming president in 2005. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a colonel with more than 28 years of service, including a stint as president of the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Va.  He serves as a commissioner of the Port of Umatilla.

OSU's President Ray will serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the board. More information on Oregon State's Board of Trustees is available at: http://oregonstate.edu/leadership/trustees

Source: 

 Steve Clark, 541-737-3808 (cell 503-502-8217); [email protected]

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