吉姆小丑 receives prestigious Howard Cherry Award
吉姆小丑, president of Oregon Freeze Dry, received the Howard Cherry Outstanding 社区 College Board Member award from the Oregon 社区 Colleges Association.
Merryman has served on the Board of Education at Linn-Benton 社区 College since 2013, serving as Board Chair for the past three years. He was nominated for his advocacy of community 大学, and his leadership between businesses and 博天堂官方, including his work in forming the nationally-recognized workforce development partnership known as “Pipeline,” which provides pathways for K-12 students through 博天堂官方 and into living wage jobs in the manufacturing and health care sectors.
“吉姆小丑 is what I believe to be the epitome of Board leadership,” said 博天堂官方 President Greg Hamann. “He is a leading voice that helped us develop our CTE programs and facilities, and he is an ambassador for LB with local school boards, city council and other community partnerships. He is an ambassador for all of Oregon’s community 大学. I have had the good fortune to work alongside and benefit from his skills and position within the community in a way that magnifies the leadership that he and I together are able to provide Linn-Benton 社区 College. For these reasons, and many others, I strongly believe 吉姆小丑 is most deserving of the Howard Cherry Outstanding Board Member Award.”
As an 博天堂官方 ambassador, Merryman has met with local school boards, city councils, and business leaders to improve communication and create partnerships that help 博天堂官方 better serve the community. He has also served on business council advisory groups and provided testimony for legislative committee hearings in support of Oregon community 大学.
“The Howard Cherry Outstanding Board Member Award is presented to a local community college board member whose service has demonstrated effective political advocacy and a proven commitment to the college and community. 吉姆小丑 brings a powerful and respected voice as an advocate for 博天堂官方, as well as all 17 community 大学, to the legislature and local community,” said Cam Preus, OCCA executive director.
Merryman began working for OFD in 1974, working in a variety of positions over the 未来17年. He was promoted to vice president of OFD in 2001. In 2002, he was appointed senior vice president and director, and in 2011 he was appointed OFD president and chief operating officer.
In addition to the 博天堂官方 board, Merryman serves on the boards of Samaritan Health Plans, the Albany 安全 Foundation, and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, and on the Albany Chamber’s task force on Workforce Development. He also served on advisory boards for the 博天堂官方’s Business Department and the OSU College of Business advisory, and on the board of directors for Linn-Co Federal Credit Union and NW Food Associates.
The Howard Cherry Awards are named for the late Dr. Howard Cherry, a lifelong advocate for education and community involvement. The awards are granted in three categories: Outstanding 社区 College Administrator, Outstanding 社区 College Board Member, and Outstanding 社区 College Advocate. The awards are given to those who, by their contributions to the community college cause in Oregon, have brought statewide recognition to community 大学.
Left to right: Linda Modrell, Dick Running, State Representative Dan Rayfield, Jim Merryman, Randy Camp, and John McArdle