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Douglas Hoople, Chair, County Executive nominee. Lieutenant Commander Hoople served with the U.S. Navy from 1960-1980, and upon leaving the Navy, was employed by the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company until his retirement in 2001. He worked with the Boeing Employees Good Neighbor Fund for 20 years, was a loaned executive to United Way, is a Human Services Commissioner for the city of Bellevue, and currently chairs the commission. He is a current member of the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Ronald Forest, Council District Eight, nominated by Councilmember Dow Constantine. Mr. Forest served two terms in the Vietnam Conflict, from 1966 to1968. He is a current member of his local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter. Mr. Forest served on the Kent Civil Service Commission from 1990-1994, and was a member of the Washington State Housing Finance Commission from 1993-2003. He is a retired carpenter, a 42-year member of the Carpenter's Union, and served as the Business Agent and Business Manager of his local chapter. He is a current member and past president of the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board.
Stanley Gunno, Council District Three, nominated by Councilmember Kathy Lambert. Mr. Gunno served with the U.S. Air Force from 1977 until his retirement in 1996. He received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He is currently a self-employed general contractor and volunteers with disabled veterans and their families. Mr. Gunno is serving his second term on the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board and has also served on the Washington State Disabled American Veterans' organization. He is a lifetime member of the Air Force Association.
Oren J. Hadaller, Council District Five, nominated by Councilmember Julia Patterson. Mr. Hadaller has been employed by the Boeing Co. as Senior Engineer since June 1972. As a Vietnam veteran, Mr. Hadaller was able to attend college and acquire a degree in chemical engineering as a beneficiary of the GI Bill. He comments that this experience helped him to appreciate the long-term benefits of having relevant veterans' programs available. Through extensive volunteer work at his church, Mr. Hadaller has developed such leadership skills as consensus building, working on teams, active listening, and summarizing large amounts of information into salient points.
Francisco Ivarra, Council District Four, nominated by Councilmember Larry Phillips. Mr. Ivarra served with the American Division 196th Light Infantry Brigade during the Vietnam Conflict and was awarded a Purple Heart. Upon returning from Vietnam, he earned his M.A. from Western Washington University, and worked on his Ph.D. at the University of Washington. His academic career focused on bilingual education and diversity studies at various community colleges and universities. Mr. Ivarra is a long-term member and former office holder of the American G.I. Forum, the largest Hispanic veterans' organization in the nation. In 2002, he helped the Hispanic Congressional Caucus plan the first summit on Hispanic veterans' issues in Washington D.C. |
Gary Kingsbury, Council District One, nominated by Councilmember Bob Ferguson. Mr. Kingsbury has been employed as the General Manager for Taproot Theatre Company since 2005. In this position, he develops and manages a budget of $1.2 million, coordinates strategic planning processes, and participates in fundraising efforts. He has experience in starting up new churches, and has served as a minister, a church administrator, and financial/operations director in various churches. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts, an MBA with an emphasis on strategic planning, and a Masters in Theological Studies. As a former member of the U.S. Air Force and as a pastor helping veterans and their families, Mr. Kingsbury has a passion for reaching out to veterans in need of assistance, and employing his business management skills to assure the effective use of resources.
Kathleen Lewis, Council District Seven, nominated by Councilmember Pete Von Reichbauer. Ms. Lewis is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Many members of her immediate family, including her father, brother, and husband are military veterans, and the veteran culture is woven into her family life. Professionally, Ms. Lewis is a jeweler and owns a small business in Auburn. She also serves on the White River Valley Museum Board.
Robert Stephens, Jr., Council District Two, nominated by Councilmember Larry Gossett. Mr. Stephens has served as President of the Garfield Community Center Advisory Council, as Vice-President of the Central Area District Council, and is a retired schoolteacher and counselor. His resume includes membership in the Model Cities Task Force, through which programs such as the Odessa Brown Health Clinic and the Madrona Dance Studio were developed; and he has worked with the Washington State Reformatory helping prisoners to return to community life. Mr. Stephens left the Armed Forces in 1968.
Roger Welles, County Executive nominee. Mr. Welles served in the U.S. Navy as a medical corpsman from 1968-71, including service in Vietnam. He is a four-year member of the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board, and serves as Vice President, Chapter Delegate, and Chapter Service Officer of the Seattle Chapter 102 of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He has volunteered with American Legion Post 160, the Northwest Wheelchair Games, the Veterans' Legislative Coalition, the World War II Memorial Committee, and as a sponsor at McNeill Island Corrections Center. After serving in the military, Mr. Welles worked for Anheuser-Busch and as a studio mechanic/stage hand.
William Wood, Vice-Chair, County Executive nominee. Mr. Wood served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1971. During his tour of duty, he was Chief Warrant Officer and a helicopter pilot in Vietnam for two years, and was an observation pilot along the East/West German border for the next two years. Mr. Wood has served as a member of the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board for the past ten years and is a former chair. He is a member of Seattle Chapter 102 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Veterans Service Foundation of Washington (a non-profit organization that works to improve the condition and social welfare of veterans). Mr. Wood earned an MBA degree following his military service, and before retiring, had 21 years experience in banking and finance, focusing on international and investment banking. |
