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, as a loaned executive to United Way, and is now a Human Services Commissioner for the City of Bellevue. He is a current member of the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board and a lifetime member of both Vietnam Veterans of America and 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. He served in 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. He is serving his third term on the King County Veterans' Program Advisory Board and also serves as the Treasurer for Pack Parachute Charity, a nonprofit organization aiding Military Sexual Trauma Victims. Mr. Gunno is the State Commander for the Disabled American Veterans Department of Washington, and 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 manages a budget of $1.5 million, coordinates strategic planning , and participates in fundraising . He has experience in starting up new churches, and has served in various roles with numerous churches. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts, an MBA, and a Masters in Theological Studies. As a pastor helping the military, veterans, and their families, Mr. Kingsbury has shown a passion for reaching out to people from this community who are in need of assistance. He enjoys 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 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. Cynthia Lefever, Council District Nine, nominated by Councilmember Reagan Dunn. Ms. Lefever is the mother and caregiver of a veteran who was catastrophically injured in Iraq in 2004. Through the course of her son's recovery, she has become a strong advocate for veterans services. Ms. Lefever left behind her 15-year career in adult education to raise awareness and understanding of traumatic brain injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and to help families and communities prepare for the new generation of veterans coming home. Her mission includes working to ensure that veterans receive the services they need to successfully integrate into their communities. In 2008, she received a Golden Tennis Shoe Award from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray for her work on behalf of veterans. 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 Vietnam Veterans of America. He has volunteered with American Legion Post 160, the Northwest Wheelchair Games, the Veterans' Legislative Coalition, as a sponsor at McNeill Island Corrections Center, and is a charter member of the Tahoma National Cemetary Support Group. 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 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. |
