Fire Chief (ret.), Deschutes County Fire & Rescue · Founder, Hearth · Director, Meridian Trust Bank
Bend · Meridian Trust Bank · 911+ connections
I spent thirty-two years in the fire service, the last nine as chief of Deschutes County Fire & Rescue. In 2020 I coordinated the evacuation of 8,000 people from the Santiam Canyon fires and lost two firefighters under my command, Kyle and Marisol. I say their names in every public appearance and I will say them here.
The year after, I founded Hearth, which builds affordable housing for seasonal wildland firefighters who cannot afford to live in the communities they protect. We have housed 64 so far.
In 2022 I joined Meridian Trust's board in the seat it reserves for a community representative with no financial background. My job is to ask the questions a customer would ask if they were in the room. Usually that question is 'why does that take so long?'
Hearth broke ground on 24 units in Sisters today. Meridian Trust is the construction lender, and I recused myself from the vote, which Helen made sure of before I could. By next fire season, 24 more wildland firefighters will be able to live in the county they protect. Kyle and Marisol would have been 34 and 29 this year.
Every quarter the board packet includes a summary of every customer complaint the bank received. I asked for it in my first meeting. I was told it would be long. It's four pages. The most common complaint is 'why does that take so long?' I'm here to keep asking it.
Four pages, and the 'too slow' column has shrunk every quarter. That column is my job description.
Twenty years of feeding the Redmond fire station on the Fourth. The smoker is a propane tank I welded in 2006. Sixty pounds of brisket, fourteen hours. If you're on shift tomorrow, come hungry.
Instituted the quarterly customer-complaint summary in the board packet; member of the governance committee.
Affordable housing for seasonal wildland firefighters in Central Oregon; 64 housed, 40 units under construction in Redmond and Sisters.
Led 380 career and volunteer firefighters; incident commander for the 2020 Santiam Canyon evacuations.
Seasonal wildland firefighter at 18; structural and wildland command.
Executive Fire Officer Program, National Fire Academy, 2012
A.A.S. Fire Science, Central Oregon Community College, 1992
Recusal noted in the minutes, as it should be. The loan was approved 8–0. You'd have made it 9.
Bend branch staff asked to volunteer on the build days. I said yes before asking anyone.