Class Notes 1980-89

December 2021

Beacock Music, one of the largest independent music stores in the country, will be opening their third location this January in Corvallis, Ore. The business was founded in Vancouver, Wash., by the late Dale Beacock, former Clark College Music Department chair, and is operated by his children, Gayle and Russ Beacock, both 1981 alumni.

October 2021

Art at the CAVE owner and Anne John ’82 curated an exhibit to benefit the Humane Society for Southwest Washington at her downtown Vancouver gallery this past October. John donated her original painting “Adopted” for this year’s event depicting a passel of dogs and cats, as well as five parrots, a chicken and a guinea pig. John created the painting in 2010 when she visited the Humane Society.

Sifton Elementary School teacher and Hockinson Market co-owner Teresa VanNatta ’83 is challenging incumbent Tim Hawkins for Hockinson School Board Position 1 in November’s general election. She believes her perspective as an engaged community member, teacher, wife, mother and grandmother will bring a fresh voice and diversity to the school board and hopes to focus on the community’s shared values that will maintain and strengthen Hockinson schools.

August 2021

Clark County resident of 65 years, Lorrayne Guild ’87, joined a Meals on Wheels new program, called Friendly Chats, to reach out to older adults who may feel isolated. Volunteers calls clients weekly, or sometimes daily, just to talk. “We don’t realize if we’re active and able to go out, that others sit at home and can be so isolated and so lonely, even a five to 10-minute phone call would be an uplift for them throughout the day,” Guild said.

Port of Camas-Washougal Executive Director David Ripp ’87, a competitive cyclist for more than 20 years, donated his bicycling talents to the Clark County Historical Museum’s “Friday Night Flicks” online auction. Ripp plans to take the auction winner for a bicycle ride through parts of East Clark County.

May 2021

Mediation attorney Nancy Retsinas ’82 will replace Clark County Superior Court Judge Daniel Stahnke who is retiring in June 2021. Retsinas founded Retsinas Collaborative Law Center in 2015 where she has served largely as a mediator for the last six years, assisting families with navigating antenuptial agreements and marriage dissolutions. Gov. Jay Inslee announced her appointment in May 2021.

April 2021

Rep. Gina Mosbrucker ’88 introduced bipartisan legislation in Washington state to help tribal and law enforcement authorities work together to solve cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons. Mosbrucker introduced two other bills on this issue in past years that were approved by the state legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law. This final bill, named Bring Them Home, seeks to return the missing and allows for tribal ceremonies to be performed at crime scenes.

February 2021

The Rotary Club of Three Creeks has pivoted away from its Dancing with the Local Stars annual fundraiser due to the pandemic. Instead, the club plans to hold a 90-minute streamed program of nine local stars participating in a competitive cooking show, including Nelson Holmberg ’87.

January 2021

Nancy Retsinas ’82 was one of nine candidates selected to replace Clark County’s former Superior Court Judge Bernard Veljacic. Retsinas was Clark County Bar Association’s first choice for the position but Clark County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Camara Banfield was ultimately chosen for the role.

November 2020

Karen Bean ’86 had a goal of losing 100 lbs when the pandemic arrived in March 2020. When gyms closed and her granddaughters moved out of state, the retired pharmacy technician turned to community work and began weeding Hearthwood Park in her neighborhood. This daily activity, coupled with bike riding, swimming and adopting a rescue dog to take on walks, Bean was able to accomplish her goal in just 14 months and learned a lot about herself during the process.

September 2020

Clark alumna and State Representative, Annette Cleveland ’87, has proposed legislation intended to improve Washington’s hotline for reporting child abuse. The proposed legislation calls for the creation of a web-based reporting portal where mandatory reporters could leave a call-back number if they were placed on hold. The current reporting system has wait times that surpass 30 minutes, and data shows thousands of calls have been abandoned monthly.

The League of Women Voters of Clark County is hosting a five-week civics course in partnership with Clark College that will focus on systemic racism, media literacy and “fake news”, basic government structure, taxation, transportation and the elections process. The list of speakers includes Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey ’79 and former Clark County Councilor Jeannie Stewart ’84. The class will be take place via online video conferencing through Clark College’s Economic & Community Development program and the total cost is $75.

Clark College alumnus, Rick Giles ’80 was profiled in an installment of The Columbian’s “Working In Clark County” series. Rick has been in the hearing aid industry since shortly after his graduation from Clark in 1980. He recently sold his business, Hearing by Design, to one of his employees in anticipation of retirement. He continues to work at the business as an associate.

May 2020

Clark College Foundation Alumni Relations announced Washington State House Representative Gina Mosbrucker ’88 as one of the recipients of its prestigious Outstanding Alumni Award for 2019-2020. Mosbrucker was featured in Clark Partners in an article discussing legislation she co-authored addressing missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

April 2020

Marie Bostwick ’80 spent the first three weeks of April reading from her book “A Single Thread” through Facebook Live. Bostwick posted all of the recordings to her Youtube channel where they can be viewed for free while we stay at home.

March 2020

Retired Economic and Community Development Program Manager Tracy Reilly Kelly ’84 presented stories of women who led the fight for women’s rights in Southwest Washington as part of the Clark County Historical Museum’s Speaker Series, “Women’s Suffrage in Southwest Washington” on March 5.

February 2020

Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Fred Neiman ’80 retired after a 40 year career in law enforcement. He served his first eight years on the force as director of security for Clark College, followed by 32 years as a full-time deputy/sergeant on different assignments: rural patrol deputy, search and rescue coordinator, marine deputy, public information officer and sheriff recruiter.

State Representative, Annette Cleveland ’87, has proposed legislation intended to improve Washington’s hotline for reporting child abuse. The proposed legislation calls for the creation of a web-based reporting portal where mandatory reporters could leave a call-back number if they were placed on hold. The current reporting system has wait times that surpass 30 minutes, and data shows thousands of calls have been abandoned monthly.

October 2019

Burgerville debuted a new “hyper local” shake menu this week. The Columbian highlighted one of the new flavors, a peppermint patty shake that uses peppermint candies from Seely Farms in Clatskanie, Ore. Seely Farms is owned by Candy Seely ’83 and her husband Mike, and is the last family mint farm on the Lower Columbia River. Burgerville’s Senior VP of menu design and development Jamie Powell estimates that the move to feature locally sourced ingredients for their milk shakes will keep about $400,000 in the regional food economy.

August 2019

Christine Eagon ’87 is among a group of artists whose work will be displayed in a new multimedia art exhibition in the guest artist exhibition space at the Historic U.S. Coast Guard Boathouse on Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi, an Oregon Coast heritage landmark. Eagon is part of the Nehalem Bay Artists Coalition, a group of artists that live and work in North Tillamook County.

May 2019
Former Clark College Trustee and Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, announced his resignation from the college.

April 2019

Sen. Annette Cleveland  ’87, D-Vancouver, announced she is working to advance legislation that would ease health care costs for Washington residents.

March 2019

Jeanne Stewart ’84, has decided to run for Vancouver City Council Position 6. Stewart has been serving as a republican member of the Clark County Council.

February 2019

Sen. Annette Cleveland ’87, D-Vancouver, introduced a bill that removes the option of opting out for several immunizations beyond just measles, mumps and rubella.

Gina Mosbrucker ’88  Clark alumna and state representative for Washington’s 14th District,  introduced legislation to speed up the state’s response to reports of missing indigenous women.

Tyson Vogeler ’84, the superintendent for Green Mountain School District, was interviewed by The Columbian about navigating the hurdles of the school district’s limited staffing and shrinking budget.

January 2019

Pacific Lifestyle Homes, a Vancouver-based residential development company, prepares for an expansion in Puget Sound. Kevin Wann, a Clark alumnus and the founder & CEO of the company, began buying fixer-upper homes in the Vancouver area at age 19 and founded a real estate brokerage at 21.

December 2018

Martin “Doug” Kohn ’80, head chef of Meriwether’s Bistro at the Red Lion in Lewiston, Idaho, was named Red Lion Hotels Corporation’s Employee of the Year.

October-November 2018

Kimberly Baker ’86 CFP, was featured in The Columbian’s Clark County Business Briefing in celebration of 25 years of service to her employer, Johnson Bixby & Associates. Baker started at the firm in 1993 as a financial planning assistant. She is now a lead financial planner.

Tony Curtis ’88 owner of Current Home Technologies, was awarded the Volunteer of the Year President’s Award by the Building Industry Association of Clark County.

Dellan Redjou ’89 was honored with the Community Champion Award for her work with SHARE by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce at their annual Business and Leadership Awards dinner.

August 2018

Gayle Beacock ’81 and her brother, Russ ’81, opened a new store in Eugene, Ore.

Gayle Beacock ’81 and her brother, Russ ’81, have opened a new store in Eugene, Ore. Gayle and Russ are the children of Dale and Susan Beacock who opened the original store at 1420 Southeast 163rd Ave. in Vancouver in 1976. Dale Beacock ’50 was a professor at Clark College and an alumnus. He died in 2011. Gayle is vice president of Beacock Music Company. She will relocate to Eugene for the first year to oversee the store, located at 791 W. Eighth Ave., in the former Pacific Winds Music building. An October grand opening celebration is tentatively scheduled, according to The Columbian.

David Henrichsen ’82 and Bret Roske were married in Vancouver, Wash.

Dave Lemberg ’87 owner of Dave’s Killer Magic Shop on 17th and Main strees, was profiled by the Vancouver Business Journal. Lemberg, a high school science teacher, has owned this business since 2008. It has been at its current location with its current name since 2014.

Hon. Gina Mosbrucker ’88 is running for reelection for the Washington House of Representatives 14th Legislative District, position 2. This is an office that Rep. Mosbrucker has held since 2015.

July 2018

Kristin Hanneman ’89 was named as a trustee to the Salmon Creek Hospital Foundation.

Pacific Lifestyle Homes, owned by Kevin Wann ’89, was ranked 14 out of 100 on Seattle Business Magazine’s 29th annual 100 Best Companies to Work For in Washington list.

June 2018

Susan Galaviz ’85 was appointed board chair for KXRW.FM, the newly formed nonprofit sister station to Portland’s XRAY.FM, where she works as a marketing consultant.

March 2018

Michael Jaeger ’87 senior account manager for F2F Events Inc., joined the Clark College Alumni Board.

February 2018

Michael Jaeger ’87 Clark College alumni board member, started a new position as senior account manager at Face 2 Face (F2F) Events in Beaverton, Ore.

Nancy Retsinas ’84

Nancy Retsinas ’84 a collaborative lawyer and family law mediator in Washington and Oregon, is one of the 2018 recipients of the Iris Award. She has been in private practice since 1991. In 2015 she established Retsinas Collaborative Law Center to align her values to her legal work. Co-founder and executive director of the Two Rivers Institute for Dispute Resolution, Retsinas leads collaborative law and legal team-building training for family law professionals in legal, mental health and financial disciplines. She is a contributing author to “Washington Practice Manual – Family Law,” by West Publishing, and “Building a Successful Collaborative Law Practice,” an American Bar Association publication. Her current nonprofit leadership roles include regional chair of the Northwest region for Global Collaborative Law Council; board treasurer for Collaborative Professionals of Washington; board president for Cappella Romana Choral Ensemble; and board director for the Children’s Center. She is also a former Clark College Foundation executive board and alumni board member.

December 2017

Tony Curtis ’88 owner of Current Home Technologies, was named the 2018 board vice president for the Building Industry Association of Clark County.

Sue Edwards ’84 former board member of Washington State University Vancouver, was honored with a 2017 Learn Here Real Hero Award. The awards are presented to business, education, and community leaders in Southwest Washington by Identity Clark County as part of their Land Here, Live Here, Learn Here project

Melissa Smith ’89 was reelected as city council member ward 1, position 2 representative to the City of Camas Council.

October 2017

Denise Coldwell-Filbin ’84 and husband Mike Filbin, co-owners of Filbin’s Ace Hardware in Vancouver, are recipients of the 2017 Business Leadership Award. They received the accolade from Leadership Clark County on October 25, 2017, at a Clark County Leadership Awards banquet. Denise is also director of engineering for The Standard, a Financial Services firm in Portland, Ore.

September 2017

Nelson Holmberg ’87 was named to the board of directors for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Holmberg is the vice president of innovation for the Port of Ridgefield.

August 2017

D’Ann Horrocks ’82 is a teacher with Woodland Public Schools who was recognized by the district as an Employee of Excellence at the district’s annual award luncheon.

July 2017

Steve Morasch ’87 is one of five recipients of the 2017 Clark College Outstanding Alumni Award.

June 2017

Brenda Walstead ’80 has been promoted to Dean of Business and Health Sciences at Clark College.

May 2017

Bob Butterfield ’89 former Providence Health Plan executive, is now the owner of a franchise of Real Property Management. The firm is currently managing 135 properties in Southwest Washington, from residential single-family and multi-family residences to homeowners’ associations.

April 2017

New York Times best-selling author Marie Bostwick ’80 has a new novel. ‘The Promise Girls” is about three sisters who try to escape the expectations of their narcissistic mother. Painful secrets are unveiled and a path to recovery is laid.

Mary Meyers ’87 former owner of Threshold, Inc., one of the first woman-owned financial services firms in southwest Washington, joined D. A. Davidson & Co. as a senior vice president and financial adviser.

March 2017

Anna Boneski ’15, Julie Mercado ’15, Katie Archer Jolma ’03, Hope Baker Bump ’93, Susan Edwards ’89, Teresa Haye ’95, Kris Henriksen ’98 and Sujatha Synne ’06 were among the 2017 WSUV Women of Distinction honorees who were celebrated at a reception March 30 at Firstenburg Student Commons.

December 2015

Eddie Allen ’81 is the new executive director of The Rocksolid Community Teen Center, a nonprofit that serves students in the towns of Battle Ground, Brush Prairie and Hockinson. Formerly, Allen served as a development coordinator at The Gardner School of Arts & Sciences in Vancouver. He’s also contributed his expertise to a variety of nonprofits including Humane Society of Southwest Washington, Dream Big, Gifford Pinchot Task Force, NW Association for Blind Athletes and Share.

June/July 2015

Michael Jaeger ’87 was promoted to chief operating officer at Mekos Corporation, which does business in Washington as AutoFueling Systems, a software company. He will also serve on the board of directors. Jaeger joined the company in 2013 as its sales and marketing director.

January 2015

Gayle Beacock ’81  vice president and co-owner with her brother, Russ ’81 of Vancouver’s Beacock Music, won a She Rocks Award from the Women’s International Music Network. She received the accolade for her contributions to the music industry at the National Association of Music Merchants convention in Anaheim, Calif.