Rich Vroman      attorney, Ingram, Zelasko, Goodwin (Aberdeen)

    Chairman

John Mertz   CPA, Preszler, Larner, Mertz, & Co. L.L.P. (Aberdeen)

    Vice-Chair

Stan Pinnick       (Life Member)  superintendent, North Beach School District (North Beach / Hoquiam)

    President

Dick Warren     retired VP, Lever Bros. Corp. (Hoquiam)

    Vice-President

Maryann Welch    retired Director, Grays Harbor County Health (North River)

    Secretary

Bob Preble   (Life Member)  CLU (Aberdeen)

    Treasurer

ELECTED MEMBERS

Dr. Donald J. Arima      dentist (Elma / McCleary)

Tom Brennan    (Life Member)  retired businessman (Aberdeen)

David Burnett    chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation (Oakville)

Ron Caufman    (Life Member)  retired banker (Aberdeen)

George Donovan  real estate developer (Aberdeen)

Jane Goldberg      director of public relations, Grays Harbor College (Aberdeen)

Todd Lindley   (Life Member)  certified financial planner, Lindley Financial Services (Montesano)

Dennis Long    president and CEO, Bank of the Pacific (Aberdeen)

Jon Parker    attorney, Parker, Johnson, Parker (Hoquiam)

Wes Peterson      executive director, Grays Harbor College Foundation (Aberdeen)

Tom Quigg    owner & broker, Windermere Realty (Aberdeen)

Randy Rust     retired owner, Westport Shipyards (Westport / Grayland)

Dee Anne Shaw     administrator, Aberdeen School District (Aberdeen)

Bill Stewart    attorney, Stewart & Stewart (Montesano)

Mike Stoney    accountant, Easter & Stoney (Elma)

John Warring    lab technician, Grays Harbor Community Hospital (Cosmopolis)

Dr. David Westby    veterinarian, Raintree Veterinary (Hoquiam)

EMERITUS MEMBERS

Isabelle Lamb    semi-retired business executive, Lamb Grays Harbor (Hoquiam)

Frank Larner    retired CPA, Preszler Larner Mertz & Co. (Olympia)

NOTE 1:  Life Member have completed their three four year terms and wish to continue to serve the community as members of our foundation.

NOTE 2:  Former board members include Bob Aiken, Jim Boora, John Hughes, Ernie Ingram, Duane Langeliers, Delann Haglund, JoAnn Hliboki, Omar Parker, John Schumacher, James Stewart, Dorothy Voege, David Walseth, Mary Clayton-Waltham, Dr. Scott Weatherwax, and Bob Wiggins.

COMMITTEES

Four standing committees and six ad hoc committees report to the full board: 

Standing:     executive

                    finance

                    grants

                    public information

Ad hoc:        professional advisors

                    policy review

                    strategic planning

                    timberland charitable giving program

                    scholarships

                    nominating

(Click on each link to learn more about and learn the members of each committee.) 

As a way to further involve the community in our foundation's business, we have designed each committee so that not all members need also to be board members.

All business of the foundation is managed by our staff of three. 

Executive Director, Jim Daly began working for the Grays Harbor Community Foundation in August 2004.  Raised in Aberdeen, Jim spent a 22 year career in the US Marine Corps.  He has received various college degrees from Skagit Valley College, the University of Utah, the Naval Postgraduate School, and Webster University.  Jim brings experience, energy, and a fresh perspective to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation.  You can read more about him here.  Jim handles the foundation's day-to-day business, from paying the bills, to meeting with donors and potential donors, to interacting with the grant recipients and applicants, to preparing for board meetings.

Program Officer, Cassie Jackson is a native of Aberdeen, graduating from J.M. Weatherwax Senior High School in 2006 and Western Washington University in March 2010 with a BA in Marketing and Finance.  Cassie handles processing and reviewing grant and scholarship applications. 

Sylvia Dickerson is the part-time Administrative Assistant for the foundation.  She joined the Foundation in January 2008, after a career as a legal secretary in southern California.  It is Sylvia who keeps the office running the the paperwork under control.

For ten years prior to Jim's arrival, almost all of the foundation's business was handled pro bono by our former president and principal founder, Frank H. Larner.  As a retired CPA, Frank's understanding of donors' local charitable giving options and his insight into the communities of Grays Harbor convinced him that our area needed to establish its own community foundation.  With enthusiastic support and experienced legal advice from the late Aberdeen attorney Gladys Phillips, Frank brought together the group of leading individuals which has served on our board of directors since 1994. 

For nine years prior to our move in September 2003, our office was located in the 6th-floor offices of Preszler, Larner, Mertz and Co. in the Bank of America Building in downtown Aberdeen.  We are indebted to PLM for their generous support of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. 

Grays Harbor Community Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity dedicated to serving the broad needs of Grays Harbor County in Washington State.  We are a member of the Council on Foundations;  we are audited annually; and we consider ourselves accountable to the public upon whom we depend for support.