Portland Observer, January 14, 1982 Page 3
Observer Annual Citizen Achievement Awards
Corporate Executive
Earl Wantland
As president and chief executive officer o f Tektronix,
Inc., Earl Wantland has seen the Beaverton-based manu
facturer o f oscilloscopes grow from a small shop in Port
land in 1946 to a Fortune 500 company with annual sales
exceeding SI billion in fiscal 1981.
Wantland joined the company in 1955 as an instrument
tester and helped set up T e k ’ s first European manufac
turing operation on England's Guernsey Island in 1958.
He also was instrumental in organizing Tektronix H o l
land N .V ., a wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary.
W hile president, Wantland has steered Tektronix to a
position o f world leader in computer graphics technology
and world’s largest supplier o f oscilloscopes. Tektronix
now has more than 23,000 employees w orldw ide, with
17,000 in Oregon and southwest Washington. There are
47 Tek offices in the U .S. and representatives in 71 for
eign countries.
State Government
Gretchen Kafoury
State Representative Gretchen Kafoury is serving in her
third term in the Oregon House, representing District 13
in inner northeast and southeast Portland. She currently
chairs the C o m m itte e on H u m an Resources and is a
member o f the Committee on Energy and Environment.
E a rlie r assignments included L a b o r, E d u c atio n and
Aging.
Rep. Kafoury’s concerns include domestic violence and
women’s issues in general, civil rights, health and mental
health care, child care, and gun control. Among the legis
lation she successfully sponsored this session was a mar-
riuge license tax to fund shelter homes for victims o f do
mestic violence. She carried unsuccessful bills sponsored
by Lair Share that would have included oil users in state
etherization and the Life-Line energy bill,
former Peace Corps volunteer to Iran, Rep. Kafoury
coordinator for 4-C , worked for the C ivil Rights
fliflfl, and taught English as a Second Language.
A
Banking & Finance
Sports Executive
Small Business
V.F. Booker
Harry Glickman
Cora Smith
Venerable F. Booker is President and Chairman o f the
Board o f American State Bank, “ The Bank That Integra
tion B uilt.”
The American State Bank, which began as a dream in
1969, now has net assets o f SI 5,633,350.
Booker’s business career began at the age o f 38, after
he read “ How I Turned A Thousand Dollars Into A M il
lion Dollars in Real Estate.” He developed a successful
real-estate business, and while he did not make the m il
lion dollars he developed an interest in finances.
The bank was established with a purpose— to stimulate
economic development, jobs, investment, homes and a
better way o f life. Today three branches serve northeast,
southeast and downtown Portland with fully integrated
staffs.
Harry Glickman, executive vice-president o f the Trail
Blazers, began his sports career as a varsity basketball
player at Lincoln High School. He tried to be a sports
writer but found no opportunities, so he turned to pro
moting boxing and professional football.
G lick m an began loo kin g fo r an N B A team in the
1950s, but wound up organizing the Portland Buckaroos
o f the Western Hockey League. The team finished first
seven times in a nine-year stretch.
G lickm an brought the T ra il Blazers to P o rtlan d in
1970. T h eir phenomenal cham pionship o f 1977 made
Blazermania a factor in Portland life.
County Government
Don Clark
Multnomah County Executive Donald E. Clark is best
known for his unique program, ’ ‘ Project Health,” which
provides private health insurance for low-incom e per
sons, enabling them to use the private medical sector.
t lark has served as a M ultnom ah County C om m is
sioner, Chairman o f the County Board o f Commissioners
and S h eriff. During his years as S h eriff, C lark raised
standards to include college requirements and required
community service. As Chairman, he appointed D r. Lee
P. Brown as Sheriff and then as Director o f Justice Ser
vices.
Though his terms o f office have been plagued by bud
get cuts and tund shortage1, Clark has been consistent in
his concern for human services.
City Government
Charles Jordan
Commissioner o f Public Safety Charles Jordan sees as
his roll on the Portland City Council the sensitization o f
the system to the needs o f those who are disenfranchised.
W ith awareness o f his ethnic responsibility he attempts to
keep before the Council the tasks that other commission
ers might not fed compelled to consider.
Among these are developing an effective Minority Bus
iness Enterprise program, requiring minority participa
tion in cable television, establishing a program to aid ref
ugees’ adjustment to life in Portland.
Jordan pushed affirmative action certification to allow
agency heads greater opportunity to hire minorities; es
tablished neighborhood profiles to ensure that funds are
distributed in an equitable wav; established an outreach
program through the M etro p o litan H um an Relations
Commission that placed youth workers in the parks. He
doubled the number o f minority police officers.
Cora Smith is owner o f "C ora Smith Hair Design” in
downtown Portland. She became interested in modeling
while a student at Roosevelt High School. After classes at
P o rtlan d State U n ive rs ity , Pacific School o f Beauty,
John Powers Modeling School and others, she took spe
cial classes in the United States and Europe.
Her salon offers full services, with a staff o f eleven.
C o m m u n ity activities include m em bership in the
N A A C P and the U rban League, Bethel A M E C hurch,
Jack and Jill o f A m erica, and D elta Gamma M others.
She was selected by the prestigious Fashion G roup,
Inc., as one o f ten outstanding Women and Men o f 1980-
1981 Northwest Trendsetters for her trend-setting leader
ship and panache representing the diverse Northwest life
styles.
Community Service
Edna Robertson
Edna Robertson is Coordinator for the Northeast C
trict Office o f the C ity’s Office o f Neighborhood Orga
zations and is responsible to the Northeast Coalition
Neighborhood Organizations, a board representing t
citizens o f north and northeast Portland.
Ms. Robertson’s duties are to ensure that citizens i
aware of pending city actions and are involved in decisii
making, to provide technical assistance, to explain t
budget process, to serve as a liaison between the City ai
the 63,000 residents o f the area.
Her estimates on behalf o f citizens go far beyond h
job description. She lends a listening ear, finds resourc
for persons in need, has set up a clothes closet for Sout
east Asian children, finds food for the hungry, aids tl
senior citizens.
Always concerned about education, she was an acti
member o f the Community Coalition for School Integr
tio n , is on the P r in c ip a l’ s A d viso ry C o m m itte e f.
Hayhurst School. She is a member o f the Black Unit«
and o f Bethel A M E Church.