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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2011)
Smoke Signals 5 FEBRUARY 15,2011 Tcnlbo hoDWirs 3 ffoir years 1? seratee Two employees exceed 26 years of employment By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde honored 39 employees who, together, account for 532 years of service to the Tribe on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Among the 39 who were honored are the two longest-serving Tribal employees ever. Tribal Elder and Tribal Wellness Manager Bonnie Mercier and Tribal member and Tribal Health & Wellness Business Office Manager Terri Mercier both reached the 26-year mark of work ing for the Tribe. The Tribe hired Terri Mercier on Oct. 1, 1984, and hired Bonnie Mercier 15 days later. Last year was the first time any Tribal employee reached the 25-year mark, Tribal Human Re sources Director Walter Kalinowski said, so it only goes to say this is also the first time any Tribal employee has reached 26 years of service as well. On their heels is Tribal Elder and Tribal Self-Governance Coordina tor Janell Haller, who reached 21 years of service. Also moving into the two-decade club are Tribal member and Tribal Director of Program Operations John Mercier, Tribal Elder and Tribal Li brarian Marion Mercier and Alcohol and Drug Counselor Karan Scharf. Tribal Elder and Tribal Facilities Program Manager Mike Larsen notched his 19th year of service and Tribal member and Tribal Facilities Maintenance Supervisor Douglas Colton completed his 16th year with the Tribe. Reaching their 15th year were Tribal member and Information (i v M ' Photo by Michelle Alalmo Member Services Administrative Assistant Hollie Mercier hugs Tribal Council member Toby McClary as she is recognized for her 1 5 years off service to the Tribe during the fourth quarter 201 0 Employee Recognition event in the Governance Center Atrium on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Systems Manager Trevor Aaron, Tribal member and Indian Child Welfare Unit Supervisor Dana Ainam, Health Information Techni cian Dena Freeman, Tribal member and Shipping and Receiving Clerk Jerry George, Member Services Ad ministrative Assistant Hollie Mer cier and Custodial Maintenance Supervisor Curtis Rentsch. Tribal Ceded Lands Coordinator Michael Karnosh attained 14 years of service while Health Information Technician Joan Shoemaker and Are you a Native American, and interested in a career as a Union Roofer in Portland, OR? I .jtyy " I . I Are you? ar 1 ""' 1 " " I 9 s I I v - 1 u r c .i rv. . iHUt o ) ti rti) f "'r"x:i LJ-i ,L .-. i : zz !- Auvqut. A.ly read, writa, and comprehend Ent 'ish. i Basic H:ath skills (aduiny. subtracting, multiplying. A dividing fractiorisfdeeimals) ftsr ""33 accepted but omy 10 will bt selected through an interview process. r . . C....IC : . - j 477 Cit-!-, t Training C7C.1 " ' 03 35 42Z3 ext 3 . ; Dental Assistant Donnette Spauld ing surpassed 13 years of service. Lead Health Information Techni cian Lillian Engle now has more than 12 years of service while Se nior Help Desk Technician Larry Remington and Chinuk Wawa TeacherLanguage Specialist Crys tal Szczepanski were honored for 1 1 years of service. Hitting the decade mark of em ployment were Staff Attorney Lisa Bluelake, Health & Wellness Ad ministrative Assistant Jill Hafliger, Health & Wellness Business Of fice Assistant Michelle Masters, Planning & Grants Development Manager Kim Rogers and Tribal member and Procurement Depart ment Lead Shipping & Receiving Clerk Nathan Rolston. Housing Improvement Coordi nator Don Coon and Optometrist Charlean White reached nine years while Tribal member and Forest Patrol Officer Jake McKnight and Tribal member and Tribal Web Designer Willie Mercier hit eight years. Tribal member and Tribal K-5 TeacherChinuk Wawa Kathy Cole and X-ray Technician Donna Todd were honored for seven years on the job while Early Headstart Teacher Shawn Bobb and Tribal mem ber and Cook Rebecca Goeserich reached the six-year mark. Newcomers to the event with five years of service were Tribal member and Public Affairs Admin istrative Assistant Kristen Ravia, Early Head Start Teacher Jessica Cruikshank, Housing Improve ment Coordinator Loyal Hamilton, Indian Child Welfare Investigator John Genera Jr. and the Gaming Commission's AuditCompliance Manager Rose Smith and Tribal member and Background Investi gator Trina Pesterfield. In addition to the years of ser vice awards, Education Division employees Matt Bucknell, Mat thew Zimbrick and Tracy Biery were honored for going above and beyond the call of duty, as was the entire Medical Records staff at the Health & Wellness Center for pre paring paper records for electronic conversion. Tribal Council members Reyn Leno, Toby McClary, Steve Bobb Sr., Chris Mercier, Wink Soderberg and Jack Giffen Jr. attended the ceremony to congratulate employ ees for their years of service. With the retirements and depar tures of several long-time employees in 2010, the five longest-serving Tribal employees are now Terri Mer cier, Bonnie Mercier, Gregg Leno, Jeff Kuust and Jeff Nepstad. B SadldDe COinfo peirD The Grand Ronde Saddle Club is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday near the former Grand Ronde Food Bank west of Grand Ronde Road. The Saddle Club is closed on Thursday and Sunday. Everyone is invited to visit the horses and go for a ride. For more information, contact Tribal member Clint Folden at 503-559-1977. H
