NEWS & NOTES

Two designated: Melinda Abresch and Leanna Langley of Town & Country Realty in Albany have been granted the professional designation, GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) by the Oregon Association of Realtors that is administered by the state association. To receive the GRI designation, brokers must complete three week-long courses and pass an exam at the end of each session. Curriculum includes real estate finance, law, the Realtor Code of Ethics, taxation and communication skills. Abresch and Langley are members of the Willamette Association of Realtors.

Newly elected: The Oregon State University Retirement Association recently elected five new board members to serve for a three-year term: Gideon Alegado, John Block, Erin Haynes, Terri Tower and Helen Polensek. Gary Tiedman will continue to serve on the board, as well Bill Smart as past president. The new president-elect, secretary and treasurer are JoAnne Trow, Susan Poole, Jim Krueger and Carol Kronstad, respectively. OSURA promotes collegial ties among all OSU retirees and the university community by providing opportunities for ongoing intellectual growth, social interaction and mutual support and service to the community. For information contact OSURA at (541) 737-4717 or OSURA@oregonstate.edu.

Forage products addition: Barenbrug USA Forage Products Division has hired James Kirby Snideman. He will assume a number of responsibilities in the forage sector, including product development, program coordination and inventory control. Snideman has a B.S. in agricultural management from Brigham Young University. His degree emphasized plant physiology, plant chemistry, soil science and animal science and also included studies in marketing, accounting, management and economics. Snideman, originally from Texas, has lived and worked in New York, Iowa, Illinois, Utah, California and Alaska, and also spent two years in England.

Snideman was previously with Pioneer Hi-Bred International in the quality supply group. He then returned to school to work on an M.S. in land-use planning. He joins Barenbrug from Salt Lake City, where he was studying at the University of Utah. Snideman comes to Oregon with his dog, Parley P. Pratt, a trained service animal. Snideman and Parley have volunteered at local hospitals, rest homes and homeless shelters and hope to continue that work in Oregon.

Snideman can be contacted at Barenbrug USA in Tangent, 1-800-547-4101, or via e-mail at ksnideman@barusa.com.

BUSINESS CALENDAR

June 16: Expanding Your Leadership Edge: "Leadership, Communication & Success." Presenter: Joseph Bailey, LBCC faculty. Time: 7:50 to 10 a.m. Location: Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, 435 First Ave. W., Albany. Info: (541) 926-1517.

June 16: "FDIC Insurance Coverage 101" presented by Umpqua Bank of Albany. Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Location: Umpqua Bank of Albany, 333 Ellsworth St. S.W. Info: Jennifer Massey at (541) 967-4214 or jennifermassey@umpquabank.com.

June 16: Business Seminar: "Develop A Marketing Plan" presented by SCORE. Time: 9 a.m. to noon. Location: Business Enterprise Center, 1965 S.W. Airport Ave., Corvallis. Cost: $30 per person or $25 for BEC students. Registration required. Info: (541) 758-4009.

June 16: Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. Time: 5:15 to 7 p.m. Location: Albany Visitors Association, Two Rivers Market, 250 Broadalbin S.W. Cost: $6 preregistered members; $7 members at the door; $10 non-members. Info: (541) 926-1517.

June 16 & 23: "Marketing Your Business In Turbulent Times." Third class in a series of four on marketing. Sponsored by Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce and Linn-Benton Community College Small Business Development Center. Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Location: LBCC Lebanon Center, 44 Industrial Way, Room LC-200, Lebanon. Class also scheduled for June 23. June 23 class in Room LC-204. Info: (541) 258-7164 or go online at www.lebanon-chamber.org.

June 17: Pharmacy technician program orientation. Time: 9 to 11 a.m. Location: Linn Benton Community College Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Room CC-212, Albany. Orientation is free, attendance mandatory to take the 15-week program offered Sept. 1 through Dec. 18. Info: LBCC Health Occupations and Workforce Education, (541) 917-4923.

June 18: Resume Writing Workshop. Presenter: Dawn Rasmussen of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services. Time: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe, Ave., Corvallis. Sponsored by Corvallis-Benton County Public Library and the Friends of the Library. Info: (541) 766-6793.

June 18: Portland Next Generation Program presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers: "Trending Up in A Down Market - A Retail Symposium." Time: 6-8:30 p.m. Location: Candy Building, 31 Ninth Ave., Portland. Panel discussion. Info: Call 503-227-5882.

June 18: Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. Time: 5 to 7 p.m. Location: Dailey Health, 50 E. Sherman, Lebanon. Info: Call (541) 258-7164 or via email at mary@lebanon-chamber.org.

June 22-27: "Wildland Firefighting" offered by Linn-Benton Community College Business and Employer Services. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: LBCC main campus, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Class size is limited. Participants must be 18 or older and in good physical condition and have two forms of government-issued identification. Cost: $275. Info: (541) 917-4923.

June 23: "Marketing Your Business In Turbulent Times". Final class in a series of four on marketing. Sponsored by Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce and Linn-Benton Community College Small Business Development Center. Time: 6-8 p.m. Location: LBCC Lebanon Center, 44 Industrial Way, Room LC-204, Lebanon. Info: Call (541) 258-7164 or go online at www.lebanon-chamber.org.

June 24: Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Forum Luncheon: "Not for a Quarter of a Century". Speaker: John Mitchell, M&H Economic Consultants. Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Linn County Fair & Expo, 3700 Knox Butte Road, Albany. Cost: $13 pre-registered members; $15 members at the door; $17 guests. Info: Call (541) 926-1517.

June 24: Interview Skills Workshop. Presenter: Greg Ivers of Worksource Oregon. Time: 11 a.m.-noon. Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave., Corvallis. Sponsored by Corvallis-Benton County Public Library and Friends of the Library. Info: Call (541) 766-6793.

June 26: Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce Forum Lunch: "E-Strategies: How to Effectively Use the Internet to Improve Your Business". Speaker: Scottie James, micro-enterprise instructor at Linn-Benton Community College. Time: 11:30 a.m.01 p.m. Location: Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Training Center, 525 N. Santiam Hwy, Lebanon. Cost: $13 for members. Info: Call (541) 258-7164.

June 29: "Communication and Conflict Resolution Workshop" presented by Linn-Benton Mediation Services. Time: 6:30-9 p.m. Location: Two Rivers Market, upstairs conference room, 250 Broadalbin St. S.W., Albany. This is a beginning level workshop for managers and residents of manufactured home parks desiring training in conflict resolution. Topics covered will include approaches to conflict, listening and speaking skills, and brainstorming creative solutions to inter-personal issues. Prerequisite: Manager or resident of a park. Cost: Free but registration required and attendance is limited to the first 24 registrants. Info: Call (541) 928-5323.

July 10: Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament sponsored by Linn-Co Federal Credit Union. Location: Mallard Creek Golf Course, 31966 Bellinger Scale Road, Lebanon. Info: Call (541) 258-7164.

September 23: 2009 Business On Display Trade Show. Time: 1-6:30 p.m. Location: Linn County Fair & Expo, Willamette Events Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road, Albany. Info: Vendor information and registration call Danielle at (541) 926-1517.