At the Rotary District 5100/5080 Joint Conference in Kennewick, Three Creeker Tom Markos was recognized for his significant service to The Rotary Foundation.
 
Tom was presented with the Citation for Meritorious Service.
 
This citation recognizes on individual Rotarian per district, per year, who has demonstrated outstanding active service to The Rotary Foundation for more than one year.
 
During Tom’s year as District Governor (2016-17), he focused his message on “The Power of $5”, where he encouraged Rotarians across the district to contribute to The Rotary Foundation, highlighting that every donation makes a huge difference.
 
Tom has also served as chair of the District’s Rotary Foundation committee, led district disaster relief grant efforts and is a significant donor to the Foundation himself. And all of that only scratches the surface.
 
For all that he does for The Rotary Foundation in District 5100, this recognition is immensely deserved for Tom Markos – a great Three Creeker.

Two more future Three Creekers have submitted their applications to start the membership process.

Glenn Healey and Mitchell Wilder have turned in applications, and their first readings were conducted during our March 16 offsite meeting at The Marshall House.

Healey was born and raised in east Texas and served six years in the United States Air Force. He's worked in the medical device industry which took him "where the job was", living in Southern California, Texas and Oregon. He moved to Clark County in 2015 and currently works as a financial advisor, specializing in tex-efficient legacy, estate and extended or long-term care planning. He has two grown children.

Wilder has held a variety of positions at PepsiCo/Frito-Lay. As a manufacturing plant performance manager, he worked with fellow Manufacturing plant leadership on their financial performance, created and improved cost tracking and inventory tools, onboarded new admins, was an integral part of the annual operating plan process, led multiple site financial audits, was a key player in the site’s change management team, drove carton performance, and imported and exported multiple best practices across multiple US regions.

As the stops and finished waste manager, Wilder improved the site’s finished waste by 20.43 percent compared to the prior year. As the potato chip supply chain leader, he developed, supported, and created a culture of success in the department by increasing the number of expert trainers from 1 to 3. Wilder led a Lean Six Sigma project that improved potato basic efficiency from 82.8 percent to 83.7 percent, driving over $130,000 in productivity in potato basic and a $48,000 improvement in detention spend.

As the third shift lead SCL, he focused on manager and frontline team development. Currently, Mitchell is responsible for working with Global Value Streams to identify and set up business testers. He assists the testers to ensure the company delivers high quality testing assets into all testing phases. He is also a Local Star from the 2023 class of Dancing with the Local Stars.

The second reading of both proposed members will be conducted at our meeting at The Wheelhouse Taproom on April 6 before board members vote on the approval of these proposed memberships.

Three for Three (Creeks)!

Three new proposed members have begun the process to join the Rotary Club of Three Creeks!

Shihahn Browder, Chris Burmeister and Shelly Kroll have each submitted applications, and Burmeister's first reading was conducted at our club meeting on February 16.

Here's a little bit to help get to know our proposed new members:

SHIHAHN BROWDER, VP/Branch Manager, Riverview Bank
Shihahn has been in banking for more than 17 years. He's originally from New York City, having moved to Vancouver in 2006. He is one who likes meeting new people, and is proud to be a hard working individual. He also enjoys helping others. Shihahn's sponsor is Tina Vlachos.

CHRIS BURMEISTER, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Chris grew up in Boulder, Colo., before returning to Southern California (where he was born) to attend San Diego State University. He's an endurance athlete and aspires to participate in at least one race per year - normally raising money for charity while doing so. His sponsors are Laura Miller and Andi Costello.

SHELLY KROLL, Business Development Education, Servpro Vancouver & Clark County
Shelly describes herself as a very outgoing, giving and compassionate person. She's the mom of four and has four grandchildren. Volunteered for Battle Ground School District for 12 years. She's worked for Meals on Wheels and Chase Bank before joining Servpro as marketing manager. She says in her application, "The mission of the Three Creeks Rotary aligns perfectly with my personal mission and vision. I believe in giving back and helping others in need. It's my passion. I am a 'save the world' person." Her sponsors are Tina Vlachos and Carol Mackey.

CLARK COUNTY, Wash. – The hottest fundraiser event tickets in town are for Dancing with the Local Stars, presented by Parlour 73.
 
The event, originally set for 300 guests, sold out in less than a month. And with just over three weeks before the event – Saturday, March 4 at ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield – organizers have added six more tables, and may consider adding even more, should ticket sales remain brisk.
 
Dancing with the Local Stars this year is presented by Parlour 73 of Battle Ground.
 
Tickets can be purchased on the event website, www.dancingwiththelocalstars.com, for $100 each or a table of 10 for $1,000.
 
Since 2018, the Rotary Club of Three Creeks has hosted Dancing with the Local Stars, taking it over from the Historic Trust. The club formed a non-profit foundation in 2021 to take over the event so that donations could be tax deductible. The club has raised more than $180,000 and has distributed significant aid to food pantries across the community, and to non-profit organizations that assist children, veterans and homeless primarily in north Clark County, but all across the county where there is need.
 
The event has sold out every year since 2018.
 
The 2023 cast of Dancing with the Local Stars includes Jesse Braman (Pivotal Painting & Rotary Club of Three Creeks), Natalie Grushevskiy-Rybak (Aerista Aviation), Marykay Lamoureaux (Ridgefield Main Street Association), Shana O’Brien (Cascadia NW Real Estate), Brad Richardson (Clark County Historical Museum), Angie White-Swanson (teacher, Evergreen Public Schools), Mitchell Wilder (Frito Lay), Dr. Weiya Wysham (Compass Oncology), and Paul Van Der Salm (Heritage Bank). Funds raised during the event may also be allocated to the donor's favorite local stars to help that star win the Mirror Ball Trophy.
 
A panel of four judges will determine the best dancer, in fashion like the TV show that inspires the fundraiser. The judges are Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, the Rotary Club’s Immediate Past President Nelson Holmberg, and a professional dance instructor with ballroom judging experience. The final judge will be a member of the audience who wins a raffle on the night of the event to take that seat on the stage. For the third year, KGW Reporter Tim Gordon will serve as emcee of the event.

After reaching record-setting numbers for the fourth consecutive year, Dancing with the Local Stars is set for its 2023 show at ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield, Saturday, March 4, 2023.
 
Dancing with the Local Stars is presented by Parlour 73 of Battle Ground.
 
“Dancing with the Local Stars is, quite possibly, the most exciting fundraiser of the year, as evidenced by its long history of sellout crowds,” said Club President Andi Costello. “Three Creekers believe in service above self and the funds to help the hungry, homeless, at-risk youth in our community. We believe that a fun and festive evening with local talent and a bit of competition brings out the best of our community to raise funds to make a difference all over Clark County.”
 
Since 2018, the Rotary Club of Three Creeks has hosted Dancing with the Local Stars, taking it over from the Historic Trust. The club formed a non-profit foundation in 2021 to take over the event so that donations could be tax deductible. In five seasons of Dancing with the Local Stars, and one season of “Dining with the Local Stars” – a video production that was the club’s pivot during the pandemic in March 2021 – the club has raised more than $100,000 and has distributed significant aid to food pantries across the community, and to non-profit organizations that assist children, veterans and homeless primarily in north Clark County, but all across the county where there is need.
 
This year, the cast of Dancing with the Local Stars includes Jesse Braman (Pivotal Painting & Rotary Club of Three Creeks), Natalie Grushevskiy-Rybak (Aerista Aviation), Marykay Lamoureaux (Ridgefield Main Street Association), Shana O’Brien (Cascadia NW Real Estate), Brad Richardson (Clark County Historical Museum), Angie White-Swanson (teacher, Evergreen Public Schools), Mitchell Wilder(Frito Lay), Dr. Weiya Wysham (Compass Oncology), and Paul Van Der Salm (Heritage Bank).
 
The nine local stars will compete for the grand championship with the funds that they will work to raise between now and the event on March 4. Funds raised during the event may also be allocated to the donor's favorite local stars to help that star win the Mirror Ball Trophy.
 
A panel of four judges will determine the best dancer, in fashion like the TV show that inspires the fundraiser. The judges are Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, the club’s Immediate Past President Nelson Holmberg, and a professional dance instructor with ballroom judging experience. The final judge will be a member of the audience who wins a raffle on the night of the event to take that seat on the stage. For the third year, KGW Reporter Tim Gordon will serve as emcee of the event.
 
More information about the event – and opportunities to donate to the local stars – is available online at www.dancingwiththelocalstars.com.

Marisol Aguirre has applied for membership in the Rotary Club of Three Creeks and President Andi has already conducted first reading of the proposed membership.

Second reading is expected to be done at our December 1 meeting at The Wheelhouse.

She is branch manager at Riverview Bank.

Aquirre has been in banking since 1995, mostly in the Portland/Beaverton area. She's been a member of the Vancouver/Clark County community for about five years and is excited to be considered for membership in the Rotary Club of Three Creeks.

Please offer any comments you might have about the proposed member to any board member, in writing, prior to the club meeting on Thursday, Dec. 1.

All of us in the Rotary Club of Three Creeks knew it would happen sooner or later.

Our own Susanne Holmberg, co-founder of the Rotary Club of Three Creeks, has been named District 5100 district governor for the 2025-26 Rotary year.
 
“Being selected as district governor to serve during the 2025-26 Rotary year is an honor and I am excited to follow incredible community leaders who all have the same passion and love for Rotary,” Susanne said. “This is an opportunity to make a difference locally and regionally, to share my vision and to make Rotary more accessible and attractive.
 
“Our Rotary clubs have an extraordinary impact in our communities, and I am proud to bring experience and vision from our Three Creeks club to inspire others,” she added. “Rotary welcomes creativity, diversity and collaboration; it is a way to change lives. We are changemakers.”
 
Susanne’s appointment was announced on Saturday, Oct. 15 by current District Governor Steve Williams, and she has already begun work with current leaders. Effective immediately, she is the district governor nominee designee, and she will begin working with her three predecessors in an intense succession program that gets her involved in district leadership right away. She’ll also shortly begin formal training from the district and from Rotary International, leading up to her year as governor.
 
“After reviewing applications, checking with references, and completing an interview with each of the candidates, the nominating committee discussed the strengths of each of the candidates,” Williams said. “After deliberating for some time, the committee has made the unanimous decision to nominate Susanne Holmberg of the Rotary Club of Three Creeks Vancouver to be District 5100’s District Governor for the Rotary Year 2025-26.”
 
Susanne has been active in District 5100 since 2006 and was instrumental in the formation of Vancouver's Rotary Club of Three Creeks in 2016. She has served as an assistant governor for the Clark County region and currently serves on the district's Learning and Development committee. She has also served on the district’s Grow Rotary committee.
 
“The members of the Rotary Club of Three Creeks are so proud and excited to support Susanne in her role as district governor,” said Rotary Club of Three Creeks President Andi Costello. “Her commitment to Rotary and to ‘Service above Self’ is evident in everything she does. We look forward to her continued innovative approaches and leadership to carry Rotary forward and be more approachable.”
 
The role of district governor in Rotary is similar that of a non-profit executive director, but as a volunteer. Susanne will be the chief executive of District 5100 which includes 66 Rotary clubs and seven Rotaract clubs stretching from Seaside and Long Beach in the west along the Columbia River to Wallowa County, Oregon in the east and from Battle Ground in the north to Stayton in the south.
 
While the Three Creeks club is Susanne’s “baby”, she had previously been a member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver, where she served as club president in 2013-14. She also served two terms as the founding president of the Three Creeks club.
 
She is also a Rotary Foundation major donor, bequest society member, Paul Harris Fellow and a member of the Polio Plus Society. When she officially takes leadership of the district on July 1, 2025, she will be the ninth District 5100 governor from a club in Clark County. She is also a board member for the North County Community Food Bank and serves on the Clark County Public Facilities Board, representing the lodging industry. Professionally, she serves as director of creative strategies and talent development for Vesta Hospitality, a national lodging company based in Vancouver.
 
She will be the first district governor from Three Creeks, and the first from a Clark County club since Barb Crozier of the Rotary Club of Camas-Washougal served her second term in the position during the 2015-16 Rotary year.
 
Past Clark County district governors include Ron Keil (Rotary Club of Vancouver, 1970-71), Sam Jones (Rotary Club of Vancouver, 1982-83), Ron Hart (Rotary Club of East Vancouver, 1987-88), Buck Heidrick (Lewis River Rotary Club, 1999-2000); Dave Jay (Lewis River Rotary Club, 2007-08), Dr. Dennis Wickham (Rotary Club of Greater Clark County, 2008-09), Barb Crozier (Rotary Club of Camas-Washougal, 2010-11 and 2015-16).