About Us

CHAIR – LONNIE READ (2018)

Lonnie Read, a  Pendleton native, was born in the old red-brick St. Anthony Hospital and attended Pendleton schools. He went on to graduate from BMCC and Oregon State University. While in Corvallis, Lonnie met his wife, Vickie, and soon after they returned to Pendleton to raise their two children, Kelli and Jeff, instilling in them the strong values of family and community that Pendleton is known for. Now retired, Lonnie dedicated over 30 years to serving Eastern Oregon as a CPA with the RBH Group, where he worked with many local nonprofits and businesses. His commitment to community service is extensive, having volunteered with numerous organizations. Lonnie has served on the Pendleton City Budget Committee, as well as the boards of the BMCC Foundation, Pendleton Chamber of Commerce, Buckaroo Boosters, St. Anthony Hospital Foundation, Pendleton Country Club, and the Education Foundation of Pendleton. He has also been an active volunteer with the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon.

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KEVIN HALE (2005)

Born and raised in Pendleton, Kevin Hale is a proud graduate of Pendleton High School, Blue Mountain Community College, and Oregon State University. After completing his studies, Kevin returned to Pendleton to join the family business, Pendleton Electric, where he eventually became a part owner. In 2008, he sold his share of the business to pursue a new path in real estate. Kevin has a long history of community service and leadership in Pendleton. He has served on the boards of the American Red Cross and the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the council of Peace Lutheran Church. He has also held key leadership roles as Chairman of the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation, Past President of the Pendleton Rotary Club, and Past President of the Happy Canyon Company. Additionally, he has served as President of the Round-Up City Development Corporation and Chairman of the Pendleton Economic Development Board. Kevin is a Real Estate Broker with Coldwell Banker-Whitney and Associates. Kevin is married to Lori, the former principal of Lincoln Elementary School, and together they have two adult children, Hannah and Joseph. They are active members of Peace Lutheran Church.

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DAVID BLANC (2014)

David Blanc is an attorney and partner at The Blanc Firm. A longtime resident of Pendleton, David graduated from Pendleton High School, Whitman College, and Gonzaga University School of Law. David’s extensive volunteer work includes leadership and board roles in numerous local organizations. He is a past President of the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce and has served as a board member for Happy Canyon, the Happy Canyon Foundation, the Umatilla County Chapter of the Red Cross, the Round-Up City Development Corporation, and the Children’s Museum of Eastern Oregon. David and his wife Shawna have two sons, Nick and Zack.

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MARIE HALL (2018)

Marie Hall and her husband Bob moved to Pendleton in 1977 when Bob purchased the Pendleton Veterinary Clinic. A graduate of Oregon State University, Marie began her career by helping several small cities in Morrow County develop their land use plans. She later served on the Umatilla County Planning Commission for nine years while raising their two children, Sarah and Riley. Marie’s deep commitment to the arts and education is reflected in her significant contributions to the community. She was the first employee of the Arts Council of Pendleton, where she later became president and a board member. She served on the Pendleton School Board for 13 years. In 1993 Marie was appointed the first Executive Director of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.  Marie joined Eastern Oregon University in 1999 as Center Director and Academic Adviser for non-traditional students based on the BMCC Campus. She held this role until her retirement in 2013. She helped found the Pendleton High School ASPIRE program, which helps students prepare for post-secondary education. Marie is a past president of the Board of Directors for Crow’s Shadow Institute, a member of AAUW, Chapter BJ, P.E.O., past board member of the Education Foundation of Pendleton, and an elder at the Pendleton Presbyterian Church.

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DONNA BIGGERSTAFF (2019)

Donna Biggerstaff moved to Pendleton in the fourth grade and is a graduate of Pendleton High School and BMCC. She is the Deputy City Recorder for the City of Pendleton, where she provides essential support to the City Manager, Mayor, and City Council. Donna is deeply engaged in the community through her volunteer work. She is involved with Altrusa, Young Life, and PEO (Chapter CM), supports Home 4 Hope, and volunteers with the City of Pendleton and Buckaroo Bible Camp. At home, Donna enjoys life on a 10-acre property at the foot of the Blue Mountains with her husband Jeff. She has two children, Blake and Charlie Mae.

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PATRICE HALL WALTERS (2022)

An enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pat Hall and her husband Ric have owned a photography business since 1978, specializing in portraiture. Her interests include other genres of photography, especially still-life images that represent her cultural background of Native American beadwork and handwoven baskets. Her images of items that were made centuries ago to contemporary makers of today are on permanent display at Tamastslikt Cultural Institute on the Umatilla Reservation. She has devoted many years to the CTUIR’s Economic and Development Committee, and is a founding board member of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts. She has two children, Valerie and Peter, and is grandmother to Natalie and Jameson.

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BROOKE ARMSTRONG (2023)

Brooke, a lifelong resident of Pendleton, is the Executive Director of Pendleton Underground Tours and oversees three local businesses: the Underground Tours, Working Girls Hotel, and A Piece of Pendleton. She has firsthand experience working with the Pendleton Foundation Trust, having secured grants that improved access to the tours and enhanced storefronts with new awnings. Brooke is the current President of the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce Board. She also serves on the Travel Pendleton Committee, Leadership Pendleton Committee, and Get Wild in Pendleton. Her community involvement extends to serving on the Heritage Museum Board of Directors and the Chamber’s Tourism Education Committee. Brooke is an ex-officio member of the Pendleton Round-Up Board of Directors and volunteers during the Round-Up at Happy Canyon’s Goldies Bar. She is married to Wesley Armstrong, and recently welcomed a new grandson.