Residents to be honored at chamber event

By Casey Clark Ney
Argus Observer
Friday, January 9, 2009 12:17 PM PST

Ontario — The Ontario Chamber of Commerce will honor its Distinguished Citizens for 2008 tonight during its 96th Annual Banquet. Each year, the chamber recognizes the area’s outstanding citizens who help make Ontario a great place live. This year’s recipients are:

Man of the Year

The 2008 Ontario Chamber Commerce Man of the Year is Larry Meyer.

Meyer was born in 1953 in Klamath Falls to Harlan and Edna Meyer. He is the brother of Janine Weeks, Nyssa, Christine Meyer, Russia, and Cora Lee Taylor, Boise.

When Meyer was born, his family lived near Klamath Falls in Tule Lake, Calif. The family later moved to Imbler and then to the Ontario area. Meyer attended school at Cairo elementary and moved into the Nyssa School District in the fourth grade. He graduated from Nyssa High School in 1971.

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After high school, Meyer attended Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland for a year. He then transferred to Treasure Valley Community College.

Meyer worked for Ron Severance before taking a position with the Argus Observer newsroom in 1977.

Meyer recalled the early years at the Argus Observer before it added its Sunday edition.

“We were low-tech. We wrote our stories on typewriters,” he said. “When we jumped into computers, we jumped into high-tech with both feet.”

In all, Meyer said he has experienced four major system overhauls and several changes at the Argus during his career.

“One of the biggest things, not long after I started working here, we moved into the new building,” he said. “That was a big move, moving to the new building. We had wall-to-wall people for two or three hours when we had our open house.”

Prior to moving to its current location, the Argus Observer was situated in a building that sat on what is now a parking area for Ontario’s City Hall.

According to Meyer, he has always been interested in journalism.

“After we got a television and started watching the news. I was always interested in current events,” he said.

Growing up, Meyer said his heroes were Walter Cronkite and Eric Sevareid.

Through the years, Meyer has covered business and political news for the Argus Observer. He has met a majority of Oregon’s politicians, including governors, congressmen and mayors.

Meyer said, prior to his employment at the Argus, he was able to shake hands with Robert Kennedy during his visit to Ontario and just weeks before his assassination.

Meyer said despite his many years at the Argus, he has yet to consider retirement. He said he enjoys meeting people and conducting interviews.

Woman of the Year

The 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year is Lorna Cottier. Cottier was born in Caldwell and raised in Parma. She graduated from Parma High School in 1961. Shortly after, she married her high school sweetheart, Jim Cottier, and took a bookkeepers position at Parma’s Idaho First National Bank.

“I went to work in September, of the year I graduated, for the bank,” Cottier said. “I have been in banking ever since.”

Cottier dedicated four years to First National Bank, before moving onto First Interstate Bank where she worked for 28 years. Next, she took a position with Orchard Bank, which later become Intermountain Community Bank.

In all, Cottier has logged 46 years in the banking industry. She has worked as a teller, bookkeeper and loan officer.

“I’ve done a lot of everything,” she said.

Today, the Cottiers live in Ontario. Lorna continues to work for Intermountain Community Bank as a senior personal banker. Jim is employed at Quisenberry’s.

The couple has a daughter, Tamra Fenstemacher. She is married to David, and they have two children, Nick and Dalton.

Looking back on her career, Cottier said she has always enjoyed her profession.

“It’s working closely with people, which I really enjoy,” she said. “It worked out well.”

Along with her extensive banking career, Cottier is known for her dedication to the community of Ontario.

She has served as a Help Them To Hope board member and treasurer for 13 years. She has also been active in Global Village, the Malheur County Fair, Air Faire, Festival of Trees and the Kids Fair.

In the past, Cottier, along with the bank, hosted fundraisers and donated time to assist the local bookmobile. Cottier also participated in a volunteer reading program at May Roberts. She and her husband recently became Ontario Ambassadors.

“I’ve always felt it would be important to be active in your community and do what you can to give back,” Cottier said. “When and if I retire, I would like to be able to do more, you know, be active in that role.”

Cottier said she is thankful to be recognized by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

“I was totally surprised. I just don’t feel like I’m really that worthy. I don’t think about the things that I do. I feel very honored to have been included among the many that have gone before. I do appreciate it very much,” she said. “I do think it’s wonderful that they take the time to acknowledge people.”

Educator of the Year

The 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year is Skip Bicknese.

Bicknese was born in 1947 in Ontario. He is the son of Ed and Ruth Bicknese.

Bicknese has spent his entire life in the western Treasure Valley. He graduated from Ontario High School in 1965. From there, he earned a two-year degree from Treasure Valley Community College in 1967. In 1970, he graduated from Boise State University with a bachelor’s degree in music. He later earned his masters of music from the University of Idaho in 1977.

After his graduation from BSU, Bicknese began his teaching career. In all, he taught two years in Middleton, 19 years in Fruitland and 15 years at OHS. He continues to teach at OHS and is in his 39th year of teaching.

Bicknese was first inspired as a musician when he started playing saxophone in the fifth grade. He also took up the piano and noted that his piano teacher, Louis Conway, was influential in his passion for music.

In middle school, Bicknese played in the band and at that point decided being a band director was a challenge he was up to.

Bicknese continued his music career in high school and said band instructor Chuck Swan was also influential in his career choice.

“By the time I was out of high school we had gone to Reno, Vancouver, Washington, and we performed at the New York World Fair,” Bicknese said.

Today, Bicknese continues to play outside the classroom and is an active member in two bands — Place Your Marker and Ed’s Band (short for educator’s). Ed’s Band is known  for playing at the Center Call.

“I also do arrangements for the Boise State Blue Thunder Marching Band,” Bicknese said. “The last field that I arranged was when they brought the blue piano on the turf.”

Bicknese said he has no plans to retire, noting his students find reasons for him to stay at OHS.

Bicknese lives in Fruitland with his wife, Carol, whom he married in 1969. The couple has two sons, Mike, Fruitland, and Paul, Portland, and three grandchildren, Jonas, Shaylee and Avery.

Bicknese said some might remember Carol, a Fruitland native, who once sang for a local dance band in the 1980s.

 “She has been extremely supportive over the years,” he said. “I’ve also been very blessed with wonderful administration, terrific students and parental support.”

Bicknese said he first learned of receiving the educator of the year honor during a chamber meeting around Christmas. He attended the meeting with the choir who traditionally performs for the group during the holidays.

“I was shocked,” Bicknese said, adding it was an honor to learn the news in front of his students. “I am extremely honored and stunned.”

Bicknese said he plans to hang his plaque next to his dad’s plaque, which he received in 1972 as chamber president.

Agriculturalist of the Year

The 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Agriculturalist of the Year is Reid Saito.

Saito was the first baby born in the Nyssa Hospital in 1950. He was raised in Nyssa with his parents, Kayno and Kae Saito, and sisters, Karen, Ellen and Jan.

He graduated from Nyssa High School in 1968.

After college he attended the University of Oregon, Eugene, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English.

“After graduating from the University of Oregon, I spent almost 4 years in Japan teaching English and attending universities in Tokyo studying Japanese language and culture,” Saito said. 

In 1972, Saito attended Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, where he majored in language studies for a year. He then attended Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, from 1973 to 1974, where he studied international business. While living in Japan, Saito worked as an English instructor at Minolta Company, Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin (language school) and the Egami Language School.

Saito, however, is best known for his work in agriculture. He was born and raised on a family farm and has farmed since his return from Japan in 1975.

“Being a third generation Japanese-American, my grandparents and parents all lived in the same home speaking a combination of Japanese and English and working on the family farm,” Saito said. “We grew up weeding onions, sugar beets and certified strawberry plants, irrigating crops and learning to work together.

“I came back to the farm in 1974 when my father, Kayno, said that farming was turning around and prices were very good for potatoes, onions, beets,” Saito said. “I joined my father and two uncles, Larry and George on the farm. The name of the farm is KLG Farms after Kayno, Larry, and George.”

In 1974, Saito married Kaylene Miyasako, a farmer’s daughter from Homedale who was raised in Adrian. The couple has two children, Randy, who is deceased and Kimberly.

“They both grew up weeding onions and irrigating crops learning the same lessons of hard work and responsibility that our parents instilled in us,” Saito said.

In 1985, Saito’s sister, Karen and her husband, Danny Shishido, joined the farm venture until his retirement in 2004.

“Kaylene and I farm 1,000 acres of row crops including onions, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, beans, corn, hay and alfalfa seed. In 1999, we joined with other growers to buy the Muir-Roberts onion packing facility in Nyssa to handle our onions,” Saito said.

Today, Saito is president and owner of KLG Farms, Inc., and a partner in the Snake River Produce Company, LLC.

Saito has dedicated much of his time to his community having served with the Malheur County Onion Growers Association, Owyhee Water Quality Planning Committee, Food Producers of Eastern Oregon, Idaho Eastern Oregon Onion Export Committee, Onion Growers Association representative to Federal Marketing Order Committee, OSU Extension Agent Search Committee and Malheur Experiment Station Weed Scientist search committee.

Saito has also been active with the Japanese American Citizens League, Malheur County Early Warning Steering Committee, Malheur Memorial Hospital Budget Board, Nyssa Schools Building Committee, Malheur County Jail Site Committee and a Nyssa Pack Cubmaster.

Saito was recently recognized by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, which awarded him the Distinguished Service Award for Individual Contribution to Oregon Agriculture.

“Because of great family support and the hard work and dedication of our employees, I was fortunate enough to have some time to contribute to community and the agricultural industry,” Saito said. “This includes 30 years on the Malheur County Onion Grower’s board of directors and eight years on the Oregon State Board of Agriculture. Water issues, agricultural employee issues, as well as crop pests and solutions and marketing take up a great deal of time but are all issues critical to the health of our agricultural industry. Farming in this area has provided a good life for my family and I hope that by contributing something back, the farming industry will remain strong for years to come.”

Business of the Year

The 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year is Malheur Federal Credit Union. MFCU is headed by president and chief executive officer Howard Benson. Benson, 59, was raised in Klamath Falls. He attended college at the Oregon Institute of Technology. Following his graduation, Benson set out to find a career.

“I went looking for a job and found one at a credit union,” he said.

Benson has worked in the credit union business ever since. He and his wife, Patty, moved to Ontario 25 years ago so he could take a position with MFCU.

Benson said at the time, MFCU had just a few million dollars in assets, and he actually took a cut in pay to manage the facility.

“I knew there was a good opportunity, a good future,” Benson said of taking the position.

Today the bank enjoys more than $60 million in assets. It is also home to 30 employees and has branches in Payette, Ontario and Vale.

The credit union has been a community fixture in Ontario and the surrounding areas since its founding in 1957 when it was established as a teacher’s credit union.

According to Benson, MFCU later expanded its clientele, and in 1981 the credit union became a community charter, opening its services to people who lived or worked in Malheur County. In recent years, the credit union again expanded, adding its membership to include Payette County.

Benson said the credit union is different from a traditional bank. The main distinction is the credit union is a non-profit financial cooperative.

“We are owned by our members … you become a member by depositing with the credit union,” Benson said. “We don’t invest in condos in Florida. Our loans are made to local people. Our savings are with local people. We are dependent upon the community we live in.

“We try to return our earnings to our members by way of lower borrowing rates and higher savings rates usually,” he said.

Benson also said the credit union has a board of directors who are volunteers.

“Where we have come, it wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers, board members and paid staff,” Benson said.

The MFCU is also known for its contributions to the community. According to Benson, the credit union owns a portable stage that it loans out free of charge for community functions. In 2008, the stage was utilized 15 times. In addition, MFCU donated more than $30,000 to various schools, sports teams, non-profit agencies and organizations last year. Benson also said the credit union employs numerous individuals who are active in the local communities and organizations. Finally, Benson said the credit union prides itself on its being a local establishment.

“We are locally-owned, the only locally owned, locally-operated financial institution,” he said.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Life Achievement Award recipients are Norm and Marolyn Poole.

Marolyn Poole was born in the Oakland Bay Area, Calif., in 1928. She grew up in Piedmont, Calif., and began her collegiate career at San Jose State University. Her family later moved to Salem where Marolyn attended school at Oregon State University. She graduated from OSU with a degree in home economics.

Norm Poole was born in Portland in 1928. He attended elementary school in Portland. His family later moved to Tillamook where he attended school and graduated. Norm also attended OSU where he met Marolyn. He earned a degree in business administration.

According to Norm, his parents, children and two of his grandchildren are also OSU alumni, something the entire family is proud of. After graduating from OSU, Norm joined the Air Force.

“I spent a while in the Hawaiian Islands, and Marolyn and I were married on Hickam Air Force Base,” Norm said.

Norm served two years in the service. After he exited the Air Force, the couple moved to Portland, which was where his parents were living. Norm went to work for the Shell Oil Company.

“After nine years, they wanted to transfer me to Detroit. At that point, we evaluated our situation and felt that between family and business the most important one was family and we did not want to move the family,” Norm said. In 1961, Norm quit the Shell Oil Company to move to Ontario and take over a Shell distribution center already situated in town. The couple operated Norm Poole Oil as a proprietorship.

“That was the start of Poole Oil,” Norm said. “I was the truck driver and plant man and she was the bookkeeper and office lady.”At its start, Poole Oil was a consignee of the Shell Oil Company.

“We just owned our truck and delivered fuel,” Norm said. In 1970, Shell sold the facilities to the couple and Poole Oil became an independent operation. Eight years later, Poole Oil expanded into the retail business, running several service stations around the valley. In all, the company operated the Shell stations on Idaho Avenue, Fourth Avenue, the North Interchange, plus stations in Vale, Nyssa and Payette. The company also bought and operated a truck stop out of Baker.

Also in the late 1970s, the Pooles two sons, Ralph and Kenneth, joined in their parents venture. The Poole’s also have a daughter, Kathleen (Kathy).

Around 2001, the Pooles opted to restructure their business.

“We decided after the boys were in the business to restructure our business and lease out our service stations,” Norm said. Poole Oil exited the retail business, leased out its stations, but retained those stations as wholesale customers.

“We downsized considerably but we still maintained Norm Poole Oil. We still handle the Shell branded products,” Norm said. “At this point we are strictly a wholesaler.” Ken and Ralph Poole have run the family-owned business for the past 15 years now. Norm, however, said he remains active in the company.

In recent years, Poole Oil sold its property near Ontario’s North Interchange where the former Shell Station and Pacific Pride facility — also owned by Poole Oil — was once situated.

The land was sold to Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. Poole Oil built a new Pacific Pride on the opposite side of the freeway and continues to operate the facility.

According to Poole, Pacific Pride is a co-op with stations across the county. The facility is a card lock station frequented by long haulers and other customers who have a card lock account with the company.

Norm said Poole Oil is not involved with the retail operations at Love’s and does not own the facility. The company does however provide the truck stop with its wholesale fuel supply.

Poole Oil also owns a reloading facility on the rail track near Andrew’s Seed Company that Love’s utilizes for its own railcars. Along with that collaboration, Poole Oil assists Love’s with transporting from the rail track to the truck stop.

Looking back, Norm said he and Marolyn have taken pride in their community and dedicated their time accordingly.

Marolyn has been active as a 4-H leader and PTA member. Norm served numerous years with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club. Norm, who is a past Kiwanis president, served as co-chairman for the Beck Kiwanis ballpark committee. The ballpark was built in the mid-1960s by the civic organization and later turned over to the city.

“It has certainly been a great project for Ontario, the youth and its citizens,” Norm said of the park. “It’s a neat facility.”

Despite their many professional and community-based accomplishments, Norm said he and Marolyn are most proud of their family.

“I think it is important that we recognize that this is a lifetime achievement couple … our philosophy has always been that family comes first. Then the business and community activities are right up their close,” Norm said. “Marolyn has always been a stay at home mom and her major activity and major achievement was raising our three children. We feel that the family is the most important thing we can do.”

Norm said he and Marolyn are also proud their sons decided to join in their venture.

“I’ve worked nearly 30 years, side-by-side with my sons,” Norm said. “We’ve never had any problems with that. It’s just worked beautifully. It’s rewarding to us that they wanted to come back and live in Ontario and raise their families.”