Meet Me In Beaverton

Meet Chris & Dean Hogan of Chick-fil-A Raleigh Hills

When you know, you know. Right? That’s what Chris and Dean Hogan both said when asked about how they got together. Now, this wasn’t one of those connections that happened in early elementary school… kind of. And it could never have happened at all. The two did live near each other on the Oregon coast, but Dean is a couple of years older than Chris, and his family mov...

Meet Pauline Lee, Program for Intellectual Empowerment 

Pauline Lee, even before she came into the world, was putting others' needs ahead of her own. She’s the youngest of 4 kids, the last two being twins, of which she was the younger. But when her mom Nancy went into labor Pauline was the twin who was ready to enter the world first. Then… her sister Patricia began having problems and the docs called an audible and in...

Meet Andy Oldenburg, Marsh McLennan Agency

His grandfather Don served in World War II, came home, launched a retail empire, and was ultimately named Man of the Century. His dad, John, was an attorney who ultimately rose to become a judge of the county courts. His mom, Dianne, found her space in education, helping people gain their GEDs, and then founded a nursing program and community college. No pressure to perform if you...

Alicia Bermes, President/CEO, Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Cancer. There’s no way to really prepare yourself when the doctor lays that news on you. Whether it’s your own diagnosis, or that of a family member or friend, it’s a gut punch. Some folks whither when they get the diagnosis. Others stiffen their spine and lean into it. They say no – not here, not now. When I’ve had family and friends receive the news, thank...

Meet Dick Nichols of the Beaverton Oregon History Association

For Dick Nichols, growing up on his parents' farm made life pretty simple. During the school year, it was go to school, then chores. Some extra-curriculars like track – he never finished last, by the way, but mostly it was a list of to-dos for him and his two brothers. Then summer came, and it was a full day of work, which might include cleaning the barn or...

Meet Josh Johnson of Binary Brewing

Josh Johnson’s grandfather, Adolf Leroy, made a simple decision. Instead of getting the milk and bread he went out for back in Nebraska, he hopped on a freight train that landed him in Oregon. If not for that fateful, “simple” decision, we might not have some of the best beer in the area. Like his grandfather, Josh followed his instincts and his need to always be moving and doing through...

Meet Donna Meeuwsen, Topography Team eXp

OK, let’s just address the elephant in the room – the open grave. That’s right. That’s where Donna Meeuwsen’s story begins. It’s where her mom met her dad. No, not at a funeral. Barney Meeuwsen was digging a grave when his future wife Janice happened upon him. It’s where they buried their pasts and started a future together. Love was born that day – circle of life stuff. Anyway, Ba...

Meet Kelsey Scotch of Madden Industrial Craftsmen

Kelsey Scotch’s grandfather, Ron Madden, came up in the business side of the trades, so he knew that to build anything that would last, you needed to have the right people on the job. When he launched Madded Industrial Craftsmen back in 1988 with his sons, his goal was to serve the building trades by providing the most qualified and experienced craftsmen in the area. The st...

Meet Steven DaSilva of Timmco Insurance

You know, some people just come out that way, right? I’d bet anything… well, almost anything, that when Steven DaSilva was born, he came into the world holding a golf club. The oldest of three boys born to Chuck & Christine DaSilva, he lead the way for his brothers, Joe and Mike, to pick up the sticks and follow in his Dad’s golf-shoe-steps. His Dad? Well, if you’re a golfer, may...

Meet Nadia Hasan, Beaverton City Councilor

Her parents were immigrants. Her dad, Wasim, was born in India, and her mom, Shagufta, was a native of Pakistan. Wasim was a physicist and Shagufta was an MD. They came together through an arranged marriage and eventually found their way to Connecticut along with several other family members. The two started a family – three girls. This story is about their oldest daughter, Nadia....

Meet Dianne Danowski-Smith of Publix Northwest and Answer2Cancer

If you’ve ever been through or alongside someone in a fight with cancer, you know how brutal that battle is, and how much a support circle can make a difference. So many people face that fight alone and many of them may not have the resources – medical, financial, family – to help them navigate the journey. 

Dianne Danowski-Smith, Founder of Answer2Cancer, had...

Meet Ashley Hartmeier-Prigg, Beaverton City Council President

At a young age, Ashley Hartmeier-Prigg learned the lessons of hard work. She and her siblings would help out their parents when it came to keeping up the building owned by her grandparents. That, and watching her parents, who came to parenthood early, working hard themselves to keep the lights on. The middle of three kids, Ashley was pretty much a straight arrow...

Meet Ron & Deborah Threadgill of Threadgill Memorial Services

Threadgill Memorial Services

4815 SW Jamieson Road  |  Beaverton, OR 97005  |  ph. 503-526-3952

Nobody wants to think about dealing with a mortician. But when you need one, you want one with a human touch. Not someone that’s more like Lerch from the Addams Family, or a used car salesman. Ron & Deborah Threadgill bring an uncommon personal touch and a unique approach...

Meet John Dugger, Beaverton City Councilor

John Dugger has always been a joiner, a leader, and an activist. As a kid he was all in on just about every club his high school offered, stepping into leadership roles on many of them. As an adult he activated in the community and the neighborhoods he lived in and decided to run for office. When that run fell short, his husband didn't let him off the hook when it came time t...

Meet Rachelle Scheele of SCARS of Oregon

Rachelle Scheele had an idyllic childhood in Southern Oregon. Then at the age of 16, her world was rocked and everything changed in a single phone call. A few years later she found herself in a relationship that led to domestic violence, which she lived through for years. Then she broke free from those chains and today is helping others do the same. 

Links

• SCARS of Orego...

Meet Jana & Paul Decarli of decarli restaurant

When Paul Decarli, a lifer in the restaurant industry, was searching for his next adventure in Hawaii, he never expected it to be back in Oregon. But when the Blazers were in the Western Conference Finals, he couldn't resist making one more visit to Portland to witness the Championship coming to the Rose City... but it never happened. Instead, he landed back in a temp...

Meet Jenny Haruyama, Beaverton City Manager

The idea of public service has surrounded Jenny her entire life. Her father was a Fire Chief, among other roles. Her mom was a teacher in the public school system – and if you don’t think that’s a public service role, you ain’t paying attention. And that commitment to service permeated her extended family, who’ve given more than 300 years of service to their communities. So, it w...

Meet Amy Saberiyan of Ava Roasteria

When Amy Saberiyan was raised by a family and community that valued, encouraged, and supported her in whatever dreams she might have. Thing was she was born and raised in Iran back in the 70s, and when the “cultural” revolution happened, those dreams would no longer be possible. Fortunately, she found her way out and landed in Oregon where she earned a degree in microbiology… which led t...

Meet Grayson Hogard of Grove Cookie Company

Grayson Hogard realized when he was in high school that he needed something more to help him find the way forward. That was military school... his choice. He found a place in that environment which lead to his enlistment in the Army Reserves. He also realized when he met a girl named Marie on a blind date in Chicago, that he found the recipe for happiness and success. Sometimes, ...