Meyer Memorial Trust announced today the selection of Janet Hamada and Mitch Hornecker to its board of trustees.
The new trustees join Meyer’s six-member board as enthusiastic advocates of the Trust’s mission to work with and invest in organizations, communities, ideas and efforts that contribute to a flourishing and equitable Oregon.
“Mitch brings a host of business, community and volunteer experiences to the role, along with strong civic ties, having co-founded a nonprofit organization serving homeless youth. Janet’s deep direct nonprofit service experience in rural Oregon is matched by her passion for civil rights and social action and her expertise in all four Meyer portfolio focus areas: housing, environment, education and building community.
Both have demonstrated leadership that has impacted the lives of people around the state, and both are committed to their own individual explorations of equity,” said Doug Stamm, Meyer’s chief executive officer. “We are extraordinarily excited to welcome them to the Meyer board.”
To make room for the newcomers, two long-serving board members will step down at the end of this year: John Emrick, who joined Meyer’s board of trustees in 1997, and George Puentes, who joined the board in 2007. Both plan to retire after many years of civic work. The other trustees are Debbie Craig, Toya Fick, Darleen Ortega and Charles Wilhoite, chair of the board.
Janet, a native of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood, brings to Meyer a long history of work in the nonprofit sector, particularly in the areas of administration, refugee resettlement, employment, community organizing, economic development, health promotion and services for youth. Her current professional and community activities include serving as executive director of The Next Door, Inc., a social service organization that strengthens children and families and improves communities in seven counties in the mid-Columbia region.
Janet is president of the board of directors of the Oregon Alliance of Children’s Programs and is a member of the boards of directors of the Hood River Rotary Foundation and Four Rivers Early Learning Hub. In addition, she serves on the Building Bridges: Columbia Gorge Education and Workforce Collaborative and as a community advisory council member for Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.
Janet has childhood memories of peaceful summers in the Hood River Valley visiting her grandparents and uncle. A fluent Spanish speaker, she brings a strong commitment to Oregon and a thoughtful and measured style to the board.
Janet is married to Steven Glatter. They have two daughters, one in middle and one in elementary school. An animal lover, Janet opens her home to shelter dogs, two of which they adopted, along with two formerly stray cats.
Mitch, born and raised in Medford, recently stepped away from the day-to-day operations of Howard S. Wright Construction, where he served eight years in several capacities beginning with president of the holding company and ending as executive vice president and chief legal officer. Prior to joining Howard S. Wright, Mitch practiced law for more than 20 years with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, where he was engaged in a diversified business practice and chaired the health care and business practices and acted as the company’s primary outside counsel for 10 years. Now he runs a consulting firm, sharing his business and legal acumen with others.
Mitch brings a host of community and volunteer experience to the board, including serving as the current chair emeritus of the Portland Business Alliance’s board of directors. But it is his demonstrated passion and leadership for helping Portland’s homeless and at-risk youth that pushed Mitch to Meyer. He co-founded New Avenues for Youth, which works to prevent youth homelessness and to provide young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness with the resources and skills they need to flourish.
Mitch is married to Elisa Martinez deCastro Hornecker. They have three kids, all in college.