Region X History
The first Region X VPP conference was held in Spokane, Washington in the winter of 1994 at the Double Tree Inn. Dan Hoeschen, Region X VPP Manger, set up the conference. The conference lasted one day and had about 37 attendees. At that time there were only three VPP sites in Region X and a Region X Chapter of the VPPPA had not yet been established. Region X became a formal chapter of VPPPA on March 6, 1996.
The first Region X Chapter of the VPPPA Board of Directors were:
Chairperson: Boyd Schvanevldt, Kerr, McGee
Secretary-Treasurer: Kent Lang, Potlatch Corporation
Director at Large: Conrad Watkins, Monsanto
Director at Large: Paul Hooper, Nu West
The first Conference held by the formalized Chapter was held in Tumwater, Washington at the Labor and Industries building, May, 8-10, 1996. The conference had ninety nine attendees and four vendors.
The positions of Vice Chair, Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent, Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent and another Director at Large position were added to the Region X Board of Directors in 1997. The Secretary/ Treasurer position was split to form two positions in 2003.
The 3rd Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 14 & 15, 1997 in Tumwater WA. The Conference theme was “Region X is Buzzin”.
The 4th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 20 & 21, 1998 in Portland OR. The Conference theme was “Journey to Excellence”
Chairperson: Paul Hooper
Vice Chairperson: Stephen Brown
Secretary-Treasurer: Kent Lang
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent - Vince Diaz, Pioneer
Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent - Elizabeth Allen, BP AK
Directors at Large: Terry Lish, Simplot
Directors at Large: Boyd Schvaneveldt, Kerr-McGee
Directors at Large: Lynda Stoneberg,WISHA
The 5th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held April 28 & 29, 1999 in Coeur d’Alene ID. The Conference theme was “Above and Beyond”
Chairperson: Paul Hooper
Vice- Chairperson: Mike Shuey
Secretary-Treasurer: Kent Lang
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent -Dennis Hernandez, Simplot
Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent- Elizabeth Allen
Directors at Large: Terry Lish,
Directors at Large: Dave Matyus,
Directors at Large: Lynda Stoneberg, WISHA
The 6th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 10 & 11, 2000 in Seattle WA. The Conference theme was “VPP Reigns in Region X”
Chairperson: Mike Shuey
Vice- Chairperson: Paul Hooper
Secretary-Treasurer: Kent Lang
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent Dennis Hernandez
Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent- Elizabeth Allen
Directors at Large: Terry Lish,
Directors at Large: Dave Matyus,
Directors at Large: Lynda Stoneberg
The 7th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 9 & 10, 2001 at Sun River OR. The Conference theme was “Valuing Peak Performance”
The 8th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held April 24 - 25, 2002 in Coeur d’Alene ID. The Conference theme was “Best in the West”
Chairperson Gary McDonough, Georgia Pacific
Vice-chairperson Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary-Treasurer- Kent Lang, Potlatch
Director Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent- Gale Ahrens, Weyerhaeuser
Director Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent-Dave Shelton, Rohm & Haas
Directors at Large Clegg Meadows, Potlatch
Directors at Large Lynda Stoneberg, WISHA
Directors at Large Chris Thursby, Monsanto
The 9th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 7-8, 2003 in Pasco WA. The Conference theme was “Share the Energy”
Chairperson Gary McDonough, Georgia Pacific
Vice Chairperson Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary Chris Adolfson, INEEL
Treasurer Kent Lang, Potlatch
Director-Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent Gale Ahrens, Weyerhaeuser
Director-Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent David Shelton, Rohm & Haas
Director at Large Chris Thursby, Monsanto
Director at Large Clegg Meadows, Potlatch
Director at Large Brent Jensen, Potlatch
The 10th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 18 & 20 2004 in Portland OR. The Conference theme was “Celebrating a Decade of Excellence
Chairperson Chris Thursby, Monsanto
Vice Chairperson Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary Chris Adolfson, INEEL
Treasurer Kent Lang, Potlatch
Director-Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent Gale Ahrens, Weyerhaeuser
Director-Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent Bonnie Anderson, INEEL
Director at Large Bill Rippon, Georgia Pacific
Director at Large Jack Griffith, Fluor Hanford
Director at Large Brent Jensen, Potlatch
The 11th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 3-5, 2005 in Boise ID. The Conference theme was “Discover the Star”
Chairperson: Chris Thursby, Monsanto
Vice Chairperson: Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary: Chris Adolfson, INL
Treasurer: Kent Lang, Potlatch Consumer Products
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent -Union: Gale Ahrens, Weyerhaeuser
Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent: Bonnie Anderson, CWI
Directors at Large: Brent Jensen, Potlach,
Directors at Large: Jack Griffith, Fluor Hanford
Directors at Large: Bill Rippon, Georgia-Pacific
The 12th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 23-25, 2006 in Spokane WA. The Conference theme was “Return to the Beginning”
Chairperson: Brent Jensen, Potlatch
Vice Chairperson: Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary: Chris Adolfson, INL
Treasurer: Kent Lang, Potlatch Consumer Products
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent : Jim Chonzena, Weyerhaeuser
Director from a Site without a Collective Bargaining Agent : Bonnie Anderson, CWI
Directors at Large: Rich Gibson, Rohm & Haas
Directors at Large: Jack Griffith, Fluor Hanford
Directors at Large: Bill Rippon, Georgia-Pacific
The 13th Annual VPPPA Region X Conference was held May 22-24, 2007 in Portland OR. The Conference theme was “The Trail to Excellence”
Chairperson: Brent Jensen, Potlatch
Vice Chairperson: Paul Hooper, Agrium
Secretary: Maggie Duff, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Treasurer: Chris Adolfson, INL
Director from a Site with a Collective Bargaining Agent : Jim