Goings-on in the local business community

People on the Move

Real estate brokers Chaille Shipps, Michael Affinito, Joni Kelsey, Kimberly Bevel, Linda L. Garcia, Lisa Underwood and Eric Skinner have joined the Keller Williams Realty in Corvallis. Shipps' background is in higher education, both as an admissions counselor and faculty secretary, accounts receivables, and title/escrow marketing. She received a B.S. in family studies in 2000 from Corban College in Salem. Affinito's background is in residential real estate and in assisting new buyers in purchasing their first homes. A licensed real estate broker since 2005, Affinito previously owned and operated a computer and networking consulting business in the Albany, Lebanon, and Sweet Home areas. He currently works out of the Albany Market Center of Keller Williams Realty. Kelsey has worked in real estate for seven years. Bevel has extensive background in real estate investing and developing and is a graduate of Norm Webb Real Estate School. She is a certified negotiation specialist and Realtor. Garcia has worked in the real estate and financial industry for over 30 years. She has worked as a title examiner, escrow officer, contract buyer and, for the last 10 years, has owned and operated All About Mortgage Inc. in Sweet Home. Underwood has extensive background in real estate and is a graduate of ProSchools of Oregon. Skinner retired from Hewlett-Packard Company in May, 2007, after 31 years serving in several marketing and research and development professional and executive positions. He is a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a B.S. in marketing. Skinner is a member of the National Association of Realtors with the Realtor designation.

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Blair Bobier has joined the Reynolds Law Firm, P.C. in Corvallis. Bobier has been a member of the Oregon State Bar for almost 20 years. He is also well known for his work in the Green Party and as an advocate of electoral reform. The firm focuses on family law matters, representing victims of domestic violence, protecting children's rights, estate planning, and probate. Bobier joins Attorney Lorena Reynolds, founder of the firm.

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Jason Fullan has joined Clear Choice Health Plans, Inc., as a sales executive. Prior to this he was an account executive for UnitedHealthcare Company (formerly PacifiCare) of Oregon. He will be responsible for new sales and renewals for employer groups with 26 or more employees throughout the Mid-Valley and Columbia Gorge regions in Oregon including Benton, Linn, Marion, Polk, Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties.

News & Notes

Volunteers from the Linn-Benton Mediation Service will be among those providing holiday gift wrapping at the Heritage Mall in Albany on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Proceeds from the service go to United Way agencies. Interested volunteers can sign up for one hour (or longer) periods by contacting Linn-Benton Mediation Service at 928-5325 or intern@mediate.peak.org.

Reinvestment

The Engineering & Technology Industry Council awarded The SMILE Program at Oregon State University a $73,500 pre-engineering education grant. The grant was one of six and $390,000 total awarded statewide to support model programs that expand the state's ability to motivate and prepare students for success in engineering and high technology careers. The grant will allow The SMILE Program to motivate and prepare approximately 260 Corvallis-area middle school students and their families for college, through sustained professional development for classroom teachers to act as advisors for after school science and math clubs, an on-campus event for middle-school students, and community-based programs for families.

Submissions

"Movers & Shakers" welcomes submissions of business news about local companies. News releases can be delivered to the front desk of the Gazette-Times, 600 S.W. Jefferson Ave.; faxed to 758-9505; e-mailed to news@gtconnect.com; or mailed to Business News, Corvallis Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 368, Corvallis, OR 97339.

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