Sisters Habitat chapter has new officers

Newly elected Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board members and officers began their terms in January.

The new officers are Neil Burck, President; Larry Lennon, Vice President; Tana Sproat, Secretary; and Jerry Hanford, Treasurer.

President Neil Burck, former Habitat Treasurer, is Director of Strategic Accounts and Alliances for Key Technology, a Walla Walla, Washington-based firm.

Vice President Larry Lennon, former Building Committee Chairman and longtime Habitat volunteer, worked with Union Carbide/First Brands in Long Beach, California; Eugene, Oregon; and Bellevue, Washington. He is retired.

Secretary Tana Sproat was born and raised in Sisters and has run Tana's Cleaning Service for the past five years. In 2000, she purchased a Habitat home and has remained active in the Habitat program, helping others attain the dream of homeownership.

Treasurer Jerry Hanford is a former Habitat ReStore Committee Chair, a member of the Finance Committee, and a ReStore volunteer. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he practiced as an attorney in Victorville, CA, then became an FBI agent working in many U.S. locations.

New Board members include Marcea Degregorio, Nan Daschel, Robert Mayfield and John Di Chiara.

Deqregorio has worked in the Sisters community since 1985, working in banking and construction before managing First American Title Insurance Company in Sisters. She now manages South Valley Bank & Trust.

Daschel moved to Sisters in 2006 from Kauai, HI after working in retail, in banking and in medical offices. Habitat is her first volunteer work. She'd camped in the Sisters areas years before and had always wanted to live here.

Mayfield has worked on homeowners committees, assisted many non-profits and most recently worked closely with the Board of Black Butte School in Camp Sherman.  After graduating West Point and serving in the U.S. Army, Mayfield worked in the U.S. and Europe with major financial and technical firms.

Di Chiara served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining PepsiCo, where he worked in New York City and Dallas. He worked for Mobil Oil in NYC and in London. A resident of Sisters from 2002 to 2005, he returned to Sisters after three years in Virginia. Di Chiara helped build over 100 Habitat houses in Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Charlottesville and Sisters. He served on the Board of Directors for Dallas Habitat for two years.

Outgoing President Michele Sims has served two years and remains for one more year as a Board member. Outgoing Treasurer Neil Burck moved up to President. Outgoing VP Bob Harris has completed two three-year terms and was the only member completing his service on the board this year. Outgoing Secretary Sharyn Fetrow remains on the board.

Other board members include: Sue Tower, Ali Mayea, Gary Oldham, Gale Larson, Rodger Gabrielson and Les Cooper, as well as Sisters High School student Chrissy Pullig-Gomez.