The board in charge of spurring economic development along the Idaho border swore in a new member Monday, March 4.
Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Cheri Hung, the chief financial officer of Valley Family Health Care, to the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board.
According to Shawna Peterson, the board’s executive director, Hung replaces Bill Johnson, whose term ended in December. Johnson, a local farmer and the owner of Loft Property Management, served two terms.
Hung said in her application for the position that she grew up in rural Malheur County. Hung said she left to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Boise State University and returned nearly 30 years ago to raise a family.
She has two children, one in fourth grade, the other a sophomore, according to her application. Her husband is Malheur County Circuit Court Judge Lung Hung.
Over three decades Hung has held a several financial leadership positions in Malheur County. Before being named CFO of Valley Family Health Care Healthcare, she was the controller for the Payette organization for two years. Before that worked for Campo & Poole Distributing in Ontario as the company’s controller.
Hung wrote that Valley Family struggles to attract and retain medical providers at its clinics in Ontario, Nyssa and Vale. Anything the board can get behind to make the region more attractive for working professionals will improve the quality of life for “all residents,” according to Hung.
“Residents should be able to access health care, financial services, education opportunities, and recreational activities without leaving our community,” she said.
She added she’s “very interested” in making services in the community more accessible to people, especially those in smaller, rural towns.
In addition to Hung, the board includes Taylor Rembowsk, economic development director for Malheur County,, Treasure Valley Community College President Dana Young, Ontario Recreation District Director Andrew Maeda, Ron Haidle, a retired bank executive, Montessa Young (no relation to Dana Young), former teacher, professor and curriculum developer and Nicki Shira, a STEM and innovation coordinator for the Malheur Education Service District.
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