BOARD MEMBERS
Dr. John LeBow
Board President
Phillip Groshong
Vice President
Cindy Decker
Treasurer
After serving in the US Navy and now a disabled veteran, Cindy completed her degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University, she continued her career in finance with Lane County Government, worked as an office manager, and an executive director for Habitat for Humanity. Before retiring she worked as an accounting analyst with multi-family housing at St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County. She enjoys quilting and spending time with her family.
JEFF GOWING
Secretary
Jeff Gowing was born and raised in Cottage Grove, Oregon and is a fourth generation Oregonian. A graduate of Cottage Grove High School, Jeff served 6 years in the United States Army. He served one year with the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis Washington, 3 years with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and 2 years with the 2nd Armor Division at Fort Hood, Texas. After an honorable discharge in 1988, he returned to Oregon to raise his family.
In 1989 Jeff began working at Weyerhaeuser Lumber in Cottage Grove where he worked for 34 years. His community service also began in 1989 when he joined the Jaycees. Jeff served as a City Counselor for the City of Cottage from 2009 – 2016, as Mayor from 2017 – 2022 and currently serves on the Cottage Grove Planning Commission. Other community service involvement includes Past President of the Oregon Mayor’s Association, Past Chair Lane Area Commission on Transportation, Past member of Lane Council of Governments and current member of the Cottage Grove Planning Commission. Jeff is a current Board member of the Veterans’ Legacy, Coast Fork Water Shed Council and Cottage Grove Community Foundation. He has also served on the Boards of the American Legion, American Legion Riders, Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association, and Vision Keepers in Cottage Grove.
Jeff lives in Cottage Grove and has three adult children and six grandchildren. He has completed two full round trip motorcycle rides starting in Sacramento CA and ending in Washington DC with the National Veterans Awareness Riders. Jeff a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is an active member of the American Legion and the Elks. His hobbies include motorcycle riding, hunting, fishing, golfing, bicycling and travel.
Shelley Corteville
Board Member
Joe Bradford
Board Member
Joseph D. Bradford was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. He is a retired Army Infantry Major, serving 22 years. He had the honor of Escort Duty from Dover Air Force Base to Corvallis, Oregon guarding the remains of a fallen soldier during the war in Iraq (June 2004), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). He led a Platoon of soldiers policing the neighborhoods during the civil unrest in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita in Louisiana under the state of Martial Law (2005). He was deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, 2006-7) leading self-secured transportation missions in Kabul and surrounding areas. He was deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF, 2009-10) for base defense operations in Baghdad. He was deployed to Kosovo (KFOR-27) as part of the NATO Alliance with the mission to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities living in Kosovo based at Camp Bonsteel (2020).
Some medals, badges, and ribbons awarded to Joseph are listed (24+ are not listed): Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2nd Award), Combat Infantry Badge, Oregon Superior Soldier Ribbon and Oregon Faithful Service Ribbon with “M’ Device. Joseph is a double major from the University of Washington in Psychology and African American History (full degrees) and has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Oregon. He is employed as a full-time veteran counselor for the Federal Government and is the owner of his own counseling business. Joseph is a current Board member of the Veteran’s Legacy. He is a life member of the NAACP and VFW (Veteran of Foreign Wars) and is an active Board member and Social Action Director of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
STEVE CLARKE
Board Member
Steve was born in Takoma Park, MD the second of seven children. He joined the Navy right out
of high school as an enlisted nuclear electrician (submarine qualified). After five years he
received an NROTC scholarship, attended the University of Southern California and was
commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer. Steve served on a variety of ship types and earned a
Master’s Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School before leaving the Navy in 1998. After the
Navy Steve, his wife Alayne, and their children moved to Eugene. Steve worked as a
Manufacturing Engineer or Production Manager for a number of companies in the
Eugene/Springfield area before retiring. Steve enjoys woodworking, gardening and traveling.
