Board Members

Kathy Charlton

Kathy Charlton has been “making it happen” for the past quarter century. A born entrepreneur with a near-fanatical focus on priorities, the Dallas native earned a reputation while at Texas Instruments as a highly effective manager in finance and human resources. In her 20+ years with the high tech giant, Charlton, wearing her HR hat, was responsible for more than 800 employees worldwide within the company’s $950M ASIC business; performed leadership and financial roles within TI’s internal start-up businesses; managed the company’s profit sharing and pension plans; and spearheaded Health Excellence programs, employee fitness facilities, and operations.

Then in 1999, life threw Charlton a winery! She and her husband purchased Olympic Cellars, a failing boutique winery housed in an historic dairy barn situated on the Charlton’s investment property in Port Angeles, Washington. The opportunity to turn the business around and take it in a whole new direction lent itself to Charlton’s skills and experience and set her enthusiasm on fire (though she had no wine industry expertise). She jumped on an early retirement package offered by Texas Instruments in 2001, packed-up her Dallas home, and together with her husband headed north to begin an exciting second career at the age of 51.

Driven by a personal motto of “out of sight, out of mind, out of business,” Charlton immediately rolled-up her sleeves and with the help of newly hired Retail Shop Manager Molly Rivard and Events Coordinator Libby Sweetser, began to reinvent Olympic Cellars. Throughout the process Charlton discovered a new passion for “off-the-wall” marketing. Creative labeling, philanthropic initiatives in support of women, and a series of ongoing unique (even wacky!) winery events began to pique the interest of consumers, industry players and the media.

By 2003 Charlton had carved out a niche for her winery, offering wines created by women in support of women. Two new signature wine series, La Dolce Vida™ and Working Girl, ® struck a chord with local women and word of the winery and its innovative philanthropic programs began to spread. Wine production grew from 1,200 cases in 2001 to 3,200 cases in 2004, and then soared to over 14,000 cases in 2006 as Charlton launched a nationwide rollout of her Working Girl wines.

Elected president of the North Sound Wineries Association in February 2007, Charlton is working to raise the profile of Washington’s North Sound Wine Region. In the fall of 2006 she spearheaded a successful fundraiser to commission Dr. Gregory V. Jones, a professor and research climatologist at Southern Oregon University, to conduct a climatic grape study of the North Olympic Peninsula. The purpose of this study is to identify grape varieties that will thrive in the mild coastal environment and attract growers to the area. The presence of new vineyards will help stimulate culinary tourism and preserve the region’s agricultural heritage. 

Jim Haguewood

Jim Haguewood was born and raised in Port Angeles, Washington, where he was introduced early in life to the private sector business world.  For 46 years, his family owned and operated Haguewood’s Restaurant,  a well known landmark in the area.  He began working at age 12, learned all aspects of the operation, but most importantly, the value of customer service.

After graduating with a BA degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management from Washington State University, Jim returned to his hometown as the President of Haguewood’s Restaurant, which he owned and managed for 20 years. He was the President of the Port Angeles Downtown Association, which was successful in downtown redevelopment, and started a Main Street Program. Jim has coached youth teams in soccer and basketball for 16 years.

In 1998, he sold Haguewood’s Restaurant to pursue other career endeavors.  He currently owns and manages rental properties and is involved in business development. In 2000, Jim was hired as the Executive Director of the Clallam County Economic Development Council where he continued the task of promoting and growing business opportunities in the area. He led an industry cluster strategy called Clallam netWorks that was highlighted with the Washington State 2003 Governor’s Economic Development Award for “Unique Partnerships.” This strategy has resulted in historic economic improvements to the county including its removal from the Washington State Distressed County List in 2004 with the lowest employment rate in 30 years.

In June of 2005, he made a career change by leaving Clallam netWorks and establishing a private consulting firm with prominent leaders in the program; The ONE Group. The Olympic Network Executives Group has a proven record of formation and execution of comprehensive economic, community and business development strategies. The firm specializes in the transformation of distressed rural communities with particular expertise with industry clusters, business incubation and community branding and marketing. Jim and the ONE Group were selected to lead the initial startup of the Clallam Business Incubator at the Lincoln Center in Port Angeles. In addition, ONE Group is a member of the ViTAL Economy Alliance which is a collaboration of world class expertise focusing on regional economic development process currently working in Southern Illinois and Northern New England.

Jim continues to support entrepreneur ventures in the area and lending his expertise to a variety of community organizations. He is currently the Chairman of the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association, and a board member of the Peninsula College Foundation Board of Governors, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Gaming Board and Port Angeles Business Association.

Jim has been married for 25 years to his wife Julie, have two children, Jeff, a senior at Gonzaga University in Spokane, and Jessie, also a sophomore at Gonzaga University. They enjoy an active lifestyle, which includes multiple competitive sports, community projects and many outdoor activities.

"My personal belief and reason for commitment is Peninsula College and advanced education are the keys to the Olympic Peninsula's economic future and individual's prosperity. Peninsula College will only succeed with community leadership."

 Jerry Nichols

Jerry Nichols of Port Angeles is chairman of the Board and co-owner of Coldwell Banker Uptown Realty since July of 1999. Jerry brings nearly four decades of business experience to the company. Jerry is a past President of Trans World Airlines (TWA) and is an active member of the business community. Jerry has been a Foundation Board member since 2000.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

Bert W. Paul

Bert W. Paul of Forks is the owner of Forks Outfitters.  Paul first moved to the Forks area as a child and graduated from Forks High School.  He received his degree from Western Washington University and went to work for Sears Roebuck and Co., remaining with them for 18 years, mostly in the Seattle area.  In 1984, Paul decided to move back to his hometown and bought into a partnership with Bob Green, then-owner of the Forks Thrift Mart.  He is active in the Forks Lions Club, the West End Business Association, United Way, Prince of Peach Lutheran Church, Forks Chamber of Commerce, Olympic Natural Resources Board and the Thriftway Board.

"I was pleased to accept a position on the Foundation Board because of the important part Peninsula College plays in Forks and the West End. The continued commitment to the rural areas around Port Angeles given by Peninsula College have made my commitment to the Board stronger as time passes. Peninsula College’s Fork's campus make a very strong statement about the future intention of the college to continue its strong involvement in our community. It is a pleasure to be a part of the Peninsula College Board in support of a wonderful college."

Brooke Taylor

S. Brooke Taylor of Port Angeles is a past president of the Peninsula College Foundation. Brooke was elected to the position of judge n Clallam County in 2007. Previously, he was an owner-partner in the law firm of Platt Irwin Taylor in Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend. He also has served as a Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and was elected as Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney, serving from 1970 to 1974.  Brooke has been active in several professional organizations and is currently a Director on the Clallam-Jefferson Public Defender Board and a Clallam County Superior Court Commissioner.  In 2002, Taylor was elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association.  He also has been an instructor both at Peninsula College and for the Port Angeles Peoples Law School.  He graduated from Port Angeles High School and received his B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

"I am proud to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Peninsula College Foundation.  When public funding for Peninsula College ends, community support must begin, and that is the mission of the Foundation.The College is a tremendous asset to the North Olympic Peninsula, and it is our goal to make it as good as it can be, thereby maximizing the service it provides to our citizens."

Dr. Mary Wegmann

Dr. Mary Wegmann of Port Angeles is a past president of the Peninsula College Foundation. Dr. Wegmann recently retired as a clinical psychologist who was in practice with New Growth Behavioral Health Services, Inc., a small-incorporated group psychotherapy practice in Port Angeles. Between 1981 and 1990, Mary taught Psychology at Peninsula Community College.  Earlier in her career she worked for the Clallam County Family Planning Clinic, spent two years on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana, where she worked for head start and as a vocational counselor, and at the University of Washington as an undergraduate and premed advisor to students.  She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Russian from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Fielding Institute of Santa Barbara, California.  She completed internships at West End Outreach Center in Forks, Washington and at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

"In a rural community, a community college is positioned to play a vital role as a catalyst for intellectual, cultural, and technical communications among citizens.  The college’s role as a catalyst goes far beyond offering specific courses.  The entire community is energized when public facilities are created for cultural events.  The level of public discourse is enhanced when faculty gain additional training and return to the community newly inspired.  Scholarships for achieving students of all ages promote a widening sense of hope in the future and belief in possibilities.  Enhanced technical and vocational programs serve as models for a standard of performance for the entire community.       The College Foundation exists to raise funds to supplement the regular College budget so that new facilities can be built; faculty and students can better pursue their educational goals; and models of excellence can be taught throughout the world of work."