Tamara Nordin

Co-President

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Tamara Nordin, President

Social Science, 1988

MBA, 1989
VP Human Resources, Rogue Valley Manor
Tamara is Vice President of Human Resources for both Pacific Retirement Services and Rogue Valley Manor, positions she has held for twenty years. She also holds an MBA degree from Southern Oregon College and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources from the Certification Institute of the Society of Human Resource Management. She is an adjunct instructor for Northwest Christian College and Southern Oregon University where she teaches human resource management and organizational development courses. In addition to these responsibilities Tamara has also been a member of the Workforce Development Council since 1990, a member of the Human Resources Management Association since 1989 and serves with distinction on the SOU President's Advisory Board.

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Emile Amarotico

Business Administration, 1990
CPA Inactive, FMP
Emile Amarotico is past President and General Manager of Standing Stone Brewing Co., a 200-seat, full-service restaurant and microbrewery in Ashland, Oregon.

Prior to co-founding Standing Stone Brewing Co. in 1996, Emile worked as a business systems and operational consultant with Arthur Anderson & Co. He has also taught accounting and food and beverage management as an adjunct instructor at Southern Oregon University.

Emile has more than thirty years of food service and restaurant experience, including stints as a Merchant Marine, as cook aboard the 144-foot barkentine Regina Maris, and as Executive Chef opening Boz Scaggs’ Blue Light Cafe in San Francisco.

He graduated summa cum laude from Southern Oregon University with a BS in Accounting and Computer Information Systems and is an honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a certified Food Management Professional.

Emile is active with the Ashland Rotary Club, sits on the Board of Trustees of the Ashland Family YMCA, is a member of the Southern Oregon University Alumni Association Board, is past Treasurer of the Oregon Restaurant Education Foundation, and past Treasurer of the University Toastmasters Club. Emile and his wife, fellow Culinary Institute of America graduate Karen Amarotico, have two children: Alexandra and Francesco. His many interests include motorcycle touring, skiing, backpacking, and dining with family and friends.

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M. Candice Chapman

Theatre, 1975
Teaching Assistant, Ashland Middle School

Everyone who knows Candice can speak to her boundless energy, her infectious laugh, and her love of all things theatrical. She travels to New York at least once a year where she usually attends ten plays in one week! Candice is focused on admissions outreach and campus events for the Alumni Association. She is also a supporter of the annual Student Alumni Etiquette Dinner and the Distinguished Alumni Dinner.

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Marv Hackwell

Business, 1973
Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, KOGAP

Marv was born in Salt lake City, Utah - raised in Park City. While in school Marv played Basketball, Football and Track. As a running back he was named an All State Football player in his senior year. He attended Brigham Young University for one semester before being drafted into the United States Army. He was almost immediately selected for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. He graduated as a 2nd Lt. during the Vietnam War.

After his career in the Army, Marv decided to try civilian life for a while. He moved to Central Point, Oregon with his wife - a local girl. Marv and Linda are parents to five beautiful children - two girls and three boys.

Throughout his academic years he also worked for Kogap Enterprises, Inc. in a variety of leadership positions and is currently the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. He belongs to several other organizations and groups in addition to his work with the SOU Alumni Board.

Marv is also the chair of the Alumni Association Scholarship Committee and a dedicated volunteer who recently celebrated the graduation of his son, Brent and daughter-in-law, Danielle from Southern Oregon University - continuing the Hackwell Legacy, they both earned degrees in Business. His favorite hobby is golf and he is a member of the Rogue Valley Country Club. We can always count on Marv to bring enthusiasm, energy, and affection for his alma mater to every project he is involved with.

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Carol Moody

Education, 1969
Retired Teacher, Ashland School District
Carol lives in Medford with her husband Blair. They are both very active with SOU—Blair is a member of the SOU Foundation Board and Carol is serving her alma mater as a member of the Alumni Association Board. She assists with the planning and execution of the Alumni Education Mentor Program (AEMP) and is a member of the Alumni Association Scholarship Committee. After spending forty years in the classroom, she is enjoying having the time for hiking, skiing, reading, playing bridge, and traveling. An avid runner, she has competed in two Portland Marathons. Carol also enjoys spending time with her grandchildren Hank and Juliet. Carol and Blair have two daughters—Cathy (SOU '88) and Christy. Son-in-law Scott is also an alum ('02).

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Adrian Rodriguez

Spanish, 1992
Chair of the Counseling Dept., Portland Community College
Adrian lives in Portland with his family. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, travel, and music. He is currently completing work on his PhD but still devotes a great deal of time to SOU through his work on the Alumni Board. While a student at SOU, Adrian was involved with Spanish Club, the Latino Student Union, and the Ho'o Pa'a Hawaii Club and assisted with lectures and performing arts. His area of focus on the board is Regional Development.

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David Sideras

Spanish, 1990
President of Sideras Construction Lending

David exemplifies involvement. From the moment he stepped on campus he become involved with administrative tasks, the community and student leadership.  Very early in David’s career at SOU he was invited to sit on the Peer Review Board to review staff disciplinary actions of residents and students. In his sophomore year he was chosen for one of two open positions to be a Student Firefighter for the City of Ashland Fire Department. David used this position to pay for his studies while giving back to the community.  He later blazed a trail away from the traditional State sponsored exchange programs by traveling solo to Spain and registering for a year of study at the University Complutense of Madrid. After returning to finish his degree he worked closely with Adrian Rodriguez to build bridges between local and valley businesses and the campus community. After graduation, David traveled to Japan where he worked for three years in the communications division of Time Warner. He taught English and Spanish to engineers and senior staff at Honda and Toyota Motors, Panasonic and other national and multinational corporations.  After living abroad David returned home, where for the past 15 years he has run several sister companies dealing in real estate development, construction, finance and property management. He still works to improve relations between SOU and the rest of Oregon. We are delighted to have David’s energy, drive and business acumen on our Board.

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Karolina Wyszynska

English and Writing, 2002; Masters in Management, 2006
Director of Sales & Marketing, Ashland Springs Hotel

Karolina was born in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and came to the United States to pursue a degree in English and writing from SOU. After graduation, she was inspired to continue her studies and earned a Master’s in Management in 2006. Karolina credits her parents for her unflagging optimism and her early athletic training as a figure skater for her sense of discipline. After earning her undergraduate degree in English, Karolina began working at the Ashland Springs Hotel—starting at the front desk and moving up to the sales office as an associate then manager. She is now the Director of Sales & Marketing. She is also known (and much appreciated for) her creation of the annual Oregon Chocolate Festival. Outside of her busy work schedule, Karolina finds time to continue to pursue her athletic passions by training for marathons and teaching Latin dance.

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