Vanport Placemarking Project Board of Directors

 

Hermann Colas Jr.

Board President

Hermann is the founder of award-winning, family-owned Colas Construction, the largest minority construction company in Oregon. Hermann Colas has agreed to use his company resources to honor BIPOC history at the site. Colas Construction is strongly committed to working with minority contractors, educational programs for youth, and involvement with communities of color. The company has set a leading example for diversity and inclusion on projects. Hermann is the President of Vanport Placemarking Project Board of Directors.

 

 

Rev. E.D. Mondaine

Board Secretary

E.D. is the founder of Po’Shines Café de la Sol in North Portland.  He has helped develop job training and career development programs for communities of color, He has been an activist for social justice issues, an entrepreneur for creating successful businesses, a public speaker, civic leader, and musician. E.D. is the Secretary of the Vanport Placemarking Project Board of Directors.

 

 

Corky Collier

Board Treasurer

Corky is the Executive Director of the Columbia Corridor Association (CCA). He guides the largest economic corridor in Oregon, which includes transportation, land use, equity, and natural resources. The CCA includes 2,500 businesses which employ 65,000 people with more middle-wage jobs than anywhere else in the state.He’s an active member of the Multnomah County Drainage District, the Levee Ready Columbia Project, and the Feasibility Project of the Army Corps of Engineers.  He is knowledgeable about the history of Vanport and the impacts flooding had on Oregon history, and he’s especially aware of other impacts on Native American lands.

 

 

James Stanley Harrison

Board Member

James Harrison is an instructor of history and humanities and former Chair of the Social Science Department, at the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College in North Portland. He taught the African American sequence, “History of Africa” and “Race and Racism”. He has been a speaker for many social justice programs and is writing a book of the history of Vanport.

Carl Abbott

Board Member

Carl Abbott is a historian, speaker, and urban studies expert. He taught urban studies and planning at Portland State University for thirty-five years and has written extensively about the history of Portland and the Pacific Northwest. He has been active as a board member of a number of community groups, including the Oregon Encyclopedia, the Historic Preservation League of Oregon, the Oregon Downtown Development Association, and Chamber Music Northwest. He wrote the essay about Vanport for the Oregon Encyclopedia, link. He is the author of many articles and books about Portland history.

 

Thank You to Our Supporters

We are grateful to our funders who donate financially, our supporters who contribute invaluable in-kind services, and to those organizations who voice their support for our work.  Thank you!