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KPFD Board
Dean Strawn, President
Dean Strawn is the owner of Dependable Janitor Service, Inc. and has resided in the Tri-Cities since 1963. Dean has served on several boards and as President for many local organizations including the then Kennewick Chamber of Commerce, Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, Kennewick Kiwanis, Private Industry Council, Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation and Tri-City Country Club.
He was Tri-Citian of the Year in 1998, Kennewick Man of the Year in 1999, Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau Tourism Individual of the Year in 1999 and co-honoree in 2002. Dean received the Thirty Year Legion of Honor from Kiwanis International in 2000. He was named a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow in 1998 and a Kiwanis International George F. Hixon Fellow in 2003.
Dean has served as President of the Kennewick Public Facilities District since its formation in March 2001. He has long believed tourists and conventions have a major positive economic impact upon the Tri-Cities and that this Convention Center is essential to the continued growth of our convention industry.
John Givens, Board Treasurer
John Givens joined the board in April 2005 bringing 37 years of combined senior level public/private sector management experience to the team. John works as a Commercial Banking Vice President for AmericanWest Bank and has lived in the Tri-Cities since 1996.
Mr. Givens has served his community, state and region on many boards including being Chairman of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, Chairman of the Tri-Cities Rivershore Enhancement Council, Vice-Chairman of the Southeast Washington Economic Development Committee, Governor appointee to the Hanford Area Economic Investment Fund Committee, President of the Washington Public Ports Association, Senior Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Chairman of the Lewis-Clark Economic Development Association and Chairman of the Lewis-Clark Palouse Chapter of the Bank Administration Institute. He also represents his employer to the Greater Tri-Cities Area Chamber of Commerce, TRIDEC Commerce and Industry Committee, Downtown Kennewick Historic Partnership and Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau Board of Directors. He is also a Shriner (Past Potentate), York and Scottish Rite Mason, DeMolay, Columbia Basin Shrine Club member, 4-H equestrian judge, is Vice President of the Arabian Horse Club of Eastern Washington and a Kennewick Kiwanian.
Mr. Givens feels a major component of a healthy Tri-Cities economic future will be to continue to form public-private partnerships that work together to build and manage facilities that attract visitors to our community, provide new revenue sources for area retail and service industries and offer quality of life benefits to those who live and work here. He feels the Tri-Cities Coliseum and Three Rivers Convention Center is a perfect example of what forward thinking community leaders are willing to do in planning for a prosperous future for the region and feels privileged to be part of the policy management team.
Barbara Johnson, Secretary
Barbara is the General Manager of Columbia Center and has over thirteen years experience in the shopping center industry. Barbara has lived in the Tri-Cities for fourteen years and resides in Richland with her husband and two teenage sons. She is also a member of Columbia Center Rotary and is on the Board of Directors for United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties. Barbara has served on the boards of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau and Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.
Barbara views the Convention Center as a continued commitment to broaden the diversity of economic development in our region by local business people and the City of Kennewick. She also feels strongly that the future development of the entire Vista Field Entertainment District will greatly enhance the quality of life for all the citizens of the Tri-Cities.
Calvin Dudney, Board Member
Calvin Dudney, a long time Tri-Citian and Tri-Citian of the year for 2005, has been employed at the Hanford site for over 20 years. Calvin is currently with Fluor Hanford’s office of Communications and Community Programs, where he has been for the past four years.
He has been involved with numerous community related groups; serving organizations such as Leadership Tri-Cities, the West Richland Chamber of Commerce, the National Management Association, Tri-City Water Follies and Boy Scouts of America. In his many volunteer efforts, Calvin has been active in projects such as Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice House, Port of Benton Kiosk, Boys and Girls Club, Playground of Dreams, and the Children’s Center.
Calvin sees the Convention Center as an opportunity for economic development, growth and visibility for our community.
Kathy Blasdel, Board Member
A resident of Kennewick since 1980 and retired as the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau’s (TCVCB) Vice President of Tourism Development in 2008. During her 13 years with the TCVCB, Blasdel presided over convention and sports marketing; heritage and eco-tourism; wine tourism and the Benton Franklin River Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization established to support preservation and enhancement of local cultural resources, rivershore and trail projects.
In 2001, Blasdel managed the TCVCB’s corporate partnership with Battelle to oversee the activities of the Tri-Cities Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Council. This led to her appointment to the Washington State Lewis & Clark Advisory Committee, and in 2005 she was the recipient of the Washington State Historical Society’s Peace and Friendship Award.
Kathy is an alumna of Leadership Tri-Cities (LTC) Class II and has served on the board of directors for LTC, the Benton Franklin Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Columbia River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also served for 11 years on the Kennewick Public Facilities Board in April 2008.
Blasdel recognizes these facilities as an essential ingredient in bringing new visitor dollars to the community and offering quality of life benefits to our citizens. Therefore, she is committed to working with this board to create an exceptional experience to all who enter these buildings.
Edward Allen, Former Board Member
Team Leader for American West Bank. A resident of the Tri-Cities since 1996, he has been active in a variety of civic affairs. He is the president of the Tri-Cities Corporate Council for the Arts, president of the Kennewick General Hospital Association, serves on the board of the Tri-Cities Area Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of Columbia Center Rotary. He was also honored to have been named 2002 Kennewick Man of the Year.
Ed feels the Convention Center project is one of the most important undertakings for the betterment of the entire Mid-Columbia region in many years. Not only will the Convention Center bring significant new business and tourism dollars to the region, it will serve as a catalyst for new development in the Vista Entertainment District.
Steve Young, Former Board Member and present Mayor of Kennewick
Steve Young has resided in the City of Kennewick for the past fifteen years. He is a private Consultant for Project Management and Construction contracts.
He has served on the City of Kennewick’s Civil Service Commission and volunteered for the Tri-City Cancer Center project, TRIDEC and the Columbia Basin College Foundation.
