4 community leaders honored by Salem Area Chamber of Commerce
Sam Skillern has been named 2024 Salem First Citizen by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce.
Skillern and three other individuals were honored April 13 during the 73rd First Citizen Awards Banquet at the Salem Convention Center.
Kathy Gordon and Barry Nelson were presented Distinguished Service Awards, and Conrad Venti was named Outstanding Young Professional.
The First Citizen banquet has been a tradition for the Salem Chamber since 1950, honoring community members who exemplify servant leadership. The recipients, through their business, volunteering and philanthropic efforts, are distinguished for improving the lives of those in the community by serving first.
Here are the 2024 honorees:
Sam Skillern, Salem First Citizen
Skillern is best known for his work with Salem Leadership Foundation, helping build collaborative bridges between Salem's faith, education, business and government organizations. As its executive director, he has helped rally the community around efforts to reduce crime and poverty while increasing the holistic well-being of children and families. During his tenure, the organization helped launch and facilitate dozens of faith and school-based partnerships, after-school programs, youth sports programs and homelessness initiatives — all while inspiring and helping establish other nonprofits, including Church @ The Park and Family Promise of the Mid-Willamette Valley.
Kathy Gordon, Distinguished Service Award
Gordon, a longtime local CPA, is known for using her professional connections, expertise and leadership to serve a multitude of nonprofit organizations. Some of her volunteer work includes serving on the board of the Salem Health Foundation, as a past president of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and as the current president of the McLaran Leadership Foundation. With the McLaran Leadership Foundation, she has been instrumental in creating a vision to develop and empower the community’s current and future leaders. She also serves as a volunteer treasurer for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and is the board vice chair for Liberty House.
Barry Nelson, Distinguished Service Award
Nelson, a local wealth advisor, is known for being a dedicated community volunteer, serving as a board member of the Salem Rotary Foundation and as a youth baseball umpire. As a past president of the Rotary Club of Salem, he committed countless hours planning and collaborating with the city, architects, contractors and fundraisers on the Gerry Frank | Salem Rotary Amphitheater project, which was completed in 2021 at Riverfront Park. He has been a local youth baseball umpire for many years and was one of two from Oregon selected to serve during the 2023 Little League World Series in Taylor, Michigan. He also is a member of the choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Conrad Venti, Outstanding Young Professional
Venti, a local restaurateur and commercial realtor, is known for his community-building efforts. Along with providing fellow businesses and organizations with opportunities as a real estate broker, he has donated time and attention to serving on nonprofit boards, including for Family Building Blocks and Isaac’s Room. He also was recognized by many for helping small businesses apply for COVID-19 relief funds and for consistently rallying fellow business owners to address pressing challenges. Seeing a need for financial literacy among youth, he also has taught courses on personal finance and leadership at the Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry.
Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, and follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem Chamber of Commerce honors 4 community leaders
