TKO brings on a Saw Program Manager, Vito Perrone to continue to build a professional saw program that can be widely recognized as a place for volunteers and professionals to gain sawyer skills.

TKO is officially awarded a USDA Saw Policy Program and immediately began certifying crosscut and chainsaw sawyers on Forest Service lands and wherever else TKO sawyers could be put to service.

Susan Schen returned as a Portland Stewardship Manager, guiding the support of our regional coordinators that had grown to the Columbia Gorge while continuing in the North & South Coast.

Needing additional part-time support in our communications, a part-time position was created and we began to see a regular social media presence for TKO.

With a successful pilot over 1.5 years, we transitioned to hiring two staffing positions stationed again in the North Coast and adding a new spot in the South Coast region helping in the Gold Coast and Samuel Boardman Corridor between Coos Bay and Brookings.

Susan Schen was brought on as a limited duration staff person to grow TKO’s reach to the Oregon Coast through capacity funding from Oregon Coast Visitors Association.

Natalie Ferraro was hired as a part-time employee to pick up volunteer coordination and support fundraising and donor interaction.

The Eagle Creek fire ignited over Labor Day in September 2017. TKO was thrust into a key role to be a partner in the restoration efforts that would follow.

Steve Kruger becomes TKO’s first staff person July 1st, 2017. Through a capacity grant from REI Portland, Steve began his work in a part-time, 6-month duration. When certain benchmarks in fundraising and grants were achieved, TKO hoped his position would move into a full-time role sometime in 2008. He was a TKO Board Advisor since 2011 with 10 years experience with Oregon State Parks and joined as a TKO Board member in 2016. A Park Manager with Oregon State Park on the east end of the Columbia Gorge in early 2016, he was inspired by partnering on an American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation with TKO and joined the Board that year. With outdoor recreation being recognized as a economic driver in the state, now was the time for TKO to embark in bringing on paid staff for the first time.

Summer 2011 – Metro’s Quarterly Trails Forum staff liaison Mel Huie brought forward a need for a more comprehensive statewide trails effort to support advocacy and stewardship. A project team from Metro and OPRD staff, including Mel Huie, Lake Strongheart McTighe, Robert Spurlock, Rocky Houston, Steve Kruger and more were asked to do research on what groups are already in a position to adopt this role. Then TKO Board President Ryan Ojerio was interviewed by Steve Kruger and it was clear TKO was in a position to grow.