The Foundation

Sue Kupillas, Board President

Sue Kupillas graduated from the University of Idaho, with a BA in the Arts and completed a standard teaching certificate from Western Oregon University. She taught High School art, was a substitute teacher and “Artist in the Schools” for several years.

Ms. Kupillas was a Jackson County Commissioner for 16 years. During her tenure, she started the White City Community Improvement Association and the White City Urban Renewal Agency in 1990. After she developed a community policing district in the unincorporated area, crime and vandalism dropped by 10 percent in the first year. She started the Rogue Family Center, bringing state and county human services under one roof and creating Oregon’s first one-stop program. In the 1980s Ms. Kupillas served on the School District 9 Board of Directors and was president of the Oregon School Boards Association.

For the last eight years Kupillas has run a consulting business, Allied Solutions by Kupillas, LLC (ASK). Kupillas received several awards, including a Planning award from the State of Oregon for work in White City, Award from Society of American Foresters; Jackson County Stockman’s Association, and the Chamber of Commerce among others. 

Don Blaser, Board Vice President

Don Blaser left Southern California to move to the beautiful Rogue Valley in 1970. He graduated from Southern Oregon State College and is Managing Partner at Peaks Ranches Commercial Properties. He has been active in local and interstate commercial real estate for over 40 years. He focuses on building relationships and enjoys helping people find the right location and watching their business thrive. He has volunteered on the Board of Directors for Campus Life, and is currently the Vice President on the Board of Directors for Butte Creek Mill Foundation.

Jonathan Bilden, Board Secretary

Originally from the east coast, Jonathan has called Oregon since a young age, and graduated from Eagle Point High School in 2000. He attended Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University, majoring in leadership and innovation.

Jonathan is the Assistant Director / Chief Operating Officer of a public charter school based in Eagle Point, which is focused on supporting nontraditional student populations. He was elected to the Eagle Point City Council in 2010 and reelected in 2014, where he serves as the City Council President. He is a past chairman for the Eagle Point School District 9 Board of Education and Southern Oregon Head Start Board of Directors as well as the past president for the Eagle Point & Upper Rogue Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of the Upper Rogue and the School District 9 Foundation. He currently serves on the Governor’s Regional Solutions Council (Southern Region), on the ACCESS, Inc. Board of Directors and League of Oregon Cities Board of Directors.

Kim Jones, Board Member at Large

Kim is an Oregon native who grew up in the Rogue Valley. Her background is in business and she worked in the private sector for twelve years prior to attending graduate school. While in law school in Salem, OR, she decided to add on her MBA and finished school with a joint degree of Juris Doctorate and Masters of Business Administration. While in graduate school her studies focused on land use, sustainability, natural resource law, and public policy. 

Leon Sherman, Board Member at Large

Former Mayor and Police Chief of Eagle Point, OR

PATRICK DUFFY - “I've called the Rogue Valley home for over 25 years so naturally the Butte Creek Mill holds a special place in my heart. It is a great honor to have the opportunity to join as a community and rebuild the cherished Mill. Creating memories with family and friends in the new and improved Mill will not only bring our community closer together but will help with the economic growth of Eagle Point when people come see it for themselves.”

Patrick Duffy is an American actor, best known for his role on the CBS primetime soap opera Dallas, where he played Bobby Ewing, the youngest son of Miss Ellie and the nicest brother of J.R. Duffy is an Eagle Point resident.

PATSY SMULLIN - “I can't think of a better way for all of us to show our love for this community than to invest in the rebuild of such a historic monument. I'm honored to be on the advisory committee for the Butte Creek Mill and look forward to watching the progress as our beloved mill is restored.”

Patricia (Patsy) Smullin, Medford, OR, is President of California Oregon Broadcasting which includes five TV stations, a digital production company and a cable television company in Central Oregon. Patsy currently serves as a Willamette University trustee, AAA Oregon/ Idaho board member, and on the SMART leadership council. She is a former board member of the National Association of Broadcasters and the NBC Affiliate Board. Patsy holds a B.S. from Oregon State University. She served previously on the OSF board from 1999 to 2006 and has returned to serve again.

SAM JAMES - “I have had the privilege to be a community leader all of my adult life. I encourage our entire community to come forward to support this project. The Butte Creek Mill rebuild will make life much better for all of us in the Rogue Valley.”

Sam James, Eagle Point, OR, graduated from Phoenix High School in 1967 and then joined the Navy for six years.    He discovered during his travels in the Navy that southern Oregon is a very special place to live. Upon his return, Sam began working in the construction industry which eventually to led to owning a commercial construction company for a quarter of a century. Sam became highly involved in the community during this time and continues to be involved today.

BILL THORNDIKE - “The loss of the Butte Creek Mill in 2015 was tragic for our community and beyond. As a third generation resident of the Rogue Valley, it is without question that this historic landmark needs to be restored for the spirit of our community and the enjoyment of the tourists who visit the valley each year.”

Bill Thorndike, Medford, OR, operates his family business, Medford Fabrication. Bill serves as the Treasurer of the Northwest Health Foundation. He also currently serves on several boards including, Southern Oregon University, Oregon Business Council, Regence – Oregon BlueCross Blue Shield, Crater Lake National Park Trust, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Forum, Jefferson Regional Health Alliance, and Philanthropy Northwest.  Bill has served on several Boards and Commissions in the past including, Port of Portland, Oregon Community Foundation, Asante Health System, Northwest Area Foundation and the Portland Branch of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank.  Bill Graduated in 1972 from Medford Senior High and graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a BS in Business Administration.  His honors include the SOLV/Tom McCall Leadership Award and the Glen Jackson Leadership Award from Willamette University.

LINDSAY BERRYMAN - “My family and I have many fond memories of visiting the Butte Creek Mill and, like the rest of the community and beyond, we were deeply saddened by the tragic events of 2015. It is an honor to be a part of this community and watch everyone come together to rebuild this special place. I am looking forward to creating new memories and for those who visit the valley to see what we have accomplished.”

Lindsay Berryman, Medford, OR, is the Owner and President of Sacca di Italiana, a business which imports and sells fine leather handbags. Previously, Lindsay was a Residential Real Estate Agent with Van Horn Real Estate and founded and developed the Cookie Connection, both in Medford. She has been a Director of Peoples Bank of Commerce since July 2014. As the first female mayor of Medford, she has a long history of volunteer and government service. Including two esteemed appointments by Governor John Kitzhaber to the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission and the Oregon Progress Board.

BOB RUSSELL - An Oregon native and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University. He was the owner of the Butte Creek Mill and Antique Store before it burned down in 2015. He gave up that ownership so that it could become a foundation, which would make fundraising, and therefore the rebuilding of the Mill, possible. The Butte Creek Mill Foundation is now the owner of the Mill and is a non-profit entity.

Bob is also the Mayor of Eagle Point. He was first elected in 2010, and reelected in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He was vice president of the Economic Development Commission and active in the Eagle Point and Upper Rogue Chamber of Commerce. He is currently on the advisory board for the Butte Creek Mill Foundation.

BOB & CHANA HYER - “Eagle Point became our home in 2013 when we became the proud owners of the Eagle Point Golf Course. As new residents to the valley, we immediately felt the love of this community and couldn't think of a better way to show our gratitude than by getting involved in the rebuild of the Butte Creek Mill. We look forward to watching this structure evolve and can't wait to celebrate with our local community at its completion.”

Bob and Chana Hyer, Eagle Point, OR , moved to Eagle Point in 2013 when they purchased the Eagle Point Golf Course. Before coming to the Rogue Valley, Bob previously built a successful financial planning business, Mosaic Financial Group, in the Portland area. He grew up in Southern California and played baseball in the United States Air Force for six years.  Chana is a landscape designer, horticulturist, and master gardener.  She designed the landscaping at the Eagle Point Golf Course.  Chana has also signed on to design the garden next to the Mill, also known as Debbie's Garden.

KEN TRAUTMAN - “As a local business owner, native Oregonian and Eagle Point High School graduate, it is my privilege to be part of this community and to work with other locally minded individuals to rebuild the Butte Creek Mill. The Mill is a special and longstanding part of our history. We owe it to one another to come together and restore the Mill, not only for the local community, but for the next generation and for those who visit us each year.”

Ken Trautman, Medford, OR, Co-founder of People's Bank of Commerce since 1998.  He has been the President and Chief Executive Officer since September 2008. Mr. Trautman worked with Western Bank as Senior Vice President and Regional Administrator for Southern Oregon, before it was purchased by Washington Mutual in 1996. He has been Director of People's Bank of Commerce since 2008. He has also been a Director of Asante Health Systems, Inc. since March 9, 2017. He serves as a Director of Oregon Bankers Association, Secretary and Treasurer of Oregon Bankers Association and has served on the board of directors for the Community Health Center, Britt Festivals, Greater Medford Rotary, D-9 Foundation. In addition, he is actively involved with 4-H, FFA and other youth organizations.

WILL ST. LAURENT - “Since my first arrival in 1985, the Butte Creek Mill has been an indelible part of my connection to the Rogue Valley. Being part of the community for 33 years, our family has a strong desire to help restore the Mill to its former glory so this important piece of the history of the Rogue Valley can provide the same important historical context for future generations of residents and visitors. I am humbled to help in the process to support this critical effort of restoration and preservation of the Butte Creek Mill.”

Will St. Laurent, has served over 9 years on the Board of Directors of the St. Laurent Institute. He founded Genomic Diagnostic Technologies (GDT) in order to make investments in promising technologies in Systems Biology. GDT worked with Dan Jones to acquire the assets of Helicos and create SeqLL. Mr. St. Laurent has served as Vice Chairman of the Western Bank of Oregon and served as President, Chief Operating Officer and Founder of Vitech America, as well as founding many other companies in lumber, real estate, all natural food products, agriculture, recycling and alternative energy. Mr. St. Laurent holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University.