About IRWA Region 7
Connecting, Educating and Serving Right-of-Way professionals from the Great States of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Region 7 Chapters:
ALASKA
IDAHO
Snake River Chapter 64
MONTANA
OREGON
WASHINGTON
Historical Perspective – Region 7 “Gem of the Northwest”
Courtesy – Wayne Kennedy
As of the year 1961-62, there were only 5 Regions containing 38 States, Region 1 encompassed the following States: California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Utah, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta end Saskatchewan.
As of the year 1962-63, Region 7 was established containing the States of Oregon Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska (even though there was not yet a Chapter in Alaska), plus the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. At that time Region 7 had a Region Chair by the name of J. Arnold Cobley who worked for the Washington Department of Highways. I could not determine a Vice Chair.
Region 8 was proposed in the year 1963-64 and established in the year 1964-65. It included all provinces in Canada. Region 9 was established in the year 1973-74 and subsequent to the Region 7 Chair for the year 1962-63, the following Region 7 Chairs and Vice Chairs were elected:
- 1963-64: Chair, J. Arnold Colbey & V. Chair, John V. Mulcahy
- 1964-65: Chair, John V. Mulcahy & V. Chair, (could not determine)
- 1965-66: Chair, John V. Mulcahy & V. Chair, (could not determine)
- 1966-67: Chair, John V. Mulcahy & V. Chair, Donald A. Wilcox
- 1967-68: Chair, Donald A. Wilcox & V. Chair, Chris J. Loutsis
- 1968-69: Chair, Donald A- Wilcox & V. Chair, Chris J. Loutsis
- 1969-70: Chair, Chris J. Loutis & V. Chair, Robert S. Newell
- 1970-71: Chair, Chris J, Loutis & V. Chair, Robert S. Newell
- 1971-72: Chair, Robert S. Newell & V. Chair, Richard F. Everett
- 1972-73: Chair, Robert S. Newell & V. Chair, P. J. Sullivan
Region 9 was established in June 1973 and Region 7 Chairs and Vice Chairs were:
- 1973-74: Chair, Robert S. Newell & V. Chair, P. J. Sullivan
- 1974-75: Chair, P. J. Sullivan & V. Chair, Fred R- Ketron SR/WA
Region 10 was established in June 1975, at which time Region 7 was shown to contain the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. Therefore, from this point on the Regions as we know them today were constituted.
- 1975-76: Fred R- Ketron, SR/WA & V. Chair, Edwin M. Whiting, SR/WA
- 1976-77: Fred R. Ketron, SR/WA & V. Chair, Edwin M. Whiting, SR/WA
- 1977-78: Keith L. Densley, SR/WA & V, Chair (could not determine)
- 1978-79: Edwin M. Whiting, SR/WA & V. Chair, John E. Day, SR/WA
- 1979-80: John E- Day, SR/WA & V. Chair, Keith L. Densley, SR/WA
- 1980-81: John E- Day, SR/WA & V. Chair, Keith L. Densley, SR/WA
- 1982-83 Keith L. Densley, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 1983-85 John Benson, SR/WA, Chapter 45
- 1985-86 John Berkowitz, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 1986-88 Robert Mohr, SR/WA, Chapter 19
- 1988-90 Susan M. Serdahl, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 1990-91 Betsy A. Tarrant, SR/WA, Chapter 45
- 1991-93 Reed Lommen, Chapter 19
- 1993-95 Diane DeRoux, SR/WA, Chapter 59
- 1995-97 Bernard W. Lea, SR/WA, Chapter 45
- 1997-99 Linda Streissguth, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 1999-01 Barbara Meekins, SR/WA, Chapter 49
- 2001-03 Leslie Benckendorf, SR/WA, Chapter 3
- 2003-05 Stephen E. Hagen, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 2005-07 Julie Cope, SR/WA, Chapter 19
- 2007-09 James Price, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 2009-11 Fred Walasavage, Chapter 3
- 2011-13 Pat Thayer, SR/WA, Chapter 71
- 2013-15 Kerri Wittman, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 2015-17 Brad Thomas, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 2017-19 Dee Oakland, SR/WA, Chapter 45
- 2019-21 Jim Lingeman, SR/WA, Chapter 3
- 2021-23 Cyndi Whelpley, SR/WA, Chapter 4
- 2023-President Krista Chambers, SR/WA, Chapter 4