Published Nov. 18, 2009
Tri-City Herald staff

PASCO -- Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Tri-City resident Sherry Armijo to the Columbia Basin College Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

Her appointment is effective immediately.

She fills Gary Culbert's vacated position, which opened in September after Culbert decided not to seek reappointment. Culbert had continued to attend board meetings until just recently.

CBC President Richard Cummins said Tuesday that he's excited to see someone with Armijo's "community mindedness" join the college's board of trustees.

"I'm really pleased," Cummins said.

According to an e-mail from CBC, Armijo has worked at Abadan in Richland after graduating from Eastern Washington University in 1986. Cummins said Armijo is a former CBC student as well.

The e-mail also said Armijo is a founding member of the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program, a March of Dimes Eastern Washington chapter board member and was its board president from 1989-93.

Kim Tanaka, executive analyst for boards and commissions in the Governor's Office, said the state approached Armijo to fill the five-year board position.

"With Sherry, we liked her qualifications," Tanaka said. "Obviously, she's very involved in the community."

Armijo was chosen from three applicants.

Frank Armijo, Sherry's husband, is a previous CBC Board of Trustees member.

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