Executive Director Ron Bersin Retires
After 36 years of service to the State of Oregon, Ron Bersin is retiring.
 Ron Bersin, holding State Scoop Award for Innovation of the Year in 2016.
“Welcome to retirement, pal,” is what John McClane might say to Ron Bersin, the Executive Director of OGEC, who will be retiring today after 17 years of working for the Commission. Originally from Silverton, Oregon, Ron graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Business and a minor in Psychology. Before making his way to OGEC, he worked for the Department of Revenue where he met his wife, Tammy. Ron currently lives in Keizer with Tammy, along with their two dogs, Grizz and Jett.
Ron has an ability to think outside the box, illustrated by this example of his time at Leadership Oregon. The class was tasked with crossing an obstacle course, yet the rope for the balance was too far above them, just out of reach. One after another, the class tried and failed. When Ron's turn came, he quickly slid his belt from his pants and swung it over the rope, bringing it within reach, and became the first to successfully reach the other side.
This sort of strategic thinking served Ron and Oregon well. In late 2006, when Ron was appointed Executive Director, the agency had budget issues and only three employees (himself included). As he put it, the Legislators did not want to vote to get rid of the Commission, but they would vote to cut its funding. Ron's solution was to take the agency out of the General Fund and use an assessment model instead. The first assessments were in 2009 and spread the cost of running the agency among 1,700 different entities. Thanks to Ron's strategic thinking and guidance, the assessment model worked and the agency continued to grow.
Ron has brought that quick thinking and solid advice to the office every day, while making sure the staff still has fun. When he isn’t telling his employees about the most recent movie he watched, he is out hunting with his friends from Ducks Unlimited, or at his cabin near John Day. Ron will be returning to South Africa this summer to enjoy another hunting trip with Tammy, and this time without a single worry of having to return to the office. While we won’t miss Ron spoiling movies for us, we will miss his leadership, wisdom, and sense of humor.
We'd be remiss not to mention all that Ron has accomplished while in our agency, including:
 We couldn't be more grateful for all that Ron has poured into OGEC during his time as Executive Director. He not only expanded the agency, but created a foundation that ensures the Commission can continue serving Oregon for years to come.
He's impacted many within and outside of the agency, as seen in some of the responses shared for his upcoming retirement celebration:
     Ron has shown a dedication and commitment to OGEC and Oregon that we won't forget.
Thank you Ron, we wish you the best in retirement!
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