Businessman fills school board vacancy.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Eric Forrest, a business owner with a solid record of community involvement, won appointment to a vacancy on the Eugene School Board Wednesday - no small feat, given that he was up against 13 other applicants for the post.

Forrest, who has three children at Gilham Elementary School, was a co-chairman in last fall's Yes for Schools campaign, helping garner a 72 percent majority vote to renew the district's local option levy for another five years.

In his address to the board, Forrest, 36, discussed parallels between a school system and a business.

"I would embrace this challenge of taking my business education and on-the-job training and trying to apply that knowledge in working with the 4J board," said Forrest, a partner with MLF Group, the management arm of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.

Forrest said he feels compelled to work on behalf of his community, citing his five years on the city budget committee, as well as service as a Kidsports board member and coach.

In the initial round of voting, Forrest got the nod from three of the six board members: Craig Smith, Tom Herrmann and Beth Gerot.

In the second round, school board member Charles Martinez added the fourth vote needed for a majority.

Herrmann worked with Forrest on the levy campaign and on a chamber of commerce committee.

"He's got an amazing ability to take a whole bunch of complicated information, synthesize it down, understand it and make good decisions out of it," Herrmann said.

The fact that Forrest has children in the system was also a plus for Herrmann, who is just one of three board members with school-age children.

Gerot, a nursery owner, thought the board would benefit from having another voice from the small business community besides her own.

"He brings some connections that some of the rest of us don't have," she said.

Forrest replaces attorney Mike Fox, who resigned earlier this month to join his wife in Albania, where she is serving in the Peace Corps and he will teach a university class.

Forrest said he intends to run in May for election to a four-year term.

Forrest also pledged to get up to speed quickly on the thorny issue of school choice, which the board will tackle this spring following recommendations next month from Superintendent George Russell.

In an effort to close the achievement gap and improve equity among schools, the district is considering changes to the cherished system of open enrollment at neighborhood schools and alternative, or magnet, schools.

Forrest grew up in Roseburg and has degrees from Oregon State University and Willamette University. His wife, Kristin, is a former teacher- turned-homemaker.

The other applicants were:

Amethyst "Ame" Arden, owner of Lunar Logic.

Matt Ginsberg, chief executive officer of a high-tech company.

Raquel Hecht, an attorney specializing in immigration law.

James Jacks, a retired psychologist.

Tom Lininger, a University of Oregon law professor.

Milo Mecham, principal planner at Lane Council of Governments.

Bruce Miller, a former merchandising consultant.

Sarah Ross, a family advocate for Head Start.

Sharon Schuman, an assistant professor at the UO.

Nadia Sindi, a facilitator and trainer for the U.S. Justice Department.

Gail Stetson, a technical expert for the Social Security Administration.

Sean VanGordon, a supervisor with United Parcel Service.

Mary Walston, council, government and public affairs manager for the city of Eugene.