Polk County Press Release - Jeremy Gordon, Polk County Commissioner, receives 2023 Gwen VanDenBosch Regional Leadership Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2024

Grand Ronde, OR: Polk County Commissioner, Jeremy Gordon, was officially recognized last week by the

Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (COG) for exceptional leadership. Commissioner Gordon was

presented with The Gwen VanDenBosch Award which recognizes an elected official in Marion, Polk, or Yamhill

County who demonstrates outstanding leadership in regional, intergovernmental affairs.

The nomination asserted that Gordon has had the compassion and foresight to get ahead of problems

before they are more visible to the community-at-large and before they negatively impact more families.

Gordon has demonstrated leadership on issues of affordable housing, homelessness prevention and

homelessness solutions for Rural Polk County as the chair of Polk County Partners Aligned Toward Housing

Solutions (PATHS).

He also serves as the chair of Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance and a board member on the Polk County Community Development Corporation (CDC), a non-profit that develops and manages much of the affordable

housing in Polk County.

During the award presentation, Mayor John McCardle stated, “Commissioner Gordon is the guiding light and

coalescing force behind the united effort within our region to address and prevent houselessness; his passion,

leadership, dedication, and ability to unite people in preventing homelessness in our region is not only

outstanding, but inspirational.”

“I am honored by this recognition from my peers, but as anyone in elected office understands, good

human services work is made possible in partnership with leaders from multiple sectors and because of the

dedicated staff working with neighbors everyday to improve health and safety outcomes in our

communities.”

Gwen VanDenBosch was the first female City Councilor in Dallas, elected in 1976, and then was the first female Mayor in Dallas, serving from 1978 to 2000. She was active in a wide variety of boards and committees, including Chair and Vice Chair of the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments Board.