EUGENE, Ore. – Next month, Bushnell University will kick off its new Office of Executive-in-Residence (EIR) with two seasoned executives in international business, financial services, and leadership. The format is structured to give executives with time constraints an opportunity to share their experiences with students, staff, faculty, and the general community.
The program honors executives who have made substantial contributions to their fields. An Executive Director will oversee the office, and an Executive-in-Residence will provide focused engagement over a shorter period. In alignment with the University’s mission of wisdom, faith, and service, the EIR will illustrate to students, faculty, and the community ways of fulfilling one’s calling in today’s workplace.
“We see the EIR Office as one-of-a-kind, where executives will have many different opportunities to engage and share their knowledge,” said Dr. Latrissa Lee Neiworth, Dean of the College of Professional Studies, which will oversee the new office. The executives will be involved in the Bushnell community in many ways, which may include providing guest-lecturer appearances, teaching a course, helping develop new curriculum, delivering an auditorium presentation for the community, helping engage local business leaders as student mentors, or holding office hours with individuals or small groups of students. This flexibility of engagement will help differentiate Bushnell’s EIR Office, according to Neiworth.
Larry Coburn, an experienced leader who combines faith and business, will serve as Executive Director. His business career includes nearly 30 years with sportswear giant NIKE, Inc., followed by over 15 years as an independent consultant. Coburn draws on his wide-ranging experiences in accounting, sales operations, IT, product development, and Lean Manufacturing to help clients improve processes. He has also lived and worked internationally, including extended time in Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. The highlight of his career was serving as Global Director of NOS (NIKE’s Lean Manufacturing Initiative), establishing and leading a global Lean Manufacturing learning center in Vietnam from 2003-2008. He holds an M.S. in Ministry from Pepperdine University.
The office’s first Executive-in-Residence for 2024-2025 will be John Iglesias, a seasoned financial industry leader who has left an indelible mark on the organizations he has led. His visionary and strategic thinking has produced significant growth and success in several organizations, including the Northwest Community Credit Union, Salal Credit Union, and Washington State Employees’ Credit Union. As past President & CEO of Northwest Community Credit Union, Iglesias was responsible for overall operations, strategic direction, growth, and mergers and acquisitions strategy. Among his accomplishments, he created a new credit union service organization, Northwest Innovation Services, to provide innovative solutions to members’ issues, created an international business division, and developed a Korean-focused banking and affluent member services division. Last year, he shared expertise and best practices with the Korean National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NACUFOK). Prior to his roles in the credit unions, Iglesias worked at Bank of America for 10 years.
Born and raised in Guam, Iglesias previously served in the US Navy, where he traveled extensively and worked with Japanese and Korean military leaders for more than 20 years, serving as an intelligence officer. He is recognized for his commitment to driving growth and success through strategic thinking and servant leadership. He holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Saint Martin’s University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies there as well.
Bushnell University’s Office of Executive in Residence will open in August 2024, with its activities coinciding with the beginning of Fall Term.