Lakewood Resident to Join Pierce County Library Board of Trustees

Donna Albers, managing partner of Albers & Company, will come on board as a new Board of Trustee member for Pierce County Library System in January 2013.

“Donna’s business acumen and community service make her a perfect fit to serve residents in Pierce County,” said Neel Parikh, executive director of the Library System. “Her professional experience and compassion for public service will complement our strong Board of Trustees.”

Albers, a Lakewood resident, has been in the employee benefits business for more than 35 years. Since 1996 she has worked with Albers & Company and is now managing partner in the workplace benefits firm providing employee benefits to businesses and organizations throughout western Washington.

Her community involvement spans co-chairing United Way of Pierce County’s annual community giving campaign, being a member of Pierce County Library Foundation Board of Directors, and serving as an events chair for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees.

“Libraries are the roads and paths that breakdown barriers and bridge communities that give a space and place to all people—not only as gathering and connecting centers, but also as literacy and learning cores for communities and individuals,” said Albers. “I am truly proud and honored to serve residents on Pierce County Library’s Board of Trustees.”

Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy appointed Donna Albers to complete the board term of Donna’s husband, Steve Albers, who died in July. Donna will complete Steve’s term through August 2014.

Albers will be part of a five-member board with policy and fiscal responsibility to provide library services and programs to the 555,000 people in the Library System’s service area. Trustees’ responsibilities include

• Setting Library System goals and objectives.
• Approving annual budgets.
• Adopting policies.
• Studying community needs and interests and ensuring the Library is meeting them.
• Advocating for the Library.

The Library System is not a part of Pierce County government. By state law, county executives appoint trustees. Other Library Board of Trustees include Linda Ishem, chair; Allen Rose, vice chair; Robert Allen and J.J. McCament. Trustees are non-paid positions.