Donna Albers has been named to the Pierce County Library System Board of Trustees, replacing her husband, who died last July in a bicycling accident at Mount Rainier National Park.
Albers, appointed by County Executive Pat McCarthy, joined the board in January and plans to complete her husband’s term through August 2014.
Since 1996, Albers has worked with Albers and Company. She is the managing partner for the workplace benefits firm, which provides employee benefits to businesses and organizations throughout western Washington.
“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.â€
Steve Alberts, 60, suffered a severe head injury when he apparently fell from his bike on a park road while riding in the Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD) July 26. He was riding alone when the mishap occurred. He died the next night at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was taken after the accident.
The annual 152-mile ride began in Enumclaw in King County and took riders through Eatonville, Elbe and Ashford before entering Mount Rainier National Park.
Donna Albers, a Lakewood resident, has been in the employee benefits business for more than 35 years.
Library officials noted that Albers’ 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 chairwoman for the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees.
“Libraries are the roads and paths that break down 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.
Albers will be part of a five-member, unpaid board with policy and fiscal responsibility for services and programs to the 555,000 people in the Library System’s service area.
The system is separate from Pierce County government, but by state law, county executives appoint library trustees.
The other trustees for Pierce County’s system are chairwoman Linda Ishem, Allen Rose, Robert Allen and J.J. McCament.