Youth Career Connect launches in Redmond

Economic Development for Central Oregon is pleased to welcome the addition of Larry Holeman as its first Redmond Internship Coordinator, a newly created position to serve the greater Redmond area.

In this role, Holeman will be responsible for connecting high school, college and university students with Redmond-area employers with the purpose of creating or continuing internships that provide real work experience to young adults.

The program, Youth Career Connect – Redmond, is supported by Better Together, a non-profit founded through the High Desert Education Service District (HDESD) and is underwritten by the region’s school districts, Central Oregon Community College (COCC), OSU-Cascades, private foundations and public grants. Specific funding for the Youth Career Connect – Redmond program is provided by the Redmond Executives Association (REA), COCC, the Central Oregon STEM Hub, the Youth Development Council, and EDCO.

The Youth Career Connect internship program launched this year in three local communities: Redmond, Bend (through the Bend Chamber of Commerce) and Jefferson County (through the Madras/Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce). It is the culmination of more than four years of behind-the-scenes work with education, business and economic development leaders across the tri-county region.

Holeman’s experience includes private sector leadership and management in the high technology and manufacturing industries. For 15 years, he was a technical staff member for ARGOSystems, a subsidiary of Boeing. Additionally, he co-founded ViewNow, a Bend-based video on demand programming, management and marketing services company that was sold to Avail Media.

Throughout his career, he has also performed business and product development and operations management services for several manufacturing companies including Gitella, Inc., Vent Pro, Inc. and Cray Water Sports International, Inc.

“We are excited about Larry’s diverse business experience and passion for connecting young adults and employers,” said Roger Lee, EDCO’s CEO. “I’m convinced that he will build a robust internship program in Redmond that is a win for both students and employers.”

Holeman holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University. He has been a Central Oregon resident for over 20 years, and with his wife raised three daughters in the region. Active in the community, he has been a co-facilitator for Opportunity Knocks and is a member of EDCO’s Stable of Experts, focused on helping early stage companies.

Express Employment Professionals, a member of the Better Together collaborative, conducted a professional search on behalf of EDCO for the position. Spearheaded by Shawn Cotton with assistance from Josh Johnson and owner Connie Druiliner, the process also included representation from the underwriters, community partners and students who reviewed and interviewed finalists.