At home at ATEC

Royal City resident grows up into event, conference representative

MOSES LAKE — Before he was even hired, Jeremy Iverson walked through the building which was to become a big part of his job.

"It was just an exciting place," he said of Big Bend Community College's Advanced Technologies and Education Center. "The technology in here, the possibilities, the people that I am involved with and I'm able to meet, the social functions — I thought that would be really nice, just to be able to make those contacts in the community. I feel like I'm a pretty outgoing person, I like to meet people, I like to know people, and I just thought this position would be able to get those done."

As event and conference representative at the college's Center for Business and Industry Services, Iverson said ATEC is one of his main focuses. As a representative of the college, he also needs to know information about Big Bend as a whole, like classes offered or about Wallenstien Theater.

Iverson assumed his position Nov. 1.

"It has been fantastic," he said, pointing to the support group he has in his employers at the college. "A lot of people are excited about this building. Everybody wants to see this building go, and so the support group has just been great."

If Iverson needs anything, he finds many people ready and willing to lend a hand and make it work, he said, calling himself one person amongst many —including the ATEC maintenance staff, technology staff and the like.

"(They) make me feel like I'm at home," he said. "It's just a great community within a community."

Iverson remains busy within the building, with successful bookings from both in and out of the area.

"People from Seattle and state agencies wanting to come over, we're just such a good central location," he said. "We're always generating new and fresh information, fliers for the public to try and better represent or explain this building so people know that they can use it. Some people don't realize, 'Oh really, I can just come out and have a meeting, and if we use (the Hardin) room, it's free for the first two hours?' A lot of people don't realize that."

Iverson said he goes to many different businesses, and everybody has received him well.

"Everybody's been willing to talk and see what's going on," he said, admitting that at first he found the prospect of walking into businesses and asking to speak to human resources directors and managers a little intimidating. "But everybody's been great. They want to know what's going on out here, they give us feedback on how Big Bend can help them out in training needs or just different kinds of things."

The fact that Iverson was born in Moses Lake and grew up in Royal City has proven to be helpful, he said, as many people either know or are familiar with his family.

"When I first started here and the e-mail went out," Iverson said, "numerous people stopped and said, 'Is your dad Val?' or 'Is your mother Wendy?'" The same goes for meeting with people in the community, Iverson added. "I'm really proud to be from here."

Iverson moved back to Moses Lake in June 2003 after studying in Spokane Falls Community College, Washington State University, Eastern Oregon University and then moving to Florida. Iverson and his wife of a year and a half, Ashley, now live in Moses Lake.

"I guess I would just say I got to the age that you've got to start figuring it out, and out of all the places I've ever been, this area is where I can sleep at night," he said. "You don't have a lot of traffic, you don't have cops shooting by, it's a great place to raise your kids. I don't envision myself ever leaving here."

"He hit the ground running and is getting lots of contacts and establishing relationships," CBIS director Allan Peterson said of Iverson. "He sees where he can expand and he is driven to do that. It will be exciting to see where he takes it."