Meyer Memorial Trust Announces New Trustee

PORTLAND, OR. — Meyer Memorial Trust today announced the election of a new trustee, Amy C. Tykeson of Bend, to oversee management of the 38-year-old Oregon-serving foundation. 

"We are pleased to welcome Amy C. Tykeson as a trustee at a pivotal moment in Oregon history and in Meyer’s work to serve all Oregonians,” said board chair Toya Fick. “Her broad experience and understanding of rural communities adds an important dimension to the stewardship of Meyer Memorial Trust.”  

Michelle J. DePass, president and CEO of Meyer, continued: “I am thrilled to have Amy’s three decades of experience as a business leader, storyteller and long history of service to the state of Oregon on our board of trustees.

“Her warmth and devotion to the human spirit is just what this institution needs as we manage new realities amid COVID-19 and the nationwide calls for racial justice and social equity." 

Tykeson’s addition brings the number of Meyer trustees to six, joining chair Fick and members Charles Wilhoite, Janet Hamada, Mitch Hornecker and Alice Cuprill-Comas. With extensive experience in business and communications, Tykeson brings to Meyer a commitment to mission-driven work and a passion for strong communities. A leader in the telecommunications industry for more than 30 years, she began her career with HBO in Chicago and New York before taking over as president and CEO of Bend Broadband, a family-owned cable and broadband company in Central Oregon. 

Tykeson currently serves as the managing trustee for the Tykeson Family Foundation, overseeing operations and contributions directed toward education for underserved young people, healthcare and health sciences and access to arts. An active volunteer and community contributor, she has served on numerous advisory and governing boards, including Oregon Health Sciences University, Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Oregon State University-Cascades Campus and Central Oregon Regional Solutions, as well as on national cable industry boards, including the National Cable & Television Association and C-SPAN. She remains an active member of the International Women’s Forum, Arlington Club and National Association for Families in Philanthropy. In 2018, she was named “Person of the Year” by the Bend Chamber of Commerce.  

In his will defining the Trust, Fred Meyer created wide parameters to guide his trustees: "Realizing as I do the uncertainties of the future, I want my trustees to be able to exercise broad discretion in shaping and carrying out charitable programs which can be tailored to fit changing conditions and problems." 

Meyer Memorial Trust, established from the estate of Fred G. Meyer in 1982, is among the largest private foundations in Oregon, with current assets of roughly $799 million. Over its lifetime, Meyer has awarded grants and program-related investments in excess of $814 million to more than 3,432 organizations. Today, Meyer is driven by the notion of equity, notably the existence of conditions where all people can reach their full potential. The foundation focuses on four areas Oregonians have identified as vitally important in the state: housing, education, the environment and stronger communities.  

To discover more about Meyer’s efforts to make Oregon flourish as an equitable state to all of its residents, please visit mmt.org.