I left a 16-year career with Fleming Companies in January of 1994 to start my own business, then called T Nakia Productions & Distribution. I I set out to serve local and state nonprofit organizations by providing publishing assistance on monthly or quarterly newsletters. Eventually I changed the business name to Alquemie Publishing and expanded the services I offered based on the special needs of the associations I worked with. This led to the establishment of Business Empowerment Network, a division of Alquemie Publishing. Between the two businesses, I now offer what I refer to as "tailored services" and I assist with just about anything a volunteer needs help with; from membership database management and newsletter advertising coordination, to executive assistance, event coordination, and most recently website development and maintenance.

Working with various nonprofit organizations has given me insight into the magnitude of tasks a group of volunteers are expected to handle to keep an organization operating effectively. In today's climate of fast-paced living, volunteers are finding it harder than ever to make time for labor-intensive projects that require adhering to deadlines. My focus has always been to alleviate those burdens, attempting to make a volunteers task more enjoyable and easier to manage so they'll maintain interest and continue to volunteer their time to a worthy cause. I enjoy interacting with the various people I come in contact with, and relationship building is very important to me. Working with nonprofit organizations is my way of contributing to the community.

I also recognize that budgets are small at the local and state levels. It's been my challenge over the years to keep business expenses to a minimum and to seek out vendors willing to provide a discount to the nonprofit sector, enabling me to provide my services at a cost an association can usually afford. That is my reason for not posting fees for the services I provide. I make every reasonable attempt to work within an associations budget and still provide a product that emanates professionalism and pride among the membership — to do so requires me to be flexible in my pricing.

On a more personal level, owning and managing my own business has allowed me the flexibility to enjoy such things as metal detecting, RVing, and time with my partner and family (four cats and two dogs). I also enjoy my attempts at digital photography, collecting casino ashtrays, and taking care of our 10 acre property. In February 2005 I joined the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) in Florence, Oregon and found my true passion! I have since become a member of both the Florence and the Springfield lodges and in 2008 will begin a journey serving with the Officer Team in Springfield, starting with Lodge Esquire. Having worked for nonprofit organizations for several years, it feels good to finally be involved with one that allows me to not only use my professional talents and skills, but gives me the opportunity to help my local and state communities by participating in special charities and other benevolent work the Elks are known for.

Little known facts about me: I was born in St. Louis, Michigan and raised in Nevada; I was presented with a United States flag pin by the Boulder City, Nevada Chapter of the American Legion in 1970 for my role in circulating a petition that ultimately brought back the Pledge of Allegiance in my school; I played flute in band and was drum majorette for part of my senior year; I graduated from Sparks High School, Sparks, Nevada, Class of '75 and sang at my Baccalaureate. I started working for Fleming Companies in Salt Lake City, Utah where I lived for eight years; transferred to Sacramento, California where I lived and worked for seven years, and have been living in Oregon for the past 15 years. I have assisted the Springfield, Oregon Sheriff's Department by using my metal detector to find a handgun used in the shooting of an officer and was a witness at the trial in which the individual was convicted; and more recently have assisted the Eugene Police Department in locating a buried weapon used in a murder. My best detecting find to-date is a man's 14k gold ring. I have a passion for Rottweilers and I love my truck!