Colonel Mary J. Mayer, USAF (Ret) was born and raised in Portland and is a third generation Oregonian. She received her commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 1972. Throughout her 30+ year career, she served in a variety of intelligence, personnel policy, administration, contracting, program management, and special duty assignment positions–in the continental United States and overseas in Southeast Asia, Panama (two tours), and Spain. After retiring from the Air Force, she held the position of Senior Director at KBR Government and Infrastructure—responsible for the executive leadership and management of worldwide procurement and supply management operations. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish/Secondary Education from Marylhurst University and a master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Central Michigan University.
She is currently making major contributions in support of various veteran and community organizations, which include serving as a commissioner on both the Oregon Governor’s Commission on Senior Services and the Oregon Health Care Commission, Oregon State President for the Air & Space Forces Association, and Chair of the United Veterans’ Groups of Oregon. She recently completed a six-year term on the Military Officers Association of America National Board of Directors and a five-year term as President of the Portland Columbia Symphony Board of Directors. In the recent past, she served on the Oregon Governor’s Advisory Committee to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA). During this assignment, she worked closely with ODVA’s Director of Aging Veterans Services – working to improve conditions for Oregon’s senior veterans. The daughter of a World War II veteran, she served on the Oregon World War II Memorial Foundation Board.