Distinguished Alumni - 2008
EvCC's Alumni Association selected Doug and Barbara Allan and Steve and Betty Neighbors for the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Doug and Barbara Allan
Doug Allan graduated from Everett Junior College in 1947. His wife, Barbara (Sieverling) Allan graduated from EJC in 1946. Both continued their education at the University of Washington, where they earned bachelor's degrees in English and business.
Barbara Allan, who served as Student Council vice president and business manager of the EJC yearbook Integrand her sophomore year at EJC, earned her teaching certificate and spent a career in Northwest schools as a substitute teacher.
Doug Allan is the owner and operator of Kent-based Metaltest, Inc., and purchased and started two metal heat-treating facilities prior to adding Metaltest to the Allan Metals Park, in Kent, Wash.
The Allans have been married for 59 years and have four daughters. Two of the Allan's daughters joined their family companies and now operate Pacific Metallurgical with grandson Derek Fallen.
Doug and Barbara Allan are also are members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Steve and Betty Neighbors
Steve Neighbors earned his associate's degree from Everett Community College's nursing program in 1976.
His first job in nursing was as an industrial nurse, a position secured when a large manufacturer approached the EvCC placement office looking to hire a student from the nursing program for their new safety department. Steve Neighbors credits his education at EvCC as the window of opportunity to the launch of a very interesting and fulfilling career.
Steve Neighbors continued his career becoming a community leader, businessman, small business advocate, author and public speaker. He is the CEO of TERRA Staffing Group headquartered in Everett. He also has served on the Everett Community College Foundation Board of Directors
Betty Neighbors is founder and President of TERRA Staffing Group in Everett. TERRA began in 1981 as a home-based secretarial and answering service. In response to customer demand, she began providing administrative and light industrial temporary help to local companies in 1983. From that two-person office twenty-five years ago, TERRA has grown to employ 50 staff members and provides employment opportunities to thousands of people on a temporary and direct-hire basis annually from five offices throughout the Puget Sound region. Her responsibilities today center on employee relations and human resource management, marketing, and community and government relations.
Betty Neighbors attended Everett Community College in 1968-69 and has served for many years on EvCC's Business Technology Advisory Committee.
Since 1999, TERRA has been named six times to Washington CEO Magazine's list of Best Companies to Work For in Washington, placing first on the list in 2004. In 2008, Betty Neighbors was named the Snohomish County Business Journal's Businesswoman of the Year.