Springfield Executive Profile: Debra Marcus

The Life & Work of A Local Business Executive

(Published December 12, 2007)

Debra Marcus - Pioneer Pacific College

BACKGROUND

Name: Debra Marcus
Title: Campus President
Organization: Pioneer Pacific College
Work Experience: Production Director for a business magazine publisher in New York City; worked on Leaders Magazine, read by 38,000 leaders in the world. Started in Admissions with Pioneer Pacific College in Portland in 1996. Moved to the local area in 1999 and started the Springfield Campus in 2002.
Education: B.A. from Stony Brook University, Long Island, New York.
Residence: Springfield

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Business Philosophy: Hard work pays off. It is the cornerstone for success.
Core Values: Integrity. Consistency. Working hard. Measures for Success: Seeing our graduates being placed in new jobs. Our job placement rate is 84% and over 1000 graduates are working in Lane County today.
Goals Yet to Achieve: Getting our new LPN program started in the Spring of 2008. Then seeing the progress of this nursing program which will be in a new building next door (along with other possible programs in the future).
Personal Mission: To be of service to people in a real way.


KEY BUSINESS DECISIONS

Toughest Decisions: Those involved in hiring and firing people.
Best Decision: Agreeing to start this school and taking on the challenges of leadership.
Missed Opportunities: I thought about going to Law school many years ago but in retrospect, glad to miss it.
Mentors Who Mattered Most: I'm fortunate to have worked with many extraordinary people. Many friends and teachers opened my eyes to the world and helped me understand my path, giving me the courage to follow it.

CONFESSIONS

Best Part of Your Job: Establishing relationships with people I work with. We’ve “grown up” together over past five years – building trust and understanding.
Worst Part of Your Job: Having to fire people.
Traits You Most Seek in People You Hire: Commitment to getting the job done. Hard working. Trustworthy.
Pet Peeves: People not willing to do the work to get the job done.
First Work You Did For Pay: Other than babysitting, in high school I was a cashier at a fruit store in New York City.
Most Important Life Lesson: Not to be afraid to take risks. When I’ve taken the biggest risks, life has given me many gifts.
Your Life Passion: To be true to myself – true to what I believe in.
Living Person You’d Most Like to Meet and Have A Conversation With: The next President of the United States. We’d talk about peace and ways to achieve peace on earth in nonviolent ways. It can’t be achieved with more through war and violence.


FAVORITES

Enjoyable Musician/Music: Ron Thomas, my husband, who plays guitar and sings. And, from earlier in my life, Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Cat Stevens.
Best Advice You Ever Received: Don’t be afraid to be honest with people.
Person in History You Most Admire: Eleanor Roosevelt.
First Choice for Spending Free Time: Walking my dog.
Best Vacation Destinations: Peru and Europe.
Favorite Food/Cuisine: Japanese and Thai.
Causes You Support/Volunteer Work: I was a hospice volunteer for many years but haven’t been able to continue due to my job responsibilities. We support Food for Lane County and the Eugene Mission. And we have a “Giving Tree” at work to make sure all of our students’ kids receive gifts at Christmas.
Cherished Possessions: I love my dog, Foxy – a rescue dog, part-yellow lab and golden retriever. She’s a cherished member of our family.
How You’d Like to Live Your Last Day: I’d love to be with family and friends at the Oregon Coast around Yachats. I’d like to walk with my husband, Ron, and Foxy on the 804 Trail – enjoying the ocean view and sound of waves crashing the shore.

-- Todd Peterson, The Springfield Beacon