Boards that Build
January 2026 – Our Okanogan staff and community partners from the Okanogan Economic Alliance got an inside peek at Oroville Reman & Reload.
Human Resources leader and SkillSource board member, Anthony Popelier, took the team on a tour, starting with “the board room” where they were seated around a long, beautiful table constructed from the very boards they process at the facility. It was an ideal chance to learn from Anthony about the company’s roots in the community, because when the tour left the board room, the volume got a lot louder. “Most areas are loud enough to set off the sound alert on my watch!” shared Training Manager, Lisa Bauer.
The company’s head safety officer then properly equipped the group with PPE, including hard hats, reflective vests, and ear plugs. Their commitment to prioritizing safety and the wellbeing of their workers was evident. Every crosswalk in the facility has signs that remind people to make eye contact with the equipment operators before crossing. Details matter.
The tour revealed the functional roles of the employees, the machinery, and how it all fits together — kind of like the workforce system itself: one thing supports the other, and partnerships forge pathways for building skills and growing local talent. Our team learned how Reman & Reload trains their employees in-house, and supports apprenticeship pathways, providing focused training for a skilled workforce that keeps the company operating and helps the community thrive.
This conversation, as conversations do, led to possibilities where SkillSource and the WorkSource partnership can support their company through services that share in the cost of training their existing workers with new skills that bring value to the company, like CPR certification.
Oroville Reman & Reload employs over 100 people. They’re a big deal in a small community, providing careers and care for their people since 1964. They know that long-term success depends on the involvement and contribution of their employees.
We’re thankful to Anthony and his team for taking the time to provide a tour and valuable conversations that are already leading to ways to work together more — to continue the long-term success of their business and create future opportunities for workers and their families.
