Sean C. Morgan
The Oregon Jamboree announced Monday afternoon that Robert Shamek will be its new festival director.
Shamek, 40, will succeed Erin Regrutto, who has been with the Jamboree since 2009.
Regrutto plans to move to New Mexico, where her husband, Ryan, has taken a position as an engineer with the U.S. Department of Defense, at the end of August.
“We had posted the position internally for staff and supervisors,” Regrutto said. “We were fortunate enough to have Robert apply.”
The Sweet Home Economic Development Group Board of Directors created a hiring committee to consider applicants, followed by consideration from the board’s human resources committee, Regrutto said. The board met in a special session on April 28 to hire Shamek.
“We couldn’t have put ourselves in a better situation,” Regrutto said, noting that Shamek has been involved at every level of the Jamboree organization, starting as a volunteer, working as a supervisor and then becoming a paid member of the staff.
“He’s really learned the event from the trenches and will do a really great job,” Regrutto said.
Shamek said he started volunteering with the Jamboree in 2008 – unofficially, at first.
“My wife (Sarah Shamek) got asked to be on the sign team by Rob and Donna (Poirier) in 2008, I believe,” Shamek said. Robert Shamek, who operated a construction firm, had a big truck and a bunch of ladders that were useful to that team.
“Next thing I know, Sarah had signed me up to be available,” Shamek said. The following year, the Shameks were co-supervisors with the Poiriers and started taking leadership of the team in 2009.
In 2010, members of the site team, Tom Albert and Bob Sullivan, began talking with Shamek. Ultimately, they told him they needed his construction background on their team. He was in that position for a year before becoming site supervisor. Then-president Ron Moore told him someone had signed him up to be on the management team.
In 2013, the Jamboree hired Shamek as site manager, a part-time paid position that handles logistics for the event.
Shamek has lived in Sweet Home all his life. He will be the first among the two long-term directors who can claim this.
“It’s a really unique opportunity,” Regrutto said. Neither of the last two long-term directors, Regrutto and Peter LaPonte before her, were familiar with the Sweet Home community.
“He is a local person, who has lived here his entire life.”
He has connections in the community, and she is excited to see someone with those kinds of roots take over the festival, Regrutto said.
“Sarah and I aren’t going anywhere,” Shamek said. “We’re here for the duration.”
Going forward, SHEDG and the Jamboree are working on acquisition of former Knife River property along the South Santiam. At the same time, SHEDG has been spending its reserve funds.
Shamek has already been involved in the property acquisition as a member of the SHEDG property committee, he said. It’s nice to be involved in it before taking over.
As far as SHEDG’s finances, “it’s tough to say,” Shamek said. “Starting with camping, I think that’ll start bringing stuff back. It’s a campground we’re not going to have to rent.”
In addition to the Jamboree, SHEDG has been developing a Sweet Events consulting business, which coordinates a series of events throughout the year.
“It really took off, and we’ve seen positive upticks this year,” Regrutto said. “Hopefully, that can be a business that Robert can build up and make more profitable for SHEDG.”
In the run-up to the 2015 festival, Shamek will fill his current position, working part time in June and then full time in July and August, when Regrutto plans to leave.
“I’m definitely excited,” Shamek said. “There’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve on some things.”
The Shameks have three children, including Avery, 21; Egan, 17; and Aiden, 11.
For 17 years Shamek worked for Architectural Metal Works in Portland. For the past two years, he has owned and operated Wine Down Design, a furniture construction business. The furniture is fashioned from old wine barrels.
He started working that business full time about eight months ago and quit working for Architectural Metal Works.
His wife owns and operates Elite Fitness and works at Mallard Creek Golf Course.
The Oregon Jamboree is the main fund-raising tool for SHEDG, which uses proceeds to pay for economic development efforts in Sweet Home. The three-day camping and country music festival is held at the end of July and beginning of August. Some 900 volunteers help operate the event.
The 2015 event is scheduled for July 31 to Aug. 2. This year’s lineup includes headliners Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Big and Rich.
For more information about the event or SHEDG, visit oregonjamboree.com or call (541) 367-8800.