PENDLETON — A Pendleton businesswoman is throwing her hat in the ring for county commissioner.

Susan Bower, president of Eastern Oregon Business Source, announced Tuesday, June 22, she plans to run for the seat on the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners that board Chair George Murdock will vacate when he retires in January 2023, according to a press release.

Bower plans to officially file to run in September of this year, the release said.

Bower leads strategic planning efforts for nonprofit and for-profit organizations and works with decision makers to customize leadership development and workforce training. She has worked for Umatilla County providing a variety of contract services — something EOBC continues to do. Her firm has been in operation since 2005 and has served hundreds of clients on a variety of community and board development initiatives.

Bower also has local teaching experience, working for both Blue Mountain Community College and Walla Walla Community College. At the same time, she has served as chief financial officer of Northeast Oregon Surgical Clinic.

From March 2000 until July 2002, Bower was a project management consultant for Charter One Bank and before that she spent nearly a decade as a senior vice president of Bank One Corporation, where she had 42 direct reports and was responsible for the work of 400 people and a $25 million budget.

Murdock has held his seat since a special election in 2013 to replace Bill Hansell.