Position #2
Serving Since June 2020
Term Expires June 30, 2025

Kelley Retherford was born in Portland, OR and moved to Newport, OR in 1973. The following year, Kelley’s family moved to Waldport, OR where she attended school. It is there she met her husband now of 37 years during her freshman year of high school. Kelley and Michael married in 1983, started their family, and began their lives as a commercial fishing family in the community.

This life brought opportunity and direction for their future. In 1991, they bought their first fishing vessel, F/V Excalibur, where they began a beautiful partnership with R. Barry & Carol Fisher. This partnership not only led to the fishing grounds but also to years of partnership with researchers and scientists, through cooperative research, special projects, and set surveys. These charters and surveys began for the F/V Excalibur in 1997 and have since included NMFS, PWCC, PSMFC, and NOAA.

With the purchase of their first boat, Kelley took on the duties of running a family business that included the numerous tasks involved in the financial and paper work side of the business. Over time, Kelley has continued to manage the businesses as they have grown into a generational family operation that includes Michael & Kelley’s 4 grown children, their spouses, and 9+ grandchildren. Together, the families run, operate, and manage 4 fishing vessels out of Newport, OR. Kelley continues to maintain the legal, bookkeeping, & financial side of each business. She also holds multiple positions within the corporations including Vice President of two of their corporations, Secretary of another, and serves on the Board of Directors for all 3 Corporations.

Through the years, Kelley has also played a part in the Newport Fishermen’s Wives group where she now maintains a position on the Board of Directors.

While raising a family, Kelley has spent many years volunteering and supporting the schools and communities. She has also been very active in her church where she has taken many lead roles from within. Kelley has had a heart over the years to support, serve, and meet the needs of the surrounding communities and continues to this today.

Kelley and her husband reside in Newport overlooking the Port where they enjoy hours of sunsets and sunrises while watching their fishing boats, children, and grandchildren come and go.

“I truly love the beauty of this area, the port, the fishing fleet, the community. We are truly blessed here and honored to play our part.”