New veterans center's focus is business

A new resource for veterans opens its doors Sunday in east Vancouver.

It's a partnership between a Vancouver woman whose husband died on active duty more than 50 years ago and a retired Marine who pioneered the concept with a center in the San Diego area.

The Southwest Veterans Business Resource Center makes its debut at 2 p.m. at 16505 S.E. First St., Suite H, in the retail center anchored by Parkrose Hardware.

Fran Tobias organized the Vancouver site as the second location in what former Marine Albert Renteria foresees as a national organization. Renteria, founder and CEO, opened the first center on Nov. 11, 2008 — Veterans Day — in Fallbrook, Calif.

The retired chief warrant officer, who will be on hand Sunday for the event, is working with local partners in several other cities across the country.

Tobias described the center as a place where volunteers can help veterans reintegrate into society.

"It's not about sitting down and drinking coffee," Tobias said. "It's getting prepared for the job market or for going into business."

The center will offer a formal 400-hour program that includes a $2,000 stipend. There also will be information on benefits and help in building résumés.

It will be open from noon to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

The Vancouver center is dedicated to Tobias' husband, Marine Capt. James W. Tobias Jr. He died June 30, 1956, when two airliners collided over the Grand Canyon. The collision killed 128 passengers and crew members on the United DC-7 and the TWA Constellation.

"Since then, every commercial passenger plane has been equipped with radar," she said.

More information

360-314-6325, vancouver@swvbrc.org, www.WhereCommunitiesServeVeterans.org

Tom Vogt: 360-735-4558 or tom.vogt@columbian.com.