Ginger Emrick, marketing director for her family’s business, Western Oregon Waste, shows the company’s new mascot, WOW Man.

Marcus Larson / News-Register

A creative mind and a head for business are among the attributes Ginger Emrick brings to the family firm, Western Oregon Waste.

Friendly and cheerful, with an entrepreneurial spirit, she seems the perfect fit for the position of marketing director. She mixes traits of her businessman father, Bob, and professional singer mother, Nancy.

Emrick was born at the old McMinnville Community Hospital, located on the site where Walgreens now stands. She was named after her mother’s college roommate.

At McMinnville High School, she pursued sports and music. Although she could sing on key, she gravitated to the instrumental side of music, choosing band over choir.

She went on to attend the University of Portland on a partial golf scholarship. She played for the Lady Pilots for two years under Coach Carly Mills.

Ginger completed her degree in environmental ethics and policy, with a minor in business, in 2002.

She had grown up around the family business, so had long been intrigued by the concepts of recycling and re-use. The combination of science and business in a new UP program suited her to a T.

She and her father had discussed her possible entry into the family business. But they agreed that, after the crunch of college, she needed some time to relax and pursue adventure.

She lived in Sun River, then Portland. Along the way, she worked in a bakery and a coffee shop.

She also played bass in a rock band called Desperately Waiting, which did gigs in various Portland-area venues. The band went on tours of California and the Midwest, traveling in a Suburban belonging to the drummer’s mother.

“After school, it felt good to have fun and play music,” she said.

A few years ago, she started working part time at WOW. The family teamed her up with Scott Patterson, the company’s commercial accounts specialist.

They visited all of the company’s large accounts in the valley and on the coast. Between the tours and Patterson’s mentorship, she gained knowledge of the company’s customer base and eased her anxiety about making cold calls.

She moved next to customer service. But after Patterson’s untimely death, she agreed to take over the newly created marketing department. She supervises a four-person staff and liaisons with the 21 governmental jurisdictions in WOW’s service area.

She also serves on the government affairs committee of the industry’s state association.

Emrick enjoys meeting people and getting to know the personalities involved in the cities. Growing up in a small town, she said, she learned that getting to know people really matters.

She helped her department create the WOW Man Comics, a magazine chock full of recycling and re-use tips, all presented in a contemporary, eye-catching format. Customers should be getting it in the mail soon, she said.

Two years ago, she and her father bought the Harper Jamison Building on Third Street, home to Kame and Oregon Stationers.

She and her boyfriend, longtime McMinnville resident Josh Vaage, an independent web and software developer, spearheaded a major renovation. Next, they are planning to develop the basement to house additional business enterprises.

She is well-traveled, having visited Hawaii, Costa Rica, Italy, Germany and Israel, and taken a cross-country trip by rail.

When she’s not involved in projects, she can be found playing with her Akita-shepherd-husky-wolf mix Micah, which she dearly loves, along with three cats.

She also appreciates time spent with high school and college friends.