The American Red Cross of Montana has added four new members to its board of directors. Dave Edgarton, Randi Heigh, Col. Mark Pomerinke and Dr. Gene Slocum have joined the humanitarian organization’s board.

Col. Mark Pomerinke

Col. Pomerinke is the 341^st Medical Group Commander at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls.

Col. Pomerinke was commissioned in 1999 after graduating from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in entomology in 1999. He was the deputy director of the Armed Forces Pest Management Board, where he developed and recommended policy on pest management throughout the Department of Defense. He was the commander for the 55th Medical Support Squadron, 55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, and prior to assuming his current position, commanded the 61st Medical Squadron, Los Angeles Air Force Base.

His major awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.

“One of our core Air Force values is service before self and that clearly is also a value held by the Red Cross,” Col. Pomerinke said. “The base has a long history of jointly working with the Red Cross, and I saw my participation on the board as a distinct honor and as one way to bolster that relationship in order to improve our ability to serve the base and local communities. Particularly in these times of a global pandemic, the tireless work of the Red Cross is critical to maintaining the health and well-being of not just our airmen and families, but also our friends and colleagues within the Great Falls community at large.”

Dave Edgarton

Edgarton is a client associate with Pintler Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors.  A retired U.S. naval officer, Edgarton flew more than 60 carrier-based combat missions as a naval flight officer in an electronic warfare squadron. He later transitioned to the Pentagon, serving as a requirements officer and helped manage the procurement of advanced combat systems.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Edgarton also earned a master’s degree from the U.S. Naval War College and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

Edgarton lives in Missoula.

Randi Heigh

Heigh is the Public Relations Coordinator for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. She recently celebrated her 18th anniversary with the company, having also spent four years with Blue Cross of Idaho.

Active in the community, she leads the committee for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana annual Festival of Trees event and has also served as BCBSMT’s Giving Campaign coordinator for the United Way and Montana Shares since 2014. From 2016-2018, she served as the membership director and secretary for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana’s Native Americans in Progress Business Resource Group, which supports diversity in the workforce by encouraging leadership growth for Native Americans and provides educational outreach throughout Montana.

Heigh graduated from the University of Montana, majoring in business administration and organizational communications. In 2012, she achieved her Professional in Human Resources Certification from the Human Resource Certificate Institute.

Heigh lives in Helena.

Dr. Gene Slocum

Dr. Slocum is a physician at Bridger Orthopedics in Bozeman. After graduating high school, he joined the U.S Army and was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

After his four-year commitment ended, Dr. Slocum moved to Colorado where he attended the University of Colorado and received his bachelor’s degree. He then went on to St. George’s University School of Medicine where he received his Medical Doctorate.

He is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

He and his wife Robin have a son. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, motorcycle riding and flying.