About PDX Fencing     Our Advisory Board     Our Parent Committee

     PDX Fencing is a club dedicated to the enjoyment and teaching of the Olympic sport of saber fencing.  We teach recreational and competitive fencing in a fun, family-oriented atmosphere. 

     Started in 2008 by fencing coach Charles Randall, with only a handful of students, we have taught hundreds of people to fence through our school, after school, parks and recreational center programs. In September of 2009 we moved into our own state of the art facility in Beaverton. By sharing our love, passion and expertise in this wonderful sport we hope to help each fencer achieve their goals and fence to their full potential.

    In addition to our youth programs, we have a very active and fun adult group of fencers, who fence both recreationally and competitively. Our adult fencers mix with and help mentor the younger fencers. This is a life-long sport, NOT just for the young.  Fencing teaches wonderful life skills to the young developing fencer and keeps the adult fencer active and fit. For some - it's a great connection to your child's sport (in our photo above is father-son Scott and Ian Wehba). You're never to old to start fencing, come on in and give it a try.

    Parent involvement is welcomed here. Parent volunteers can work as much or as little as they desire. A very active parent committee welcomes any concerns, suggestions, ideas and promptly address them with the management.

Our Advisory Board

We are fortunate to have these dedicated volunteers who offer us their expert opinions and knowledge on a variety of subjects.

Michael Marx - Master of Arms

5x Olympian  (1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)                       2x Vice-President of the United States Fencing Association (USFA)
1985 World University Games - Silver medalist                  U.S. National Epee Coach 1996 - 2003
1987 Pan American Games - Bronze medalist                     First Fencer to inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
8x National Foil Champion                                                    Staff Member, U.S.F.A Coaches College
5x U.S. Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year                 Executive Director, Northwest Fencing Center (a National Training Center)

Michael Marx is the only man in the last fifty years to make the U.S. Olympic team in two weapons (foil and epee). Mr. Marx was inducted into the U.S. Fencing Assoc. Hall of Fame, the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and is a five-time U.S. Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year.  His students have won over 50 national titles in foil and epee and have competed in the last four U.S. Olympic Teams (Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing) in both weapons. He earned his Master of Arms degree in 1992 at the renowned Polish Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Poland under the direction of legendary Fencing Master Zbigniew Czajkowski. Mr. Marx earned a place in the Guinness Book of World records for a record eight U.S. National Championship titles in foil.

Mr. Marx brings to us his life-long experience as one of the most accomplished fencer and successful coaches in U.S. Fencing history. His two stints as assistant coach at both the University of Notre Dame and Duke University give him an in-depth knowledge of collegiate athletics. Mr. Marx is the younger brother of three time Olympian Robert Mark (epee) and the son of the legendary Colleen Olney who is widely considered the mother of fencing in the state of Oregon.

Kris Van Hatcher - Athletic Director, Oregon Episcopal School

National La Cross Hall of Fame
Board of Directors Member, Oregon High School La Crosse Association
Coach of The Year - Columbia La Cross League, 2007
Man of the Year - U.S. La Crosse Association, 2007
Head Varsity Coach - Oregon Episcopal School 1994 - 2008

Former head varsity coach at OES, with 33 years of coaching experience at the college and high school level, and seven years as Team Oregon All Stars Coach. Van Hatcher, has led the OES program for 14 seasons, since its inception in 1994. Under Van Hatcher, OES has reached the state championship game seven times, including five straight appearances from 2003 to 2007. The  O.E.S. Aardvarks won the state title in 2004, and they entered the 2007 championship game with a perfect, 17-0 record. Under Van Hatcher's leadership, OES has sent seven players to NCAA-sanctioned lacrosse programs, including sons Dalton and Addison.
 

Nelson Lam - President, Chief Investment Officer, The Lam Group

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance - The Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Tufts University

Nelson Lam is the President and chief investment officer of The Lam Group, a fee-only SEC-registered investment advisory firm based in Lake Oswego, OR that specializes in providing investment management services for taxable high-net worth families and family offices, as well as for foundations, endowments and select institutions.

Before moving to Oregon in 1997, Mr. Lam held investment banking positions with UBS, Merrill Lynch, and J.P. Morgan & Co.

In addition to his education shown above,  he is a graduate of The Lawrenceville School.  Mr. Lam is an affiliate member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Portland. Mr. Lam has served as a member of the Investment Committee (2004-09, Chairman 2008-09) of the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, OR.

Mr. Lam was born raised in Princeton, NJ. He is married and has three sons, two of whom are fencers.

Lisa Curzon - Corporate & Finance Manager, McCaffery & Associates

2001-2005 Board Member, Marylhurst Early Childhood Center
                  Two terms as President,  Fundraising Chair, Treasurer, Vice President
Corporate Buyer, Fred Meyer Inc.   1987-1998
Bachelor of  Business Administration, Concentrations- Finance & Marketing - Oregon State University
 

Lisa Curzon is the Corporate and Finance Manager for McCaffery & Associates. Ms. Curzon is married and the mother of 3 active fencers. She has been known to pick up a saber occasionally.

Our Volunteer Parent Committee

Our parent committee is very pro-active and volunteer based. They are responsible for fund-raising for specific targeted goals, social club events, car-pooling for classes and away tournaments, registration, newsletter, club-promotion, cleaning, food for events and tournaments. They work closely with club management to achieve mutually desired goals. All suggestions, questions, and complaints are welcomed and received so they can be addressed in a constructive and positive manner. If you would like to volunteer in anyway (nothing is to small), please don't hesitate to let any of us know.  Many people help out without being on a committee, all help is greatly appreciated - and reflected in helping to keep costs down.

Sue Wehba:  Co-Chairperson                     Cassandra Nosler:  Co-Chairman

Committees:

Event & Tournament Planning                     Newsletter                                       Fundraising                        Maintenance/Laundry         Public Relations/Marketing    

Cassie Nosler/Chair                                   Tasia Markoff/Editor in Chief            Lisa Curzon/Chair              Leslie Hee/Chair               Sue Wehba/Chair
Lydia Chang                                               Ned Sands (referee column)             Leslie Hee                         Valerie Go                        Arthur Chang
Valerie Go                                                  Lori Kositch                                                                                                                      Scott Wehba
Tracy Henne
Lori Kositch
Donna Mori