The Windwave case: Defendants include local officials, nonprofit board members

Tuesday’s civil complaint

by the Oregon Department of Justice alleges insiders at a nonprofit called Inland Development Corp. withheld information about how business opportunities with Amazon were benefiting a subsidiary called Windwave Communications.

The result, according to the complaint, was that Windwave’s buyers acquired the business from Inland for $2.6 million, about a quarter of its true value.

The complaint names all five of Windwave’s owners as defendants, along with three others associated with the deal. Windwave and Inland are also named as defendants.

Windwave’s owners

Jerry Healy

: Windwave buyer, former Port of Morrow commissioner, Inland board member, member of the enterprise zone board that granted Amazon’s tax breaks.

Blake Lawrence

: Windwave’s CEO and co-owner.

Gary Neal

: Windwave buyer, retired general manager of the Port of Morrow.

Marv Padberg

: Windwave buyer, farmer, former Port of Morrow commissioner, Inland board member.

Don Russell

: Windwave buyer, former county commissioner, chairman of the enterprise zone board.

Inland board members not associated with Windwave

Jill Parker

: Local banker, president of Inland’s board.

Rich Devin

: Community member and business owner.

Greg Smith

: Oregon state legislator.

Attorneys for the defendants didn’t immediately respond to calls seeking comment Tuesday afternoon, or else declined comment.

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