Sheriff Terry Rowan began his law enforcement career in 1989 in Umatilla County, with service as a dispatcher/control room operator, corrections officer, transport officer, civil deputy, criminal patrol deputy, and criminal investigator. He worked with the Hermiston Police Department as a Police Officer, Detective and Agency Leader. Sheriff Rowan served on the Major Crimes team for Umatilla and Morrow Counties as a lead investigator and supervisor. He is a second-generation public servant, a man whose dad instilled in him a pervading sense of responsibility and a powerful work ethic. Little wonder he is consumed with public safety and says, “It’s not in me to take a back seat; I have a desire to serve and make the community safer.” He served as Undersheriff for the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office from May of 2005 until he was elected sheriff in 2013. While serving as Undersheriff, he gained significant experience in Police Administration and discovered the uniqueness of running a Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Rowan was elected in 2013 and has continued to make improvements within the Sheriff's Office by developing programs, increasing services provided, and improving the over all the efficiency of the Sheriff’s Office: all while being fiscally responsible with the position entrusted to him by the public. 

Sheriff Rowan holds a number of certificates and has/is serving on a variety of public interest boards including:

• DPSST (Oregon Department of Public Safety and Standards Training) board member and assigned to the Police Policy Committee
• Member Oregon State Sheriff’s Association
• OSSA Command Council
• Public Advisory Council for Eastern Oregon Corrections Institute
• Board member Oregon Executive Development Institute
• Department of Justice and Homeland Security counterterrorism member
• Supervisor Major Crimes Team
• Board president for Buck Brogoitti Animal Sanctuary
• Drug Court Committee
• Local Supervisory Authority
• Blue Mountain Community College criminal Justice program advisory board
• Member of the Multi-disciplinary team
• Member of the Child fatality review board
• Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force
• Past President of Hermiston Police Association
• Local Public Safety Coordinating Council
• Umatilla/Morrow County Law Enforcement Administrators Assc.
• Deputy Medical Examiner
• Extensive Risk Management Training.
• Certified through D.P.S.S.T.
• Helping Hand for the homeless shelter

Terry grew up in Mustang, Oklahoma and is a graduate from Mustang High School. He received his formal Education through Chemeketa Community College in Public Administration. He has lived in Oregon since 1989 and is currently living in Hermiston, Oregon with his wife Tamara. They are very proud of their 2 adult daughters, Jessica and Megan and their families. Terry has been very involved in his community and worked with the youth as a Basketball, Baseball, and Soccer Coach. He has been a 4-H leader and was a Board Member on HYBA, Best of the West Basketball, AYSO soccer, Umatilla County Fair Livestock Sales committee, and Pendleton Junior Show and Livestock committee, Future Farmers of America Alumni, Special Friends reading program, Board member of Ducks Unlimited - Hermiston Chapter. Terry enjoys time with family, playing golf, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors.