Open for Business: Uniquely Eugene

EUGENE ARE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

FOR

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2 USA $6.25 CANADA $12.25

BUSINESS

U N I Q U E LY

EUGENE GOODBYE PORTLAND HELLO EUGENE

HEALTHY COMMUNITY HEALTHY BUSINESS

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CO NTE NT S

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COVER STORY / Experts across industries came together to help us highlight the spectrum of professionals that is uniquely Eugene for Open for Business this quarter. Cover photo | Athena Delene Special thanks to Stretch Shapes for helping stage this issue’s photo shoot.

FEATURES

UNIQUELY EUGENE

Chamber Board of Directors

16 L IFE IN OUR REGION

26 GOODBYE PORTLAND

Leveraging our competitive edge to capitalize on our vibrant economy and exceptional quality of life.

One of our fastest-growing economic drivers is turning heads and tantalizing taste buds.

24 HEALTHY COMMUNITY,

30 PREPPING YOUR FOOD,

Why workplace wellness can have a significant impact on business success.

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HEALTHY BUSINESS

25 ACHIEVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Chris Boone, Chair President, Boone Insurance Associates

HELLO EUGENE

BEVERAGE BUSINESS FOR SALE

INSPIRING CREATIVITY

How artists, businesses, educators and nonprofits are working to infuse art.

YOUR CHAMBER

8 MEMBER VOICE

5 POLICY INSIGHT

How small businesses can benefit from environmental and social practices.

A look at Eugene’s constrained housing market, convening the experts and a construction excise tax that works.

Tim Scott of Eugene Science Center delves into their recent rebrand, fundraising and future improvements, focused on STEM and serving the entire community. And, Geoff Ostrove of TJ’s Gardens, the first vertically integrated cannabis company in Oregon, shares what it means to be part of the community and pioneers in a progressive movement.

Mandy Jones, Past-Chair Retired, Oregon Community Credit Union Nigel Francisco, Treasurer CFO, King Estate Scott Lindstrom, Vice-Chair, Organizational Development, Exec. Vice President, Jerry’s Home Improvement Center Cale Bruckner, Vice-Chair, Economic Development President, Concentric Sky

OUR COMMUNITY

10 QUERY & QUOTES

Stephanie Seubert, Chair-Elect Partner, Evans, Elder, Brown & Seubert, Inc.

6 CHAMBER VISIONARIES President and CEO of Lunar Logic Celeste Edman and President and CEO of OCCU Ron Neumann on thoughtful leadership and collaboration as keys to success.

Thomas Pettus-Czar, Vice-Chair, Business Advocacy Owner, The Barn Light Amanda Walkup Partner, Hershner Hunter, LLP Betsy Boyd Assoc. VP of Fed. Affairs, University of Oregon Casey Barrett General Manager, 5th Street Public Market Cheryl Boyum CEO, Cascade Health Solutions

38 HERE & THERE

Chad Barczak CEO, IDX Broker

12 SECTOR STRATEGIES

Snapshots of events, happenings and goings-on that reflect our Chamber and our ever-changing business community.

Dr. Gustavo Balderas Superintendent, Eugene School District 4J

Manufacturing, Food + Beverage and Tech: happenings and what’s on the horizon.

40 BIZZ BUZZ

36 MOVERS & SHAKERS

Promotions, new hires and news you can use.

Jason Lafferty General Manager, SnoTemp Cold Storage

46 A QUICK NOTE

Ralph Parshall General Manager, Mercedes Benz of Eugene

Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Brittany Quick-Warner on our uniqueness.

Trace P. Skopil CPA Partner, Moss Adams

Eugene Emeralds embrace alternative identity as Los Monarcas as players step up to the plate at Tuesday home games this summer.

Greg Lyons CFO, Western Shelter Systems

E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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OPEN FOR BUSINESS

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BUILDING FUTURE INNOVATORS

Open for Business is published quarterly by the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce in March, June, September and December.

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O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S | S U M M E R 2 018

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1107, Eugene, OR 97440-1107.

Serving Eugene since 1887.

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POLIC Y I N SIG HT

CONVENING THE EXPERTS TO LEARN MORE The members we spoke with understood and appreciated the desperate need for more affordable housing in our community. However, they believed that adding an additional cost in the form of a tax was hardly going to be effective in funding subsidized, low-income housing if market-rate housing projects weren’t going to “pencil” for builders and developers. It goes without saying that the tax was highly controversial, and many argued that we weren’t going to build our way out of this

BETTER HOUSING POLICY:

crisis by only subsidizing costly new construction for low-income housing. What is needed is more housing and more housing diversity,

A CASE STUDY FOR CHAMBER ADVOCACY

at every level, to increase supply across the housing spectrum, in order

By Tiffany Edwards, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce

lowest, most affordable level of the existing supply.

Public policy and business advocacy work don’t always garner front

Housing developers explained that the current market only allows

page headlines. Much of the advocacy work the Eugene Chamber is engaged in happens behind the scenes, over many months and often falls under the radar.

As specific issues come up locally or at the state level, we work closely with and focus our outreach efforts on affected business sectors, our Chamber Board, our Local Government Affairs Council and our Young Professionals Network. Occasionally an issue will rise to the level of outreach to the broader Chamber membership. When the Chamber

to make a shift in the market. This would create more vacancies at the

for high-end housing or publicly subsidized low-income housing to be built. We wanted to understand why so little new construction of “missing middle” housing and other types of housing in such high demand was stagnant. Through a series of in-depth meetings with home builders, affordable housing providers, planners and developers, it became apparent that there are significant cost barriers that impeed building. They include policy and procedural inefficiencies, lack of land supply and costly appeals processes, just to name a few.

engages in advocacy around relevant issues, we prioritize thorough

A CONSTRUCTION EXCISE TAX THAT WORKS

research and strive to make data-driven decisions. We think it is

If a CET is going to be effective, we need to figure out how to remove

important for our members to know that we are actively and constantly

some of the current barriers to building. Ideally, this will stimulate the

engaged in advocating for policy changes and improvements on behalf

market and increase the overall housing supply and, in turn, increase

of the business community.

the total amount collected by a CET.

I will take this opportunity to share one recent example of our advocacy

Over the course of several months, the Eugene Chamber, Home

efforts, to help illustrate the work of the Eugene Chamber and how

Builders Association of Lane County and Better Housing Together

active business participation can have an effect on policy decisions

(a community coalition of housing advocates) worked collectively

being made in our community.

to educate Eugene’s mayor, city councilors and city staff about the

OUR CONSTRAINED HOUSING MARKET

significant barriers to building and advocated for policy and procedural

Back in December of 2017, city staff presented information to the mayor and Eugene City Council, who clearly stated their desire to find a solution for our community’s dire need for housing at the lowest end of the spectrum. One recommended solution came in the form of a construction excise tax (CET) of one percent on new residential and commercial construction costs to fund new construction of subsidized housing projects and other low-income housing programs.

changes that could be implemented prior to the deployment of a tax.

Instead of passing the proposed CET right away, and after significant advocacy from the Chamber and others, the City Council voted unanimously on April 9, to direct the city manager to identify barriers to building that could be removed or lessened, prior to implementation of a tax. These will be presented to the City Council in a package of solutions, which may likely include a CET proposal, but will address

The Legislature had recently lifted the pre-emption on cities’ and local

the housing issues we are facing in a more holistic manner.

jurisdictions’ ability to tax construction, and other cities, like Portland,

In the next six months, the Eugene Chamber will continue to act

Corvallis and Medford, were already taking advantage of the new

as a convener for various stakeholders, bringing people together on

policy. Eugene would certainly be next.

both sides of this issue, to address barriers to building. We will work

However, as the Chamber began to research this issue and engage in

to shape new policies and simultaneously broaden support for a

conversations with other stakeholders, we developed serious concerns.

In a market where demand had never been higher, the fact that very few projects were being built, even with existing incentives, such as the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE), meant that something wasn’t right.

reasonable CET to help fund critical housing initiatives.

Looking to lend your voice to help find solutions for our constrained housing market?

Email Tiffany Edwards at tiffanye@eugenechamber.com E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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C H A M B E R V ISIO N A RI ES

CHAMBER VISIONARIES LEAD THE WAY

By Chamber Visionary

By Chamber Visionary

Ron Neumann,

Celeste Edman,

President & CEO of OCCU

President & CEO of Lunar Logic

When I moved to Eugene

When I think of the Chamber’s

22 years ago, I was drawn to

current evolution, it’s easy to

the tremendous assets this

connect it to my own evolution

community offers, including its

as a business leader in our

diversity, access to impressive

community. In the last 20 years,

education, a thriving arts scene,

I’ve seen my leadership style shift

strong business sector and

and evolve as new experiences

outdoor recreation at every turn.

have changed my perspective and

We represent a community of

ways of engaging.

remarkable opportunity!

Twenty years ago, I stepped up

With new developments on the University of Oregon campus,

saying, “What this project needs is leadership.” And before I knew it,

continued growth of Downtown Eugene, a blossoming tech sector and

raising my hand and opening my

new development surrounding 5th Street Public Market, Eugene is

big mouth had landed me my first leadership role.

undergoing an electrifying evolution. This added momentum, coupled

I was a brash, unproven, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants leader who got a

with our already-thriving local business community, will help our

lot done quickly. That worked for a while, but it wasn’t long before

leaders galvanize to meet the needs of our collective future.

I hit a wall. To hit the next set of goals, I needed feedback, resources and direction. I needed to learn how to form a team and collaborate.

As business leaders, it is our role to keep opportunities plentiful. By proactively embracing change and continuing to work together to

Now, sitting in a room full of business people, listening to a

support the growth of a vibrant, diverse community, where people

discussion about economic development, I can see that the 20-year-

feel safe and stable, we help create and sustain market-wage jobs,

old me would’ve grown impatient and expected immediate results.

attract and retain talented employees and encourage and support small businesses. This type of growth will enable us to attract new industry to our area and retain young leaders in our community for the long term.

My leadership style today has evolved. I’ve learned that listening to multiple stakeholders, understanding resources and working collaboratively are far more effective in the long run. My response now

At OCCU, we know that change will ultimately help us to better

is more measured and seeks to understand. I ask a lot of questions.

serve our members. One of our brand pillars centers on putting

I know that the outcomes we want as a community take time.

what’s best for our membership at the forefront of our decisions. Our

The work of building this community takes time and getting there

collaboration with the Eugene Chamber and the rest of the business

takes a different type of leadership­­–one that recognizes the benefit of

community is one way we can deliver on this promise. Together,

working together for the betterment of many. It is imperative that we

we create meaningful change, and we continue to pull the future

take the time it takes to thoughtfully, intentionally review and discuss

closer. Collaborating and getting involved helps us to become more

what should and could be done. Developing strategies that a variety of

knowledgeable on the important issues and challenges, as we work to

people can help execute is necessary to sustain programs and for

leverage our collective resources.

long-term growth.

I hope you will join me in continuing to make Eugene a prosperous community and an even better place to live for all. Together, there is no question, we are stronger!

It’s exciting to see the coming together of thoughtful leadership and new energy to get things done. These moments of collaborative collision points happening right now in Eugene are what will move forward the future of business and I, for one, can’t wait.

Thank you to the 2018 Chamber Visionaries: Anne Marie Levis, Funk/Levis & Associates Casey Barrett, Obie Companies Celeste Edman, Lunar Logic Chris Boone, Boone Insurance Associates Craig Wanichek, Summit Bank Ron Neumann, Oregon Community Credit Union

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O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S | S U M M E R 2 018

Join us in creating the best-possible future for our community.

Spread the word using #ChamberEvolved

YOUR BUSINESS. YOUR CHAMBER. YOUR COMMUNITY.

Buy Smart, Sell Smart, Build Smart.

MARCIA EDWARDS, MBA Residential Real Estate Broker

541-221-1454 • RealEstateSmart.org • me@marciaedwards.com

M E M B E R VOIC E

DOING BUSINESS, DOING GOOD CONNECTING CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR UNIQUE HOME

By Carolyn Stein, BRING There is a lot to love about Eugene. Our city

car dealership that supports teen driver safety

is known for great food, a thriving arts scene

education are examples of strategic giving.

and spectacular natural beauty. We are also

While donating money is always appreciated,

known as a community that is both socially

employers can also offer in-kind support

and environmentally conscious and we expect

and paid time off to employees, so they can

the places where we shop, dine and work to

volunteer at the organization of their choice.

reflect those values.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, goes beyond meeting basic legal and ethical standards of operating a business; it includes functioning as a strong community citizen that shows concern for the public by “doing good.” While CSR is most often related to large corporations, small businesses can also benefit from responsible social and environmental practices.

While being responsible is often its own reward, it makes business sense to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into your operations. In Eugene, food-related businesses can donate unused food to food banks and compost the rest through the city-run Love Food Not Waste program.

These practices reduce waste, improve your environmental performance and show

INVOLVEMENT

concern for the community that we call home.

One of the most important ways a small

COMMUNICATION

business can showcase social responsibility is getting involved with service organizations and projects. This is easy for local companies that have roots in the community where they operate. By taking part in local events and activities, companies can enhance their visibility and attract new customers.

GIVING Giving is another opportunity for businesses to show their support for their community.

Communicating your CSR efforts is the key to a successful program. Sharing your success on your website, social media and other outlets has the benefit of keeping employees and customers engaged. Studies show that young professionals want to work for companies that support their values and that customers are willing to pay more for services and products that align with charitable interests and protect the environment.

Though not a requirement, it is common for

With the rise of social media and review sites,

businesses to return some of their earnings to

Eugeneans have more power than ever to

local nonprofit organizations that align with

identify companies that are good community

their company’s mission. A clothing retailer

citizens. Adopting a CSR program is an

that collects gently used coats for veterans or a

effective way to remain competitive.

Carolyn Stein is executive director for BRING, an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization, and the creator of Rethink Business, a hands-on technical assistance and certification program for businesses that want to reduce waste, save money and improve their environmental performance. To learn more about the BRING Rethink certification program and how it can improve your business, visit bringrecycling.org.

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O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S | SU M M E R 2 018

Michael and Angie Marzano at Hot Mama’s Kitchen + Bar Eugene restaurateurs, Michael and Angie Marzano, host fundraising nights, donating a portion of the day’s sales to local nonprofits.

The couple’s two restaurants are Rethink Certified through a local certification program that improves environmental performance, and they actively look for ways to reduce their environmental impact.

Better Transit. Better Neighborhoods.

The community asked for better transit connections and shorter travel times. The new EmX West line is providing both. Since its September 2017 launch, the service has provided 700,000 rides.

That’s an average of 3,600 rides per weekday, helping people get to and from work, school, services, shopping and recreation. New business activity is also happening in west Eugene, and motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are able to travel safely along improved corridors.

Thank you to the community for supporting this vision. Welcome aboard!

THANK YOU

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The power of many.

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QU E RY & QUOTES

NEXT-GEN SCIENCE AT EUGENE SCIENCE CENTER QUOTED: Tim Scott, Executive Director

PHOTOGRAPHY: Steve Smith Photography

YOU JUST COMPLETED A REBRAND FROM THE SCIENCE FACTORY TO THE EUGENE SCIENCE CENTER. WHY DID YOU TAKE THAT PROJECT ON, AND ARE THERE OTHER EXCITING CHANGES COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR?

through fun and engaging experiences. We’re hoping to get a fiber optic connection to support all of the amazing things our growing tech community is doing. For instance, our 40-foot dome planetarium is a unique projection platform – one of the largest in the entire Pacific Northwest. I’d love to see how we can use this dome as never before, whether through visualizing complex data, immersive digital art and 360-degree movies, or using it as an educational resource for all the sciences. We’ll be able to project a 40-foot skeleton on our dome, rotate it and fly through it. Actually, kids will be able to fly through it and our universe using an X-box controller. That’s pretty cool.

When I became director in 2016, we were calling ourselves the Science Factory Children’s Museum and Exploration Dome. We had numerous discussions to determine if we wanted to focus on the general purpose of a children’s museum, which is to learn through play, or the purpose of a science museum, which is STEM education that’s fun. We unanimously decided to focus heavily on not just STEM education, but also empowering people to use science in their daily lives to better their communities. We then started calling ourselves, simply, the Science Factory. I soon learned that there are quite a few organizations in the world with Science Factory in their name and that many people didn’t know what Science Factory was; this put us on the rebranding path that led to the Eugene Science Center. We were lucky to work with Partnered Solutions IT on the new brand, which forecasts our hopes for the future, in that, we want to become a world-class science center with a greater impact on our community. We’re in the process of raising $900,000 to improve our current assets, such as our planetarium, exhibits and restrooms, and to create some great new experiences, like an outdoor science park and outdoor classroom, a discovery room, and a fabrication shop to create our own exhibits.

Engaging with children at a young age, and nurturing it as they grow and develop, helps create the critical-thinking leaders we’ll need in the future to solve the problems we’re creating today. We’re not in the business of creating the next generation of scientists. We want people to think like scientists by remaining curious, investigating their world, experimenting, not being afraid of failing and thinking critically about issues that affect their communities.

We’re interested in conveying how the scientific investigation approach makes discoveries and solves problems, and I think instilling that approach at an early age helps lay a robust foundation in analyzing issues and solving problems.

EUGENE IS GETTING QUITE A REPUTATION FOR ITS ROLE IN

WHICH CHAMBER EXPERIENCE HAS IMPACTED YOU OR YOUR

SCIENCE-BASED CAREERS WITH THE GROWING TECH SECTOR AND

BUSINESS THE MOST THIS YEAR?

NEW KNIGHT CAMPUS, AMONG OTHERS. HOW DO YOU SEE THE

Networking through Chamber events has been extremely beneficial, especially since I’m still so new to the community. It’s been great to meet business professionals and learn about the ways we can collaborate to make our community stronger. It’s also been great for our organization to help us get the word out about our recent rebrand and all the changes taking place at the Eugene Science Center.

EUGENE SCIENCE CENTER FITTING INTO THAT LANDSCAPE? I like to think of us as the public, informal education hub that will link all of the STEM-focused entities together, while infusing our vibrant art scene into the mix. We’re working hard to strengthen connections with the new Knight Campus. This not only benefits the university, but also the entire community.

For example, we’re a great resource to help satisfy the National Science Foundation’s broader impact criteria for local research, which helps the university in obtaining and fulfilling grants and benefits the community by allowing us to learn about the amazing research to take place on campus,

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WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN SCIENCE WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG?

The Eugene Science Center’s Foundation for the Future campaign is raising funds that will strengthen and expand their community impact.

Visit: eugenesciencecenter.org/foundation-for-the-future/

QU E RY & QUOTES

GROWING COMMUNITY AT TJ’S GARDENS

QUOTED: Geoff Ostrove of TJ’s Gardens

PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of TJ’s Gardens

TELL ME HOW YOUR COMPANY GOT STARTED AND HOW IT LANDED IN EUGENE?

WHAT MAKES YOUR ORGANIZATION UNIQUE OR STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION?

TJ’s is named after its founders, Travis MacKenzie and James Orpeza.

Together, these two friends and business partners have built one of the largest stable of award-winning genetics. They’ve also been recognized as one of the most decorated cannabis grows in the country. Their dedication to creating something positive and progressive is evident in every offering.

According to BDS Analytics, TJ’s Gardens is now the No. 1 selling cannabis flower brand in the state and the No. 6 overall cannabis brand in the state.

With four gardens, an extraction lab, edibles kitchen, distribution company, two retail dispensary locations, and a home delivery service, TJ’s Gardens was the first completely vertically integrated cannabis company in the state, and we are proud of the fact that we’ve reached that level of success while being based in Eugene.

Travis got his start in the Eugene cannabis industry as a labor of love for his wife, Cham, who suffered from debilitating migraines after surviving an accident that resulted in a brain injury. Cham’s neurologist strongly suggested she try medical cannabis, and so Travis started growing a few plants. The cannabis he produced proved effective for Cham’s pain management and stopped most headaches before they became excruciating. Thanks to treatments that consisted solely of cannabis, the frequency of Cham’s migraines was reduced by 90 percent. After seeing these positive results and benefits, Travis became motivated to help others and soon pursued a larger location, so he could grow for more patients. He was inspired to aid and educate his community in a way that would allow him to have the most impact. On his journey to get to the next level, he crossed paths with James in Eugene.

Prior to meeting Travis, James had also been growing medical cannabis for patients for many years. James was involved in numerous smaller partnerships with other grow-operations that sought out his consultation, implementation and grow expertise. Through his very first patient’s experience with cannabis, James quickly understood the cannabis plant had much more to offer than a good high. He realized that his growing talents could be applied for a bigger purpose, on a much larger scale.

When James started collaborating with Travis, he had more than 25 years of indoor and outdoor growing experience under his belt. James was responsible for bringing a “beyond organic” approach to growing in the gardens. This approach has become a foundation for all of TJ’s practices. The knowledge and innovative techniques he brought to the table were pivotal in turning TJ’s great flowers into truly amazing products. Together, Travis and James have proven to be an unstoppable force.

YOUR ORGANIZATION IS INVOLVED IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY ISSUES AROUND DOWNTOWN. WHY DO YOU FIND STRENGTHENING OUR DOWNTOWN TO BE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO FOCUS ON? TJ’s is very engaged with the Eugene community. We are involved with the Downtown Eugene Merchants, the City of Eugene’s Sunday Streets events, the Whiteaker Community Market, Cascadia Wildlands and other community organizations. Our mission is to help facilitate happiness in our community.

We believe that the best way to do that is to engage local organizations in a way that helps to promote sustainability and livability.

WHAT CHAMBER EXPERIENCE HAS IMPACTED YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS THE MOST THIS YEAR? We participate regularly in the Local Government Affairs Council (LGAC) meetings, and we try to attend as many other Chamber events as possible.

However, the one we are most excited about is the Willamette Angels Conference, held this year at the Downtown Athletic Club in May. TJ’s Garden founders, Travis MacKenzie and James Orpeza (left), infuse their company with a higher purpose. From their contributions to community initiatives, like downtown Eugene, to their employee volunteer days, TJ’s is growing an industry and investing in our community.

E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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SEC TO R ST R AT EG I E S

Vibrant sector strategies, committed partnerships and inspired community leadership are helping to drive the growth of targeted industries and our regional economy. The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to be a part of the Lane County Sector Strategies team. Each quarter, we’ll learn from the partners moving this work forward.

Seneca Sawmill consistently innovates, bringing on new processes and technology to support their continued growth.

Photo courtesy of Seneca Sawmills.

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SEC TO R ST R AT EG I E S

GROWTH IN MANUFACTURING ADDS TO THE VIBRANCY OF EUGENE’S ECONOMY Article by JOSHUA MONGÉ, EUGENE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The 2017 numbers are out and they say what most people in manufacturing already know, the industry is growing. The number of people employed in manufacturing in Lane County has been growing over 2 percent, year over year for the last two years. Along with that, wages have been increasing from 2.5 percent in 2014 - 15 to over 5 percent in 2016 - 17.

Lane County’s strong growth in both wages and employment outpaced statewide numbers in Oregon manufacturing by a few percent. This positive forward movement is exciting to see for an industry that’s so vital to our local economy.

We are actively working with regional agencies to help our existing businesses increase resiliency and hedge against closures. Programs are in place to help with business plans, managed growth and supply-chain needs. Specifically, we are actively engaging in preserving a local business to find an owner operator to re-employee around 100 employees. By getting out to businesses to hear their needs and identify when they need assistance, we expect to continue to work behind the scenes to strengthen and support this sector.

Interest in the Eugene market is picking up as more calls come in from manufacturing firms outside the area. As tech and the food and beverage market continue to garner attention of “top 10 sites” the word is getting out that Eugene has a diverse economy with opportunity for people from all walks of life.

We are answering calls from manufacturers outside the area looking for potential sites, arranging tours with potential businesses and helping to find those that fit the culture of Eugene and will be an asset to the community.

SO WHAT’S NEW FOR MANUFACTURING? In the last few months, the old Hynix plant sold, and we’re excited by whispers of activity from the new owners.

Last year, local alternative vehicle manufacturer, Arcimoto went public on the Nasdaq Capital Market with a Regulation A+ offering. This year, they are gearing up for tremendous growth.

Our local manufacturers are coming together regularly through our “Focus on: Manufacturing” program to talk about best practices and work through economic barriers that are impeding growth.

Behind the scenes, Eugene Chamber staff and our partners at the city, county and other organizations are collaborating to address workforce needs, permitting concerns and inconsistent application of regulations. Working together to address these barriers to economic progress is helping to strengthen local businesses and infuse our community with opportunities.

E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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SEC TO R ST R AT EG I E S

Food and beverage industry professionals talk marketing.

Left to right: Ali AAsum, Ninkasi Brewing; Raychel Kolen, Mountain Rose Herbs; Darcey Howard, Coconut Bliss; Beth Hjelm, UO Lundquist College of Business.

FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING INNOVATIONS, QUALITY AND SAFETY Article by MICAH ELCONIN, SEASON TO TASTE CONSULTING || Photo by ATHENA DELENE

Professionals from the over 150 food and beverage manufacturing companies in Lane County gather each quarter for Food Business Unpacked, a showcase of stories from Lane County food and beverage leaders.

February’s event focused on marketing innovations in the industry. Ali AAsum, Communications Director at Ninkasi Brewing; Raychel Kolen, Marketing Manager at Mountain Rose Herbs; and Darcey Howard, Director of Marketing at Coconut Bliss, shared a bit about how they leverage technology to build their brands. Beth Hjelm, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at UO Lundquist College of Business moderated the panel. This event was a collaboration of Lane Food and Beverage Sector Strategies, Season to Taste,

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RAIN Eugene Redefining Women in Tech, and Ninkasi Brewing.

A FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Round Table group launched in March.

This group provides food safety managers a forum to collaborate. Eight companies came together to discuss the concept of “continuous improvement” and what that looks like in terms of FSMA compliance.

Miranda Bengtson brought examples of tools that SnoTemp uses to collaborate internally and uncover root causes of problems that could compromise safety, quality or legality. Documented use of these tools helps SnoTemp provide evidence of this robust collaborative approach to risk management and continuous improvement, as well as providing an archive for SnoTemp to reference in the future.

Several participants indicated an interest in discussing maintenance programs for the next quarterly meeting.

Lane County food and beverage manufacturers employ nearly 4,000 professionals and that number is growing every year. Lane Community College is collaborating with local industry to build out workforce training programs targeting the specific needs of industry. Leadership from Yogi Tea, SnoTemp, Franz Bakery, Ninkasi, DanoneWave, Attune Foods, Singing Dog Vanilla, Queen’s Bounty, Market of Choice, Bagel Sphere and Coconut Bliss have all participated in program development.

SEC TO R ST R AT EG I E S

Local tech talent contributes more than $360,000 in in-kind support to positively impact community initiatives.

TECH INDUSTRY SOLVES COMMUNITY CHALLENGES AT HACK FOR A CAUSE Article by MATT SAYRE, TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF OREGON || Photo by ATHENA DELENE

Hundreds of entrepreneurs, makers, developers and students came together for a 48-hour work marathon called Hack for a Cause in April. Founded three years ago by Sector Strategy partners, Hack for a Cause has become a platform for the tech industry to offer their expertise to solve challenges in the local community.

“Over 200 participants put the event right up there as one of the largest hackathons seen in Oregon in the past 10 years,” said Skip Newberry, President of the Technology Association of Oregon.

Dozens of challenges were submitted by local businesses, city governments and civic organizations looking to leverage technology to provide transformative public benefit. Eleven of those challenges were

chosen this year and more than $360,000 in in-kind labor was donated to them.

for the murals that are now canvassed throughout Eugene’s cityscape.

New this year was backing from Mozilla and a partnership with US Ignite, in an effort to spur the development of next-generation Internet and Smart City technologies that leverage gigabit Internet networks, like Eugene-Springfield’s EUGNet.

Innovative tech-enabled solutions were also developed for the NAACP, White Bird Clinic, Parenting Now!, Egan Warming Center, 15th Night, Trans*Ponder and the Emerald Compassionate Action Network (ECAN).

“Mozilla’s mission of ensuring the Internet remains a global public resource that promotes civil discourse, human dignity and individual expression, which directly aligns with the goals of Hack for a Cause,” said Craig Wiroll, Mozilla Gigabit Portfolio Manager.

Gigabit-enabled solutions were developed for Adventure! Children’s Museum, Step into [AR] Comics (City of Eugene), and wayfinding

“I am exhilarated to report that ECAN has been blessed by the efforts of five employees of CBT Nuggets … The amazing team of brilliant young people who built this web portal at Hack for a Cause called themselves ‘nerds-of-a-feather,’” said David Hazen, president of ECAN. The tech community and Hack for a Cause 2019 are now accepting challenge submissions at hackforacause.org.

What’s your cause?

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LE VER AGING OUR COMPE TITIVE EDGE Article by BRANDY RODTSBROOKS EUGENE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Nestled between rolling hillsides and mountain rivers, it’s easy for people outside of our region to see Eugene as a quiet city with a long-held reputation for being a little different.

From being considered a haven for hippies to an outdoor mecca, our way of life in Eugene has always been an interesting topic of conversation.

Generations of Eugeneans have cultivated a unique sense of identity that is significantly more complex and diverse than the stereotypes often associated with our city.

In recent years, our way of life has become a magnet, attracting a great deal of national attention to our livability and drawing both professionals and businesses to our region. Since the year 2000, Eugene has added nearly 30,000 residents bringing us to 167,780 in 2017. This growth in population represents an increase of 22%.

What is it that makes our city a great place to live and do business? And how is this way of life positioning us for exciting, new opportunities? >

Left: Eugene is a place of collaboration, invention and creativity. Pictured here, left to right, are the professionals representing Evans, Elder, Brown & Seuburt, CodeChops, Pivot Architecture, IDX and Euphoria Chocolate. Photo by Athena Delene.

Top: Hikers take in the picturesque river view from Mt. Pisgah.

Bottom: Euphoria Chocolate owner Bonnie Glass and her son enjoy the fountain at Eugene’s downtown Park Blocks.

Photo by Athena Delene.

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QUALITY OF LIFE In 2018, Eugene was ranked one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live by Livability for its mild climate, many parks and attention to the environment, along with its artisan food and craft beverage scene, recreational opportunities and focus on the arts.

Our quality of life is a large part of what lures professionals to our area and keeps them here. “Overall, I think the breadth of culinary, cultural and outdoor activities, combined with all the conveniences and livability of a small, centrally located city, make us a very desirable destination,” says Diana Wells, downtown visitor services coordinator for Travel Lane County.

For many professionals, our growing economy has opened up new and exciting industries that hold opportunities traditionally found in larger metro areas but with all the perks of a small town. In Eugene, you can have both an exciting career and still cut across town in time to enjoy dinner with your family, something often sacrificed in larger cities. This often-elusive balance of work and personal life is attractive to new generations of professionals seeking to have it all.

Eugene’s quality of life is something the University of Oregon sells as a benefit for recruitment. “At the UO, we attract students, faculty and staff who want to live in a place with an exceptionally high quality of life, a vibrant economy, and access to culture and the outdoors,” says Vice President of University Communications Kyle Henley. “The sense of place and lifestyle associated with the city and region are part of what helps the UO recruit and retain world-class academics and researchers from around the country and even the globe.” >

Transplanted business professionals, long-time Eugeneans and visitors who contribute to our region’s tourism economy enjoy everything from picturesque river paths to extraordinary entertainment venues. Eugene’s livability continues to improve, thanks to advocates like Food and Beverage sector strategist, Micah Elconin, top left, and folks like Angela Norman of the Lane County Farmers Market, bottom right.

Photos by Athena Delene & Travel Lane County.

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A VIBRANT ECONOMY “We are in a sustained pattern of growth right now, so various sectors of our economy, especially service, tech and real estate, have been booming, says Wells. “Part of that boom is due to increases in tourism and the sheer number of people that are moving to Eugene, working and creating here and contributing to our economy.”

The area’s recent growth is spread across a broad range of sectors. Since the recession ended in 2010, jobs in construction, leisure and hospitality, and nondurable manufacturing (think food and beverages) have all grown by more than 25 percent. Health care, professional services and retail aren’t far behind.

While this economic boom presents some inherent challenges, like how we will tackle the second-most constrained housing market in the country, it also leads to new opportunities for broadening our range of industries and brings additional benefits to local business with increases in both customers and a larger talent pool.

Henley sees economic opportunity in the new, largely donorfunded, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific

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“Overall, I think the breadth of culinary, cultural and outdoor activities, combined with all the conveniences and livability of a small, centrally located city, make us a very desirable destination.”

Diana Wells, Travel Lane County

Impact, an ambitious $1 billion initiative to fast-track scientific discoveries into innovations that improve the quality of life for people in Oregon, the nation and the world.

“The Knight Campus will serve as a major economic engine for the Eugene-Springfield area, creating new opportunities for new high-tech companies and outposts of existing companies as we spin off technologies and leverage the excellence of our shared facilities,” Henley says.

This kind of launch point for incubating business also serves as a magnet for world-class talent, helping to build a pool of innovative professionals for the next phase in our regional economic growth.

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A CONNECTED COMMUNITY There is a tension that exists between a sense of shared identity around key values and an embracing of our uniqueness that continues to invite critical conversations, experimentation and collaboration into the work and life of Eugeneans. It is this tension that is cultivating an ecosystem of creativity and a drive to push past boundaries and on to growth.

Collaborations that bring together diverse perspectives have become a driving force in our regional development in recent years. With private, public and nonprofit organizations finding new ways to work together, Eugene is enjoying the benefits of a more connected and cohesive community.

Having various interests working together to collectively impact our region plays an important role in the positive momentum that is pushing forward growth in sectors like food and beverage and tech, or community development projects like downtown revitalization. These cross-sector collaborations even work to galvanize support around projects like the Knight Campus, new Riverfront Development or the growth of the Market District.

We benefit as a community from collaboration across sectors where business and community initiatives develop just as easily by connecting with other professionals at a food truck in the Park Blocks as they do in the board room. This break from traditional ways of doing business is helping professionals from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors work together to address community challenges and opportunities in an efficient and productive way. >

Pedestrian paths and bridges contribute to Eugene’s livability and encourage people to commute on foot and by bike, making it easy to get across town to work or the Farmers Market. The crew at Party Downtown, center, serve up some of the best farm-to-table finds in the region.

Center photo by Athena Delene.

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EUGENE’S COMPETITIVE EDGE This type of cross-pollination builds our uniqueness in a tangible way that adds to the magnetic effect that draws professionals, looking to relocate and, in the process creates new ways to approach business development. It fuels engagement in exploring new ideas, supporting entrepreneurs and fostering creative problem-solving in business.

THE KNIGHT CAMPUS ATTRACTING WORLD CLASS TALENT The University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is attracting top-notch talent, lured to Eugene by its scientific innovations and livability.

Whether a person was born here or made the conscious decision to relocate, we are all dedicated to constant improvement for the shared benefits to our businesses and communities. This is our competitive edge.

Recent recruits include: BOB GULDBERG from Georgia Tech, widely known for his research in regenerative medicine, to serve as executive director of the Knight Campus.

To take Eugene to the next level of business and livability, we need to embrace our uniqueness and fully step into a growth mindset.

Let’s not retreat to the comfortable corners of stereotypes.

Instead, let’s bring together our diverse assets, perspectives and skills to create a future as only we can.

DAVID MCCORMICK from Yale University, one of the nation’s leading neuroscientists, will lead the UO Institute of Neuroscience and serve as co-director of the Neurons to Minds Cluster of Excellence, alongside UO psychology professor Ulrich Mayr.

Nobel Prize-winner DAVID WINELAND, who studies quantum physics and, recently joined the UO Physics Department as a Knight research professor.

Engineering Impact As a bioengineer, Robert Guldberg battles degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis, designs advanced orthopedic devices, and helps heal wounded warriors. He’s translating science for society and turning discovery into impact.

That’s why we selected him to be the first permanent executive director of the University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, a $1 billion initiative to improve society by rethinking research, science education, and innovation.

At the Knight Campus, we will create a new innovative ecosystem to train the next generation of scientists, focusing their efforts around societal needs and clinical promise. Together, we will redefine possibility.

accelerate.uoregon.edu

EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity.

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“Employees who feel that they’re supported and are healthy—they’ll start to talk about it, and they’ll project a strong image of where they work, which will help you recruit and retain valuable employees” Sally Cummings, Wellness Coordinator PacificSource Health Plans

healthy community HEALTHY BUSINESS Employee Wellness Programs Drive Business Success

Article by SABRINA HALSTEAD

Workplace wellness programs and initiatives can have a significant impact on business success. While there are a lot of resources to help companies implement and maintain wellness programs, starting a program can be a lot of work. Depending on the size of the business and the internal resources available, it can be a little costly to kick things off or ramp up wellness programs, but the benefits are certainly worth the investment.

Fortunately for local businesses, our community support can supplement internal efforts. The Eugene community prides itself on an active approach to health and wellness, and we are fortunate to have a variety of programs and services available that provide everyone the opportunity to access resources that aid in healthy living. Couple that with a business’ internal employee health initiatives and there is more to gain.

RECRUITING Eugene has a national reputation for being dedicated to healthy lifestyles and quality of life. This reputation is helping local businesses attract top talent. While there’s a wealth of talent already rooted in our community, gaining more talent is the goal.

Beyond that, a health and wellness-focused community supports a physically, mentally and emotionally healthy workforce. Healthy, active employees take few sick days. Research supports that this focus on health can boost mental acuity, drive and focus, helping employees perform more efficiently on the job.

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“Employees who feel that they’re supported and are healthy— they’ll start to talk about it, and they’ll project a strong image of where they work, which will help you recruit and retain valuable employees,” says Sally Cummings, Wellness Coordinator at PacificSource Health Plans.

PRESENTISM AND PRODUCTIVITY “Historically, presentism addressed people who are physically sick, but now we’re looking at it on a broader scale, including depression and anxiety,” says Cummings.

Our community’s focus on prevention and a balance of physical and mental wellbeing gives local professionals even more opportunities to handle health issues and achieve wellness goals.

“Knowing that they’re supported at work and can ask for days off or have someone to talk to about personal or health issues will increase morale and productivity,” says Cummings.

JOB SATISFACTION AND RETENTION When employees feel supported and know that their health and well-being are a priority, the foundation is set for greater employee satisfaction and retention. Take that a step further and foster the connection between your organization and the community, encouraging your employees to get involved.

ADVERTORIAL

THREE WAYS TO ACHIEVE A

H EA LT HY L I F E S T Y L E

By THE PERSONAL TRAINERS AT THE DOWNTOWN ATHLETIC CLUB

Living a healthy lifestyle requires hard work, motivation and dedication. The Downtown Athletic Club believes that achieving a healthy balance of both an active lifestyle and a vibrant personal life can be easy to implement and maintain. It’s why we offer tips, like the ones below, that help our clients stay on track with their fitness goals while maintaining balance in their lives

ONE | ADOPT HEALTHY HABITS, NOT DIETS

“At PacificSource, we do a lot with volunteerism,” says Cummings.

“We encourage our employees to participate in things that resonate with them. They’re given a chance to make their own choice to get out and get involved in the community. So not only is it a great way to get out and support the community, but it’s one of the ways we show them that we trust them and support what’s important to them.”

For local employers, making employee health a priority has numerous benefits and is worth the effort. It’s also worth tapping into the abundant community resources that can help foster or maintain a healthier workforce of productive, engaged employees.

HEALTHY RIGHT HERE

Improve Employee Health with PEACEHEALTH RIDES

Eugene is now home to a newly launched bike share program, PeaceHealth Rides. This network of more than 35 bike share stations and over 300 bikes allows users to pick up and drop off publicly available bicycles for one-way trips across the city. This program doesn’t just impact health and wellness, it promotes sustainable transit options, while alleviating parking issues and traffic congestion.

Group memberships are available for local businesses interested in purchasing discounted annual passes for their teams. For more on how to get your team on board, contact Lindsey Hayward at 541.632.3720.

Diets can be hard on your body, as you quickly change your eating habits. Most dieters tend to think of diets as a temporary goal, not a lifestyle change, making them much more challenging to maintain. Switching this mindset to think about nutrition goals, in terms of regularly making healthy choices will aid in your ability to achieve long-term health goals.

TWO | COMMIT TO WORKOUTS YOU ENJOY When it comes to working out, not everyone is going to enjoy doing the same thing. It is important to find a workout that makes you excited about going to the gym. Vary your routine by trying new classes or doing different workouts.

It’s important to get active in ways that best suit your lifestyle and fitness needs, whether it’s playing a basketball game with friends, pushing your boundaries with a personal trainer, or enjoying the quiet Zen of swimming laps in the pool. Engage in the activities that make you happy, and it will be easy to keep going.

THREE | CONSTANTLY SET NEW GOALS When starting your fitness journey, it helps if you set goals for yourself. These goals should be difficult yet achievable and help you celebrate a pace of progress that will keep you motivated. Once you see those desired results, setting a new goal will help you push yourself a bit further and make you feel motivated by what you’ve been able to achieve. Sharing these goals with others can help hold you accountable and provide a support system that is there to celebrate with you when you hit the mark.

At the Downtown Athletic Club, you can find something for all of your physical, mental and social needs. From over 100 fitness classes, to book clubs, to wellness seminars, the DAC has all you need to take those steps toward living a happier and healthier life.

DAC NEW MEMBER SPECIAL No initiation fees. No more contracts. $149 Individual ($15 monthly restaurant credit) $224 Family ($25 monthly restaurant credit) Find out more by visiting us online at downtownac.com/membership

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FOOD & BEVERAGE SCENE SERVES UP CREATIVITY THAT IS UNIQUELY EUGENE Article by SOPHIA BENNETT

Portland may have a reputation as one of the best restaurant cities in America, but Eugene’s food and beverage scene has emerged from its shadow and is demonstrating its own impressive success.

“People who enjoy eating and drinking their way through a region have a lot of options, especially when it comes to beer, wine, cider and spirits,” says Micah Elconin, who leads a food and beverage sector strategy team convened by over 20 local businesses.

“The greater Eugene area is home to numerous best-in-class producers, offering delicious beverages in just about every style you can imagine.”

The community’s eateries are delivering on some of the biggest industry trends, which makes Eugene a great place for consumers.

“It’s not difficult for our local restaurants to be doing legit farm-totable service,” says Elconin. “We have year-round access to local ingredients. Restaurants are able to use a wide variety of highquality foods that are produced in this valley.”

“What’s exciting for us right now is getting the opportunity to work with local food purveyors, breweries, distilleries and vintners on collaborations that complement the great food we’re serving,” says Angie R. Marzano, co-owner of Hot Mama’s Wings and Hot Mama’s Kitchen + Bar. Both locations use meats sourced from Long’s Meat Market, honey and peanut butter from GloryBee and many other local products.

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Another trend that’s really taken off is the move toward dining spaces that are light, airy and open.

“I think the main thing people are looking for right now is feel,” says Colby Phillips, co-owner and operator of Tap & Growler, BeerGarden and the new PublicHouse pub and whiskey bar on Main Street in Springfield.

“They want to go to a place that feels welcoming, warm, inviting and relaxed.” Parents want places where their kids feel welcome, and Eugene businesses are doing a great job making spaces familyfriendly, he added.

Eugene offers a great variety for foodies, as well. Dan Hughes, co-founder and general manager of ColdFire Brewing, credits the plethora of quality food establishments to Eugeneans’ openness and willingness to try new things. “I think people are a little more adventuresome and willing to move outside their comfort zone,” he says. “That builds a culture for small businesses to thrive in.

Eugene has a pretty robust history of embracing the new.” >

Eugene’s food and beverage scene continues to reflect the combination of experimentation and quality that foodies crave.

Photos courtesy of Tap & Growler and Beergarden, respectively.

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> Portland has long been thought of as a capital for culture creatives. “But I think there’s as much or even more creativity in Eugene than in Portland,” says Hughes. “Eugene, in its own merits, and has really begun to show that it’s just as capable of being an incubator and creating really great goods and services that you’d usually associate with a bigger city.”

These qualities are among the many things that make Eugene a terrific place to be in the food and beverage industry. The community boasts more than 150 food businesses that generate $1 billion in gross sales every year, making it one of the fastestgrowing economic clusters.

Here at the Chamber, we consider it one of the perks of the job to get to support local business. While it was almost impossible not to make a more exhaustive list, we came up with a few of our favorites.

CHAMBER STAFF FOODIE FAVES Newman’s Fish Market – Cod & Chips Ta Ra Rin – Pad Kee Mao Sizzle Pie – 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon

The community boasts more than 150 food businesses that generate $1 billion in gross sales every year, making it one of the fastest-growing economic clusters.

Black Wolf Super Club – Everything is delicious, including the fancy drinks Dickie Joe’s – Hamburger Starbucks – Short Soy Mocha

“We have a significant pool of talent and expertise in a number of categories of food and beverage manufacturing. Over 4,000 people are employed by the industry in just our county alone,” says Elconin.

Even more talent is in the pipeline, thanks to programs like the Lane Community College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program, as well as the University of Oregon Food Studies program and Lundquist College of Business, which hosted a very successful “career in food and beverage” event earlier this year.

“There’s an incredible amount of collaboration that occurs amongst businesses in the area,” says Elconin. Combine that with the area’s history of food entrepreneurship and access to quality ingredients, and it’s no wonder so many food businesses get their start here.

Consumers and business owners can expect a lot more good eatin’ in the future. “The growth in tourism, tech, food and beverage has elevated consumers’ expectations and also contributes to more diversity, which is great,” says Marzano. “Consumers will continue to see more creative, local gastronomy with food and beverage pairings that enhance the dining experience.”

Market of Choice – Teriyaki Salmon Skewers, Mama Leone’s Soup & Superfood Salad Mucho Gusto – Burritos & Tostadas Café Yumm! – Original Yumm Bowl King Estate Winery – Garden Salad, Crab Cakes & Homemade Bread Steelhead Brewery – Veggie Calzone Marche Le Bar – Whiskey Sours First National Taphouse – The Meat Loaf Plate La Pearla Pizzeria – Lasagna della Casa Billy Mac’s Bar & Grill – Hot Shrimp Salad Hot Mamas Kitchen + Bar – Teach Me How to Duckie Cocktail ColdFire – Beans of Wisdom & Cumulus IPA Lion & Owl – The Whole Menu

With more great food and beverage stops popping up, this growing sector of our economy is strengthening the magnetic effect of living and working in Eugene.

Tap & Growler – Dungeness Crab Pretzel & Endless Beer Choices The Barnlight – BLT Salad

Photos courtesy of Tap & Growler, Beergarden and Travel Lane County.

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ADVERTORIAL

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GET THE MOST OUT OF SELLING YOUR BUSINESS Sell-side due diligence for food, beverage and agribusiness companies In the food, beverage and agribusiness industries—where there are heightened merger and acquisition activity and intense competition for growth—companies contemplating a sale can often greatly benefit from leveraging sell-side due diligence to advance their strategic goals. Performed correctly, the process uncovers opportunities for sellers to enhance their company’s value prior to a sale, while helping facilitate a faster close time.

What are the benefits?

Sell-side due diligence is a proactive process that involves identifying and assessing issues and trends that either positively or negatively impact business value from a buyer’s perspective.

Business owners gain vital insights this way, establishing a strategic framework for selling a company later on. Armed with the due diligence findings, sellers can address weaknesses prior to a sale, prepare for questions they’re likely to face from buyers and structure the transaction to increase deal value and after-tax proceeds.

What are the key concerns for companies preparing for a sale?

Performance metrics, such as gross-to-net sales and gross margin by product, customer and channel, are essential as a company goes to market and will invariably be viewed closely through a buyer’s lens. However, many companies in the food, beverage and agribusiness industries aren’t proficient at properly tracking and accounting for inventory costing and sales incentive activities. Sellside due diligence helps sellers identify and address weaknesses, such as these, that are specific to their company.

When to begin preparing for a sale?

Businesses should start preparing for a sale three to five years in advance, providing the sellers ample opportunity to begin positioning the company for sale, preparing multiple years of performance data, and putting systems and information in place that’ll be seen as desirable by potential buyers.

By Michael Pihowich, Sell-Side Leader and Managing Director, and David Terry, Partner, Transaction Services of Moss Adams For more, visit Moss Adams online at mossadams.com/about/locations/eugene

Success never tasted so good The perfect recipe for the success of Café Yumm! included Small Business Administration financing from Summit Bank.

To see how we can help your business, stop by or give us a call.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DIVISION

96 East Broadway in Eugene 541-684-7500 • www.SBKO.bank

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Café Yumm! founders Mary Ann and Mark Beauchamp with Summit Bank SBA Program Administrator Ashley Horner

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Artists, Businesses, Educators & Nonprofits Work to Inspire Creativity Article by LEAH MOORE

If you haven’t made an entry in your gratitude journal today, here’s a freebie: We are lucky to live in a remarkably arts-infused community.

Did you hear about the Harmonic Labs City Synth project that partnered with high school robotics students to transform the cityscape of Eugene into a symphony for a First Friday Artwalk installation?

How about the collaboration between Broadway Commerce Center and local artists to make arts events possible in downtown Eugene?

These are just two examples of the numerous ways in which nonprofits, for-profits, artists and educators are collaborating in our community to drive economic growth, spark creative thinking, educate and make Eugene an attractive place to live and work.

Creativity Pays Off Throughout human history, we’ve engaged with the arts to tell our stories, better understand one another and improve our overall quality of life. But many people are given few opportunities to engage in this core aspect of human life during the typical eighthour workday.

According to the 2016 Adobe State of Create study, 77 percent of global respondents reported that they feel more pressure to be productive rather than creative at work.

“We believe that we’re all connected to the arts,” says Liora Sponko, executive director of the Lane Arts Council. “It’s really part of all of our lives and essential to our lives.”

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“Art is a part of what makes someone a complete, valuable employee.”

Eric Braman, Lane Arts Council

Creating opportunities for employees to engage with the arts and tap into their creativity can radically improve workplace culture and employee satisfaction, while boosting innovation and productivity. Also, in the Adobe study previously mentioned, people who described themselves as creators were more likely to also describe themselves as happy, innovative, confident and problem-solvers.

John Barry, executive director of Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE), believes that art and culture are major factors in attracting and retaining quality employees. “Art is about enriching our lives,” says Barry. “I think that businesses that invest in the arts and make the arts available to their employees are creating a culture that leads to more productive employees.”

Arts Mean Business Not only do the arts enrich our community, they are an important economic sector in their own right. Arts & Economic Prosperity® 5, a national study that measures the economic impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, found that art in Eugene contributed $62 million and accounted for 2,400 jobs in 2015.

Barry foresees creative cultures within organizations being a major success factor for businesses in the future, saying, “The trend in every industry is automation and outsourcing, and what’s going to differentiate companies and employees is their ability to think creatively.”

Craig Wiroll, Gigabit portfolio manager for the Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund, also perceives arts integration and cross-sector collaboration to be vital in the future. “Right now is the time to pivot towards inclusivity of all perspectives and take best practices from all sectors into your organization, if you want to grow. New generations are requiring businesses to blur the lines between “for profit” and “for social benefit.” >

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It’s time to get creative!

Check out these programs and events that connect business to the arts in Eugene.

LANE ARTS COUNCIL First Friday ArtWalk Businesses can participate in First Friday ArtWalk by becoming a venue, sponsoring or helping to sponsor or organize a special event. lanearts.org/participation First Friday ArtTalk, Lane Arts Council These free events provide community members with an opportunity to hear from influential artists, designers and arts leaders. lanearts.org/friday-arttalk

ARTS & BUSINESS ALLIANCE OF EUGENE

Students in Lane Arts Council’s Product of Eugene apprenticeship program learn creative skills and career readiness through one-on-one mentorships with professional product designers.

From STEM to STEAM in Workforce Development Arts education is making a big comeback in the development of our future workforce. “Art is a part of what makes someone a complete, valuable employee,” says Eric Braman, the arts education program coordinator for Lane Arts Council.

That concept often begins in school. “By bringing art into the classroom, we’re not trying to make every student an artist, but rather help them gain these skills of creative thinking, innovative problem-solving and these skills of engaging and persisting.”

One area where this shift is evident is in the movement to upgrade STEM — the widely-used acronym for science, technology, engineering and math — to STEAM with an added “A” for art.

Today’s students are being trained to integrate arts into nearly every subject, even in areas where the role of art hasn’t always been recognized.

STEM subjects and careers “become so much richer and compelling and inclusive when you integrate art,” says Craig Wiroll of the Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund, which has funded numerous STEAM-powered projects in Eugene, including Gigabit Artist Residencies, an initiative with Lane Arts Council to bring working artists into schools and teach digital storytelling.

“People often think of classic technology and programming as a blinking green dot on a black screen and that really doesn’t get young people engaged. It can be, and is, much more than that. Sometimes, it is hard to see what is possible with binary code, because the world we live in isn’t binary.”

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Arts & Business Creative Academy These seminars co-led by representatives from the arts and business sectors help participants address common business challenges through the application of artistic practices or by engaging with the arts. artsbusinessalliance.org/creative-academy Arts & Business Loan Program Arts organizations, artists and commercial businesses working with the arts in Eugene can qualify for low-cost, quick-turnaround loans to establish new projects, improve infrastructure or finance special projects. artsbusinessalliance.org/loanprogram Arts & Business BRAVA BRAVA events (Businesses Recognizing Arts Vision & Achievement) happen twice annually. Two awards are presented each year to recognize exceptional contributions to the arts and noteworthy arts and business collaborations. artsbusinessalliance.org/brava

MOZILLA GIGABIT COMMUNITY FUND Apply for funding Organizations working on projects that utilize next-generation technologies and highspeed, low-latency to impact education or workforce development may be eligible for a Gigabit grant. learning.mozilla.org/en-US/gigabit/apply Gigabit events These global and local events facilitate collaboration and conversation. learning.mozilla.org/en-US/gigabit/events

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THE JOURNEY TO TRANSFORMATION EUGENE EMERALDS EMBRACE ALTERNATIVE IDENTITY AS LOS MONARCAS Article by ALLAN BENAVIDES, EUGENE EMERALDS

more inclusive with the local Latino population.

“A common theme of migration bounced around the table. The monarch butterfly performs one of the most spectacular journeys and has become a subtle and beautiful symbol for the migrant community.”

This past March, Minor League Baseball (MiLB)

This is a complete transformation of the Emeralds

Never ones to shy away from out-of-the-box promotional ideas or zany theme nights to engage our fans during the summer, the Eugene Emeralds focus on being an integral part of the community, ingrained in the heart of Eugene/Springfield. This summer, that focus continues with the Emeralds unveiling an alternative identity aimed at being

revealed the on-field identities of the 33 teams participating in its new “Copa de la Diversión™” (“Fun Cup™”) season-long event. “Copa de la Diversión” serves as a key component of MiLB’s “Es Divertido

with the goal of welcoming even more people into the Emeralds, and now the Monarcas, family. We encourage all members of the local community to join us for these select games and make community history

Ser Un Fan®” (“It’s Fun to be a Fan®”)

in Eugene.

Latino fan engagement initiative.

The team wanted to make sure that

With the more than 120,000 fans that attend our games every single year, the Ems have a unique platform to inspire and create an experience that every member of this community can enjoy. We believe that everyone should feel welcome in this community, no matter their background. This new opportunity will align with these values.

For all six Tuesday night home games at PK Park, the Emeralds will transform into Los Monarcas de Eugene, complete with new uniforms, food and music, creating an exciting atmosphere at the stadium. All-new merchandise will also be available to fans with the

the logo helped tell this unique story of migration and its beauty. Within the monarch’s wings are 33 white dots, representing the 33 Latin countries and the state of Oregon, which became the 33rd state in the union. Also, in the logo, are odes to Oregon’s state forests, the Three Sisters, and the sun and moon. The Ollin, which is an Aztec symbol representing movement and action with all of your heart, is at the forefront of the logo.

To distinctively launch this new initiative and visually celebrate the diversity that defines MiLB communities nationwide, MiLB and each

new Monarcas emblem.

of the participating teams created culturally related on-field personas

The focus of the new brand revolves around the multi-national

shaping and leading MiLB markets today.

ethnicities that make up our Latino community. The Latino population in Oregon is growing at a robust rate. Since 2000, the

that honor their respective Latino communities that are building,

All “Copa” teams will adopt these new personas via on-field jerseys

Latino population has grown by 72 percent.

and caps during designated “Copa de la Diversión” games during the

The Eugene Emeralds worked closely with an advisory panel,

MiLB.com/copa, featuring each participating team’s unique identity

composed of leaders in the local Latino community to discuss this new “Copa” identity.

2018 season. MiLB also introduced a new “Copa”-specific website, and the story behind its selected on-field persona, with links for fans to purchase and pre-order any of the on-field caps, branded apparel and tickets to the “Copa” ballpark events.

Help make community history in Eugene by joining Los Monarcas at each Tuesday home game.

June 19th, July 3rd, July 17th, July 24th, August 14th Pre-order your Los Monarcas gear at MiLB.com/copa

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A community of collaborators, game-changers, movers and shakers: Here’s a look at this quarter’s Chamber happenings, as we work to build networks, move forward projects, and elevate both businesses and professionals.

SMALL BUSINESS CRAWL // bell+funk informed the crowd during the Chamber’s first Small Business Crawl. It was one of many stops, including Claim 52 Brewing, Summit Bank, North + West and The Barn Light.

BRING RETHINK CERTIFIED // The Chamber became BRING Rethink Certified again. We are proud to run an organization focused on sustainable solutions.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK // A group of game-changers gather at Oregon Wine LAB, as young professionals connect and engage at YPN. For more on the new YP programming, visit eugeneyp.com LEADERSHIP EUGENE-SPRINGFIELD // Congratulations to the graduates of the 2017-18 Leadership Eugene-Springfield program. These community leaders have worked all year to broaden their knowledge of and engagement in our community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of their future community leadership.

BRAVA BREAKFAST // We’d like to extend our congratulations to the crew at Imagination International Inc. for winning ABAE’s Dave Hauser Business Patron Award at the Arts & Business BRAVA – Business Recognizing Arts Vision and Achievement event.

SMALL BUSINESS CRAWL // We ended the evening with a talk from Thomas Pettus-Czar, owner of The Barn Light, who spoke on the role of the Chamber and the importance of advocating for our community.

HUMAN FOOSBALL // Engaging in a thriving downtown is important to the Chamber. With all the City of Eugene’s EUGfun activities, like the Human Foosball tournament, it can be really fun, too!

Don’t miss a minute, visit EugeneChamber.com for a calendar of events.

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E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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B I Z Z B UZ Z

PROMOTIONS & NEW HIRES The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce

is pleased to announce the promotion of Amanda Yankovich, formerly the Events Manager, to Director of Membership.

Amanda will be crafting strategies to increase value and engagement in our members. “We are thrilled to have Amanda in this role. In the last six months, Amanda had stepped up to handle events while bringing on board new members. Her knowledge of our members and ideas on how to better serve them will be a strong move forward for our Chamber,” says Brittany Quick-Warner.

Brian Steffen has been

hired as the new Chief Executive Officer for the Eugene Family YMCA. Mr. Steffen brings more than 12 years of management experience in the nonprofit sector, overseeing strategic partnerships, major project construction, fundraising, housing inequities and operational efficiencies. The Y is Eugene’s longest running nonprofit organization (131+ years in Eugene), focused on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.

Heather Wall has been named chief nursing officer at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. She had been serving in that role on an interim basis since February. As CNO, Heather oversees all RiverBend nursing operations, working with physicians, hospital leaders and nursing teams to enhance clinical performance, quality and safety, caregiver engagement, and improving the patient and family experience.

Jan Vondrachek has joined Serenity Lane as the

new Director of Strategic Initiatives. Jan will oversee multiple programmatic initiatives and provide strategic inputs on all areas of operations. She brings 22 years of industry experience to her new role. Prior to joining Serenity Lane, she was the Vice President of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s Pacific Northwest Operations.

PeaceHealth recently announced that Mary Kingston, RN, FACHE, will join the

organization on July 30 as chief executive of the PeaceHealth Oregon network. Mary is a seasoned

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health care leader with 30 years of broad executive experience, with more than 10 years dedicated to leadership in Catholic health care.

In anticipation of the 5th Street Public Market expansion and with other developments on the horizon, Obie Companies has significantly expanded its leadership team. Irene Alltucker has been named director of real estate. Kevin Belden has joined the team as construction manager, overseeing construction projects for the existing market and future projects, including the market expansion.

Nicole Roselio has been promoted to director of marketing for all Obie entities, including two hotels and the 5th Street Public Market.

Jenny Ulum is public affairs counsel, serving as a liaison between the company and community stakeholders.

Joe Carmichael, VP/Commercial Relationship Manager, Troy Reichenberger, VP/ Commercial Relationship Manager, Dave Williams, VP/ Commercial Relationship Manager, Kristin Short, VP/Relationship Banking Officer, Joshua Samples, AVP, Portfolio Manager, and Andrea Dolby, Relationship Banking Assistant.

The Eugene office of Moss Adams LLP is proud to announce the following promotion and new hires:

Alicia Andrews has been promoted to Tax Senior.

Alicia, a graduate of the University of Oregon, joined Moss Adams in June of 2003.

ShelterCare has named Jayne Romero

Director of Programs and promoted Emrielle VanCleave to Program Manager of the Uhlhorn Program. Romero oversees all of the agency’s human services and housing programs. VanCleave manages the day-to-day operations of the Uhlhorn program to ensure quality services are provided to individuals with an acquired brain injury.

Kevin Lundgren has been named branch manager of River Road KeyBank branch, located at 1980 River Rd in Eugene. In this role, he will be responsible for day-to-day operations and coaching his team, as well as providing financial services, including investments and mortgages, to both small business and consumer clients.

Oregon Pacific Bank took a large step toward growth within the Eugene and Springfield markets today, announcing the hire of eight new employees to add to the bank’s Eugene office. The new employees hired are: John Raleigh, EVP/Chief Lending Officer, Vicki Gray, SVP/Relationship Banking Team Leader,

Angela Witty, Cody Luna, Samantha Maslin, Samantha Sorensen, Viky Saysamone and Zach Wilson were hired as a Staff Accountants in October 2017.

PeaceHealth is proud to announce the following board appointments: Marge Hamilton, Ph.D., president of Lane Community College; Gustavo Balderas, Ed.D., superintendent of Eugene School District 4J; Bob Pelz, M.D., chief of

staff, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend; and Christa Danielson, M.D., chief of staff, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District, have been appointed to the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Community Health Board.

B I Z Z B UZ Z

Santa Rosa Symphony has announced Francesco Lecce-Chong as its fifth Music

Director, beginning in the 2018-19 season.

Lecce-Chong will maintain his position as Music Director and Conductor of Eugene Symphony, conducting nine of the 12 concerts in Eugene’s upcoming 2018-19 season, as planned. “We know that Francesco will achieve great success in this new opportunity and bring even more ideas and energy to his role here at Eugene Symphony,” says Eugene Symphony Executive Director Scott Freck.

Joe Mark, a seasoned

health care executive with 35 years of leadership experience, has been hired as interim chief executive for PeaceHealth Oregon Network. PeaceHealth Oregon is conducting a national search for a permanent chief executive.

Mindy Bell has joined School Garden Project of Lane County as its new

Executive Director. School Garden Project helps Lane County Schools develop on-site vegetable gardens and teach science, reinforce STEAM skills and promote healthy eating habits.

Lane County is proud to

announce the addition of Angie Marzano, formally of BRING Recycling. Angie will be assuming the role of Waste Reduction Specialist; working on local waste reduction and recycling policy.

Lane Arts Council’s board of directors welcomed

Becky Schwarzkopf

as their newest member.

Becky is a real estate and business lawyer at Arnold Gallagher P.C. and currently serves as Chair of the Silva Endowment Committee at the Oregon Community Foundation.

Hillary Tully joined Lane Arts Council staff as their Admin and Development Assistant. She holds bachelor’s degrees from Florida State University and a Master’s in Folklore from the U of O.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals is pleased to welcome Jasmine Hatmaker, Betty B. Golden and Spencer Hauser to their team at 2300

Jesse Summers has joined the award-winning Funk/Levis & Associates as an Account

Assistant and Junior Copywriter.

Summers will use his skills in communications and creative wordsmithing to help achieve marketing goals for clients. “We’re thrilled to add Jesse to our team,” says Anne Marie Levis, President and Creative Director. “Jesse is a talented writer and we’re excited to have another accomplished graduate from the University of Oregon’s SOJC join our agency.”

Sarah Brolsma Whitfield has joined the award-winning Funk/Levis & Associates marketing team as a Digital Marketing Manager. She will be using her skills to help the agency’s clients be more competitive by amplifying their digital presence. “Sarah is a tremendous addition to our team,” says Anne Marie Levis, President and Creative Director. “Her knowledge of digital marketing trends and strategy will help us better serve our clients.”

Oakmont Way in Eugene.

Arts and culture.

Start-ups.

Nightlife.

These are the building blocks of a thriving downtown community and Eugene has them in spades.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come. We’re even more excited about where we’re going.

DowntownEugene.com E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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B I Z Z B UZ Z

BUSINESS NEWS PeaceHealth and Ronald McDonald House Charities are collaborating to build

and operate a new 20-room guest house on the RiverBend campus, within just a few minutes’ walk to the main hospital. The new single-story, 24,000-square-foot Heartfelt Guest House will include two, 10-room wings—one for the families of pediatric and NICU patients, the other for families of adult patients. The house is being funded 100 percent by donations, with expected completion in spring of 2019.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) has received the following grants to train

and support new volunteer advocates: Reser Family Foundation ($10,000); Oregon CASA Network ($4,772); Spirit Mountain Community Fund ($5,000); Taco Bell Foundation for Teens ($2,300); Great Rotary Raffle ($45,000); RBC Wealth Management ($5,000); Eugene Active 20-30 Club ($2,000); Trust Management Services ($10,000); McKay Family Foundation ($10,000); Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation ($2,500); Northwest Natural Gas ($2,500); Central Lutheran Foundation ($2,000); Storms Family Foundation ($2,500); Cottage Grove Community Foundation ($3,400); Walmart Supercenter W. 11st, Eugene ($1,000); and Western Lane Community Foundation ($2,000).

Oregon Pacific Bank has voiced intent to acquire a branch of its own in downtown Eugene.

Currently, the Bank operates out of a professional suite in the Eugene Citizen’s Building. “We have been operating in the Eugene market since 2015,” says Ron Green, President and CEO of Oregon Pacific Bank. “We have developed something very special out of our professional banking office over the past three years, but the timing is right for us to take the next step and grow into a ground-level building of our own.”

Kernutt Stokes is announcing the launch of Private Accounting Services, providing part-time, or “fractional” chief financial officer and virtual accounting services to small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits. The accounting support and financial analysis will help businesses make data-based decisions that shape the direction and potential success of their organizations. The new practice is being led by two highly experienced former CFOs, Erik C. Parrish and John W. Nepute.

Summit Bank (OTC Pink: SBKO) reported net income for the first quarter of $1.15 million or 28 cents per fully diluted share. Comparable earnings for the first quarter of 2017 were $762,000 or 20 cents per fully diluted share, representing an increase of 51 percent to earnings and 37 percent to earnings per fully diluted share. Fully diluted earnings per share for the trailing four quarters totaled 89¢.

Eugene Ballet officially broke ground on the

new Midtown Arts Center at the corner of 16th Avenue and Pearl Street in Eugene on May 10. The groundbreaking comes two years after Eugene Ballet began raising funds to support its home, scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2019.

The new Midtown Arts Center will include nearly 30,000 square feet of increased rehearsal and expanded office space for eight of Eugene’s leading nonprofit arts organizations, surrounded by 30+ privately-owned, townhouses and condominiums.

Papé Material Handling, part of The Papé Group, Inc., has acquired the complete assets

of Pacific Material Handling Solutions’ six Yale dealerships in Northern California including in Modesto, Sacramento, Salinas, Stockton and Union City. Papé Material Handling is now Northern California’s official Yale Dealer. “Pacific Material Handling Solutions Inc. customers can rest assured that Papé Material Handling will offer unparalleled customer service and the best selection of Yale equipment to meet their material handling needs,” says Chris Welte, President of Papé Material Handling.

PeaceHealth Rides is pleased to announce

the official launch of Eugene’s first rental bike share program. A fleet of 300 sturdy blue bicycles rolled onto city streets in April and has already out-performed expectations. Title sponsor PeaceHealth and its program partners—JUMP Bikes, the City of Eugene, Lane Transit District and the University of Oregon—are proud to offer an active, healthy and green transportation option to Eugene residents and visitors.

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Grammy Award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey visited several schools, nonprofits and businesses during his week-long Eugene residency. Eugene Symphony Executive Director Scott Freck says, “Zuill is not only an incredible artist, he’s also deeply passionate about sharing his music far and wide, as evidenced by this whirlwind tour of Eugene-area schools, businesses, and human and health service providers. His approach is fully aligned with our mission of enriching lives through the power of music.”

Drawn Creative Agency opened its new

offices in the Whiteaker to clients and community members. The new offices were built to help the creative team bring flexible workspace and intentional design to better serve clients, including an on-site workshop, photography space, and open offices that foster collaboration.

Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, whose mission is to protect and enhance native ecosystems and compatible recreation in the Mt. Pisgah area, held their annual Native Plant Sale in May. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, they wildcraft seeds from the greater Mt. Pisgah area and use them to propagate over 100 species of wildflowers, grasses and shrubs.

Summit Bank (OTCBB:SBKO) announced

that its Board of Directors approved a 5 for 4 stock split of the company’s shares of common stock, payable in the form of a stock dividend. The ex-dividend date is June 4 with shareholders of record as of June 11 receiving an additional share for every four shares they own. “Given Summit’s strong financial results in the first quarter of 2018 and the increase in our stock price since the last stock split, the Board reviewed a number of options to thank our shareholders for their support,” says Board Chair Paul Weinhold. “We believe the time is right for a one-time split to increase the stock’s marketability and liquidity by making it attractive to a larger number of potential investors.”

E U G E N E C H A M B E R .C O M | O P E N F O R B U S I N E S S

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B I Z Z B UZ Z

KUDOS Northwest Christian University’s Center for Leadership and Ethics honored Eugene business leaders Joe and Cathleen Karcher, Rexius and Relief Nursery as the 2018

nonprofit organization that serves residents and individuals of Lane County impacted by cancer.

The Foundation’s goal is to empower, strengthen and sustain those in our community through education, support and financial assistance.

recipients of the Exemplary Ethical Leader Awards, the Center’s highest honor. “The Exemplary Ethical Leader Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations for establishing a culture where honorable and ethical business practices are the foundation for personal, organization and community relevance,” says Susan Soonkeum Cox, Vice President for Policy and External Affairs at Holt International and Center for Leadership and Ethics Advisory Board member.

Paula Cielsielski, MD (retired) has been elected to the Eugene Family YMCA’s Board of Directors. Dr. Cielsielski served the community for years as an internal medicine doctor and served as Chair of the Lane County Medical Society. The Y is Eugene’s longest running nonprofit organization (131+ years in Eugene), focused on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.

Ditch Witch Northwest, a Papé Company, Marilyn Heiken, an attorney at Johnson Johnson Lucas & Middleton, was elected

to serve as the District 2 representative to the Oregon State Bar House of Delegates. “I am honored to be elected to represent our region and join this forum on important issues,” says Marilyn Heiken. “Being involved in helping the Bar govern is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to making a difference.” Heiken has more than 25 years of experience representing people who have been harmed. She has helped people obtain justice for medical malpractice, wrongful death, motor vehicle collisions, nursing home abuse and civil rights violations.

Movassaghi Plastic Surgery & Ziba Medical Spa Practice Administrator Niloo Marashi was recently elected to the Board of the Oregon Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)(3)

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was named No. 1 for parts volume out of 170 Ditch Witch dealerships throughout the world, as well as being ranked in the top 10 for providing exemplary customer service. The announcement was made during the recent Ditch Witch Parts and Service Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I am proud of our entire Ditch Witch Northwest team for their dedication to delivering solutions that keep our customers moving,” says Steve Jergentz, General Manager of Ditch Witch Northwest.

“I am pleased our members have been recognized internationally for their outstanding work.”

The McKenzie River Trust has selected new

officers to leads its 15-member board of directors.

Louise Solliday, retired director of the Oregon Department of State Lands, is now the board’s president; Jim Regali, a retired physician, is vice president. Other officers include: Christian Beck, secretary, an investment advisor with Charles Schwab, and Doug DuPriest, a retired attorney with Hutchinson Cox, is the treasurer.

“Louise, Jim, Christian, and Doug are passionate and experienced professionals with a deep commitment to the McKenzie River Trust’s mission to help people protect and care for the lands and rivers they cherish in western Oregon,” says Joe Moll, McKenzie River Trust’s executive director.

Summit Bank, with offices in Eugene and Bend, announced today that it was recognized for the second year in a row by Oregon Business magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon. Summit Bank is one of two

banks headquartered in Oregon to make the list this year. “It is an honor to again be recognized by our colleagues and Oregon Business Magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon,” says Craig Wanichek, Summit Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This recognition helps validate the emphasis we put on a strong internal culture. We value the 100 Best program because it helps us focus on our colleagues. I could not be more proud of our team for working together to make Summit Bank such an excellent place to thrive.”

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced the 2018 National

Medal for Museum and Library Service winners, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries for service to their communities. Among the 10 winners is the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

IMLS honors the extraordinary community contributions of the Museum by bestowing upon them the highest and most prestigious award given to both museums and libraries by the federal government.

GRANTS Eugene Symphony is to receive $15,000

grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its 2018-19 concert and weeklong residency with the multi-Grammy Award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird. This project is also being supported by the Herbert A. Templeton Foundation. The project is designed to deepen audience appreciation for contemporary music; provide unique artistic development opportunities for students in area music programs; and promote ESA’s efforts to bring high-caliber music enrichment experiences to historically marginalized populations and nontraditional concert patrons.

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A QU IC K N OTE

EMBRACE UNIQUE OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT

By Brittany Quick-Warner, CEO Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce

I

t’s hard to believe that it has been nearly

As our country becomes more divisive,

and field facility, an exciting expansion of

nine months since I’ve been in this new

more polarized than ever, it is going to

the 5th Street Public Market, proposals for

position at the Eugene Chamber. In an

take strong leadership from the business

incredible new recreational facilities for

effort to understand how our members hope

community, from our elected officials and

kiddos and families at Golden Garden Parks,

to see our community and Chamber evolve,

from community members to ensure that we

Civic Stadium, and the YMCA, transportation

I have spent hundreds of hours over the last

can stay focused on forward movement and

and master plan redevelopments for

few months meeting with leaders of member

achieve a shared vision for our future.

Glenwood, and focused efforts on continued

companies and organizations across our region. I have learned more in the past ten months than I could have ever imagined, and I am just beginning to scratch the surface.

Eugene has a reputation for being a progressive community, which by definition

downtown revitalization in both Springfield and Eugene.

implies an openness to change, growth and

Each of these projects represents something

forward movement. In reality, some folks in

bigger than the physical structure and

What I know is this: Eugene is a unique and

our community have a really hard time with

something much bigger than ourselves. They

wonderful place to live. What I have learned is

that. Now is not the time to settle for gridlock

represent an opportunity for us to embrace

that our region is undergoing a tremendous

or “how we’ve always done it.” In business,

our uniqueness and celebrate the past, but,

change, and business leaders are full of

without progress, your company is dying. We

most importantly, to come together and move

hope for the future of our community. But

must accept, as a community, that in order to

forward to create a better community for those

it is going to take us coming together and

overcome some of these challenges we have

who come after us.

embracing our uniqueness to get us there.

to push past the partisan politics, make some

Our population is growing. Our economy is growing. And our hopes and dreams for the future are getting bigger, too. Along with

hard decisions and pursue a vision for our community with passion and vigor, no matter which side of the aisle you’re sitting.

growth, almost always comes growing pains,

Right now, at this moment in our history, we

and we are, unfortunately, not immune. We

have an opportunity to think bigger, further

desperately need more housing, higher wages,

out in the future, about how the decisions we

more resources for public safety and to reduce

make now will benefit those to come. Sitting

our carbon footprints. Knowing where we

on our doorstep are transformational projects,

want to be and our strategy for getting there is

like the Knight Campus for Accelerating

critical, but we can’t overlook the importance

Scientific Impact, a redevelopment of our

of how we get there.

beloved riverfront, a best-in-the-world track

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We want to hear from you. What does our best future look like? Use #ChamberEvolved to share your vision.

PO BOX 1107 EUGENE, OR 97440-1107

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