Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce Newsletter: March 2024

Page 12: Congratulations and 100 Years ...

We support and promote our local commerce through communication, advocacy and partnerships!

Chamber Membership

An Investment in Your Business and Our Community!

Membership in the chamber is much more than a plaque on the wall, the fulfillment of a sense of civil obligation, or the means to generate new business. Rather, membership represents a commitment to the continued prosperity of Josephine County’s economy. The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst that enables businesses to accomplish collectively what no one business could do alone. A strong united effort gives a voice to members. Tourism, service, retail and manufacturing each contibute to our business community. Come visit us about joining the Chamber and add your energetic voice to the community.

Staff

Chuck Rund Interim-President/CEO crund@grantspasschamber.org

Christie Swafford Programs & Events cswafford@grantspasschamber.org

Brittni Biller

Membership & Business Dev. bbiller@grantspasschamber.org

Shirley Liska

Office Assistant sliska@grantspasschamber.org

Karen Henningsen

Accounting accounting@grantspasschamber.org

EExecutive Board of Directors

CHAIR/Kate LaskyJosephine Community Libraries

CHAIR ELECT/ Alan Meyer - Pacific Power

VICE CHAIR/ Donnie Garnett - People’s Bank

TREASURER/ Meghan Boehm - So. OR Aspire

PAST CHAIR/ Trent CarpenterSouthern Oregon Sanitation

Chamber Foundation

Lowell Gibson - Chair; NiceBadge

Roy Lindsay - Vice Chair

Rebecca Stoltz- Director; JCLF - Secretary

Greg Roe - Director; B&GCRV - Treasurer

Lawton Lesueur - Director; Mid.Emp.Ins.

Terri Wiley- Director; Evergreen Fed Bank

Hyla Lipson- Director, GP Museum of Art

very Thursday Morning at 10:30 am Chamber Chatter is sponsored by Evergreen Federal Bank, showcasing events and businesses in our area.

Chamber Chatter is fun and informative while discussions with the Morning Hosts of KAJO, KLDR and KRRM keep it lively and interesting.

Join us at 10:30 am each Thursday morning to listen to Chamber Chatter and find out what is happening in our community for the weekend. Keep your radio dialed to 94.7 FM, 98.3 FM, 99.7 FM or 1270 AM 10:30-11:00 am on Thursdays.

Board of Directors

Clay LeedyWild River Brewing & Pizza

Mark Stutzman - Farmer’s Bldg Supply

Kelsy Ausland - Ausland Group

Jeff Javelona - Old Town Mail House

Juliet Long - RCC

Lee Wassink - The Glass Forge

Brian Bouteller - Gospel Rescue Mission

Nathan Miller - Rentec Direct

Kevin Gill- Clouser Drilling Co.

Tiffany Johnson - RE/MAX

Terri Wiley - Evergreen Fed Bank

Dear Members,

Looking back across the last six years as the Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, I’m filled with a lot of joy and wonderful memories.

This was a hard decision to leave. I appreciate the opportunity to serve as the President & CEO and all the accomplishments we have achieved together. It has been a very rewarding experience that will be hard to match. I enjoyed every minute of it, even the challenges. Grants Pass is an amazing community that I will always cherish.

It was my privilege to serve as President & CEO. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. Grants Pass will always hold a very special place in my heart. I will miss all the people I have worked with over the years who really became my Chamber family. When I stepped into this role, I was 30 years old. I learned so much from this experience and all of you have made a positive impact on my life. You got to see me grow up and raise my children in this wonderful community. A huge part of my role was creating impactful relationships. I had the opportunity to work alongside amazing leaders and influencers. My last week was filled with a lot of tears and laughter recapping all the memories along the way.

As I say goodbye, I know the Chamber is in a strong position, financially stable with a talented staff and an effective Board of Directors. Over the last six years, we have made positive progress and created an incredible, contagious energy.

It is my pleasure to announce that Charles (Chuck) Rund will be serving as Interim CEO until the Board of Directors select a new President & CEO. Chuck is the perfect fit for a smooth transition.

I will always consider Oregon my home, so thank you for your support, your friendships and making this a memorable experience.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Josephine County Historial Society

Be involved with your Business Community

Wednesdays ~ Starts at 8:00 am • Doors Open @ 7:45 for Networking

Our Mission is to support and promote our local commerce through communication, advocacy, and partnerships! Membership Info: 541-956-4102

March 2024

Business For Breakfast ~ Greeter’s Meeting

Meeting Time: 8:00

Mar 6th

Legacy Family & Leadership

Fruitdale Grange • 1440 Parkdale Dr

Mar 13th

Asante Three Rivers Medical Center

Asante OutPatient Bldg • 4th Floor

Mar 20th

Kiwanis Club G.P.

Fruitdale Grange • 1440 Parkdale Dr

Mar 27th

Rogue Workforce Partnership

The Hivve • 164 SE G Street

Greeters is a powerful networking group where you can interact with an average of 75 business professionals on a weekly basis. Non-Members are invited to attend up to (3) times as a guest. Doors open at 7:45am. The Chamber Ambassadors collect $1.00 and a business card at the door. Refreshments are provided . The meeting commences promptly at 8:00 AM. Our host has 5 minutes to showcase their business/organization. Emcee’s review the meeting rules and begin introductions from business cards. When introduced you have 30 seconds to share your information. ~ We look forward to meeting you!

Learning with The Library Library Resources to

Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians!

The Josephine Community Library is celebrating the generosity of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, whose remarkable gift of $250,000 is fueling the Grants Pass library building project. Other local organizations who received donations during the celebration include the Josephine County Children’s Advocacy Center and Home Bridging.

For more information about the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, visit cowcreek-nsn.gov.

For more information about library programs and services, visit josephinelibrary.org, email info@josephinelibrary.org, or call 541-476-0571.

To learn more about Josephine Community Library Foundation and library building projects, visit jclfoundation.org.

A library card is not needed to participate. Yet, if you need to, sign up for an instant online library card today at:

josephinelibrary.org/library-cards.

Hannah

Ten years after the cave was discovered by Elijah Davidson, the earliest known organized tour of the Oregon Caves was led by University of Oregon geology professor Thomas Condon in 1884. Condon gave a lecture in Jacksonville on the geological structure of Oregon, the proceeds of which paid the travel expenses for the group to travel by wagon to Williams for a tour given by Carter Davidson, brother of Elijah. Also in 1884, the railroad extended to Grants Pass. The largest city in the county, Grants Pass was home to numerous saloons, the Grants Pass Daily Courier, and an Opera House. By this time, gold pockets in the area had begun to dwindle. Timber, agriculture, and fur trapping took over as sources of income, and prohibition in the 1920’s further changed the culture of Grants Pass. The 1906 Antiquities Act led the Oregon Caves to be declared a National Monument by President Taft on July 12, 1909.

Another early tour of the cave in 1913 was funded by Portland’s Mazama Club of Mountaineers. The Mazama Club included community leaders from Portland, many who became founding members of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and the well-publicized tour seems to have been a key turning point in identifying the real possibility of tourism income for the region that capitalized on the cave. This tour also linked the importance of the need for a road to the cave. The Mazama group was brought within 10 miles of the cave thanks to 40 cars provided by residents of Grants Pass, many of whom were members of the Grants Pass Commercial Club which later became the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce.

The fascinating history of the Oregon Caves and its national treasure, the Chateau, has been gathered by the Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau and will be published in an upcoming book thanks to Arcadia Publishing. The book, due out in May 2024, follows the Monument’s history from 1874 – 2018.

In 1914, in recognition of the Mazama’s visit, the Grants Pass Commercial Club created Cave Day, an annual observance day, to advertise the cave. The Mazama tour cemented a partnership between Grants Pass and Portland Chambers of Commerce that later helped interest the Bureau of Public Roads and the State Highway Commission into splitting the cost of the highway to the cave. The Grants Pass Daily Courier publicized the completion of the road to the Oregon Caves, saying “The celebration of the opening of the automobile highway to the Oregon Marble Caves is to be the big thing in the way of celebrations for the summer.” The completion of the highway set the foundation for the increasing need for overnight accommodations in the form of a luxury hotel near the entrance of the cave to increase revenue that could be made from the Monument. The hope

was to appeal to the new type of car-owning visitor, who had financial means, because it was considered high class to visit natural wonders during this period.

In 1922, the Oregon Cavemen, a booster group based in Grants Pass, was incorporated with the aim of publicizing tourism to Grants Pass and the Oregon Caves. Even before the Cavemen, an obsession with, and a desire to profit from the nearby caves can be connected to businessmen in Grants Pass. Photographic proof exists that the dining room of the Redwoods Hotel at Sixth and E streets, was called the “Caves Grotto” and was intended to look like the cave. Dining in this dining room was considered the height of elegance in the 1920’s. The Caveman Bridge was dedicated in 1931 and when Shirley Temple visited Grants Pass in August of 1936, she was considered an honorary ‘Cavegirl.’

The Oregon Caves Company (OCC) was founded on April 3, 1923.

On April 11, 1923, the USFS granted the first official concessions contract to the OCC. This gave the OCC, led by a group of Grants Pass businessmen, including pharmacist George Sabin and banker Sam H. Baker, a 20year contract. The OCC began strategizing the location of the luxury hotel. The visitation jumped from 1,200 in 1921 to 12,000 in 1922. In 1931, the OCC secured a 20-year hotel permit for $100 per year. This visionary group of Grants Pass businessmen moved aggressively into the building of the Chateau in spite of the financial and logistical risks.

In 1928, to fund improvements and gain the necessary infrastructure, a bill was introduced in Congress because “there was an awareness that tourism to the cave impacted a large portion of the state.” Telegrams were sent by Sam H. Baker, the President of the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce, in support of the bill. Baker was also the President of the OCC, and Chairman of the Board of U.S. Bank in Grants Pass. The correspondence is proof of the fact that a local Grants Pass businessman was interacting directly with government procedure in favor of increasing profitability of the Oregon Caves and positively impacting tourism to southern Oregon. Without question, The Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is an important part of Oregon’s heritage, and it provides integral economic assets to the region. The Monument has been an important economic and tourism driver for the region practically since the cave’s discovery. ]

Community Spirit

Melissa Vierra

Excellence in Business

Large

Evergreen Federal Bank

Fostering a Legacy

Project Youth+

EMCEES

Jason & Ashley KRRM-GP Broadcasting Corp

Rising Star

Nick Alexander Films

Person of the Year

Mark Stutzman

Title Sponsor

Pacific Power

Alan & Lisa Meyer

Congratulations to all, from the Chamber Staff

Architecture Award

Josephine Community Library

Williams Branch

Excellence in Business Small

Logan Design

Photography provided by:

Thank You to Farmer’s Building & Garden Supply for Sharpening our Scissors!

Mama Gaia Yoga & Wellness

1607 Williams Hwy #5, GP

Ribbon Cuttings

Our Chamber Ambassadors organize Ribbon Cutting Celebrations for a variety of events for Chamber Members! Contact Brittni to schedule your celebration!

bbiller@grantspasschamber.org

Chamber Mug with Fresh Plant from New Hope Nursery ~ a welcome gift to new members from the Chamber

Wild River Brewing & Pizza Open their ARCADE!

595 NE E Street, GP

Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings for March

The Food Lab - March 7th @ 4PM

Hosted at the Chamber - 1995 NW Vine Rogue Valley Security - March 22nd@ Noon 214 SE 8th St

Reach over 500,000 locals, visitors and explorers this year!

Includes: Print, Web, & Social Media advertising

Continuously distributed on the coast and inland all year

RESERVE SPACE BY: March 8,2024

FOR MORE INFO:

Bobby Stricker bobby@101things.com (541)600-2031

Eighth Page $1098 - 20% = $880

Quarter Page $1948 - 20% = $1560

Half Page $3978 - 20% = $3100

Full Page $5978 - 20% = $4780

Southern Oregon & Del Norte California

Welcome Our Newest Chamber Members

Rogue Valley Security

Rogue Valley Security

214 SE 8th St, Grants Pass

Phone: (541) 660-3242

Primary: Sherri Breslin

Website: roguevalleysecurity.com

Category: Security

Description:

Security Camera installation, Starlink Installation, Low Voltage, Alarm Monitoring, Business Technology Integration, Structured Cabling

OR Department of Human Services

OR Department of Human Services

2101 NW Hawthorne , Grants Pass

Phone: (541) 450-3493

Primary: Paul Homan

Email: paul.a.homan@odhs.oregon.gov

Website: oregon.gov/odhs

Category: Social Services

Description:

Supporting well-being for everyone in Oregon.

Mary Hambleton - KWRSO

Mary Hambleton-Keller Williams

Realty Southern Oregon

Grants Pass/Medford

Phone: (541) 218-7601

Primary: Mary Hambleton

Email: maryhambleton@kw.com

Website: maryhambleton.kw.com

Category: Real Estate

Description:

After a 20-year hiatus, Mary Hambleton has returned to real estate. “I love real estate and I love training. At Keller Williams of Southern Oregon, I can combine both my loves.

At Home Health & Wellness

At Home Health & Wellness

Grants Pass

Phone: (541) 295-5004

Primary: Lori Nissen

Email: ahhw423@gmail.com

Website: athomehealthandwellness.com

Category: Health & Wellness

Description:

At Home Health and Wellness was created and started in early 2023 with the goal of providing outstanding, personalized, well crafted, home physical therapy services to people residing in the Grants Pass area. Owner, Lori Nissen has nearly 25 years of experience as a physical therapist assistant and is passionate about providing the best service available to assist people with restoring, improving or exceeding their health and fitness goals.

Welcome Our Newest Chamber Members

VLK Bookkeeping LLC

VLK Bookkeeping LLC

Grants Pass

Phone: (541) 414-4334

Primary: Valerie Kennedy

Email: valerie@vlkbookkeeping.com

Website: vlkbookkeeping.com

Category: Accounting/Bookkeeping

Description:

My name is Valerie Kennedy. I am a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and an Intuit Certified Bookkeeping Professional. I value honesty, integrity, and accountability, and I offer a nonjudgmental, shame-free experience. You can trust me to organize your financial data and provide you with the information to make the best decisions for your business and your life.

Chamber Welcomes Interim CEO, Chuck Rund

The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Mr. Charles “Chuck” Rund will serve as the Interim CEO while the Board works through the strategic and prudent process of hiring the next President and CEO for the Chamber.

Chuck Rund was President of Charlton Research Company, a public policy and opinion research firm that designs and develops strategies for clients in business, politics and the law. The company conducted extensive, national public opinion research for over 250 corporations, including 24 listed in the top 100 of the Fortune 500.

Recognized as an expert in the research and analysis of specialized issues affecting the political community, Mr. Rund has been a key player in four Presidential campaigns; twelve gubernatorial campaigns; seventeen Senate races; campaigns for forty-eight elected Congress people and many state, local and initiative campaigns. Mr. Rund has been an election night analyst for CBS news for 32 years and also remains abreast of trends in national and statewide politics.

In recent years, Mr. Rund has also served on several Boards including AllCare Health, the Grants Pass Family YMCA, the Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Grants Pass Board and volunteered in numerous community activities. Mr. Rund received his B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota and pursued post-graduate work in social ethics at San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Welcome Shirley Liska, our New Chamber Team Member & Office Assistant

Hello, my name is Shirley Liska, and yes, I am part of the Liska Auctioneer family. I am originally from Minnesota and spent 10 years in Arizona before moving to Grants Pass in 1991. You may ask what took me to Arizona and then to Grants Pass….It was my husband Jim, and I’m so glad we made each move.

I have done many things in my working career, but since I’ve been in Grants Pass, I have worked for Tom and Sons Jewelers, I sold real estate for 11 years at Century 21 Harris and Taylor, then went to work at Ticor Title for 10 years. I have worked in a public setting most of my life and that’s what I love. The people around me are what make me happy.

I like to stay involved in our community and have volunteered for many organizations. One of the ones most near and dear to me is The Family House. Now, I’m on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity.

Grants Pass is a wonderful community and even though I grew up in Minnesota, here is where I love to call home.

Chuck Rund crund@grantspasschamber.org

Shirley Liska

Monty,

patient, Brookings, Ore.

The Young Professionals Network is for young professionals in the target age range of 18-45 who are looking for networking opportunities with other young professionals, connections to the community and business leaders, community engagement, and professional development. The network holds monthly luncheons, quarterly socials, and community service projects.

First Community Credit Union, Asante, Hampton Inn & Suites, Peoples Bank, Midland Empire Insurance, RE/MAX Integrity-Bifano Home Team, Sunshine Solar Inc, Kendon Leet Real Estate, Weekend Beer Co. Logan Design and Nicebadge

While February was a short month, our Young Professionals were busy! We performed our quarterly trash cleanup for the Adopt-A-Street Program. Our group maintains Washington Boulevard from Morgan to Midland.

Next, for Community Engagement we met with the Josephine County Search & Rescue. It was fascinating touring their facility and learning about their very important role in our community. Aside from the one staff member, Sheriff Deputy Maria Valdez, the unfunded and state mandated program is made up of a dedicated and skilled group of volunteers. After learning of the recent passing of their JOCO SAR K9 Rex, our group made a $100 donation in his honor. Please consider donating to their organization or better yet, volunteering!

Lastly, our Young Professionals Network committee attended the Chamber Awards Banquet and 100 Year Celebration. It is always an honor to have the opportunity to present what our Young Professionals are doing and the great things we have to offer.

In the month of March, we will be touring Barnstormers Theatre. For event information and registration, please visit our Community Calendar at www.grantspasschamber.org.

Clouser Well Drilling Inc

Creative Supports, Inc

Design! by Kiltz Internet Solutions

Don’s Bike Center

Elegance Antiques

General Credit Service, Inc.

Grange Co-op

Grants Pass Adventist School

H&R Block of Grants Pass

Hart Insurance

Imprints Design & Screen Printing/ Mountain Embroidery

Josephine Community Library District

Josephine County

KDRV - TV

Mid Rogue Foundation

Options for SO Oregon Oregon Books & Games LLC

Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass

River Valley Church

Rogue Plaza ~ 777 Bldg

Rogue River Greenway Foundation

Rotary Club of Greater Grants Pass

Siskiyou Community Health Center

Soul Canyon Training & Development

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

SunShine Solar Inc

Tekmanagement Inc.

The Human Bean

Tom R Parker Enterprises

MONTHLY UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS

Greeters- “Business for Breakfast”

Every Wednesday - 8:00 am

Connect w/Enews & Calendar for Locations

Government Affairs Committee*

1st Monday - 9:00 am

Young Professionals Network Committee (YPN)

2nd Monday - 12:00 noon

Business Retention & Expansion Committee*

2nd Tuesday - 8:00 am

Chamber Board Meeting*

2nd Thursday - 8:00 am

Ambassador Committe Meeting

1st Wednesday - 7:00 am