Restaurant & Lodging - Winter 2022

WINTER 2022

Bundle Up

Packages, Partnerships and Fresh Ideas Help Boost Business

From Food Trail to the Vision of a Food Innovation Center

Hospitality Heroes Kindness in the Workplace

Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa, Pacific City PHOTO COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

OregonRLA.ORG 1

Ask your agent for an ORLA Group quote.

Don’t miss your chance to see if you qualify for 20% savings on workers’ comp.

The ORLA Group now getting SAIF WORKERS’ COMP PREMIUMS FOR 2022 ORLA members who meet the group eligibility requirements can receive a 20% discount with SAIF in the ORLA group plan, upon workers’ comp renewal date.

THIS IS THE LARGEST DISCOUNT AVAILABLE FOR OREGON’S HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS ORLA MEMBERS: Contact your agent and ask for an ORLA Group quote, or contact SAIF directly at 888.598.5880.

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EXISTING SAIF CUSTOMERS: Ask your agent or contact SAIF directly at 888.598.5880 for an ORLA Group quote.

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022OregonRLA.org/SAIF

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SIGN UP FOR NEW

Allied

Member Tiers Promote your business to the restaurant and lodging industry with membership options to fit your budget and goals.

JOIN NOW!

Allied membership starts at just $450 per year!

LEARN MORE & SIGN UP OregonRLA.org/allied-benefits QUESTIONS MMcColly@OregonRLA.org 4

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

Your business thrives on the success of our members.

We invite you to invest in your customers’ success by becoming an ORLA Allied member or transitioning your existing membership into the new tier of your choice. It’s not just membership, it’s a marketing and sales program!

Tap into the statewide hospitality community with the allied membership that is right for your organization.

ABOUT

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Restaurant & Lodging is published four times a year by Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), 8565 SW Salish Lane, Suite 120, Wilsonville, Oregon, 97070, 503.682.4422, 800.462.0619.

Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa

To learn more about ORLA log on to OregonRLA.org.

PUBLISHER JASON BRANDT / PRESIDENT & CEO

JBrandt@OregonRLA.org LORI LITTLE / EDITOR

LLittle@OregonRLA.org HEIDI JANKE / DESIGN

HJanke@OregonRLA.org

MEMBERSHIP

To become a member of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, please contact Jennifer Starr at JStarr@OregonRLA.org or 503.682.4422.

ADVERTISING

Please support the advertisers herein; they have made this publication possible. For information on advertising opportunities, please contact ORLA: Marla McColly Director of Business Development at 503.428.8694 or MMcColly@OregonRLA.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS

To update your digital and print subscriptions to this publication and all ORLA communications visit OregonRLA.org.

2021-22 ORLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Barofsky, Chair, Beppe & Gianni’s Trattoria Harish Patel, Vice Chair, Hampton Inn Shannon McMenamin, Treasurer, McMenamins Patrick Nofield, Secretary, Escape Lodging Masudur Khan, Immediate Past Chair, Seaside Lodging LLC Jolee Bancroft, Mo's Restaurants Richard Boyles, Mereté Hotel Management Joe Buck, Babica Hen Cafe, Gubanc’s, Lola’s Cafe Don Crowe, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort Daryn White Cyrus, Provenance Hotels ​Emma Dye, Crisp Jim Hall, Independent Restaurant Concepts (IRC) Kurt Huffman, ChefStable ​Eli Katkin, Brickroom​ Matt Lowe, Jordan Ramis Attorneys at Law Tom O’Shea, Sunriver Resort Dhruti Patel, Ex Officio Board Member, ALKO Hotels Komal (Tina) Patel, ALKO Hotels Katie Poppe, Blue Star Donuts ​Dani Rosendahl, The Pit Stop Sports Bar & BBQ Grill Rick George Schweitzer, The Benson Rick Takach, Vesta Hospitality Jake Vanderveen, McDonald Wholesale Co. Randy Xavier, US Foods

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

WINTER 2022 The Beverage Issue COVER STORY 26 Bundle Up

Packages, Partnerships and Fresh

Ideas Help Boost Business

SOLUTIONS 35 Kind & Effective Leadership

Supporting Our Teams Through

Kindness at Work

LEADERSHIP 7 From the CEO

Building Crucial Relationships

with Our Workforce

Development Partners

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Intentional Inclusivity DEI, Recruitment, and Hiring is a Package Deal

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It’s Your Business: Retaining Employees With a Safe Workspace

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From Food Trail to a Food Innovation Center Collaborative Partnerships Develop Pathways for Needed Resources

ADVOCACY 8 Advocacy Update

Legislative Priorities, Local Advocacy,

and Opportunities to Engage 13

Portland City Hall and the Fall ‘BuMP’ Your Local Advocacy Matters!

AGENCY 16 Partnerships that Deliver

ORLA & OLCC Working Together

to Improve Delivery Practices

IN EVERY ISSUE 44 Lodging Performance Report

Hotel Benchmark Data 45

News Briefs Industry Happenings

OREGON HOSPITALITY FOUNDATION 19 Fundamental

Workforce Partnerships

Industry Stakeholder Engagement

Is Key To Building Connections

With Local Workforce Boards

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What Your Peers Are Saying Meet Some Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Members

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Cost-Saving Programs Member-Exclusive Benefits

CHAMPIONS 23 Industry Champions

Hospitality Heroes Serving

Communities & Industry

49 New Members Welcome!

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Looking Ahead ORLA Three-Month Calendar

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SAVE THESE DATES! Your Association Events for 2022

Taste Oregon Legislative Reception February 22, 2022 | Salem Convention Center, Salem

The industry’s unique opportunity to meet several of Oregon’s top policymakers while enjoying food and beverages from member restaurants, wineries and breweries. Free for any industry member.

OHF ProStart Invitational April 4, 2022 | Salem Convention Center, Salem

ProStart is a workforce development skills-based curriculum to help high school students explore careers in culinary arts and food service. Study culminates with this state competition hosted by the Oregon Hospitality Foundation.

One Big Night - Dinner & Auction June 7, 2022 | The DoubleTree by Hilton, Portland

Lavish evening with silent auction followed by dinner and live auction. Proceeds go directly to ORLA’s Political Action Committee.

Northwest Food Show June 26-27, 2022 | Portland Expo Center, Portland

Foodservice industry members flock to the region’s largest foodservice and beverage show for ideas, information and new tools for success. Free for ORLA members.

ORLA Open Golf Tournament July 25, 2022 | Langdon Farms, Aurora

Annual golf tournament with lunch, prizes, and awards. Proceeds go directly to ORLA’s Political Action Committee.

Swig & Savor

Swig & Savor | A Pacific Northwest exclusive liquor event August 12, 2022 | The Nines, Portland

A celebration of high-end whisky. Swig & Savor will feature 60+ whiskies for tastings, educational seminars, and an opportunity to purchase products as well as drinking accessories and swag.

ORLA Hospitality Conference September 11-12, 2022 | The Graduate, Eugene

Industry leaders, owners and operators gather for this multi-day event of illuminating keynotes, informative seminars and breakout sessions and networking.

Chair’s Getaway Fall, 2022

Decadent culinary experience and intimate gathering among industry leadership. Proceeds go directly to ORLA’s Political Action Committee.

OregonRLA.org/Events 6

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

FROM THE CEO Building Crucial Relationships with Our Workforce Development Partners

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t seems almost every industry association has the same issue top of mind – workforce retention and recruitment. The hospitality industry in Oregon, like in many states across the country, is one of the largest private sector employers. At the time of this writing, we are still short 29,000 workers of what we need to meet marketplace demands – 23,000 short in restaurants and bars and another 6,000 short in hotels and lodging.

There is a confluence of factors which feel overwhelming when contemplating what workforce solutions will be most impactful in retaining and recruiting the hospitality employees our small businesses across the state need. We have heard loud and clear from members on issues ranging from a lack of community childcare resources for their staff, career changes or a return to the college classroom spurred by life reflection during Covid, ongoing snarls in making sure our unemployment insurance system is helping those it’s designed to help and reducing efforts by some to game the system, and ongoing health hesitations for some in considering jobs which include public-facing responsibilities.

The challenges are clear and unfortunately the solutions are not.

ORLA’s work in the coming years will include a constant focus on building stronger relationships with workforce development partners around the state. Hospitality operators will play a critical role in our ability to gain the attention we need from workforce partners to connect Oregonians with meaningful jobs in the industry. And we’ll need all the help we can get given the Oregon Employment Department is forecasting 46 percent growth for industry employment over the course of the next decade (73,800 jobs).

So where do we start? Regional workforce development boards. The Oregon Workforce & Talent Development Board has an incredibly important website we should all be paying much closer attention to. The website (Oregon.gov/workforceboard) states the fact that Oregon is part of a workforce development system that is funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) which authorized more than 550 local business-led workforce development boards that serve all 50 states. These local boards oversee workforce development services through a network of approximately 3,000 American Job Centers.

at these tables as Oregon’s second largest private sector employer. As business-led boards, these structures are designed to assist with the process of shoring up gaps in marketplace employment demand. If hospitality operators aren’t represented on these boards then the focus for filling industry employment gaps will continue to prioritize other industries and their needs.

There is good news. Oregon’s local workforce board along a portion of the central and north coast (Northwest Oregon Works) has identified the hospitality industry as a major sector of focus. And of course this doesn’t happen by accident. We have an active hospitality leader serving on that board for years and is currently in the Vice Chair role. Thank you Zach Poole for answering the call to leadership in this space and leveraging the resources available through your regional workforce board. It does make a difference. We have hospitality employers along the coast who have told us they have all the employees they need to effectively run their business and meet demand.

This work will remain a top priority until we are successful in replicating the success we have seen on Oregon’s central and north coast across the other eight local workforce boards in Oregon. We hope you will take the time to visit the Oregon Workforce & Talent Development Board website and consider upcoming opportunities to attend the next meeting of your local group. Doing so is the first necessary step of leadership and we need more operators to engage in this space. Our entire team at ORLA would like to thank Wendy Popkin who recently transitioned to a new position in the tourism industry after working tirelessly for our hospitality foundation over the past nine years. It’s thanks to her leadership that we have a guide map for what needs to happen next. ORLA looks forward to adding two teammates to our team in the near future who will work full-time in our workforce development space. We have great stories to tell and look forward to embracing the opportunities to come as our professional staff works with local Chambers of Commerce, Destination Marketing Organizations, and our many members in showcasing the ways a job in hospitality can propel an individual’s professional success for a lifetime.  JASON BRANDT, PRESIDENT & CEO, ORLA

If you are interested in learning more about workforce development board service, please reach out to Jason Brandt via email at JBrandt@oregonrla.org.

Oregon has nine local workforce boards and hospitality representation on these board is close to non-existent. We must be OregonRLA.ORG 7

ADVOCACY UPDATE Legislative Priorities, Local Advocacy, and Opportunities to Engage

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ith a short Legislative session set for 2022 and Oregon still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, we anticipate most of the focus of lawmakers this spring will be on issues related to the virus.

These will likely include housing, public health and safety, and disbursement of any remaining relief funds.

Although we have not set our final legislative priorities as of this writing, we anticipate defending the 70/30 split for the state lodging tax, requesting money specifically for the hospitality industry in a relief fund since the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund looks unlikely to be replenished, and pushing back on any further restrictions or mandates on businesses.

ORLA will keep members informed of our advocacy efforts throughout the Legislative Session. As a reminder, if you haven’t already, sign up to be a Hospitality Advocate by texting “ORLA” to 52886 and receive text alerts and announcements straight to your phone.

LOCAL SALES TAX ON MEALS CAMPAIGNS As of this writing, local operators in Newport, with the help of ORLA, have defeated the sales tax on meals proposed by the Newport City Council by a 68 to 32 percent vote. The five percent sales tax on prepared food and meals included beverages and was intended to tax visitors to the city to help pay for maintenance on city-owned buildings as well as hiring city staff.

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

Operators in Newport wrote letters to the editor, took out ads in the Newport News Times, wore buttons and placed signs and collaterals in their restaurants explaining the reasons why this tax was unfair, unpredictable, and hurt restaurant workers. Voters agreed with restaurants and voted down the sales tax on meals convincingly.

In Cannon Beach, a similar sales tax of five percent on prepared food and restaurant meals, is still being certified as of this writing.

Two days after the election, there were two more “Yes” votes, than “No” votes. And 12 days later, after a challenge period where some

ballots had to have signatures verified, the gap widened to four votes. The election was to be certified on November 22, 2022. After that, a recount or even a challenge to the election could take place based on the close results. Updated information will be sent out via email and available on ORLA’s website, OregonRLA.org.

Local restaurants in Cannon Beach canvassed neighborhoods, wrote letters to the editor, sent mailers to voters, and worked tremendously hard to educate voters about how the money might actually be spent if the tax passed. Although the purported primary reason was to provide funds for the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District, they would actually receive less than half the money collected and would have to pay for legal fees, research and other expenses related to the sales tax.

SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN UNINCORPORATED LINCOLN COUNTY Another local ballot measure this November was a proposal to phase out short-term rentals in unincorporated Lincoln County over the next five years. The measure, an initiative petition brought to the ballot by a coalition of neighborhood groups, will phase out short-term rentals in residential areas of unincorporated Lincoln County over five years and immediately halt the issue of new licenses. Vacation rental rules within the boundaries of Newport, Lincoln City and other incorporated cities would not be affected.

The measure passed with 58 percent voting “Yes” and 42 percent voting “No.” We anticipate there will be legal challenges based on individual’s property rights.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION BILL HB 3361, at the request of ORLA, requires a third-party food platform to enter into agreement with a food place before arranging delivery of orders from that food place or listing the food place on an application or website.

The bill requires third-party food platforms to obtain written consent from restaurants before using their menu, likeness, pricing, etc. Final rulemaking on this bill has not been set yet but ORLA will update members through email and will publish the rules once they are final.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ORLA’s Government Affairs Committee continues to meet monthly online. Upcoming meetings will focus on the 2022 Political Action Committee Budget, our 2022 Legislative Priorities, and Initiative Petitions concerning liquor privatization in grocery stores. We plan to continue hosting guest speakers including state agencies, elected officials, and other stakeholders.

If you are interested in joining the ORLA Government Affairs Committee, please contact me at Astley@OregonRLA.org.  GREG ASTLEY, ORLA

Hilton Garden Inn- Wilsonville, Oregon

Seattle | Portland | Sacramento | Pleasanton

Saltline Hotel - Seaside, Oregon

Hyatt House - Beaverton, Oregon

deacon.com

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ENGAGE WITH LAWMAKERS AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

2022 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 4:30 – 7:00pm | Salem Convention Center

2022 Taste Oregon Legislative Reception Make plans to join us for ORLA's annual Taste Oregon Legislative Reception featuring food and beverages from members across the state. Taste Oregon provides a unique forum for restaurant operators and lodging providers to casually engage with Oregon's lawmakers on business challenges and share their stories of success. It’s critical we have a strong showing of members in attendance to remind legislators hospitality industry businesses matter.

While the event is free to attend, an RSVP is required.

RSVP TODAY!

OregonRLA.org/Events or 503.682.4422 10

Questions: Lauri Byerly: LByerly@OregonRLA.org or 503.682.4422

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

Featured Restaurants

Sponsorships

If you are interested in showcasing some of

If you are interested in sponsoring

your culinary specialties contact Lauri Byerly

contact Marla McColly at

at LByerly@OregonRLA.org

MMcColly@OregonRLA.org.

Major Sponsors: PRESENTING

Co-Hosts: SUPPORTING

SUPPORTING

REGISTRATION

LIBATIONS

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TITLE SPONSOR:

At the heart of food and service

April 4, 2022 • Salem Convention Center

Support high school teams from across Oregon as they compete in the state culinary and management competitions!

E X P E R I E N C E H O W O R E G O N P R O S TA R T CHANGES LIVES. ATTEND the annual invitational with both

management and culinary competitions and experience students in action!

VOLUNTEER to spend a few hours supporting our industry’s stars of tomorrow.

JUDGE culinary and management skills and provide constructive feedback.

MENTOR your local high school students and lend a hand.

DONATE to the Oregon ProStart program and support our future culinary workforce.

SPONSOR the competition or a

school team by contacting Marla McColly at MMcColly@OregonRLA.org 503.682.4422 | info@OregonRLA.org

SCHOOL SPONSOR:

McDonald Wholesale Company

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | OregonRLA.org/Invitational WINTER 2022

PORTLAND CITY HALL AND THE FALL ‘BuMP’ Your Local Advocacy Matters!

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o, ‘BuMP’ is not mis-spelled. It’s an acronym around Portland City Hall for budget adjustments, formally known as the Budget Monitoring Process (BuMP).

There can be three bumps per year. City Financial Policy and state budget law allows the ability to allocate or request new resources to address urgent and unforeseen needs that come up during the fiscal year that cannot be funded through existing resources. These changes, or bumps, are usually one time in nature. Why is the Fall bump important to ORLA and its Portland area members? Because, thanks to increased business license fees and tax revenues, the City of Portland found itself with an additional $62 million in surplus revenue. Multnomah County is flush with an additional $30 million in surplus revenue. That is a significant amount of money to invest directly into the area’s most urgent needs – policing, public safety, mental/behavioral health, and homelessness. Portland desperately needs to be cleaned up, and that includes its damaged reputation.

• Vector control (rodents and infestation) • Expanding the Impact Reduction Program (campsite removal) • Increasing trash pick-up (focus on sloping and more dangerous terrain) • Increasing personal property storage and hygiene services • Better coordination of street level services (services and shelter bed availability) • Hiring, retaining, recruiting more social service providers • Enhancing behavioral unit and mental health support services • $18 million to increase transitional shelter bed capacity city-wide (including real-time shelter availability tracking) • City-wide expansion of Portland Street Response (medic and/or mental health specialist dispatched for lower risk 9-1-1 calls) • Hiring, retaining, recruiting more armed police officers and unarmed peace officers (prevention and intervention)

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), representing the Portland Lodging Alliance (PLA) with 60 area hotels, and the Portland Kitchen Cabinet (PKC) with 220 area restaurants, participated in a number of roundtable meetings with City officials and monitored City Council during a series of Fall BuMP discussions. ORLA, PLA and PKC made their voice heard by submitting a written Comment Letter and providing verbal testimony. ORLA, PLA and PKC are generally aligned with City Council’s intended investments and have consistently reinforced a sense of urgency for City leaders to forcefully and finally act.

How does Portland spend an additional $62 million? This list is not complete but includes:

• Four more Navigation Teams (direct engagement with homeless citizens and those needing extra help finding assistance and wraparound social services)

Actively participating in the political arena is not everyone’s cup of tea. That’s for sure. But you, ORLA’s members, have a front row seat to the most urgent needs in your very own communities. You are the owners, operators, employers, neighbors, friends, and volunteers that knit your special community together. Elected officials at all levels of government need to know your story, understand your challenges, and hear your creative solutions. As an Industry Advocate, ORLA will work with you on how you prefer to connect with your elected officials. Maybe that’s writing a compelling letter or making a personal phone call. Maybe you would like to join ORLA professional staff and fellow operators for an in-person meeting with an official. Or maybe you want to try your hand at speaking and testifying at a City/County Commission meeting or State Legislative Committee. Whatever your level of comfort, ORLA has an advocacy role for you to play.

ORLA encourages you to become a Hospitality Industry Advocate (bit.ly/ORadvocate). After you sign up to be an Industry Advocate, please be sure to opt-in for text updates, too, by texting the word ORLA to 52886.

The hospitality industry needs your voice.  TOM PERRICK, ORLA

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Together We Make Our Industry Stronger!

GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY

GROUP PURCHASING POWER

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE

Protecting Our Businesses

Saving Money Together

Training Our Industry

Keeping Each Other Informed

O R EG O N R L A .O R G 14

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Be heard at the local, state and federal levels of government, make informed decisions with shared industry intelligence and best practices, and save money on industry products and services with ORLA-exclusive deals. Membership is what makes this all possible.

Joining is easy, visit OregonRLA.org to get started.

OREGON RE STAURANT & L O DG IN G A S S O C IAT IO N |

Serving Oregon Hospitality!

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PARTNERSHIPS THAT DELIVER ORLA & OLCC Working Together to Improve Delivery Practices

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hat’s more festive and fulfilling than delivering a gift that warms a loved one’s soul and makes them feel special? Whether it’s the holiday season or an anniversary, all of us can recall how exciting it is to open a package and feel the love and care that someone special in our lives put into delivering a special gift.

With that said, it should be recognized that some concerns have been voiced by public health advocates that bars, restaurants, and their delivery vendors have not taken this privilege as seriously as they may when serving beverages in person. So, take some time and set up a delivery process that gives your business the opportunity to be successful and compliant. Some requirements to consider are:

Here in Oregon, we’ve seen bars and restaurants pivot from primarily providing dine-in service to packaging up and delivering delicious food and exquisite beverages right to our doorsteps. This transformation and industry re-invention were no small tasks for bars and restaurants and required partnerships to be formed.

✓ Are the beverages properly labeled with this statement? “Contains alcohol: signature of person age 21 years or older required for delivery” ✓ Is the order being delivered to a person 21 or older? ✓ Does the order include cocktails and the required food items?

As 2020 drew close, OLCC staff worked late Christmas Eve in partnership with the industry and the legislature to expand delivery options for bars and restaurants to include cocktails-to-go along with beer, wine, and cider. The chorus of voices moved the legislature to see the need to deliver as a solution to aide bars and restaurants during what is traditionally the busiest time of the year for the hospitality industry.

Celebrating the fruits of this partnership is important, and to that end, the momentum from this successful endeavor led the legislature to make cocktails-to-go a permanent fixture of delivery for Oregon’s hospitality industry during the 2021 session. It should not be forgotten that delivering alcoholic beverages is serious business.

While packaging up food and drinks, businesses should ensure the right amount of thought needs to go into how deliveries occur, so Oregonians can continue to receive drinks at their doors.

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✓ Is the recipient intoxicated?

Along with these questions, delivery drivers should be reminded to “size up” the situation when they get to the door. Ensuring that the delivery is done right preserves the integrity of the system and keeps alcohol out of the hands of minors.

Getting together with family and friends was something many of us sacrificed last year, so that we could protect one another and slow the spread of COVID. Everyone was abruptly reminded just how vital the social bonds of family, friends and partnerships are to our lives. Those bonds made it possible to permanently upgrade delivery in Oregon. The OLCC looks forward to augmenting its partnership with the hospitality industry so we can all can continue to celebrate together.  OREGON LIQUOR AND CANNABIS COMMISSION

SAVE THE DATE • JUNE 26-27, 2022 For over 50 years, the Northwest Food Show has been bringing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry buyers and sellers together in what is now the largest and best known business-to-business foodservice event in the Pacific Northwest. Make your life easier and take advantage of the opportunity to connect with high quality vendors and decision makers by participating in the 2022 Show! ORLA members can attend for free, $25 for non-members and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Oregon Food Bank.

EXHIBIT

Space is selling fast for the 2022 show! Submit a booth request today and secure your spot. We will sell out!

ATTEND

Save the date to visit more than 300 exhibitors, taste and sip new products, and improve your margins.

Major Sponsors:

Produced by:

Since 1963

URTIS RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT Foodservice Equipment



Design  Supplies

An Employee Owned Company

NWFoodShow.com

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FAST AND EASY TRAINING TO WORK IN OREGON RESTAURANTS • Available in English or Spanish • Test on a computer or mobile device • Stop and start anytime • Pay when you pass • Print or save your card

OregonFoodHandler.com

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

FUNDAMENTAL WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS Industry Stakeholder Engagement Is Key To Building Connections With Local Workforce Boards

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n October 2019, the Northwest Oregon Works (NOW) Board of Directors and Consortium of Local Elected Officials voted to approve the addition of the Leisure and Hospitality industry to our regional targeted sector initiatives. NOW is the Local Workforce Development Board that serves Benton, Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia Counties. Besides NOW’s established relationship with the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) and within ORLA, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, the Board and Consortium agreed that this industry could not be ignored. Little did they know that just five months later, the hospitality industry would be devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that Lincoln and Clatsop County would see the highest unemployment numbers in the state for many months consecutively.

NOW has seen firsthand the importance of a healthy hospitality industry in promoting a diverse and vibrant regional economy. We are proud to be the first Local Workforce Board (LWB) to recognize Oregon’s hospitality industry as a major sector in our region. We are working with industry leaders and stakeholders to identify ways that we can close workforce gaps and assist in the important work of rebuilding the success, health, and vitality of our “vacation destination” superheroes. We are also proud to have Zach Poole, Vice President of Pig ‘N Pancake, serve on our board to help inform us on the work of the hospitality industry.

Every May, ORLA assesses their member activity within each county. Below are the total number of foodservice and lodging locations in each of our five counties*: • Columbia, 111 • Lincoln, 406 • Clatsop, 228 • Benton, 233 • Tillamook, 182 * Data from May 2021. These numbers may have changed.

The identification of the Leisure and Hospitality industry as a targeted sector in NOW’s 5-county region sets in motion a series of resources that will benefit industry partners as well as the jobseeking workforce that they need to attract. Local Boards do not deliver direct services. Most services are delivered through or in partnership with the WorkSource Oregon system (WSO). NOW has six WSO centers located in our 5-county region including Corvallis, Newport, Lincoln City, Tillamook, Astoria, and St. Helens. Housed within those WSOs are various partners who work to connect job seekers and businesses. Other functions of the WSOs include outreach and intake, career coaching, linkages to wrap-around support services, training (to include earn-and-learn opportunities), placement, retention, and career advancement.

It is through the WSO system that our service providers, Equus Workforce Solutions and Community Services Consortium, help jobseekers get connected to employment in the Leisure and Hospitality industry.

For example, a jobseeker named Lydia came into a WSO seeking employment.

She was a single mother with two small children and had not worked in a number of years. Through an individual assessment of her work experience, it was determined that she had been a food server years earlier, prior to having her kids. With the help of a workshop offered at the center, she was able to take a resume writing class to spruce up her resume. She was also able to get assistance with the required food and alcohol serving permits and was given a list of job openings close to her home. Lydia was successfully hired at a popular local brewery.

For Leisure and Hospitality businesses across the state who are not located in NOW’s region, rest assured that you also have a Local Workforce Board and WSOs wherever you are. You have a Local Board that is doing their best to be responsive to the needs of businesses in their area, through the WSO system, regardless of their identified sectors.

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Photo courtesy of McMenamins

d man e D On- ourse C

Providing Service While Supporting Safety Guest Service Tips During Covid-19 Challenges

This online course is scenario-driven addressing common guest service challenges restaurant and hotel staff are experiencing during the pandemic. Choose from a restaurant or hotel version, available in English and Spanish.

Skills Participants Will Learn: • • • •

Guest-friendly communication of safety procedures and expectations Creating and reinforcing organizational credibility with safety practices Approaching a non-compliant guest with the goal of avoiding escalation Creating positive guest experiences despite potentially awkward safety protocols

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

R E S TA U R A N T C O N S U LTA N T S

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OregonGuestServiceSafety.org

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

Course is available for a donation.

Funds will help support the Oregon Hospitality Foundation’s mission to provide timely resources such as this course, in addition to operational funding needed to support programs for the hospitality industry’s workforce and philanthropic needs.

There are nine Local Workforce Boards and 38 WorkSource offices across the state of Oregon: PHOTO COURTESY OF: WORKSOURCEOREGON.ORG

Those are examples of the boots-on-the-ground activities that happen when businesses partner with the public workforce system. The Local Workforce Board plays a much broader role, however. LWBs are tasked with fund management, research, resource development, systems coordination, compliance, tracking and reporting, continuous improvement, and importantly, community and industry engagement. This is perhaps the most critical function of an LWB. It is through this engagement with industry stakeholders that LWBs gain an understanding of how their resources can best be used to support the industry’s challenges, whatever they may be. Simply put, a recognized industry sector moves into a priority position when investment decisions are made.

One successful formula for a sector initiative is that it is industry led and community supported. NOW does not come to the Leisure and Hospitality table alone. We bring a myriad of public partners such as the Oregon Employment Department who assists with things

like Labor Market Information, Business Services, and additional funding for wrap-around resources. We bring our contracted Service Providers, Equus Workforce Solutions, and the Community Services Consortium. We bring our Economic Development and Small Business Development partners, as well as our K-12, Regional Education Service District partners and community college partners to support an industry workforce pipeline. An LWB is often the convener of the proverbial public sector “village.”

Northwest Oregon Works is excited to work with the Leisure and Hospitality industry as it flexes its resiliency muscles. We owe you a debt of gratitude for the creative ways that you continued to serve us during the dark days of the pandemic. We look forward to watching you come back stronger than ever, with the same vibrancy, diversity, and commitment to service that you had before March of 2020. You should know that your patrons likely have a whole new appreciation for you.

Cheers!  HEATHER DESART, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST OREGON WORKS OregonRLA.ORG 21

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INDUSTRY CHAMPIONS Hospitality Heroes Serving Communities & Industry

D

uring the ORLA Hospitality Conference this past September, we had the opportunity to recognize and celebrate more than a dozen “hospitality heroes” who have supported their communities as well as the restaurant and lodging industry. Their work hasn’t slowed down, nor has the need, especially as businesses continue to face historic challenges.

From restaurant owners to hotel managers, legislative leaders to agency heads, industry members and partners serve up positive contributions that lift their communities and drive our industry forward.

Join us in celebrating these “Heroes” for their contributions: Wildfire Relief Response Award Sarah Smith, InnCline Hotel Management The onset of Labor Day Weekend 2020 brought with it historic and unrelenting wildfires across Oregon. Thousands of Oregonians lost their homes and were permanently displaced as a result. Sarah Smith with InnCline Hotel Management is recognized for her consistent and professional work in bringing the best of hospitality to those in need of shelter. Coordination with federal agencies including FEMA, and disaster response organizations like the Red Cross can bring its challenges, especially when third parties are involved in the financial transactions for overnight stays. Sarah represents the best in coordination and facilitation in taking a difficult crisis situation for Oregon families and bringing comfort and care to those in desperate need of both. Sarah’s recognition is representative of a strong group of ORLA members who answered the call in responding to emergency shelter needs throughout the duration of the pandemic. For those that answered the call, well done and thank you for representing the best of the industry.

Legislative Champions for Hospitality Award House Republican Leader Christine Drazan State Representative Rob Nosse ORLA recently recognized a Democrat and a Republican who stood up for Oregon’s hospitality industry in legislative sessions taking place during the course of the pandemic. House Republican Leader Christine Drazan was recognized for her work as part of a bipartisan effort to course-correct unemployment insurance taxes given the way Oregon’s formula inequitably taxed hospitality businesses. The result was employer tax cuts worth $2.4 billion over 10 years. In addition, State Representative Rob Nosse assisted the industry in passing “To-Go Cocktail” legislation on a temporary and then a permanent basis. The new tool available to foodservice establishments has the potential to increase sales as well as profit margins for years to come as we work to assist local restaurants in their recovery across the state.

Magic Multiplier Award Ken Henson, Pelican Brewing Company Times of crisis require strong leaders who rub off on others and inspire us to find our best selves. Ken Henson, co-owner with Kiwanda Hospitality Group which includes his role as Director of Restaurant Operations for Pelican Brewing Company is an example of a colleague who is in the business of creating more leaders. Ken filled a natural leadership role as part of the inaugural Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy class which met in person with safety protocols during Covid and wrapped up their experience in September of 2021. In addition, Ken serves as Vice-Chair of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation representing a crucial position as we grapple with workforce challenges. In his spare time Ken is working to open up another Pelican Brewing location in Lincoln City with beer slated to flow in the Spring of 2022.

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State Agency Titans Award OLCC Executive Leadership Kiauna Floyd, Amalfi's Italian Restaurant Matt Maletis, Maletis Holdings A number of state agencies in Oregon deserve a nod for their intentional engagement of hospitality businesses during the health emergency. Coming in first place is the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission for coming to the table with creative solutions in support of their alcohol licensees. OLCC Director Steve Marks, Deputy Director Will Higlin, and OLCC Commissioners Kiauna Floyd and Matt Maletis among the rest of the Commission deserve high marks for creating pathways for restaurants to find their footing. In addition to deferrals of license fees and rulemaking in support of To-Go Cocktails, OLCC also moved forward with a user-friendly process to allow local restaurants opportunities to expand their outside service areas for alcohol consumption. The resulting move allowed licensees to work with adjacent landowners and local governments in creating more space for outdoor dining.

Without alcohol service in those expanded areas and a user-friendly administrative process to get quick approval to move forward, margins on outdoor patios would have looked much grimmer.

Clean-Up Conqueror Award George Schweitzer, The Benson Portland When your actions speak louder than your words you know you’re hitting the mark. Such is the case with George Schweitzer, managing director of The Benson who continues to roll up his sleeves and host SOLVE cleanups in downtown Portland. George’s leadership could also be touted as one that brings a multiplier effect. George’s efforts have resulted in regular monthly cleanup events with over half a dozen hotels serving as host locations for volunteer staging areas drawing hundreds of Portlanders. In his past role as Chair of the Portland Lodging Alliance, George has done a great deal to inspire other hotel general managers to get actively involved in cleaning up the City with regular invitations to elected leaders and city staff to join him in rolling up their sleeves in support of SOLVE. If you want to make a difference in cleanup efforts in Portland or elsewhere in Oregon, you can reach out to SOLVE’s CEO Kris Carico at kris@solveoregon.com.

ORLAPAC Paragon Award Jerry Scott, Elmer's Restaurants What’s a Paragon? It’s a model of excellence, and there are few who have been more consistent in supporting the industry’s Political Action Committee (ORLAPAC) than President & CEO of Elmer’s Restaurants Jerry Scott. Jerry and his wife Janet are consistent fixtures at events focused on advocacy for Oregon’s hospitality industry. Without PAC investors like Jerry, our industry can end up on the menu as legislators grapple with labor and regulatory proposals. Political giving remains a necessary function of 24

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associations who must constantly forge relationships with elected leaders in positions of authority. Political campaign investments are a means to an end with the end being a thoughtful comprehensive conversation with any elected leader who has an interest in passing legislation that will have an impact on hospitality operations. Jerry doesn’t just invest, he also leads. Jerry is a regular for Washington D.C. visits with federal elected leaders and plays a central role in our relationship with Congressman Schrader’s office. Join us in making a difference by participating with ORLA in the Washington D.C. fly-in April 25-27, 2022, as part of the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference. Reach out to Greg Astley at Astley@oregonrla.org for more details about the upcoming trip.

Workforce Warrior Award Oregon Coast Visitors Association The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) is one of seven regional destination marketing organizations across the state who are in the business of building a tourism brand for their portion of the state. Recently, OCVA found success in working directly with one of their regional workforce development boards along Oregon’s north coast known as Northwest Oregon Works. Regional workforce boards are uniquely positioned to support the marketplace needs of employers in their respective areas. Northwest Oregon Works, along with OCVA’s help, was the first regional workforce board to designate the hospitality industry as a major industry sector. This creates more focus and opportunity for restaurants and lodging operations to tap into their resources, including career fairs and job seeker connectivity work provided by WorkSource offices through the Oregon Employment Department. In a time when most employers tell us they still need more staff, we have examples of hospitality businesses along Oregon’s coast that have all the staff they need. Learn more about your regional workforce board by visiting the Workforce Talent Development Board’s website at bit.ly/wtdbinfo.

Leadership Development Award David Penilton, America's Hub World Tours One of the more challenging endeavors of the pandemic has been moving forward with leadership development programming for tourism professionals in person through the launch of the Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy (OTLA) in partnership with Travel Oregon and the Oregon Destination Association. A leader who has made that challenge easier is David Penilton, owner of America’s Hub World Tours. David has not missed a single Tourism Academy programming gathering for our first two class cohorts. As of the time of this writing, David’s commitment in support of the leadership classes has included in-person attendance at six different multi-day gatherings of the class spanning 18 different workdays.

Leadership development does not hit the quality mark without an inherent investment of time which is what David has provided over 35 tourism professionals who have made the decision to participate

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD David Penilton, America's Hub World Tours

in OTLA in one of the two initial year classes. In addition, David has gone out of his way to make transportation logistics for the class much easier by leveraging the resources of his company to better the program and its outcomes for participants.

Disaster Response Leadership Award Tina and Dhruti Patel, ALKO Hotels One of the bigger partnerships entered into during Covid was between lodging operators and county health departments and community-based health organizations. Tina and Dhruti Patel of ALKO Hotels took a leap of faith in handing over the keys so to speak to one of their properties in Lane County in support of emergency shelter and vulnerable population stays during Covid surges. There are a number of ORLA members who have taken similar steps to the one that Tina and Dhruti took, and we applaud those who have made the decision to directly work with their regional health providers to help meet the demands of shelter caused by the pandemic, wildfires, and the Willamette Valley ice storm.

When a local health department along with emergency responders have a property to rely on completely for shelter needs, that represents a heroic partnership in our book.

pandemic with constant changes in regulations and a litany of special legislative sessions as elected leaders worked to respond to the host of issues caused by the pandemic. Both Nick and T.J. provided well-rounded and consistent leadership as Co-Chairs of the government affairs process at ORLA. Their roles proved intense as Covid became more and more serious. Under their leadership, participation in government affairs meetings increased as discussions moved virtual and became more accessible for the average member.

One byproduct of the pandemic has been the desire to remain holding most Government Affairs Committee meetings online so they can continue to be more open for members who have interest in engaging regardless of where their hospitality business is located in the state. If you would like to join ORLA’s Government Affairs Committee and participate in upcoming virtual meetings, please reach out to Greg Astley at Astley@oregonrla.org.

We love hearing about the great things our members and partners are doing around the state and want to share the positive impacts your contributions are making to our communities. Please pass along your stories to us, email Info@OregonRLA.org.  ORLA

Leadership in Hospitality Advocacy Award Nick Pearson, Jupiter and Jupiter NEXT Hotels T.J. Birkel, Darden Restaurants ORLA professional staff rely upon ORLA members in key leadership roles to help develop policy positions and take action on priority issues. Our Co-Chairs of ORLA’s Government Affairs Committee have had their hands full over the course of the OregonRLA.ORG 25

Bundle Up Packages, Partnerships and Fresh Ideas Help Boost Business

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If the COVID-19 pandemic has showed us anything, it’s that no one–and no company– is an island. As people, we need social interaction in our lives. As businesses, getting a hand from a neighbor, a like-minded brand or an outside organization can mean the difference between scrambling for sales and attracting a regular stream of new guests.

Immersive Experience at Headlands Costal Lodge and Spa

PHOTO BY SEEKING OUR SOMEDAY, COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

That’s a big reason why hotels, restaurants and tourism companies are working together to provide enticing packages (rebranded for the modern consumer as “experiences”) and forge partnerships designed to appeal to consumers’ need to get out and experience the world again. Hospitality companies are also looking to innovative deals that can help them attract guests all on their own.

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The Campfire Hotel in Bend is a great example of both. Right now, the company is in the process of creating an experience page on its website that will connect guests to four partnering local companies.

Once the page is functional, people can book time with these “hosts” (which will offer services such as outdoor adventure trips) at the same time they are reserving their hotel room.

Consumers like the one-stop-shop model, which is the reason for the new program, explained General Manager Daniel Elder. “It’s why companies like Expedia, where you book your hotel, car and airplane tickets in one stop, are so popular. It makes your travel experience as easy as possible.”

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When someone plans a trip to an area for the first time, researching a hotel is often the first thing they do. If they find a hotel they think they can trust, and that hotel makes it easy for them to find and reserve other services needed, they are more likely to book their room at that property, said Elder. Besides supporting other local tourism partners, he sees the host program as an essential way to promote the property.

The Campfire Hotel is also attracting guests with a few unusual deals during Bend’s busy snow sports season. The first is a three-fortwo deal, where guests who pay for two nights at the hotel can get a third night free. “This is encouraging that longer stay,” said Elder.

“We want people to enjoy their time here and not just check in and check out.” The offer is good from November through February.

Campfire Hotel,Bend

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAMPFIRE HOTEL & POOL CLUB, MURAL BY ASHLEY MONTAGUE RYAN PROUTY

“We want people to enjoy their time here and not just check in and check out.”

-Daniel Elder, GM Campfire Hotel

Campfire Hotel,Bend

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAMPFIRE HOTEL & POOL CLUB

The property is also offering what it calls the “Season Pass.”

Holders of the $1,250 pass can receive unlimited overnight stays from Sunday to Thursday between November and March. Those who purchase the $2,000 deal have access to unlimited stays with the weekends included.

The Season Pass is a great deal for customers who travel a lot because they know that whenever there’s a room available, they have a place to stay without an additional cost. They can also book a room and then cancel without penalty if their plans change at the last minute–helpful during our unpredictable snow season.

There is some fine print that goes along with this deal. “It’s not something that can be shared,” Elder said. “If you buy this pass, you can’t let your sister use it on a night you’re not coming to town.” Passholders are encouraged to book rooms in advance because there are no guarantees about receiving a room on any given night. Each stay is limited to two nights at a time.

The program is also a boon for people who need budget certainty.

“Hotel rates can fluctuate a lot,” said Elder. “When you’re taking a vacation, it can be hard to plan because you don’t know what the rate will be until you book. With our package, it’s one flat rate and you get as many stays as you can squeeze into a timeframe.” Visitors are often able to partake in special events at the hotel, such as the Campfire Unplugged music series (which brings in local and touring artists) and, in the summer, the DJ By the Pool evenings.

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In line with the idea that a hotel isn’t just about finding a place to lay your head and a restaurant meal isn’t simply about filling your belly, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa in Pacific City makes experiences a central part of its focus.

About 18 months ago, the hotel did away with packages because they failed to really engage guests. “What we’ve found is that with our brand, it’s very much about a sense of place,” says General Manager Jenny Nelson. “We work to create things that incorporate an experience and help our guests gain that sense of place.”

Instead, Headlands has an “Experiences” tab on its website where people can learn about itineraries that include a longer stay and a focus on exploring all the property and region has to offer.

Experiences change four times a year to reflect current trends or what’s happening in the region. The North Coast Babymoon

Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa, Babymoon

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

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includes a couples’ spa treatment, a choice of a guided hike or plein air painting adventure and dinner with mocktails at Meridian, the onsite restaurant. The Fall Coastal Reset offers a four-course meal from the tasting menu, a private class with chef John for crab shaking 101, a kayak excursion with an Adventure Coach, and a spa treatment. An upcoming experience will feature a whiskey and chocolate pairing class with a Portland specialty chocolate maker.

An Adventure Coach is available to lead guided hikes.

While the itineraries always offer guests a chance to experience all the property has to offer, Headlands also promotes its ability to connect them with community partners who can provide a way to explore the north coast more thoroughly. An outing with Dory Boat Captain Joe Hay is one of the most popular Pacific City adventures. Sometimes the referral is as simple as pointing people to companies along the Visit Tillamook Coast’s North Coast Food Trail, which features brands such as JAndy Oyster Co., Nestucca Bay Creamery and Jacobsen Salt Co.

“What guests really want are those authentic experiences that tie them to the place they’re going to be,” said Nelson. Because of that, it makes a lot of sense to partner with local companies.

“We’re all looking to give guests something unique, whatever place they’re in. Having those partnerships provides guests with the opportunity to have a really authentic experience. Supporting local businesses and allowing people to see the experts in their field ties people to place.”

There’s another reason this focus on local makes sense. Many of today’s travelers are choosing where to go and what companies to support based on their values. Those same people are often focused on supporting locally-owned businesses. “We’ve found when we share the same values, the guests feel it because the experience is seamless,” says Nelson.

Just as important, when guests find a company that matches their values, their relationship with that company is more likely to be a lasting one. There’s no better way to build brand loyalty than to couple a good experience with one that matches a person’s beliefs and interests.

For that reason, Nelson encourages hospitality companies to look for partners whose values match their own. “Really talk to your potential partner to ensure it’s a good fit and make sure your expectations are clear, so everyone benefits.”

“What guests really want are those authentic experiences that tie them to the place they’re going to be.”

-Jenny Nelson, GM, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa

Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa, Private Crab Shaking Class with Chef John Nelson PHOTO COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

Right: Gift shop filled with local products, adventure coach office

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Kimpton Riverplace Hotel

COURTESY OF KIMPTON RIVERPLACE HOTEL

Multnomah Whiskey Library mixing kit PHOTO BY MULTNOMAH WHISKEY LIBRARY, COURTESY OF KIMPTON RIVERPLACE HOTEL

“We have guests that come from all over the world...

We’re bringing wine country to the city.”

- Claudia Bowers, Director of Sales, Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel

In addition to authenticity, visitors are looking for exclusivity, said Claudia Bowers, director of sales at the Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel. That’s why the property recently initiated a partnership with the Multnomah Whiskey Library. People who book the “Whiskey Experience” receive a welcome amenity, a Multnomah Whiskey Library mixing kit for cocktail making, and a Hall Pass (entry to the to the members-only club) for two guests.

Wine aficionados can purchase a “Maker’s Workshop” package, which gives them access to a maker’s wine class, a bottle of local wine and a waived guest amenity fee. “We have guests that come from all over the world, and even though they hear about Willamette Valley wineries, they don’t necessarily have a chance to go experience them if they don’t have 45 minutes to drive into wine country and spend the day there,” said Bowers. “We’re bringing wine country to the city.”

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The hotel also invites local wineries to come and pour during its daily wine hour, which is another way to provide guests with access to local beverages they might not get to try otherwise.

Partnerships and special packages don’t have to be major endeavors. Broder Øst in Hood River, which is attached to the Hood River Hotel, serves exclusively breakfast and dinner. In the summer, though, it sold tickets for a few special dinner events.

The hotel helped promote the dinners through its social media and other digital communication tools.

“It’s really about exposure,” said Chad Hinman, restaurant general manager. “Right now, having a pulse on social media and promotional channels is really important.”

Partnerships don’t have to be local to excel. Delfino Vineyards in Roseburg received tremendous support from its membership in

Meridian Restaurant at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa, PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE & SPA

Zack Smith, GM Meridian Restaurant & Bar

Harvest Hosts, which gives RV campers access to stays in unique locations such as wineries, golf courses, museums, and farms.

Although campers stay for free, they are strongly encouraged to make a purchase of at least $20 to support the host company. It’s common for guests at Delfino to participate in a tasting at the winery and buy at least one bottle of wine.

“We’ve had over 200 RV campers stay on our property,” said owner Terri Delfino. “We had to think outside the box during COVID.” The program worked wonders, often bringing as many as six overnight campers a day to the winery.

For people who don’t have RVs, Delfino Vineyards has a small guest cottage where people can spend the night. To provide extra enticement to guests, visitors receive a complimentary bottle of wine and passes for free wine tastings. Delfino either brings breakfast in the morning or stocks the fridge with fresh food that

people can use to cook their own meal, including eggs from her chickens. Since the property is in a remote area, providing local food is a big draw.

Delfino is active with Umpqua Valley Winegrowers and Experience Roseburg which help to promote the winery, its onsite guest cottage, and the region as a whole. “We’re a small community, and we all work together to promote the Umpqua Valley,” Delfino said. “I really feel like more people come here as a result of partnering with them.”

Partnerships and out-of-the box thinking are essential as hospitality companies look to build back after the disruption of the past two years. With Valentine’s Day and spring coming up soon, now is the time to think about the next round of holiday promotions, special packages, and new and renewed partnerships. All are poised to bring a new wave of opportunity.  SOPHIA BENNETT

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KIND & EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP Supporting Our Teams Through Kindness at Work

"I

’m so fed up with this place - it’s terrible here. I had a job interview somewhere else this morning, and honestly, I’m just about ready to walk out in the middle of my shift, and if I do, they’ll have to close the place down for the day.” With that, the young man working the drivethru handed me my food, and I drove off, a little stunned. What had started as casual back and forth banter between employee and customer waiting on food had rapidly and unexpectedly devolved into a diatribe on working conditions, stress, and culture. This customer service employee, as hard-working and dedicated as he was, was at the end of his rope. I parked and sat in a nearby lot and ate my food, reflecting on the dramatic shift in work experience had by many of our team members over the past two years.

I saw aspects of my own operation and operations run by friends reflected in that recent visit to the drive-thru on the Oregon coast. The supply chain shortages that drive prices ever-upward and leave gaps in the menu due to unfulfilled orders from

broadline distributors, the overwhelm of serving a rush while understaffed, the frustration from well-intentioned customers who don’t understand why we are closing early or why their favorite meal is unavailable for the third time in the past two weeks–it’s a lot to manage, and each day can seemingly bring a new issue to address. At times, running a hospitality operation in this environment can feel a bit like the old TV show MacGyver, where it takes all of the ingenuity we can muster to come up with a solution for the day’s unique challenges.

No wonder so many of our dedicated team members are struggling with our current set of industry challenges. They knew that they signed up for a hard job, but they didn’t sign up for this. The proof is in the numbers - a lot of them are walking away. In August, one in 12 American hospitality workers quit their jobs. The same number left their jobs in September. If the same holds true for October, that will mean that our industry will have seen a 25 percent turnover over the past three months.

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How do we as operators, managers and supervisors lead in such a situation? There’s little we can do to mitigate the current external factors that are influencing our hospitality businesses so dramatically. Our focus on change must be inward. What can we do to support the teams and employees we currently have, those who still believe in the industry and see a place for themselves within it?

modeled in the consistent example set personally by a leader.

Kindness is a generous and gracious orientation that motivates us and leads us to action, and it must be expressed and demonstrated across all aspects of our leadership practice.

For instance, if we ask for our team members to speak kindly to customers, are we first modeling that behavior by speaking kindly in the workplace?

If we ask for our team members to kindly anticipate customer needs, are we thoughtfully considering the needs of our team?

There is no cure-all, but there is a good place to start.

Kindness. We need to lead our teams with kindness. Kind words and actions may not solve the challenges besetting our industry, but they do position our teams to address those issues from a position of security and unity.

We already care about kindness as an industry, at least when it comes to our customers. I’ve noticed a fascinating trend recently. A rise in difficult customer interactions has led restaurants, grocery stores and retail outlets to take the unprecedented step of posting signs at location entrances urging customers to “be nice,” “have patience,” or “show kindness” to staff.

If kindness from total strangers entering our establishments matters enough to ask for it, certainly kindness among coworkers, managers, and operation leadership is worth a premium.

We spend full working days together, serving, prepping, cleaning, hosting, and cooking side-by-side, often in close quarters. We choose to invest our days, our professional interests, and energies into working with one another in hospitality. Kindness in our teams and from our leadership is critical, especially in this time of increased stress and challenge for our industry.

I’ve spent the past several months speaking to industry groups and trade associations as part of The Kind & Effective Workplaces Initiative, sharing ideas and strategies for building teams and leaders that work together in kindness. As I meet with operators and leaders across different parts of our industry, the need for kindness on our teams is apparent and expressed often.

Building kind and effective teams requires commitment from leaders–not just commitment written in a mission statement or employee handbook, but a real, genuine commitment to kindness

When people look at us as leaders, do they see kindness?

Kindness doesn’t mean that we need to become doormats and sacrifice the needs of the organization on the altar of “being nice;” rather, kindness requires that we deeply consider the needs of our team members (and ourselves) as an integral part of pursuing our organizational goals. When we lead in this way, we invest in our staff in such a way as to promote their longterm stability within our industry, and position them for success when they move on to whatever else comes next. They are more prepared and willing to weather a storm when surrounded by kind team members and when led by kind leaders.

While kindness is simple, there are many ways to express it effectively within our organizations to help build increasingly positive and resilient workplace cultures. Our work with The Kind & Effective Workplaces Initiative is to develop tools and train teams in ways to express organizational kindness. If you have a passion for kindness in the workplace or recognize a need for cultural transformation in your own organization, we’d love to hear from you.  JUSTIN FREEMAN, BAGEL SPHERE About

Justin Freeman is the owner/operator of Bagel Sphere in Eugene, and a trainer and speaker with The Kind & Effective Workplaces Initiative.

Want to hear more?

Download ORLA’s Boiled Down podcast episode #39, Kindness in the Workplace, wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

INTENTIONAL INCLUSIVITY DEI, Recruitment, and Hiring is a Package Deal

A

s we enter the new year of 2022, this is a fantastic time to re-evaluate your recruitment and hiring practices to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into every step of the process. From the moment you write the job posting, all the way to onboarding a new hire, DEI should be a crucial focus the entire time.

Inclusive Job Postings For some, your company’s job posting may be their first interaction with your company. It’s crucial to make this sometimes-vulnerable process of job hunting a safe and equitable experience from the very start. You can start with making the language used in the job posting itself more equitable by eliminating any gender-specific pronouns or gender-coded terms. Instead of “he” or “she,” use “you” or “they,” and avoid any words like “nurturing” or “ninja,” which can sometimes have more feminine or masculine associated meanings.

Also, be intentional and only include requirements that are 100 percent necessary to success in the position. The more requirements added will act as a barrier to candidates who may not have “traditional” career or educational paths. Consider taking out degree requirements (unless 100 percent needed) or required years of experience, to combat imposter syndrome for candidates who may be questioning if they “belong” in your organization because of not having those qualifications.

Culture and DEI Statement You should also be sure to emphasize your company’s culture, DEI statement (if you have one), and what you’re doing to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for employees (paid maternity/ paternity leave, flex work, etc.). This should be mentioned not only in your job posting but also openly discussed in any candidate interviews. It can also be helpful for candidates to know what you’re currently doing to continually improve and integrate DEI into the workplace. The more you’re able to show exactly what you’re doing to prioritize DEI, the safer your onboarding process will be and more inclusive for candidates.

Second-Chance Employment Opportunities SHRM found that a staggering 700,000 people are released from prison each year, but too often they are denied the opportunity to put their skills to work due to deeply rooted biases and harmful misperceptions. It was also found that a large majority of people are actually accepting and proud to work for – and patronize – a business that employs someone with a criminal record. With the help of “Ban-the-box” or “fair chance” legislation (active in 30+ states), it’s unlawful for employers to ask candidates about their criminal history during the application process.

It’s not until after an employer has conducted an interview or made a conditional employment offer, that they may be allowed to inquire about that candidate’s criminal history. The goal is to decrease discrimination in the hiring process and give everyone a more fair, equitable chance at employment. We highly recommend considering second-chance candidates in your next job opening, being sure to approach this situation with empathy and fairness.

Background Check Considerations You can still run background checks once it’s lawful to do so but ensure that the results of these background checks aren’t being used as just a barrier to employment. If a background check comes back with any hits for a candidate, be sure to consider the nature of the job, the severity of the offense, and how much time has passed before making your final hiring decision.

Just because a candidate has a criminal history or some hits on their background check, you should not automatically disqualify them for the job they’re being considered for. It’s important to take all the information you have about the candidate and consider the needs of the position to make a fair and educated decision about who is best suited for the role.

HR Annie Consulting powers the background check company, BackgroundBrief, where we take a “people first” stance. Our background check and identity solutions can help you navigate uncertainty and create safe environments for your employees, customers, and partners.

Final Thoughts The more your company can incorporate DEI into every step of the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding process, the better experience it will be for everyone involved. It’s no secret that workers just simply want to feel valued, included, and like they belong. By making DEI a priority in your hiring process, you will be able to attract candidates with more diverse backgrounds who will help make your company that much better along the way. Feel free to reach out to HR Annie for support reviewing and writing inclusive job postings.  ZOE STANLEY, HR ANNIE CONSULTING OregonRLA.ORG 39

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OregonAlcoholServer.com 40

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

IT’S YOUR BUSINESS: Retaining Employees With a Safe Workspace

T

he tight labor market continues to be a primary concern for the hospitality industry. The good news is people are eager to travel, dine out, and resume a more normal social schedule. Operators and managers share the challenges of keeping up with the new faces they see in their workforce every week. Now is the perfect time to rethink how often you check in with employees. Reinvigorating your communication during constant churn will positively impact morale, retention, and injury prevention.

It’s good to pause and reflect on how many times your management team talks with employees. Every communication is a new opportunity to dust off soft skills and start having short conversations that go beyond a simple greeting or providing direction.

By definition, “soft skills” are human attributes and qualities that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with others. It’s a mix of communication, caring, listening, and empathy. More than ever, this is what helps set your business apart from the competition in keeping valuable employees. Genuine care and concern around employee wellbeing and safety will go a long way.

 Offer an open-door policy for employees to talk with managers and supervisors if something arises and they are looking for help or support. We all need help now and then.

Here are some things to consider when engaging with your workforce. Connecting with your employees can help them build resilience and feel supported.

 Not everyone in leadership can deliver an authentic message of care and concern. Find the right person in your business to deliver this type of message.

 Messages of support and care help employees build internal resources and the ability to adapt to stress and adversity.

 One of the reasons employees leave their employer is for better working conditions. Be a workplace where employees want to work. Discuss the sense of purpose for your business and build teams of good people.

 Employees who feel safe and mentally well also perform better on the job and are less likely to get physically injured.  Building employee resilience starts with a psychologically safe workplace. To gauge whether your workplace promotes psychological safety, ask yourself these questions: • Do employees feel they belong?

• Are employees able to learn?

• Are employees encouraged to share ideas without fear?

• Are employees encouraged to question the way things are done?  Use pre-shift meetings to discuss work/life hazards such as weather and road conditions. It’s important for employees to get to and from work safely.  Encourage coworker buddy systems, checking in on each other if employees feel comfortable doing so.

 Listen to employees and help them be successful. Training and instruction are more important now than ever before.  Recognize employees for the things your business values, such as: • Showing up on time.

• Offering to cover additional shifts.

• Following safety rules, identifying employee and customer safety hazards.

• Helping a coworker who is struggling or having a bad day.

• Delivering a great customer experience.

• Taking the initiative to solve problems.

• Cleaning work areas, restocking supplies.

• Listening and asking questions.

• Making suggestions to improve service and efficiency.

Additional resources for building resilience and workplace safety meeting topics can be found on SAIF.com/safety.  SAIF CORPORATION OregonRLA.ORG 41

FROM FOOD TRAIL TO A FOOD INNOVATION CENTER Collaborative Partnerships Develop Pathways for Needed Resources

I

n February of 2017, 80 individuals from as many food businesses gathered in Tillamook for a culinary/agritourism workshop with Travel Oregon. Over two days of discussion and hands-on activities, the group decided that a food trail was the best way to build a collaborative marketing effort, managed and supported by Tillamook Coast Visitors Association (TCVA), with funding assistance from Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln City Visitors Bureau.

After several months of development, the North Coast Food Trail was launched in March, 2018 with sixty members representing farms, fisheries, restaurants, experiences, farmers markets and lodging. It was quickly successful: In late fall of 2019, the editors of Sunset Magazine named it the “best foodie trip” in their annual travel awards issue. Now completing its fourth year, the food trail has 80 members and extends from Astoria to Neskowin (Lincoln City became part of the Central Coast Food Trail in 2020).

Coast Food Trail,” said Nan Devlin, executive director of TCVA. “Yet it was the conversations that took place between farmers, fishers, chefs and restaurant owners during the initial culinary/ agritourism workshop that got me thinking about the needs of our producers and what TCVA could do to help.”

In 2019, TCVA was awarded a Business Oregon Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) grant to explore those needs and the interest among small food businesses – that mostly worked in silos – about other collaborative programs that could assist them.

A second ROI grant the following year dove deeper into industry data–logistics of delivery and cost of creating a food hub.

During these two grant rounds, TCVA sponsored two food producer meetings hosted by Food Roots, a nonprofit in Tillamook that supports local farmers and fishers. Panels of speakers expressed needs for facilities, workforce training, and expansion of markets. Buyers and sellers did a “speed dating” hour, and local food and beverage was shared.

“From a tourism perspective – and as an advocate for small businesses on the coast - I’m thrilled by the success of the North

At a producers event in Garibaldi with buyers and sellers of local foods: Lauren Sorg, Food Roots; Jeff Wong, CS Fishery; Tyson Rasor, EcoTrust; and Jared Gardner, Nehalem River Ranch.

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

At the loading dock of the building that will soon become the Astoria Food Hub: Jared Gardner, Nehalem River Ranch; Warren Neth, Astoria Food Hub Director of Engagement; and Corey Omey, EMA Architecture.

While the ROI studies were underway, the Port of Garibaldi, Columbia Pacific Regional Economic Development District (ColPac), Rural Development Initiatives, Economic Development Council of Tillamook County and EcoTrust developed a Seafood Value Chain report. This study, funded by The Ford Family Foundation, explored needs of small commercial fisheries, including cold storage, paths to ownership, access to capital and expanding markets.

“Even though Oregon’s north coast is rich in bounty – seafood, produce, value-add products, beverages – there is a lack of muchneeded facilities available to support small producers, such as a shared commercial kitchen, cold storage, seafood processing equipment, food delivery system, and business support, such as training and mentorship,” said Devlin.

In 2020, Col-Pac was awarded a $350,000 grant from the USDA’s Rural Food Systems Program. A work group formed to create a database of food producers in Tillamook, Clatsop and Columbia counties, and gain a greater understanding of wholesale markets, seasonal products and ability to meet demand. And Jared Gardner, owner of Nehalem River Ranch, approached farmers and producers in his local area to see how they could improve delivery efficiencies. Using his own delivery truck, he aggregated products from multiple beef producers and provided service to several restaurants and markets.

Meanwhile, Food Roots received two grants to purchase a refrigerated van, and contracted with Gardner to pick up and deliver fresh food sales from Food Roots’ farm store as well as North Coast Food Web’s orders in Clatsop County. Then in early 2021, Gardner partnered with Fort George Brewery to purchase a building on Astoria’s waterfront, which is being remodeled into food hub, with cold storage, commercial kitchen and storefront.

In June 2021, TCVA gathered a group of community leaders and food business owners to discuss an upcoming program with Business Oregon, a series of statewide Innovation Hubs in traded products. Could this be a pathway to developing the needed resources for our food businesses? The group agreed it could, and set forth planning for that outcome.

In October, TCVA received a third ROI grant to develop a business and financial plan for food and fish processing centers, commercial kitchens, cold storage, food hub, and training center. This will serve the state’s north coast region, and talks are underway with Oregon RAIN to include connections to a seafood center in Newport.

“People ask me what tourism has to do with a food innovation center, and I tell them it’s strongly connected to our hospitality businesses and their local food suppliers,” said Devlin. “Our food producers need our support to grow and thrive, right along with our tourism industry. It goes hand-in-hand.”  TILLAMOOK COAST VISITORS ASSOCIATION & NORTH COAST FOOD TRAIL

OregonRLA.ORG 43

LODGING PERFORMANCE Hotel Benchmark Data The information contained in this report is provided by STR. For detailed lodging performance data for your area, contact STR at 615.824.8664 ext. 3504 or info@str.com. ORLA members can log in to access to monthly reports on OregonRLA.org in the Resource Library.

MONTH - OCTOBER 2021 VS OCTOBER 2020

Occupancy (%)

Avg Rm Rate ($)

RevPAR ($)

Percent Change from October 2020

2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Room Room

Rev Avail Sold United States

62.9 48.4 134.78 97.72 84.75 47.33 29.8 37.9 79.1 87.3 4.6 35.8

Pacific

63.9

Oregon

62.5 56.4 122.61 98.54 76.64 55.55 10.9 24.4 37.9 42.8 3.5 14.7

51.0

167.58

119.60

107.15

60.95

25.5

40.1

75.8

89.0

7.5

34.9

Eastern+

64.7 56.7 92.69 81.36 60.01 46.16 14.1 13.9 30.0 31.8 1.4 15.7

Central+

66.5 60.7 133.94 111.62 89.13 67.73 9.7 20.0 31.6 34.1 1.9 11.8

Southern+

74.1 77.0 112.01 91.29 83.00 70.29 -3.8 22.7 18.1 13.1 -4.2 -7.8

Willamette Valley+

67.8 60.8 126.52 93.91 85.73 57.12 11.4 34.7 50.1 49.0 -0.7 10.6

MT Hood/Gorge+

65.9 55.8 123.99 100.30 81.77 55.99 18.1 23.6 46.0 46.0 0.0 18.1

Portland Metro+

55.1 41.7 123.77 92.18 68.18 38.44 32.1 34.3 77.3 97.5 11.4 47.1

Coast+

62.4 64.9 130.08 113.60 81.23 73.73 -3.8 14.5 10.2 9.7 -0.4 -4.2

YEAR TO DATE - OCTOBER 2021 VS OCTOBER 2020 Occupancy (%)

Avg Rm Rate ($)

RevPAR ($)

Percent Change from YTD 2020

PARTICIPATION Properties

Rooms

2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Room Room Census Sample Census Sample

Rev Avail Sold U.S. 58.1 45.2 123.24 105.32 71.61 47.56 28.7 17.0 50.6 58.5 5.3 35.5 61061 36504 5521392 4171757 Pacific 60.4 48.9 155.10 131.95 93.62 64.55 23.4 17.5 45.0 55.8 7.4 32.6 9112 4684 795081 609482 Oregon 61.7 47.3 124.49 103.93 76.83 49.18 30.4 19.8 56.2 62.3 3.9 35.5 1020 522 70620 50795 Eastern+ 61.4 47.1 94.13 80.61 57.75 37.97 30.3 16.8 52.1 54.0 1.2 31.9 96 49 4963 3156 Central+ 64.9 50.8 151.09 121.57 98.09 61.70 27.9 24.3 59.0 64.7 3.6 32.5 88 51 5948 4290 Southern+ 73.0 53.7 111.64 87.19 81.54 46.79 36.1 28.0 74.3 71.6 -1.5 34.0 159 63 8445 4979 Valley+ 66.2 50.5 118.09 94.82 78.22 47.88 31.2 24.5 63.4 70.5 4.4 36.9 157 92 10909 7955 Hood/Grg+ 65.7 48.7 124.70 103.40 81.98 50.37 34.9 20.6 62.8 68.0 3.2 39.3 35 22 2305 1840 Metro+ 52.9 40.9 114.34 102.51 60.43 41.95 29.2 11.5 44.1 55.0 7.6 39.0 248 186 27023 24334 Coast+ 67.3 51.6 148.56 121.98 99.91 62.99 30.2 21.8 58.6 62.7 2.6 33.6 236 66 11354 4935

HAVE YOU HEARD ORLA'S PODCAST? Subscribe to Boiled Down wherever you get your podcasts so new episodes are delivered directly to your device! We condense valuable information and intelligence for Oregon hospitality.

OregonRLA.org/BoiledDown 44

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

NEWS BRIEFS Happenings From Around the Industry

Hospitality Members Appointed to Tourism Commission

FLSA Compliance

In an effort to help operators minimize risk of violations and work towards greater compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), ORLA has developed a web page of curated information and guidance from the U.S. DOL Wage & Hour Division. FLSA covers federal law which sets minimum wage, overtime, record keeping and youth employment standards. Visit ORLA’s website at OregonRLA.org/wage-and-hour to access links to regulatory information, posters, materials and other resources helpful in your business operation and ensure you stay in compliance.

Governor Kate Brown has appointed two new members to the Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon): Erin Stephenson, founder of a boutique lodging company in McMinnville, and David Penilton, owner of America’s Hub World Tours and Oregon Tour Experts.

Stephenson's company includes two brands, the Atticus Hotel, and 3rd Street Flats, a curated collection of vacation rentals in two historic buildings in downtown McMinnville. For more than 15 years, David Penilton has been helping visitors from all over the world explore the wonders of Oregon though his tour companies, America’s Hub World Tours and Oregon Tour Experts. They will join seven other commissioners including Scott Youngblood, manager of Embassy Suites by Hilton at Washington Square (Chair), and Richard Boyles, president of Sycan B. Corporation, a real estate development firm (Vice Chair).

Remembering a Hospitality Team Member

In memoriam... Michael Braxton, manager of The Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge in Cannon Beach, tragically lost his life, along with his seven-year-old son, Kobe, in an auto accident in November. Michael's light heart, friendliness, and sense of fun will be deeply missed. Escape Lodging, the Driftwood family, and the greater community extend our sincere sympathies to Michael's fiancé Amber, their daughter Kaia, and the rest of Michael's family. In his memory, please consider joining this community in support of the family in the face of such unimaginable loss. (https://bit.ly/mbraxton)

Data, Trends & Resources

Looking for industry data, research and training to assist in running your operation? Remember that ORLA and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) serve as valuable resources to you. As workforce shortages continue to be cited by employers as the number one issue facing businesses, OHF has collected helpful resources from our state partners as well as our national affiliates to assist operators in addressing workforce needs; visit OregonRLA.org/workforce for details. ORLA members are afforded access to the Resource Library, which includes Oregon and national industry research, reports, whitepapers, and the latest hotel performance report from STR (Smith Travel Research). To access this information, log in to the Member Portal on ORLA's website and click on the Resource Library. If you have any questions, email Membership@OregonRLA.org.

Your Association Turns 90!

November 14, 2021 marked the 90th anniversary of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), the largest statewide trade association representing restaurant and lodging owners/ operators in Oregon. Over the last several decades, ORLA has evolved not only in name but also in its strength and depth of representation of the industry on numerous issues and business challenges.

Your association and its foundation continue to sharpen their focus on providing leadership, training and resources to protect, improve and promote Oregon hospitality. We extend tremendous gratitude to our long-standing members who have supported the association along the way. Not a member yet? Visit OregonRLA.org/membership and consider joining the ORLA family.

OregonRLA.ORG 45

WHAT YOUR PEERS ARE SAYING Meet Some Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Members

M

embership in ORLA means being part of the only organization in the state devoted to protecting and promoting the interests of our industry. It’s all of us together that makes that possible.

Get inspired by these peer profiles where members share their thoughts on their favorite superheroes and heroines. For a little seasonal fun we also wanted to know their favorite wintertime activities.

Tell Your Peers a Little About You! If you are a member, and are willing to be profiled here, please email us at info@OregonRLA.org. Also, let us know if there is a question you would like to see your peers answer.

GET TO KNOW SOME OF YOUR PEERS BY READING THEIR RESPONSES TO THESE BUSINESS RELATED QUESTIONS:

What is one kind thing you do for your employees/coworkers?

What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

JAKE VANDERVEEN McDonald Wholesale, Eugene

Title: President and COO Joined the Company: 2004 Member Since: 2009 Fav Winter Activity: Frequenting our customers and enjoying many of the fine food and libations they create.

Fav Superhero: Everyday superheroes, anyone who has a passion that compels them to forgo self-service and aspire to something greater.

What is one kind thing you do for your employees/coworkers?

I encourage them to be their best self and try to eliminate any roadblocks while giving them the resources to achieve their goals. We also strongly support work-life balance in order to achieve success and enjoyment.

46

REGINA PICKE Wild Goose Meadows RV, Lakeview

Title: Owner Open Since: 2015 Member Since: 2015 Fav Winter Activity: Snuggling by a fire Fav Superhero: My husband What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business moving forward?

Our business will be sustained by normality.

People want to be treated normal again. They want to travel and have fun and not be treated like they are spreading a plague. Whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, people are fun and loving individuals that deserve to be celebrated.

Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

AMY LEWIN Oregonian Media Group, Portland

Title: Vice President, Brand & Strategic Partnerships Joined the Company: 2021 Member Since: 2020 Fav Winter Activity: Blustery beach walks Fav Superhero: Mary Poppins What is one kind thing you do for your employees/coworkers?

Listening. I love hearing from my colleagues how they're doing. We've been working from home and it's complicated. Showing up and sharing a "how's your day?" before diving into the work means a lot.

MARTIN MCALLISTER Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront

JOLEE BANCROFT Mo’s Seafood & Chowder

DANELLE ROMAIN Oregon Beer & Wine Distributors Association

Title: President Joined the Company: 2004 Member Since: 1990 Fav Winter Activity: Traveling Fav Superhero: Wonder Woman What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Title: Executive Director Joined the Company: 2004 Member Since: A long time Fav Winter Activity: Palm Springs Fav Superhero: Eleven, Stranger Things What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Even in difficult circumstances making decisions that put your people first pays off in both the short and the long term.

We invested in waitlist.me which was a game changer for our concept. It keeps both our guest and staff happy!

Whether we like it or not, government decisions control how we conduct business. Government advocacy has never been more important than it is today.

SCOTT YOUNGBLOOD Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Washington Square, Tigard

LYNNELLE MORGAN Over The Edge Taphouse, Crooked River Ranch/Terrebonne

JUSTIN FREEMAN Bagel Sphere, Eugene

Title: General Manager Joined the Company: 2021 Member Since: 1980 Fav Winter Activity: Skiing!

Fav Superhero: Superman What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Title: GM & Playground Director Joined the Company: 2014 Member Since: 1992 Fav Winter Activity: Snowshoe Hikes with Jill Fav Superhero: Anthony Fauci What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Helping our co-workers find balance and strategies for self-care keeps our business stable and productive, even under the hardest of circumstances.

Title: President/Owner Open Since: 2019 Member Since: 2021 Fav Winter Activity: Riding our Side by Side in the snow Fav Superhero: Wonder Twin Powers What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Customers and relationships are important. You get back from the community what you give out!

Everyone is important to our success.

Title: Owner & Operator Open Since: 2017 Member Since: 2017 Fav Winter Activity: Rainy hikes Fav Superhero: My wife!

What have you learned this past year that will help sustain your business?

Our business needs to be a bit like an octopus with multiple arms of income, so that if one is cut off, we still have a fighting chance! :) OregonRLA.ORG 47

HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU?

MEMBER SOLUTIONS Save Time and Money with ORLA’s Cost-Saving Member Programs | OregonRLA.org

Membership in ORLA means being a part of the only organization in the state devoted to protecting and promoting the interests of the entire hospitality industry. Contact us for questions; let us know what issues are affecting your business and how we can help. We have your back!

MEMBERSHIP CONTACTS:

STEVEN SCARDINA Regional Representative 503.718.1495 SScardina@OregonRLA.org

PREFERRED PARTNERS

WORKERS’ COMP INSURANCE ORLA’s group program with SAIF affords members an additional 20% premium discount if they meet the eligibility requirements.

TERRY HOPKINS Regional Representative 541.441.2219 THopkins@OregonRLA.org

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND IT SUPPORT ORLA Members receive up to 30-40% off the everyday price on select Dell products. Members can also receive round-the-clock access to IT help with ProSupport, only from Dell.

MARLA McCOLLY Director of Business Development 503.428.8694 MMcColly@OregonRLA.org

CREDIT CARD PROCESSING ORLA Members get a discounted flat swiped rate of 2.3% + .05 a transaction, plus additional fees waived and tools to run your business more efficiently.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONTACTS:

JASON BRANDT President & CEO 503.302.5060 JBrandt@OregonRLA.org

NATIONAL PARTNERS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS Standard healthcare coverage. ORLA Health Solutions also includes telemedicine, at-home testing, health savings accounts, free prescription discount cards and mental health resources.

GREG ASTLEY Director of Government Affairs 503.851.1330 Astley@OregonRLA.org

MUSIC LICENSING ORLA Members can save 10% on first year annual fee.

TOM PERRICK Government Affairs Coordinator 971.224.1512 TPerrick@OregonRLA.org GLENDA HAMSTREET Executive Coordinator Government Affairs 971.224.1509 GHamstreet@OregonRLA.org

MUSIC LICENSING ORLA Members can save up to 20% off their music licensing fees.​​

HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

OREGON RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION MAIN OFFICE: ​​

503.682.4422 • info@OregonRLA.org

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

Find additional member-to-member exclusive cost-saving offers and benefits aimed at improving your bottom line online at OregonRLA.org/hospitality-partners • HR Annie Consulting • My Accounting Team • OregonLive • Powered by BYOD™ • Togather Restaurant Consulting

NEW MEMBERS ORLA Would Like To Welcome The Following New Members From August – October 2021

• Acuity Insurance, Sheboygan, WI

• Holiday Inn Express, Roseburg

• Anchor Inn Resort, Lincoln City

• Jackknife, Portland

• Bend Pizza Kitchen, Bend

• Killer Burger LLC, Portland

• Best Western Sandy Inn, Sandy

• Lightning Bar Collective, Portland

• Bocchetti Contracting, Inc., Oregon City

• Nob Hill Bar & Grill, Portland

• Campfire Hotel, Bend

• Pizza Pride, Inc., Tualatin

• Domino's Pizza, Central Point

• Roseberry's Roaming Recipes, Gilchrist

• Domino's Pizza, Eagle Point

• Salmon Run Golf, Brookings

• Domino's Pizza, Klamath Falls

• Slice, Beaverton

• Domino's Pizza, Medford

• South Pacific Pizza, Inc., Spokane

• Domino's, Grants Pass

• Stepping Stone Cafe LLC, Portland

• Duffy's Pub, Milwaukie

• Super 8, Springfield

• Flights Wine Bar, LLC, Bend

• Sushi Town Inc, Hillsboro

• Hilton Garden Inn, Wilsonville/Portland

• United Insurance Services, Beaverton

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bend South, Bend

Stay Connected by Subscribing to ORLA eCommunications.

Get the latest hospitality industry news, event details, and offers. ORLA provides different types of email subscriptions to make sure you get exactly the info you are looking for.

Tailor your subscriptions at OregonRLA.org/subscribe.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EMAILS FOR YOU  Insider: Monthly news and information (members only)  Alert: Urgent call to action or industry alerts  Announcement: Industry announcements  Events: Industry and association activities  Industry Offers: Sponsored messages, deals and discounts

OregonRLA.ORG 49

POLISH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CONTRIBUTE TO OREGON'S LASTING SUCCESS

YEAR-LONG PROGRAM The Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy is designed for Oregon’s hospitality industry professionals with executive potential.

Recruits will go beyond the walls of their businesses to gain in-depth experiences and knowledge that will elevate their passion and excitement for our state’s extraordinary offerings.

BENEFITS OF OTLA PARTICIPATION: The continued development of leadership skills, including creative team problemsolving, listening and communication skills, emotional intelligence and the development of deeper self-awareness.

Lifelong relationships and networking pathways through connection with participants, mentors and presenters.

The 2022 program will consist of four excursions to be completed in the year, with Connections with state and national each excursion scheduled over three days. resources and networks through experiential learning in a variety of Oregon contexts.

Participants who complete the courses and meet the standards set will be certified.

This certification assures industry and consumers that the assessed individual has met or exceeded the standards set by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), Travel Oregon, Oregon Destination Association and a network of specialized facilitators.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COURSE Visit OregonRLA.org/OTLA and be sure to visit the "Before You Apply" section for

FAQs and criteria.

Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy OregonRLA.org/OTLA

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

LOOKING AHEAD Visit OregonRLA.org for event details and registration.

SUNDAY

TUESDAY

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY New Year’s Day

1

JANUARY 2022

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

17 18 19 20 21 22

ServSafe Class,Wilsonville

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Groundhog 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 Day

FEBRUARY 2022

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ServSafe Class, Wilsonville

13 Valentine’s Day

14 15 16 17 18 19

20

21 22 23 24 25 26

President’s Day

Taste Oregon Legislative Reception

27 28 1 2 3 4 5

MARCH 2022

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Daylight Saving Time

St. Patrick’s Day ServSafe Class,14 15 16 13 17 18 19

Wilsonville

Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

OregonRLA.ORG 51

Customized coverage as unique as your business.

Talk to your Independent agent/broker or visit LibertyMutualGroup.com/Business

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Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association | WINTER 2022

© 2021 Liberty Mutual Insurance, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116