Southern Oregon Business Journal - July 2021 Edition

Proudly Serving Benton, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln & Linn Counties and Crook, Lake, Harney and Malheur Counties as well. Since 2015

The Journal for Business in Southern Oregon SouthernOregonBusiness.com

WE LOVE MUSEUMS: 1000MUSEUMS CELEBRATES 5 YEARS - PAGE 36

July 2021

SMITH TO HEAD SOU DIVISION OF BUSINESS, COMMUNICATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT - PAGE 42

WOOHOO! - FAIRS ARE BACK IN BUSINESS - PAGE 21

WooHoo! Oregon Fairs are Back in Business

PAGE 21

Sponsored by

ASHLAND BASED 1000MUSEUMS CELEBRATES 5 YEARS - PAGE 36

The Southern Oregon Business Journal extends sincere thanks to the following companies for sponsoring the journal. Without their support we could not produce a FREE resource for Southern Oregon businesses.

A Few Words from Jim WooHoo! This fun phrase is used often by Helen Funk when exclaiming the great news during board meetings of the Jackson County Fair, of which I proudly serve on.

She is the director and even through COVID shut the fair and expo business down for over a year she has much to celebrate, but I wanted to borrow her excitement to share with the business community how excited I am that we are going to have county fairs again. I explain the business model of the Jackson County Fair on page 21.

ARCIMOTO

WooHoo! I’ll say it again to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of an Oregon company that I am a partner in. Art Authority, LLC purchased, 1000Museums.com, a failed dot com e-commerce business 5 years ago and it’s doing very well now under new leadership, in a new location (Ashland) and expertise.

I remember sitting for several hours in a trailer at the Jackson County Expo RV park - it was fair-week - walking through the purchase agreement word by word with our legal teams and seller on the East Coast and signing on the spot. It was a milestone day.

With the help of my 3 amazing partners ( we started with 2 additional partners - the original founders of 1000Museums.com, who amicably exited the partnership early on) we have turned around this company and grew it in amazing ways. We doubled our manufacturing space, added employees, brought 100% of our framing in house and grew both our museum partner base as well as our e-commerce customer base. We constantly innovate new systems, products and processes to improve our little company and it’s exciting and rewarding work.

ARCIMOTO ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF EUGENE RENTAL CENTER - PAGE 5 ARCIMOTO AND LIGHTNING MOTORCYCLES BEGIN DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD’S FASTEST ELECTRIC THREEWHEEL TILTING MOTORCYCLE - PAGE 6

I think the thing that I am most proud of is that we survived COVID. 100% of our Museum customers were shut down overnight and it greatly impacted us nancially forcing us to pivot hard to survive and we did. Hard decisions were made and everyone rolled up their sleeves again to nd a way through it. Because of this, we are stronger coming out than we were going in.

It’s a great story worth sharing and it starts on page 36.

It’s July. It’s hot and we have a lot to celebrate. Visit your county fair and checkout 1000Museums.com and let me know what you think.

Jim Jim@SouthernOregonBusiness.com

Founder Greg Henderson ghenderson703@gmail.com Greg started the Southern Oregon Business Journal in 2015 and retired in 2020.

COVER PHOTO :JACKSON COUNTY FAIR FERRIS WHEEL BY PAUL STEELE PAULSTEELEPHOTO.COM

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5350 HWY 66, Ashland, Oregon 97520

www.SouthernOregonBusiness.com A JOURNAL FOR THE ECONOMICALLY CURIOUS, PROFESSIONALLY INSPIRED AND ACUTELY MOTIVATED

July 2021 - Table of Contents PEOPLE

BUSINESS PROFILE INTERVIEW WITH CHAD DAY, OWNER/ MANAGER, ROXYANN WINERY - PAGE 10

SMITH TO HEAD SOU DIVISION OF BUSINESS, COMMUNICATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT - PAGE 42

ASHLAND BASED 1000MUSEUMS CELEBRATES 5 YEARS - PAGE 36

EMPLOYMENT IN COD (AND CRAB!) WE TRUST – OREGON’S SEAFOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY - PAGE 18 OREGON’S MARIJUANA INDUSTRY AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS PAGE 22 OREGON’S MINIMUM WAGE TO INCREASE EACH YEAR THROUGH 2022 - PAGE 28

WOOHOO! - FAIRS ARE BACK IN BUSINESS - PAGE 21

LANE COUNTY BUILDING PERMITS ROSE IN 2020 DESPITE COVID-19 - PAGE 31 AMAZON EXPANDS IN OREGON - PAGE 34

YOU’RE KIND OF OLD, AREN’T YOU? - PAGE 35

BUSINESS NEWS

Arcimoto Announces Grand Opening of Eugene Rental Center

By Press Release

Arcimoto, Inc.® (NASDAQ: FUV), The Eugene based, makers of fun, affordable, and ultraef cient electric vehicles for everyday drivers and eets, today announced that its new rental center in Eugene is of cially open for business.

You can book your FUV rental today at arcimoto.com/rental “Following the opening of Arcimoto San Diego, the grand opening of Arcimoto Eugene today is an awesome new opportunity to introduce riders to our one-of-a-kind EVs, and also represents a new revenue model that builds toward the Arcimoto vision of shared, autonomous, rightsized, zero-emission mobility”

“Following the opening of Arcimoto San Diego, the grand opening of Arcimoto Eugene today is an awesome new opportunity to introduce riders to our one-of-a-kind EVs, and also represents a new revenue model that builds toward the Arcimoto vision of shared, autonomous, rightsized, zero-emission mobility,” said Mark Frohnmayer, Founder and CEO of Arcimoto. “For visitors to Eugene and locals alike, whether you’re in town for the Olympic Trials, visiting the University of Oregon, exploring the Willamette Valley wine country, or just want a thrilling new way to blow your hair back, Arcimoto Eugene is the perfect place to ride a pure-electric FUV.”

Arcimoto Eugene is located at 135 Blair Boulevard, behind the Better Living Room by Ninkasi Brewing. From there, guests will be able to rent FUVs and explore historic downtown Eugene, the iconic new Hayward Field, and the rolling hills of the Southern Willamette Valley.

Arcimoto Eugene is the fourth Arcimoto rental location, with rentals also available at Arcimoto San Diego, Arcimoto Key West, and GoCar Tours in San Francisco.

For the latest company updates, follow Arcimoto on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. A replay of the Company’s latest quarterly earnings webinar can be viewed here.

For more information, visit Arcimoto.com.

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 5

By Press Release

Eugene based Arcimoto, Inc.® (NASDAQ: FUV), makers of affordable, practical, and joyful pure electric vehicles for everyday commuters and eets, today announced a collaboration with Lightning Motorcycles with the goal to develop the fastest tilting three-wheel motorcycle in the world—gas or electric—using its patented Tilting Motor Works TRiO tilting trike technology.

“From the moment I met Richard Hat eld and saw the Lightning for myself at Bonneville, I knew there was the potential to create an electric trike unlike anything in the history of motorcycles, ” said Bob Mighell, Arcimoto’s Chief Tilting Of cer, who himself broke the landspeed record for 3-wheeled motorcycles at the 2013 Motorcycle Speed Trials held at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. “This will be the rst time we

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Arcimoto and Lightning Motorcycles Begin Development of World’s Fastest Electric Three-Wheel Tilting Motorcycle

BUSINESS NEWS

out t an electric bike with the TRiO kit, and it certainly won’t be the last, as we drive toward a sustainable future faster than ever before.”

The Lightning SuperBike set a record as the world’s fastest production motorcycle, electric or otherwise, with the SCTA of cial World Record of 215.960 mph and a best timed run of 218.637 mph at Bonneville during Speedweek in 2011.

The record-setting run was powered entirely by solar energy at an estimated cost of only 8 cents.

“As the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance electric motorcycles, we are excited to bring our technology and know-how to the collaboration with Arcimoto for the three-wheel market. The convergence of our proprietary technology, the market adoption of EVs, and the

widely recognized environmental bene ts of clean energy propulsion make this an excellent and exciting time to bring these vehicles to the mass market,” said Richard Hat eld, Founder and CEO of Lightning Motorcycles. “Our vision is to see Lightning’s electric motorcycles provide performance-oriented and environmentally conscious transportation, as well as adrenaline inducing fun, for both new and experienced riders all over the world. This collaboration ampli es our vision. It’s an honor to build the rst electric bike out tted with the TRiO alongside ‘Bonneville Bob Mighell,’ who has proven throughout his career that trikes can, and should, y.”

Arcimoto’s Tilting Motor Works TRiO is the leading tilting three-wheel conversion kit for

Lightning Motorcycles produces highperformance premium electric motorcycles.

Lightning products have been proven in competition against the best gas motorcycles in the world and have incorporated this innovation and experience to deliver a combination of performance, price and rider experience that positions Lightning to drive mainstream adoption of electric motorcycles. Lightning is currently producing two platforms in the company’s facility in Hollister, California and is preparing to expand production and extend its product line into several additional platforms to address the global market. For more information, please visit LightningMotorcycle.com.

About Tilting Motor Works Photo from tiltingmotorworks.com blog post

touring motorcycles. TRiO allows the rider to lean naturally, maintaining performance and the thrill of the ride while increasing safety, stability, and con dence. TRiO kits can be augmented with the TiltLock leveling system, allowing the bike to stand up by itself while stopped at lights or in traf c.

For the latest company updates, follow Arcimoto on YouTube, Facebook, Instragram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. A replay of the Company’s latest quarterly earnings webinar can be viewed here.

For more information, visit Arcimoto.com.

Tilting Motor Works was founded by Bob Mighell with the mission to build a tilting three-wheel motorcycle with increased safety and stability without compromising performance. Arcimoto acquired Tilting Motor Works this year in order to accelerate the deployment of true sustainable micromobility solutions for the world.

“This collaboration is something that could only happen between two legendary speed demons of Bonneville,” said Mark Frohnmayer, Arcimoto Founder and CEO. “While Plaid-level performance has never been a part of the Arcimoto narrative, proving our tilting trike technology beyond ludicrous speed will give us, and our customers, added comfort that our future micromobility solutions are stable under the most demanding conditions. Further this rst adaptation of the TRiO for an electric motorcycle is in full alignment with Arcimoto’s mission to catalyze sustainable, emissions-free mobility.”

The prototype collaboration trike is anticipated to be unveiled at the “FUV and Friends Summer Showcase” to take place at the Portland International Raceway on July 26. To request a ticket, send an email to summershowcase@arcimoto.com. Pricing and availability of the TRiO Kit for the Lightning LS 218 will be announced at a later date.

Photo from tiltingmotorworks.com blog post

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About Lightning

ENERGY

Reopening after COVID: Simple Checks Can Save Your Business Energy and Money

By Chris Wilson C+C | ALL ABOUT THE GOOD

maintenance technician. Bird nests, beehives, and more have all been found in idle equipment and can harm equipment’s operation and air ow.

Check fans, pumps, motors, dampers, and valve lineups for anything that could cause your heating and cooling system to perform poorly and require more energy than normal. A good rst step is to replace you air lter.

That along with any other rust or debris can affect equipment’s performance.

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Photo by Gene Gallin on Unsplash

ith state restrictions lifting – shops, restaurants, of ce buildings, and others may soon see their largest crowds in more than a year.

Along with considering health and safety for employees and customers, businesses may also be starting up equipment for the rst time in months. Energy Trust of Oregon works with businesses of all sizes and says a simple walk-through and checklist can save energy and money during the return to prepandemic schedules.

Maintenance To keep equipment fully functioning, regular maintenance checks are essential. If you are reopening for the rst time, it may be helpful to check equipment with a

HVAC and Air Ventilation Many businesses are seeking to improve indoor air quality by increasing ventilation in their buildings. Operating their HVAC system around the clock is one way to do that, but it can cause a surge in energy bills.

To cut down on energy use, businesses can set HVAC controls to use 100 percent outside air while the building is occupied and reduce outside air to zero when the building is empty. During warmer months, especially on the hottest days of the year, use outside air the night before and the night after instead of during the day. This will help minimize cooling hot, outside air which will reduce energy bills.

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Once the inspection is complete, stagger the startup of your equipment to help reduce energy demand – one piece of equipment per 30 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

You can also save 3% on your full energy bill for every degree you lower the thermostat when heating or by every degree you raise the thermostat when cooling. Other ideas for air ventilation include opening windows when you are not running AC and shading windows during high temperature days.

You can also caulk doors, windows, pipes, drains, and replaces every few years to limit cold and warm air escaping through cracks or gaps in buildings.

Operations Other ways to help lower operating and energy costs include analyzing layout, programming thermostats, and switching to LED lights.

If you are not returning to full capacity, consider adjusting programming to only heat or cool spaces that are occupied. Check the thermostat and control schedules to make sure they match your hours of operation. If your building has no controls, consider adding a smart thermostat to program heating and cooling settings. In terms of lighting, if you switch from incandescent bulbs to LEDs, you can use 75% less energy and LEDs last 25 times longer.

These and other easy adjustments can lengthen the lifetime of your equipment, while also saving energy and money. Any work in energy ef ciency, no matter the size of the project, can strengthen your business, community and all of Oregon.

ENERGY

Six tips to keep your home cooler, safer during the extreme heat

By Katie Bradshaw C+C

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ith the summer season starting, it’s a great time for Oregonians to take some small steps to keep their home cool and their energy bills cooler. And, with temperatures heating up and more than three-fourths of Oregon already in some stage of drought these low- and no-cost cooling and water-saving tips are sure to provide some much-needed relief.

1. Power down heat-generating devices Home appliances, electronics and incandescent light bulbs create heat when on. Power down and consider upgrading to LED lights, which operate more ef ciently and don’t give off excess heat.

Skip the oven and use the microwave, stovetop, or grill outside. Not that you need an excuse to have a barbecue!

2. Get strategic with your windows Less light = less heat. Close windows, blinds, shades and curtains to keep heat outside. Lightcolored window coverings also help re ect heat away.

Close windows and window coverings in hot weather during the day to keep hot air out.

Open windows at night or early morning to let cool air in.

Consider planting trees or tall shrubs to lter sunlight before it enters your home.

3. Join the fan club In with the cold and out with the hot! Place a fan in the window to keep air moving and help you feel cool by pulling cool air in and drawing warm air out. Try using a box or windowmounted fan on the shady side of your home to draw in cool air. A second fan on the opposite side of the room or house can blow hot air out.

A ceiling fan can help circulate cool air from your air conditioning, allowing you to raise the thermostat setting and still stay comfortable. If you buy a new ceiling fan, choose an ENERGY STAR® quali ed model (available as a light/ fan combination).

4. Keep hot air out and cool air in Sealing air leaks and insulating your home can reduce cooling and heating costs while making your home more comfortable all year long.

Add caulk or weatherstripping around drafty doors and windows and seal holes or cracks hidden in attics, basements and crawlspaces with caulk, spray foam or weatherstripping.

Add insulation, but seal air leaks rst. Leaks make insulation less effective.

5. Make the most of air conditioning!

When no one is home, set the air conditioner or heat pump thermostat a few degrees higher than normal. When you are home set the thermostat to help you feel cooler without using too much energy.

Check the system air lter regularly and change it when it looks dirty. A dirty lter makes the system work less ef ciently and reduces air ow.

Make sure all vents and registers are well-sealed where they meet oors, walls and ceilings.

6. Stay water-wise Install water-saving shower-heads and faucet aerators.

Wash and rinse laundry with cold water and only run full loads whenever possible.

Use the water-saving setting on your dishwasher and scrape food residue off plates instead of using water to rinse.

In addition to these simple suggestions, there are many other ways to reduce energy use and save money year-round. Visit Energy Trust’s website for more no-cost and low-cost energysaving tips.

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2019 | 9

CAPICHE CONVERSATIONS:

By Chris Cook, Capiche, capiche.us President and CEO of Capiche & Capiche Wine, Chris Cook is a leadership coach focused on happiness, culture, living your brand, and winery marketing & PR. She brings decades of experience in marketing

Interview conducted by Melissa L. Michaels, Capiche Contributor/Strategic Partner, Michaels & Michaels Creative, LLC

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hen you hear “historical destination winery in Medford,” RoxyAnn Winery probably comes to mind immediately. With 11 spots on the National Register of Historic Places and a farming heritage dating back four generations, RoxyAnn Winery’s stunning grounds carry a

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Interview with Chad Day, Owner/ Manager, RoxyAnn Winery

fascinating history that makes an unbeatable backdrop for wine-tasting, weddings, and their Wine + Music Series. Owner/General Manager Chad Day and his sister, Owner/ CFO Crissie Olson, inherited this legacy from their extraordinary father, Jack Day, and have shaped it into the award-winning winery it is today. One of the jewels that makes East Medford such an attractive wine-tasting destination, RoxyAnn produces 17 types of Bordeaux- and Rhône-style wines from the

grapes grown across 70 acres of their vineyard.

Over the course of 18 months, Capiche’s Chris Cook conducted secret shopping visits for RoxyAnn, a process that yielded extremely valuable data, which Capiche then applied to helping employees and management live their brand. Capiche also surveyed current and former wine club members to understand how RoxyAnn could best serve them. At the end of the process,

former members were invited to rejoin the club—so many took them up on the offer that it more than paid for the service. By reaching out to their wine club members, Capiche helped reconnect them with RoxyAnn and made them feel special and heard. When RoxyAnn implemented many of the recommendations, the club members got even more out of this win-win arrangement. Most recently, Chris worked with RoxyAnn’s core management team on a strategic planning process involving ve short sessions where they revisited the brand, mission, vision, goals, and values.

The process resulted in a clear action plan so they could effectively implement the strategies discussed.

Q: RoxyAnn Winery’s fourthgeneration farming heritage dates back to 1908, when your greatgrandfather, Reginald Parsons, bought Hillcrest Orchard. The orchard is now included in the National Register of Historic Places, and the Parsons family farm is a landmark location. What was it like growing up on land with such a special history?

A: Growing up, I don’t think my sister and I realized the importance Hillcrest Orchard had in the history of our region. It was our back yard, our play place. We had a barn and haystacks to climb on, acres to play in and explore. It was only later in life, after I moved back to the Rogue Valley, that I realized what a special place this is. As you pull onto the grounds of RoxyAnn Winery

and Hillcrest Orchard, you’re welcomed by an iconic barn that has stood for 100 years.

People come up to me all the time and tell me how they used to play tennis at the Rec House or pick asparagus in the orchard in the springtime. This is still one of my favorite times of the year, when I get to bring my two girls out and explore the property looking for asparagus at the base of pear trees. The barn, the “Big House,” and the Packing House are all included in the National Register, which means these structures will remain for the community to see and enjoy for many years to come. Even as the City of Medford continues to enclose around us, these structures are here to remind us of how Medford and the Rogue Valley were established.

Q: The vineyard was born in 1997 when your father, Jack Day, replaced 20 acres of pears with grapes in Block 14 on the Southwest slopes of Roxy Ann Peak. The 2001 RoxyAnn Claret marked the birth of RoxyAnn Winery.

Tell me about your father and the legacy you, your sister, and the rest of the RoxyAnn team carry on in his name.

A: The vineyard was originally planted to diversify the crops we had on the property.

My dad and his cousin Jud planted the vineyard with the sole purposed of selling fruit. Foris Winery & Vineyard was purchasing fruit until 2001, when the vineyard matured and started producing more fruit than they were willing to purchase. The story I heard was Ted Gerber (Foris owner) told my dad he should start his own winery. After some research, my dad had Ted make the 2001 vintage of RoxyAnn Claret and then later hired away their winemaker, Sarah Powell, to help him build the facility we have today.

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Interview with Chad Day Continued from page 11

My dad was always an entrepreneur.

Throughout his life, he dabbled in many different industries. Right out of college, he worked for Howard S. Wright, a commercial contractor in Seattle; then he owned a plumbing business here locally called Modern Plumbing; and later he spent 20+ years as a commercial real estate appraiser, focusing most of his career in Alaska.

Building RoxyAnn Winery was a project to keep him busy after he retired from being an appraiser.

He started the winery because he was proud of his family’s heritage in the Valley, and he wanted more of the community to be able to come onto the property and experience what he knew growing up. I am sure he

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never dreamt it would grow so quickly into the destination winery it is today. RoxyAnn has become a staple of East Medford, and I hear stories from our customers all the time about how they met their spouse at RoxyAnn Winery or how RoxyAnn Winery introduced them to wine.

Q: Before you returned home in 2012 and assumed leadership responsibilities for the family business, you earned an MBA and embarked on a successful career in the residential and commercial construction industry. As you were growing up, did you know you wanted to eventually be part of the

family tradition of stewarding this unique piece of land, or did you want to pursue a different path?

A: As with any teenager, I wanted to leave Medford and explore the world. Maybe

somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I would want to return someday, but I do not think I would have admitted that. It was not until I was in my mid-twenties living in Seattle commuting three hours a day to and from work that I started to re ect on where I came from and realized Medford was where I belonged and wanted to raise my family.

My wife, Oakley, grew up in Klamath Falls, so, asking her to move back to Southern Oregon wasn’t much of a stretch.

Meanwhile, I was fortunate that my father had built this amazing business that had become a staple of East Medford, and I became aware how special this land is not only to my family but also the community.

Sometimes you need to take a step back to get a better perspective on what life has blessed us with.

Q: Your sister, Owner/CFO Crissie Olson, grew up eager to work in the family business, but she rst gained experience in both public and private accounting before returning to RoxyAnn. In addition to her CPA, she also earned an MBA. Both of you followed in the footsteps of your father, a Harvard MBA with a passion for artisan farming. How do Crissie’s strengths complement your own as

together you helm the family enterprise?

A: The importance of a good education was ingrained into us by our parents, so it is no surprise to me that both of us pursued MBAs. I would say it was more of our competitive nature that drove us to get MBAs. I remember telling Crissie I was going back to school to get my MBA, and I could see the re in her eyes, and she was pretty much resolved to do the same and then one-upped me by getting her accounting credential as well. Crissie has a meticulous attention for the details in any project she is working on, whereas my strengths lie in seeing the big picture and organizing how to bring it all together. I feel very fortunate that she and her family moved back to Medford in 2019. Looking back, I don’t know how I would have made it through 2020 without her by my side.

Q: In 2017, you hired Capiche’s Chris Cook to conduct a series of secret shopping visits. Over the course of 18 months, Chris worked with the management, tasting room staff, and other employees to identify and help them live the RoxyAnn brand. She

brought in your dad to tell the story of the family business so the team could experience the remarkable history behind this place in his own words. What did your team take away from this process, and how did Chris contribute to RoxyAnn’s growing success?

A: I had learned from a prior employer that it is always good for any organization to bring in an outsider to help you see what you are doing right and where you could use some improvement. By 2017, I had given myself the time to fully understand this business and knew that to remain successful, we needed to continue to evolve and grow.

Chris approached me with the idea of conducting a series of secret shopper visits so we could analyze the experiences people were getting on a daily basis when they visited RoxyAnn. The secret shoppers brought to light areas where we had either failed or were unaware that we needed to educate our front-line employees on. First and foremost was the history of this amazing property and hearing it through

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 13

buffet lines to a more intimate setting with reserved seating and smaller groups. This more customer-oriented approach enables us to interact with our wine club members personally, also giving us the opportunity to ask for the sale. We have seen our wine club releases’ weekend sales increase two or three times from what they used to be.

the eyes of my dad, who had experienced it rsthand while growing up with his grandfather, Reginal Parsons. Secondly, it was learning the simple things—like greeting people when they rst enter the door and making them feel noticed and welcome. Simple things that can make or break a customer’s experience in the rst few minutes of arriving. Lastly, and frankly probably the most important, was training all the staff to make sure they are asking for the sale at the end of every customer interaction. Staff had to become comfortable with the possibility of rejection, but once they were, our sales started to see a noticeable increase, which in return re ected in their sales bonuses.

Q: Chris’s second major project with you focused on the wine club. Capiche surveyed both current and former members to understand what motivates them to stay—or leave. As part of this process, former members were invited to return. So many rejoined the wine club, this return on investment more than paid for the

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Interview with Chad Day Continued from page 13

survey. Most importantly, asking current and former members for their opinions shored up their connection with RoxyAnn. They felt listened to, cared for, and invested in the results.

What kind of changes did you make to your wine club offerings after hearing and implementing their recommendations?

A: I will be honest—I don’t remember the exact changes we made after implementing their recommendations. The wine club has been very uid for us over the years, and we’re always trying to evolve it to stay up with the changing times and direction of the industry. Originally, when the wine club was rst started, we offered free wine tastings to club members whenever they came and large, banquet-style wine club releases. However, 2020 required us to take a look at how our wine club functioned and redirect the club bene ts accordingly. The rst major change we made was only allowing tastings once per week and up to four guests. Additionally, we have changed the releases from large banquet-style with

Q: Most recently, Chris worked with your core management team on a strategic planning process through a series of ve short sessions. During these sessions, you revisited the brand and nailed down the vision, mission, goals, strategies, and underlying values. This yielded action plans and equipped the team with more clarity and resolve while also ensuring consistent messaging across all communications. How would you describe working with Chris, and what did your team and business gain from this experience?

A: Our most recent interaction with Chris was a direct result of having to maneuver and change gears in 2020. Our work sessions with Chris made Crissie and me take a step back to assess not only the business but staff as well. We were able to rede ne staff positions in areas we felt were no longer needed in today’s selling environment. In some cases, that meant removing the position altogether, but we felt it was needed for the long-term health of the company.

The sessions brought our key staff members together and helped us create a common vision for how we were going to progress out of the pandemic healthier and with more energy from every member, top-down and bottom-up, than when we entered the pandemic. It was a great opportunity to get refreshed and excited about what RoxyAnn can offer moving forward and to have input

by everyone about the direction we wanted to take moving forward.

Q: Today, RoxyAnn Winery produces 10,000 cases of 17 different varietals and blends from 70 acres of vineyard land. What sets your wines apart in the highly competitive landscape of Southern Oregon wines?

A: Last year, 2020, we reduced our production to offset the loss of sales to onpremises accounts. RoxyAnn sets itself apart from the rest of the Southern Oregon wine industry by rst and foremost having an amazing location that is inviting and where people feel comfortable coming to experience the wines of the Rogue Valley.

Additionally, we continue to offer great customer service with tasting room associates who are welcoming and excited to educate our customers, new and old, about RoxyAnn Winery and the history of our property. Lastly, our winemaking team continues to produce phenomenal wines that keep our customers coming back for more.

Q: RoxyAnn kicked off 2021 with a new winemaker, Fred Mihm, who inherited the role from Kent

Barthman after he retired. How has RoxyAnn’s winemaking philosophy evolved over the years, and what does Fred bring to the barrel?

A: Fred Mihm is hardly new to RoxyAnn. Fred Mihm has been our assistant winemaker for the better part of 14 years. I tell people he has trained our last three winemakers. It was Fred’s turn to step into the role of winemaker after being the understudy to three amazing gentlemen who paved the way. The winemaking philosophy at RoxyAnn was established from the very beginning when my father demanded that we produce high-quality wines at a reasonable price point. In the 20 years that RoxyAnn has been in business, we have only see one price change, which

happened in 2014 when we raised most of our wines by $2.00 per bottle.

Fred continues to bring the consistent style of wines that RoxyAnn is known for. Fred’s ongoing in uence in the wine will continue for many vintages to come. I am excited to have Fred by my side as we move into the next 20 years of RoxyAnn Winery.

Q: Nearly a dozen structures on the family property have earned spots on the National Register of Historic Places, including your tasting room, the Honor Barn. Describe the atmosphere of the tasting room and compelling offerings such as the Wine + Music Series.

A: There is nothing quite like walking into a hundred-year-old barn and looking around at the rough-sawn lumber that was brought down from a tree farm we still own on the

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Interview with Chad Day Continued from page 13

Siskiyou Mountains. The building is inviting and comforting. The atmosphere is unpretentious and welcoming. We want all our customers to walk in the door and feel like they are at home. Our staff is warm and inviting and ready to engage with you to experience the wines cultivated on land cultivated by our family for 120 years. We are very fortunate to have the location we do, surrounded by our neighbors in East Medford. Our Wine + Music Series brings our community together to relax and enjoy themselves as well as the beautiful scenery and weather we are blessed with here in Southern Oregon.

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Q: RoxyAnn weddings are a magical experience. Why should a couple choose Hillcrest Orchard for their memorable day?

A: The Rogue Valley has many beautiful venues one could get married at, but only a few have the history and beauty RoxyAnn Winery and Hillcrest Orchard can provide. The groom and bride can stay in the

historic Estate House on their wedding night, or if they prefer a quainter setting, they can stay in either the Cottage or Carriage House. If the location doesn’t seal

the deal, having an amazing estate winery on the grounds to serve to your guests should. We do our best to provide an unforgettable experience for all our wedding guests so they will have fond memories for years to come.

Dunbar Farms and then with 2Hawk. Now all three of us are up and running with regular business hours, so I jumped at the opportunity to start some cooperative marketing between the three different entities.

Oregon Wine Month 2021 is just the beginning of what I see as being a great partnership between three amazing families. For this year’s Oregon Wine Month, 2Hawk, Dunbar, and RoxyAnn are giving away $150 in gift cards to three different winners for anyone who visits all three wineries during the month of May and leaves their information on a card we give them to be drawn out of a hat after the end of the month. We are educating our

Q: RoxyAnn shares an endearing camaraderie with its sister wineries Dunbar Farms and 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery, and you’re

currently partnering with these two wineries on an Oregon Wine Month promotion. Can you share more details about this opportunity and explain what makes East Medford such a compelling destination for wine-lovers?

consumers that all three of us are here in East Medford and encouraging them to frequent our businesses.

Q: What’s in store for the future of RoxyAnn Winery, and do your kids look forward to becoming the fth generation to care for this precious piece of earth?

A: Our kids are too young for us or them to know what the future holds. We hope RoxyAnn Winery will be here in some form or another for the next generation, but this is also a very valuable piece of land in the middle of Medford with a lot of potential.

There will be homes built on the 250 acres that makes up Hillcrest Orchard and RoxyAnn Winery, but we have also set aside 50 acres that will remain agricultural land for generations to come.

A: Since I have arrived back in the Southern Oregon, I have always wanted to form some kind of East Medford Wine Trail, but it is tough to entice visitors to only visit one or two wineries. At different points in the last nine years, we have had two other wineries close by— rst with

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 17

In Cod (And Crab!) We Trust – Oregon’s Seafood Processing Industry

By Erik Knoder Oregon Regional Economist Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties erik.a.knoder@oregon.gov Originally posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/in-cod-and-crab-we-trust-oregon-s-seafood-processing-industry

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n 2020, Oregon had 31 employers and 1,192 employees turning slimy sh and armored crustaceans into succulent seafood ready for cooking and eating. These numbers are down from previous years as the industry was hit by the pandemic recession.

Commercial shers landed about 345 million pounds of sh and shell sh in

Oregon in 2020, about 81 pounds per Oregonian. About 64% of this volume consisted of whiting, mostly used to make surimi. Total harvests had a dockside value of $152 million, a decrease of 6% from the year before.

Fishermen sold a small portion of the harvest off their vessels or at markets directly to consumers. Most, however, was sold to processors and buyers then

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EMPLOYMENT

exported or sold to wholesalers, retailers, restaurants and consumers.

The seafood processing industry – part of the manufacturing sector – includes businesses that clean, freeze, can, smoke, salt, and dry seafood. It also includes rms that shuck and pack shell sh. Although Oregon currently doesn’t have any, it also would include

Oregon exported roughly $57.1 million worth of sh, crustaceans, other marine products, and related prepared products in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Canada was by far the leading foreign destination, taking one-third of all exports. Japan, China, and Europe were other major destinations. About one-third of seafood exports are as whole frozen sh, presumably with further processing done in the destination country.

The number of seafood processing businesses had been slowly declining since 2007, but that trend reversed in 2015. Oregon’s processing industry gained ve businesses that year. Since then Oregon has added two businesses each year until 2020. Oregon lost ve businesses in 2020. It’s hard to tell if the future trend will be expansion or more consolidation. Consolidation has occurred in the Oregon shing eet.

Three counties, Lincoln, Clatsop, and Coos, had about 81% of all commercial sh landings by value in Oregon in 2020. Smaller ports like Garibaldi, Depoe Bay, and Florence struggle to nd money for infrastructure, dredging, and jetty maintenance that can attract vessel owners and seafood processors.

Employment Trends in Seafood Processing The seafood processing industry fared relatively well during the Great Recession, but it took a pretty good hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some processors laid off staff and had temporary closures. Employment fell by 11% on an annual average basis in 2020. Employment dropped from 1,338 in 2019 to 1,192 in 2020. A few processors also closed locations. The number of business units fell by ve to 31 in 2020.

Employment in seafood processing tends to be fairly seasonal. It peaks in midsummer and hits its low point in March. Much of the industry’s employment depends directly on when sh are landed. This in turn depends on weather, ocean conditions, sh life cycles, and regulations, especially those established by the Paci c Fishery

Management Council. This council has the authority to open and close many sheries important to Oregon.

The summer employment peak coincides not only with better shing weather, but increased availability of sh. Tuna, salmon, and especially Paci c whiting, are all available in the summer.

Paci c whiting, also called hake, is typically Oregon’s largest shery by volume. More than 219 million pounds were landed in 2020. (On the other hand, because it was plentiful it fetched only seven cents per pound when landed.) Whiting is used to make surimi, which in turn is used to make imitation “crab” or “lobster” meat.

Manufacturing surimi requires a good deal of very controlled processing and rapid cleaning and handling of the sh.

This means that surimi processors must hire many seasonal employees.

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 19 fi

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processor ships that do these operations at sea. Except for certain shermen licensed to sell fresh sh from their boats, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife requires commercial shers to sell their harvest to licensed wholesale sh dealers or licensed sh buyers. Many of these dealers and buyers are also processors.

The skill requirements are modest for many seafood processing jobs. Line jobs are generally entry level. Applicants often must pass a drug screening test and a criminal background check. The work is often 12-hour shifts, seven days per week during the busy seasons. The demand for workers in tight labor and housing markets recently led one Astoria processor to purchase an apartment complex to help provide housing for its workers.

Overtime is a part of the job and the base pay is usually minimum wage.

Other jobs, such as truck drivers and quality inspectors, require more skill and pay more.

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Another, smaller, peak in seafood processing employment typically occurs in December and January. Although the weather is often dangerously bad at this time, December is traditionally the beginning of the Dungeness crab harvest. Crab is often Oregon’s most valuable single shery. Nearly 20 million pounds were landed in 2020 with a value of $72.8 million. In contrast to inexpensive whiting, Dungeness crab fetched about $3.66 per pound. The crab harvest is a derby shery; it’s rst come, rst served as boats and crews race to scoop up as much as they can before someone else does. The result is a glut of crab landing on processors’ docks that must be cleaned, cooked, picked, and frozen in short order.

Seasonal employees allow processors to get through the short-lived crab bonanza.

Other Processors Oregon has a number of businesses that handle and process seafood aside from the major processors. If seafood processing is a sideline for a business, it may be counted in another industry because businesses are categorized according to their main operation. There

on Tillamook Bay is one such multipurpose rm. The company does processing, buying, and retail and helps keep the port at Garibaldi an active shing port. Small rms are more common for salmon and albacore tuna.

The websites for the Oregon Albacore Commission and the Oregon Salmon Commission each list several dozen rms that handle these seafood products and provide canned, frozen, and fresh sh.

Out-of-State Opportunities Some seafood processors recruit Oregonians to work in out-ofstate plants, primarily in Alaska during the summer months.

Companies such as Trident Seafoods, Signature Seafoods, and Ocean Beauty routinely recruit employees for their Alaska operations. Although the jobs may be listed in Oregon, out-ofstate jobs don’t count as of cial Oregon employment and are not included in this analysis.

The Alaska processing work is similar to that in Oregon: few skill or experience requirements, working on a processing line, 12- to 16-hour days, seven days per week. The difference is the geographic isolation. Many Alaska facilities are in remote locations and employees live in dormitory style housing in company towns.

Photo by Sean Benesh on Unsplash

are a handful of oyster farms along the coast that shuck and package oysters, although their main business is farming the oysters. Oregon Oyster Farms in Newport and Clausen Oysters in North Bend grow oysters and ship them worldwide.

Other rms that distribute seafood or sell wholesale or retail may also do some processing. The Garibaldi Cannery

WooHoo! - Fairs are Back in Business

By Jim Teece

Photos of the 2019 Jackson County Fair by Paul Steele - paulsteelephoto.com

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regon has 51 county fairs and they are opening again.

In 2020 they were all shut down because of the COVID restrictions on mass gathering and the nancial impact nearly killed them.

Fairs are a big part of life in Oregon. For a week each year each county celebrates the agricultural community that is required to feed, clothe and employee so many.

Even in urban communities the fair is an opportunity for fun, education and raising funds.

Why is the county fair in the Business Journal?

I serve on the Jackson County Fair Board and have studied the fair business model and spoken about future proo ng your fair at conferences all over the country.

In Oregon, the fair operates by state statute once a year and is supported by a small percentage of lottery money. Each fair equally splits the amount, which comes out to about $50,000 a year for the fair to be put on. That is not enough to do much, so many fairs operate from the pro ts they generate from the year prior and nancial support from sponsors, donors and hundreds of community members who volunteer.

The largest money maker at the fair is the carnival. Kids (old and young) pay to ride rides and a % of the ride revenue goes to the fair. Food

and drink come in second followed by gate admission. These pro ts keep the gates open, grounds clean and staff employed for the remainder of the year. A great fair, make a great year.

lighting and sound teams and carnivals. Some did not survive.

The food vendors are independent businesses that travel from fair to fair and they are critical to the overall customer experience of the fair.

I look forward to seeing you there in person.

The fair will hire musicians and grounds acts for entertainment to act as a draw. Concerts are the most expensive cost of the fair and many times the cost is passed on via concert only tickets. The goal is to break even on concerts and use it as a vehicle to get people in the gates to spend money on rides and food and drink. We would love to make money on concerts, don’t get me wrong, but the cost for the concerts and sound and lighting is so high that it would make the ticket prices unaffordable by most if we tried to make a real pro t from them. We do make a small pro t if we sell out, but that doesn’t happen every time. Like I said, the money we make comes from our share of the food and drink that are purchased during the concert.

2020 shut the fairs down and the state was lobbied heavily to support the fairs and help keep them alive which they did. But the business loss caused by the shutdown was felt by each fair partner, the grounds acts, music acts, food vendors, drink vendors, marketing teams, stage

So with the state opening back up this summer, I’m excited to see so many fairs able to happen again.

If you get a chance visit your county fair and drop some of that COVID cash you saved up. They need it and every dollar you spend helps keep the doors open one more year.

And if you get a chance to visit the Jackson County Fair from July 14 through the 18th please do. We are very proud of our fair. We have FREE parking, FREE admission for kids 12 and under and Sunday is FREE admission for all thanks to some amazing sponsors. Headline entertainment includes Bull Riding on July 14, Matt Stell on July 15th, The Marshall Tucker Band on July 16 and Colt Ford on July 17 and all of our headline entertainment is included with fair admission this year. Wander around, eat some fantastic fair food and enjoy a cold beverage, check out the livestock projects by 4H and FFA kids and look at the fair as a business. Let me know how your experience went and I promise you will nd a couple of cool things you can do in your own business from our amazing and small but mighty staff at the expo. Visit https:// attheexpo.com/fair/ for more info.

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LOCAL ECONOMY

EMPLOYMENT

Oregon’s Marijuana Industry and Employment Trends

By Guy Tauer Oregon Regional Economist Coos, Curry, Jackson, and Josephine counties guy.r.tauer@oregon.gov Original posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/oregon-s-marijuana-industry-and-employment-trends

Photo by Add Weed on Unsplash

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ecreational marijuana sales hit a new record high of $110.5 million in April 2021, a 23.5% increase over April 2020 when sales reached $89.7 million. With sales trends going back to 2016, we see a seasonal pattern where sales tend to be lowest in February and reach their yearly peak in August. Harvest totals continued to rise despite the pandemic.

Oregon’s total wet weight harvest peaks steeply in October, and reached 3,999,776 pounds in

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October 2020, up from 2,946,726 pounds in October 2019.

Having grown up in the heart of the so-called “Emerald Triangle” of the once entirely illicit marijuana industry, I’ve observed remarkable changes both from a legal and societal acceptance perspective in a relatively short time span. I would imagine that those who lived through the end of the alcohol prohibition era in 1933 witnessed a similar rapid change once the

speakeasy gave way to legal bars, taverns and legal retail liquor sales. Oregon’s bumpy path toward legalized recreational marijuana sales may have germinated back in 1973 when the state became the rst to decriminalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.

While not a “new” industry in the sense the seeds were sown by a new technology, product or

Using Unemployment Insurance Payroll Employment to Count Marijuana Jobs

market, rather this is an industry that has been owing through Oregon’s economy for decades.

This industry has a long-standing presence and is even more concentrated in the outdoor marijuana cultivation-friendly climate of the southwestern corner of the state, essentially for generations. The economy has been rife with cannabis activity, economic output, and income gains, mostly beneath the scope of any real data to measure that activity. The only real published gures were when law enforcement interdiction produced poundage and street-dollar value estimates of the formerly illegal seized cannabis products. Even now, federal statistics are by nature precluding any tally of employment, revenue and sales data for this budding industry sector. A few regional economies, including Oregon’s, are now pulling the curtains back on the scope of this older, but now legal industry as data on sales, revenue, and employment become available.

dispensaries. As of January 1, 2017 sales are allowed at licensed recreational retailers.

Previously, medical marijuana dispensaries were also allowed to sell to recreational customers – any adult over 21 years old. Currently, recreational dispensaries may sell cannabis to both recreational and medical customers, with only recreational customers subject to taxes.

Now medical-only dispensaries are only allowed to sell cannabis to those with a medical marijuana card.

Transitioning to the Retail Dispensary Model

From a business perspective, these changes have ushered out the era of medical-only dispensaries. There were only 48 strictly medical dispensaries left in the state in April 2017. By late 2018, the Oregon Health Authority/ Oregon Medical Marijuana Program database listed just ve medical-only dispensary businesses remaining statewide. On the other hand, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), which oversees the recreational marijuana industry, listed 756 active licenses for retail dispensaries as of May 5, 2021.

One of the evolving changes in Oregon’s legal marijuana industry is the shift to retail

In addition to licensed retail dispensaries, the OLCC also publishes license-holders, by county

From an employment perspective, the Oregon Employment Department has to play a bit of catch-up with these rapid changes. The Oregon Employment Department tracks employment and wages through the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, which collects data from employers subject to UI law to produce our Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).

In an effort to track payroll employment at marijuana-related businesses, the Oregon Employment Department has created a database of known marijuana-related recreational and medical dispensaries. The Oregon QCEW unit designates an employer as being marijuana-related if the primary nature of the business is deemed to be marijuanafocused. This includes businesses involved in the growing, processing, and distribution of marijuana and marijuana products, and businesses that support those activities. They use a variety of methods to make this determination, including reviewing information provided by the employer, referencing industry registries like the OLCC license registry, and reading information publicly available online.

But it’s not yet a perfect science. Because of marijuana still being illegal in the eyes of the federal government, some establishments are

Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 23 fi

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and rm name, for marijuana processors, wholesalers and producers. The largest number in Oregon was for producers, with 1,320 marijuana business licenses approved. There were also licensed processers (296); wholesalers (217); and testing laboratories (20), according to the OLCC business license database. Business names in this database are disclosed, but not any other data including sales or employment.

The Rogue Valley in the Southwestern part of the state, also part of the “Emerald Triangle” – a prime area for marijuana cultivation – is home to almost 40% of the licensed marijuana producers in Oregon.

not forthcoming in proclaiming that they are selling marijuana. Dispensaries might have workers who are not counted in that industry.

For example, if a dispensary uses a staf ng agency to ll their job openings, those workers would be included in the professional and business services industry – where temporary help or employment placement businesses are counted. A sole proprietor with no employees covered by unemployment insurance would also be excluded from the Oregon Employment Department gures. And the sheer number of new dispensaries create additional challenges.

As of the fourth quarter of 2020 the Oregon Employment Department tallied 375 dispensaries that had jobs covered by unemployment insurance. These are

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24 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

establishments that are in the marijuana industry, but due to imperfect data, and factors such as sole proprietors not required to have unemployment insurance coverage, are missing from our count of cannabis industry jobs. The database of OLCC retail dispensaries with a business license was about twice as many businesses (756). Of course every OLCC-licensed business may not be in operation yet, or someone may have a license with plans to open a dispensary in the future. So it’s not an exact comparison when comparing businesses who are licensed with the OLCC and those that we are tracking in our payroll statistics information.

Despite the differences, it’s safe to say there are far many more working at Oregon dispensaries than we are capturing in our payroll employment data.

To keep up with the changes in the medical/ recreational distribution of rms in the marijuana industry, we’ve been recoding where recreational dispensaries are counted.

Beginning in the rst quarter of 2017, we shifted some establishments that were previously counted in the medical dispensary category “business, professional, labor, political, and similar organizations,” a subset of “other services” to “all other miscellaneous store retailers,” which is in the retail trade sector.

According to our most recent information, there were about 375 recreational dispensary establishments with payroll employment in Oregon totaling 4,200 jobs. The broader category that also includes wholesale trade had about 4,500 jobs and average pay of $30,940 in

Licenses and Permits as Indicators of Employment In other industries where some of the employment is not subject to unemployment insurance laws such as real estate brokers, we can use licensing or other records as an indicator of the level of employment.

Starting July 5, 2016 OLCC began accepting applications for worker permits. These are required of all workers in any marijuana-related rm including temporary and seasonal workers.

There is a $100 fee payable upon approval. The permit is valid for ve years. As of late May, 2021, 109,116 applications had been submitted. Of those, 66,946 were counted as active – meaning they were approved and paid for. Since the permits are valid for ve years, the number of active permits can only go up until they start needing to be renewed. It can be assumed that all applicants have some interest in employment at a marijuana-related business.

Another 15,525 were approved but not paid for, 4,556 were under review and 2,307 were new applications.

After the deadline for compliance on April 28th 2017 however, if we assume that all workers are in compliance, the number of active licenses will overstate employment in recreational marijuana. Since permits include temporary and seasonal workers it is not likely that all permitted workers will be employed on any particular day. In addition, since the permits are valid for ve years, they do not capture turnover. People who quit, are laid off or otherwise not employed at a marijuana-related business can still have a valid permit.

Conclusion According to the Of ce of Economic Analysis, over the extended forecast horizon, marijuana sales are expected to rise slightly faster than their previous forecast due to the rising personal income and population trends. Although with revising the rate of growth slightly upward from the previous forecast, sales in the coming years are not expected to grow as fast as the past three or four years.

One of the goals of recreational marijuana legalization was to move marijuana sales from the illicit and black market category into the regulated, tested, tracked, and measured market. The state has had success in capturing a majority share of sales through the medical and recreational programs now in place. And the steady stream of income into state and local

coffers has been generally welcomed through taxation of cannabis sales at the retail level.

Oregon will continue to re ne laws and rules regulating marijuana sales and production. In this fast-growing industry, constant change seems to be the order of the day for the nearterm, with a gradual shift to more areas of the U.S. allowing recreational marijuana. It behooves other states to study Oregon’s example and experience in the path to a regulated recreational cannabis market, and begin their own efforts to track employment and impacts of this emerging and increasingly legal sector of the economy.

One of the large issues coming to the forefront is the demand for water that is sometimes illegally taken from wells and streams for supplying marijuana crops during the growing season. And with the dry conditions we are already facing in many parts of the state this year, those issues may continue to hamper the industry.

For more information: Oregon’s recreational marijuana industry, http://www.oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana/pages/ default.aspx.

Oregon’s medical marijuana program: http:// www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/ CHRONICDISEASE/MEDICALMARIJUANAPROGRAM/Pages/ index.aspx.

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the fourth quarter of 2020. The following graph shows the marijuana-related business totals by broad industry group, as reported by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages database.

26 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 27

Oregon’s Minimum Wage to Increase Each Year Through 2022

EMPLOYMENT

By Will Burchard Oregon Employment Economist william.g.burchard@oregon.gov

A Look Back at Minimum Wage Jobs in 2020 Between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, Oregon’s minimum wages were $13.25 per hour within the Portland urban growth boundary, $12.00 standard, and $11.50 in nonurban counties. Roughly 6.1% (123,200) of all jobs (2,008,000) paid minimum wage or less in Oregon in the third quarter of 2020.

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regon’s minimum wage increases on July 1, 2021, but the raises won’t be the same across the state.

The minimum wage increases to $14.00 per hour inside the Portland urban growth boundary, $12.00 per hour in nonurban counties, and $12.75 in other areas of the state.

($13.00). The federal minimum wage will remain at $7.25 per hour.

Oregon’s three minimum wages will be among the top state-level minimum wages in the nation. The highest minimum wage will be in the District of Columbia ($15.00), followed by Washington ($13.69), Massachusetts ($13.50), and California

Beginning in 2023, minimum wage in all tiers will be adjusted for in ation. This means the minimum wage will maintain purchasing power after the last step increase in 2022.

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Oregon’s minimum wage levels were set by Senate Bill 1532 in 2016. The minimum wage increases on July 1 each year through 2022. There are three tiers of step increases based on geography.

There were fewer jobs than usual in third quarter 2020, when public health measures were in place to help restrict the spread of COVID-19. Since then the number of jobs has rebounded substantially, so these numbers are likely well below employment levels in third quarter 2021.

The share of jobs paying minimum wage ranged from a low of 2.8% in Sherman County (29 jobs) to a high of 16.9% in Wheeler County (56 jobs). Multnomah County had 25,454 minimum wage jobs, which made up 5.1% of total jobs in the county.

Oregon’s metro area counties had a slightly smaller share of minimum wage jobs (6.1%) than its non-metro counties (6.5%).

Multnomah and Deschutes counties had the lowest percentage of jobs (5.1%) paying

minimum wage among metro counties, followed by Marion County (5.4%) and Benton County (5.6%). Josephine County had the highest share of jobs paying minimum wage among metro counties at 8.4%.

Thirteen counties had a share of minimum wage jobs at or below the statewide share of 6.1%. The smallest shares were in Sherman County (2.8%), Morrow County (3.9%), Jefferson County (5.0%), and Umatilla County (5.0%). Counties with a higher share of minimum wage jobs tended to be in rural areas. Eastern Oregon had a greater share of minimum wage jobs than other areas of the state.

The highest shares of minimum wage jobs were found in Wheeler (16.9%), Harney (12.2%), Malheur (10.5%), and Baker counties (10.1%).

See our report Oregon’s Minimum Wage Jobs: Facts, Figures, and Context for historical information about Oregon’s minimum wage jobs.

Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 29

Better Together People’s Bank and Willamette Community Bank have merged to become a new, combined organization.

We are excited to work with like-minded partners to extend our services to customers and businesses in the northern Willamette Valley, providing banking services that are truly in touch with the needs of our local residents.

Because together, we’re better.

30 | Southern Oregon Business Journal March 2020

EMPLOYMENT

Lane County Building Permits Rose in 2020 Despite COVID-19

By Brian Rooney Regional Economist Douglas and Lane counties brian.t.rooney@oregon.gov

Originally posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/lane-county-building-permits-rose-in-2020-despite-covid-19?inheritRedirect=true&redirect=%2Flane

there the rest of the year.

Correspondingly, price increases as measured by Zillow’s Home Value Index accelerated, going from an increase of 6.6% in 2019 to 11.2% in 2020.

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uilding permit data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that new housing construction in Lane County, as measured by permits for living units, rose to 1,391 in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Although only two units above 2018, it is technically the highest post-Great Recession level, going back to 2007.

Building permits in Lane County peaked in 2005 before the Great Recession and dropped dramatically from 2006 to 2010. That recession was characterized by job losses and mortgage foreclosures, which led to

additional housing on the market and less demand, increasing the inventory of available housing. Since then, the level of permits as measured by living units has remained low compared with prerecession levels even as inventory has tightened.

The increase in building permits in 2020 is likely driven by increased housing demand and prices.

According to the Realtor.com database, demand as measured by median days on the market dropped from 73 days in January 2020 to less than 60 days in February and stayed

The construction industry in Lane County may have bene tted from the strong housing market.

Annual average employment data shows that the construction industry was one of the least affected by COVID restrictions, losing only 200 jobs, or 2.6%, compared with 7.4% for total employment.

The 2020 building permit data showed a small increase in singlefamily construction going from 731 units in 2019 to 761 in 2020. There was a larger increase in multi-unit buildings especially with ve or more units, which went from 304 units in 2019 to 539 in 2020.

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Welcome to Umpqua BroadBand!

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32 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

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Southern Oregon Business Journal March 2021 | 33

BY JIM TEECE

Amazon Expands in Oregon

Amazon will build a ve-story, 3.84 millionsquare-foot ful llment center in Woodburn on about 90 acres of land that could employ about 1,875 people.

This will be one of the largest buildings in Oregon history according to the Bend Bulletin.

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EMPLOYMENT

Amazon currently employees nearly 13,000 people in Oregon.

They purchased around 130 acres the last week of June, for more than $27 million for the land according to OregonLive.

It is scheduled to open in 2023.

Amazon currently operates ful llment centers in Hillsboro, Portland, Salem, and Troutdale.

Amazon is not yet hiring for the new Woodburn location, but the company continues to hire new full and part-time associates in Oregon. https://www.amazondelivers.jobs/

“When are you going to die?”

a little over the years. You know, because I was around when important things happened.”

“Whaaaat?”

“When are you going to die?” The question was sincere and asked as though I had an answer. I stopped sweeping the garage oor to decide on an answer that wouldn’t cut the conversation too short; one that would provide a decent answer without harming either of us.

“Things? Like what?”

“Well, big things, like when an American rst walked on the moon. Or, Martin Luther King’s, ‘I have a Dream’ speech. The end of polio vaccines and when people didn’t have to worry so much about other diseases that were common when I was your age, diseases you have never heard of, thankfully.

Small things, too. Like how to write in cursive or how to keep a dog from biting you, or when the best time of day is for catching a sh.”

“Not for quite a while, I hope.” The question wasn’t one that had a pocket answer at the ready.

“You’re kind of old, aren’t you? I mean, you have wrinkles and grey hair and stuff.” Stating the obvious, waiting for an answer...

“Oh, so old people should stick around and tell kids about important things so we can do better in school, and not be afraid of trying tough things?”

This kid, Ike, about 12, has interrogated me before. His family lives a couple of houses away. We often humor one another with off-the-wall comments and questions. This one about my inevitable end caught me a bit off-kilter.

I’m reasonably t (“for someone my age”, a phrase I don’t like much) try to keep up with news, some sports, and pay some attention to neighborhood goings-on. Usually that’s enough to feign a level of knowledge to contribute to a conversation.

He catches on fast and knows how to stroke my ego and keep me engaged.

His friends are very similar. More of the people in my age bracket should talk to the younger generation. They might learn more than they teach. Socrates had the same issues with Plato, I read somewhere.

“Maybe we should just talk to one another more often and be patient enough to listen. Kids and old people are always trying come up with an answer before the questions are even asked. That’s impolite, isn’t it?”

“Wrinkles and grey hair don’t mean I’m old. Its just natures way of improving my appearance and signs that I learned

“Yeah, I guess so. Some old people, you know not as old as you, try to explain things that I already know. Like I’m dumb or something.”

“It happens to me, too. All the time.

Getting old makes lots of younger adults think we’ve forgotten everything, or didn’t know them in the rst place.” I was compelled to tie my empathy to my self-pity, since he was being an active listener.

“I’m going to stop calling you Ike. Isaac is a better name for someone like you.

You can call me Mr. H, if you want.”

“Okay, Mr. H sounds good. You can tell me things I don’t know and I will tell you kid stuff so you won’t be confused when you hear about it.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Greg Henderson is the retired founder of the Southern Oregon Business Journal. A University of Oregon graduate and a six year U.S. Air Force veteran, he spent nearly 30 years in banking and nance. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications concentrating on some 20 industry sectors. Contact him at ghenderson703@gmail.com

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by Greg Henderson

You’re Kind of Old, Aren’t You?

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

BY ALAN OPPENHEIMER AND MEGAN GRANT VIA BLOG POST AT 1000MUSEUMS.COM/BLOG/

J

Ashland Based 1000Museums Celebrates 5 Years

uly marks the new 1000Museums’ ve-year anniversary, a huge milestone for our entire team!

together, in July 2016, has resulted in the best of both worlds, for art museums, creators and lovers worldwide.

This month we’re celebrating two industry-leading ne art companies joining forces: Art Authority and 1000Museums.

We dreamt of a revolutionary company that connected museums directly to the public, allowing customers to bring their favorite pieces of ne art directly into their homes. For the past 5 years, we have seen that dream realized.

Art Authority got its start in 2008 and focused on classic art exploration and education through award-winning apps.

1000Museums started around the same time, bringing that same classic art from museums to art lovers through technologydriven top-quality reproductions. Putting the two

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36 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

We built our company with a clear focus on providing the highest quality products while building long lasting relationships with our museum partners, artists and customers.

This goal required the utmost attention to detail and commitment to giving back.

Nurtured in the idyllic town of Ashland, Oregon, 1000Museums has been driven by a small group of passionate individuals who were committed to the mission.

This has allowed us to serve both our retail customers and museum partners at the highest level year after year, establishing a trusting relationship along the way. We are incredibly proud of the success we have achieved and we thank our community for being a part of it.

We look forward to many more years of printing and sharing iconic art by connecting the most distinguished museums and artists in the world with art lovers everywhere.

We Love Museums We created 1000Museums with the intention of utilizing technology to offer the highest quality, authentic reproductions of museum art. In order to make our dream a reality, we partnered directly with the most respected museums in the world to ensure that we match the art that is actually hanging in their halls. Our museum partners personally inspect our print masters to verify that even the most minuscule details are perfectly depicted. In fact, many of them sell our ne art reproductions in their retail stores and use those reproductions in their shows.

We want museums to thrive, so we make it easy for people to support their favorite institutions through the purchase of archival reproductions and as well as sharing the latest exhibitions around the world. By increasing the exposure of the museums’ collections, we bring additional people in their doors and raise awareness on a global scale. We are also a charter sponsor of the Museum Store Association and Museum Store Sunday.

Perhaps most importantly, we pay royalties in return for the rights to manufacture and sell our

museum-approved reproductions.

We are proud to say that since 2016, we have returned over $400,000 in royalties to our museum partners and artists. We are committed to making a positive impact on museums and have made it one of our primary business goals to grow the amount we pay every year.

The 1000Museums Team The four partners at the heart of Art Authority, Mac, Stanley, Alan, and Jim, came together over a common love for art and technology.

Bringing 1000Museums to Life Art Authority acquired 1000Museums in 2016 not just to continue their mission, but also as a way to provide art lovers with physical prints of their favorite paintings. Long before that, Art Authority had been creating innovative software solutions designed to bring art to life through technology. It all began with an iPhone app that was launched on the very rst day the App Store was available in 2008.

Then Art Authority for iPad, launched the very rst day the iPad shipped, quickly became a best-selling educational and reference app. Today Art Authority’s award-winning app line offers customers over 100,000 works of art to explore.

On ArtAuthority for iPad… “An experience unlike any other.” – The New York Times “Visually dazzling.” – The Mac Observer “Best iPad reference app.” – App Store editorial team

Each provided unique skills that allowed the company to quickly become a dominant force in the art world. Jim and Alan, skilled in the technological world, spearheaded the creation of the award winning app line. In addition, Mac Holbert’s exceptional skills in digital printmaking and Stanley’s experience as the founder and CEO of a professional photographic and digital lab, and head of imaging at the Getty Museum, allowed Art Authority to quickly become an esteemed enterprise.

Alan Oppenheimer, the brilliant MIT-educated partner, heads up marketing and sales and business management.

Stanley Smith, the photographer, with decades of digital experience at museums such

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 37

as the Getty runs the day to day printing and framing operations.

Stanley being interviewed about his artwork, just prior to the exhibit “Digital Darkroom” at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. See his interview at 2:36 and 9:22 in this video.

R Mac Holbert, the digital photo master, makes our images look exactly like the original and keeps quality a primary target in our company.

Graham Nash and Mac Holbert

Jim Teece, resident tech head, manages the tech that drives the company, including our new 1000Museums.com website.

Jim talks about Learning to Live and the importance of continuing education at TedxAshland in 2019.

As a small company, we pride ourselves on the care and attention that is invested in each of our products.

We care deeply about the quality of our products, the relationship

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38 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

with our museum partners, the environment, our community, our employees, and our customers.

All of our inks are non-toxic and we recycle all paper waste, furthering our commitment to minimize our carbon footprint in every way we can. We believe that we were initially successful because we founded our company with people that genuinely care about the value of sharing art with the world, and we have kept that focus ever since.

Our Process The rst step in bringing museumquality art prints to your wall is taking high-resolution digital photographs of artwork. Next, our skilled digital printmaker, Mac, works with the museums to ensure that the digital photo, when printed, is a perfect re ection of the original art.

After we have acquired the digital version of the art (along with any copyrights needed), Jim and his team make it available on the 1000Museums website and Alan’s

team works to get it in the museums’ retail stores (onsite and online). When a print is ordered, Stanley’s team uses advanced print-on-demand technology to create an archival top-quality print on either paper or canvas.

Many orders request a custom frame, which is also created by our veteran craftspeople.

The nal product is then carefully packaged and shipped to your doorstep. And you take it from there!

Finally (our favorite part of the process) we give back to our museum partners. Not only do we increase the exposure of their collections and their retail store revenue, we have paid nearly a half million in royalties over the past ve years.

How The Frames Are Made We wanted to provide our customers with the nest custom frames, keeping cost in mind. We started by securing the best materials. We use the highest

1000Museums is honored to celebrate this exciting ve year achievement… and we hope you are, too! Our loyal customers are the reason we have been able to realize our dream of creating a powerful connection between museums and art lovers around the world.

Best-Selling Prints on 1000Museums.com To celebrate our anniversary, check out our top ve most popular paintings over the last ve years!

1. Supine Woman

quality wood and frame each print with precision-cut, acid-free mat board before mounting it behind a UV-blocking semi-gloss plexiglass. This particular glass is designed to awlessly protect your art from potential damage caused by the sun, dust, pollution, heat, and humidity.

Finally, we add nishing touches like a wall hanging mount, wall friendly bumpers, and a protective backing.

Wayne Thiebaud, Supine Woman, 1963, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Art © Wayne Thiebaud/ Licensed

by VAGA, New York, NY

In 1963 Wayne Thiebaud strayed from his classic paintings of confections to create Supine Woman, one of his rare gurative works. Its pleasingly neutral color palette and impressive depiction of the human form has cemented Supine Woman as one of our most beloved paintings.

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Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 39

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A product is only as great as the hands that built it, so we partnered with master craftspeople who have decades of experience in the eld. We are proud to say that almost all of our customers report that they are more than satis ed with the quality of our frame.

2. Paci c

dramatic of an impression as The Corn Poppy. This painting features a woman with dramatic eyes and a strikingly red hat, emblematic of his participation in the Fauve Movement.

4. From Line

Created in 2009, Enassamishhinjijweian (don’t try to pronounce it!) features a nature scene bursting with wildlife and color. Tom Uttech designed this painting as an ode to the beauty of the natural world, adorning the 9 foot-tall painting with the stunning colors of a majestic sunset in the wilderness.

Our Vision for the Next 5 Years

Alex Colville, Paci c, 1967, Private Collection, © A.C.Fine Art Inc

Perhaps Alex Colville’s most dramatic painting, Paci c features a cool-toned ocean scene in which the eye is immediately drawn to the handgun in the forefront of the picture. Its powerful imagery has caused the meaning and symbolism of Paci c to be vigorously debated to this day.

3. The Corn Poppy

Lee Ufan, From Line, 1977, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, ©2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Lee Ufan created From Line using singular brush strokes tracing from the top to the bottom of the painting, a regimented technique which is said to represent the passage of time. From Line’s beauty and simplicity is reminiscent of meditation, encouraging the viewer to slow down and ponder each disappearing line.

As we re ect on our past and look forward to our future, it is our sincere hope that each and every one of you will continue to support our mission of helping museums thrive by bringing authentic prints of the world’s most seminal art straight to your door. The power of art has moved society for thousands of years, and museums are an essential part of preserving that history for future generations.

We’re excited for what the next 5 years (and beyond!) have in store for us, and look forward to continuing our journey with you.

5. Enassamishhinjijweian

Kees van Dongen, The Corn Poppy, c. 1919, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, © 2011 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Kees van Dongen is known for his portraits of high-society women, but few have left as

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40 | Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021

Tom Uttech, Enassamishhinjijweian, 2009, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, © Tom Uttech, Courtesy Alexandre Gallery, New York

Learn more and shop at 1000Museums.com

Sponsors The Southern Oregon Business Journal extends sincere thanks to the following companies for their continued presence as important cogs in the wheels of industry in southern Oregon.

REACH

YOUR TARGET THROUGH

ADS Please check out our advertisers. We appreciate them for supporting the Southern Oregon Business Journal.

Thousands of Business People get a chance to see your ad in the monthly Business Journal.

Managed Home Net Back Cover

People’s Bank page 30

Send your ad copy to: Jim@SouthernOregonBusiness.com Jim Teece - Publisher

Amerititle page 4

Umpqua Broadband page 32

SOU page 43

Southern Oregon Business Journal July 2021 | 41

from SOU News https://news.sou.edu/2021/06/smith-head-sou-division-business-communicationenvironment/

Smith to head SOU Division of Business, Communication and the Environment “I am very pleased that Dr. Smith is joining our senior academic leadership team,” said Susan Walsh, SOU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The breadth and depth of his professional portfolio truly compliments the entrepreneurial direction the BCE Division has been forging since its inception in 2014.

“Vince has many exciting ideas about how to take the outstanding work of the BCE faculty, staff and students to the next level, in collaboration with other partners across campus – as well as in the greater community, region and state.”

Dr. Vincent Smith – chair of Southern Oregon University’s Environmental Science and Policy Program and director of The Farm at SOU – has been named director of the university’s Division of Business, Communication and the Environment.

Smith has served on the SOU faculty since fall 2011 and has made a mark on campus with innovative courses such as “EcoAdventure” excursions to Central and South America, “Social Problems and Policy: Food and Nutrition,” “Food, Power and Agriculture” and “Sustainability and Natural Resources.” His research focuses on the human/environmental systems that shape the world – including various issues surrounding food systems – and he incorporates the academic disciplines of human ecology, environmental sociology, landscape ecology, agroecology and human geography.

“The division of Business, Communication and the Environment encourages collaboration between programs focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and regional solutions,” Smith said. “Our region is our campus. Our students want to make a difference. They are waiting for

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EDUCATION

SOU to empower them to collaborate with regional businesses, state and federal agencies, artists, nonpro ts and dedicated citizens.

“While our region, nation, and planet face tremendous challenges, I believe that when our students, faculty, staff and community work together we can and will generate the science, citizenship and civility required to creatively solve even the toughest of challenges.”

Smith succeeds business professor Joan McBee, who has served as division director for Business, Communication and the Environment for the past year, following the retirement of former director and business professor Katie Pittman.

Business, Communication and the Environment is one of SOU’s seven academic divisions and includes the academic programs within the departments of business, communication, and environmental science and policy. Each division is led by a director who provides leadership and guidance for the departments and programs within their divisions, encouraging originality and advancement while aligning their academic programs with the university’s mission, vision and values.

Smith was hired as an assistant professor in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor ve years ago. He has a varied background of applying academics and research to the real world, including a nine-month project in which he managed a family farm in Missouri as a directmarket mixed vegetable operation, two years as an instructor at The Science Factory children’s museum in Eugene and a year of teaching at an outdoor school on California’s Catalina Island.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Truman State University in Missouri, his master’s degree in environmental science from Oregon State University and his doctorate in environmental science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. As an undergraduate, Smith participated in the Semester at Sea program through the University of Pittsburgh, visiting Japan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil and Cuba.

Smith enjoys working with students from various sociological and environmental backgrounds, and nding research opportunities for those whose academic interests are similar to his own.

He has advised students on undergraduate capstone projects ranging from permaculture to body modi cation.

Eric Avila ‘14 2021 USA Track and Field Road Mile National Champion US Olympic Trials 7th-Place Finisher, 1500 Meters 2013 NAIA Cross Country Champion 2014 NAIA 1500 Meters Champion

sou.edu Southern Oregon Business Journal March 2021 | 43

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