Southern Oregon Business Journal October 2022

Southern Oregon Business Journal extends sincere thanks

the following companies for sponsoring the journal. Without their support we could not produce a FREE resource for Southern Oregon businesses.

I was asked to moderate a panel at the Plug into Eugene: Resources in the Local Innovation + Bioscience Ecosystem event as the publisher of the Southern Oregon Business Journal. Normally I’m asked to speak as president of Project A or Rogue Broadband or even Art Authority, but

this was the first time I was asked to to represent SOBJ. The event was awesome. It was put on by Onward Eugene and the Oregon BioScience Association at the Innovation Hub downtown. The first panel was about the 139 BioScience companies in and around Eugene that are part of the ecosystem and cluster there. We heard from a cool company, the University and a non profit called RAIN. My panel featured Arcimoto and Anne Fifield, Economic Development director with the city and Nicole Desch with Onward Eugene. It was great to hear about all the programs set up between the University and City that work together to support businesses from Idea to Funding, Growth and Beyond.

I really liked what I heard and saw in Eugene. I liked how integrated the city and University are working to help entrepreneurs and I liked the entrepreneurs that I met there.

I pregamed at Ninkasi’s Better Living Room and checked on Arcimoto. They just had a mass layoff event (I saw one person get his “Pink Folder” and Ninkasi bought him a beer (I was going to, but they beat me to it) while I was there. He was an older gentleman, proudly wearing an Arcimoto hat and shirt and he told me that he was proud of the company and hopes to be able to come back. It was bitter sweet to see him on his last day.

But it had to happen. They cut 30% of the labor costs in order to make it a few more months while they seek funding and more customers.

After the panel we went for a drink and I shared with folks the hardest time in my business career was when I had to layoff 12 of 50 employees in one day in order to survive the dot com bubble burst. No one likes layoffs, but they are normal in the process of handling extreme financial challenges.

Surprisingly, the Arcimoto rental space was packed full of sold FUV units. Each one had a customers name on it and was going thorough final inspection before getting picked up or delivered. It was very impressive to see them all in one place. Hopefully they can survive this moment and convert it into momentum.

Oregon Connections happened. It was amazing to spend a couple of days with passionate, smart people working hard to find ways to get more broadband to more people in Oregon.

I equate the work we do to building a plane, while we are flying it, with the goal to get everyone to the destination on time, safely and at an affordable price and all the passengers want is 8K streaming videos at their seat and better snacks.

Meet the award winners honored at this years conference - 2022 Oregon Connections Award Winners - Page 34.

I’m looking forward to planning next years event already and all the work we have in front of us.

Thanks for reading. Jim Jim@SouthernOregonBusiness.com

66, Ashland, Oregon 97520

A JOURNAL FOR THE ECONOMICALLY CURIOUS, PROFESSIONALLY INSPIRED AND ACUTELY MOTIVATED

OCTOBER 2022 - TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dutch Bros and its customers raise more than $1.1M for local youth - 5

Business Oregon Debuts Updated Index of Innovative State Economies - 6

The Oregon Coast Wage Challenge - 8

Lithia & Driveway (LAD) Expands in North Central Region, Completes Second Driveway Finance ABS Offering, and Debuts New Driveway Technology - 9

Jackson County Travel Impacts 2021 - 10

Dogs and Cats in the Pacific Northwest to Get Medical Care That Rivals Human Medical Facilities - 12

From up top to the tap: Alaska Airlines pulls off ultimate beer run in multiple states - 14

Travel Oregon Showcases State's Regions and Attractions in National Advertising Campaign: Extraordinary is Ordinary - 18

TC Chevy Dealership Goes Solar with Stracker Solar - 20

Stracker Solar appoints Allen Gilstrap as new CEO - 21

OnPoint Community Credit Union releases updated eBook to help guard against evolving tactics in cybercrime - 22

LS Networks Announces Entry into Residential Market - 26

Former SOU administrator and consultant appointed to university board - 28 SOU prepares for strategic realignment to solidify financial future - 30

Cash Flow Issues in Inflationary Times - 32

2022 Oregon Connections Award Winners - 34

By Press Release

On Friday, Sept. 16, Dutch Bros Coffee and its customers raised more than $1.1 million for local youth organizations dedicated to providing resources for education, extracurricular activities and other needs.

"Buck for Kids is all about giving the local youth an opportunity for a brighter future," said Katie Hutchison, vice president of social impact at Dutch Bros Coffee. "We're so thankful for our customers and the awesome organizations out there creating opportunities for our kids!"

Since 2011, Dutch Bros' annual Buck for Kids campaign has partnered with customers to make a difference in the lives of local kids and families.

About Dutch Bros

Dutch Bros Coffee is a drivethru coffee company dedicated to making a massive difference one cup at a time. Headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, where it was founded in 1992 by Dane and Travis Boersma, it's now sharing the "Dutch Luv" with more than 600 locations in 14

Dutch Bros and its customers raise more than $1.1M for local youth

states. Dutch Bros serves specialty coffee, smoothies, freezes, teas, an exclusive Dutch Bros Rebel™ energy drink and nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. Its rich, proprietary coffee blend is handcrafted from start to finish.

In addition to its mission of speed, quality and service, Dutch Bros is committed to giving back to the communities it serves.

Through its Dutch Bros

Foundation and local franchisees, the company donates several million dollars to causes across the country each year.

To learn more about Dutch Bros, visit www.dutchbros.com, follow Dutch Bros Coffee on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & TikTok, and download the Dutch Bros app to earn points and score rewards!

SOURCE Dutch Bros Coffee

By Business Oregon

Business Oregon is pleased to announce one of its key innovation research projects, the Oregon Innovation Index, has been updated and is now live on biz.oregon.gov. The Oregon Innovation Index was created to measure the state’s innovation economy and identify opportunities for enhancing competitiveness. It is a key yardstick used by Business Oregon to track the state’s success in building an

Business Oregon Debuts Updated Index of Innovative State Economies

expected outcomes, and the environment that fosters innovation are all being evaluated when determining each state’s Innovation Score.

innovation-based economy. An innovation-based economy is one that encourages new ideas, products, and approaches to meet current or emerging demands of consumers. It directly impacts the ability of communities to grow and prosper.

The Innovation Index uses a list of 20 indicators that ensure that each stage of the innovation process, the

Oregon’s 2022 Innovation Score is 69 out of 100, which ranked third in the U.S. and is an improvement over the state’s 2018 score of 66.5. The top scoring state in the 2022 Index was Massachusetts with a score of 71.5. The top three scoring states– Massachusetts, California, and Oregon –remain unchanged from their 2018 Index ranking. The first Innovation Index was published in 2004 and this is its sixth update Oregon performed best in indicators of Invention, Translation, and Economic Prosperity. In patents, Oregon continues to outperform for its size, due in large part to an established, competitive high technology industry with strong research and development (R&D). For the Translation indicators, Oregon made strong gains in university licenses and options – ranking first in the U.S. – while industry R&D investments remain strong. Economic Prosperity remains an innovation strength for

Oregon, with average wage and exports climbing in national rank coupled with strong 10-year growth trends. The gap in average wage between Oregon and the U.S. continues to shrink.

The index looks not only at current rankings for each indicator, but also scores states on performance relative to the U.S. average and 10year trend for each indicator. States with strong 10-year trends show up higher in the Index than if the index was based solely on current

rankings. This feature of the index essentially rewards states whose innovation economies are becoming more competitive, such as Oregon. Oregon had the highest 10-year trend score amongst states. These scores point to an innovation economy in Oregon that is already competitive nationally, but also growing its competitiveness over time.

The Innovation Index is a critical piece of information to be used in conjunction with Oregon’s 10-Year

Innovation Plan, which sets the direction for innovation policy as part of the overall economic development recovery strategy in Oregon coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the complete 2022 Innovation Index and learn more about innovation in Oregon at biz.oregon.gov.

Our business is nothing without its lighting. So when it came time to find a more efficient lighting solution, we relied on the guidance of Energy Trust of Oregon. And our business has never been greener in more ways than one. See how they can help your business at EnergyTrust.org/for business.

Serving customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista.

A MORE EFFICIENT LIGHTING SYSTEM WAS THE KEY TO FINDING OUR WAY INTO THE GREEN.

By Erik Knoder, Oregon Regional Economist, Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties

The Oregon Coast Wage Challenge

Howcan workers on the Oregon Coast find higher-paying jobs? The best single answer is to get the education and training to enter a higher-paying occupation. (Our website www.qualityinfo.org ha d information about those occupations.) But that isn’t the full answer. It is also important to know which firms tend to pay higher wages. State law protects the confidentiality of wage records of individual firms, but we can provide some general clues about these firms by publishing wages by industry and by firm size.

In general, larger firms pay higher wages, and firms that produce goods or deal with specialized knowledge tend to pay higher wages. The table below shows average wages in 2020 for different industries by their size based on their number of employees.

The average wage for firms with one to nine employees was $34,491. Wages increased for mid-sized firms to $40,656, and for large firms to $53,626. The goods producing industries, such as manufacturing (except small manufacturers), mining, and

utilities, usually paid higher wages than most service industries, such as accommodation and food services. For example, small utilities firms paid an average of $62,969 per year, versus small accommodation and food services firms that paid an average of $19,440 per year.

For some occupations a challenge for coastal employers is competing with employers in the Portland metro area. The overall average wage for the Portland metro area in 2020 was $69,127. Wages that are higher than this amount are highlighted in yellow in the table. Only two of the published industry/size combinations paid higher wages than the average wage in Portland. This illustrates one reason why young people at the beginning of their careers, and perhaps the peak of their mobility, may leave the coast and move to Portland and other metropolitan areas.

By Press Release

Lithia & Driveway (NYSE: LAD) announced today (Sept. 20, 2022) they have expanded their north central footprint with the purchase of five stores from the Wilde Automotive Group in Wisconsin.

"We are excited to welcome these high performing teams to our Lithia & Driveway family," said Bryan DeBoer, Lithia & Driveway President and CEO. "Their continuous pursuit of excellence has earned them numerous awards including the President's recognitions for both Honda stores and the Toyota store, as well as excellent reputations for serving their customers and communities."

The Wisconsin group was started by Harold Wilde in 1966 and includes Wilde Toyota, Wilde Subaru, Wilde Honda, Wilde CJDR and East Towne Honda. Together, these stores are projected to generate $625 million in annualized revenue. LAD expects to complete network optimization (divestitures) of approximately $625 million in annualized revenues in 2022. The pipeline of opportunities to continue network expansion remains robust, driving LAD to another banner year of growth.

Driveway Finance Corporation ABS Issuance

Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC) completed its second issuance of securities backed by its originated

Lithia & Driveway (LAD) Expands in North Central Region, Completes

Second Driveway Finance ABS Offering, and Debuts New Driveway Technology

auto loan portfolio, raising over $298 million of additional capital to fund growth.

"DFC continues to receive favorable pricing and credit ratings," said Chuck Lietz, Vice President, Finance. "We're confident in our ability to fund DFC using a combination of our conduit facilities and securitizations, enabling us to grow DFC in the coming years and support LAD's achievement of more than one dollar in EPS for each billion dollars in revenue."

DFC originations now account for approximately 10% of LAD's overall business and are expected to grow to 15% in the coming years. This growing income stream further diversifies LAD's business model, expands profitability, and enhances consumer loyalty with its stores, and its national Driveway and GreenCars brands.

Launched Freeway, Driveway's New CRM

Driveway activated Freeway, a stateof-the-art customer relationship management (CRM) and workflow platform, empowering its Care Centers to serve customers more seamlessly and efficiently as they buy, finance, sell, and service their vehicles from the comfort of their homes.

"We are excited to deploy Freeway, our latest strategic platform to further fuel the growth of Driveway and omni-

channel capabilities at LAD," said George Hines, LAD's Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. "We create competitive advantage by leveraging technology and data to anticipate the needs of our customers. Our Freeway platform empowers our Driveway Care Centers with a unified view of our customer's journey to meet their needs most efficiently."

About Lithia & Driveway (LAD)

LAD is a growth company focused on profitably consolidating the largest retail sector in North America through providing personal transportation solutions wherever, whenever, and however consumers desire. Sites www.lithia.com www.investors.lithiadriveway.com www.lithiacareers.com www.driveway.com www.greencars.com www.drivewayfinancecorp.com

Lithia & Driveway on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ LithiaMotors https://www.facebook.com/ DrivewayHQ

Lithia & Driveway on Twitter https://twitter.com/lithiamotors https://twitter.com/DrivewayHQ https://twitter.com/GreenCarsHQ

SOURCE Lithia Motors, Inc.

By Guy Tauer, Oregon Regional Economist, Coos, Curry, Jackson, and Josephine counties

Jackson County Travel Impacts 2021

2021. Direct travel spending was only down $1.3 million from the 2019 pre-pandemic total, essentially recovering most of the steep decline in 2020.

Newdata from a Dean Runyan Associates study for the Oregon Tourism Commission shows that total direct travel spending in Oregon fell by 48.5% in 2020 compared with 2019 totals. Preliminary data for 2021 show that the travel economy recovered much of the prior year’s losses to reach $10.9 billion. This was still $1.9 billion below 2019 levels. Travel spending and earnings showed stronger recoveries than travel-related employment, which by 2021 recovered less than one out of three jobs that were lost in 2020.

Travel spending rose from $363 million in 2020 to $625.3 million in 2021 in Jackson County, accounting for almost 6% of all Oregon travel spending. Food service ($154.8 million) and accommodations ($129 million) combined to account for just less than one-half of travel spending in Jackson County last year. Retail sales ($64 million); local transportation and gas ($57.2 million); food store spending ($48.9 million); and arts, entertainment, and recreation ($45.5 million) made up the majority of the rest of Jackson County travel spending in

Employment attributed to travel spending reached 4,930 jobs in 2021, up 11.6% from the prior year in Jackson County. However, after losing an estimated 1,040 jobs during the pandemic in 2020, the county regained only about one out of five of the travel related employment jobs lost at the onset of the pandemic. Industry employment generated by travel spending had a similar distribution as overall travel spending by industry. About 70% of all travel-generated employment was in the accommodation and food services industry.

Approximately one out of 10 travel-generated jobs were in the arts, entertainment, and recreation, and the retail trade sectors.

The 2020 to 2021 increase in travel spending of 71.8% was much faster growth than the average annual increase between 2003 and 2021,

which was 3.2%. Earnings growth from travel spending rose 11.6% in 2021, also faster than the average growth rate of 3.6% since 2003.. Tax revenue, mostly from lodging taxes and income tax payments attributable to travel industry income of businesses and employees, totaled $27.6 million in 2021. Local tax revenues increased by 54.7% in 2021, while state tax revenue attributable to travel spending rose from about $12.5 million in 2020 to about $16.0 million in 2021, a 28.5% increase. There were more than 5.5 million overnight

visitor stays in Jackson County in 2021, according to preliminary estimates, nearly recovered to the 2019 total.

While some don’t consider travel and tourism as an “export-oriented” industry, the Dean Runyan Associates report does a nice job of detailing why this sector does fit the criteria of an exportoriented industry, due to the influx of resources that flow into an economy from outside of the region. The travel impact report states the gross domestic product of the travel industry was $5.4 billion in 2021. Overall, the travel

industry is one of the three largest export-oriented industries in rural Oregon counties with the other two being agriculture/food processing and logging/wood products.

For the complete report, where statewide and individual county data are available, go to: https:// industry.traveloregon.com/ wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ OR_2021_Final.pdf.

Interactive tables and other Oregon data from the Oregon Tourism Commission: https:// industry.traveloregon.com/

By Press Release

Dogs and Cats in the Pacific

to

Care

That Rivals Human Medical Facilities

The Veterinary Referral

Center of Central Oregon (VRCCO) has announced they are breaking ground on a new location in Bend, Oregon. The spacious new state-of-the-art facility is designed to meet the growing demand for advanced medical 26,000-square-foot medical facility include a bone and joint magnetic resonance imaging uoroscopic capabilities, and computed tomography

The founders have also focused on providing a truly unique experience for the staff and pet For staff, the founders located within the building and provide subsidized child And then, for everyone, boasting some of the best

pet parents, and staff." In an age where service and customer experience seem to have taken a back seat, this innovative group is certainly taking all the right steps in creating and bringing that back while raising the bar in the veterinary space.

The Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon was originally founded in 2018 and is currently located on the west side of Bend. They see patients with advanced or emergency medical conditions from the entire Pacific Northwest. VRCCO is the only 24/7 emergency veterinary facility in Central Oregon in addition to having board-certified doctors in Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Surgery, and Ophthalmology.

A groundbreaking ceremony is being held on July 30 at noon for staff, with an anticipated completion date in the Fall of 2023.

New Hospital Features

founder and CEO of VRCCO, explains the unique elements are a result of their guiding core values, which include going beyond expectations and a He notes that "Although nobody wants to be at the doctor's, it does not mean we can't do everything possible to make it a positive experience for pets, the

• The first MRI dedicated for pets in Central Oregon

• A 64 Slice CT scanner

• Interventional Radiology

Capabilities

• Bone & Joint Center

• Physical Therapy Center

Other features for our non-furry friends include: an outside courtyard with food trucks, beer and kombucha on tap, and a tranquility garden.

By Press Release

This fall, Alaska Air Cargo delivered the industry's first and biggest fresh hops run to breweries in Maui and Anchorage within 24 hours of harvest – this was a huge

From up top to the tap: Alaska Airlines pulls off ultimate beer run in multiple states

logistical hop-eration that brought a favorite seasonal beer beyond the Pacific Northwest.

Made from fresh-plucked, undried hops that are typically

rushed straight from the fields to the breweries, Alaska went further than any U.S. commercial airline has before by delivering more than 1,200 pounds of fresh hops to Maui

Brewing Co. in Hawaii and 49th State Brewing in Alaska.

"This is a potential gamechanger for the craft beer industry and farm-to-glass collaboration at its finest," says Adam Drouhard, cargo managing director for Alaska Airlines, noting that Washington state grows almost three-quarters of the U.S. hop crop. "This puts a Northwest agricultural product in places that don't normally get it. With the size and scope we have in Seattle, we are really positioned to own this." It all started with a deep appreciation of fresh hops beer and connecting the dots that Alaska Airlines could be

the key to sharing it with the world.

Jake Spotts, postal affairs manager on Alaska's cargo team, has tried beers all over the world during his 20-year Air Force career – but says there's nothing better than the taste of fresh hops during harvest. Packed with unique floral flavor, fresh hop beers are usually made during the late-summer harvest by breweries located near farms in Washington, Oregon and other places in the Northwest.

Spotts thought that because of our decades of expertise shipping perishable products like fresh Alaska salmon, we could find a way to ship fresh hops to breweries outside the

Northwest. Something that hadn't been done by a U.S. airline on a commercial scale – until now.

How we made fresh hops fly.

Craft brewers thrive on collaboration, and when the opportunity came to ship a large volume of fresh hops

out of state, Yakima-based Bale Breaker Brewing Company helped us get the idea off the vine.

The brewers at Bale Breaker, Maui Brewing Co. and 49th State worked together on beer recipes to highlight the hops' fresh flavor and coordinated logistics with the Alaska Air Cargo team and Yakima Chief Hops, a grower-owned organization that distributes hops for more than 50 farms across the Northwest.

"Scalability of shipping fresh hops has really been the challenge to overcome because you only have about 24 hours from harvest before the hops start to degrade," said Bryan Pierce, Chief Sales

and Marketing Officer for Yakima Chief Hops.

To keep the hops fresh throughout their journey, the harvest was timed perfectly so that the just-picked hops could be bagged onsite at Loftus Ranches, one of Yakima's longest running family-owned hop farms and the site of Bale Breaker Brewing.

From there, they were loaded into refrigerated trucks and driven to the Alaska Air Cargo offices at Sea-Tac International Airport just in time to load onto the aircraft. More than 1,200 pounds of hops were shipped nonstop to the brewers.

On Maui and in Anchorage, the brewers were ready to add the fresh hops to the "boil" –the first stage in beer – as soon as they arrived.

"When we added the fresh hops, it smelled amazing!" said Kim Brisson-Lutz, Maui Brewing Co.'s Vice President of Operations. "Making beer is a culinary art, and we're all about making these ingredients really shine."

"Using Alaska Air Cargo, we can guarantee the supply chain all the way from field to the kettle," said David McCarthy, co-founder of 49th State Brewing. "Aficionados of beer are really looking for this flavor, and we're excited we can now make the freshest

beer in Anchorage and the whole Alaska market."

Raise a glass of liquid gold.

This month, Alaska Lounge members and guests will have the chance to sip and savor fresh hop beers from the three breweries in this collaboration at our Lounges in Seattle, Portland and Anchorage airports.

Try them while you can: these unique brews will only be available in our lounges until they run out. All three breweries are located where we fly.

Bale Breaker Brewing Company Yakima, WA

The beers: Homegrown Fresh Hop IPA and Citra Slicker Wet Hop IPA Where to try them:

On draft at Alaska Lounges in Sea-Tac International Airport in North Satellite and Concourse C. And at our Lounge in Portland International Airport.

On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs at Bale Breaker Brewery in Yakima on Loftus Ranches, the Smith familyowned hop farm is also celebrating its 90th anniversary this year – just like us!

On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs in Seattle's Ballard Brewing District, as well as throughout Bale Breaker's distribution footprint in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Use the beer finder on their website to locate their fresh hops near you.

49th State Brewing Anchorage, AK

The beer: Freshial Delivery

Hazy Fresh Hop IPA

Where to try it:

On draft at the Alaska Lounge in Anchorage International Airport.

On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs at 49th State Brewing downtown in Anchorage and at select liquor stores and restaurants across the state of Alaska.

Hops flown: 454 pounds

Kegs brewed: Equivalent of 60 kegs (split between different sizes of kegs and cans)

Maui Brewing Co. Kihei, Maui

The beer: Hop Cargo Fresh Hop IPA

Where to try it:

Coming soon on draft to Alaska's North Satellite Lounge in Sea-Tac International Airport.

Coming soon on draft to Maui Brewing Co. in Kihei, Maui.

Hops flown: 833 pounds

Kegs brewed: Equivalent of 140 kegs

Editor's note: You can find BRoll video here and still photography of the fresh hops journey on Alaska Air Cargo. Everything shot by Ingrid Barrentine (staff photographer at Alaska Airlines).

About Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more

than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We emphasize low fares and award-winning customer service. Alaska is a member of the oneworld global alliance. With the alliance and our additional airline partners, our guests can travel to more than 900 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

Alaska Air Cargo: Alaska Air Cargo serves more than 100 destinations in North America with more than 1,200 daily flights, and provides a variety of reliable shipping services. Alaska Air Cargo has a long history of cold-chain innovations, utilizing a fleet of 737 freighters serving 20 communities in the state of Alaska – and offering belly cargo service on a fleet of over 300 passenger planes serving the Continental U.S., Canada, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Bale Breaker Brewing Company: Crafting fresh-offthe-farm brews from the middle of a hop field, Bale Breaker Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located in Washington state's Yakima Valley. Backed by four generations of hop farming

experience, Bale Breaker started in 2013, and has grown to become the third largest independent craft brewery in Washington.

Loftus Ranches: Loftus Ranches is the Smith family's farms that include hops, apples, and cherries. The family's first hops were planted in 1932, and Loftus Ranches is now run by the fourth generation.

Yakima Chief Hops: Yakima Chief Hops is a 100% growerowned global hop supplier with a mission to connect brewers with family hop farms. Yakima Chief also produces the new YCH Trial 301 product – a product derived from flashfrozen fresh hops that are pelleted and concentrated through their proprietary Cryo Hops® process to produce a stable fresh hop product that can be used year round.

Maui Brewing Co.: Maui Brewing Co. is Hawaii's largest craft brewery, with four restaurants across Maui and Oahu.

49th State Brewing: 49th State Brewing started out in a bus barn next to Denali National Park in 2010, and now has brewpubs in Anchorage and Denali.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

By Press Release

Travel Oregon Showcases State's Regions and Attractions in

magical experiences. The campaign is designed to inspire travel during the fall and winter season — a traditionally lesser traveled time — and future travel being planned for next spring and summer."

Creative for the campaign extends to every corner of the state and reminds visitors and residents alike of all that is extraordinary in Oregon with a whimsical take on three ubiquitous elements: rocks, water and soil. The video campaign combines live-action footage of real places and people with mixed media settings, as well as innovative animation techniques such as puppetry, Claymation and stopmotion. The digitally painted sets — called "matte paintings" in TV/film productions — were created by internationally recognized artist Simone De Salvatore, whose work has been featured in shows like "Game of Thrones" and in Wes Anderson films like "Grand Budapest Hotel."

Homegrown brands are represented in several of the scenes including Trew Gear, Columbia Sportwear and Pendleton. The bowl of ramen is based on the signature dish at Portland's Afuri restaurant, and the beer is an actual beer from Beaverton's Great Notion Brewing, called "Ripe," a hazy IPA. The full list of real-life locations featured in the campaign include:

ROCKS

Paulina Peak

Timberline Lodge

Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson, as well two of the three peaks of the Three Sisters

Sumpter Valley Railroad Blue Basin and John Day Fossil Beds

that Travel Oregon's "Extraordinary is Ordinary" campaign captures the essence of perfectly."

Take a look at the "Extraordinary is Ordinary" Toolkit and a behind the scenes glimpse of how the campaign was made.

About Travel Oregon

WATER

Crater Lake

Clear Lake Rogue River

Willamette Valley Portland bridges and Portland Oregon Sign Afuri

Great Notion Portland Spirit Dragon Boats

SOIL

Detering Orchard

Le Mera Gardens

Analemma Farms

Columbia River Gorge Carman Ranch

Wallowa Mountains

Marys Peak

"There's not a day that goes by that we aren't mesmerized and caused to become deeply curious about the land that we farm and the landscape we live in," said Kris Fade, co-owner of Analemma Wines. "How the vines grow in this incredible environment is a story we tell our guests every day, and one

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, is a semi-independent state agency whose mission is to inspire travel that uplifts Oregon communities. Collaborating with stakeholders to align as stewards of Oregon, we work to optimize economic opportunity, advance equity and respect the ecosystems, cultures and places that make Oregon… Oregon. Travel Oregon aims to improve Oregonians' quality of life by strengthening the economic impacts of the state's $10.9 billion tourism industry, which employs more than 100,000 Oregonians.

SOURCE Travel Oregon

By Press Release

TC Chevy, the leading electric vehicle dealer in Southern Oregon, is going solar. And not just with any solar solution! The management of the iconic auto dealership, which has been serving customers since 1985, chose Stracker Solar to install their most state-of-the-art elevated solar trackers.

“We believe in cutting-edge technology,” says Derek DeBoer, 3rd generation Owner/Operator of TC Chevy.

“Our cars and trucks feature the latest designs and manufacturing practices, and we wanted a solar power system that does the same. The

TC Chevy Dealership Goes Solar with Stracker Solar

fact that the Strackers are the most efficient and impressive solar solution currently available has sealed the deal.”

Each of the five dual-axis solar trackers that will tower above the vehicles at the dealership will carry an array of 28 Longi 445W bifacial solar panels atop its 20 ft pole. They will sport high-power LED display lighting for the illumination of the display lot. The complete five-Stracker system will produce 140,000 kWh solar power per year, which means an annual 99.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide reduction in the atmosphere. This impressive number is

equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 117 acres of US forests every year.

“We are very aware of the local sentiment towards clean energy and sustainability,” adds DeBoer. “We thought it was time that an auto dealership goes beyond just selling electric vehicles and takes the lead in implementing clean energy measures.”

Jeff Sharpe, Founder and CEO of Stracker Solar is excited about the upcoming

installation. “We are delighted to finally proceed with this project after unprecedented Pacific Power and supply chain

delays,” says Sharpe. “And how fun to have a new flock of Strackers at the dealership that sells the most electric cars in Southern Oregon!”

Site work is starting on the premises in early August, with trenching and laying conduit for the solar trackers. The installation of the Strackers is planned for late August.

About Stracker Solar:

Stracker Solar manufactures, sells, and installs state-of-the-art elevated dual-axis solar trackers.

Strackers are the most robust, highest efficiency solar power systems available, generating up to 70% more solar energy each year than same-sized fixed rooftop, carport, or groundmount systems. This efficiency translates to a 55%-65% lower carbon footprint as well.

Stracker’s 20' pole-mounting allows continued use of the grounds below, which makes the system ideally suited for parking lots, agricultural operations, school yards, community solar projects, and more.

Strackers are developed and manufactured in Ashland, Oregon, and are documenting unparalleled performance across a variety of northern California and southern Oregon climates. Strackers carry the valued UL 3703 certification and qualify for Energy Trust of Oregon incentives.

Stracker Solar appoints Allen Gilstrap as new CEO

the perfect executive for this key role, and I am happy to be handing over the reins to him.”

“Stracker Solar has engineered the most forwardthinking solar tracker available in the market”, said Gilstrap. “We are launching this fall a targeted national expansion effort, certifying regional steel fabrication facilities that will manufacture Stracker elevated solar trackers for EPC clients.”

State-of-the-art elevated solar tracker manufacturer brings successful fintech executive aboard to lead company’s national expansion

Stracker Solar is pleased to announce that Allen Gilstrap has joined the company as CEO. Gilstrap has extensive international experience in launching and building VCfunded, technology businesses. Gilstrap is taking over the chief executive position from Jeff Sharpe, the company’s Founder and President who created the Stracker product and will continue to serve as COO/ CTO.

“We are honored and excited that Mr. Gilstrap will be leading our company and its dedicated team on the path of exponential growth” says Sharpe. “His experience and accomplishments make him

Most recently, Gilstrap was the CEO and co-founder of Ongo, the leading B2B digital payment service in Myanmar. Ongo’s 8,500 Agent employees provide digital financial services to 1.3 million consumer app users, 140 corporate clients and 30,000 merchants.

Prior to Ongo, Gilstrap served as CEO and co-founder of OpenRevolution, a leading mobile payment fintechand advisory service that implemented over 40 mobile, digital financial service projects in 25 countries. Before taking the entrepreneurial path, Gilstrap served as General Manager and VP for American Express in London, leading the Smart Solutions business.

Gilstrap received his MBA degree from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from the University of Kansas.

By OnPoint Community Credit Union

OnPoint Community Credit Union releases updated eBook to help guard against evolving tactics in cybercrime

OnPoint Community

Credit Union today released its 2022 "The OnPoint Guide to Personal Cybersecurity" eBook to help consumers and businesses protect themselves amidst a fast-evolving cybercrime landscape. In 2021, ransomware attacks doubled, and in the first half of 2022, malware scams jumped 11%. OnPoint updates the free eBook every October to coincide with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and help keep the community informed of the latest online threats. From emerging cybercrime business models to a surge in smishing and attacks on small businesses, hackers are continually adapting their tactics to take advantage of vulnerabilities.

to share best practices and resources so people can stay on top of trends and understand how to protect their identities and their bank accounts."

The latest trends in online fraud include:

Ransomware as a Service

directly and strengthen the validity of the message.

Small businesses beware: According to the FBI's Internet Crime report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $2.4 billion last year. And a U.S. Small Business

"Financial security and personal data security go hand in hand, and both require a commitment to ongoing learning and education," said Damian Laviolette, Chief Information Security Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. "With everything from phones, cars, drones and home systems connected on the web, cybercrime is only going to keep growing—it is not going away. As cybercriminals evolve their modes of attack, we'll continue

(RaaS): A play on the Subscription as a Service or SaaS business model, RaaS providers market themselves on the dark web, offering their ransomware services and technology to clients in exchange for cryptocurrency. The scale of services ranges from advice and assistance to round-the-clock support that includes negotiating with the victim. While RaaS makes it easier for more bad actors to enter the market, the methods of attack remain the same. Cybercriminals access systems via malware infection or exploitation of a vulnerability.

Smishing surge: This summer, the FCC issued a warning about a rise in smishing, a type of social engineering attack that uses SMS texting. Designed to read like a formal notification from a business, smishing texts operate under the same premise as email phishing scams with a link pointing you to an attackercontrolled server. The smisher may even use your name and location to address you

Administration survey found 88% of small business owners felt their businesses were vulnerable to online attacks. While large enterprises have built robust security teams and protocols, small businesses tend to lack the security infrastructure needed in the era of cybercrime, making them an attractive target for hackers.

Top 5 Tips for Cybersecurity:

Forget the password. Remember the passphrase. A password typically contains about 10 characters, blending letters, numbers and symbols. However, passwords are relatively easy to crack by hackers. That's why passphrases are becoming the new industry standard. A passphrase is longer than a password, can contain spaces between words, and should be easy for you to remember but hard for a computer to crack. Consider song lyrics, a quotation or anything memorable to you like "My favorite food is Hawaiian p1zz@," mixing in symbols and

numbers in place of some letters. Even the most proficient password cracking tools break down at about 10 characters, so remember the longer your passphrase is, the harder it will be for fraudsters to hack.

Back up your data. Backing up data is an absolute must for small business owners. A ransomware attack will seize up your system and lock you out until you pay the hackers. The average length of business downtime due to ransomware attacks is 20 days. That's enough time to shut down a small business. In addition to security protocols and threat detection, make sure you have a consistent and reliable way to back up your files with encryption in a system separate from your day-to-day operations.

Verify sender before clicking any link. Double check the sender's address and domain name, and don't simply rely on the display name. You can hover over a link to see if the URL looks legitimate or has common tricks like a zero in place of the letter "o" or an "s" added to the end of a word like Onpoints.com. Be extra wary of any offer or notification that has poor grammar or typos, comes out of the blue or sounds too good to be true.

Stop and ask for help. So, you've clicked the link. What now? First, stop using the

device and disconnect from the internet to stop the spread of malware. If your device is related to your job, reach out to your IT department by phone.

If you've entered sensitive information, call your financial institution's hotline (on the back of your credit or debit card) to report the incident, consider putting a lock on your credit records and set up a fraud alert. For breaches on your personal device, back up your data using an external device like a USB and then scan your device for malware. Lastly, change your passwords across all your accounts. When in doubt, seek out a professional IT expert for help.

Teach your kids. You might be aware of smishing, but are your kids? Laviolette says smishing attacks can be successful when you let a kid borrow your phone to play a game. When the text comes through, they may start tapping the screen to remove the distraction and unknowingly compromise the system. If your kids are using electronic devices of any kind, even for limited periods of time, make sure you've educated them about the risks.

OnPoint Guide to Cybersecurity eBook or talk with a representative at your nearest OnPoint branch.

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 489,000 members and with assets of $9.3 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

SOURCE OnPoint Community Credit Union

Cybercrime comes in many forms and requires vigilance across all channels. To learn even more ways to protect yourself, your family or your business, download The

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By LS Networks Press Release Members of the NWTA

Partnership with PocketiNet Furthers Mission to Bridge the Digital Divide, Expanding Platform to Include Fiber-to-the-Home

Today (Sept. 29, 2022) , LS Networks announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire PocketiNet Communications Inc., a residential internet, phone, and Wi-Fi service provider. Continuing operations under each respective brand, this partnership marks LS Networks' entry into the residential market, bringing the company's track record of reliable, high-quality digital services to rural communities across the Pacific Northwest.

"Today is an important day," said Randy Brogle, CEO, LS Networks. "We believe every person deserves access to reliable internet. With the addition of PocketiNet's platform and experienced team, we can seamlessly extend our business and residential network across the Pacific Northwest, connecting communities and helping to bridge the digital divide."

As part of this announcement, PocketiNet will immediately expand its fiber-to-the-home services in its existing communities of Walla Walla, College Place, Yakima, Milton

LS Networks Announces Entry into Residential Market

Freewater, and Waitsburg, as well as Pasco, Sunnyside, Grandview, Prosser, Toppenish, Wapato, and Zillah. The initial investment will reach over 32,000 homes in Yakima, Benton, and Walla Walla counties.

"PocketiNet has always focused on extending high-quality and affordable internet services to the rural communities we serve. Our company plays a critical role in connecting Americans to their jobs, schools, and families through exceptional local and caring customer support," said Todd Brandenburg, President and CEO, PocketiNet Communications Inc. "We are delighted to be joining forces with LS Networks, increasing our capacity with leading-edge fiber to the home and fixed wireless technologies, doubling down on our commitment to customers and expanding our reach across the rural Pacific Northwest to build stronger, more connected communities."

The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

About LS Networks

LS Networks is a leading fiber network provider in the Pacific Northwest, delivering reliable, highquality connectivity for businesses and homes in underserved and rural communities. With more than 7,000 route miles of fiber and speeds up to 100 Gbps, its carrier-grade network delivers a robust portfolio of network connectivity services, including internet, Ethernet, voice, and data solutions, helping to bridge the digital divide and empowering communities to thrive.

For more information, visit lsnetworks.net.

About PocketiNet

PocketiNet Communications Inc. is a locally owned and operated internet service provider serving Southeast Washington and parts of Northeast Oregon since 2000. Providing communities with reliable, highspeed broadband services and leading-edge ancillary solutions, their mission is to deliver fast, reliable Internet at an affordable price.

For more information, visit pocketinet.com.

SOURCE LS Networks

EDUCATION

By Press Release https://news.sou.edu/

Liz Shelby, who retired from Southern Oregon University after serving as director of government relations and chief of staff, and lobbyist and government relations consultant Iris Maria Chávez have both been appointed by Gov. Kate Brown and confirmed today by the Oregon Senate to serve on the university’s Board of Trustees. They will begin their service to the board on Sept. 28.

Shelby will complete the partial four-year term to which retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice Virginia Linder was appointed in February, but was unable to serve. Chávez will complete the unexpired four-year term of Lyn Hennion, who served on the board since its inception in 2015 and was appointed to a new term in June.

“I am honored and excited to join the Board of Trustees of Southern Oregon University,” said Shelby, who served for 25 years at SOU before her retirement in 2017. “With my background and commitment to public higher education in Oregon, I am eager to help guide the sustainability and diversity of SOU during this important time in the university’s history.”

Chávez is the managing partner of Equity Action Partners of Portland, and has more than 15 years of experience working in government affairs, community engagement and communications for advocacy organizations and think tanks, advancing state and federal policy to improve community outcomes and increase government accountability. She

Former SOU administrator and consultant appointed to university board

master’s degree in social policy from the University of Chicago.

Shelby served six SOU presidents as director of government relations and three as chief of staff before her retirement five years ago. She was involved in several significant transitions for the university, including its name change from Southern Oregon State College in 1997 and the shift to an independent board of trustees in 2015.

has built issue-advocacy campaigns with a variety of advocacy and civil rights organizations across the country, leading to bipartisan legislation to provide investments in education, public safety, social justice and child welfare.

“I'm excited to join my new colleagues on the board at Southern Oregon University,” Chávez said. “I look forward to supporting the strategies and vision that will ensure the continued success of the university and our students.”

Chávez serves as the board chair for the Partnership for Safety & Justice and is a board member for the Latino Network Action Fund. She has built coalitions with – and advocated on behalf of –organizations including the Education Trust, League of United Latin American Citizens, Chalkboard Project, Children’s Institute, Partnership for Safety & Justice, Sponsors, Inc., and the Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in history, sociology and African Diaspora Studies from Tulane University and her

She previously served 16 years as director of the federal Small Business Development Center in the SOU School of Business, helping local entrepreneurs with business plans and working with existing business owners to develop strategies that increase profitability.

Shelby, a two-time alumna, earned her bachelor’s degree in business and her master’s degree in business administration at SOU. She is the board chair for the Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution and Restorative Justice and is vice president of the Jefferson Public Radio Foundation’s board of directors. She previously served on the board of Rogue Credit Union for 14 years.

“The SOU Board of Trustees is very happy to welcome Iris and Liz to the board,” said Daniel Santos, the board chair. “Their expertise and broad range of experiences will help all of us to guide the university and advance its mission for the next 150 years. We are also tremendously grateful for Lyn Hennion’s lengthy and insightful service and leadership on the SOU Board; we wish her the very best.”

HIGHER EDUCATION

By Press Release https://news.sou.edu/

Southern Oregon University President Rick Bailey has announced an emerging plan to address an outdated financial model that has left SOU and many other public higher education institutions relying too heavily on tuition revenue to balance their budgets.

According to Bailey, the work over the next several months will be to strategically realign the university for future growth.

"We are drawing a line in the sand on using tuition increases to meet rising costs," President Bailey said. "We are all committed to the innovations that will keep more and more from being put on the backs of our students."

The president called for teamwork in managing costs with steps that will reduce recurring, annual expenses, as well as programmatic realignments that enable SOU to sharpen its focus and better prepare students for success and service to their communities.

“Our university has operated for most of its 150 years on a financial model that’s very common in public higher education: nearexclusive reliance on a combination of state funding and tuition revenue,” Bailey said. “That model was effective until about 30 years ago, when the balance between those two funding sources began to flip – what used to be about a two-thirds share from the state and one-third from tuition is now the exact opposite.

“Our leadership and budgeting teams have looked long and hard at our structural issues, and are confident that SOU’s financial foundation can be successfully reengineered, but it will take several years to get there,” Bailey said. “Our new, bottom-line fiscal formula must be one in which revenue is greater than or equal to costs for the longterm. While that sounds fairly straightforward, it isn’t always followed.”

SOU prepares for strategic realignment to solidify financial future

Bailey said there are four “planks” to reengineer the university’s fiscal operations: managing costs, vigorously going after grants, leveraging SOU’s growing philanthropic capacity and diversifying the university’s revenue streams.

In his announcement, Bailey offered two examples of how the university has already begun to address recurring costs: a threeyear shift to a new core information system that will improve service and save $700,000 per year; and the goal of making SOU the first public university in the nation to make all of its own electricity on its campus, saving another $700,000 to $800,000 per year. The university’s shift to the Workday information system began last month, and SOU has applied for both state and federal funding for the next steps toward powering the entire campus with its own solar arrays.

Bailey acknowledged that changes to SOU academic and support programs will be complicated but he promised transparency and intends to include student, faculty and staff governance groups in the analysis process, along with the unions that represent faculty members and classified employees.

“Our guiding principles throughout this process will be to act with integrity, transparency, compassion and humility; to focus on the best interests of our students and the long-term vision of SOU; and to view each step through the lens of JEDI – justice, equity, diversity and inclusion,” he said.

Bailey cited recent examples of how SOU efforts in the areas of grant procurement and philanthropy are already on the upswing. Recent grants from the National Science Foundation will pay for cutting edge research equipment in the university’s Chemistry and Physics Department, and will allow researchers in the Computer Science Department to work with local elementary

teachers to develop their students’ computational thinking skills. And SOU just last week announced a $12-million philanthropic commitment from Lithia Motors and GreenCars that will support the university’s sustainability and accessibility efforts. That gift announcement came just months after the estate of late wrestling coach Bob Riehm made a $3 million donation, which at the time was easily the largest-ever single gift to the university.

The SOU president said that his vision for diversifying revenue to the university, beyond the traditional sources from tuition and state funding, will start with four ideas: expanding solar production as mentioned above; razing the Cascades Complex and building an innovative senior living facility that creates synergy between its residents and students; establishing a University Business District that produces partnerships between SOU and neighboring businesses; and creating a training center to help other organizations transition their core information systems to the Workday platform.

“There are undoubtedly more ideas that we have yet to imagine, but these are the handful that we are actively pursuing for now – and we are confident in each of them,”

Bailey said “If just one or two of them pan out, they will be game-changers. If all of them cross the finish line, they will be transformational for the university.

Ultimately, I am confident that SOU will reimagine what public higher education looks like, build a fiscally sustainable institution for our students, faculty and staff, and become a role model for the rest of the country – and we will do it together.”

-SOU-

Iquick,

but the subsequent reduction in costs are slow to be realized once the inflation monster has been contained. The effects of this on a business owner is that all too often, serious injury to a company’s cash flow and balance sheet occurs well in advance of the company generating the information needed in order to make good decisions regarding how to combat inflationary effects. I have heard this called margin compression,

through. Regardless of what you call it, it remains that the period of rapid increases in costs are often surprises to businesses, and the adjustment to passing those increased costs on to the end user or customer can be slow. This lag between cost increase receipt and the resulting increases in pricing and up-charging clients can cause significant adverse effects for a business.

on cash flow to sustain operations and viability. This was proven out a couple years ago as we entered the COVID-19 Pandemic-caused shutdowns in commerce, with many businesses

finding out they had only a week or two life in their operations outside of reliance on cash flow. These businesses had no reserves or processes built for business resiliency. Even worse, the deteriorating condition of cash reserves

and profitability constrained the businesses that needed to raise cash for investment purposes, operating capabilities, and to buffer supply-chain issues. The ill effects of cash flow issues in an inflationary environment are not only felt immediately, but negatively affect future operations as well.

Now is the perfect time to sit down with your accountant (not necessarily your tax accountant) and discuss what your financial outlook is. Compare your current results to past like periods and see if, or where, your economic performance has degenerated from the past. Compare your business’s cash reserves to past periods and account for business size when calculating if your current reserves are adequate. Look for specific areas of poor performance as compared to past periods to figure out what changes are needed in order to be profitable. On the revenue side, check your A/R to make sure it has not lengthened or the balances have not grown. Then check your expenses to make sure you do not have hidden recurring costs for services

that are no longer needed that you forgot to cancel. Look for inventory levels to make sure they have not grown, and especially look to rid yourself of obsolete inventory which is the silent killer.

Knowing that the pressures you are under are the same your competition is facing, look for opportunity to take market share as customers are looking for new suppliers to relieve themselves of the burdens of operating in inflationary times. Activate your marketing team to refine your price, placement and presence in the marketplace with an eye towards customer service and acquisition. Make sure you have supply-chain support before making commitments to your clients regarding firm delivery of contracted obligations. Make sure you have the capacity to borrow, if needed, so that you can execute any promotion or market-penetration project you envision.

If you want to be proactive and manage your business through the current inflationary environment, and assure that you will be a

survivor and not a victim, then two things are needed that are absolutely essential for success. They are: 1) Know your business inside out, front to back, the weaknesses and strengths, and have plans in place with a receptive team to improve the company, and 2) have benchmarking data for your industry available and benchmark your company against the data so you have no surprises when your banker takes the information you give them and analyzes your operations against this dataset. Don’t be the applicant who is trying to talk to their banker without being the most knowledgeable person in the room regarding your business. Dazzle them. You want them on your side as you develop strategies for dealing with inflation and cash flow issues.

Marshall Doak is the Director of the Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center and a huge supporter of innovation and the community that forms around innovation in the economy. In private practice, he works with businesses that plan to transition to new ownership within the next five years, assisting them to build value that can be converted to retirement income when the business sells. He can be reached through: mdoak06@gmail.com or 541-646-4126.

By Chris Tamarin

On October 6, 2022 several individuals and organizations were given awards at the 26th annual Oregon Connections Conference, held in Ashland, Oregon.

The conference honors individuals and organizations who have positively impacted telecommunications development in Oregon in six categories: applications, projects, partnerships, legislation, advocacy and enduring achievement. Award nominations are evaluated by an Awards Committee that includes past Oregon Connections Award recipients.

Oregon Connections Awards 2022

Category #1: Excellence in Telecommunications Applications. Individual, organization or company that has developed or successfully implemented an innovative telecommunications application that demonstrates standard communications capabilities, scalable solutions to accommodate growth in demand, and/or adaptability to new applications and opportunities.

Awardee: Oregon Hazards Lab (a research lab within the University of Oregon’s Department of Earth Sciences)

2022 Oregon Connections Award Winners

dozens of wildfires in Jackson and Josephine counties. The Rogue Valley Council of Governments is partnering with local government agencies and the University of Oregon Hazards Lab to erect 12 to 16 additional high-definition ALERTWildfire cameras in Southern Oregon over the next year.

Steve Corbató of Link Oregon accepting for OHAZ

The Oregon Hazards Lab (OHAZ) successfully uses science, technology, and community engagement to understand, detect, and mitigate multihazards within the Pacific Northwest through its Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, ShakeAlert, ALERTWildfire, Willamette Watershed Project, and Multi-hazards monitoring and alerting projects. The OHAZ mission is to use science, technology, and community engagement to understand, monitor, and mitigate multi-hazards within the Pacific Northwest.

OHAZ seeks to mitigate the state’s vulnerability to wildfire, flooding landslide, flooding, drought, windstorm, extreme heat, communications failure, power failure, earthquake and seismic events, and emerging disease. It seeks to develop the most advanced all-hazards, environmental, and ecosystem observing platform in the United States

These are significant hazards that face Oregon every day. As an illustration, In the span of one night at the end of August, 232 lightning strikes sparked

More information on applications and projects may be found at https:// ohaz.uoregon.edu/.

Category #3: Excellence in Telecommunications Partnerships

Individual, organization or company that has developed an innovative telecommunications partnership for the purpose of providing improved access, reliability and/or affordability for communities or promotes and accelerates adoption and utilization.

Awardee: Tillamook County Creamery Association

Ellen Miller of Kudszus accepting for TCCA

The Tillamook County Creamery Association is recognized for their ongoing project to advance broadband availability and access programs in Oregon.

Tillamook County Creamery Association led the effort to place of two American Connection Corps (ACC) fellows in Tillamook and Morrow counties to help advance broadband availability and access programs in Oregon, and is underwriting their activities during the next two years as they work to achieve better digital connectivity in rural areas of the state.

The Association is partnering with LandO-Lakes and other organizations that are focused on closing the Digital Divide across the nation by providing training on community organizing, broadband, and digital inclusion at the local level. Tillamook County Creamery Association is leading this effort in Oregon.

Governor Brown has publicly thanked the Association for their commitment to building digital equity in underserved areas of Oregon, and so have we!

impacted access, reliability, and/or affordability of telecommunications services, or promotes and accelerates adoption and utilization of telecommunications services in Oregon.

Awardee: Oregon State Representative Nancy Nathanson

Committee on Information Management and Technology.

We recognize and thank Rep. Nancy Nathanson.

Category #4: Excellence in Telecommunications Policy and Legislation

Individual or organization that has participated in writing and advocating for legislation that will have a significant impact on telecommunications in Oregon. Legislator or elected representative that has effectively introduced or advocated for innovation in legislation or policy that has positively

Oregon State Legislative Representative Nancy Nathanson has a long history of developing telecommunications policies at both municipal and state government levels. She spearheaded the creation of the Eugene City Council’s Telecommunications Committee and served as the Committee Chair through a year of public policy development which continues to guide the community.

She has advised Communications Committees at the National League of Cities and the Federal Communications Commission on federal broadband policy and legislation.

As an Oregon State Representative, she has been a long-standing key advocate for broadband access across the state and for addressing cybersecurity issues. She currently serves as Co-Chair and member of the Joint Legislative

Category #5: Outstanding Telecommunications Advocate

Individual that has made a significant contribution or gone beyond the call of duty to advocate for improved access, reliability and affordability, or promotes and accelerates adoption and utilization of telecommunications.

Awardee: Rachael Maddock Hughes

Rachael accepting

Rachael is a leader in rural resource development and strategic initiatives and planning. She works with and supports local government, non-profits and humanitarian agencies.

In recent years she has been instrumental in organizing and coordinating a regional Broadband Action Team for Linn, Benton, Lane, and Lincoln Counties. The BAT now includes partners from across the four-county region including LCOG, Linn ESD, Benton

Anne Fifield of City of Eugene accepting for Rep. Nathanson

ESD, the cities of Florence and Eugene, and non-profit partner Siuslaw Vision. The BAT was successful in applying for and receiving $250,000 Economic Development Administration grant to fund broadband project feasibility studies in each county.

Rachael has also worked with and supported a state-wide Broadband Action Team leadership working group; and a state-wide broadband mapping effort, Faster Internet Oregon https:// www.fasterinternetoregon.org/, under Link Oregon. Rachael was also a member of the Oregon Broadband Office’s Technical Working Group in 2022 to help develop the rules and regulations that will oversee up to $800M of broadband funding for the state of Oregon.

She has had a meaningful impact on engaging local communities and supporting the state in improving broadband connectivity in Oregon.

Krystal accepting

Krystal Stone is a key advocate of the Klamath Tribes’ ongoing efforts with a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grant currently under review for $500,000. Her support and advocacy has made this pending grant to the Klamath Tribes possible.

Krystal has emerged as an influential advocate that we hope will be participating in Oregon’s broadband public policy development for years to come.

Category #5: Outstanding Telecommunications Advocate

Individual that has made a significant contribution or gone beyond the call of duty to advocate for improved access, reliability, and affordability, or promotes and accelerates adoption and utilization of telecommunications.

Awardee: Krystal Stone

Krystal chairs a Broadband Action and Awareness Council for the City of Chemult. She has made Chiloquin a centerpiece for rural broadband advocacy for broadband underserved community awareness. She has rallied the high school’s technical robotics team and expanded their understanding of the broadband challenges that exist within the community. She educates them on broadband technologies like fiber optic, 5G wireless and the solutions offered by service providers.

This year, Krystal was appointed by Governor Kate Brown to be a member of the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council (OBAC) representing Tribes within the State of Oregon. She is a member of OBAC’s working group on state public policy.

Category #6: Edwin B. Parker Enduring Achievement Award

This award is presented to individuals whose contributions in telecommunications have been rendered with the greatest civility, who serve as a role model and mentor to many, and who have provided a lasting legacy influencing for years to come the course and future of telecommunications in Oregon.

Awardee: Adam Haas

Adam accepting

This recognition is for years of service to the Oregon telecommunications landscape, and not based on any one data point.

Adam Haas has over 40 years of experience and learning in the telecommunications field, 20 of which involved management of telecommunications companies both domestically and abroad.

Adam has spent many years helping rural communities crack the code on raising broadband capacity. It has been a tremendous learning experience with many opportunities to learn from his experiences. This can be done through grants, public/private partnerships, and leveraging existing assets like towers and fiber. First, though, it has to start with a vision for the future and local advocates ready to champion the cause for broadband. It hasn’t been an easy task.

Over the last 20 years, Adam has devoted himself to professional consulting, having run consulting practices for W&H Pacific, Sparling, and Converge Communications in Portland, Oregon. He established Rabbit Communications in 2020, with a focus on improving broadband communications for the underserved and unserved communities. Adam is the principal and owner of

As part of his understanding of the role of broadband in any community, Adam believes “technical solutions are important to a robust telecommunications infrastructure, it still comes right back to people. Good people make good things happen.”

Adam’s engaging personality and willingness to help and/or mentor has influenced how others conduct their efforts. He is not perfect by any means but demonstrates the ability to learn and grow. He has a long history of making things happen, almost always for the better. He sometimes has had to step back into a troubled project to help get it back on track.

Clients cover a diverse range: governments, developers and owners, public safety, sovereign tribal nations, wireless ISPS, carriers and broadband providers.

Telecommunications Conference. The non-profit corporation was formed to oversee the annual telecommunications conference. The conference, which has focused on improving broadband access and adoption throughout Oregon, is entering its 26th year. Adam has been participating in conference panels since 2001, sometimes as speaker and sometimes as moderator. He is serving as vice president of the organization.

Governor Kate Brown has reappointed Adam a second term to the State Interoperability Executive Council. This is his second term on the SIEC, where he represents the 9 Oregon Tribal Nations. The SIEC coordinates resources, develops policy and guideline recommendations, and identifies technology standards to facilitate coordinated Wireless propagation studies.

Adam has been a force in Oregon

Loud Voices

by Greg Henderson

Photo by Thiébaud Faix on Unsplash

If my house is on fire I would appreciate it if you would yell loudly at me that I am in danger. Otherwise, please tone it down a bit.

My neighbor lives about a hundred yards from me. To hear him talking in his front yard you would think he lived about two feet away. He can’t speak softly or at a volume that is not painful to my ears. He’s a person who could have something important to say that I would ignore because his voice is painful. Too bad, he’s probably a nicer guy than I think.

Our association with loud voices comes from learning that getting yelled at is something to avoid. It’s a signal that we’ve done something wrong and should apologize or fix it immediately. Its punishment that we rarely appreciate. But there are some who speak loudly anyway. Loud voices are gender neutral and don’t care about age either.

Some politicians are that way. They don’t realize how many votes they lose because of loud speeches.

You must know someone who speaks only one language but thinks speaking to a non-English speaking person can be

accomplished if they speak slow and loud? Its silly, and pitiful. Wrong. And highly degrading, an insult.

Its okay to cheer for your favorite sports team - outside, loud is okay. Please be quiet during solemn occasions, like funerals. Speak at a decibel level appropriate for the time and place. If you don’t know how loudly you speak, try recording yourself in different settings. Then play it back when you are alone and compare your voice to others on the recording. It might be a good learning experience worth celebrating.

Maybe our society has taught us that being an extrovert is preferable to being an introvert and that extroverts are supposed to be outspoken, and loud. Mostly loud. But that isn’t so. Erase that notion.

Being loud has nothing to do with being right or most important. Being loud can be a bad habit or something we learned in our childhood home, even blaming it on our nationalities. Do the softspoken people in your lives a favor by turning down the volume a little. Trust me, they will appreciate it.

Our world today seems to be filled to the brim with people who speak loudly, too loudly, most of the time. It isn’t even being an extrovert, as much as it is purely aggression. Aggression can become violent, and violence can become deadly. Be careful when speaking loudly.

If you were raised in a household, like mine, that was rarely loud and yelling was immediately shushed, then you recognize what I say. On the other hand, if your home was usually set at noise levels just short of glass-shatteringly piercing, then you’ve likely learned to deal with it and found out what level of loud was serious or important and which levels were the common way of speaking. We adjust.

But, adjusting shouldn’t be necessary.

Speaking is about communication. If your audience turns you off, your communication ends.

Greg

Greg Henderson is

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