Dear Oregon Economic Development Association Members:

President's Report

It is my pleasure to serve as President for OEDA in 2006-2007. Here is a quick listing of what to expect over the next 12 months:

• Another great three-part economic development training series
• Formulation and implementation of an economic developmentlegislative agenda
• Implementation of the Earned Media campaign
• Continued improvements to Oregon Prospector and outreach to current and prospective users of the state-of-the-art tool
• Coordination and promotion of tradeshows
• Continued growth in our membership

In particular, it is timely to reference our legislative activities. I believe that OECDD is enjoying a good relationship with the legislative leadership, and we all have a terrific opportunity to strengthen that relationship and the results that are so important for the work that we do.

I look forward to continuing to work with you so that OEDA has benefits for every community in the state.

OEDA President Colin Sears

Marketing Efforts

Earned Media Campaign To Be Launched

With $40,000 from the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, $20,000 from the Regional Partners, and pending commitments from other organizations, OEDA has signed an agreement with Rockey Hill & Knowlton to advance an Earned Media Campaign showcasing Oregon's business development success stories and business competiveness climate.

A special Earned Media Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from organizations that have committed a minimum of a $1,500 matching grant to the project, will work with the OEDA Board and Krista Hildebrand of Rockey Hill & Knowlton to coordinate the campaign. All OEDA members are anticipated to benefit from this campaign, and more information will be forwarded on how you can showcase your community's achievements and competitiveness.

OEDA Board Member Diana Corder will chair this committee for OEDA.

Programs and Resources

News from IEDC

The International Economic Development Council summarizes the national economic development headlines in their monthly publication Economic Development Now.

Update on Enterprise Zones and Other Incentives

OECDD Business Invectives Coordinator Art Fish provides the latest information on Oregon's Enterprise Zones, E-Commerce Zones, Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone, and Rural Strategic Investment Program. Thank you Art for keeping us all so informed.

Oregon Prospector

OEDA wins $50,000 USDA Rural Development Grant

USDA Rural Development awarded OEDA a $50,000 Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) award during OEDA's Annual Conference.

The grant recognizes the outstanding functionality of Oregon Prospector, and provides the Association with the financial resources to not only maintain the Website, but to improve its functionality and visibility statewide.

OEDA thanks our partners at USDA Rural Development!

OEDA BUSINESS

OEDA Establishes Bylaws Committee

Want an exciting assignment? Want to know all of the details of OEDA's business practices and procedures? Then the Bylaws Committee is for you! Please contact Brian Cole if you desire to serve on this committee which will take a fresh look at editing OEDA's bylaws.

PARTNERS

Oregon Innovation Council Recommends Investment Plan

The Oregon Innovation Council (Oregon InC), a statewide public-private advisory council, recently presented its State Innovation Plan and urged Oregon's Governor and State Legislature to adopt an Economic Stimulus Package of up to $40 million to be invested by 2009.

Invitation to Participate in the Oregon Manufacturing Workforce Strategy

One of the key activities of the Oregon Workforce Manufacturing Strategy is to support existing, fledgling groups of manufacturers across the state that have already agreed to work together on an identified set of shared issues and have expressed interest in adopting high performance practices.

Recently, the Northwest High Performance Enterprise Consortium (NWHPEC) was selected to facilitate the implementation of the Strategy. The grant awarded to NWHPEC by the Community College and Workforce Development Department (CCWD) will provide limited seed funding (approximately $125,000 over a 12-month period ending December 2007) to a number of existing groups or consortia across the state.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY

OEDA Legislative Committee Formulating Legislative Strategy

The OEDA Legislative Committee conducted weekly teleconference calls throughout the summer to define and refine a legislative strategy for the 2007 Oregon Legislative Assembly. Early work has focused on advocating for specific budgetary requests of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. Look for details on the Legislative strategy to be email to you soon

OECDD Proposes Rules Revisions

OECDD is proposing a series of rule changes and revisions to help clarify and streamline economic development programs.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Annual Conference Very Well Received

Over 160 economic development practitioners and strategic partners attended OEDA's Back to Business II Conference at the Eugene Hilton September 10-12.

Conference evaluations showed that attendees enjoyed the workshops, accommodations, meals, and especially the keynoters.

OEDA congratulates Mary McArthur for winning the i-Pod donated by Rockey Hill & Knowlton in a raffle drawing of all of the conference attendees that submitted their conference evaluation forms.

OEDA Sets 2007 Economic Development Training Series Schedule

Mark your 2007 calendars, as OEDA has established the dates and locations for the 2007 Economic Development Training Series

*Spring Training: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at the McMeniman's Edgefield in Troutdale

*Summer Training: Monday, July 23, 2007 at Oregon State University in Corvallis

*Back to Business 3: October 8-9 at the Portland Hilton (associated with The Competitiveness Institute event later that week)

Please note that an earlier email to OEDA members referenced the Spring Training to take place on April 9. As April 9 is the day after Easter Sunday, we have opted to push it to Tuesday, April 10.

Portland to Host Global Competitiveness Conference in 2007

The Competitiveness Institute (TCI), a not-for-profit alliance of industry cluster practitioners based in Barcelona Italy, has selected Portland for an October 2007 worldwide conference.

OEDA is already planning to hold its Annual Conference in conjunction with this international event.  For more information on the event, contact Amy Keiter.

CDFA to Hold Annual Development Finance Summit in May 2007

CDFA will hold its annual Finance Summit May 22-24, 2007 in Miami Beach. Information on industrial development bond finance programs, revolving loan funds, tax increment financing, housing financing, and many other subjects will be covered.

WORKFORCE

The latest on Oregon Workforce Development

Once again, OEDA is pleased to forward the Governor's Notes from the Oregon Office of Education and Workforce Policy.

JOB OPENINGS

Job Openings Regularly Posted on oeda.biz

OEDA is pleased to post job openings on our website. What started out as a trickle has become a regular stream of cities, counties, ports, and economic development organizations seeking OEDA's help to "get the word out". Make a brief visit to www.oeda.biz as a regular part of your daily routine (but don't leave Oregon!).