OEDA Unveils July 14 OEDA Summer Training Agenda

Please plan to attend OEDA's Summer Training in Bend, Oregon. The training agenda will focus on the heath care cluster. This industry has strong growth potential, provides high wages for highly skilled jobs, and provides economic development opportunities for small rural communities and metro areas alike. Learn more about trends, technology and workforce developments for this industry. The second half of the day will focus on gearing up for the upcoming legislative session and an update from Tim McCabe, the acting director on the evolving details of the major reorganization at the Oregon Economic Development Department. [more]

Date: Monday, July 14 - 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Location: St. Charles Medical Center - 2500 NE Neff Road, Bend, Oregon
Cost: $50.00 for OEDA Members/$60 for Non-Members
(Includes lunch, refreshments and meeting materials)
[click here for Registration information]

Highlights of the Summer Training

Career Pathways in Health Sciences
Program Coordinator Holly Nelson of Chemeketa Community College

An Overview of Telemedicine and the Telehealth Alliance of Oregon
Kim Hoffman of the Telehealth Alliance of Oregon

Engaging with Local Officials and Political Candidates for Economic Development
Ron Fox, Executive Director, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development

Oregon Economic & Community Development Department Reorganization Update
Tim McCabe, OECDD

St. Charles Medical Center Tour
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OEDA Relaunches Earned Media Campaign

Beginning July 1, 2008, OEDA will relaunch its successful earned media campaign to generate national media interest in Oregon as a business location. The campaign will build on last years impressive results that include 100 articles in high profile publications like USA Today, the San Jose Business Journal and The Seattle Times, and trade publications such as Site Selection magazine, PHOTON International and Industry Week. Krista Hildebrand, OEDA earned media contractor with the Frause Group, estimated the advertising equivalency for last years media coverage at over $350,000 on OEDA’s $75,000 investment. Highlights of past stories and other news can be found at the OEDA website at http://www.oeda.biz/pressrel.html. If you have story ideas or economic development successes that could have national interest, please contact Nathan Buehler at 503.986.0050 or [email]
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OECDD Realignment Project Underway
Contributed by Perrin Damon, OECDD

Kick-off meetings for the OECDD Realignment Project began a month of intense work by five workgroups composed of internal and external agency stakeholders. The workgroups are: Communications & Outreach; Business, Innovation & Trade; Public Works/Infrastructure; Budget/Finance and Community-Based Programs.

The three program-related workgroups then held "deep dive" sessions on Community-Based Programs (CDBG, Rural/Tribal, Ports, Main Street, SBDC, TSP, RIB), Public Works/Infrastructure Programs and Business, Innovation & Trade Programs. OECDD received an amazing amount of feedback from internal and external stakeholders. Their comments, in the form of Successes, Challenges, Drivers & Constraints, helped each team to form Guiding Principles for the respective programs, and identify some alternatives for service delivery.

External stakeholders will share their thinking at OECDD's Feedback Forums that begin this week in The Dalles, Pendleton and Baker City. A cadre from OECDD and the Governor’s Office will visit these cities and five more (Bend, Medford, Eugene, Portland and Tillamook) over the next few weeks to listen to stakeholders' input about the guiding principles. So far more than 130 stakeholders registered to participate. The proposed service delivery alternatives will be provided to the OECD Commission for its consideration at its July 17-18 meeting in Roseburg. Once they have selected their preferred options, OECDD will begin Phase 2 workgroup work to build very tactical plans to get that work accomplished.

OEDA members who would like to participate in the Feedback Forums should contact mindee.sublette@state.or.us for an invitation.
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Oregon’s business climate gets top ranks from nationwide study on tax structure
Contributed by Perrin Damon, OECDD

A report by Ernst and Young on state business taxes for FY2007 pronounces Oregon's position as one of the lowest business tax rate structures in the United States. The report uses three measures to evaluate tax structures from state to state:

1. The total effective business tax rate (business taxes as a percentage of private sector economic activity);
2. The business share of total state and local taxes; and
3. The ratio of business taxes relative to the value of public services benefiting businesses.

In those three measures, Oregon has the second lowest effective business tax rate in the country; the third lowest business share of total state and local taxes; and the lowest overall ratio of business taxes relative to the value of public services benefiting businesses. "This report affirms Oregon is a great place to do business," said Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski. "Oregon’s leadership in sustainable industries, low business costs, a skilled workforce, global transportation access and a premium quality of life, all come together to make Oregon a global competitor as a business location."

Oregon has seen many business development projects come to fruition recently, particularly in the renewable energy industry. Recent photovoltaic business recruitments Solaicx, SolarWorld and Peak Sun are investing more than $500 million into their facilities right now, with expansions already planned for the near future. This growth puts Oregon on track to become the largest photovoltaic-producing state in North America by next year.

While the study outlines Oregon’s position as a low-tax location, businesses are also attracted to the quality of life Oregon provides for employees. "Oregon must not only compete on business costs, infrastructure and other factors, but we’re also competing to create, recruit and retain a skilled workforce," said Tim McCabe, acting director of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. "The best and brightest want to live not only where they can find satisfying jobs with innovative companies, but in a place that offers an outstanding and unique quality of life, and that’s Oregon."

The report can be found online here: www.oregon4biz.com/taxstudy07.pdf
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Deputy Director Appointed for State Economic Development Agency
Contributed by Perrin Damon, OECDD

Tim McCabe, recently appointed acting director of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, announced today the hiring of Lynn Schoessler as his deputy director and second-in-command. Schoessler until recently served as the housing finance section manager for the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department.

"Lynn is a champion of rural Oregon," stated McCabe. "The department is exceedingly fortunate to have at hand a leader of Lynn’s caliber, a leader who has deep roots in Oregon’s rural communities, a leader who has Lynn’s extraordinary professional depth in finance and management."

Schoessler’s early career positions include grass roots housing program administration and project development in rural Oregon. Schoessler was the housing programs director for a regional Community Action Agency in La Grande. He later was the executive director of the regional housing authority in La Grande that served Baker, Union, Wallowa and Grant Counties. Schoessler joined the staff of the Oregon Housing Agency (the predecessor agency of the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department) in 1988. In 1990 Schoessler became the deputy director of Oregon Housing and Community Services Department and served three consecutive directors in that position.

Through the initiative and support of the Oregon housing and community development constituency, President Clinton named Schoessler the state director of Rural Development in 1999. (Rural Development is an agency in the US Dept. of Agriculture.) Schoessler transitioned to the Bush administration and continued as state director until April 2005. In 2005, Schoessler then rejoined the Department of Housing and Community Services to advance the housing finance agenda of the agency. Schoessler began at the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department on June 4, in Salem.
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Greenlight Greater Portland Unveils Greater Portland Prosperity Index

At its first annual meeting, Greenlight Greater Portland unveiled its publication, the new Greater Portland Prosperity Index. The report highlights a wealth of information and statistics demonstrating the competitiveness and uniqueness of the region. For details see: http://www.greenlightgreaterportland.com/pdfs/ProsperityIndex.pdf. This index builds on an earlier in-depth analysis done on Greater Portland/Vancouver Industry and Human Capital Trends found at http://www.greenlightgreaterportland.com/pdfs/WorkforceClusterAnalysis.pdf.

Greenlight Greater Portland is a consortium of private sector leaders dedicated to growing a sustainable and vibrant economic future for the seven-county metropolitan statistical region that surrounds the city of Portland. For more information see http://www.greenlightgreaterportland.com/ or contact their president, Tim Priest at 503-445-8065.
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Employment Opportunities:

• Economic Development Manager, Redmond Oregon - EDCO, a leading economic and business development organization in the Pacific NW, seeks a results-driven team player to continue success of a local program in Redmond, OR. The top candidate should be an outstanding communicator, have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and solid business and/or economic development experience. For a complete job posting, salary range, benefit package, and application instructions, visit www.edcoinfo.com. Closing date: July 8, 2008.
• Cargo Sales/Economic Development Representative
  Georgia Ports Authority and Georgia Department of Economic Development
  One year contract opportunity with annual extensions; to represent the State of Georgia’s economic development interests, with a specific emphasis on cargo sales and business recruitment, in the states of California, Oregon and Washington (appointed candidate can be based anywhere within the region. The Representative will implement cargo sales, trade development and business recruitment activities for the regional office and coordinate economic and industrial development activities of the GPA and the GDEcD for the assigned territory. This is an exciting opportunity to launch a new Georgia regional presence on the West Coast and play a key role in marketing Georgia to companies and organizations within the territory. Seeking candidates with five years experience in sales/marketing or economic development along with a four-year college degree. Thorough knowledge of sales, marketing, the economic development/business recruitment process and related management techniques is required. Extensive experience in transportation settings and/or Maritime Industry experience are preferred. Professional experience in California, Oregon and/or Washington required; familiarity with Georgia preferred. Ability to travel regularly on the West Coast and to Georgia is required. Submit resume, cover letter with salary expectations, and list of three work-related references immediately to: Christine Iams, CPS EXECUTIVE SEARCH, 241 Lathrop Way, Sacramento, CA 95815 Phone: 916-263-1401, Fax: 916-561-7205, Email: resumes@cps.ca.gov
• Director of Economic and Small Business Development for the Economic Development Council of Tillamook County and Tillamook Bay Community College
  Requirements include: Bachelor's degree and no less than three years of experience related to economic, entrepreneurial, workforce or employment. Ability to communicate and work effectively; Knowledge of general business principles and economic functions: Ability to diagnose economic conditions; Ability to navigate the Oregon Small Business Development Network; Experience in preparing, monitoring, and reporting on operational and grant budgets. Must have a valid Oregon Driver's License. Position start date on or about September 1, 2008. Salary: Negotiable DOEE. Competitive employee benefits provided. Obtain details and application at www.TillamookBay.cc or call President Carnahan at (503) 842-8222 Ext. 1159. Closing date: July 20.

Other Conferences and Training Events

Pacific Northwest Economic Development Council Annual Conference
July 20-23 in Nanaimo, British Columbia. To register or learn more details see: http://www.pnedc.net/conferences.htm The conference agenda is found at http://www.pnedc.net/docs/Conf08/Conf-Program-08.pdf. Early Bird rates are still available. The organization is inviting our U.S. members to submit a bid to host the 2009 conference. If interested contact Marilyn Hutchinson [email]

Northwest Economic Development Course August 17-22, 2008, in Ellensburg, WA. This weeklong course offers intensive training in the basic concepts, information, methods, and strategies of local economic development. It is designed to provide instruction in the fundamentals of comprehensive community and economic development and the techniques best suited to meet those challenges. The course is filling up fast with only 6 spots held for Oregon participants through next Monday ... June 30. Scholarships available for registration, the participant and/or their organization are responsible for the balance of the costs (room & board) and transportation. Online registration is available at http://www.cted.wa.gov/site/709/default.aspx

Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference October 16 and 17, in Newport, Oregon at the Best Western Inn. The conference will feature Google VP Vinton Cerf, widely known as one of the "Fathers of the Internet," Mr. Cerf will give the keynote speech. Also presenting at the event will be Judy Peppler, Oregon President of Qwest; Rich Bader, CEO of EasyStreet Online Services; Craig Watson, VP of Charter Communications; Mary Beth Henry, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA); and Oregon Public Utility Commissioner Ray Baum. The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department is co-sponsoring this event as part of its commitment to advancing Oregon industries. Additional sponsors include CoastCom Inc., Embarq, LS Networks, Comspan Communications, the City of Eugene, Central Coast Economic Development Alliance and MINET.

For more information about OEDA see our website at www.oeda.biz. Please contact me if you would like to share Economic development related news, opportunities, best practices or success stories.