January
2008 Newsletter
From
the Chair
1. Transportation funding a much-needed investment
2. Membership
survey results: Overwhelming majority of respondents find
value in membership
Member
Services
3. Small businesses offered exclusive radio
announcement opportunity
4. Participate in Portland's premier leadership
program
5. What's your company's global vision?
6. Are you taking advantage of member-to-member
discounts?
Public
Policy
7. How to position your business to win contracts
for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Downtown
8. Business Census and Survey gages downtown
opportunities and challenges
Alliance
Events
9. January Forum: Inside Wind Power
Member
News
10. Portland's metalworking companies featured
in article
11. AARP releases "Green Boomer" report
12. Oregon Partnership sponsors event
for executive moms
13. Upcoming
Meetings
FROM
THE CHAIR
1. Transportation
funding a much-needed investment
 By
Sam Brooks, Chair, Alliance Board of Directors
An international
freight company that imports vehicles and machines from across
seas.
A food
packager that distributes frozen foods all over the western
United States.
A small
retailer, selling one-of-a-kind goods, that receives online
orders from all over the world.
What do
these businesses have in common? All of them depend on transportation,
be it on road, air or sea. Without a reliable and efficient
transportation system, these companies cannot thrive locally.
That's why it concerns me, and the Alliance Board of Directors,
when our members tell us that traffic congestion and travel
delay are already costing them money, forcing changes in business
operations and impacting location decisions.
A study
released by the Alliance looked at the area's transportation
challenges. The study found that if our roads and bridges
are not fixed, our region could potentially lose $844 million
annually and 6,500 jobs by 2025.
These
statistics show what our members have already been telling
us: We need a long-term solution to ensure road maintenance
and capacity needs are addressed. Because of this demonstrated
need, the Alliance has been advocating at the local, state
and federal level for a dedicated transportation investment
to deal with the infrastructure needs, support the region's
growth and reduce the impact of congestion on the region's
businesses.
One transportation
proposal on the City Council agenda in January is Commissioner
Adams' Safe, Sound and Green Streets Initiative. While the
Alliance Board recently voted to support this proposal, the
Board also took the position that a long-term, comprehensive
solution is needed to ensure future economic health.
At the
state level, transportation is a top priority of state legislators
and Governor Kulongoski who recently said that transportation
will be a main focus of the 2009 legislative session. To this
end, Alliance Board members, Steve Clark of Community Newspapers
and Pat Reiten of PacifiCorp, are working with the governor's
office on the development of his transportation package.
Transportation
is our top priority as we start off 2008. We will continue
to work with our members, the City, and the state to ensure
that businesses have the transportation infrastructure they
need to thrive in the Portland region.
2. Membership
survey results: Overwhelming majority of respondents find
value in membership
The Alliance
recently completed its annual membership survey and received
feedback on everything from its members services, committees
and events to its government relations work, communications
tools and advertising opportunities. Overall, the 232 respondents
found great value in their membership with 86 percent stating
that they plan to renew their membership. This percentage
tracks closely to responses from the past two years.
What members
found to be valuable also remained consistent from the two
previous years. Visibility such as opportunities for sponsorship,
advertising and committee participation continued to be one
of the top-ranked reasons why businesses join the Alliance
and remain members. Other top reasons include networking and
business connections, civic responsibility and the maintenance
and improvement of the central city.
Another
top reason why respondents value their membership is the Alliance's
advocacy work. A strong majority of those survey participants
gave the Alliance high marks for its advocacy efforts on small
business issues, transportation, education and workforce development,
the Rainy Day Fund and Central City issues.
The Alliance
also sought members' feedback on its events and programs.
The most highly rated events included the Annual Meeting,
Business After Hours and the monthly Forum series.
 While
the survey results will benefit the entire membership through
changes and improvements made to Alliance communication and
programming based on the feedback, one member who filled out
the survey benefited even more by winning the drawing prize.
Jessica DeNoto of OTR, Inc. won a one-night stay in
a King Deluxe room at the Hotel deLuxe in downtown Portland
and two tickets to the Artists Repertory Theatre. Congratulations
Jessica!
Back
to the top
MEMBER
SERVICES
3. Small
businesses offered exclusive radio announcement opportunity
The Alliance
has partnered with KMHD 89.1fm Public Jazz Radio to give small
business members a unique opportunity to reach one of this
area's most educated, affluent, sophisticated and loyal public
radio audiences. Also stay tuned for more about the Alliance
on KMHD including on-air interviews, sponsorship spots and
information about Alliance programs and initiatives.
Alliance
small business members (fewer than 50 employees) participating
in KMHD's limited time advertising offer will have access
to deeply discounted public radio announcements and the opportunity
to promote products and services to more than 110,000 key
business decision-makers and loyal consumers per week. Advertisers
will also benefit from having their company name, logo and
link to its Web site placed on kmhd.fm/businesspartners.
For more
information about this exclusive program being offered to
participating Alliance members go to www.kmhd.fm/businesspartners
or call 503.432.8419.
Back
to the top
4.
Participate in Portland's premier leadership program
 Do
your goals for 2008 include sharpening your leadership skills?
Meeting new people? Advancing your career? Getting more involved
in Portland's business community? The Portland Business Alliance
offers the perfect solution: Leadership Portland.
The Alliance
created Leadership Portland in 2003 to provide leaders interested
in community service with an understanding of the challenges
the community and region face and how to work successfully
for positive change. This intensive program provides skills
and knowledge necessary for senior leadership positions within
companies, civic organizations and government in the Portland
region. Over a period of nine months, participants engage
in interactive exercises and stimulating curriculum to learn
about the Portland region and build leadership skills.
Beginning
January 15, you can log on to www.portlandalliance.com/lp
and where the Leadership Portland application will be available
for downloading or submitting online. For more information
or questions about Leadership Portland, contact Monica Stewart
at 503.552.6775.
Back
to the top
5. What's
your company's global vision?
Are you
a local company, big or small, with a global vision? The Alliance
is seeking businesses with an international footprint to be
a part of its next Distinguishing Portland video and web project.
Distinguishing Portland is an Alliance initiative that highlights
how business is making Portland an extraordinary place to
live, work and play. Through videos and its Web site, the
Alliance is illuminating the great work that businesses do
to keep the local economy vibrant and strong, and distinguish
Portland as a unique place to live and work.
The Alliance
is calling for the stories of local companies that do business
all over the world. Submit your story and you may be selected
to be a part of the video installment, which will debut at
an Alliance event this spring. Tell your story at www.portlandalliance.com/story.
Back
to the top
6. Are
you taking advantage of member-to-member discounts?
One
of the benefits of Alliance membership is the opportunity
to offer and receive exclusive member-to-member discounts.
On the Alliance Members
Only Web pages you can view a list of these discounts,
including these money-saving offers:
- Save
on recruitment advertising with The Employment Guide.
- Discounts
available for Portland Beavers baseball and Timbers soccer
games at PGE Park.
- Save
on photo finishing and other services and products at Ritz
Camera / Camera World.
- See
any Artists Repertory Theatre performance for just $30.
- Get
special rates on meeting room rentals at Jupiter Hotel.
New coupons
to member businesses are added to the list regularly, so log
in to www.portlandalliance.com/membersonly
today! Generate business and connect with other members by
offering your own member-to-member coupon.
Back
to the top
PUBLIC
POLICY
7.
How to position your business to win contracts for the
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games
January
30, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Port of Portland, Commission Room, 121 NW Everett Street
In
2008, the Vancouver B.C. Olympic Committee will release $150
million in vendor contracts to support the 2010 Winter Games.
Businesses from around the Pacific Northwest are well positioned
to take advantage of this opportunity, as there simply aren't
enough companies in B.C. to fill all the needs of the Games.
Carpeting,
cleaning and waste removal, furniture, electrical appliances,
portable buildings, transportation services, materials handling,
sports equipment, tents, flags and banners, and the list goes
on and on. Just about every conceivable good or service will
be in demand as the Committee prepares for this massive undertaking.
The
history of awarded contracts for the Games demonstrates that
no business is too small to take advantage of these opportunities.
At this event, find out what goods and services will be needed,
the timelines for those awards, and how to submit proposals
for the business. Also learn how businesses can identify existing
vendors who need subcontract suppliers.
The
cost for this event is $15 per person. Can't make it in person?
Join us via Webinar ($25 per person) and follow the Powerpoint
presentation online while listening to the speaker on your
phone. Go to www.portlandalliance.com/events
to register for the event.
Back
to the top
DOWNTOWN
8. Business
Census and Survey gauges downtown opportunities and challenges
The 2007
Downtown Business Census and Survey was recently mailed out
to all businesses, nonprofits and governmental entities in
the I-5/I-405 loop. This annual survey will accurately identify
and count all the employees and businesses in the downtown
area, and establish benchmarks and trends of leading economic
indicators for tracking the progress of ongoing downtown development
efforts.
The feedback
and responses from all downtown firms and organizations will
help the Alliance better understand and respond to the existing
downtown market, as well as identify future opportunities
and challenges facing the market. The results of the Downtown
Business Census and Survey will also create a resource for
prospective downtown tenants or developers interested in conducting
site analysis.
To fill
out the census and survey, go to www.downtownportland.org.
Back
to the top
ALLIANCE
EVENTS
9.
January Forum: Inside Wind Power
Vestas CEO to Discuss the Industry's Dynamic Growth
January
16, 7:30-8:45 a.m., Governor Hotel
 Wind
power is modern energy. It is the clean, renewable, local,
competitive, and independent answer to increasing energy consumption
and global warming. Also, it creates local jobs and economic
activity. With more than 33,500 wind turbines installed in
63 countries and 15,500 employees worldwide, Vestas is the
world's leading supplier of modern energy. Denmark-based Ditlev
Engel, President and CEO of Vestas, will provide insight into
the dynamic growth of the wind power industry and Vestas'
operations locally, nationally and globally. Register
Now >>
MODERATOR:
Jim
Lobdell
VP Power Operations and Resource Strategy, PGE
SPEAKER:
Ditlev
Engel
President and CEO, Vestas Wind Systems
Back
to the top
MEMBER
NEWS
10. Portland's
metalworking companies featured in article
A recent
article in Portland Monthly magazine highlighted the metalworking
industry in Portland Harbor's Industrial District - an industry
that is responsible directly or indirectly for one out of
nine jobs in Portland and Vancouver. The writer and photographer
visited a few of the area's larger metalworking companies,
including ESCO, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Northwest Pipe
and Gunderson. Read
the article here >>
Back
to the top
11.
AARP releases "Green Boomer" report
Just after
the announcement of the Oregon Business Plan, AARP Services
and Focalyst released a study on boomers and green marketing.
The study found that socially conscious attitudes are a driving
force for how boomers shop and the brands they choose to buy.
Forty million boomers use their purchasing power to buy environmentally
safe brands according to the research. Referred to as "Green
Boomers," this large segment is often more demanding of quality
in the products and services they buy, more attuned to advertising,
both positively and negatively, and exhibit higher brand loyalty
than other boomers.
Read
the report >>
Back
to the top
12.
Oregon Partnership sponsors event for executive moms
A unique opportunity to hear from some of Portland's top
career moms!
Tuesday,
February 12, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Montgomery Park, 2701 NW Vaughn Avenue
Sponsored by: Oregon Partnership
Fee: $35
Across
Oregon, women are running companies or starting their own
businesses, plus managing their children and households. They
look like a million dollars as they drop off their child at
school before heading into the office for a conference call,
they check email on Blackberries from soccer games, they juggle
caring for a sick child with meeting a deadline for a strategic
marketing plan. How do these Executive Moms do it all? Learn
their secrets to success, hear tips for work/life balance,
find ways to enlist more help from your partner, extended
family and childcare provider, and get advice on how to not
only get through it all, but actually enjoy life as a working
mom. Panel discussion will be led by Natali Marmion, News
Anchor, KATU.
To register,
email Danny
Slifman or call 503.244.5211.
Back
to the top
13.
Upcoming Meetings
Jan. 23, Government Relations Committee, 7:30 am
Jan. 23, Small Business Council, 3 pm
Feb.
6, Central City Standing Committee, noon
Feb. 8, President's Council, noon
Feb. 12, Communications Committee, 9:30 am
Feb. 12, Transportation Committee, noon
Feb. 19, Cornerstones for Success Committee, 3:30 pm
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