May 2009
Newsletter
Top
Stories
1. From the Chair: Visiting China, Oregon's
#1 Trade Partner
2. SAFE
ordinance gets five-month extension
3. EMEGE
Event: Where established and emerging leaders come together
4. Alliance
on Facebook: Become a fan
5.
Alliance office moves to lobby level of 200
SW Market
Public
Policy
6. Alliance
board supports rail-only Fareless Square
7.
Alliance opposes expansion of lawsuits, changes
to corporate board director voting
8.
Alliance weighs in on discussion to honor
Cesar Chavez
Downtown
9.
Alliance seeks ongoing support for Service
Coordination Team
10.
The future of downtown Portland being planned
now
11.
Retail Advocate heading to shopping center
conference
Alliance
Events
12. Business After Hours @ The Nines Hotel
13. May Forum: Destination Portland
Member
News
14.
Sunshine Dairy wins national award
15. Intel, OSU make EPA green power list
16. PGE's Residential Green Power Program
No. 1 Nationally For Fourth Year
17. Got used technology sitting around?
Give to StRUT
18. Healthcare Sciences College changes
name, celebrates 20th anniversary
19. Bank of America gives $100,000 to Community
Relief Fund
20. TRAVELHOST makes new sales and marketing
hire
Member
Events
21. See what OIT students have done
at Project Symposium - May 29
22. Achieve Green NW - June 1-3
23. Alliance of Portland Neighborhood
Business Associations Conference - June 4
24. Second Annual Greenlight Economic
Summit and Luncheon - June 11
25. Oregon Entrepreneurs Network presents
national bestseller Stewart Emery - May 27
26.
Upcoming meetings
FROM
THE CHAIR
1. Visiting
China, Oregon's #1 Trade Partner
 By
Steve Holwerda, Chair,
Alliance Board of Directors
When I
think about the Alliance's recent trip to China, many words
and images come to mind - the welcoming and gracious people
we met, the ambitious development and, unfortunately, the
smog. But the one image though that I will never forget is
the sheer magnitude of the Yangshan Deep Water Port and what
it represents to us here in Oregon.
The port
was built in about three years on an island 20 miles into
the China Sea near Shanghai. Its size is astounding. To give
you some perspective, the Port of Portland, which is an economic
engine in our region, has nine cranes to unload containers
at its Terminal 6 facility and moved about 140,400 containers
in 2008. The Yangshan port presently has the capacity to process
more than 6 million containers per year with more than 50
cranes.
To me,
the Yangshan Port represents opportunities to businesses in
our region because China is a consumer market for our goods.
For many years, China was viewed simply as a source of inexpensive
labor. But that has changed. China's middle class is growing,
labor costs are going up as a result and the Chinese people
have money to spend. We saw Chinese consumers everywhere and
examples of their growing wealth from the Louis Vuitton and
Prada stores to Porsche unveiling its new model, the Panamera,
at an office tower in Shanghai.
Oregon
companies are doing a tremendous amount of business there
as China surpassed Canada as our state's number on trade partner,
selling $2.8 billion in goods there last year. Denny Rawlinson
from Miller Nash, LLP and Doug Badger, who heads the Pacific
Northwest International Trade Association, led the trip planning
process and set up visits for us with Nike, Intel, Zimmer
Gunsul Frasca Architects, Greenwood Resources and other Oregon
companies who have figured out how to succeed in China's consumer
marketplace. Nike has 4,000 retail stores in China - 3,000
more outlets than McDonald's! Clearly, China is hungry for
everything Oregon.
Our goal
for this trip was to build relationships with more businesses
in China and to get a better understanding about doing business
there so more companies can expand into the Chinese market.
We feel like we accomplished these goals and have better relationships
and communication channels with Chinese business and civic
leaders. In a few years, we hope to return and continue to
foster our trade relationships with this giant that is sleeping
no more. You can still read about our trip on our blog at:
http://pbachina.blogspot.com/.
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2.
SAFE ordinance gets five-month extension
Portland
City Council held a hearing last week on Commissioner
Fritz's proposal to temporarily extend the Street Access
for Everyone (SAFE) initiative for five months. The
initiative includes a host of important services for
homeless individuals and prohibits sitting, lying or
placing belongings on downtown and Lloyd District sidewalks
from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The
purpose for the extension is so Commissioners Fritz
and Fish can conduct further review of the SAFE Oversight
Committee's recent report to council and to seek additional
public input. Co-sponsored by Mayor Adams and Commissioner
Saltzman, council approved the extension in a 4-1 vote
during a second reading this week.
Alliance
President and CEO, Sandra McDonough, testified at the
hearing on behalf of the Alliance, Portland Downtown
Services Inc. and the Downtown Retail Council and called
SAFE, "a model of how diverse communities and interests,
working together in good faith, can find common ground
and pragmatic solutions for issues that have stymied
other communities."
The
Alliance will continue working for the continuation
of SAFE in the coming months.
3.
EMEGE Event: Where established and emerging leaders come
together
On
Monday, May 11, about 300 established and emerging leaders
will converge on The Gerding Theater to connect and get
to know each other. A number of alumni from Leadership Portland
and Alliance board member Don Krahmer, Jr. from Schwabe,
Williamson & Wyatt developed the event, which will run from
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. After the reception, guests are being
encouraged to continue the conversations at nearby restaurant
s in the Pearl District and downtown.
"We
hope that this first EMERGE event will forge relationships
between established business leaders in our community with
the next generation of leadership who are looking to become
more engaged our region both civically and professionally,"
said Krahmer.
Attendees
will include emerging leaders from various leadership programs
around the Portland-Vancouver region as well as members
of the board of Portland Business Alliance, Associated Oregon
Industries, Oregon Business Association and Oregon Business
Council.
It
is not too late to register. Cost of admission is $10 plus
a donation to the Oregon Food Bank. Register
Now >>
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4.
Alliance on Facebook: Become a fan
 Earlier
this month, the Alliance gained an even stronger Web presence
by establishing a Facebook
page. If you are already using Facebook, sign up to be an
Alliance fan. You can find news about Alliance events and
activities along with event photos and news about other
Alliance members so sign up today!
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5.
Alliance office moves to lobby level of 200 SW Market
If
you are headed to the Alliance for a meeting or sending
some snail mail, please note that the Alliance is now in
office suite 150. This office move is part of the Alliance's
ongoing commitment to minimize the organization's operating
costs. This new space has less square footage and thanks
to the building's owner, John Russell at Russell Development,
is at an extremely low rate.
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PUBLIC
POLICY
6.
Alliance board supports rail-only Fareless Square
Because
of the new MAX Green Line service and the introduction
of light rail on the 5th and 6th Avenue Transit Mall,
the Alliance convened a task force of central city stakeholders
to analyze the original policies behind the formation
of Fareless Square and determine their relevance today
for the business community and the objectives of the central
city.
The
Task Force heard from diverse stakeholder groups including
law enforcement officials, planners, homeless advocates,
institutions, and the visitor industry. The task force's
work led to the Alliance board of directors to support
TriMet's recommendation that to achieve policy goals and
address safety concerns, Fareless Square should be reduced
to operating on rail only within existing Fareless Square
boundaries.
The
Alliance believes that limiting Fareless Square service
to rail-only will reduce many of the conflicts related
to fare evasion and other security issues. The board also
recommended to TriMet that it maintain the existing boundaries
of Fareless Square as connecting the Lloyd District, the
Convention Center and the Rose Quarter to downtown is
a critical link for businesses and industries on both
sides of the river.
7.
Alliance opposes expansion of lawsuits, changes to corporate
board director voting
In
Salem this year, the Alliance is tracking legislation that
could be harmful to business. The Alliance recently opposed
two house bills. The first, HB 2791 would expand the capability
of filing lawsuits against insurance companies. If passed,
it would allow personal injury attorneys to file more than
one lawsuit in a dispute over a single insurance claim.
It would also create a new right for a person to sue his
or her own insurance company for "bad faith," and collect
triple damages if they prevail.
The
second bill, HB 2829, is related to corporate board director
voting and may discourage businesses incorporating in the
state. Because the Alliance's mission is to promote economic
development in the region, the board asked for the legislature
to gain a better understanding of the bill's impacts to
ensure businesses are encouraged to incorporate in the state
as it strengthens our community.
The
Alliance will continue to monitor and express its opinion
on specific legislation throughout the 2009 legislative
session.
8.
Alliance weighs in on discussion to honor Cesar Chavez
The
Alliance recently expressed concern to the city about a proposal
to rename a major Portland street. While the Alliance supports
recognizing Cesar Chavez for the leadership role he played
in the U.S., the Alliance believes that both SE Grand Avenue
and Broadway on both the west and east side have long-standing
significance in their own right and are not appropriate for
renaming.
"Both
streets were named more than a century ago by civic leaders
who wanted to identify a specific street as the commercial
spine of an area of the city and now serve as the functional
main commercial spine in their quadrant of the city," said
Alliance board chair Steve Holwerda. "Additionally, scores
of businesses use the name of the street in the name of their
business, which demonstrates the longstanding integration
of these street names with the identity of the commercial
area."
The
Alliance asked the Portland Planning Commission to consider
other naming options that would provide a significant and
important opportunity to honor the work and person of Cesar
Chavez, such as the planned light rail and pedestrian crossing
of the Willamette River.
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DOWNTOWN
SERVICES
9. Alliance
seeks ongoing support for Service Coordination Team
For the
past four years, the Portland Police Bureau's Service Coordination
Team has helped reduce the crime rate in downtown Portland
through its unique approach to helping people caught in the
cycle of addiction and criminality. The Alliance board recently
expressed its support of the program to Portland City Council
and called for its continued funding.
"We know
that the city is facing difficult budget decisions," said
Steve Holwerda, Alliance board chair. "The funds allocated
to this program, however, pay huge dividends to the city and
its residents in reduced crime and cost of law enforcement
and increased livability."
The recidivism
rate for the individuals in the program has dropped 80 percent
in the last four years and the crime rate in downtown has
dropped by 34 percent. Along with the SAFE ordinance, the
program has been a critical element in continuing to reduce
crime levels.
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10.
The future of downtown Portland being planned now
Portland
Mayor Sam Adams launched an effort this year to focus the
future of downtown and convened a group of downtown experts
to participate in his Downtown Vision Committee. The committee
is charged with identifying a signature retail street and
concept that will be implemented with concentrated financial
resources, planning and design applications, and political
support.
The
committee has been given guiding principles and best practices
generated by case studies, and are tasked with identifying
the specific retail street, catalytic development opportunities,
streetscape design, financial resources, and a plan to achieve
private sector buy-in.
Staff
members from the Alliance participate in the vision committee's
Implementation and Resources Subcommittee. The subcommittee
is charged with identifying financial incentives and regulatory
tools to implement the signature retail street and concept.
The subcommittee is working in concert with the Physical Realm
subcommittee, which is applying guiding principles and best
practices to identify the specific retail street and development
opportunities to catalyze the signature street.
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11.
Retail Advocate heading to shopping center conference
Corey
Jacobs, the new Downtown Retail Advocate, is preparing to
attend the International Council of Shopping Centers' RECON
in Las Vegas in May. RECON is the largest gathering of shopping
center executives and retailers in the world. Cori will be
working with local brokers attending the conference to assist
in their leasing efforts to recruit new retailers to downtown
Portland, by providing market research the Alliance collects
related to downtown real estate development, a comprehensive
listing of all retail vacancies in the downtown, and a guide
to financial assistance programs provided by the Portland
Development Commission.
Market
research provided by the Alliance includes the annual Business
Census and Survey, semi-annual pedestrian counts of 15 intersections
within the Business Improvement District; Development-Redevelopment
Report of all projects under construction or planned in the
Central City; downtown parking maps; in addition to Business
Images Magazine, a magazine highlighting the many benefits
of doing business in the Portland region.
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ALLIANCE
EVENTS
12.
Business After Hours @ the Nines Hotel
Been meaning
to check out the Nines? Now is your chance! The hotel is hosting
Business After Hours on Wednesday, May 13 from 5:00 p.m. to
7:00 p.m. Come by to see Portland's newest luxury hotel and
network with Alliance members. Register
Now >>
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13.
May Forum: Destination Portland
Summer
is almost upon us and it is time to get your summer planned!
Out of town guests? Bored kids home from school? Find out
where to take them all from Portland travel experts. Wednesday,
May 20, 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., Governor Hotel. Register
Now >>
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MEMBER
NEWS
14.
Sunshine Dairy wins national award
Quality
Chekd Dairies announced that Sunshine Dairy Foods of Portland
is the 2009 recipient of the Irving B. Weber Distinguished
Award for Quality Excellence. This top award honors Sunshine
with a distinctive trophy and $25,000 check for their efforts
in earning the highest scores of all Quality Chekd members
in customer satisfaction, production quality, business ethics,
leadership, staff development and marketing communications.
More can be found at their Web site: www.sunshinedairyfoods.com.
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15.
Intel, OSU make EPA green power list
Intel
is top of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 50
list of green-power buyers, with Oregon State University also
making the cut as the 49th biggest purchaser in the nation.
Intel, which draws nearly half its power from wind energy,
came in first for the second consecutive year. OSU, whose
students approved a fee up to $8.50 for each student in 2007
for green-power purchases, gets nearly three-quarters of its
energy from biomass, biogas and wind.
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16.
PGE's Residential Green Power Program No. 1 Nationally For
Fourth Year
For the
fourth year in a row, Portland General Electric (PGE) sold
more renewable power to residential customers than any other
utility in the United States. That's according to the U.S.
Department of Energy. PGE residential customers purchased
nearly 530 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy
in 2008, 18 percent more than in 2007. For more information
about PGE's renewable programs, visit www.GreenPowerOregon.com.
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17.
Got used technology sitting around? Give to StRUT
StRUT
(Students Recycling Used Technology), conceived by Intel Oregon,
needs your help securing additional technology donations from
companies and organizations within the Portland and surrounding
areas. A recent spike in demand from area cash-strapped schools
means that StRUT is asking that you kindly consider donating
your surplus technology equipment to StRUT. More information
can be found at www.oregonstrut.org.
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18.
Healthcare Sciences College changes name, celebrates 20th
anniversary
Australasian
College of Health Sciences recently changed its name to American
College of Healthcare Sciences in honor of its 20th year of
operations in the United States. Founded in 1978, ACHS is
one of the oldest institutions teaching holistic health, otherwise
known as Complementary Alternative Medicine and offers the
only accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees offered
online. Find out more at www.achs.edu.
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19.
Bank of America gives $100,000 to Community Relief Fund
The
Bank of America Charitable Foundation has awarded $100,000
for the Portland region's four-county Community Relief Fund
campaign to provide emergency food, rent and utilities assistance
for people in need.
The
Community Relief Fund is an alliance that includes the United
Way of the Columbia-Willamette, Oregon Food Bank, and Community
Action Programs to boost an already strained community safety
net. The appeal for emergency funds will help support families
who have been hardest hit in the economic crisis with basic
needs like food, rent, and utilities. Want to help? Go to:
www.unitedway-pdx.org/community-relief/.
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20.
TRAVELHOST makes new sales and marketing hire
TRAVELHOST
of Greater Portland, which serves more that 2.5 million
hotel guests annually with an in-room magazine, recently announced
that Suzie Parker has joined their sales and marketing team.
Suzie brings with her nearly 25 years of experience in hospitality
and tourism, including travel and cruise sales at the agency
level, sales manager for an Oregon Coast destination resort,
local advertising sales. www.travelhostportland.com.
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MEMBER
EVENTS
21. See
what OIT students have done at Project Symposium
The Project
Symposium is an event for Oregon Institute of Technology's
Portland students to present their projects to industry partners,
faculty, staff and alumni. For students, the capstone project
is the culminating experience in the program beyond required
course work. Event details: OIT Portland East Campus, Friday,
May 29, 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.
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22. Achieve
Green NW - June 1-3
Achieve
Green is a two-day conference on enhancing the opportunity
for networking, education and communication among people from
diverse sectors that are influenced by environmental and economic
issues. Attendees will engage with business, education, environmental
and political leaders that contribute to the efforts of environmentally
responsible strategies. Event details: June 1-3, Oregon Convention
Center. Register at www.achievegreennw.com.
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23. Alliance
of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations Conference
- June 4
Don't
miss your choice of 14 presentations and four workshops in
two tracks - one for BDA officers and board members and one
for business owners - at the 2009 APNBA Annual Conference
on June 4 at the Doubletree Hotel, Lloyd Center. Find out
more and register at www.apnba.com.
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24. Second
Annual Greenlight Economic Summit and Luncheon - June 11
The event
will include a presentation of the City of Portland's strategy
to build the world's most sustainable economy; a discussion
about the Climate Prosperity Project and regional "greenprint;"
higher education and growing a green workforce; and a keynote
by the very cool Tom Szaky, CEO of Terracycle. Event details:
Thursday, June 11, 2009, 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., The Portland
Art Museum. Register
here >>
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25. Oregon
Entrepreneurs Network presents national bestseller Stewart
Emery - May 27
Come and
participate in a dynamic exploration of how to matter with
Stewart Emery coauthor of the critically acclaimed bestseller
Do You Matter? He'll talk about design as a total concept
from how a product looks, operates, sounds and feels to designing
a company culture that is authentic and customer-centric focused
- and how it's the cornerstone of your survival in a marketplace
of mediocrity. Event details: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 4:00
- 6:30, Hilton Portland. Register
here >>
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26.
Upcoming Meetings
May
8, President's Council, noon
May
12, Communications Committee, 9:30 am
May 12, Transportation Committee, noon
May 13, Sustainability Committee, 7:30 am
May 19, Central City Standing Committee, noon
May 27, Small Business Council, 4 pm
May 27, Government Relations Committee, 4 pm
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