OregonBusiness.com

THE BUSINESS IS GOOD! TOUR will make stops in 18 host communities across the state, beginning with Astoria on September 10, and ending in Portland on September 28. 

We asked the host communities to summarize the focus of their day in the Tour spotlight, with the hope that each stop would be distinctive and the overall result varied.  And did that ever prove to be true. 

Here is the tour schedule with an overview of each community’s focus, the whole presenting a rich snapshot of the diversity of Oregon’s business community.  It’s going to be an amazing Tour!

The Tour: Day-by-day, below, gives more detailed highlights of the Tour activities in each host community.

WEEK ONE

Monday, September 10 – ASTORIA.  Innovation in maritime commerce.
Tuesday, September 11 – SALEM.  Business expansion, downtown redevelopment.
Tuesday, September 11 – CORVALLIS.  Global technology, research.
Wednesday, September 12 – SPRINGFIELD.  Health care.
Thursday, September 13 – EUGENE.  Green building, sustainable practices.
Friday, September 14 – REEDSPORT. Tourism, manufacturing.

WEEK TWO

Monday, September 17 – MEDFORD.  Reinventing, repackaging agriculture.
Monday, September 17 – LAKEVIEW.  Renewable energy.
Tuesday, September 18 – PRINEVILLE.  Economic diversification.
Wednesday, September 19 – HARNEY COUNTY.  Traditional ranching, modern machinery.
Thursday, September 20 – BAKER CITY.  Marketing Oregon history.  Manufacturing.
Friday, September 21 – WALLOWA COUNTY.  Art, tourism, marketing.

WEEK THREE

Monday, September 24 – PENDLETON.  Cutting-edge infrastructure.
Tuesday, September 25 – THE DALLES.  Wind energy, education.
Tuesday, September 25 – HOOD RIVER.  Value-added agriculture, sustainable small business.
Wednesday, September 26 – TROUTDALE.  Revitalizing downtown, small business success.
Wednesday, September 26 – GRESHAM.  Transit-oriented development.

CLOSING EVENT

Friday, October 5 – PORTLAND.  Innovation across industries.

THE TOUR: DAY-BY-DAY

Week One

The Monaco coach departs Portland (9/9) for an informal Sunday evening in Astoria.  The Tour kicks off Monday (9/10) with a focus on maritime commerce, including a river trip with Columbia bar pilots, tours of seafood businesses and a dinner prepared by Tour guests at the Seafood Consumer Center.  

Salem (9/11) highlights downtown revitalization with tours led by Mayor Janet Taylor of businesses including sustainability pioneer Kettle Foods. Networking lunch with chamber and Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) leaders and city officials.

Corvallis (9/11, 9/12am) features technology and research at ONAMI, Korvis Automation and the Hinsdale Wave Lab.  Riverfront party celebrates Corvallis’ 150th and Oregon Business’ 25th birthdays with entertainment and an Oregon smorgasbord. Day ends with VIP dinner, cocktails and guest speaker Jim Sheldon, president of ATS Systems Oregon.

Springfield (9/12) showcases its successful economic diversification, with an emphasis on health care. State-of-the-art Peace Health medical center, slated to open in 2008, provides the backdrop for dialogue about health care from the perspective of employers, providers and policy makers.

Guests tour Eugene (9/13) on bicycle, with stops at sites known for sustainable practices and/or green construction, including the U of O’s Lillis Business Complex. Evening at Skinner’s Butte includes food, networking and entertainment, as well as a presentation on downtown redevelopment. 

Reedsport (9/14) shows off the natural beauty that drives its tourism industry. Afternoon highlights include a tour of American Bridge, which recently landed the billion-plus-dollar Oakland Bay Bridge project, a jet boat trip to Winchester Bay and dinner with leaders.

 

Week Two

Sunday evening reception in Medford (9/16) features local wines, cheeses and desserts, with a Monday morning breakfast roundtable providing more opportunity for conversation about value-add in agriculture.

Lakeview (9/17) focuses on renewable energy. Guests tour the geo-thermal exchange and a bio-mass project site and engage in discussion about wind energy, in particular, and green energy development in Oregon. A barbecue and hoedown cap the day.

Lunch in Prineville (9/18) showcases agriculture, with tourism the afternoon focus at Meadow Lakes Golf Course. Networking continues in the evening at a steakhouse and saloon. Breakfast in Bend Wednesday morning (9/19) includes a roundtable with Central Oregon business leaders.
 
Harney County (9/19) provides a look at 21st century ranching, with lunch offering up locally raised beef and pork barbeque. Afternoon tours get up close to naturally raised beef. A reception and dinner with business and civic leaders is at locally renowned restaurant - The Meat Hook.

A relaxed day includes a carriage ride through historic Baker City (9/20), showing guests how to market Oregon history. At the classic Geiser Grand Hotel, an evening discussion with the business community spotlights cattle equipment maker Behlen Country’s lean manufacturing practices.

A train ride through Wallowa County’s (9/21) spectacular back country provides a unique opportunity for networking and focus on the tourism industry. Stops include the Nez Perce Interpretive Center and Parks Bronze Foundry. Wine, hor d'oeuvres and discussion on the arts at Wallowa Lake Lodge.

Week Three

Anyone who hadn’t thought infrastructure could be sexy will be enlightened by a tour of Pendleton’s (9/24) state of the art water filtration and wastewater treatment systems. Lunch with local leaders is at Wildhorse Resort & Casino.

The Dalles (9/25) hosts a business leaders breakfast, followed by a tour of the wind energy training program at Columbia Gorge Community College. Lunch in Hood River (9/25) focuses conversation on value-add agriculture and sustainable small business, followed by a tasting at Full Sail Brewing Company and tour of orchards. A relaxed dinner provides a chance to network with local officials.

Troutdale’s (9/26) femphasis on downtown revitalization highlights its mix of small businesses. Lunch is at Edgefield with owners and hospitality entrepreneurs Mike and Brian McMenamin, who discuss their investment in community.

Gresham (9/26) presents a model of growth and urban planning. Guests tour mixed-use Civic Neighborhood/Gresham Station and recently annexed Pleasant Valley, highlighting its integration of land use, transportation and natural resources. Great views, cocktails and conversation with community leaders at Persimmon Country Club cap the day.

CLOSING EVENT

The Tour’s finale (10/5) is a Portland-regional focus on innovation across industries. The roster of guests -- business leaders and elected officials from across Oregon -- expands to fill a luxury Raz coach for a day’s tour of Portland area highlights. Stops at selected businesses feature innovative strategies and products and sustainable practices. Capping the Tour is a reception showcasing Oregon foods and drinks with presentations about Oregon business and growth opportunity.