JULY 2008: OREGON'S PRIVATE 150
08Private150logo.png

Sometimes they’re up; sometimes they’re down.  And sometimes they’re all over the map.

For 25 years, Oregon Business has been tracking the fortunes of the state’s largest private companies in the annual Private 150 list through ups and downs, dips and rebounds, boom times and recession.
So which was it in 2007?

It depends what you measure, and how.  Combined revenues for all 150 companies are down $1.2 billion to $39.8 billion from last year, a 2.9% drop.  The billion-dollar club shrank from nine companies to six, with timber titan Hampton Affiliates falling below the barrier and retirement home developer Colson & Colson selling off its core business for $6.8 billion.

Average revenues per company were also down 3.5%, to $265.2 million.  But that figure may be distorted because this year’s 150 companies are not the same as last year’s. Notably lacking is the fast-growing virtual payment business Vesta Corp., which reported more than $1 billion in sales last year but declined to share information this year.  A more accurate measure:  Among the 140 companies that made the list in both 2008 and 2007, revenues were up 1.3%.

Oregon isn’t as reliant on timber money as it was 25 years ago, but forest products and building materials remain the biggest sector among the Private 150.  Shuttered mills were a big factor as jobs for this year’s Private 150 fell 6.8% overall and remained flat in Oregon.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some businesses, such as Integra Telecom, have grown through acquisitions. Others, such as Fortis Construction and Vigor Industrial, have expanded into new areas. Still others, such as Far West Fibers and Columbia Helicopters, have sidestepped the downturn by finding new opportunities within a general downturn.
With fuel costs soaring and home values falling, it pays to be nimble. 
 BEN JACKLET


ARTICLE: Oregon's top private companies learn to adapt


List compiled by research editor Brandon Sawyer.

  Ranks 1-50

2008
RANK
2007
RANK
COMPANY
CITY
PHONE
WEBSITE
SENIOR EXEC
TITLE
EMPLOYEES
OREGON/TOTAL
YEAR
EST.
DESCRIPTION
MORE THAN $1 BILLION
1
 
1
 
Jeld-Wen
Klamath Falls 
 541.882.3451
 jeld-wen.com
Roderick C. Wendt 
President and CEO 
 3,500
 25,000
 1960
 
Manufactures windows, doors, millwork and other products; develops real estate and sells title insurance. 
2
 
2
 
Hoffman Corp.
Portland 
 503.221.8811
 hoffmancorp.com
Wayne A. Drinkward 
President 
 555
 971
 1922
 
Employee-owned construction manager and general contractor for clients nationwide. 
3
 
3
 
Les Schwab Tire Centers
Prineville 
 541.447.4136
 lesschwab.com
Dick Borgman 
CEO 
 2,500
 7,700
 1952
 
Tire retailer with 350 company stores and 70 associate outlets. 
4
 
4
 
EPIC Aviation LLC
Salem 
 503.362.3633
 epic-aviation.com
Michael W. Delk 
President 
 122
 145
 1939
 
Distributes aviation fuel throughout the United States. 
5
 
7
 
Roseburg Forest Products
Roseburg 
 541.679.3311
 rfpco.com
Allyn C. Ford 
CEO 
 2,700
 3,700
 1936
 
Manufactures/distributes wood products with 16 mills in six states and 750,000 acres of timberland. 
6
 
5
 
North Pacific
Portland 
 503.231.1166
 northpacific.com
Jay Ross 
CEO 
 222
 746
 1948
 
Wholesale distributor of building materials, wood products, and agricultural/food products. 
$1 BILLION — $250 MILLION
7
 
8
 
Hampton Affiliates
Portland 
 503.297.7691
 hamptonaffiliates.com
Steven J. Zika 
CEO 
 650
 1,700
 1942
 
Sustainably manages 167,000 acres of timberland; produces two billion board ft. of lumber per year. 
8
 
13
 
M Financial Group
Portland 
 503.232.6960
 mfin.com
Fred H. Jonske 
President and CEO 
 190
 190
 1978
 
Financial services design and distribution for ultra-affluent individuals and Fortune 1000 companies. 
9
 
11
 
Evergreen Holdings
McMinnville 
 503.472.9361
 evergreenaviation.com
Delford M. Smith 
Chairman 
 554
 2,583
 1960
 
Provider of air freight transportation, aircraft maintenance, helicopters and small aircraft. 
10
 
12
 
ESCO Corporation
Portland 
 503.228.2141
 escocorp.com
Steven D. Pratt 
Chairman and CEO 
 900
 4,500
 1913
 
Manufacturer of engineered metal wear parts and components for industrial applications. 
11
 
14
 
Bi-Mart Corporation
Eugene 
 541.344.0681
 bimart.com
Marty W. Smith 
Chairman and CEO 
 2,594
 3,028
 1955
 
Discount membership retailer with more than 1.4 million members. 
12
 
15
 
Western Family Foods
Portland 
 503.639.6300
 westernfamily.com
Ron King 
President and CEO 
 70
 71
 1963
 
Grocery-product distributor to more than 2,000 independent stores in 18 states. 
13
 
18
 
Johnstone Supply
Portland 
 503.256.3663
 johnstonesupply.com
Gary Daniels 
CEO 
 130
 300
 1953
 
HVAC distributor 
14
 
20
 
Columbia Distributing Company
Portland 
 503.289.9600
 columbia-dist.com
Edward Maletis 
Chairman of the board 
 810
 1,650
 1935
 
Distributor of domestic and imported beers, wines, sodas and natural beverage products. 
15
 
16
 
R.B. Pamplin Corp. and Subs.
Portland 
 503.248.1133
 pamplin.org
Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. 
Chairman, President and CEO 
 1,000
 4,600
 1957
 
Three construction-related subsidiaries, 18 textile factories, 18 newspapers and three radio stations. 
16
 
17
 
Reser's Fine Foods
Beaverton 
 503.643.6431
 resers.com
Mark Reser 
President 
 500
 2,100
 1959
 
Manufactures and distributes fresh-food products with plants throughout the United States. 
17
 
19
 
Ron Tonkin Dealerships
Portland 
 503.255.4100
 tonkin.com
Ronald B. Tonkin 
President 
 885
 886
 1960
 
Nineteen sales and service automobile dealerships representing 19 auto and motorcycle manufacturer franchises. 
18
 
NR
 
Harry & David Holdings
Medford 
 877.233.3000
 harryanddavid.com
William H. Williams 
President and CEO 
 2,505
 3,500
 1910
 
Direct marketing and e-commerce of fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers and gourmet products. 
19
 
24
 
S.D. Deacon Corp.
Portland 
 503.297.8791
 deacon.com
Steve Deacon 
CEO 
 143
 607
 1981
 
West Coast general contractor for retail, hospitality, high-tech, mixed use and commercial projects. 
20
 
27
 
C&K Market*
Brookings 
 541.469.3113
 ckmarket.com
Douglas A. Nidiffer 
President and CEO 
 1,706
 2,685
 1967
 
Operates 59 retail supermarkets and 13 retail pharmacies in Oregon and Northern California. 
21
 
26
 
Lanphere Enterprises
Beaverton 
 503.643.5577
 buybob.com
Robert D. Lanphere 
Board chair and owner 
 700
 950
 1964
 
Sells cars, motorcycles and watercraft boats at nine dealerships in Oregon and Washington.  
22
 
44
 
Integra Telecom
Portland 
 503.453.8000
 integratelecom.com
Dudley R. Slater 
CEO 
 550
 2,300
 1996
 
Provides local, long distance, Internet services and phone systems for businesses. 
23
 
22
 
Lumber Products
Tualatin 
 503.691.3322
 lumberproducts.com
Peter Hall 
President 
 300
 820
 1938
 
Wholesale distributor of door and millwork products, hardwood lumber, plywood , etc. 
24
 
21
 
Timber Products Co.
Springfield 
 541.747.4577
 timberproducts.com
J.H. Gonyea II 
CEO 
 759
 1,177
 1918
 
Manufactures hardwood and softwood plywood, veneer, and lumber at plants in four states. 
25
 
28
 
Platt Electric Supply
Beaverton 
 503.641.6121
 platt.com
Harvey J. Platt 
CEO 
 414
 925
 1953
 
Supplies products and services to the electrical, construction, industrial, and other markets. 
26
 
34
 
Carson Oil Co.
Portland 
 503.224.8500
 carsonoil.com
Lance C. Woodbury 
CEO 
 262
 271
 1957
 
Petroleum products, alt. fuels, service stations, cardlocks, lubricants, etc. in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. 
27
 
31
 
PACCESS
Portland 
 503.230.4890
 paccessglobal.com
Harve Bellos 
President and CEO 
 69
 244
 1995
 
Packaging design and development, container- board and recycled fiber sourcing, etc. 
28
 
36
 
Andersen Construction Co.
Portland 
 503.283.6712
 andersen-const.com
David L. Andersen 
President 
 461
 472
 1950
 
Construction mgr./general contractor for health care, multi-family/senior housing and commercial facilities. 
29
 
25
 
Parr Lumber Company
Hillsboro 
 503.614.2500
 parr.com
David C. Hamill 
CEO 
 626
 747
 1930
 
Building and finish materials for residential and commercial construction and remodeling. 
30
 
29
 
OrePac Building Products
Wilsonville 
 503.682.5050
 orepac.com
Brad Hart 
President 
 186
 870
 1976
 
Wholesale distributor of lumber, millwork and building materials with warehouses throughout the West. 
31
 
32
 
Farwest Steel Corporation
Eugene 
 541.686.2000
 farweststeel.com
Jack N. Clark 
President and CEO 
 474
 777
 1956
 
Operates steel service centers, metal fabrication, reinforcing steel fabrication and coating. 
32
 
23
 
Swanson Group
Glendale 
 541.832.1121
 swansongroupinc.com
Steven D. Swanson 
President and CEO 
 1,190
 1,190
 1951
 
Family-owned producer and distributor of construction-grade wood products. 
33
 
30
 
Tumac Lumber Co.
Portland 
 503.226.6661
 tumac.com
Brad McMurchie 
Chairman and CEO 
 100
 175
 1959
 
Wholesale distributor of specialty wood products to major international markets. 
34
 
37
 
WSCO Petroleum Corp.
Portland 
 503.243.2929
 
R.W. Dyke 
CEO 
 350
 470
 1970
 
Real estate investment; retail/wholesale petroleum products through branded stations and hotel operations 
35
 
38
 
A-dec
Newberg 
 503.538.9471
 a-dec.com
Scott Parrish 
President 
 975
 1,050
 1965
 
Manufacturer of dental equipment: chairs, delivery systems, dental furniture, lights ,stools and hand pieces. 
35
 
45
 
Joe's Sports & Outdoor
Wilsonville 
 503.682.2242
 JoesSports.com
Hal Smith 
President and CEO 
 500
 2,000
 1952
 
Northwest's leading sporting goods retailer. 
37
 
35
 
Walsh Construction Co.
Portland 
 503.222.4375
 walshconstructionco.com
Robert S. Walsh 
President 
 271
 424
 1961
 
General contractor and construction manager in Oregon, Washington and California. 
38
 
6
 
Colson & Colson
Salem