SolarWorld's five-year expansion has ended on target, with the company's addition of its 1,000th worker in Hillsboro.

Fiscal calamity or a decade of budget austerity loom for Oregon as the recession leaves thousands of Oregonians jobless and the demand for government money outpaces its ability to pay for services, business and political leaders agreed on Monday.

Boeing anticipates the creation of 300 jobs and $14 million in annual impact in Oregon if the company wins its bid to build the Boeing NewGen Tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

Portland-headquartered Naturally Advanced Technologies plans to begin using flax to make organic thread with the same patented technology the company uses to process hemp.

The City of Portland Economic Development Strategy has a goal of creating 10,000 jobs within the next five years through an industry cluster strategy. The initiative has fostered some promising projects for job growth within the Portland metro area.

FedEx's new 447,000-square-foot shipping facility in Troutdale is humming with activity as the company prepares for the holiday madness. Local managers have hired part time and full time workers and employment at the facility is up to 550 jobs and growing.

Pendleton Woolen Mills and Levi Strauss and Co. launched a collaborative collection of men's and women's trucker jackets last week, intended for buyers of American-made products. It's the latest in a series of apparel collaborations for the iconic Oregon company that manages 75 stores and employs 900 people.

Capitol City Theater Improv Comedy sold out two weekends in a row after signing up for the online marketing services of the new Groupon-Salem, which launched on the first day of November.

Just months after opening its fourth course in June, the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has completed the permitting process to add a fifth course to its collection of world-class links golf courses, providing more games along the coastal sand dunes, the environment in which the game originated.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has closed its 75th Anniversary year with record attendance and revenue numbers. Despite the rainy Oregon summer and the weak economy, the OSF sold 414,783 tickets (94% of capacity) and earned $18.5 million, an increase of 8% over 2009.

Three Oregon businesses described their success stories at the Kruse Way Economic Forum, and the common message was that to prosper in this economy you have to be able to adapt.

Once the busiest exporter of lumber in the world, the International Port of Coos Bay no longer booms with business, and neither does the area around it. Now the Southwestern coastal area is exploring ways to trade big timber for small businesses generating income from tourism.

Columbia Sportswear reported record sales numbers for the third quarter due to promising backlog orders and strong sell-through for a new winter line led by the company's innovative new Omni-Heat products.

As the number of foreclosures plateaus, more homeowners are sinking their heels into their properties, refusing to vacate repossessed properties. This is contributing to the bogged down state of the housing market.

On Saturday mornings, Beau Monde College of Hair Design in downtown Portland is a hive of energy, with customers coming and going, students honing their skills and even a little dance session to get things started. The scene is emblematic of a niche industry that has grown in Oregon while many others have suffered.

Out-of-state tuition dollars are saving the Oregon University System from financial strains as money for higher education continues to dry up. More and more Californians are pouring into Oregon schools, and university officials are happy to take their money.

In September, General Electric, with its ties to American inventor and light bulb luminary Thomas Edison, closed its last major incandescent light factory, laying off more than 200 workers.  This seismic shift, mandated by energy efficiency standards, has created headaches for some companies and opportunities for others.

Athletic apparel company Lululemon’s marketing strategy includes cupcakes, camp outs, dances and running clubs. It does not include broadcast or print advertising, or any other traditional marketing approaches. The company relies solely on social events, word of mouth and social media to get customers to its stores. Last week it took the unusual step of organizing an overnight camp-out in upscale Bridgeport Village.

The Oregon Zoo has extended its animatronic "Prehistoric Predator" exhibit an extra month due to popularity and financial success. The animals will return to extinction on October 3.