Eugene Business Perspectives

July 1 marked the beginning of a new win-win relationship between Downtown Eugene Inc. (DEI) and the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. 

The Eugene Chamber and DEI as two organizations focused on the revitalization of downtown have been exploring opportunities to work more collaboratively.  Out of those discussions, an opportunity has emerged where the Chamber would provide contract management services to DEI that would be intended to:

¬  Leverage the administrative infrastructure of the Chamber.

¬  Preserve DEI as an organization independent from the Chamber.

¬  Redirect more DEI resources toward its “clean and safe” goal within its current revenue structure.

¬  Set the stage for further Chamber/DEI collaboration.

The decision by DEI leadership to enter into a management contract with the Chamber will result in an additional $100,000 to be devoted to downtown “clean and safe” efforts such as the Downtown Guides.  Longer term, we believe the new relationship has the potential to be yet another piece of the puzzle in our community’s vision of a vibrant, compact, active downtown.

As part of its on-going effort to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce is producing the Willamette Angel Conference, an investor conference, connecting early stage and seed businesses with angel and venture investors.  Entrepreneurs and start-ups can submit their business plans for review and coaching, ultimately vying for a minimum $125,000 investment.  The event is set for May 13, 2010 at the historic McDonald Theatre in Eugene. The Chamber is currently accepting business plan submissions from emerging growth companies, headquartered in Oregon, seeking between $200,000 and $2 million in investment capital.

Click here to learn more or to submit your company’s plan before midnight, Feb 16th in order to take advantage of the Early-Bird discount.

For well over 60 years, the Eugene Chamber has honored a Eugene area high school senior with the Future First Citizen Award. Each year, six area high school students are recognized for making outstanding contributions to their school and their community. Each high school selects one senior from its student body.

Once the top seniors are nominated, a panel of judges selects a winner after reviewing each candidate’s application and interviewing each one. The “Future First Citizen” is selected based on who the judges believe best exemplifies the leadership qualities that will inspire us all regarding the future stewardship of our community.

Two of these recipients have gone on to "higher callings" and are now NASA astronauts.

Dr. Stan Love, 1982 Future First Citizen, graduated from Churchill High School in 1983. He made his first space flight on the STS-122 Atlantis (February 7-20, 2008) during which he made two space walks.

Col. James Dutton, Jr., 1986 Future First Citizen and 1987 graduate of Sheldon High School, will go into space on March 18, 2010 when he pilots the space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station during one of the shuttle program’s final voyages.

Read more about the special items Dutton will bring aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Making international sales is challenging enough without having to worry about getting paid. Sometimes buyers demand credit can expose your company to commercial and political risks. Sometimes buyers simply default and leave your company with a loss.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank - www.exim.gov), the official export credit agency of the United States government, can substantially reduce the risk of nonpayment. Without this worry, your company can enter new markets and increase its international sales with confidence. In fact, Ex-Im Bank’s export credit insurance can cover your risk in over 150 countries.

The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a roundtable with Ex-Im Bank representative, Jim Lucchesi at 10am on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Chamber offices (1401 Willamette St.).  Mr. Lucchesi will explain how this agency's products can help your company enter new markets and increase sales in existing markets by:

• Extending credit terms to your foreign buyers and minimize nonpayment risks
• Obtaining working capital financing to fulfill sales orders
• Protecting your balance sheet from nonpayment risk

The program is free and you can register here, or by calling the Chamber at 484-1314.

If you wish to meet privately with Mr. Jim Lucchesi, please respond with your contact information ASAP to Dana Shannon at Business Oregon. You can reach Dana by e-mail dana.shannon@state.or.us or tel: 503-229-6053.
 

Poet Rita Dove summed it up well when she said, “There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.”

When it comes to the topic of public safety in downtown and other commercial districts, a good part of the community dialogue often focuses on what is going wrong. In this issue of Open for Business we focus on the actions of business leaders who are facing the public safety challenges in their respective commercial districts. Examples of what is going right.

There is no denying the public safety challenges in downtown and other commercial districts. As a member of the Downtown Safety Task Team, a group of downtown and community interests formed to develop recommendations to city leadership, I helped identify four main areas that contribute to the problems in the city core, many of which could, at one time or another, could have applied to either the University District or Midtown area. They are:

• A lack of consequences for criminal behavior because of an inadequate police presence downtown and a shortage of jail beds, which served as a sanction for criminal activity.
• The presence of behaviors ranging from illegal to obnoxious.
• The lack of a cohesive, coordinated downtown public safety plan, including resources such as staff, facilities and treatment.
• The debilitated state of many physical spaces in the downtown (e.g., empty storefronts, dark corners), which invite illegal activities.

These are significant challenges. At the same time, there are positive stories to tell about how business and property owners have stepped up to address public safety challenges:

• Businesses in the downtown formed a special services district more than a decade ago, voluntarily agreeing to tax themselves to create resources to fund, through Downtown Eugene, Inc., the Downtown Guides, graffiti abatement and other strategies to make downtown clean and safe.
• University District businesses also formed a special services district to fund a portion of a police officer dedicated to providing community policy services in the district, West University Guides and more. Over the last decade the collaborative efforts of the University Small Business Association (USBA), the City of Eugene, University of Oregon and PeaceHealth Oregon Region have made significant strides in turning around a significant public safety challenge in the commercial district adjoining the University.

Through commitment, collaboration and good strategic thinking, I am confident that as a community we can make a difference in our downtown. The business community, through the Chamber and Downtown Eugene, Inc., has and will continue to move beyond complaining and, instead, actively participate in finding solutions to the public safety challenges in our commercial districts.

Dave Hauser is president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. As the area’s leading business advocate, the Chamber works to create an environment in which business will thrive. The Chamber works with partners in business, government and education to improve the quality of life for local residents.

The key trends shaping cities and region are fairly well-known: More baby boomers are planning to retire; the number of women joining the workforce has stabilized; and college attainment levels have plateaued. As a result, young professionals are becoming increasingly important to the economic health of growing cities, according to one national report.

The study by Portland economist Joe Cortright indicates that young, college-educated workers are capable of counteracting this impending economic shift because of their entrepreneurial nature and willingness to relocate. The key to growing cities will be to attract and retain young professionals, Cortright says in “The Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy.”

Recognizing that opportunity, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce is leading and supporting efforts to retain, engage and attract young professionals:

•Young Professionals Network (YPN). The focus of YPN is to provide programs specifically targeted to meet the needs of young professionals for networking, professional and personal development, community involvement, awareness and influence.
•Entrepreneurial programs. Through Chamber initiatives such as the entrepreneurial support group SmartUps and the investor-focused Willamette Angel Network and conference, we’re supporting new ideas and business success.
•Partnership with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Since 1986, we’ve worked together to promote and foster the development of volunteer leadership. While not exclusively for young professionals, Leadership Eugene-Springfield (LES) has attracted participants who have used the program to establish meaningful volunteer leadership roles in our community that meet the area’s need for the active participation of informed, skilled and motivated community leaders.
•A central role in the creation of the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE). This new group enriches the cultural life of our community by acting as a catalyst for creating dynamic partnerships between the art, culture and business sectors.

Eugene-Springfield’s well-deserved reputation for outstanding livability, coupled with efforts to hold on to and attract talented young people, will be an important piece of an economic strategy that drives a prosperous future.

Dave Hauser is president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. As the area’s leading business advocate, the Chamber works to create an environment in which business will thrive. The Chamber works with partners in business, government and education to improve the quality of life for local residents.

 

The announced closure last summer of Hynix Semiconductor Manufacturing America and layoffs by a handful of the region’s most prominent employers served as reminders of just how fragile our local economy can be. While Eugene/Springfield has had its share of economic development successes over the past decade, recent announcements point to the need for a comprehensive regional economic development game plan.

A generally accepted definition of economic development is "the development of economic wealth of countries or regions for the well-being of their inhabitants." I really like the last part. Throughout our 100-plus years, the Eugene Chamber has linked a strong local economy with the livability of the people in the community.

So how is the local economy performing?

If our local economy were a college football team, you could say we are struggling to become bowl eligible. That’s not to suggest we haven’t had economic successes. We have. Or that local economic development organizations, including the Eugene Chamber, aren’t working hard to produce results. We are.

What holds us back is the absence of a comprehensive regional economic development strategy. Today, there are no fewer than 14 economic development organizations in Eugene/Springfield, each working from a different business plan. If we were a football team, we’d be trying to win a game with each player working from a different playbook.

We need a regional playbook. A plan that aligns the efforts of public and private players with an economic development strategy that defines the kind of local economy we aspire to -- and that then institutes a series of coordinated steps to achieve it. We need a plan that produces more results to advance the well-being of residents.

This is a top priority of the Eugene Chamber. We are, and have been, committed to collaborating with local partners to produce results that work for our communities.

Dave Hauser is president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. As the area’s leading business advocate, the Chamber works to create an environment in which business will thrive. The Chamber works with partners in business, government and education to improve the quality of life for local residents.

Earlier this month the Eugene Chamber participated in Palo Alto Software's Oregon Small Business Boost. The Eugene Chamber gave away over 600 cards, the second largest number in the over 80 locations throughout the state of Oregon that participated in the one-day event. The cards allowed the recipients to download a copy of Business Plan Pro software.

Recently Tim Berry, President of Palo Alto Software, posted the following testimonial on his blog from a satisfied user of the software. The entrepreneur said "I owe Business Plan Pro, SCORE and (the) Chamber of Commerce a huge round of applause and gratitude for being available, supportive and a constant reminder to me that success is about passion, drive and intention." Contact Caroline Cummings, director of entrepreneurial development at the Eugene Chamber, 541.484.1314, or call SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business, 541.465.6600, for assistance for your business.


 

Demographics and livability may significantly contribute to our region’s economic recovery. At least the research of one Oregon economist says it’s so — and that bodes well for our region.

No matter that you are not an expert demographer. You can probably guess the key trends shaping all cities and regions: More baby boomers are planning to retire; the number of women joining the workforce has stabilized; and college attainment levels have plateaued. As a result, young professionals are becoming increasingly important to the economic health of growing cities, according to a recent national report.

The study by Portland economist Joe Cortright indicates that young, college-educated workers are capable of counteracting this impending economic shift because of their entrepreneurial nature and willingness to relocate. The key to growing cities will be to attract and retain young professionals, Cortright says in “The Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy.”

And much is at stake in attempting to attract these young and talented 25 to 34 year olds who will determine the path of our economy.

These trailblazers are more concerned about quality-of-life issues than being in a hot market. They are 60 percent more likely to live in areas close to the core of a community. So you can argue that young professionals will not only influence the future of local economies, but their desire to live close-in will help drive long-standing planning goals of building and preserving healthy downtown cores.

Recognizing that opportunity, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce is leading and supporting a host of efforts to retain, engage and attract young professionals:

• The creation of the Young Professionals Network (YPN). The focus of YPN is to provide young professionals with programming specifically targeted to meet their needs for networking, professional and personal development, community involvement, awareness and influence.
• The development of programs that we believe will create a local climate that supports entrepreneurs and innovation. Through Chamber initiatives such as the entrepreneurial support group SmartUps and the investor-focused Willamette Angel Network and Willamette Angel Conference, we’re creating an environment that supports new ideas and business success.
• Partnerships since 1986 with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to promote and foster the development of volunteer leadership in our communities. Leadership Eugene-Springfield (LES) is a program designed to meet our area’s need for the active participation of informed, skilled and motivated community leaders. While not exclusively for young professionals, LES has attracted participants who have used the program to establish meaningful volunteer leadership roles in our community.
• A central role in the creation of the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE). The mission of the new group is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of our community by acting as a catalyst for creating dynamic partnerships between the arts, culture and business sectors.

Eugene-Springfield’s well-deserved reputation for outstanding livability, coupled with efforts to hold on to and attract talented young people, will be an important piece of an economic strategy that drives a prosperous future.

Dave Hauser is the president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, a 1200-member organization dedicated to promoting a healthy local economy.

Challenging economic times require new approaches to grow the local economy. With that in mind, the Eugene Chamber, in conjunction with the Springfield Chamber, recently convened a discussion of health sector leaders along with economic and educational organizations with an eye toward exploring the willingness to move from general consensus that opportunities exist toward a more strategic approach to health cluster development.

Eugene Chamber leadership believes that Eugene/Springfield metro area possesses significant assets, energy, and support to more strategically develop the health sector’s economic contribution to the region. "We are excited about the opportunity to identify short-term and long-term opportunities where collective focus would provide the greatest benefit and accelerate growth of health sector." commented Chamber Chair Eric Forrest (Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Eugene).

Among the participants in the regional collaboration are the City of Eugene, City of Springfield, University of Oregon, Lane Community College, PeaceHealth, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, Lane Workforce Partnership and Lane Metro Partnership.

Where to Retire magazine is featuring Eugene as a top retirement town in its March/April issue.

The magazine’s editor, Mary Lu Abbott, said Eugene was selected because of its “ample recreational and cultural opportunities, hiking and biking trails, lakes for water sports, festivals, music events, and continuing-education classes.” She also noted that Eugene’s housing market is diverse, with a choice of affordable homes in older neighborhoods, condos in the city and land outside town.Eugene was also chosen because of its moderate climate, lush scenery, state-of-the-art medical facilities and proximity to the Oregon coast and the Cascade Range—all of which make it a great choice for retirees looking for “a friendly city with a sophisticated vibe.”

According to the magazine, 700,000 Americans move to new towns to retire each year.

Where to Retire joins a long list of publications and organizations that have lauded Eugene for its livability. Recent accolades include:

• The Best Track to Watch a Meet, Hayward Field, University of Oregon, Runner's World, May 2003.
• Eugene ranked #7 in The Best 20 Places in the Country to be a College Sports Fan. Sports Illustrated, September 13, 2003.
• Eugene and Springfield were ranked as #6 on a list of least polluted areas in the U.S. American Lung Association (as reported by CNN website), June 24, 2003.
• Register Guard reported that Golf Digest names Eugene Country Club as #83 in their list of top 100 golf courses. Register Guard, June 19, 2003.
• Annual ranking of nation’s 200 best performing big metro areas. Eugene/Springfield ranked 85^th. Register Guard, June 27, 2003.
• Eugene listed as one of 5 Cities That Inspire. Delicious Living, March 2003.
• Campus Scenes That Rock. Rolling Stone, Feb. 20, 2003.
• 10 Great Retirement Towns. Travel 50 and Beyond. Fall 2003.
• Eugene-Springfield ranks #1 as the healthiest environment according to Self, November 2003.
• Top 10 Cities for Animal Wellness in North America. Animal Wellness Magazine, March/April 2004.
• Eugene ranks #61 in the Top U.S. Small Cities for Doing Business category by Inc.com, March 2004.
• Eugene was ranked sixth in the Best Places to Retire. Compiled by Cal State University geographer Dr. Warren Bland, the survey used 12 criteria most important to retirees: landscape, climate, quality of life, cost of living, transportation, retail services, health care, community services, cultural activities, recreational activities, work/volunteer activities, and crime.
• The University of Oregon was the only West Coast public university or college listed as a “best buy” in the 2005 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
• Eugene was ranked #8 Best Walking City in America by the American Podiatric Medical Association. In the annual Best Walking Cities competition, 200 cities are ranked by an independent research company using 14 direct measures of walking, including the percentage of the population that walks for fitness or exercise, the percentage of hikers or backpackers, and the percentage of people who walk or bike to work. August 4, 2005.
• The Green Guide named America’s Top 10 Green Cities and Eugene ranked #1. Cities were surveyed on air quality, electricity use and production, recycling, and water quality, among other things. For more information, visit www.thegreenguide.com. April 10^th, 2006.
• Eugene was ranked #15 in the Best Green Places in America list of the most eco-friendly cities and towns, the results of a nationwide study of green living. Country Home magazine, www.countryhome.com, March 8, 2007.
• Eugene ranks 5^th in ‘Popular Science’ list of top 50 green cities. Though Portland tops the list, Eugene scores the only perfect 10 in the electricity category. www.popsci.com/category/tags/green-cities. Feb. 13^th, 2008.
• Eugene ranked #36 in Forbes’ 10^th annual ranking of the 200 “Best Places for Business and Careers.” The ranking was based on five-year job growth, five-year income growth, the cost of doing business, cost of living, crime rate, educational attainment, presence of four-year colleges, cultural and recreational opportunities, and net migration. March 2008.
• Eugene made Fortune Small Business magazine’s 2008 list of 100 best places to live and launch a small business in the United States. The magazine’s April issue ranked Eugene 96^th, trailing other Oregon cities of Portland (6^th), Corvallis (48^th) and Bend (87^th). April 2008
• The University of Oregon College of Education in Eugene, OR has been ranked 5^th among education programs in the U.S. The UO College of Education has consistently been ranked as one of the top public education colleges in the nation. The college’s faculty once again led the nation’s education researchers in productivity, and the college’s special education program was ranked 3^rd in the nation for the ninth consecutive year. Spring 2008, U.S. News & World Report.
• The University of Oregon in Eugene, OR is one of 11 schools in the nation named to the new Green Rating Honor Roll (a list of the greenest college campuses) issued by The Princeton Review, a college test preparation firm. Universities are chosen based on their sustainability programs, environmental projects and overall commitment to sustainable practices. July 29^th, 2008, article in The Register-Guard.
• Eugene was named first runner-up for America’s Foodiest Small Town in Bon-Appetit’s October 2008 issue.