Please join us at the Eugene Chamber as the Springfield and Eugene Fire Chiefs outline their proposal for a functional consolidation of key fire and life safety services between the two cities' departments to save taxpayer costs and provide more efficient service. Currently, some of the support functions are already merging and if the steps prove to be successful, a complete merger for the two departments will follow. Learn more during this educational luncheon on Friday, Mar. 12 from 12-1pm at the Eugene Chamber office located at 1401 Willamette Street. A light lunch will be provided and there is no cost to attend. Seats are limited, so you must register to attend please.
Mark your calendars! The Young Professionals Network (YPN) will host the first Community Connections on Friday, Jan. 15 from 12-1pm at the Eugene Chamber office located at 1401 Willamette St. YPN Community Connections was designed to help build future community leaders through programming on current issues facing business and the community.
Community Connection meetings are free and a light lunch will be served. Attendance is limited to the first 35, so registration is required
.Eugene Chamber Young Professionals:
The Committed Partners for Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Program Staff just helped me unload two huge wardrobe boxes packed with school supplies. They are overwhelmed to realize that the at-risk children and adolescents we serve will return to school this fall fortified with all of their necessary school supplies – Thank you! CPY,BBBS is truly grateful to the Young Professionals Network members who dedicated a campaign to collect school supplies that will be distributed before school starts so that families can now possibly provide their children with a new pair of shoes or coat for the school year.
Patti and I thoroughly enjoyed the (August YPN event at Evergreen Land Title), which provided us with the opportunity to meet your members and share with them our mission to mentor youth and connect them to their community. Several people expressed an interest in becoming mentors or finding out other ways to support our mentoring programs that serve Eugene and Springfield’s most vulnerable children and adolescents.
Once again, thank you for generously supporting our youth and their families.
Jean White
Committed Partners for Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lane County
Director of Development
Where are the best cities for the next generation to live and work? Eugene ranks third in the cities with population of 100,000-200,000. Small but significant, these “Mighty Micros” don’t have all the amenities of the Super Cities, but they more than make up for it in their accessibility and ease of getting around.
Rank/ City/ State
1 Fort Collins, CO
2 Charleston, SC
3 Eugene, OR
4 Cedar Rapids, IA
5 Springfield, IL
6 Cary, NC
7 Ann Arbor, MI
8 Sioux Falls, SD
9 Pueblo, CO
10 Gainesville, FL
Read the full report here.
All local young professionals are invited to attend the next Eugene Chamber Young Professionals Network event on Thursday, July 9th. Register for the event now.
Twenty-five community members recently completed the Leadership Eugene-Springfield program. Leadership 
Eugene-Springfield, sponsored jointly by the Eugene and Springfield chambers of commerce, trains volunteer leaders who:
- Will possess leadership skills.
- Are knowledgeable about the communities and themselves.
- Are connected and involved in the community.
- Are motivated to take action.
Recruitment for the 2009-10 class will begin in June. Contact Jared Mason-Gere, 242-2355, for more information or plan to attend one of the program's informational briefings (June 16) (July 15).
Congratulations to the members of the 2008-09 class:
Nicole Banta, Public Relations Associate, The Ulum Group
Tricia M. Berg, AIA, Architect, PIVOT Architecture PC
Daniel K. Betschart, Senior Loan Officer, Lane Council of Governments
Chris Boone, Vice President/Associate Agent, Boone Insurance Associates
Charles F. Clarke, Operations Supervisor, Lane Transit District
Courtney Cook, Branch Manager, Oregon Community Credit Union
Sidney T. Crenwelge, VP & Sr. Commercial Banking Officer, LibertyBank
Felicity Fahy, Sustainability Manager, City of Eugene
Amber Fossen, Public Information Officer, Lane County Administration
Jason Genck, Deputy Superintendent, Willamalane Park & Recreation District
Lynn Gough, Commercial Banking Officer, Pacific Continental Bank
Tina Guard, Civil Engineer/ Project Manager, Balzhiser & Hubbard Engineers, Inc.
Sally Hales, Manager, Provider Network Administration, PacificSource Health Plans
Matt Hogan, Broker, C.W. Walker & Associates, Inc.
Isbel Ingham, Development Director, NextStep Recycling
Rebekah Lambert, Assistant Executive Director of Programs, ShelterCare
Hillary McBride, Community Relations Officer, Emerald People's Utility District
Maylian Pak, Development Director, Eugene Symphony Association
Joel Pomerantz, Regional Representative, Oregon Restaurant Association
Robbie Roberson, Branch Manager, Oregon Community Credit Union
Brandon K. Rogers, Vice President, Umpqua Bank
Elizabeth G. Sheehan, Business Development, TNT Specialty Advertising
Amy Sowa, Administrative Aide/ City Recorder, City of Springfield
Carol Stineman, Assistant Project Manager, City of Springfield
Juan Carlos Valle, Social Insurance Specialist, U.S. Social Security Administration
The YPN event scheduled for today has been moved due to the weather. It will now be held at:
Courtyard by Marriott
3443 Hutton Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 726-2121
Leadership Eugene-Springfield is recruiting participants for its 24th year with special briefings set for 7:30am Tuesday, June 16 and 4:00pm Wednesday, July 15. The program, sponsored jointly by the Eugene and Springfield chambers of commerce, is a comprehensive leadership development program designed to give volunteer leaders the skills and information they need to effectively serve the community. The program runs from October 2009 through May 2010 with monthly sessions. Since first launched in 1985, the Leadership Eugene-Springfield program has graduated more than 500 community volunteers. The briefings provide the opportunity to learn in detail about the Leadership program and talk with program staff and alumni.
Register for the June 16th briefing. Register for the July 15th briefing.
The Eugene Chamber partnered recently with the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition to present the first annual Willamette Angel Conference. The conference was designed to connect startups with investors in the Willamette Valley.
CenterSpace Software of Corvallis was the winner of a $125,000 investment prize at the conference. Floragenex of Eugene won the audience vote for the best presentation at the event.
The 2010 conference will be held in Eugene. More information about the Willamette Angel Conference. Read the full article in The Register-Guard newspaper.
The Eugene Chamber is a co-sponsor of the entrepreneurial support group called Smart-ups. Learn more about the Smart-ups program. Contact Caroline Cummings, director of entreperneurial development at the Eugene Chamber for more information.
CenterSpace Software of Corvallis was the winner of a $125,000 investment prize at the conference. Floragenex of Eugene won the audience vote for the best presentation at the event.
The 2010 conference will be held in Eugene. More information about the Willamette Angel Conference. Read the full article in The Register-Guard newspaper.
The Eugene Chamber is a co-sponsor of the entrepreneurial support group called Smart-ups. Learn more about the Smart-ups program. Contact Caroline Cummings, director of entreperneurial development at the Eugene Chamber for more information.
Eugene ranks third in the nation among cities of 100,000-200,000 population for the best places for young professionals to live and work. The recent report was produced by Next Generation Consulting (NGC) who collected and ranked 45 measures for all U.S. cities with over 100,000 people. The metrics are categorized into seven indexes that the next generation uses to evaluate where they’ll live. They are: Vitality, Earning, Learning, After Hours, Cost of Lifestyle, Around Town and Social Capital. The rankings are based on a city’s total score in all seven indexes.
NGC's full list and more information on the rankings.
Some call it "coffee with a cause" when describing the latest developments in downtown Eugene. What was once known as the hottest dance party in town, is now being transformed into a multi-purpose space.
The District, as it will now be called, will feature a full barista bar and coffee lounge during the day with all the proceeds going toward the owners' non-profit program, Coffee for Canines. This non-profit will help local dog owners pay for life-saving veterinary surgery that would otherwise be unaffordable. The District will continue to host dance parties on the weekends, but will also feature music, live shows and happy hours in a classy atmosphere at night.
The District's co-owner Libby Adams said it best: "As a member of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, we are excited about helping the City of Eugene revitalize the downtown area with a new, vibrant venue like The District."
Look for The District to open by the end of the month!
This isn't the land of Oz and most people I know don't own ruby slippers. Aside from the few who may have the low-heeled glittery pumps, most people milling about in Eugene could probably appreciate a better means of getting from downtown out to West 11th and beyond to Veneta.
The idea is not a new one, but a recent proposal from the West Eugene Collaborative (WEC) has the potential to offer the hope of real solutions. What began as a transportation issue, quickly evolved into a future vision of west Eugene moving traffic smoothly, encouraging many forms of transportation, creating inviting and safe places for people to walk, new housing opportunities and a transformation of the Amazon into a beautiful community asset.
In a nutshell, some of the short-term solutions (by the end of 5 years) would include quick fixes to alternative routes in order to improve the traffic situation almost immediately. Those of us bound by the knowledge of MapQuest could be happily surprised the next time we Google our route to Veneta and find that it doesn't require a trip down West 11th Avenue. Additional signage, better connectivity of West Eugene's bicycle paths, as well as several environmental initiatives are also recommended as part of the five year plan.
One of the most ambitious - and intriguing - proposals is the recommendation to slowly convert West 11th Avenue into a multiway boulevard. The boulevard would eventually include dedicated lanes for through cars, two lanes of side access streets, two dedicated lanes for EmX buses and wide sidewalks.
The WEC proposals are merely the groundwork to some very long planning sessions to come by our city officials, government agencies and others. The important thing is that the proposal proved a consensus could be reached among very diverse groups whom ultimately share the same goal.
Over time, it may become possible for us to travel from one end of town to west Eugene without wishing we could just click our heels and arrive at our destination.
See the full WEC report: A New Vision for West Eugene
A visual summary and WEC volunteers: Power Point Presentation
The idea is not a new one, but a recent proposal from the West Eugene Collaborative (WEC) has the potential to offer the hope of real solutions. What began as a transportation issue, quickly evolved into a future vision of west Eugene moving traffic smoothly, encouraging many forms of transportation, creating inviting and safe places for people to walk, new housing opportunities and a transformation of the Amazon into a beautiful community asset.
In a nutshell, some of the short-term solutions (by the end of 5 years) would include quick fixes to alternative routes in order to improve the traffic situation almost immediately. Those of us bound by the knowledge of MapQuest could be happily surprised the next time we Google our route to Veneta and find that it doesn't require a trip down West 11th Avenue. Additional signage, better connectivity of West Eugene's bicycle paths, as well as several environmental initiatives are also recommended as part of the five year plan.
One of the most ambitious - and intriguing - proposals is the recommendation to slowly convert West 11th Avenue into a multiway boulevard. The boulevard would eventually include dedicated lanes for through cars, two lanes of side access streets, two dedicated lanes for EmX buses and wide sidewalks.
The WEC proposals are merely the groundwork to some very long planning sessions to come by our city officials, government agencies and others. The important thing is that the proposal proved a consensus could be reached among very diverse groups whom ultimately share the same goal.
Over time, it may become possible for us to travel from one end of town to west Eugene without wishing we could just click our heels and arrive at our destination.
See the full WEC report: A New Vision for West Eugene
A visual summary and WEC volunteers: Power Point Presentation
The next Smart-ups Pub-Talk is April 23rd from 5-7:30pm at the Valley River Inn, Eugene. Click here to pre-register ($20, includes food and bev | or $25 at the door). We have gathered a great group of speakers to present about the following topics:
- Creating Start-up Financials
- The Art of Bootstrapping
- An overview of the upcoming (May 14) Willamette Angel Conference (what to expect, who should attend, etc.)
Our Supporting Sponsor - PALO ALTO SOFTWARE - has kindly donated 5 copies of their Business Plan Pro software (regularly $199.95 each). Attend this event and you may be one of the lucky 5 to receive a free copy!
Create a winning business plan today (or modify your current plan) with the world’s most popular business plan software, featuring step-by-step instructions, 500+ sample business plans, and more. Business Week says Business Plan Pro is “...one of the best planning tools” available today.
Speakers include: Nick Fowler, Principal, Orion Ventures LLC; Chad Barczak, CEO/co-founder, IDX, Inc.; John Audette, CEO/co-founder, MitoSciences and Dan Vishny, CFO, Dune Sciences and Arcimoto.
Please join us on Thursday, April 2 from 5-7pm for the next Young Professionals Network (YPN) event at Sheppard Motors. Our generous host has partnered with Cornucopia to offer a mouth-watering menu complete with caramelized prosciutto, smoked salmon tartlets, mini meatballs and deep fried lobster bites prepared on site so they are fresh and hot, plus more! Enjoy beer and wine as you tour the Sheppard Motors Jeep showroom, located at 2300 W. 7th Ave. Register now.
The focus of YPN is to provide young business professionals (those in their 20s and 30s) with networking opportunities and relevant personal and professional development topics.
Young business professionals are making their mark in Lane County and the community is starting to take notice. Blue Chip magazine recently honored the top 20 Under 40 young business leaders. Nominees were judged based on the nominees' potential to shape the community's future, success in their chosen fields, contributions to their companies or employers, innovation, and involvement in community activities. Congratulations to all our Chamber members who made the list! See their full profiles at www.registerguard.com/web/business
"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." -Author unknown
To those of you who took the time to purchase and donate school supplies to CASA at last month's Young Professionals Network, thank you! Your donation did so much more than help prepare a child for the coming school year as you can read here in the attached letter .
Evergreen Land Title did it again! We had more than 200 people in attendance on Thursday night at the annual YPN August Summer Bash. There seemed to be no shortage of mouth-watering food, beer, mixed drinks, or Evergreen's legendary jello shots!
Our sincerest thanks goes to each of you who brought school supplies or made a monetary donation to CASA of Lane County! Your school supply donation will help a child go back to school with the confidence they need to succeed.
Thank you Evergreen Land Title for another legendary August YPN event! Your drive to host the biggest YPN event of the year - every year - allows YPN members the opportunity to network with hundreds of business associates in a fun and relaxed setting. We appreciate all that was put into hosting YPN this month, thank you!
Rather than touch base with your contacts once a year, maintain those connections at next month's YPN event, hosted by BRING Recycling on Thursday, September 11. BRING Recycling is celebrating the completion of Phase 1 of an ambitious remodeling and expansion project! 
Discover BRING Recyling's Planet Improvement Center, complete with the widest selection of used building materials between Portland and San Francisco, a new resale outlet, examples of reuse and sustainable building, as well as an education center. The event will be held in BRING Recycling's gallery where seven local artists exhibit work that elegantly disguises its reuse origins. Register early at www.eugenechamber.com!
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