News & Events

Latest News

April 29, 2008

"Prosperity that Fits" and Oregon Business Plan Connect in Corvallis

On Monday April 28th Oregon Business Plan leaders met with officials and community members in Corvallis to discuss alignment between the Corvallis "Prosperity that Fits" plan and the Oregon Business Plan.

Both efforts focus on the importance of traded-sector clusters and the unique opportunity for leadership in sustainability development.  

Duncan Wyse, President of the Oregon Business Council and members of the Oregon Business Plan Steering Committee, told participants at a town hall meeting that Corvallis is poised for major economic success if it chooses to move forward with the vision laid out in the PTF Plan.  He also noted that major opportunities exist by linking efforts with Eugene, Albany and other surrounding communities to create an "innovation triangle" that builds off of the assets of OSU, UO, LBCC, LCC and the business leadership in the community.  

Browse this site to learn more about the Oregon Business Plan.  Read more about the PTF effort at http://www.prosperitythatfits.us/.

April 1, 2008

OBP and OSU Launch Podcast Channel

The Oregon Business Plan has teamed up with the Grassroots Learning Project at OSU to develop a podcast channel for the Oregon Business Plan.  Oregonians can now listen to and download interviews with key Oregon business and policy leaders discussing the Oregon Business Plan competitiveness agenda.  

The first set of interviews were conducted at the 6th Annual Oregon Leadership Summit on December 3rd 2007.  Additional interviews will occur throughout the year.

Visit the channel to listen, download or subscribe at http://podcast.oregonstate.edu/leadership/. 

March 14, 2007

Oregon Business Plan Steering Committee Honored with Andrus Award for Leadership in Sustainability and Conservation

Sustainable Northwest announced today the recipients of the 2008 Andrus Award for Leadership in Sustainability and Conservation.  

The Award, given out each year to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, or collaborative, community-based efforts that exemplify leadership in pursuit of sustainability, is named after former Idaho Governor and SNW Co-Founder Cecil Andrus.

The Award will be given out at the Annual Sustainable Northwest Auction and Awards Gala on March 14th at the Portland Art Museum.

For more information on the Gala, the Andrus Award and Sustainable Northwest, please visit www.sustainablenorthwest.org. 

February 22, 2007

Legislature sends funding to the Big Look Task Force

The Oregon Legislature adjourned from its trial annual session on February 22nd, but not before dedicating $426, 000 for the comprehensive review of Oregon's land-use planning system known as the "Big Look."

The Big Look Task Force was created by the 2005 legislature to review Oregon's land-use planning system and bring recommendations to the 2009 legislature.

The effort was slowed last year when the legislature did not provide funds for the Task Force.  

Read more about the task force, including progress reports, preliminary findings and recommendations and meetings schedules at http://www.oregonbiglook.org/  

The next meeting of the Big Look Task Force will be on March 14th at the Department of Land Conservation and Development in Salem.

February 14, 2007

Highlights From Innovation Day at State Capitol

Oregon InC held meetings with 21 individual legislators and briefed them on the progress of the initiatives and the audit and accountability process. We were able to reach out to a few new legislators who haven't heard much about Oregon InC as well as those that we spent time with during the last legislative session.  Read more

Council members held a full Council meeting that included updates from each of the initiative leaders. This was the first chance, in over a year, that the Council was able to ask the initiatives directly about their progress.  Also, the committee chairs had a chance to update the full Council on the development of the 2008 Innovation Plan and the work happening in the subcommittees. Review the PowerPoint Presentation from the meeting.  

Oregon InC hosted a fabulous dessert reception for Legislative members, Council members, and initiative leaders. Around 50 people attended and were able to meet with multiple Council members and learn more about the Oregon InC initiatives.

February 10, 2007

Board, Department Seek Input on New High School Diploma Essential Skills Requirements

Take the survey

In January 2007, the State Board adopted Essential Skills as a requirement for graduation. Beginning in 2012, students must demonstrate proficiency in identified Essential Skills to receive a high school diploma.

The Essential Skills are process skills that cross academic disciplines and are embedded in the current content standards. The skills can be applied in a variety of courses, subjects, and settings

The Essential Skills Task Force has met several times since August 2007. Participants include educators from PK-12, special education, higher education and community colleges; high school students; and business and community representatives. Cross-sector teams collaborated on defining the essential skills using national models and research as resources. Each skill is defined by what students must be able to demonstrate for graduation and post-high school success.

Your input will help inform the next draft of the skills by the Task Force. We anticipate adoption of the Essential Skills by the State Board in June 2008.

Take the survey

February 8, 2007

Innovation Council Seeks Proposals from Emerging Industries 

Oregon InC is seeking proposals from emerging industries for inclusion in the 2009 Oregon Innovation Plan. 

An RFP for established industry proposals will go out later this month.  

The Innovation Council will not be seeking proposals for Signature Research Centers as part of the 2009 Innovation Plan.

Click here to review the Emerging Industries RFP.  

February 5, 2007

Best Center Issues Request for Proposals

The Bio-Economy and Sustainable Technologies (BEST) Research Center is pleased to release its first ever Request for Proposals (RFP).

Principal investigators at all institutions within the Oregon University System (OUS) are invited to respond to this solicitation.  

Although proposals are expected to be submitted by OUS faculty, strategic academic/industrial partnerships are strongly encouraged within the RFP?s selection criteria. Private companies and non-profit organizations may partner with a principal investigator at an OUS institution as co-principal investigator or investigators.

BEST has three research themes: (1) Clean Energy, (2) Bio-Products, and (3) Green Buildings/Infrastructure. The proposed project must address one or more of the above themes. Please see the RFP for more information and detailed descriptions of the BEST research themes.

Proposals are due by the close of business on March 3, 2008. For more information on BEST, please see its website at:

http://www.oregonbest.org/

Mixers will be held on the campuses of PSU, OSU and UO on February 7th and February 8th (see flyer). These mixers are for faculty to share their BEST research ideas and explore partnerships with other faculty. Private companies and non-profits are welcome to attend these mixers to learn more about faculty research interests and possible collaborations.

Please forward this message to any other interested parties, and contact Janet Gillaspie at janet@envirostragies.com, Beth Minor at minor@pdx.edu, or Jennifer Allen at jhallen@pdx.edu if you have any questions.

Go to News Archive

back to top

Oregon Business Plan & Partner Events:

Upcoming Events

May 8, 2008:  0OAME Luncheon and Trade Show

20th Annual Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) Entrepreneurship Luncheon and Trade Show at the Oregon Convention Center.  For more information visit www.oame.org. 

May 12, 2008:  Oregon Cluster Network Meeting

Topic:  Innovation

On May 12 leaders within private and public sector leaders will meet to exchange best practices and learn about resources available to enhance economic innovation within Oregon's industry clusters.

May 16, 2008:  Webinar:  Disability, Diversity, Inclusion and the Connection to the Bottom Line.  

Join national diversity coach Steve Hanumara to learn about

  • Moving beyond compliance so we can have a breakthrough in working with people with disabilities
  • Learning the five dimensions of inclusion which will help bring common denominators to all workers
  • Providing clarity to managers and leaders on what they can do to create positive working relationships with this group of people
  • Studying the role of the individual who has the disability in shaping colleague perception of them as individuals and coworkers

Participants will leave with some tools to reduce tension and apprehension on the job. They will begin the process of seeing people with disabilities as "value added" to teams and organizations.  The session promises to be lively and interactive.  

When:  May 16, 2008 10:00-11:00AM PDT.  Your computer - audio via toll-free telephone

Presenter: Steve Hanamura, National Diversity Coach and Co-host: Lucy Baker, OBLN Executive Director

Cost: $119.00 - invite one additional person to attend at your PC free of charge.  There is a 15% member discount for OBLN, USBLN, or other BLN members

Who should attend: Business and Diversity leaders, HR professionals, EEO specialists, Recruiters, hiring Managers & Supervisors

For more information, please visit:  http://www.obln.org/Calendar/08/08.05.16.htm

View Archived Events

back to top

Media Coverage:

Transportation tops to-do list.  The Oregonian, December 4, 2007.   Legislators and businesses plan ways to upgrade Oregon's aging roads and bridges.  Read more

Turning concepts into cash.  The Oregonian, December 4, 2007.  Leaders ask if the state's sustainability special push adds jobs for the middle class.  Read more

New Green Initiatives.  Leadership Summit attendees electronically registered straw votes on several proposals to further state progress on the sustainability front.  Read more

Five questions with Steve Pratt  The Oregonian, December 2, 2007

Steve Pratt, president of the Northwest Portland metals manufacturer Esco Corp., is this year's chairman of the Oregon Business Plan. As such, he'll be the man introducing the plan at Monday's Leadership Summit, the annual event in which the business community unveils its big-picture legislative agenda and strategic prescriptions to grow the state economy.  read more

Green focus pays, but work remains.  Portland Business Jounral,  November 30, 2007

Much of next week's annual Oregon Leadership Summit will build on last year's "Gaining Sustainable Advantage" theme...read more

Transportation Needs Finally Getting Attention.  Lake Oswego Review.  November 22, 2007

Leadership summit next month will offer great chance to tackle transportation issues....read more

Media Coverage Archives

back to top