Friday, September 25, 2009

The Chamber fills a newly created position!

Brandi Hereford will join the Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce in late September as the new “Events & Membership Services Coordinator.”

Brandi comes with a very relevant work history and knows the ropes of Chamber work, events, and membership-based non-profits. She comes to our Chamber from the Prineville Chamber of Commerce where she has served as the Executive Director there for almost two years. She was hired over 25 other applicants in Prineville because their board felt she had the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to take their Chamber to the next level. She had previously served as the administrative assistant to the former Executive. In the last two years she has proven them right and they are sad to lose her. Her move to Wilsonville brings her closer to family and she is excited about the opportunity.

Brandi graduated from Crook County High School in 2001 and attended Linn Benton Community College in Albany, before graduating from Oregon State University with a Bachelor's Degree in General Agriculture. She also has minors in Agriculture Business Management and Animal Technology. Before moving back to Prineville after college, Brandi worked as an event coordinator for the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis, Oregon and as an account executive for Ingalls & Associates, a marketing and event-planning firm out of Albany. Brandi has worked extensively with the Oregon Festivals & Events Association, Oregon Fair Association, and various other leadership programs. Her event planning specialties include conferences, banquets, trade shows, rodeos, and festivals.

Brandi brings a great deal of energy and ideas to the Wilsonville Chamber and we are excited to welcome her.

SIDE LINE

Sadly, her hiring comes in the wake of our long-time employee Debbie Hallander’s retirement. Debbie is a dedicated and hard-working person and she will be missed a great deal. On behalf of the staff and Board of Directors at the Wilsonville Chamber and Visitors Center, we want to wish Debbie a fun and RELAXING retirement. You deserve it!

Economic Development Plan Adopted by Clackamas County

Over the past year, Business and Economic Development staff and the Economic Development Commission (EDC) have developed an updated Economic Development Plan. This plan will guide economic development policy for Clackamas County for the next five to 10 years. It contains a longer-term vision for the County, its cities, unincorporated areas, and business, community and political leaders. The plan helps decision-makers to chart a steady successful course, to weather changing economic conditions and continuously improve, diversify and grow our economy. Strategies will remain constant but the emphasis may shift based on the economic climate and opportunities to come.

Highlights of the plan include an overview of the County’s economic landscape, vision, guiding principles and specific strategies with action steps and indicators of success. The proposed vision is: “Clackamas County thrives as a great place to operate a business, raise a family and visit sites and attractions. Our County’s vision is to create a unique niche in the Portland Metro area as the “Pioneers of Innovation” - a business friendly place that fosters innovation, sustainable practices, attracts the creative class and embraces its diversity”.

The plan focuses on a five-pronged strategy to maximize success:
• Business Retention and Growth: Helping our existing businesses to thrive is a top priority whether they are small or large, or located in urban or rural communities.
• Business Recruitment: Attracting strategic industry clusters and firms that have the strongest potential to thrive here, invest and create well paying jobs.
• Infrastructure: Advocating for funding for additional infrastructure capacity and maintenance, while developing short- and long-term supply and improving quality.
• Critical infrastructure includes transportation, water and sewer, among others.
• Workforce and Education: Ensuring that there are available, skilled workers to meet the growing and changing needs of Clackamas County employers.
• Regional Collaboration: Leveraging efforts and resources in marketing, recruitment, and in addressing economic development challenges together. Collaboration will occur at the local level with cities and communities as well as with regional, state and federal partners. This flexible and multi-faceted approach will help ensure long-term prosperity for Clackamas County.

The plan was developed with input from the EDC, business community, cities and regional stakeholders.

View the Economic Development Plan