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1. Are happy days here again?
2. Charles Wilhoite to lead city Charter Review Commission
3. Business Leadership Evening expects largest crowd in 10 years
4. Don't miss your chance to sponsor a 2006 event or program
5. Online survey results: Members see bright economy ahead
6. Holiday marketing campaign to kick off Nov. 21
Economic News
7. Oregon unemployment rate falls in September, going against national trend
Member News
8. Deadline nears for Leadership Portland applications
9. Downtown trees are ready for the start of the holidays
10. Alliance publishes 2004/05 Annual Review
11. Alliance membership director helps celebrate new OfficeMax store
Events
12. Forum to feature emergency preparedness
13. Cornerstones event focuses on safeguarding the financial well-being of your business
14. Mercantile to host Business After Hours
15.
Print a copy of this month's Calendar of Events or
view online calendar
16. Unsubscribe
1. Are happy days here again?
 By Scott Andrews
As a commercial realtor, I tend to look to one primary indicator to see how our regional economy is doing: the occupancy rate at commercial buildings. And these days, from the perspective of Melvin Mark Properties, at least, things are
looking pretty good.
Just months ago, we were worrying over occupancy rates in the 80-percent range. Today, we're in the 90-plus range, and buildings we own or manage across the metropolitan region are filling up. After a very long dry spell, we couldn't be
happier.
So you have to ask: Does this mean "happy days are here again" in the Greater Portland region? Certainly, there are a lot of signs, besides just occupancy in Melvin Mark buildings, to show the economy is picking up:
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Unemployment is starting to decline. Statewide, the unemployment rate in September was 6.1 percent, down from 6.6 percent in August. In the Portland-region, the unemployment rate has fallen below 6 percent, although the suburban counties
appear to be recovering at a faster pace than Multnomah County.
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Business License Fee collections in the City of Portland were up 25.2 percent in the fourth quarter of the 2004/2005 fiscal year, compared to the same quarter a year ago. Since the fees are based on business income, that's an indicator
that business is better in the city.
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Hotel/motel tax revenue also is up, with an increase of 13.6 percent for July/August 2005, compared to the same period in 2004.
These are all good signs, and, after a very long recession, we should be celebrating the improvement in our local economy. But, as we celebrate, we cannot forget how hard this recession hit us. We must continue efforts to strengthen our
local economic base, so that next time a recession hits - and undoubtedly, there will be another one - we won't be impacted as much as we were these last few years.
A major focus must be the local tax structure. Multnomah County's Business Income Tax and the City of Portland's Business License fee impose financial burdens experienced by businesses in no other part of the state - or anywhere else in
the West, for that matter.
During this past recession, we saw that many companies chose not to locate in Portland or Multnomah County because of those taxes. That has to be one of the reasons that economic recovery in Multnomah County has lagged behind recovery in
other parts of the region, and the county still has not regained the jobs it lost during the recession. We must continue to work with elected leaders at the city and the county to reduce these local business taxes over time, and ultimately
to eliminate them.
We also have to look at the overall structure of our regional economy, and work proactively to assemble the building blocks that will sustain a strong economy over the long term. For the past year, the Portland Business Alliance has been
working with other business organizations throughout the region on the first Regional Business Plan. Modeled after the very successful Oregon Business Plan, this regional effort will create a long-term vision for Portland's economy, and
set a strategy for achieving global competitiveness.
The first Regional Business Plan will be unveiled on January 9 at the annual Oregon Business Summit. We are very excited about this work, and we view it as the beginning of a long-term effort to achieve a sustainable regional economy that
benefits everyone who lives here.
To learn about the Regional Business Plan, you can visit
www.regionalbusinessplan.com.
2. Charles Wilhoite to lead city Charter Review Commission
Charles Wilhoite, a member of the Alliance Board of Directors, has been selected by Mayor Tom Potter to lead the committee that will study possible changes in the way Portland city government is organized.
Wilhoite is a principal and director in the Portland office of Willamette Management Associates. He also is chairman of the Portland Urban League, and serves on the boards for Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University
and the Oregon Children's Foundation. He served on the Portland Business Alliance Task Force that studied the four proposals for PGE ownership.
The Charter Review Commission will consider whether the city should change its commission form of government. The mayor also has asked the commission to look at the structure and oversight of the Portland Development Commission, the police
and firefighters pension and disabilities fund and the city's civil service rules.
The committee is expected to propose charter changes for the November 2006 ballot.
3. Business Leadership Evening expects largest crowd in 10 years
Presenting sponsor: Wells Fargo
Sponsors:
Ashforth Pacific, Portland General Electric, Hoffman Construction Company, Holland & Knight LLP and NW Natural.
The Alliance expects a full house of 500 for the Business Leadership Evening on Nov. 9 in the Governor Hotel's Heritage Room.
 This annual event honors civic philanthropy by business leaders. Fred Stickel, publisher of The Oregonian, will receive the William S.
Naito Outstanding Service Award for his community service.
Local historians Robert Gregg and Thomas Vaughan will give the keynote address. From beaver pelts to nano-technology, business in Portland has evolved beyond anyone's imagination in the two centuries since Lewis and Clark
traveled down the Columbia River. But one constant has remained true: Decade after decade, business leaders have played a major role in shaping our community. Our speakers will take us on an entertaining journey through our local history
of business leadership.
Robert Gregg is Executive Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations for FEI Corporation, and Chair of the Oregon Historical Society Board of Trustees. Thomas Vaughan is Oregon Historian Laureate.
Thanks to our sponsors and members for making this evening a success!
4. Don't miss your chance to sponsor a 2006 event or program
The popularity of the Business Leadership Evening and other recent, sold-out events is a good reminder of the value that businesses receive by sponsoring Alliance events and programs.
Sale of those sponsorships for 2006 has begun, and businesses are advised to get their interest in early, since sponsorship slots are limited. Event sponsorships include the Annual Meeting, Chair's Cup, Golf Scramble and the 2006 Business
Leadership Evening. Sponsorships are also available for a variety of other events and at a wide variety of prices, ranging from the Forum series and its individual monthly sessions, to Cornerstones for Success, Leadership Portland,
Shoptalk and Business After Hours, among others.
For a full list of sponsorship opportunities, visit Sponsorship Opportunities in the Member Services section of our web site at
www.portlandalliance.com or just click
here. Membership Events Manager Christine Gatlin at 503.552.6742 and Member Involvement Manager Marcia Wimmer at 503.552.6757 can help you select and arrange sponsorships.
5. Online survey results: Members split on how the economy is going
We recently conducted the first of what will be frequent online surveys of our members about issues of the day.
Employees of Alliance member companies were asked to respond to this question: Overall, would you say the business climate in the City of Portland is headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?
Seventy-four people said they thought it was headed in the right direction and 90 said it was headed in the wrong direction.
Surveying our membership helps us keep in touch with our members and their concerns. It also allows our government affairs staff to be even more effective in advocating for the business community on a broad range of issues.
6. Holiday marketing campaign to kick off Nov. 21
Our fall downtown marketing campaign, which we are managing for the city of Portland, is nearly ready to roll out. It will focus on the attributes that make downtown a great place to shop and enjoy the holiday season.
The campaign will focus on key media, including newspapers, magazines and radio. It will work along with special promotion events, including the Win a Window contest and the Weekend in the City radio promotion. Both promotions were
successful last year in creating extra holiday excitement.
Our PR efforts will complement the campaign, while addressing any public safety concerns that may arise. We will coordinate with local merchants to distribute communication pieces such as buttons and stickers driving home our message:
"Downtown Portland: A truly unique experience."
The campaign will kick off officially on Nov. 21. Watch for our advertising beginning then - and don't forget to include downtown in your shopping, dining and entertainment plans.
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Economic Updates
7. Oregon unemployment rate falls in September, going against national trend
Oregon's unemployment rate continued to improve in September, dropping to 6.1 percent, compared to the 7.3 percent rate in September 2004.
While the job growth rate slowed down a little in September, the employment continued to expand. A total of 11,900 jobs were added in September, about 300 more than normal seasonal gains. Payroll employment statewide is up by about 3
percent from last year.
Oregon's healthy job picture was in contrast to the national experience. Unemployment grew nationally from 4.9 percent in August to 5.1 percent in September because of the Gulf Coast hurricanes.
For more information, visit:
www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/OlmisZine.
Source: Chris Greaves, research analyst, Oregon Employment Department.
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Member News
8. Deadline nears for Leadership Portland applications
 If you or someone you know is interested in building their community leadership skills, don't delay. The deadline to apply to be part of the
2006 Leadership Portland class is Nov. 18.
Leadership Portland was created by the Alliance to provide promising individuals from its member firms with the skills and understanding necessary for future senior leadership positions within companies, civic betterment organizations and
government in the Portland region.
The program provides interactive exercises and stimulating curriculum to build leadership skills that participants can use in all parts of their lives.
Class participants gain an understanding of the challenges the community and region face and how to work successfully for positive change. After graduating, participants can continue their leadership activities as part of the Leadership
Portland Alumni Association.
Leadership Portland takes place January through June with classes once a month. For your convenience, the 2006 Leadership Portland application and additional information can be found on our web site home page, at
www.portlandalliance.com, or just click
here.
There also are good opportunities for businesses that want to sponsor parts of the Leadership Portland program. Should you have any questions about applying to be part of the 2006 class or being a sponsor, please contact Monica Stewart at
503 552.6775, or email
mstewart@portlandalliance.com.
9. Downtown trees are ready for the start of the holidays
All of the lights are in place on about 700 downtown street trees to add extra sparkle to the holiday season.
The Alliance worked closely with city officials on the lighting program, to make sure that lighting techniques won't cause any damage to tree health. Instead of being tightly wound around branches, the lights are attached this year with
specially designed "grow tape" that doesn't damage trees and allows for tree movement while still holding lights in place during windy days.
Lights trace the tree limbs rather than wrapping, and are brighter so we can conserve electricity by using fewer strings.
The lights have been put in place by A Light Up Company of Oregon, Inc., which is based in Beaverton. We'll be evaluating these "tree-friendly" techniques and improving them each year so downtown can feature both beautiful - and healthy -
holiday lights.
 10. Alliance publishes 2004/05 Annual Review
Our 2004/05 Annual Review will be ready for distribution or reading on our web site by Nov. 9. This review highlights the activities, challenges and accomplishments of the Alliance during its 2004/05 fiscal year in the areas of member
services, events, government affairs, economic development and downtown services.
Visit our web site at
www.portlandalliance.com after Nov. 9 to read the review, or just give us a call at 503.224.8684 to request a copy.
11. Alliance membership director helps celebrate new OfficeMax store
OfficeMax kicked off the grand opening celebration of its seventh store in the Portland area with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 20.  Pictured here at the ribbon-cutting ceremony is Tracy Laine, our membership director (cutting the ribbon), with OfficeMax employees. The opening festivities also included $4,000 in shopping spree giveaways, an "after hours"
business networking event, how-to workshops, raffle prizes and more. The 12,500 square-foot store is located at 930 NW 14th Ave. in Portland. OfficeMax was our largest new Alliance member in October.
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Events
12. Forum to feature emergency preparedness
Presenting sponsor: Liberty Northwest
The hurricanes along our Gulf Coast have made us all realize how important it is to get our businesses ready for a natural disaster.
Our November Forum, from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Nov. 16, will focus on what businesses and individuals can do to be better prepared. Speakers will include Andre LeDuc, Director, Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup, University of Oregon; Diana
McClure, Director of Public Safety Strategies, Institute for Business & Home Safety; and Deputy Chief Mike McGuire, Interim Manager, Portland Office of Emergency Management. Brian Boe of Liberty Northwest Insurance Corp., will moderate the
discussion.
Don't miss this valuable session.
Register now!
13. Cornerstones event focuses on safeguarding the financial well-being of your business
Sponsors: Colliers International and West Coast Bank
Your company assumed three basic risks on the first day it started operations - the speculative risk of making a profit, the possibility of an uninsured loss of assets, and the eventuality of your death or retirement.
At this month's Cornerstones for Success, you will learn how to create a business succession plan, the inside-out approach to business and personal financial planning, and how to manage risks. We'll be meeting from 4 to 6:15 p.m. Nov. 3 in
the Port of Portland Commission Room, 121 N.W. Everett.
Panel members include:
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Steve LaCesa, CIC, LUTCF, Vice President, Oak Tree Insurance
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Koko Hunt, Financial Advisor, Oak Tree Insurance
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Richard Williams, Co-Managing Partner, The Strategic Alliance
You can register online by clicking
here or visiting our web site at
www.portlandalliance.com.
14. Mercantile to host Business After Hours
Get a chance to build business relationships while you do your holiday shopping. Mercantile, 735 S.W. Park Ave., is hosting Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 16 and promises a fashion show and a discount on Mercantile
purchases.
Business After Hours offers an opportunity to create new business relationships by networking in a relaxed setting that offers delicious appetizers, door prizes, and refreshments from the no-host bar.
To register for Business After Hours, just click
here or visit our web site at
www.portlandalliance.com.
Attendance at Alliance events is a benefit of membership. It is Alliance policy to welcome non-members to attend up to two networking events (Shop Talk Showcase, Business Leads Exchange and Business After Hours) without
charge. Membership is required for attendance at all additional networking events.
We encourage you to join the Alliance so you can receive all of the benefits of membership. Please feel free to contact Jeff Jordan in Member Services at 503-552-6745 to activate your membership or gain additional information about the
Alliance.
15.
Print a copy of this month's Calendar of Events or
view online calendar
16. To unsubscribe to this newsletter, follow the instructions at the end of this email.
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