Bandon Dunes Founder Mike Keiser Named Jobs Champion
Jobs Champion Award: Oregon Business & Industry is honored to present Mike Keiser, founder of the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, with its prestigious Jobs Champion Award (read announcement here). The award recognizes people who have made a positive and lasting difference in ensuring that Oregonians have access to jobs that support individuals, families and communities in our state.
Bandon Dunes: Following a successful career in the greeting card business, Mike developed the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, one of the world’s top golf destinations, which includes seven courses, many ranked among the nation’s best public courses.
Community impact: The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort employs 850 people, not including as many as 700 caddies who will work there this summer. It also supports many local businesses, and its charitable foundation contributes millions of dollars every year to efforts focused on conservation, economic resilience, community health and youth golf.
Mike will be honored at the Oregon Economic Summit (see item below).
Nominate Great Products for Coolest Thing Made in Oregon
Coolest Thing launched: On May 11, OBI kicked off the fourth annual Coolest Thing Made in Oregon contest, which allows Oregonians to vote for the coolest thing manufactured in the Beaver State. Contest finalists will be chosen from products nominated by July 10.
Nominate a product: To nominate a product, head to OBI’s Coolest Thing Made in Oregon page here or directly to the survey form here. Enter just a few simple pieces of information, including the product, manufacturer and product website address. You can nominate as many products as you’d like, and manufacturers are encouraged to nominate their own products.
The voting phase: From the pool of nominated products, 16 finalists will be announced in September. The finalists will be arranged in a tournament-style bracket, and Oregonians will engage in four rounds of voting to identify a winner. The winner will be announced at OBI’s Vision Oregon Event on Oct. 28.
Listen to past winners: Learn the stories behind some great Oregon products by listening to Oregon Business Matters’ interviews with past Coolest Thing Made in Oregon winners:
- Tyler Freres, vice president of sales at Freres Engineered Wood, whose Mass Ply panels won the inaugural contest in 2023. Listen here.
- Doug King, president and CEO of Epic Aircraft, whose E1000 GX turboprop won the 2024 contest. Listen here.
- Dan Schwoerer, founder of Bullseye Glass, whose art glass won the 2025 contest. Listen here.
Register Now: Oregon Economic Summit on May 28
Join OBI for its first annual Oregon Economic Summit on May 28 at the Salem Convention Center. The event is a rebrand of our Annual Meeting event. Visit the event web page here to register. The theme of the inaugural summit is Changing Our Trajectory: Prioritizing Economic Growth and Private Sector Job Creation. The program will begin at 3:30 p.m. A reception with political leaders will follow at 5 p.m.
Program
Jobs Champion Award
Presented to Mike Keiser, founder, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
The Economic Imperative
The need is clear, and it’s time to act. Where does Oregon stand relative to other states, and what are those states doing to move even further ahead?
Ted Abernathy, managing partner of Economic Leadership
Panel Discussion
A conversation among thought leaders about the conditions in Oregon, the need for urgency and what the state needs for economic growth.
Monique Cardwell, president and CEO, Greater Portland Inc.
John Horvick, senior vice president, DHM Research
Tim Inman, chief policy and public affairs officer, The Ford Family Foundation
Mike Wilkerson, partner and director of economic research, ECOnorthwest
Moderated by Jordan Papé, CEO, The Papé Group
Call to Action
Driving change together.
Angela Wilhelms, president and CEO, Oregon Business & Industry
Stay Tuned for Thoughts on May 19 Primary Election
Voting deadline: Tuesday is the last day for voters to return ballots for the May 19 primary election, though elections officials will accept mailed ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days. Find the nearest ballot drop box by entering your address here.
Track results: Go to the secretary of state’s elections page here to track results. Results also can be found on websites maintained by county clerks, a list of which can be found here. News organizations such as The Oregonian and Oregon Public Broadcasting can be counted on to track and report results on Election Day as well.
OBI analysis: Check the June 1 edition of Capitol Connect for OBI’s thoughts on the results of the primary and what they mean for the November general election and beyond.
State Minimum Wage Set to Increase July 1
What’s happening: On July 1, Oregon’s minimum wage (actually, three wages depending upon work location) will increase. The Bureau of Labor and Industries calculates an inflation-related adjustment to the “standard” minimum wage by April 30 every year, and it serves as the basis for changes to all three wages. Read more here.
Standard wage: The standard wage will increase by 3.3%, rising from $15.05 to $15.55. The standard wage applies to all or parts of 18 counties, including Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties outside of urban growth boundaries. Go here to see BOLI’s state wage map.
Portland metro wage: The minimum wage that applies inside urban growth boundaries in the Portland metro area will increase to $16.80 per hour, or $1.25 over the standard minimum wage.
Nonurban wage: The nonurban minimum wage, which applies to 18 counties, will increase to $14.05 per hour, or $1 less than the standard wage.
Oregon Business Matters Talks with Con-Vey CEO Dave Larecy
Dave Larecy is chairman and CEO of Roseburg-based Con-Vey. For decades, the company has manufactured production lines for wood products and other industries. Con-Vey makes the machinery that other companies use to make plywood, beams, oriented strand board and many other things that make modern life possible. Con-Vey’s production lines are so sophisticated and so highly automated that it has even established its own robotics business, 7robotics. Go here to listen to this fascinating conversation about an Oregon company that manufactures machinery used by businesses across the country – and in other countries as well.
In case you missed them, check out our recent interviews with Sport Oregon CEO Jim Etzel, Hillsboro Hops President and General Manager K.L. Wombacher, Looptworks founder Scott Hamlin and Trevor Giroux, president of ATI‘s Specialty Alloys and Components Division in Millersburg. Visit the Oregon Business Matters website to listen.
The Oregon Business Matters podcast can be found on major podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify and YouTube.
Check out the Latest Oregon Business Insider Newsletter
Oregon Business Insider: Launched in April, this is OBI’s free monthly newsletter. It is open to anyone regardless of OBI membership status. While the April newsletter was sent to all OBI members, the May newsletter and subsequent newsletters will not be. If you’d like to subscribe, please visit the newsletter page here.
Inside each Insider: Each edition of this short-form newsletter features the same components:
- Three notable things that happened the previous month
- Three things that will happen in the coming month
- An item spotlighting an important Oregon policy or set of policies
- A statistic of the month, and why it matters
- A recent podcast interview
- Opportunities to engage
- Information about OBI
May Insider: The May Oregon Business Insider spotlighted the history and function of the corporate activity tax and, piggybacking on the April Insider spotlight, reported the combined revenue impact of the CAT and the withholding of the corporate kicker during just three biennia ($10.5 billion, in case you wondered). The May newsletter also discussed the weak growth of Oregon’s GDP in 2025.
June Insider: Among other things, the June Oregon Business Insider will take a close look at the latest information on Oregon establishment births and deaths and why it matters.
Register for June 5 Employability Skills Webinar
OBI will host members of the Oregon Employability Skills (OES) initiative for a webinar on June 5. The initiative was designed to help bridge workforce gaps by strengthening the sometimes-missing soft skills that support success for both employers and employees. These skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-awareness and resilience. Presenters will discuss how the initiative was developed, how it addresses identified workforce needs and how employers can use the OES curriculum to support employee recruitment and retention.
The webinar will run from noon to 1 p.m. Go here to register.
Oregon Leadership Academy Application Period Closes Soon
Applications are open for OBI’s inaugural Oregon Leadership Academy. The program is designed for professionals interested in public policy and civic engagement.
The initial cohort will run from September 2026 through March 2027, with in-person sessions in Salem, Portland and Newberg. Applications are due May 31, 2026. Learn more on the academy’s web page here.
Prepare for Upcoming I-5 Closures in Portland
Representatives of the Oregon Department of Transportation spoke with OBI’s Transportation Committee on May 15 about a pair of upcoming I-5 closures related to the Rose Quarter project in Portland that will cause significant disruption.
In July, all Rose Quarter freeway lanes – both northbound and southbound – will be closed for up to 14 hours to allow the installation of a “sign bridge” spanning the freeway. The closure will begin at 10 p.m. on a Saturday yet to be determined and end at noon Sunday.
The second closure, which is expected to begin in mid-September, will involve all lanes of I-5 southbound between exit 302B to I-405 and the westbound I-84 onramp. Traffic will be routed onto I-405 south. The closure, which will allow for the replacement of the road surface, will last up to five weeks.
For more information about these closures, including maps, visit ODOT’s I-5 closure toolkit page here and check out ODOT’s slide presentation here.
Policy and Rulemaking Updates
Waste fee increases: This month, DEQ held listening sessions with regulated entities and other stakeholders on its 2027 policy option package to raise hazardous waste fees. According to the agency, there has been no fee increase in 20 years, and the program is facing a budgetary shortfall, which would affect the technical assistance and other services (namely inspections and compliance) the program provides to regulated entities. More specifically, per-ton disposal fees have not increased in recent years, though several other types of hazardous waste fees were increased in 2019. DEQ provided two options for addressing the budgetary shortfall. Under one scenario, fees would increase 38%, rising from $130 per ton to $180 per ton, and total capped costs would increase by nearly 62%, rising from $32,500 to $52,500. Under the second scenario, fees would increase to $190 per ton, and total capped costs would increase to $52,500. Although the first scenario would raise enough money to cover program needs, DEQ argued that the second scenario would better address the agency’s budget needs since hazardous waste volume varies from year to year. As is the case with other regulatory programs, the agency is proposing to raise fees in part because state businesses have significantly reduced the amount of hazardous waste they generate. This is the first of several conversations about the fee increases, and OBI will work with members to advocate for a solution that minimizes economic impacts to regulated businesses.
Universal health plan: The Universal Health Plan Governance Board this month released its summary of findings from various focus groups it held earlier this year. OBI sat on the focus group for large employers, to which UHPGB staff presented their initial draft proposal. OBI continued to share concerns about the tax structure and cost of this program, the likelihood of success in setting up this system, and the lack of guardrails to prevent unsustainable growth of a state-run single payer program. Some pieces of note from the report include discussion from some groups already of expanding benefits beyond what state plans currently cover, the concern across groups regarding the costs and feasibility of setting up a state-run single-payer system and the concern about the political feasibility of this project even among some supporters of the concept. The full report can be found here.
Quarterly revenue forecast: On May 20, both the House Interim Committee on Revenue and the Senate Interim Committee on Finance and Revenue will meet jointly to receive the state Economic and Revenue Forecast for the second quarter of the year. Over the past several years, the forecast has provided evidence to support OBI’s longstanding concern about the health of the state’s economy. During the most recent forecast, released in February, the state economist noted that from December 2024 to December 2025 the manufacturing sector lost over 5,000 jobs. While many policymakers blame federal policies for Oregon’s economic struggles, its economic and revenue forecasts consistently show that Oregon is growing more slowly and losing more private-sector jobs than most neighboring states and the country as a whole. This is likely to continue until policymakers enact pro-growth and pro-businesses policies.
‘Bespoke’ manufacturing rules: The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) will take public comments on proposed administrative rules implementing HB 2688, which applies prevailing wage requirements to off-site “bespoke” fabrication for public improvements. Verbal testimony maybe provided at a virtual public hearing on May 27 from 10 a.m. to noon, and written comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 31. While the current rule drafts are better than previous iterations, elements remain problematic for Oregon manufacturing. In particular, the draft rules are silent on the applicability of the law to out-of-state manufacturers, require wage postings in worksites that will create confusion among employees, and appear to impose a fee on businesses without legislative authority. Please contact Scott Winkels for additional information.
Workforce needs: Rep. Dacia Grayber, D-Portland, is seeking input from employers to identify gaps in Oregon’s workforce systems. As chair of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee, Grayber has indicated workforce policy will be a priority in the 2027 legislative session. Her office is requesting feedback on challenges employers experience with workforce development and recruitment, what changes could help recruit and retain employees, what currently works and does not work, and other workforce solutions that would be helpful. Those interested in sharing their experience can contact Ryan Tuthill.
Notable News
Prosperity Council draft: Gov. Tina Kotek’s Prosperity Council met May 15 in Eugene to finalize its recommendations for release next month. But in advance of that meeting, the Oregon Journalism Project obtained a confidential draft of the 16-member panel’s calls for action, and that draft proposes significant changes to Oregon’s tax system, which the document calls an unbalanced “one-and-a-half legged stool,” overly reliant on income taxes and a distorted property tax system and lacking a sales tax (Oregon Journalism Project).
Moda Center polling: Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s push to divert dollars from the city’s one-of-a-kind climate tax to bankroll a renovation of the Moda Center faces significant public resistance, a recent poll commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive found (The Oregonian).
Oregon educational testing: Oregon’s aggressive stance on letting students opt out of taking state math and reading tests is harming the state’s ability to learn from high performing districts, national experts say (The Oregonian).
Oregon housing supply: Oregon’s housing supply increased modestly between 2020 and 2025, with the biggest growth in Central Oregon, but progress lags far behind the state’s lofty goals (Oregon Journalism Project).
Kotek popularity polling: A new poll indicates that a majority of voters in Oregon’s most Democratic-friendly region are dissatisfied with Gov. Tina Kotek, as the Democrat approaches the end of her first term and seeks another four years in office (The Oregonian).
Tourism spending: Travel spending in Oregon, adjusted for inflation, remains 4.5% below its 2019 level, as economic uncertainty, global tensions and flat business travel take their toll, according to data Travel Oregon issued recently (Portland Business Journal).
Insurance leadership: A national insurer with a large Portland presence has promoted one leader and brought in another senior executive. Brown & Brown announced May 8 Jessica Getman will assume the reins of the company’s Western operations. In her place as president of Portland and Southwest Washington: Chip Terhune, who until recently was president and CEO of SAIF, the nonprofit that offers workers compensation insurance in Oregon (Portland Business Journal).
Data center costs: State utility regulators on May 7 set out a rate framework they said will ensure that infrastructure costs tied to data centers don’t spill over to other Portland General Electric customers (Portland Business Journal).
Nonprofit building fund: The Oregon Community Foundation is creating a loan program to spur housing development across the state. The foundation on May 8 announced a $100 million investment to seed its new Building Hope Fund. The money will go to Oregon home builders and help finance 10,000 new housing units over the next 10 years (Portland Business Journal).
Education funding: Some of the Oregon Legislature’s top Democrats say they see no reason to tap the Education Stability Fund this year (Willamette Week).
Portland poll: Taxes and affordability are among the fastest growing concerns of Portland-area residents (The Oregonian).
Oregon antitrust lawyers: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield says he needs more resources to enforce antitrust laws and pick up the slack left by the federal government. At a May 11 media briefing with his counterparts from California, Washington, New York and Nevada, Rayfield said he would soon go before Oregon’s Emergency Board to ask for 16 additional full-time employees in the antitrust unit, on top of the eight currently working there, at a cost of $2.7 million (Portland Business Journal).
Portlanders consider leaving: More than 40% of Portlanders polled said they’re considering leaving in the next five years (The Oregonian).
Coburg manufacturer closes: The Augusta Sportswear plant in Coburg will close in July, resulting in the elimination of 83 jobs (The Oregonian).
BOLI AI use: Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries is reviewing whether employees improperly used AI tools to respond to workers’ requests for information or help, after confirming at least one instance of an employee violating agency policy by doing so (The Oregonian).
Arts tax lawsuit: The Portland Metro Chamber on May 13 announced it would mount a legal challenge if the City Council adopts a proposed increase in the arts tax, on grounds that the council lacks the legal authority to alter a voter-passed tax measure (Portland Business Journal).
Biorefinery project: The company planning to build a $3 billion biorefinery in Northwest Oregon announced a partnership that could extend its economic impact in the region. Houston-based NXTClean Fuels said it’s working with another Texas company, BioVeritas, to develop “biomass processing centers” in Oregon, Washington and Idaho (Portland Business Journal).
Check Out OBI’s Member Benefits
OBI offers members a range of programs that can save money or help small businesses offer benefits normally available only to much larger companies. Benefit programs include:
- HealthChoice: Helps businesses with fewer than 100 employees offer comprehensive health-care benefits through our partnership with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.
- Partners Retirement Plan: Allows multiple employers to offer a 401(k) benefit to employees through a group structure while maintaining individual company design and control over the benefit – such as eligibility, employer match, and vesting.
- CompSAFE: Helps eligible companies enjoy workers’ compensation discounts through SAIF Corporation.
- Fuel Program: Helps members save fuel costs through our partnership with Ed Staub & Sons.
- LegalPLUS: OBI members receive 15 minutes of free legal consulting per month from Innova Legal Advisors.
Go here to learn about all of OBI’s member benefits.