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Bend Chamber
Weekly
June 12, 2009
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator
This Week's
Highlights
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Local auto dealer to
testify before oversight committee
Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), will help lead a House
oversight and investigation subcommittee hearing
today to look into the decisions behind thousands of
GM and Chrysler dealership closings across the
country.
“If there is a sound business explanation for
shuttering dealerships and leaving entire regions
without service, taxpayers deserve to hear it. After
all, taxpayers are now the principal investors in
GM,” Walden said in a press release. “GM owners in
Burns, for example, will now have to travel 136
miles to the nearest dealer in Payette, Idaho, for
service. That’s the distance between Washington,
D.C. and Philadelphia. How does that help GM’s sales
and customers service in eastern Oregon?
Bob Thomas, owner of Bob Thomas Chevrolet-Cadillac, was
invited by Walden to testify in front of the
committee. Thomas received notification in May that
GM would end its dealer franchise agreement. Bob
Thomas Chevrolet-Cadillac has been in business in
Bend since 1916 and employs 65 people.
Redmond based Dave Hamilton Chevrolet-Jeep was also
notified it would be losing its agreement with GM.
Bend residents who would need service for their GM
vehicle would have to go to the nearest dealership,
which would be Madras.
“The secrecy surrounding this government takeover is
baffling,” Walden stated. “Taxpayers are already in
for a staggering $50 billion to save GM, but we
can’t even get a basic explanation from the
autonomous, unelected Auto Task Force about how
they’re making their decisions to spend Americans’
hard-earned money.”
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June 22 – Summer Opener Golf Tournament – It’s
time once again for the Bend Chamber Summer Opener
Golf
Tournament sponsored by efusjon. This year,
golfers test their skills at the exclusive Broken
Top Club. Get your business known as a leader in
this competitive tournament and sign up today! The
cost is $160 per golfer or $640 per foursome. Sign
up online at
www.bendchamber.org/summeropener or
contact Lindi DeWolf at
lindi@bendchamber.org. There
are also great sponsorship opportunities available
with the Summer Opener. Do you want to showcase your
company to over 100 golfers? These are not just
“golfers,” they are also some of the top business
leaders in our community. If you are interested in
sponsorships, contact Ann Gates at
ann@bendchamber.org
or call 382-3221.
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Leadership Bend
Applications for Class of 2010 now available
“Leadership should be born out of the understanding
of the needs of those who would be affected by it.”
–Marian Anderson
“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as
attitude and in actions.” – Harold Geneen
Are you interested in becoming more involved in the
community? How much do you really know about Bend?
Do you have any interest in developing your
leadership abilities? Would you like to connect with
other committed citizens within the community?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions,
Leadership Bend could be the right fit for you. Leadership
Bend is a nine-month program that invests in
leadership and community awareness. During the nine
full-day sessions, participants work with local
leaders to create awareness and understanding about
challenges facing Bend and Central Oregon.
Leadership Bend is also a great way to connect with
other individuals who are committed to the local
community and investing in the future.
The Leadership Bend Class of 2010 is now accepting
applications. If you are interested in learning more
about the program or receiving an application,
contact Leadership Bend Executive Director Gayle
Najera at 382-3221 or
gayle@bendchamber.org.
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Central Oregon Companies make 100 Best Green
Companies list
Several Central Oregon
companies were recently
recognized by Oregon Business Magazine in its list
of 100 Best Green Companies to Work For. Companies
from Central Oregon included on the list are: Schwabe
Williamson & Wyatt, David Evans and Associates, Ball
Janik LLP, Bend Garbage & Recycling, Clear Choice
Health Plans, Express Employment Professionals, and
NW Community Credit Union.
Companies were chosen based on a report submitted by
each company, and confidential employee surveys.
This was the inaugural list for the 100 Best Green
Companies to Work For in Oregon. Oregon Business
Magazine editors state this is a high honor for all
companies because a commitment to sustainable
practices not only helps the environment and the
bottom line, but creates a great place to work.
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iPhone Scam Alert
There is a new Web site being used to scam consumers
who try to buy an iPhone from it. According to
Attorney General John Kroger, the site is
CHUL8804.com.
In May, a Hillsboro man saw the ad for the site on
Craig’s List. The ad offered a new iPhone 3G 16GB
for $465. The ad requested payment with a Green Dot
MoneyPak card. The money was taken, but the phone
was never sent. When the Hillsboro man called the
call back number, he found out the number was for the City
of Atlanta’s subway system.
“The Oregon Department of Justice is seeking to shut
down the Web site,” stated a recent Department of
Justice release. “In the meantime, consumers should
avoid it.”
The Attorney General’s office also warns consumers
to be extremely careful when paying for products in
advance with Greed Dot prepaid cards or wire
transfer services, especially if they have not
purchased from the vendor before.
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Town Hall, Get your questions answered
Get your questions answered at this month's Bend Chamber
Town Hall Forum. The Chamber would like to give
members the opportunity to have their questions
answered by sending in questions about the upcoming
Town Hall. This allows members who can’t attend the
breakfast an opportunity to have their questions
answered.
This month, the Town Hall topic is “Salem Update
with Senator Chris Telfer.” Senator Chris Telfer
will give Chamber members an inside look at what’s
happening in Salem. She will talk through some of
the challenges and accomplishments she has seen thus
far.
If you have a question surrounding this topic,
please send your questions to
courtney@bendchamber.org by
Thursday, June 18. The answers to questions we
receive will be published in the Chamber Weekly on
June 26.
For those who would like to attend the event, Town
Hall will take place at the Bend Golf & Country Club
on June 19 at 7:30 a.m. More information about the
event can be found in the Upcoming Events section of
this newsletter.
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Looking for help? Get feedback from fellow
entrepreneurs
Are you looking at a new product line or a new
business plan? How about a new advertising slogan?
Is your marketing effective or are there things you
can improve on?
Sign up to be a presenter at the Entrepreneurial
Council’s Peer Feedback Workshop. This is a great
opportunity for you to express any challenges you
might be facing and presenters receive honest
feedback and constructive criticism about their
presentation from other entrepreneurs in the
audience.
Now is a great time to make sure your message is
getting through to your customers. The Peer Feedback
sessions are usually on the 2nd Friday of each
month. They are free to attend, and extremely
helpful to all involved.
If you are interested in signing up, contact Lindi
DeWolf at lindi@bendchamber.org or call 382-3221.
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In
the News
Green
economy continues to grow in Oregon: According to a
recent study by Pew Charitable Trust, Oregon is
among three states that have large and fast growing
energy economies. The other states include Colorado
and Tennessee. In 2007, Oregon had 19,340 “green
jobs” and a 4.77 percent growth of “green jobs” from
1998 to 2007. Out of the 1,902,294 jobs in Oregon,
about 1.02 percent are considered to be green. This
is the highest percentage of any state.
Commute Options Week kicks off with free BAT rides:
Commute Options Week will kickoff on June 15 with
Ride BAT Free Day. The Bend City Council authorized
the event in support of Commute Options Week. Riders
can try Bend Area Transit’s (BAT) fixed route
service at no cost city-wide on that day. Commute
Options Week runs June 15 - 21 and is designed to
promote alternative forms of transportation.
Commuters are encouraged to try bicycling, walking,
carpooling or riding the bus to their next
destination to save money, help reduce traffic
congestion, and fight pollution. For a complete BAT
rider guide, visit
www.bendareatransit.com. For a
list of other Commute Options Week events, check
www.commuteoptions.org.
DTV Conversion happens today: The nationwide digital
television (DTV) transition is happening today. “One
of the great benefits of digital technology is that
stations can now provide many more free over-the-air
channels than the single channel they provide
today,” said Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps, in a
recent release. “These new channels can provide the
kind of local and niche content that is often
missing from the public airwaves.” The FCC states
the digital conversion will give most viewers better
sound and picture, and it will also clear the
airwaves for better first-responder communication
and advanced mobile Internet services. According to
a recent Nielsen study, 2.8 million American
households are not ready for the transition. That
equates to about 2.5 percent of television viewers.
According to the FCC, with the pushback of the DTV
conversion deadline from February, readiness levels
for the transition have increased by 50 percent. If
you have any questions on the conversion go to
www.dtv.gov.
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Upcoming Events
June 16 – Professional Development Series – “11
Ways to Avoid Social Media Hype and Increase Your
Networking Productivity” Everybody’s talking
about your company…behind your back. Social media is
rapidly changing the way business is done. As
people jump on the bandwagon and invest heavily in
this technology, fortunes continue to soar and
freefall with just the click of a mouse or a Tweet.
As a business owner or key executive, how can
you adapt to this shift, reduce the time consuming
tasks of managing multiple social networks, avoid
the risk of damaging your company’s reputation, AND
protect important business relationships? In this
informative session, Lisa Nirell from EnergizeGrowth
will show you. She provides a fresh look at the
benefits of deploying a social media strategy—and
how today’s business leaders must protect themselves
from its hidden pitfalls. “Lisa’s Tried and Tested
Tools List” and case studies will save you from
wasting networking effort and marketing dollars. If
you would like to attend this session, please RSVP
by June 15 at
www.bendchamber.org.
June 17 – Young Professionals Network – Sun
Mountain Fun Center - Built in 1994, Sun
Mountain Fun Center continues to provide fun and
entertainment for families of all ages. The facility
concentrates on providing a safe, fun environment
for families to interact together. Sun Mountain Fun
Center just recently went through a 9 month remodel
where it upgraded to a full-service kitchen, added
indoor bumper cars, resurfaced its bowling lanes,
added giant-screen television monitors above the
lanes, and reworked the billiards area. Join the
Young Professionals Network in exploring Sun
Mountain Fun Center's various attractions including
bowling, arcades, billiards, go-karts, mini golf,
and much more.
This month is also community
involvement month and the YPN plans to help the
American Cancer Society. Make sure to bring in summer hats and scarves for
cancer patients as well as $5 gas cards for
treatment trips. The more items you bring, the more
chances you have to enter to win some great door
prizes. Please RSVP for this event by noon on
Tuesday, June 16 at
www.bendchamber.org.
June 19 – Town Hall Breakfast – Salem
Update with Senator Chris Telfer - The Oregon State
Legislature has now been in session for 6 months. So
how are things going in Salem? What are some of the
challenges Central Oregon faces? Is there any good
news? In this month’s Town Hall Forum, get an inside
look on what’s happening in Salem from Senator Chris
Telfer. Telfer will walk Chamber members through
some of the challenges and accomplishments she has
seen thus far. In this interactive format, members
will also have the chance to interact with Senator
Telfer and ask questions they have. If you would
like to attend this event, please RSVP by noon on
Thursday, June 18 at
www.bendchamber.org. If you have trouble signing
up, call 382-3221.
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