Events and News

Events

Cluster Network Leadership Council Meeting. 

July 15, 2008. 3-5pm. Networking begins at 5pm.

Topic: Workforce Agenda.

Location: Willamette Room, David Evans and Associates, Inc.
2100 SW River Parkway
  Portland , OR   97201

September 23, 2008: Advocacy & Policy Development (Oregon Business Plan initiative submissions, 2009 Legislative Session preparation)

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News

Governor's office convenes clean tech industry cluster representatives to discuss workforce challenges.  

On April 23, Governor Kulongoski convened representatives from Oregon's clean tech sectors (solar, wind, wave, geothermal,  biofuels, green building and design, energy efficiency, environmental technology and services, forestry) to discuss workforce challenges and opportunities for the state government to act as a partner in developing Oregon's clean tech workforce.  

Participants reviewed a synthesis recommendations of the recently published Sustainable Oregon Workforce Report, the Future Workforce Needs Analysis, and the Oregon Cluster Resource Guide and offered their input on additions/changes to the recommendations.

Governor's office staff will compile the results of the meeting and schedule a follow up conversation with participants to prioritize and take action on the recommendations.  

Oregon Cluster Network Meeting (5/13/08) focused on innovation.  

The Oregon Cluster Network met on May 13, 2008 at 2 World Trade Center.  At the meeting, participants shared best practices and learned about resources related to cluster-based innovation strategies.

The meeting featured innovation success stories from two clusters:  wood products and food processing.  The meeting also discussed resources for innovation and university partnerships including:

  • Product creation and invention:  Oregon Innovation Portal, ONAMI, & BEST
  • Process improvements:  Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership
  • New company formation:  Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

The Oregon Cluster Network aims to advance cluster-based economic development in Oregon by consciously connecting industry leaders with university researchers, schools, media, venture capital, and other resources, the network will help generate new prospects for business recruitment, develop relevant economic & market data, guide public policy, and help cluster facilitators across the state share best practices and develop a regional collaborative advantage.

Oregon Forest Industry moves forward on cluster strategy.  

Leaders in the wood products industry and state government have been meeting over the past several months to develop and act on a economic growth strategy for Oregon's wood products industry cluster.

The effort has already generated a proposal to the Oregon Innovation Council, which includes a request for state support for  the creation of a Center for Forest Transportation housed in the Department of Forest Engineering at Oregon State University; strengthening of the commercialization support capabilities of the Oregon Wood Innovation Center; and enhancing supply chain technology to extract the highest value from each stand, tree, and log, and developing comprehensive silvicultural technologies through the Center for Intensive Planted-forest Silviculture.

In addition to the innovation priorities, leaders are focusing on federal forest health and harvests, the sustainability of Oregon mills, and connections with the Oregon's growing green building cluster.  Leaders expect to have a project website up in May.