Magazine Clips
Tribes 2.0: As the next decade unfolds, the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon will have a major role in how the economy of the state develops. It’s not just about casinos anymore. Oregon Business, November 2007
“…And while the casino will remain its crown jewel for years to come, Cow Creek — like many tribes around Oregon and the nation — is rapidly moving beyond a gaming-based economy. It’s a transition that requires quick learning. Fifteen years ago, Cow Creek was the only tribe in Oregon with a gaming facility. Now the tribe owns and operates 12 separate companies and is the second-largest employer in the county. Its members are learning the intricacies of running a municipality-sized utility. And the tribe is learning that its successes can draw political ire from the local community…”
State of addiction: Oregon increasingly relies on its lottery to fund crucial programs. When, not if, the lottery maxes out, what will it mean for the state’s future? Oregon Business, November 2008
“…Since its creation in 1985, the Oregon Lottery and the revenue it generates have become a singular fiscal thread that weaves through every corner of the state. It winds through bars and convenience stores, economic development and gambling-addiction programs, schools and rehabilitated waterways, and eventually ends in Salem, binding the wrists of legislators. [...] But there appears to be little thought — including from critics of the lottery and those that sit on the Legislative revenue restructuring task force — of what will happen if lottery funds level off or even decrease. That’s not just a hypothetical scenario….
College Inc.: As public universities in Oregon are forced to be more like businesses to keep open their doors, it could change what it means to be a college graduate. Oregon Business, September 2007
“…But it’s also an argument over a larger systemic shift that’s occurred in higher education over the past two decades, a change spurred by many catalysts: a precipitous drop in state funding, education seen as a product and public academic institutions turning to an entrepreneurial business model to find desperately needed funding. [...] The “businessification” of universities and developing quality education are not mutually exclusive. It’s finding the balance that’s the question — finding a path in a world where private-sector methods might not only shape universities, but actually change what it means to be a college graduate….”
Don’t ask; read my Twitter, Oregon Business, October 2008
“…As the days wore on, a silent stream of communication flowed through the theater as attendees sent messages via Twitter, the online service that lets users broadcast — via phone or web — 140- character bulletins to people who’ve elected to receive their messages. It’s passing notes in a web 2.0 world. And it was a convergence between the real-time presentations and the audience’s thoughts…”
The comeback: How Flir came back from the brink of bankruptcy to become a $4.3 billion company that has left its competition in the dust. Oregon Business, October 2008
“March 1, 2000, was a cold, windy, overcast day in Portland. It had rained the day before and more rain was forecast for the weekend. Around the country — in Oregon and Massachusetts and Minnesota and New York — Flir corporate board members were picking up their phones and dialing into an emergency conference call. Over the previous year, news about the then-Portland-based maker of infrared camera systems had not been good: The stock price was down; big cuts were being stock price was down; big cuts were being made. […] Now Stringer had called the board together to tell them news that was horrifically worse: There had been accounting problems. Big problems. Revenue and earnings had been overstated by $7.9 million over several previous quarters…”