NuScale Power has had themselves a pretty sweet month. A release went out during last month’s G7 Summit in Japan that Romania would be ordering some of our hometown team’s Small Modular Reactors, then the South Korean government approved a build-out in their neck of the woods, and the company has gone from previous stock slides to stable and modest gains of late. We’ll admit, the company has offices here, so we may be partial, and we’ll keep letting you know how they’re doing.
Samaritan Patient Support Fundraiser Score: The Samaritan Scramble golf tournament raised $118,939 for the Samaritan Foundation’s Patient Support Program. The dollars raised are shared among all five Samaritan hospitals in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties.
Currently, over 1,300 people are receiving assistance with expenses such as medical bills, transportation, prescriptions, nutritional supplements and groceries through the program.
Nearly 100 players participated at the Salishan Golf Links in Gleneden Beach – major sponsors included Gallagher Insurance, GBC Construction and Vizient, Skanska, and KeyBank. Another 20 sponsors also contributed.
For more information about how to support this project, contact the Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation at 541-451-7063 or visit samhealth.org/Giving.
New Trustees for Oregon State University: On Friday, Oregon’s Legislature confirmed the appointment of six new OSU trustees. The new Board members, who begin their service July 1, are:
- Stephanie Bulger, president, Lane Community College, Eugene.
- Karla Chambers, vice president and co-owner of Stahlbush Farms, and a professional artist, Corvallis.
- Grant Kitamura, owner, managing partner and CEO/CFO, Baker & Murakami Produce Co. in Ontario; Fruitland, Idaho resident.
- Gregory H. Macpherson, retired attorney and former state representative, Albany.
- Elise McClure, former vice president of tax and customs, Starbucks Coffee Company, Portland.
- Kasaundra Bonanno, undergraduate student in public health and public policy, Oregon State, Corvallis.
“I welcome these new members to Oregon State University’s Board of Trustees and am very pleased to be able to work with them in the future,” said OSU President Jayathi Murthy. “OSU trustees provide stewardship of Oregon State’s mission in serving as Oregon’s statewide university. The diversity, experiences, skills and life contributions of these new board members will enrich an already strong board of trustees.”
As at large trustees, Bulger, Chambers, Kitamura, Macpherson and McClure will serve through June 30, 2027. As the student trustee, Bonanno will serve until June 30, 2025.
Prior to Friday’s Senate confirmation, Gov. Tina Kotek selected Oregon State’s newest at-large trustees from a pool of candidates put forward by the OSU Board of Trustees, following consultation with Murthy. Two students were also nominated by Associated Students of OSU.
Murthy made the recommendations to the board seeking to meet qualifications and criteria that the trustees had previously said were important for board appointment consideration. Those candidate criteria included experience within Oregon agriculture; ties and residence within rural and Eastern Oregon; experience in financial management or oversight; experience in innovation or technology industries; legislative experience; experience in higher education, including community college leadership.
Murthy and trustees also considered consideration of gender, race and ethnicity, age, geographic location of residence and other expressions of diversity.
The new trustees replace outgoing trustees Rani Borkar, Darry Callahan, Lamar Hurd, Preston Pulliams and Michele Longo Eder, who passed away this spring, and Jax Richards, a student trustee who graduated this month.
The trustees are volunteers, and are public officials who hold a fiduciary responsibility for Oregon State’s overall management.
Retail Crime, Contractor Liability: The latest progress report on these two bills, according to analysis by lobbying group Oregon Business & Industry is this…
SB 900, which would provide grant funding for local law enforcement to conduct sting operations to combat organized retail crime, is scheduled for a Senate vote this week. The $5 million investment in SB 900 is a significant step in Oregon’s battle against the coordinated crime syndicates. While its counterpart, SB 318, did not move out of the Joint Subcommittee on Public Safety, OBI believes that some, if not all, of the funding for the analyst and investigator positions SB 318 would have created will be included in the Legislature’s end-of-session “Christmas tree” bill. That funding is important, as it would help to provide statewide coordination of local efforts to prosecute organized retail theft.
Wait, what’s a Christmas tree bill? Basically, it’s a place to hang amendments and riders and other budget goodies at the end of the session. So, moving on.
HB 2057, which would make general contractors liable for wages subcontractors failed to pay their employees, has long been parked on the Senate president’s desk. OBI and other business stakeholders have worked to create opposition among as many senators as possible. In their view, the bill would not help victims of bad actors any more effectively than the current BOLI process, but it would increase construction costs and result in fewer opportunities for new construction companies. The bill has not yet made its way to the Committee on Rules, which likely means the coalition was successful in securing enough opposition to ensure that the bill won’t move forward this session.
If You Happen to be a Semiconductor Biz: Online applications are now available to apply for your chunk of the $190 million of semiconductor funds Oregon lawmakers allocated earlier this year. Deadline to submit an application is July 28, and initial application reviews will start on June 28.
Monday, June 19 was the first day that applications could be submitted. Click here for further information and to apply.
And now, your local business events calendar…
Considering Grad School: This virtual session introduces the Graduate Business Programs at Oregon State University! In this online session they will cover graduate program options in the College of Business, including the MBA, Master’s, and Graduate Certificates programs. They will also introduce the curriculum, program tracks, admission and financial aid, and what sets Oregon State apart from other programs. Oregon State University offers graduate business programs in Portland, Corvallis, and online.
12 to 1 pm, Wednesday, June 21. Online event, click here to register.
Business Book Club: Discuss one new book each month with the intention to come away being more empowered, motivated, and knowledgeable about business, career, and professional development. This month, the group will discuss “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing.
5 to 6 pm., Wednesday June 21. The Biere Library, 151 Northwest Monroe Avenue, Corvallis. Click here for more information.
Local Cops Seek Your Help: If you own or work at a public facing business, and especially if it’s a bar or restaurant, you may be able to prevent an impaired driving fatality – there’s tools that can help, and they’re simple. This gathering, organized by the Corvallis Area Restaurants and Bars (CARB) Alliance dovetails with the Benton County Sheriff’s Enough is Enough enhanced enforcement campaign to get impaired drivers off the road.
Expect presentations from both local law enforcement and CARB, as well as a non-alcoholic beverage representative. While the focus is on bar and restaurant owners, managers, and staff, members of the general public are encouraged to attend.
3 pm, Monday, June 26 at The Whiteside Theater. Attendance is free.
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