Sponsored by:
Garrett, Hemann, Robertson, Jennings, Comstock & Trethewy, PC

Over 300 members attended SEDCOR’s Annual Honors Luncheon at Willamette Valley Vineyards. The event was sponsored by Garrett, Hemann, Robertson, Jennings, Comstock & Trethewy, P.C. The awards honor outstanding companies for Innovative Product, Exporter of the Year, Service Provider, Community Service and Manufacturer of the Year. The Mary Pearmine Workforce Leadership Award was also presented by the Enterprise for Employment and Education. The awards were presented by Bob Ottaway - SEDCOR Chair, Liz Goulard - SEDCOR, Incoming Board Chair, and Paul Dakopolos - Partner, Garrett, Hemann, Robertson, Jennings, Comstock & Trethewy, P.C.

Innovative Product
Specialty Polymers, Incorporated
Sheryl Southwell - President, accepted the award.

Specialty Polymers is a family owned company headquartered in Woodburn. Since 1969, they have been developing innovative products for the paint and coatings industry. From their start in founder Ray Southwell’s garage, the company now has production facilities in both Oregon and South Carolina and has quadrupled in size over the past four years.

One of the most recent in a long line of Specialty Polymers’ innovative products is Woodsure. Starting with plain wood, and using their proprietary process to infuse it with acrylic, Woodsure is tougher, harder, more attractive and significantly more durable than the original material. Available in a wide variety of colors, it has a variety of applications - from countertops to cabinets and furniture to flooring. The beauty of the product, coupled with its enhanced strength and durability, are why it is called “natural wood made better”.

Exporter of the Year
Marquis Corporation
John Schrenk - Executive Vice President and CFO, accepted the award.

Marquis was founded in Independence, Oregon in 1980. Since then, Marquis’ leadership and commitment to innovation have been continually recognized. Marquis is a true pioneer in the spa industry. In 1998, they became the first company to receive both of the industry’s top awards and also unveiled their “Your Back Yard” stores. In 2002 they launched a new product line, “Everyday Hot Tubs”.

In 2000 Marquis signed its first European distributor in Norway. In 2003, they expanded into the United Kingdom. In 2004, company President Jerry Lankheet, said, “Our spas are taking Europe by storm. . . This year our international business is up roughly 65%.” So far in 2005, Marquis has signed three European distributors - the Netherlands, Spain and Iceland and their international sales numbers are running 93% ahead of last year. Marquis spas can be bought in Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, France, Italy and Spain.

Marquis is still headquartered in Independence and they employs over 225 people.

Service Provider
Salem Hospital
Norm Gruber - President and CEO, accepted the award.

Salem Hospital is the city’s largest private employer, with approximately 3,300 full and part-time employees, over 400 physicians, and some 500 volunteers who provide non-medical support for the hospital. The hospital traces its origins to 1896, when the first patient was treated at the five-bed converted school on 12th Street. They are among Salem’s oldest, continuously operating private employers, as well as the largest. The hospital is one of the largest among Oregon’s 63 acute care hospitals. It is a not-for-profit hospital with licensing for 454 acute care beds and is governed by a 15 member volunteer Board of Directors.

The following quote from the Hospital’s own website best describes their position in our community. “Being a part of the community we live in means being actively involved with other individuals and organizations. We are continually working with others to expand and improve the scope and support we offer.” Clearly, they have been successful in these endeavors and are SEDCOR’s choice as this year’s Service Provider.

Community Service
Saalfeld Griggs PC
Bob Saalfeld - President, accepted the award.

The members of the Saalfeld Griggs law firm are committed to community involvement, which is clearly demonstrated by the level of their activities in the Salem community. Their participation in worthwhile organizations, programs and causes is broad, diverse and long-standing.

Firm members have served as Presidents of a variety of community organizations including the Salem Library Foundation, Salem Art Association, Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village and local Rotary Clubs. Of special note, Kris Gorsuch, who recently retired from the SEDCOR Board, had served since 1992 and was our Board Chair in 1994.

Members of the firm have also played volunteer leadership roles in many other worthy community activities including the Chemeketa Community College Foundation, the Salem Keizer School District, the Boys and Girls Club, the Blanchet School Advisory Board, the Salem Hospital Foundation, the YMCA, the Willamette Valley Hospice, numerous City of Salem committees and more.

Manufacturer of the Year
Neilsen Manufacturing, Inc.
Charlie Hopewell - President and Tom Neilsen - Owner, accepted the award.

Jack Neilsen founded the company as Neilsen Metal Industries, in 1957 and they have been an active member of the Salem Community ever since. Today, Neilsen occupies 180,000 square feet in two locations and provides jobs for 250 full-time employees.

Neilsen’s manufacturing capabilities include laser cutting, punching, forming, robotic bending, full service electro-mechanical assembly and a number of welding applications. Their products include mainframe server cabinets, cell site telecommunication cabinets and amusement car chassis. They have been a forerunner in the market in regard to Just-In-Time Manufacturing, Cellular Manufacturing, Open Book Management and Value-Added Services. They were an early proponent and implementer of Lean Manufacturing.

Over the years, Neilsen Manufacturing has received many awards, including Sun Microsystems Performance and Outstanding Supplier Awards, the Tektronix Preferred Supplier Award, the Austin Family Business Award and the Oregon Disabilities Commission Governor’s Employer Award.

Mary Pearmine Workforce Leadership Award
Charie Hopewell, Neilsen Mfg.

The Mary Pearmine Workforce Leadership Award was presented to Charlie Hopewell of Neilsen Manufacturing for his commitment to workforce training and the partnerships he has built with private and public organizations to increase worker skills.

The Enterprise for Employment and Education, has presented this award since 2003, to increase public awareness of workforce development issues. This award recognizes individuals or organizations that actively invest in the development of a more highly skilled and capable workforce. Other individuals nominated for the award included Bob Ottaway of Westview Products, Dean Craig of Personnel Source and Yolanda Ojeda of Rainsweet.