SEDCOR Members Honored at Annual Luncheon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 22, 2006

On Thursday, June 22, SEDCOR held its Annual Honors Luncheon at Willamette Valley Vineyards, with over 275 members and civic and government officials in attendance. The event was sponsored by the Bank of the Cascades. The awards honor outstanding companies in the following categories: 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. Liz Goulard, SEDCOR Board Chair and Vice President, Academic Services, Chemeketa Community College, presented the awards and was assisted by Ray Burstedt, SEDCOR President.

Manufacturer of the Year: Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods, Inc.

This award recognizes outstanding manufacturers, that are making world-class products, creating job opportunities and strengthening our communities. It is given to the individual who has been active in the organization, made contributions to the industry and community and is considered a successful operator and exemplifies the highest business ethical standards.

George Puentes, President, accepted the award.

The Puentes family founded Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods in 1979, with a 1,500 square foot facility. And my how they have grown! George Puentes was committed to anchoring headquarters in Salem, due in large part to a pivotal shift in City leadership that occurred when Janet Taylor was elected Mayor.

Don Pancho moved up to #163 in Hispanic Business Magazine’s annual Top 500 Hispanically owned businesses list, published each June. This marks the eighth consecutive year Don Pancho Mexican Foods has been featured on the list, moving higher up the list each year.

In November, 2003 Don Pancho built a new 100,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility in the North part of town. In the last year, over $3 million in state-of-the-art equipment and technology has been invested in their plant. Don Pancho now produces over 3 million corn and flour tortillas a day, right here in Salem! The best part of the investment however has been the 40 new jobs created in our community.

With over 160 employees now working at the facility, there is a significant financial impact on Salem. With an average hourly wage exceeding $11.00 an hour, Don Pancho employees annually generate over $4 million dollars in local wages. These workers live, shop, and play in Salem. Don Pancho’s most precious asset are it’s employees, and they are treated as such. Each receives 100% of medical coverage premiums paid by the company. In addition, they receive a healthy annual contribution to their 401K accounts. The employees can be found volunteering all over the Willamette Valley. Encouraged to serve as mentors, coaches, board and committee members, Don Pancho employees are leaders both inside and outside the business. George Puentes, Founder and President serves on the Board of Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield and on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank - Portland Branch.

Innovative Product - Pacific Stair Company, Inc.

This award is given to the individual or company who has been active in the organization and who has developed a new product or process which is on the “cutting edge” and who advances the industry and the economy through its development.

Bill Gardner, Vice President, accepted the award.

Pacific Stair Company, was founded in 1989 to supply interior exit stairs to the construction industry for high-rise buildings. They started with three employees, in a small rented two car garage off of Portland Road and Pine Street in Salem. They are now located in Brooks in their own three buildings with 30,000 square feet, and a workforce of approximately 40 employees. They are licensed to furnish and install in six western states.

Because of the evolving business codes the last ten years, companies are now required to show proof that stairs are usable for safe evacuation after an earthquake. They had their stair design tested to the requirements of the IBC, in regards to story drift. Story drift is the process that takes place during a seismic event. After two years working with KPFF Engineering, Portland and Oregon State University, they successfully completed tests on two full-scale production stair units. The reports confirmed that their standard stair design exceeded the requirements and they passed with flying colors. Pacific Stair is the only company in the United States able to issue a Certificate of Compliance for Story Drift.

Exporter of the Year - Quest International Fruit & Vegetable Products

This award is given to the individual who has been active in the organization, who has demonstrated excellence in international market development and expansion and has shown a marked increase in export sales.

Tim Root, General Manager, accepted the award.

Quest International Fruit and Vegetable Products was established in 1977 for the purpose of developing and marketing a line of double drum-dried products. The Company is owned jointly by Quest International and Myron Root & Company, Inc. They are designated as the sole worldwide manufacturing site for fruit and vegetable based products within Quest International’s global operation. Quest is a world leader in the commercial flavoring and fragrance industry.

Myron Root & Company, Inc., was originally established in 1933 and is a third generation family business. Initially established to pack and ship fresh fruit, they has been involved in the processing of fruit and vegetables for more than 30 years.

Quest International Fruit and Vegetable Products sales are broadly spread geographically. From the beginning, the company has had a worldwide view. In 1978, the company began providing corn based products to Japan and this business has continued through the years. Currently, products are sold to more that twenty countries spread through Asia, North America and Europe.

Beginning in 2000 the strategic focus of the company has been to create and produce a variety of fruit and vegetable based ingredients, as well as a line of flavorings based on traditional culinary techniques. Ingredients are fried, sautéed, sweated and then drum-dried to produce reaction flavors.

Their percent of export sales for 2006 was 50% of total sales, a slight increase over 2005. Quest exports to Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines and Russia.

Service Provider - Shangri-La Corporation

This award is given to the individual who represents a non-manufacturing business who has been active in the organization, as well as the community, provides services to the community and is considered a successful operator who exemplifies the highest business ethical standards.

Jan Kral, CEO, accepted the award.

With a mission of homes, jobs, supports . . . one person at a time, Shangri-La Corporation provides housing, employment and specialized support services to Oregonians with developmental disabilities or economic disadvantages in Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Lincoln and Lane Counties. Founded in 1963 by families whose dreams were to create a nurturing environment for their young children with special needs, Shangri-La has since expanded to serve thousands of individuals in over 80 locations. Last year, Shangri-La directly impacted and provided valuable life-affecting services to nearly 2000 individuals.

Chosen as this year’s Service Provider of the Year for their important contributions to our local community, Shangri-La’s services are as diversified as its clientele. For example, they provide housing and employment services to adults with developmental disabilities or other barriers to employment. Some other less known programs include:

• Employment Resources Northwest (ERN), a job skills training program for individuals striving for self-sufficiency;

• Inner Source, an innovative therapeutic clinic providing personalized mental health services to individuals with multiple disabilities;

• Coastal operations offers a computer-training program for local Lincoln County residents and those with special learning needs and a creative recreational program for adults with disabilities;

• The Connections Program, a correctional educational program for inmates with special learning needs – a national model, currently selling its one-of-a-kind curriculum to other States and private providers;

• And one of Shangri-La’s newest services – a Housing Assistance Program, offering financial housing assistance to individuals with disabilities who are homeless.

Shangri-La employs over 400 people throughout its organization including operating seven small businesses to create job training and employment for our underemployed workforce and bringing new revenues to our region, with an estimated annual economic impact of over $26 million in our local economy. Obviously, since the company’s inception, Shangri-La’s Board and Leadership have built upon a legacy of innovation and continue to meet the changing needs of our communities.

Community Service - Portland General Electric

This award is given to the individual who has been active in the organization and who has exemplified the best qualities of corporate citizenship by contributing significantly to the community.

Ron Johnson, Vice President for Customers and Economic Development accepted the award for CEO & President Peggy Fowler.

The recipient of this year’s Community Service Award is Portland General Electric This award recognizes the company’s commitment to public-private cooperation in building better communities in the Mid-Willamette Valley. They do this through a variety of charitable contributions, sponsorships, and volunteerism, service on boards and committees, and participation in community initiatives. Serving a population of 1.5 million people in 52 cities, and covering 4,105 square miles, Portland General Electric’s top priority is providing safe and reliable power. The southern region makes up 16% of PGE’s customer base, which is served by dedicated employees who work and live in our communities. The value of this corporate community involvement is immeasurable – suffice it to say, PGE is the model of community service who serve on...

The SEDCOR and Salem Chamber Boards, Keizer Chamber Economic Development Committee, Salem Hospital Board, E3 Committee, Festival of Lights Board, Red Cross Board, Home Builders Association and Salem Chamber Government Affairs Committees, Newberg Providence Health Foundation and School Board Budget Committee.

In 2005, the Salem Line Office staff volunteered over 2000 of hours of community service at numerous community events, festivals, golf tournaments and annual fund raisers. The company’s community investment has also included over $160,000 in sponsorship and foundation support to area organizations including the Salem Chamber Latino Network, Marion County Fair, the Willamette Academy at Willamette University, Mission Mill Museum, the Oregon Garden, United Way, Salem-Keizer Education Foundation, Mt. Angel Octoberfest, Salem and Silverton Arts Festivals, and the Festival of Lights Holiday Parade.

Finally, PGE representatives are actively involved with economic development and business recruitment, urban renewal and revitalization, workforce development and long range planning initiatives, including serving on the Kroc Center site committee, helping to market the Mill Creek Industrial Park, supporting Silverton Economic Development Alliance efforts, and various infrastructure planning initiatives.

Mary Pearmine Workforce Leadership Award
Joni George, Climax Portable Machine Tools

The fourth annual Mary Pearmine Award for Workforce Leadership was presented to Joni George, Climax Portable Machine Tools, by the Enterprise for Employment & Education. Joni George was honored for her commitment to workforce training and the partnerships she has built with private and public organizations to increase workers skills.

The Mary Pearmine award was created to engage local businesses in recognizing the importance of developing a more highly skilled workforce in the Mid-Willamette Valley. This award honors individuals and businesses that actively invest in the development of their own employees and that demonstrate a passion for improving the skills and prospects of others.

“Joni George is an excellent spokesperson for the manufacturing sector in Oregon,” stated Claire Berger, Workforce Policy Coordinator for the Governor’s Office. “Her knowledge of manufacturing coupled with her dedication to growing Oregon’s economy has been a boon to the development of the Oregon Manufacturing Workforce Strategy.”

In addition, Dean Craig of Personnel Source, and the Mid-Willamette Food Processors Consortium were nominated.

“Workforce Development is an economic development issue, as well as a people issue,” stated Agnes Balassa, Director of the Enterprise for Employment and Education. “Skilled workers are a key part of the equation that helps companies locate and expand in our community. That’s why we are so pleased to be included as part of SEDCOR’s event. It shows our strong partnership and commitment to this business community.”

“Initiatives like the Enterprise’s Mary Pearmine Award play an important part in promoting workforce training efforts that sustain the economic competitiveness of companies in the Mid-Willamette Valley,” stated Ray Burstedt, President of SEDCOR. “It is imperative that employees be trained in cutting edge technologies to assure the future health of our community.”

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