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Portland Business Journal
Portland HR startup taps into growing employee leave needs
Portland startup Stiira is building software to help companies manage the myriad of regulations around paid and unpaid employee leave.<\p> To that end, it’s recently inked a partnership with a large HR technology provider that will get the tool into more hands. <\p>
Ahead of strike, Providence accuses nurses of 'reckless' tactics
As Providence and the Oregon Nurses Association dig into their positions ahead of a historic strike, the hospital system Friday accused the union of trying to stop other nurses from working as strike replacements.<\p> "In its ongoing efforts to wrest control of Oregon’s entire health care system, Oregon Nurses Association has issued a letter calling on traveling nurses to refuse work at Providence in Oregon during the union’s strikes," Providence said in a news release. <\p>
At a big cost, local public companies grew revenue last year
In fiscal year 2023, 34 publicly traded companies in Oregon and S.W. Washington grew revenue by 8.7% to 108 billion, but nearly half of them had net losses.<\p> As such, their overall net income fell by 19.3%, to 6.1 billion.<\p>
NW Natural water unit acquires Portland company, gains new leader
NW Natural is expanding its water unit by acquisition again. The latest in a steady stream of water moves will also bring the NW Natural Holdings subsidiary a new leader.<\p> NW Natural Water said it agreed to acquire Portland-based Infrastructure Capital Holdings in a deal that includes all of the assets of ICH's Puttman Infrastructure.<\p>
Oregon's new paid leave and family leave rules bring new challenges
Summer is always a hot time for time off requests, and this summer Oregon employers face a new set of challenges adapting to recent changes to the Oregon Family Leave Act and Paid Leave Oregon, effective as of July 1.<\p> These changes, which modify family and medical leave rules, are the result of legislation passed earlier this year known as Senate Bill 1515. Their primary purpose is to limit the leave previously available under OFLA in an attempt to prevent employees from taking consecutive leaves under the two laws. <\p>
These are Oregon's 5 biggest chambers and business advocacy groups
Running a small business constantly presents new challenges, but Oregon's entrepreneurs don't have to face them alone.<\p> Across the state there are scores of chambers of commerce and other organizations advocating for specialized business interests. They work on economic development, consult with small businesses, stage annual festivals, help develop leaders and host trade shows, among other community endeavors.<\p>
The Sports Bra announces international popup
Portland's trendsetting women's sports showcase the Sports Bra unveiled its first overseas venture this week: a French pop-up.<\p> "The Sports Bra is going to Cannes NEXT WEEK good people!" the business said on Instagram.<\p>
Portland Clinic closes downtown surgery center
After 40 years, the Portland Clinic will close its Downtown Surgery Center Friday.<\p> The Surgery Center opened in 1984 as the first day surgery facility in the region. With the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020, the Portland Clinic moved all of its ambulatory surgery services to its Alberty Surgical Center in Tigard.<\p>
Kidder Mathews division leader for Oregon gets promotion
Kidder Mathews on Tuesday announced the promotion of Erin French to president of asset services.<\p> French, who leads the division across the company's offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada, was promoted from chief operating officer in recognition of her leadership, operational skills and business development success, Kidder Mathews Chairman and CEO Bill Frame said.<\p>
Portland developer explores new tool for sustainable construction
A Portland developer is scrutinizing the leading edge of sustainability for buildings and sharing her findings.<\p> Leveraging an Energy Trust of Oregon grant, a team led by Anyeley Hallová of real estate firm Adre recently completed research into so-called district systems as they might be used in the under-development Williams & Russell project in historic Albina. District systems basically act as a way to centralize energy, water and waste processes to make them more efficient and, in the case of energy, less reliant on the power grid.<\p>
Editor's notebook: Reflecting on my time with the Portland Tribune
In the week-plus since word broke that Robert Pamplin plans to sell his local newspapers, I’ve read an array of analyses about what the move means.<\p> The Oregonian, with which Pamplin’s Portland Tribune was designed to compete, offered two great pieces, coupling the sale with news that EO Media, which owns the Bend Bulletin and Daily Astorian, is making massive cuts.<\p>
Here's the next step for some Oregon college grads
As high school graduates caps get flipped in the air, many are still determining their next steps.<\p> The advent of the "gap year" (formerly known as a "year off" or "working/traveling for a year to make money/have fun") gives some would-be matriculators time to weigh those lofty options. In Oregon, if trends hold, more students will enroll in either the state's community colleges or public universities, according to the state's Higher Education Coordinating Commission.<\p>
Most Americans still struggle to get away from work while on vacation
Most Americans struggle to get away from work while on vacation, even as some progress is being seen in restoring work-life balance.<\p> About 59% of the 2,000 Americans surveyed by communications firm Movchan Agency said they struggled to switch off during their downtime and 63% said they felt anxious if they didn’t check work emails while away. Overall, 54% said they worked while on vacation, although that's a lower share than previous years. <\p>
Oregon food makers flourish since pandemic, but job numbers lag
Sandwiched between agricultural producers and food wholesalers and retailers is the key economic sector of food manufacturing, which adds great value to all sorts of raw ingredients en route to consumer mouths. <\p> Given Oregon's diverse abundance of farms, orchards, ranches, fisheries and even foraged foods like wild mushrooms, it's no surprise that it has a thriving array of firms ready to process those edible goods so they may be marketed to consumers. <\p>
The Playbook: The common pay threads for high-performing companies
Editor's Note: Welcome to The Playbook Edition, a look at stories, trends and changes that could affect your business and career. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. <\p> During a time when more workers expect transparency around pay, most top-performing companies are proving to be forthcoming — but that's not the only common thread. <\p>
Climate-friendly Portland milk startup acquires grass-fed dairy brand
Portland-born Neutral Foods, the climate-friendly milk startup, has acquired Zeal Creamery, a pasture-fed dairy products brand.<\p> Neutral CEO Marcus Lovell Smith called it a "merger of equals" involving two companies with similar (though undisclosed) valuations. The deal makes him CEO and former Zeal director Mark Weldon chairman of the board. Each brand will retain its individual identity.<\p>
With layoffs looming, OHSU details next cost-cutting move
In addition to cutting 500 jobs, OHSU is also looking for ways to cut benefits.<\p> The university has budgeted an 8% increase, $24 million, for the 2025 benefits year. But costs have also increased by an additional $12 million beyond the budgeted increase, said OHSU spokeswoman Sara Hottman.<\p>
A first look at Powell's Books new airport store
After four years, Powell’s Books is returning to Portland International Airport.<\p> The Port of Portland Wednesday revealed it has reached a seven-year lease agreement with the company, which operates the world’s largest independent bookstore. Powell's had closed the location in July 2020.<\p>
Three Oregon chipmakers get $36M from state to grow
Oregon has wrapped up deals with three semiconductor companies for $36 million in grants and loans to grow their operations in the state. <\p> Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) in Tualatin got $22 million to support a new research and development facility, Analog Devices (Nasdaq: ADI) in Beaverton $12 million for an expansion project, and Siltronic in Portland $2.2 million for an expansion and modernization.<\p>
NAR settlement threw a wrench into VA loans but a fix is coming
The class-action lawsuits that rocked the residential real estate industry over the past year have resulted in nearly $1 billion in settlements so far — and also put in place changes that could have hurt veterans’ ability to shop for homes.<\p> The National Association of Realtors and big brokers such as RE/MAX Holdings Inc., Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and Keller Williams Realty Inc. agreed to prohibit mandatory so-called “cooperation agreements,” in which sellers pay both the selling agent and the buyers agent commission for a sale, in exchange for being allowed to list a home on a multiple listing service.<\p>
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