T H E M O N T H LY B U S I N E S S S E C T I O N F O R L I N N A N D B E N T O N C O U N T I E S A N D T H E M I D - W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y
www.democratherald.com/business • www.gazettetimes.com/business
October 2011
Women Of The Chambers JANET STEELE >> President,Albany Chamber of Commerce Years on the job: 22 Previous careers: Small business owner in Nebraska Family: Husband Dan, owner of Steele Insurance; four grown children Activities and interests: Loves to read, go for walks, and spend time with friends On what it takes to become a chamber executive: “You can’t just walk in the door and become chamber president. It is a career choice. It takes leadership skills, you have to be willing to work long hours, and you have to love your community.”
MARK YLEN | ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD
<< NANCY ELWER
JESSE SKOUBO | CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES
Director, Philomath Chamber of Commerce Years on the job: 2 Previous careers: 25 years in banking Family: Husband Ken, chief of the Philomath Police Department; two grown chil-
dren, Kevin and Katie Activities and interests: Owns and operates Marys Peak Winery; loves to travel. On being a chamber director: “I love event planning, so this job is a perfect fit.”
MARCY EASTHAM >> Executive director,Corvallis Chamber of Commerce Years on the job: 1 Previous careers:18 years in community relations and public affairs for Hewlett-Packard; real estate agent Family: Husband Dan, one grown son
Hobbies and interests: Enjoys the outdoors and loves to travel, especially to Hawaii On what she enjoys about being chamber director: “I like feeling like I can make a difference in the community.“
Women direct local business By JENNIFER ROUSE
W
hen Janet Steele first became the president of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, she was the first woman to hold that position. Twenty-two years later, she’s still in that position – but now she’s got a lot of company at the top. If you drive down Highway 20, from Lebanon to Albany, Corvallis to Philomath, all four midvalley communities have women in the top chamber job. “When I first started, there was a little push back from a very few people,” Steele recalls. “It had always been a man’s job. But after 22 years, you don’t see that anymore.” Now, in fact, it’s almost more likely than not that you’ll find a woman chamber executive. On the Oregon state Chamber of Commerce’s board, nine of the 12 members are women. In the largest cities in the United States, men outnumber women as chamber presidents, but there are notable exceptions: Washington, D.C.; Manhattan, Denver, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Sacramento all have chambers of commerce with women leaders. None of the local chamber leaders interviewed said they felt being a woman had ever held them back. “If anything,it’s been positive,” said Shelley Garrett,executive director of the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce. “I’m a strong woman,and I just demand that respect.” Marcy Eastham,executive director of the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce,said that over the years she’s seen more and more women emerge as business owners and leaders. “I see an increase in the number of women entrepreneurs, and of women starting their own businesses,” she said. “The reality is, I think women in Corvallis are really finding their footing in the business community.”
ANDY CRIPE | CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES
ing on behalf of legislation another day. So what does it take to be an effective chamber executive? “You have to be good with people,” said Eastham of Executive director, Lebanon Corvallis. “You have to be good at relationship-buildChamber of Commerce ing.” Collaborating and finding compromises are key, she Years on the job: 4 said. “You’re never going to get 100 percent consensus Previous careers: 23 years in cusfrom your membership.” tomer service for Southern CaliforA knowledge of good marketing strategies is impornia Edison Co.; sales manager for KSHO/KGAL radio tant, too, said Garrett of Lebanon. “To be successful, Family: Husband Leroy; one grown son people have to know you’re there,” she said. Activities and interests: Owns and Event planning is a big part of the job — in Corvallis,Eastmanages a tree farm outside ham said she is involved with planning 140 events a year.GovLebanon; loves to golf ernment and community relations also play a part—chamber On what the chamber does for presidents often sit on the boards of other local organizations, Lebanon: “People call us for everyand are in frequent contact with government leaders who thing. People call us to find out make the laws that affect their business members. where they can go fishing or where “It can be very political,” said Steele. “We’re talking to they can find a dentist, and we always to try to connect people the city of Albany, to the county, to the Oregon Legislaand encourage people to come visit Lebanon.” ture all the time.” But the most important quality a chamber leader Challenging job needs is a passion for the community, all the mid-valley Whether you’re a man or a woman, being the execuleaders agreed. “I love this community, and I like being tive of a chamber of commerce means having a challeng- involved in the community, and we really want to see the ing job with endless variety, mid-valley leaders say. town grow,” said Elwer of Philomath. “We’re always The job varies immensely depending on the town — in brainstorming ideas to promote the town.” Philomath, for example, director Nancy Elwer is the only In a way, being a chamber president is like being the head paid staff member, whereas in larger towns chamber cheerleader for a town and the businesses located there. presidents also serve as staff leaders, with supervisory “You can help so many people working with the responsibilities added to their job description. Chamber chamber,” said Garrett. “You help the community, you leaders might find themselves doing event planning one help the businesses, you help the people of the town. I day, economic development the next day, and advocatcan’t imagine a better job.”
SHELLY GARRETT
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October 2011
MOVERS&SHAKERS CORVALLIS OPTOMETRIST IS PRESIDENT: Optometric physician James Hale of Corvallis was recently installed as president of the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association at the organization’s annual convention, held in Portland. Among the other officers installed was Eric Knutson of Corvallis, as senior past president. ALBANY OPTOMETRIST HONORED: Albany-area optometric physician Jonathan Berry is the recipient of the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association’s 2011 Young Optometric Physician of the Year Award. He received this award at the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association annual meeting held reBerry cently in Portland. Honored Berry, who grew up in Albany, attended the University of Oregon and then Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove. He joined Albany Eyecare in 2005. He now practices with his brother, Dr. Christopher Berry, and Dr. Kevin Blair. He is a member of the Albany Rotary Club, Albany Public Schools Foundation and is the incoming chairman of the Samaritan Al-
bany General Hospital Foundation. COSTA JOINS LAW FIRM: Jennifer Costa has recently joined the law firm of Barnhisel, Willis, Barlow & Stephens in Corvallis as an associate attorney. Costa is a 2011 graduate of the University of Oregon School of Law, where she was executive editor of Oregon Law Review. She obtained her undergraduate degrees Costa in English literature and Joins firm political science from Villanova University. Before Prior to her move to Eugene three years ago, she studied, worked and volunteered in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Juarez, Mexico; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; New York, N.Y.; and Southern California. After all this travel, she and her husband (who is an Oregon native) are eager to put down roots in Corvallis. Costa’s practice emphasizes various aspects of civil law, including family law, business law and personal injury. She also has experience with helping start-up businesses bring products to the market. She can be reached at 541757-0575 or costa@bwbslaw.com. CHRISTIANSON JOINS CONSTRUCTION FIRM: G. Christianson
Construction in Corvallis has added new superintendent Carl Christianson. Christianson is a Corvallis native. He attended Crescent Valley High School, and graduated from Oregon State Uni- Christianson Joins firm versity with an honors degree in construction engineering management. He just finished five years with Hoffman Construction in Seattle, building the 42-story Bellevue Towers condominiums and remodeling two community hospitals.
for the center, accepted the award and a $1,000 check at a conference in Chicago with representatives from 20 different countries. The award money will be used to advance scholarly research by Samaritan employees.
degree and his additional three-year specialty training in periodontics (implants and gum/bone disease).
VIPER VP SELECTED FOR PROGRAM: Tina L. Lemerande, vice president/chief operations officer of Viper MUELLER EARNS CERTIFICATION: Northwest, Inc. in AlThomas Mueller recently obtained bany has been acceptboard certification as a Diplomate of the ed into the University American Board of Peof Tennessee Aeroriodontology, an honor space & Defense MBA awarded to few in his program which will beprofession, after practigin in January. The cal and written examiyear-long program will nations. Diplomate stainclude class time, six Lemerande tus is the highest residency periods and MBA program recognition awarded in SAMARITAN CENTER HONORED: a trip to Brazil. the field of periodonSamaritan Health Services’ Center Lemerande graduated Mueller tics. Mueller’s private for Health Research & Quality was from Oregon State University with a deCertification practice, Mueller Imrecently recognized with the 2011 Regree in business administration and source Sharing Innovation Award by the plants and Periodontics, specializes in has worked at the Viper customer manRethinking Resource Sharing Initiative. dental implants and periodontics. ufacturing facility for the past nine The initiative is an international collab- Thomas Mueller practices with Fred years. While at Viper Northwest she Mueller in both Corvallis and Newport. orative dedicated to facilitating vigorhas become a certified aerospace audiHe holds active membership in the ous exchange of information for the tor and a certified environmental audigreater good. The center submitted Ac- American Academy of Periodontology tor. Viper Northwest Inc. is a quick reand Academy of Osseointegration, as cess for All, a free suite of services sponse, build to print custom manufacwell as the American Dental Association turing facility specializing in precision made up of ScanGrants.com and ResearchRaven.com, designed to improve and state dental organizations. A native machined and precision fabricated of Corvallis, Mueller is a graduate of the parts and assemblies for aerospace, online access to resources and inforOregon Health and Science University mation for health research. Hope Lesemiconductor, health care, automaman, research information technologist School of Dentistry for both his dental tion and other technology customers.
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DAT E B O O K Today: Downtown Trick or Treat, 2 to 6 p.m., downtown Corvallis. Sponsored by the Downtown Corvallis Association. Today: Trick or Treat, 3 to 6 p.m., North Albany Village, Northwest North Albany Road and Hickory Street Northwest. Information: northalbanyvillage.com. Today: Trick or Treat, 3 to 6 p.m., Spaulding and Main streets, downtown Brownsville. Halloween treats for children at businesses. Costume contest for age 18 and under; register at Bella Cuccina Restaurant between 3 and 6 p.m. Adults will get a free ticket for a Halloween raffle basket. Today: Trick or Treat,3:30 to 5:30 p.m.,businesses on Main Street from 14th to 12th streets, downtown Philomath.Fun house for ages 1 to 10 at Citizens Bank.Information: www.philomathda.com. Tuesday: Corvallis Chamber of Commerce Greeters, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Mid-Valley Lions Club, 420 N.W. Second St. Information: 541-757-1505. Tuesday: Entrepreneurs in Residence Series, noon to 1:20 p.m., Construction and Engineering Hall, LaSells Stewart Center, Oregon State University. Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces will present “Create Your Own Brand and Control Your Destiny.” Information: 541-713-8044 or business.oregon
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state.due/programs/aep. Friday: Lunch and Learn, noon to 1 p.m., Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, 420 N.W. Second St.“Introduction to Twitter for Business.” Cost: free to chamber members; $10 for nonmembers. Information: 541-757-1505. Nov. 5: Crafters Market & Home Based Business Expo, Holiday Edition. Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Santiam Place Event Hall, 139 Main St., Lebanon. Free to the public. Info: 541-259-4255. Nov. 7: “Selling into the Specialty Food Market,” 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room CC-210, second floor, Calapooia Center, Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Nov. 8: Seminar: Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance Program. Time: 8 a.m. to noon, Central Willamette Community Credit Union, 7101 Supra Drive S.W., Albany. Cost: $50 chamber members; $50 non-members. Info: Greg Ivers, 541-812-8668. Nov. 9: Society of Human Resource Management breakfast meeting: “Top Labor & Employment Issues – 2011”. Presenter: Clarence M. Belnavis, partner, Portland Fisher & Phillips, LLP. Time: 7:30 to 9 a.m., Allann Bros., 1852 Fescue St. S.E., Albany. Info: evelyn.madison@ pepsimpg.com.
Retailers cope with card fees By JENNIFER ROUSE It used to be that if you gave the clerk at the corner grocery store $1 for a 99-cent fountain drink, he handed you a penny back, and the rest of the money went into the cash register. That might still happen, if you actually pay with a dollar bill. But if you’re one of the 176.8 million credit card holders in the U.S., you might pull out your card to pay instead. When you do that, card transaction fees can consume up to half of the electronic dollar the merchant would have otherwise received. It’s enough to make small business owners do what they can to get some of their profits back – whether that’s insisting on a minimum amount for card transactions, tacking on fees for card purchases, or giving discounts for customers who pay with cash. Robert Brown, owner of Bob’s Family Market in Albany, charges a 39-cent fee for card transactions – but he doesn’t like doing it. “I try to explain to customers that the thirty-nine cents is even less than what we are paying the credit card companies,” he said. “It just covers a portion, and we absorb the rest.” Without the fee, he’d have to raise
prices across the board to stay in business, he said. Twenty years ago, when Brown started his market, his customers paid almost entirely with cash. That’s not the case today. According to a study by the Aite Group, a Boston consulting firm, cash usage dropped 3 percent in 2010 and is expected to continue declining by 4 percent each year up through 2015. And every time a consumer uses a debit or credit card instead of cash,banks and card issuers collect fees – usually about 2 to 3 percent of the purchase. The amount of the fee varies widely depending on the card company and the type of card used. Debit cards tend to cost less. Rewards cards cost more. Large companies with more bargaining power can negotiate lower fees; smaller companies are often forced to accept higher charges. Part of the money goes to the payment networks (such as Visa or Mastercard), and the other portion goes to the bank that issued the card (such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, or other financial institutions). As of last year,merchants,on average, were paying 44 cents per transaction. To counter these costs, in July of 2010 legislation called the Durbin Amendment, proposed by Sen. Dick
Durbin of Illinois, required the Federal Reserve to cap interchange fees, which are the part of the charge that goes to the banks. Initially, the Fed proposed a 12-cent cap on swipe fees. After a year of debate, the final rule was announced in July 2011: 21 cents per swipe, plus .05 percent of the transaction, for an average of about 24 cents per swipe, double the initial proposal. In addition, a certain percentage will still go to the payment networks. The new rules, which apply only to banks with $10 billion of more in assets, go into effect Oct. 1. Brown said he’s not sure the changes will have much effect. “We were hoping it would be a lot less. We were initially hearing it could be something like 10 cents,” he said. Tony Pope, the owner of Hasty Freez in Albany, used to refuse to accept cards for transactions under $5. But he recently changed that policy. “It’s just too big of an inconvenience to customers,” he said.“So many people don’t carry cash at all anymore.” But it hurts every time he sees customers pulling out their cards to pay for a single burger or ice cream cone. “When I’m selling something for $1.35, and they pay with a card that costs me fifty cents just to swipe – well, there goes my profit,” he said.
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F I V E Q U EST I O N S WITH
Doris Johnston
D
October 2011
Consumers increasingly use reviews to choose retailers
them – and their parents and their teachers and their These days, proclaiming neighbors – into a potential critic. In that 16-year space, your love of a favorite store is as easy as clicking a “like” online reviewing has grown exponentially. Review site button on the computer or Yelp was founded in 2004 tapping out a sentence on your mobile phone. When a and now boasts more than 53 million visitors per month. satisfied customer spreads And those visits matter. the word, it becomes priceless online advertising for a According a consumer shopping habits survey conducted business. But sometimes, business in 2010 by ChannelAdvisor, a owners find that review sites retailing software company, 83 percent of shoppers say can create a magnifying efthey are influenced by online fect for the opinions of unsatisfied customers as well. consumer reviews. That means even small “The problem is that only local businesses try to stay about one percent of the satisfied customers do a re- on top of what people are saying about them online. view, no matter how happy Jen Butler, a manager at they are,” said Chuck Swoboda, owner of Boda Furni- Second Glance, a clothing consignment store in Corture in downtown Albany. vallis, said the store has a “The unhappy ones are the Google alert set up that ones who write the most.” sends an email when the Although the majority of business is mentioned. the online reviews posted “We want to be notified about his business are posianytime anyone references us tive, Swoboda still rememonline in any way,” she said. bers the exact details of a transaction that led to his Positive reviews single negative review – and More often than not, that’s it bothers him that even though he ended up exchang- a good thing. According to ing the furniture in question, Yelp’s statistics, 83 percent of a year later the review still sits reviewers rate businesses as Doris Johnston, who is the regional community manager for Pacific there online, possibly influthree stars or higher. Power, shares her thoughts about balancing work and life. “We’ve had people say encing future shoppers. “We try very hard to that they saw good reviews Johnston: Don’t overcommit. taneous, and the expectation is please our customers,” he about us, and that’s why It’s OK to say “no.” Look at your the same. said. “We bend over backthey decided to come in,” job to make sure your goals align InBusiness: It seems as if part ward. But sometimes it said Chad Pope, owner of with the organizations. Don’t be of the challenge here is underdoesn’t matter what you do. Cappie’s Brewhouse in afraid to let go of some of the trastanding that the balance, once The reviews can be a very downtown Albany. ditional roles and ask for help. attained, always will need tendone-sided program.” But it’s the anonymity of Having a spouse/partner who is ing: In other words, this is not a Online reviews are not a the online reviewing willing to help is always benefi“set it and forget it” type of thing, new phenomenon. process, among other cial. but rather the work of a lifetime. Amazon.com first began althings, that doesn’t sit well InBusiness: Technology lets Would you agree? How do you lowing visitors to review with business owners. us access our emails and webkeep calibrating your own balbooks on its site back in 1995. “If I don’t like my competisites any time we want around ance? A generation of children has tor across the street,I could the clock: Is that a help or hinbeen born and reached high write in bad reviews,” Pope Johnston: I agree: Balance drance in seeking the balance? school age since then, with said.“There’s no way to know changes not only weekly or Johnston: I believe the instant the online reviewing trend what you’re really getting.” contact is a hindrance. It used to monthly but daily. To keep balturning each and every one of In 2010, the Federal ance is not easy. I would not look be when you left work, you left
By JENNIFER ROUSE
oris Johnston is the regional community manager for Pacific Power, based out of the company’s Albany office. A few years ago, Johnston spoke at an Albany chamber event about finding the right balance between work and life, a topic that seemed appropriate for this edition of InBusiness. So she agreed to answer this month’s “Five Questions.” InBusiness: Finding the right life-work balance seems to be a struggle for everyone, but especially for women in business. Why does this seem to be a bigger challenge for women? Doris Johnston: Even though there is equality in the work place and supposedly at home, many women and men still fall into the traditional roles when they leave work. It may not be imposed upon them by their spouses but the maternal instincts still exist. So when women get home, they need to take care of dinner, housework and family issues. They may receive assistance from their spouse but possibly not. These roles at home have been ingrained for generations, and we can’t expect them to change in one generation. It takes time. InBusiness: In your experience, is the issue of finding the proper balance between life and work a bigger deal for younger workers? Johnston: No, I don’t believe so. There are different challenges at different times of life and it depends on how well you can balance all the challenges you encounter. Everyone’s life is different. You may have a new career, school, spouse – and then a baby arrives. In the next phase of life, you’re done with school but now your child or children are in school, and they have sports or other activities to balance. Maybe one of your children or spouse become ill or you have aging parents or a combination of those. The balance is always changing. InBusiness: What advice do you have for women in business who are seeking to strike the right balance between work and life?
work. Now there’s 24-hour contact. Determining where the priority lies moves us into gray areas pretty quickly. The technology has reduced time to respond. Yesterday a letter or phone call took you time to receive and time to answer. Now it’s instan-
at myself as a good example of a balanced life. I continue to try to make time for myself, family, friends and work. Sometimes when we can’t make time for those we love, make sure you at least tell them that you love them.
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Trade Commission, which regulates deceptive trade practices, filed a complaint against a public relations firm that was creating fake positive reviews for its client, a video game company, and posting them on the iTunes store in an attempt to drive up sales. Campaigns like this, which attempt to make a promotional campaign seem as though it’s a grassroots movement spurred on by individuals, happen often enough that there’s even a slang term for it: astroturfing, in reference to the fake turf meant to look like real grass. Most online reviewing sites require people to create a profile in order to post a review, but pseudonyms are allowed. And while many sites have automated filters meant to keep out the fakes, it’s hard to guarantee that each comment is trustworthy. Business owners say that when they do get a negative review, they respond whenever the site allows it, trying to make sure that the customer’s concerns are addressed – just as they would in a face-to-face interaction. When it comes down to it, business owners say, dealing with disgruntled customers is a part of being in business, and it’s not a new thing. “We guarantee everything we sell, and we’ve always been that way,” said Swoboda of Boda Furniture. Pope, of Cappie’s Brewhouse, said he’s actually had good comments from negative reviewers, once he responded to their complaints. “There can be some good and some bad with the online reviews,” Pope said.“People just have to know that, and take it for what it is.”
Tree-house stories Do you have a really cool tree house on your property, or have you built one at some point in your life? In 300 words or fewer, tell us about it. Send your story to Sunday editor Steve Lundeberg at steve.lundeberg@lee.net and please include a photo, if possible, and a phone number.
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