By Oregon Business & Industry,
OBI is thrilled to announce the selection of two honorees to receive the Oregon Visionary Award – OBI’s highest honor – at its annual Vision Oregon Event, which will take place at the Portland Art Museum on Oct. 22.
OBI presents the Visionary Award to individuals, companies and organizations that, through steadfast service to their communities, illuminate a path to shared prosperity, built upon a thriving state economy with opportunity for all Oregonians. Awardees are those willing to set aside individual interests and politics to bring Oregonians together around a common set of values with a focus on practical solutions to the most difficult challenges of our time.
As Oregon’s reputation and economic competitiveness continue to struggle, this year’s Visionary Award winners demonstrate how well the state’s private sector still works. When it comes to innovation and inspiration, Oregon businesses still deliver.
The 2025 Visionary Award honorees are:
Daimler Truck North America. DTNA has produced vehicles in Oregon since the 1940s and currently employs more than 3,000 people at its Portland headquarters and manufacturing facility and at its Madras High Desert Proving Grounds. Since its inception, the company has been an industry leader in efficiency. Leland James founded Freightliner to produce trucks that cut weight by substituting aluminum for steel. In 2004, the company opened the first wind tunnel in North America designed to test full-size commercial vehicles. In recent years, DTNA has expanded its capabilities at the Portland facility to include the development and limited production of electric vehicles, such as the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia and the eM2 box truck. As part of broader efforts to explore emerging technologies, DTNA also partnered with Portland General Electric to open “Electric Island” in 2021 – a public charging station located near company headquarters, designed to support early stage electric commercial vehicle testing and infrastructure research.
NIC Industries. Founded in White City over 35 years ago, NIC Industries aspired to manufacture coating products that would truly have a global impact. NIC now produces industry-leading coatings that are distributed and sold in nearly 90 countries around the world. It is one of the 20 largest paint manufacturers in the country and employs nearly 250 people at its facility in Southern Oregon. NIC Industries began as a producer of high-quality powder coatings and under the leadership of CEO and innovator Brian Hall has become a leader in the production of liquid ceramic coatings, which enhance durability, chemical resistance and heat dissipation. The innovative coatings produced by NIC are now used in many industries, ranging from high-end consumer automotive products in the retail space to critical applications within the defense and space sectors. The company’s leading consumer product, Cerakote, can be found in retailers across the country, including Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot and more. NIC Industries take prides in manufacturing its products in the United States.
This year’s Vision Oregon Event will focus on entrepreneurship in Oregon, which will be the subject of the keynote address and subsequent panel discussion. The event also will include the announcement of the winner of the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Oregon contest. It will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Portland Art Museum from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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