Forbes Billionaire’s list diminishing, but the NW Microsoft triad remain strong The world’s richest have not escaped the reaches of the financial disasters of the past year. According to Forbes magazine there are 332 less billionaires, a 30% decline from one year ago. Their collective net worth is $2.4 trillion, […]

March Update – More Changes & Challenges For Employers By Dunn, Carney, Allen, Higgins & Tongue 1. Employee Free Choice Act 2. Oregon Senate Bill 519 – Limits Employer Free Speech 3. Retaliation Protection Expanded by the Courts 4. New Form I-9 Effective Date This year has been filled with […]

By Traci Scott, BIZ Reporter, U.S. warehouse clubs and discount retailers recently reported a mixed bag of sales results.  Shoppers looking to warehouse clubs for bargains on groceries contributed to increased food sales at both Costco Wholesale Corporation and BJ’s Wholesale Club, Incorporated, but both retailers reported sales of other […]

By: J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business organization The Oregon Legislature is poised once again to add to the burdens of Oregon employers who are already grappling with significant changes to family leave laws stemming from the 2007 Legislature and the federal government.  Oregon employers with 25 or […]

By Bill Conerly, Conerly Consulting LLC, Businomics, Last quarter was tough on banks.  All the details are in the FDIC’s Quarterly Banking Profile.  Here are some highlights:

Bullard Smith Jernstedt Wilson BULLARD eAlert 2/26: LABOR-FRIENDLY EXECUTIVE ORDERS PLACE NEW OBLIGATIONS ON FEDERAL CONTRACTORS In his first few weeks in office, President Obama signed four Executive Orders related to labor policies and government contracting. These Executive Orders, described in detail in the Bullard eAlert: (1) require federal contractors […]

Intel Makes Investment in French Academic Research Effort Expected to Benefit Europe Intel Chairman Launches Collaborative High-Performance Computing Lab PARIS, March 5, 2009 – Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett announced that his company is investing in a new academic research facility dedicated to high-performance computing (HPC) in France.The HPC lab […]

Excerpts from University of Oregon Index of Economic Indicators™ January 2009, Slight economic gain “The University of Oregon Index of Economic Indicators™ rose slightly in January, gaining 0.5 percent to 86.5” Core manufacturing hurting “[w]orse than initially estimated core manufacturing and employment numbers. Three index components—the Oregon weight-distance tax, new […]

By Ken Niezgoda, BIZ Reporter, Even though health clubs in Oregon haven’t experienced the dramatic drop-off in consumer spending that has plagued the restaurant industry, Sherry Summerville of the Clackamas East Side Athletic Club feels the need to help families who are feeling the financial pinch. Summerville is opening up […]

How help is coming to small business.  Profile of Mayor Sam Adams and NFIB efforts. By Alyssa Williams, Mayor Sam Adams announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will make low-interest loans available to small businesses in Oregon economically impacted by this winter’s storms.  Adams believes these Economic Injury […]