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Tree removal Brush removal sTump GrindinG Since 1974 PO Box 1987 Sunriver, OR 97707 CCB# 112460 Find us on Andy Smith Certified Arborist Brent Redenius President Office: 541-593-8360 Cell: 541-977-6274 Fax: 541-593-1963 brent@springrivertreeservice.com OR 97707 Find us on ist e Co. l al nG 541-388-5665 // CascadeBusNews.com Enhancing & Promoting the Economic Vitality of Central Oregon Since 1994 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BEND OR PERMIT NO 473 www.cascadebusnews.com Bend, Oregon Cascade Business News PO Box 53 Bend, Oregon 97709 541/388-5665 March 4, 2026 •VOLUME 33 • ISSUE 5 Q&A with Je Curtis by NOAH NELSON — CBN Feature Writer Jeff Curtis is the newly appointed Director of the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, with a starting date of February 9. We sat down with the new director to learn more about him, and his plans for the region’s largest gathering space. Tell us about your background, and your experience in this industry. My career goes way back, into sports management in minor league baseball, leading up to a position with the Seattle Mariners. Most relevant to my current position, I spent 25 years with the Portland Rose Festival Foundation, with 18 years as the CEO. After that, I spent three years running the Alaska State Fair. My career has given me the opportunity to plan and run events like parades, multiday fairs, concerts, airshows and other massive draws that brought in thousands of people. And now, I consider myself to be a steward of the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. I’m looking forward to learning more about the people and events of the region, to see what works and what we can highlight, enhance and improve upon. Aside from the new position, what excites you about coming to Central Oregon? I was raised in Spokane, Washington, so it feels good to be back home in the Pacific Northwest. My family has vacationed here for years. I love golfing, and when I was living in Portland, I constantly made the drive over the mountains to play PAGE 11 JEFF CURTIS March 4, 2026 • BBT Architects Marks 50 Years One of Central Oregon’s longeststanding architecture rms is re ecting on a half-century of shaping the region’s schools, civic spaces and landmark buildings. BBT Architects, a Bend-based rm with deep roots across Oregon, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, marking ve decades of work de ned by local relationships, collaborative design and a focus on educational environments. Founded in Bend and built on a small- rm, community-driven approach, BBT has grown alongside Central Oregon while maintaining its emphasis on listening to clients and understanding the needs of the communities it serves. Over time, that philosophy has in uenced not only the rm’s project portfolio but also its internal culture and leadership model. Today, the rm’s leadership team represents a new chapter as BBT balances continuity with forward-looking strategy and evolving design priorities. With a renewed shared leadership structure, the rm is positioning itself for the future while staying grounded in its values. Senior Partner Renée Alexander, Managing Partner Kourtney Strong and Partner Kyle Burke spoke to the Cascade Business News about the rm’s accomplishments and hopes for the years to come. “What I love about this work is its everyday impact,” said Strong.“Even when people don’t consciously notice it, the built environment shapes how we learn, gather, move and feel.” A Legacy Rooted in Education and Community BBT’s identity has been shaped largely through its extensive work in K-12 education, a sector that has de ned much of the rm’s portfolio. Their work includes design for new builds as well as modernization, phased replacement and renovation of (L-R) KYLE BURKE, KOURTNEY STRONG AND RENÉE ALEXANDER MAKE UP THE PARTNERSHIP TEAM AT BBT ARCHITECTS | PHOTO COURTESY OF BBT ARCHITECTS by LEAH ETLING — CBN Feature Writer PAGE 8 Downtown Gem Shines Again as The Westman An iconic downtown Bend building has been restored to its former grandeur and reborn as a boutique, upscale hotel The Westman, paying homage to a grand history and pioneering roots through an adaptive re-use described as “A Love Letter to Bend.” The old post o ce, which has imposingly anked the corner of Wall St. and Franklin for close to a century, was originally built in 1932 as part of the Public Buildings Program — a Great Depression-era initiative authorized by President Herbert Hoover to stimulate the economy and create jobs. It represented a key catalyzing project in Central Oregon at the time. THE WESTMAN HOTEL | PHOTO BY CASCADE BUSINESS NEWS PAGE 6 2026 Meeting Guide — Pages 11-25 Talking With the New Director of the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center Historic Former Federal Post O ce Revamp Labelled “Love Letter to Bend” by SIMON MATHER — CBN Feature Writer Keeping the Fire, Averting the Burnout — Page 10 Photo by Chad Copeland 2026-27 | SunriverChamber.com131
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