⁄From the Editor⁄ Shifting to Fall NEARLY EVERY STORY in this issue is about an entity in transition. For this month’s Tactics section (p. 14), I spoke to Katie Poppe, the co-founder and CEO of Blue Star Donuts, about how her company weathered the COVID-19 pandemic—initially cutting jobs and closing stores, and then by developing a product that could be delivered to grocery stores. It was a moment that could have broken the company — and, as Poppe points out, did break a number of other food-service companies—but from which Blue Star emerged stronger, if in an expected form. For years my high school drama club organized a spring-break trip to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Twelve of us—and two chaperones — would pile into a van and make the very long trip from Idaho to Ashland. I went two years in a row, watching plays like “The Winter’s Tale” and “Death of a Salesman” and exploring Ashland’s vintage shops and bookstores in my downtime. Those trips were my first experience of Western Oregon’s milder—and wetter—climate. I suspect they are responsible for the fact that I ended up attending college west of the Cascades and living here for the long haul. I had the chance to attend many plays in Ashland for years, but I’ve watched the festival’s recent challenges with interest. So when I learned OSF had hired a new artistic director, I was eager to speak to him. For “In Ashland, the Play’s (Still) the Thing” (p. 24), Tim Bond talked to me about his vision for the festival in 2024 and beyond. I also talked about what makes the festival—and its business model — unique, and what challenges OSF shares with performing arts organizations across the country. For “Growing Up” (p. 28), writer Tim Neville explored the ongoing transformation of Bend’s Central District. A group of developers, policymakers and business owners is working to redevelop the area, but in a way that’s inclusive and doesn’t sand off the neighborhood’s edges altogether. The Willamette Valley, unlike other parts of the Northwest, has a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees, which means that when fall arrives, about half the trees turn colors and drop their leaves—but some stay just as they are. Our cover story, “The 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon” (p. 35), feels a bit more evergreen, and not just because we run it every October. The list is compiled from the results of surveys sent to participating nonprofits across the state. A third-party company scores the results and shares them with us, but we have the opportunity to review employee comments. It’s always striking to discover which benefits organizations offer in an effort to recruit and retain people. These include somewhat novel perks like AAA memberships and gym memberships, but there are also themes that come up again and again: work-life balance, flexibility, commitment to the mission. The organizations on the list should be commended for working to ensure employees are well cared for as they care for their communities. VOLUME 46 ⁄ NUMBER 9 OREGON BUSINESS (ISSN 02798190) is published 10 times per year, monthly except Jul/Aug and Nov/Dec issues, by MEDIAmerica Inc. at 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223. Subscription inquiries should be directed to 503-445-8811. Subscription charge is $24.95 per year, $49.95 for two years in the USA. Single copies and back issues available at above address and at selected newsstands. The editor is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Copyright © 2023 by MEDIAmerica Inc. All rights reserved. All material is protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed in Oregon. Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Oregon Business, 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223 EDITORIAL EDITOR Christen McCurdy christenm@oregonbusiness.com ART DIRECTOR Joan McGuire joanm@oregonbusiness.com STAFF WRITER Sander Gusinow sanderg@oregonbusiness.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jason E. Kaplan jasonk@oregonbusiness.com COPY EDITOR Morgan Stone CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meara McLaughlin, Tim Neville PUBLISHING PUBLISHER Courtney Kutzman courtneyk@oregonbusiness.com EVENTS MANAGER Craig Peebles craigp@oregonbusiness.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Evan Morehouse evanm@mediamerica.net ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Greta Hogenstad gretah@mediamerica.net DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alison Kattleman alisonk@mediamerica.net PRESIDENT AND CEO Andrew A. Insinga CONTROLLER Bill Lee BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN André W. Iseli PRESIDENT Andrew A. Insinga SECRETARY William L. Mainwaring TREASURER Win McCormack 6
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