OBC supports the vision of the Oregon Business Plan, a policy forum that we’ve shared nearly two decades with leaders from all sectors of Oregon life. This vision, recently updated, embraces three intertwined policy priorities for a coming decade of shared prosperity:
GROW Oregon’s Economy With Well Paying Jobs
INCREASE the Education and Work Skills of Oregonians
ENHANCE the Economic Mobility of More Oregonians
The Oregon Business Council embodies Oregon’s long history of business leaders who contribute their energy and expertise to civic life. A roundtable of top executives, OBC was founded in 1985 with the idea that a small, committed group of business leaders could make a significant contribution to Oregon’s well-being and future. Our mission is to enhance Oregon’s quality of life and economic prosperity — for all Oregonians in all parts of our state.
We do that through engagement in public issues in a range of ways – research and analysis, communication, convening, advocacy, and direct action with community partners. We’ve had an impact on some of Oregon’s most pressing public issues. These include public finance, economic development, education, poverty, health care, community health, and resource and environmental issues. We are non-profit, non-partisan, and independent, and our work is aimed at a broad public benefit.
Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology, a consortium of nearly 100 Oregon partners, has been awarded up to $160 million during the next 10 years from the National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines program to grow the state’s semiconductor ecosystem. This is a pivotal opportunity for Oregon, and a proud moment for the Oregon Business Council team, who led the Semiconductor Competitiveness Task Force and the Semiconductor Talent Consortium supporting this effort for several years. FAST brings together partners across industry, education, government, nonprofits, and investors to focus on three key priorities: expanding use-inspired research into practice, accelerating innovation and startups, and creating career pathways to grow and sustain talent for an expanding AI skills-dependent industry. For Oregon, this sustained investment in growing the state's semiconductor ecosystem will scale innovation to accelerate the development of critical technologies, support regional economies, and expand workforce development and pathways to semiconductor careers. Thank you to all the FAST partners across the state whose collaboration and partnership have helped build the foundation for this milestone.
