91ÊÓƵ

Aneshka Colas-Dickson has been nominated by Mayor Sam Adams to fill the Portland Development Commission Board of Commissioners’ fifth commissioner seat. Once appointed, she will be the board’s youngest commissioner ever. The move came after former Commissioner Bertha Ferran’s term ended in June.

Colas-Dickson, 33, grew up in Northeast Portland and now resides in Northwest Portland. After receiving a degree from the University of Oregon she moved back to the city and started working for her family’s general contracting firm, Colas Construction.

91ÊÓƵ: What’s your day job?

Aneshka Colas-Dickson: I’m the vice president and chief financial officer of Colas Construction, which was started by my father in 1997. It’s a true family business. When the company first started my father financed all of the projects on his own, so we were focused primarily on the private side of things. Once the company started to grow we started to do some public work as well. The company then turned its attention back to private work until the economy started to go downhill and we focused back towards where the money is. So, as a company we have a very good understanding about how both the public and private sides work – as well as how they work together.

91ÊÓƵ: What do you bring to the table in this position?

Colas-Dickson: The first thing is a perspective from a younger generation, which is something that I believe will be very beneficial to this board. It’s a voice that is very important as we move forward.

The other thing I bring is a financial background. I received an accounting degree from the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. I’m very comfortable with how the financial side of projects work. I can read and understand pro-forma reports and most any other financial document that is put in front of me.

And the final thing would be my experience running a small business. A lot of what the PDC does is help small businesses grow, and that’s something that not only I have experience with, but I think is a very important part of improving the economy.

91ÊÓƵ: What’s one asset from your work at Colas that will translate well for this position?

Colas-Dickson: You would think it would be my background in construction, but it’s really the leadership that I bring to the table. While I’m the vice president at Colas, it’s truly a small business, and as you probably know, in a small business you have to be able to do any task that arises. Also, part of being a leader is making decisions that not everyone agrees with, which is something I am very well versed in. Not that I’m looking to make bad decisions. But looking at the larger perspective is something I think I’m really good at.

91ÊÓƵ: What’s your favorite part of Portland?

Colas-Dickson: Being a mom (of three) I spend a lot of time in the various parks around town. We like Irving City Park, but we also love trying out new parks that we haven’t been to before.

We also love eating out at all the places around town. We are big fans of Andina right now. I just love the Peruvian feeling, and the food is great. Or Pambiche – have you been to Pambiche? The food is incredible. And no, I don’t work for either of those places.

91ÊÓƵ: What’s your favorite building in Portland?

Colas-Dickson: I don’t have one favorite building, but I definitely find myself attracted to the older architecture of some of Portland’s downtown churches. I just think it’s a beautiful contrast from the modern architecture that you see around town these days, which I really like as well.

91ÊÓƵ: What attracted you to the construction industry? It can’t only be because it’s what your family did.

Colas-Dickson: I get this question all the time and I’m telling the complete truth when I say I would have followed whatever path my family went down. We are very tight knit and my dad always had a vision of making Colas a family-run business. If my dad would have started selling t-shirts that’s the business I would be in right now.

91ÊÓƵ: Well, you ended up in this industry. What’s your favorite part about it?

Colas-Dickson: My favorite part is most definitely leaving your mark behind. From start to finish there is so much that has to be done to complete a project. And to see it complete, and bring my kids by and show them what their family did, is a very special thing.

91ÊÓƵ: You obviously dress well. Can you compete with Commissioner (Steven) Straus and his bowties?

Colas-Dickson (laughing): I don’t know if I should answer this one. All I can say is that I’m fortunate to be the only female on this board so I don’t have to compete with his outfits.

91ÊÓƵ: Anything else you would like to add?

Colas-Dickson: I can’t stress enough that coming from a small business I’m going to work hard to make sure that my decisions, when appropriate, represent the feelings and ideas of small businesses in this city. I think small businesses play a very integral part in this city. And with all the good things that are going on here, our unemployment is still too high. If we can help maintain these businesses, they can help the unemployment (rate).