You probably noticed the cover of our newspaper looks a little different this morning.

Last week, 91视频 reporter Chuck Slothower penned a story on the lack of response by the local building industry to the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd and so many other unarmed Black people across the United States. As we witnessed, protesters around the city quite literally destroyed several of the buildings that many of you helped construct. Despite this statement of dissatisfaction, the building industry remained fairly silent.

As to be expected, the 91视频鈥檚 story received a reaction. It not only was viewed twice as much as our second-most-viewed story of the week, but also caused several people to write us. Some people thought it wasn鈥檛 our place to get involved in such issues, but the majority of people said the story was a stark reminder that the industry needs to do more.

One of those people was Steve Malany, president of P&C Construction. The story prompted a conversation between Steve and Nate McCoy, the executive director of the National Association of Minority Contractors鈥� Oregon chapter, who recently wrote a column for the 91视频 representing a letter to his two sons on the difficulties of talking to them about police brutality and racism. Nate told Steve, who sought ways to help address the issue, that the first step (of a very long process) begins with listening.

The reason we agreed to run a solid black box on our cover today was to promote listening. The concept is a reference to the #BlackoutTuesday movement started last month on Instagram. People refrained from self-promotion and other posts, and instead posted a photo of a black box to promote a moment for reflection on the racism and its effects that are so prevalent in our society.

Many of you may question why a construction trade publication is involving itself in an issue outside of its general coverage area. While I believe there is some truth to that argument, and we have no plans to change our 150-year history of focusing on the local building industry, I would argue the industry has a real opportunity to be a part of the solution. So much of the structural, institutionalized racism that exists in our society can be addressed via economic opportunity 鈥� and the construction industry can provide that. It鈥檚 what puts food on our tables, allows us to provide our kids the opportunities we didn鈥檛 have, and support the communities we live in.

So, while this may be out of our normal routine, it鈥檚 time for all of us to get out of our normal routine. We don鈥檛 run blank covers and we don鈥檛 fill pages 2 and 3 with ads (and likely won鈥檛 ever again), but we believe as an organization that the problem is too big, and opportunity too great, to do what we always have. So I鈥檓 going to take my own advice now to be quiet, listen and promote the voices of our marginalized communities to help create opportunity. I encourage you to do the same and join the NAMC-Oregon listening session (see below) on Tuesday.

And don鈥檛 forget that there are several great industry organizations around town that advocate for minorities. Please take time to become familiar with all of them.

Nick Bjork is the publisher of the Daily Journal of Commerce. Contact him at 503-802-7214 or nbjork@djcOregon.com.

Industry issue meeting

Event: 鈥淩acism in the Construction Industry鈥�

What: a listening and brainstorming session

Who: minority contractors and trade group leaders

When: July 14, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Where: online (Zoom)

Register:

Leaders of many local building industry companies and organizations are preparing to attend this listening session being held by the National Association of Minority Contractors鈥� Oregon chapter. Here is a bit of background about this organization.

Founded in Oakland, California, in 1969 by Ray Dones and Joseph Debro, NAMC touts itself as the oldest minority construction trade association聽in the United States. Members have a combined annual project capacity of over a billion dollars nationally. The nonprofit represents the interests of millions of skilled minority workers across the country. Through a network of local chapters and in collaboration with strategic and corporate partners, NAMC assists members with building capacity by providing access to opportunity, advocacy and contractor development training.

NAMC-Oregon, established in 2007, works to serve the interests of disadvantaged (DBE), minority-owned and women-owned construction and professional service businesses in the state. The chapter provides a voice on major legislative issues and information about contracting opportunities. Its mission is to eliminate barriers that hinder full and profitable participation by these disadvantaged businesses on construction and design projects throughout the region. The group has been a part of social movements for decades and stands with Black Lives Matter.

The post OP-ED: A time to depart from the normal routine appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

To our readers and advertisers,

2019 marks the third year of the 91视频 Reader Rankings contest, which asks you, our readers, to vote for your favorite companies and products in the local construction, architecture, engineering and related industries. After two years, and more than 6,000 votes, we’ve decided to make some changes to the program to help ensure the validity of the contest and offer more value to the local building industries. The nomination process is rapidly approaching, so please keep in mind the following changes planned in 2019.

1. New logo, improved branding, same honor

2. New in 2019: two rounds of voting

The first round is nominations. This will feel a lot like our voting round in previous years. It will start on Monday, April 15, and run through Sunday, April 28. You will be allowed to vote once per day during that time in each of the 50 categories. Voting will take place online at . Only five companies or products from each category will advance to the ballot and be included in the final voting round. The top five will be based on the number of nominations received. So, please make sure to nominate companies early and often. Plus, we will give out a $250 Visa gift card, at random, to one nominator.

The second round of voting will be multiple choice and include the top five nominated companies in each category from the previous round. The voting round will begin on Monday, June 3, and run through Sunday, June 16. The final voting will take place exclusively online at . Much like the nomination round, you will be allowed to vote once a day and will be entered into an additional contest for a $250 Visa gift card. Following the voting period, votes will be tallied and the top three in each category will be announced at an event at the end of July.

3. In addition to that event, a publication will announce the top three in each category. The event will be a great chance to network with others, have fun and celebrate the best of the industries. Tickets will be included in packages and be available for purchase at a time closer to the event.
4. The official 91视频 Reader Rankings magazine will be handed out after the awards event. The magazine will run in the 91视频 newspaper the following week and be made available online at www.91视频Oregon.com.
5. If you’re unfamiliar with the 91视频 Reader Rankings program, we’ve included a list of categories below.
6. The purchase of advertising in the 91视频 does not influence the outcome of the 91视频 Reader Rankings voting process. We do, however, offer packages to promote your company throughout the voting process. A 91视频 sales representative will reach out to you with further details in the coming week.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Daily Journal of Commerce Advertising Director Bill Beyer at 503-802-7232 or BBeyer@91视频Oregon.com.

We look forward to working with you on this revamped contest. Thank you for your interest, continued support and participation.

Nick Bjork

Publisher

Daily Journal of Commerce

Categories for 2019 Reader Rankings

Best General Contractor

Best Architecture Firm

Best Landscape Architecture Firm

Best Interior Design Firm

Best Civil & Structural Engineering Firm

Best Geotechnical/Environmental Engineering Firm

Best Infrastructure Engineering Firm

Best Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineering Firm

Best Private Developer

Best Affordable Housing Developer

Best Public Developer

Best Higher Education Developer

Best Local Built-Industry Union

Best Local Built-Industry Trade Group

Best Subcontractor/Specialty Contractor

Best Mechanical/HVAC Firm

Best Electrical Firm

Best Plumbing Firm

Best Utility Contractor & Excavation Firm

Best COBID-Certified Firm

Best Painting Firm

Best Floor Covering Firm

Best Wall & Ceiling Firm

Best Glass & Glazing Firm

Best Sign Installation Firm

Best Restoration Firm

Best Fabrication Company

Best Trucking Firm

Best Environmental Cleanup & Remediation Firm

Best Waste Removal Firm

Best Commercial Real Estate Firm

Best Law Firm

Best Accounting Firm

Best Bank & Credit Union

Best Insurance, Bonding & Surety Provider

Best Construction Consulting Firm

Best Public Involvement Firm

Best Aerial Photography & 3-D Imaging Firm

Best Equipment Rental Company

Best Crane Rental & Rigging Company

Best Fleet Dealer & Leasing Company

Best Materials Supplier

Best Lumber Supplier

Best Safety Equipment Supplier

Best Printing Services Provider

Best Fencing Provider

Best Construction Security Provider

Best PR & Marketing Firm

Workplace Software You Can’t Live Without

Best Construction-Specific Software

Best Building Industry App

Best CRM Software

Best Work Event Venue

Best Happy Hour

Best Restaurant to 鈥榳ow’ a Client

Best Quick Lunch

Best Brewery

Best Coffee Shop

Best Overall Company to Work For

Best Overall Leadership (Company Name)

Best Employee Recognition Program

Best Training Program (Company Name)

Best Boss (Person’s Name followed by Company Name)

Best Workplace Culture (Company Name)

Best Benefits Program (Company Name)

Best Company Culture (Company Name)

Most Innovative Workplace

The post A letter from the publisher: 2019 Reader Rankings appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Dear Readers,

We鈥檝e come through a year that has been filled with successes and challenges across our communities. We鈥檝e witnessed the opportunities and obstacles that come with unprecedented growth, the completion of several major projects that will serve as cornerstones of our region, and the perseverance of many organizations through tragedy and disaster. But one constant that we want to take a moment to celebrate is you.

We鈥檙e thankful for Daily Journal of Commerce readers because you care enough about your community, and your place in it, to keep up with what鈥檚 happening around you. You are engaged and concerned. You have thoughts to share, and our published words, photos, graphics, audio and video helps you inspire or drive conversations.

By providing coverage such as ongoing impacts of inclusionary zoning in Portland, the development of Block 216 and the pursuit of a site for a potential baseball stadium, we strive to be your most trusted, local source for news. A good local newspaper should both celebrate the community鈥檚 accomplishments and challenge its assumptions. You don鈥檛 always like or agree with what we write, and some of you tell us so. We respect and appreciate that.

Knowing some of the challenges of our industry, readers ask with increasing frequency how they can help make sure the free press remains vibrant. Our response is to recommend that they maintain a subscription to the newspaper or the digital version for full online access, support our advertisers (who, in turn, support our journalism), and encourage their friends and neighbors to do the same.

We are all grateful to operate in a country that provides us the freedom to freely examine and discuss the important issues we all face. And we at the Daily Journal of Commerce are grateful for you and your continued support for our work.

We wish you a warm, joyous, happy holiday season and look forward to continuing to serve you in 2019.

Nick Bjork

Publisher

The Daily Journal of Commerce

The post A letter of gratitude from the publisher appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Daily Journal of Commerce is proud to announce the 2018 Phenoms & Icons honorees. Each year, the 91视频 accepts nominations for two separate award categories 鈥� one for the local building industry鈥檚 rising stars who are younger than age 40, and another for local building industry icons who are older than age 60 and have left a lasting legacy. After receiving more than 50 nominations, we鈥檙e excited to announce the 22 honorees. Join us in congratulating them at a celebration at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 13. Attendees will be able to fete the honorees, eat good food, drink tasty beverages and network with industry professionals of multiple generations.

The Phenom honorees are: Alexandra Batzer, Green Hammer; Angie Cole, Lorentz Bruun Construction; Brodie Harvey, Knife River Corporation-Northwest; Brittney Herrera, HBx Studio; Jonathan Nyone, Otak; Romaine Rotschy, Tapani Inc.; Christopher Sherby, S&F Land Services; Daniel Sizemore, Mortenson; Justin Stranzl, DLR Group; Chris Walker, CIDA Architects and Engineers; and James Walker, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn.

The Icon honorees are: Elaine Aye, RWDI USA LLC; Bart Eberwein, Hoffman Construction; Dan Graham, Northwest College of Construction; Joe Hughes, Joseph Hughes Construction; Tom Jones, WHPacific; Roger Lenneberg, Jordan Ramis PC; Randy McCourt, DKS Associates; Scott Mills, GeoDesign Inc.; Roy Moore, Moore Excavation; Robert Packard, ZGF Architects; and Harv Wingerd, Todd Construction.

To learn more about the event and to register, visit .

Nick Bjork

Publisher

The Daily Journal of Commerce

The post 91视频 announces its ‘Phenoms & Icons’ for 2018 appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Daily Journal of Commerce has announced the first class of 91视频 Oregon Building Diversity Awards honorees.

The Building Diversity Awards honor disadvantaged, minority-owned, women-owned, emerging small businesses and combat-disabled veteran-owned firms that are certified through the state of Oregon’s COBID programs. Firms were selected for their efforts in shaping the built environment through outstanding work, leadership, mentorship, community involvement and promotion of industry diversity.

The 2017 91视频 Oregon Building Diversity Awards honorees are:

• Almar Contracting LLC
• Angelo Planning Group
• 础谤肠丑颈迟别肠迟耻谤别听叠耻颈濒诲颈苍驳听颁耻濒迟耻谤别
• Big C Industries LLC
• CIDA Architecture and Engineering
• Code Unlimited
• Emerick Architects
• Hartley Construction
• Mark Adams Electric
• O’Neill Construction Group Inc.
• Pacificmark Construction
• Rivero Design
• Samata Consulting Engineers
• Sign Wizards, Inc.
• Thuy Tu Consulting LLC
• Titan Utilities LLC
• Valley Growers Nursery & Landscape Inc.

The winning companies will be honored during the 91视频’s Building Diversity Awards, which will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Aug. 31, at The Sentinel hotel in downtown Portland. The event, sponsored by Hoffman Construction, will include food, drinks, networking and the awards program. The evening also will feature panel discussions about Oregon’s COBID programs and the state of diversity within the building industry.

Early-bird tickets are $55. The price increases to $65 after Aug. 17. Registration is available online at 91视频 Oregon.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Bill Beyer, 91视频 advertising director, at bbeyer@djcoregon.com or at (503) 802-7232.

The post 91视频 announces winners of 2017 Building Diversity Awards appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Opioids are everywhere, and they鈥檙e affecting everyone: young, old; female, male; white, black; blue collar, white collar. Prescription painkillers don鈥檛 seem to have a type, and everyone I talk to seems to have a story about how the epidemic has hit close to home for them.

Yet, it鈥檚 becoming increasingly clear that the construction industry is being affected more than other groups. According to a 2015 CNA Financial report, spending on prescription painkillers is 5 percent to 10 percent higher in construction than in all other industries combined. That鈥檚 a striking statistic considering more than 70 percent of employers in the U.S. believe the misuse of prescription drugs is having a direct impact on their workplace.

Join the Daily Journal of Commerce on Thursday, Aug. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for a special panel discussion: 鈥淭he Opioid Epidemic & the Building Industry.鈥� The breakfast event will provide a discussion of the depth of the opioid epidemic, how it鈥檚 affecting your bottom line, how to dissuade abuse, and what to do when an employee has a problem.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Lines for Life CEO Dwight Holton, and panelists will include: Cal Beyer, risk management director at Lakeside Industries; Dr. Rachel Solotaroff, interim CEO and president at Central City Concern; and P.K. Runkles-Pearson, attorney at Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP.

The event will take place at the Sentinel Hotel鈥檚 Billiards Room, at 614 S.W. 11th Ave., in Portland. Admission is $15, and includes breakfast, coffee and tea.

If you鈥檙e interested in sponsoring the event or participating in it, please contact Bill Beyer at 503-802-7232, or by email at bbeyer@djcOregon.com.

Sincerely,

Nick Bjork

Publisher

The post Publisher’s Note: The opioid epidemic and the building industry appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are pressing issues across every industry. But few industries have the ability to make as much a positive impact as those in the building business.

While I’m sure few of you would argue that we’ve made enough of an impact, the local building industries have several great stories to tell about the women-, minority- and combat-disabled veteran-owned businesses that have helped shape our community.

The Daily Journal of Commerce wants to tell those stories.

We’re proud to announce our newest event 鈥� Building Diversity 鈥� and we need your help in finding the COBID-certified firms deserving of the honor. That’s why we’re seeking anonymous nominations for the first 91视频 Oregon Building Diversity awards. If you’ve worked with an Oregon COBID-certified firm that not only produces stellar work, but has made an impact on the community and paved the way for other emerging businesses, we want to know about it. Please take a moment to visit www.djcoregon.com/building-diversity and download a nomination form.

Nominations will be accepted until July 14, when a panel of judges from various industry organizations tasked with promoting a more diverse workforce will select the first class of 91视频 Oregon Building Diversity honorees.

The Building Diversity award winners will be honored at an event on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sentinel Hotel Grand Ballroom in downtown Portland.

In addition to telling the amazing stories of this year’s class, the event will host a keynote presentation about the state of Oregon’s COBID (Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity) program, as well as ample networking time between COBID firms, prime contractors, public agencies and those wanting to learn more about the program.

The Daily Journal of Commerce is currently working with the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, the National Association of Minority Contractors’ Oregon chapter, Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber and others to plan a successful and impactful event.

If diversity and inclusion are important tenets of your company or organization, and you’d like to get involved or sponsor the event, please contact 91视频 Advertising Director Bill Beyer at 503-802-7232 or bbeyer@djcOregon.com for more information. Or visit /building-diversity/.

Thank you in advance for your nominations, and we hope to see you at the event.

Nick Bjork

91视频 publisher

The post New 91视频 event honors diversity and inclusion appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Daily Journal of Commerce is calling all readers to participate in the first 91视频 Reader Rankings Awards survey. Please take a moment to follow the link below and vote for your favorite firms, products and more within the local building industries.

This is the only opportunity to be recognized by your clients and peers as the very best in the Pacific Northwest built environment.

The survey consists of 52 categories in seven divisions: AEC firms and groups; specialty firms; service providers; equipment/suppliers; software/technology; event/food/drink; and media/marketing/public relations. 91视频 readers are allowed to vote in each category once per day. The survey will close on May 28, and once the votes are tallied, the top three vote-getters in each category will be announced in a special publication within the 91视频 and on 91视频Oregon.com on July 14.

The survey can be taken from any device by visiting: .

The contenders in each category were selected through a nomination survey in February. There is an option to select 鈥渙ther鈥� and vote for a company or product not listed. There will also be an opportunity at the end to provide feedback on additional categories for next year.

Please take a moment to check out the survey and vote for your favorites. While we appreciate you taking time to vote in each category, you’re not required to select an answer for all. Also, the survey is not behind our pay wall, so feel free to pass it along to others either within or outside of your firm.

If you’d like to get some ideas on how to promote your firm, product or clients, please contact me directly at nbjork@djcOregon.com or 503-802-7214.

Happy voting and good luck!

Sincerely,

Nick Bjork

Publisher

The post Votes sought for favorite companies and products appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Daily Journal of Commerce is excited to launch our first Reader Rankings Awards, which will be announced later this summer. First, we are calling upon our readers to nominate their favorite firms, products and more within the building industries.

91视频 staffers have put together a list of roughly 40 鈥榖est of’ categories ranging from the best general contractor to the best happy hour to close a business deal. Winners will be determined by you 鈥� our readers. Category areas include: firms, software, event/food/drink, equipment/supplies, service providers, and media/marketing/public relations. While not everyone can be a winner, we want to include everyone deserving of the honor, which is why we’re asking you to name some of your favorites.

Over the next month we have housed a survey at /reader-rankings-nominations/. There, you can nominate your firm, as well as the firms, products and places that you feel deserve to be honored. While we would love for you to submit as many nominations as possible, the survey is set up to allow you to submit as many, or as few, as you like.

Once the nomination period ends, we will put together a final survey asking everyone to vote on their favorites in each category. Votes will be limited to one vote per internet protocol address each day that the survey is open. So, when the time comes, feel free to pass the survey around as much as possible to make sure your firm or product wins.

In July, we will tally the votes and run a special section of our newspaper announcing all the winners, providing them the opportunity to brand themselves appropriately.

We truly appreciate your help.

Happy nominating!

Sincerely,

Nick Bjork

Publisher

The post 91视频 launches first Reader Rankings awards program appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Daily Journal of Commerce is excited to announce the launch of the Pacific Northwest Construction Outlook Indicator. We hope that you, our readers, will take a moment out of your schedule each month to fill out the brief survey.

The Pacific Northwest Construction Outlook Indicator is a monthly index designed to measure the overall sentiment of the local building industry in its current state, as well as the anticipated outlook over the next six months. This is measured through the participant鈥檚 confidence, or lack thereof, in three areas 鈥� business conditions, employment conditions and revenue 鈥� both now and as expected in six months.

In addition to having an overall measurement of market confidence in the region that we can compare to past months or even past years, we will also be able to break it down by industry type, company size and region to get a better idea of pain points and growth areas. Ultimately, we hope the data provides you with one more element to make better informed decisions.

Anyone can take the survey, no matter what position you hold within your company, or whether you鈥檙e a subscriber to the Daily Journal of Commerce. You鈥檒l be allowed to take the survey only once per month, and we hope you take it each and every month. The more results we have, the better the data we can provide you.

All entries are 100 percent anonymous, and we won鈥檛 ask for your name, company or email.

We will collect results in the second half of each month, and publish the results in the newspaper and online in the beginning of the following month. Lastly, we will compile our annual data and publish it in our newest publication, The Contractor鈥檚 Almanac, each November. The Contractor鈥檚 Almanac is an annual synopsis of building industry trends, a compilation of our A-List rank-ordered industry lists and expert forecasting for the year to come.

Are you interested in exclusive sponsorship of the Pacific Northwest Construction Outlook Indicator? In addition to consistent, exclusive branding, you鈥檒l be allowed to add three questions to the survey each month, with data provided exclusively to you.
Sincerely,

Nick Bjork
Publisher
Daily Journal of Commerce

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