September 15th 2004 • Printer version

Is Oregonís business climate hot, warm . . . or all wet? Join the University of Oregon School of Law and Portlandís mayoral candidates, top business lawyers, corporate counsel, and industry leaders to explore the steps needed to make Oregon truly business friendly.

The 2004 Business Innovation and Law conference will take place on Friday, October 1 from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Portland World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon. The $140 cost includes lunch and general and ethics CLE credits. For information and registration, call (541) 346-3042 or register online at www.law.uoregon.edu/pdx

Participants include the Portland Business Alliance, Oregonians in Action, the UO College of Business and the governorís office. They will discuss regulation, taxation, public/private partnerships and post-Enron ethics. Craig Wessel, publisher of the Portland Business Journal, will open the conference with remarks about Oregonís regulatory climate.

Portland mayoral candidates Jim Francesconi and Tom Potter will participate in a moderated forum at 9:00 A.M. Francesconi, a 1978 UO law graduate and Portland commissioner, and Tom Potter, former Portland police chief, will discuss their plans for making Portland a more business-friendly environment.

Francesconi and Potter will have 20 minutes each to address their vision for business growth in Portland, followed by 20 minutes of audience questions. They are expected to confront the perception by many business owners that Portland is particularly rocky soil in which to plant or maintain a business. Recently, Francesconi unveiled a plan for his first 100 days in office that addressed several reforms to foster growth of small business. Both candidates are expected to articulate their visions and concrete plans that address economic development in Portland.

While focusing initially on the Portland area, the conference encompasses the entire stateís regulatory climate with speakers drawn from Oregon's business, legal, and academic communities, including William Thorndike, Jr., president of Medford Fabrication, and member of the Port of Portland Commission.

For a full list of conference participants: www.law.uoregon.edu/pdx

The UO presents two Portland conferences about the Oregon economy:

http://www.uoregon.edu/newscenter/3-9-04-EconForums.html