november 2013 gorge tech alliance newsletter about the gta...
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11/27/13 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Mail - GTA Newsletter November 2013
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=e34461872c&view=pt&search=inbox&th=1429b27f114d7a2b 1/6
Jessica Metta <[email protected]>
GTA Newsletter November 20131 message
Jessica Metta <[email protected]> Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 12:02 PMReply-To: [email protected]: [email protected]
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Gorge Tech Alliance NewsletterNovember 2013
About the GTA
The GTA supports, connects anddevelops the technology
community of the Columbia RiverGorge.
www.crgta.org * Email the GTA541-296-2266
In This Issue
GTA Aw ard Finalists
Regional Tech Wages Data
GTA Members and Sponsors
Website Headlines
Gorge Robotics New s
Gorge Wind Challenge
Federal Grant Opportunity
Happy Thanksgiving from the GTA!
GTA Announces Award Finalists
The Gorge Tech Alliance Board of Directors was very pleased withthe nominations received this year for the first of our annualawards. We are happy to announce the finalists!
2013 GTA Tech Leader of the Year Finalists:
Jeff Blackman, Hood River Valley High School RoboticsTeacherRepresentative Mark Johnson, Oregon House District 52Ken Levy, CEO, 4-Tell, Inc.
11/27/13 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Mail - GTA Newsletter November 2013
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=e34461872c&view=pt&search=inbox&th=1429b27f114d7a2b 2/6
Talent Crunch Article
Job Openings
Project Management Course
Events Calendar
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Andy Mack, President, Zepher Inc.
2013 GTA Tech Organization of the Year Finalists:
4-Tell, Inc.Klickitat-Skamania Local Technology Planning Team
GTA Members are invited to congratulate the finalists and hear thewinners announced at our annual Holiday Party on Thursday,December 12, 6pm at Volcanic Bottle Shoppe (1410 12th St,Hood River). Heavy appetizers provided. RSVP required toJessica by December 9.
GTA Releases Research about Regional Tech Wages
The GTA recently released data about the economic impact of theunmanned aerial system (UAS) industry in the five-county region,particularly the annual average wage as compared to some of ourlarger regional industries of tourism, agriculture and health care. Insummary, the UAS companies and suppliers employ just over1000 people with an average annual pay of around $68,000. At$44,000, the annual average wage for health care was the nexthighest but still significantly less than the tech jobs. For the fullpress release, visit the GTA's website here.
GTA Members and Sponsors
It's GTA Membership and Sponsorship Renewal Time! Have yourenewed yours yet? Or if you've been waiting to join, now is agreat time! View our membership or sponsorship benefits on ourwebsite. Thank you to these companies for joining or renewingtheir support of the GTA!
New Members:Gary McFarlen Computer ConsultingOregon Aviation IndustriesTrillium Engineering
Renewing Sponsors:Cardinal Glass (Gold Sponsor)Custom Interface Inc. (Silver Sponsor)Gorge Technology Group (Silicon Sponsor)Sagetech Corporation (Silicon Sponsor)Sherman County (Silicon Sponsor)Sightline Applications (Silicon Sponsor)Zepher, Inc. (Silicon Sponsor) Renewing Members:Arthur Babitz4-Tell Inc.Bill BlankeCenterPointe Community BankColumbia River InsuranceSteve Davis, Davis Wright Tremaine LLPImpact Inc.Jane BeattyKinetics, Inc.Klickitat County Economic Development
11/27/13 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Mail - GTA Newsletter November 2013
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Silicon Sponsors
Light Wave CommunicationsPort of KlickitatPort of Skamania CountySchmitzwareStreamzap, Inc.Summit ProjectsVan Valkenburgh and AssociatesvLetter Inc.Wasco County 4-H
What You Might Have Missed This Month...
Between newsletters, the GTA still loves to share Member news. Ifyou're not checking the Headlines on our website or connected viaLinked In, Facebook or Twitter, you're missing out! Follow ustoday - and be sure to send your news items to Jessica. Fromthis past month:
Seeq Announces $6M in Series A FundingFAA Unveils Plan for Integrating Unmanned Aircraft into USAirspaceCustom Interface Holds Open House Celebration
Gorge Robotics News
Everyone is invited to watch the fun at the GTA's Columbia GorgeFIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournaments! These roboticsevents are for teams of kids ages 9 to 14 that have been practicingsince September and are ready to show off their programming anddesigns. Join us on Dec 7 and 8 at The Dalles Middle School orDec 15 at Wy'east Middle School in Odell, 9am-3pm all days.Many thanks to our tournament sponsor Google and to the manyvolunteers who make these happen!
Speaking of volunteers, we need YOU for the FIRST TechChallenge qualifier at Hood River Valley High School on January11, the robotics competition for teams of 12 to 18 year olds.Contact Jessica to sign up today! No robotics experiencenecessary - all kinds of jobs are open!
Register for Wind Challenge by Dec 15
The December 15 registration deadline is coming up quickly forhigh school and middle school teams looking to participate in the3rd Annual Wind Challenge in the Columbia River Gorge. Asbefore, this event is a collaboration between Columbia GorgeCommunity College and Google. It will be hosted at The DallesCivic Auditorium on May 3, 2014. The Wind Challenge is seeking teams of three to six students withone teacher or volunteer mentor. The competition is well-suited forschool clubs (Robotics, 4-H, etc.), small groups of students, or aclassroom with a few chosen participants.There is no cost toparticipate. Learn more here.
11/27/13 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Mail - GTA Newsletter November 2013
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$75,000 Federal Grants for "Made in America" Products orServices
Companies that have seen sales and/or production decline, andthat have been forced to lay off workers or reduce work hours, andthat have lost some domestic sales to imports may qualify for upto $75,000 in a matching grant from the Federal government. TheNorthwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center is a non-profitorganization that administers the Trade Adjustment Assistance forFirms (TAAF) program for the U.S. Economic DevelopmentAdministration. TAAF helps American companies become morecompetitive when faced with import competition in their markets.Learn more here.
Article: "Oregon Tech Execs Primed to Hire - If They Can Find Employees"
From the November Portland Business Journal: Ask a startup what their biggest challenges are and likely hiring and fundraising will rise to the top. Anew study by the Technology Councils of North America and the Technology Association of Oregonshows that in Oregon the talent crunch is a major concern. Fifty-four percent of tech companyexecutives surveyed for the report said labor prices, availability of talent and employee turnover are thebiggest business threat over the next six months. That compares to 34 percent of executivesnationwide that had this concern as well. More...
Job Openings with GTA Members
Cloud Cap Technology has a number of openings, from Gimbal Manufacturing Engineer, toManufacturing Tech to Senior Human Resources Generalist and more.Google is hiring a Data Center Facilities Tech and Associate Facilities Tech for their datacenter in The Dalles.Innovative Composite Engineering is seeking a Machinist. Insitu has a number of openings, from Software Engineer, to Manufacturing Repair Tech, toCost Estimator and more.Real Carbon is seeking a Process Engineer and a Production Worker.Sagetech is seeking a Principal Development Engineer.
Project Management Series in Hood River
Portland State University will again be offering Project Management classes at the Columbia GorgeCommunity College - Indian Creek campus in Hood River. Registration is open now for individualclasses or sign up for all four to receive the certificate. All are on Fridays from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Project Planning and Organization, February 21 & 28Project Management Communications and Teamwork, March 14 & 21
11/27/13 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Mail - GTA Newsletter November 2013
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Project Management Tools, April 11 & 18Project Leadership & Conflict Management, May 2 & 9
Events Calendar
There are a lot of great events happening in and out of the Gorge for our tech businesses! Visit thelinks below for more information. December
Dec. 9: 2013 Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit, 8am to 5pm, Portland. $185.Dec. 9, 10, 11: Three one-day or combined Visual Workplace events (Lean manufacturing) withDr. Gwendolyn Galsworth in Portland. Discount offered by SME. More info here.Dec 10: TAO Event: The Technical Services Talent Paradox: Solutions to the Talent Crunch.7:30-10am, Portland, $20. Dec. 10-11: 2-Day Strategic Planning Workshop with GTA Member Catalyst- PerformanceConsulting. More info here.Dec. 12: GTA Holiday Party, 6pm, Volcanic Bottle Shoppe in Hood River. RSVPrequired to Jessica.Dec. 17: GTA Geek Lunch featuring Rep. Mark Johnson discussing STEM activities inthe Oregon Legislature. Noon at China Gorge in Hood River. Free for all to attend; no-host lunch.
January
Jan. 10: Two workshops offered by GTA Member Catalyst- Performance Consulting:Interviewing and Selection or Delivering Performance Feedback. More info here.Jan. 15: Gorge Innoventure Brown Bag on Sococo Virtual Office Demo. Noon, Hood River.Jan. 21: GTA Geek Lunch, topic TBA. Noon, China Gorge in Hood River. Jan. 22: Gorge Innoventure Brown Bag on 9 Ways to Organize Your Business for 2014. Noon,Hood River.Jan. 28: GTA Featured Event on Business Opportunities in the Electric Vehicle Industry.6:30pm, White Buffalo Wine Bar, Hood River. $10 for non-GTA members.Jan. 30: TAO Annual Member Party, 5pm, Portland, $95.
Plan Now!
March 11-13, 2014: Aerospace and Defense Supplier Summit in Seattle!
Disclaimer: This newsletter is sponsored by GTA. The items contained herein are published as submittedand are provided for general information purposes only. This information is not advice. Readers should notrely solely on this information, but should make their own inquiries before making any decisions. GTA worksto maintain up-to-date information from reliab le sources; however, no responsib ility is accepted for anyerrors or omissions or results of any actions based upon this information. If you have any questionsregarding any of these items, contact the organizational representative of that source. This newsletter may contain links to websites that are created and maintained by other organizations. GTAdoes not necessarily endorse the views expressed on these websites, nor does it guarantee the accuracy orcompleteness of any information presented there. Furthermore, visitors should be aware that other siteslinked from this newsletter may use persistent cookies that track visitor viewing habits.
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