Rosboro roundtable: Celebrating growth and collaboration in Springfield
In October 2024, the Chamber held a roundtable and tour at Rosboro, a leading industry player in Springfield, where over 50 members attended to hear from Brian Wells, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Development, about a significant $120 million facility expansion. This event celebrated National Manufacturing Month and highlighted local innovation. Founded in 1939, Rosboro is the largest North American manufacturer of glue-laminated timber products. Wells shared the company’s evolution from pure timber to engineered products and detailed the expansion, which includes a new glulam plant, kilns, and a planer mill, boosting production capacity by over 50%. This project will create new jobs and strengthen local supplier partnerships, enhancing Springfield’s reputation for sustainable manufacturing.
Leadership Summit
In November, the Chamber hosted the Sixth Annual Leadership Summit at the Holiday Inn Express, welcoming 140 attendees for a day of growth and inspiration. Themed “Beyond Limits: Embody Innovation,” the event focused on pushing boundaries in leadership.
The summit featured a keynote address by Dave Moss, Executive Director of the Eugene Symphony, titled “In Perfect Harmony: The Rhythms of Innovation,” which included a live performance by students from the University of Oregon. Moss emphasized how creative principles in music can drive business success.
Participants also engaged in actionable goal-setting strategies led by Michael Alvarado from Servicemen Painting. Breakout sessions included discussions on integrating AI in business by Steve Cary of Many Mega, and an exploration of fostering innovation within a long-standing business model by Jason Giles and Thomas Howard from Rexius, facilitated by Deborah Creager of Chambers Construction.
Chamber holiday cheer
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce held its final Business After Hours event of 2024 on Dec. 5 at Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, drawing nearly 150 attendees for a night of networking and holiday festivities. Co-sponsored by Travel Lane County and Mereté Hotel Management, the casual atmosphere featured craft beer, wine from Iris Vineyards, and food from Falling Sky Brewing.
A highlight was the holiday sweater contest, where participants competed by collecting candy canes, with finalists Andy Vobora from Travel Lane County and Sarah Keepers from West Coast Strength. Speakers included Liz Tate from Mereté, Samara Phelps from Travel Lane County, and Vonnie Mikkelsen, President & CEO of the Springfield Chamber. The event offered great opportunities for attendees to strengthen connections and promote their businesses, complete with raffle prizes.
Upcoming: Small biz hub for disaster preparedness
The Springfield Chamber will host its first quarterly Small Business Solutions Hub of 2025 on Jan. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Springfield Chamber Depot, located at 101 S. A St., Springfield, Oregon. Attendees will enjoy lunch and hear about business disaster preparedness from Sonya McCormick, Public Private Partnership (P3) program manager, and Kayla Thompson, community preparedness coordinator at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. The event is free of charge, providing a valuable opportunity for local businesses to learn how to stay prepared for any situation.
Upcoming: Roundtable to address business climate
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Roundtable discussion on Oregon’s business climate on Jan. 28, 2025, from 4 to 5 p.m. Paloma Sparks, executive vice president and general counsel at Oregon Business & Industry (OBI), will present insights from OBI’s recently released Oregon Competitiveness Agenda. The report identifies key challenges facing the state, including tax policy, workforce shortages, land availability, and regulatory reform, while outlining actionable strategies to address these issues.
Chamber members are encouraged to participate in the discussion, ask questions, and share local perspectives on improving the state’s economic environment collaboratively among businesses, legislators, and regulatory bodies.
Information and photos provided by Adam Tamarkin, Springfield Chamber senior marketing and communications manager in partnership with The Chronicle.
