PORTLAND, Ore. – Several Oregon family businesses will be honored at the Oregon State University College of Business’ 2018 Excellence in Family Business Awards ceremony Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Sentinel Hotel in Portland.
Port Blakely, a fifth-generation family enterprise headquartered in Seattle, will receive the Dean’s Award for Family Business Leadership, which is sponsored by the college’s Austin Family Business Program. Siblings Gabrielle and Dylan McEntee, fourth-generation leaders of Mo’s Seafood and Chowder, will emcee.
“We’re honored to recognize the achievements of these families who embody our shared values of hard work and commitment to excellence,” said Mitzi Montoya, Sara Hart Kimball Dean of the College of Business. “Family-owned businesses are a cornerstone of the Oregon economy, and as a land-grant university, it’s our responsibility to celebrate and foster a culture of support and shared-learning to help our family businesses thrive.”
Founded in 1985, the Austin Family Business Program provides inspiration, education, outreach and research to support family businesses.
“We’re celebrating a strong group of businesses, from second- to sixth-generation companies, that showcase entrepreneurial families in diverse industries throughout Oregon,” said Sherri Noxel, the program’s director.
The awards feature categories that reflect sound family business practices. Honorees are:
- Family Harmony: Tec Laboratories, Inc., Albany. Finalists in the category included Abbott & Associates Professional Placement, Inc. of Portland and Nicholas Restaurant of Gresham.
- Generational Development: C.M. & W. O. Sheppard, Inc., Hood River. Lee Farms in Tualatin and Stehn Family Funeral Homes, Inc. in Milwaukie were finalists in the category.
- Business Renewal: Forest Hills Farms, Inc., Cornelius. Finalists included C & R Remodeling of Salem and Paddington Station of Ashland.
- Student Award: Madeline Mullins, Western Precision Products, Inc., Tualatin.
The event begins with a reception at 4 p.m. and the program at 5:45 p.m. Tickets are $45 for the reception alone, $75 for the reception with a buffet, or $25 for children ages 3-10. The Sentinel Hotel is located at 614 SW 11th Ave., Portland.
To reserve a seat, register online or contact Melissa Elmore at Melissa.elmore@bus.oregonstate.edu or 1-800-859-7609.
About the OSU College of Business: The College of Business educates students for success in managing and developing sustainable, innovative enterprises in a dynamic economy. With strong graduate and undergraduate programs, internationally recognized scholarly research, and an emphasis on experiential learning, the college helps students and businesses succeed.
