CEDR (Clatsop Economic Development Resources) is the only organization in Clatsop County whose sole focus is to create, grow and retain businesses. We have launched our 2018 membership campaign, and are reaching out to new and existing members to join and renew membership in our CEDR organization.

CEDR serves the need for a dedicated economic development services organization, and provides a central point of contact for coordinated efforts across communities, countywide.

We would like to publicly thank the 78 private sector members, both businesses and individuals, who invested in the CEDR organization last year. (Note the listing of businesses and individuals in the CEDR ad this month.) The investment in the CEDR organization has allowed us to expand services we can provide to the business community, many at no cost.

We would also like to thank our public-sector funding partners: Clatsop County, the cities of Astoria, Cannon Beach, Gearhart, Seaside and Warrenton, the Port of Astoria, Sunset Empire Transportation District, and last but certainly not least, our employer: Clatsop Community College.

CEDR provides more resources and service to local businesses than any one community in Clatsop County could provide alone.

Here’s a recap of CEDR/Clatsop Community College Small Business Development Center’s recent accomplishments:.

• CEDR met with 268 clients in free and confidential advising sessions, totaling 1,767 hours; 104 clients are 51 percent or more women-owned, and 48 minority-owned.

• CEDR contributed to the creation and retention of 199 jobs.

• CEDR contributed to 13 new business starts.

• CEDR assisted in securing over $1,126,114 in financing for local businesses.

• The CEDR/Clatsop Community College SBDC Small Business Management Program has 22 business owners and managers enrolled in this flagship program, which has been part of Clatsop Community College since the 1980’s.

• CEDR presented 80 educational workshops serving 455 people.

The Clatsop Community College Small Business Development Center, under the CEDR umbrella, is part of the statewide OSBDCN (Oregon Small Business Development Center Network), one of nineteen Centers in the state of Oregon that are affiliated with every community college in the state, as well as two universities. We are also a member of the national organization, “America’s SBDC”.

The core mission of the SBDC is free and confidential one-on-one business advising, training and information resources for new and existing businesses.

• CEDR spearheaded the Clatsop County 2017 Job and Career Fair which was held in February with over 675 students participating from all five Clatsop County high schools as well as Ilwaco and Naselle High Schools, over 70 employers, and was expanded to include adult job seekers in the afternoon.

Save the date for the fourth annual Clatsop County 2018 Job and Career Fair which will be held in Astoria on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Patriot Hall on the Lexington Campus.

• CEDR represents the Clatsop County Business Community S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Northwest Regional Stem Partnership through the regional E.S.D. (Economic Service District) district which includes Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, and Western Washington Counties. Plans are to launch a very exciting paid internship program called “Clatsop Works” with the business community and the public sector in summer 2018 for our high school and college students.

• CEDR meets monthly on economic development issues with Clatsop County’s manager, and all city managers, is an advisory member of the Governor’s Regional Solutions Advisory Committee and the Col-Pac Economic Development District.

• I serve on the Clatsop Forestry Economic Development Committee (chairman this year) and am a member of the newly formed Fisheries Committee, which organized and held the first annual Fisheries Tour in May, with over 100 participants. The Forestry and Fisheries leaders tours highlight the continued importance of the Natural Resource industries in Clatsop County, representing 50% of our regional economy.

• CEDR is working with the City of Seaside and the Seaside Civic & Convention Center on upgrading accommodations in Seaside to remain competitive with the very important convention and meeting business in the Northwest Region.

• I also served as a steering committee member on the “Advance Astoria” project that will guide Astoria’s growth over the next five years, and was adopted by the Astoria City Council earlier this year.

• I serve on the steering committee for the Travel Oregon “North Coast Tourism Studio” initiative, which is a partnership of Clatsop and Tillamook County Tourist Organizations and other stakeholders working collaboratively to develop more authentic and sustainable tourism.

• I am a member of the Oregon State University “Extension Citizen Advisory Network this year, and serve on the OSU extension statewide steering committee representing the entire Oregon coast.

CEDR membership is available for as little as $50 per year for individuals, and $100 per year for businesses. Six levels of membership are available, and benefits accrue with each upgrade in membership.

For more information, send an email to sbdc@clatsopcc.edu, kleahy @clatsopcc.edu, or call CEDR/CCC SBDC Executive Director Kevin Leahy, at 503-338-2342.

We appreciate all who have contributed in the past, and look forward to new supporters to help us continue to “Deliver business-driven economic development services to create, grow and retain Clatsop County businesses.”