PORTLAND, Ore. - Several Oregon family businesses will be honored at the 2014 Excellence in Family Business Awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Sentinel Hotel in Portland.

Bill Chambers, owner of Stahlbush Island Farms, Inc., and one of this year's honorees, will speak at the event, which is sponsored by Oregon State University's Austin Family Business Program. Chambers and his wife, Karla, of Corvallis, were selected as the Dean's Family Business Leadership Award winners for 2014.

"We're so fortunate that Bill will be joining us to share his advice and insights about three generations of enterprises in the Chambers family," said Sherri Noxel, director of the Austin Family Business Program.

Founded in 1985, the Austin Family Business Program at OSU is a family business program providing inspiration, education, outreach and research to support the success and survival of family businesses.

The Excellence in Family Business Awards recognize the achievements of family businesses in entrepreneurship, community involvement and multi-generational planning. More than 200 companies have been honored since the awards began in 1988.

This year's awards feature new categories that reflect sound family business practices. Two of those categories honor winners from both established and emerging family businesses. Honorees are:

  • Family Harmony: Second Glance, Inc., of Corvallis, emerging family business; and Unger Farms, Inc. of Cornelius, established family business. Finalists in the category were Jag Forms of West Linn, emerging; and WSC Insurance of Forest Grove, established.
  • Generational Development: Glory Bee of Eugene, emerging family business. Finalists were Advanced Wealth Management, Portland, emerging; and Blue Raeven Farmstand, LLC, of Rickreall, established.
  • Business Renewal: Willamette Valley Pie Company, Salem. Viewpoint Construction Software of Portland was a finalist in the category.
  • Student Award: Jake Thompson of Thompson Timber.

The event begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the program at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $85, or $25 for children ages 3-10. The hotel is located at 614 S.W. 11th Ave., Portland.

To reserve a seat, register online at http://bit.ly/1yVW32k or contact Melissa Elmore at [email protected] or 1-800-859-7609. The deadline to register is Nov. 7.

Source: 

Sherri Noxel, 541-737-6019, [email protected]

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