Business Advancement Team
Contacts:
Athletic & Outdoor: Sue Bal | Metals & Manufacturing: Kevin Johnson | Green Cities: Katherine Krajnak
Technology & Media: Yvonne Smoker | Food & Beverage Manufacturing: Yvonne Smoker
Prosper Portland’s Business Advancement Team is a catalyst for equitable economic growth. We help businesses grow by providing support and identifying opportunities that foster the creation of living wage jobs for all Portlanders.
The Business Advancement Team focuses on:
Prosper Portland supports five priority industries – Athletic & Outdoor, Green Cities, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Metals & Machinery, and Technology & Media.
Traded Sector Industries
Traded sector industries produce goods and services that generate sales outside of the region, bringing new income to the area, and growing the regional economy. These priority industries are robust and competitive in Portland, and have the potential to grow and leverage inclusion and climate action in their work.
These high–growth industries can also benefit from the concentration of talent in this region. We want to ensure inclusive growth by supporting these competitive industries that provide high-quality job opportunities and working to fill those jobs with people of color and low-income residents.
Traded sector industries produce goods and services that generate sales outside of the region, bringing new income to the area, and growing the regional economy.
These priority industries are robust, competitive, and have the potential to grow and benefit from the concentration of talent in this region. We want to ensure inclusive growth in these sectors, creating high-quality job opportunities that benefit marginalized communities and uplift the city’s goals for inclusion and climate action.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing
The Food & Beverage Manufacturing industry includes food manufacturing, beverage manufacturing, packaging, wholesaling, and equipment & machinery.
Metals & Machinery
The Metals & Machinery industry is represented by primary metal manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, and transportation equipment manufacturing.
Green Cities
The Green Cities cluster is a broad category of companies producing innovative products, services, and technologies that address the climate crisis and solve environmental challenges.
Technology & Media
The Technology & Media industry is one of the fastest growing in Portland’s economy, employing more than 16,000 people in Multnomah County. Prosper Portland assists businesses through one-on-one business consultation and access to programs and resources.
Athletic & Outdoor
The Athletic & Outdoor (A&O) sector includes a wide array of consumer goods businesses, including apparel, footwear, bikes, gear, handmade goods and accessories.
News
Businesses Expanding in Portland
Prominent businesses recommit to and expand in Portland. Dos Hermanos owners Josue Azcorra (left) and Gabriel [...]
Businesses recommitting to downtown Portland
Despite negative headlines, actions speak louder than words…and in this case, the actions are businesses signing new leases in downtown Portland.
Connect with the Business Advancement Team for resources for growing businesses:
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion resources through Portland Means Progress
- Expansion & relocation support
- Access to Prosper Portland Finance Programs or those of our partners
The following resources are available to businesses in the Athletic & Outdoor, Green Cities, Metals & Machinery, Technology & Media, and Food & Beverage Manufacturing industries:
- Access and support for trade missions
- Export assistance
- Peer–to–peer networking opportunities
- Industry-specific technical assistance