Ask anyone who has repaired cars and they’ll tell you the most baffling problems are electrical. In fact, many automotive repair facilities routinely send out their electrical issues, such as rebuilding alternators and starters, to specialists. In Newport, that specialist is Allstart Auto Electric.

Allstart Auto Electric first opened in December of 1995 in a small facility across from the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. Jerry Kieffer, the company’s president and principal owner, learned the business in Idaho, where he was raised and eventually owned two electrical firms. In partnership with Doug Updenkelder, Jerry started construction during 1999 on a new, larger facility on East Olive (Highway 20) in Newport, where the company presently resides.

Many people falsely assume that Allstart Auto Electric is just in the consumer automotive business, but that’s far from the case. The company serves the electrical needs of a wide variety of customers, including industrial businesses, government agencies, tourism-based businesses and the fishing industry. In fact, the diversity of the electrical challenges that his company faces each day is one of the reasons that Jerry continues to love the business.

Rows of golf carts in front of Allstart Auto Electric’s building are indicative of another aspect of the company’s areas of expertise. Allstart services and sells refurbished golf carts, not just to golfers, but to resorts, hotels, farms and communities that use golf carts as utility vehicles.

Battery sales are also an important component of the business. Allstart Auto Electric exclusively sells Deka, a 100% US made product that is specified as original equipment by many manufacturers including CAT and Harley Davidson. “These are the best batteries I’ve ever handled,” explains Jerry.

Besides rotating electrical (alternators and starters), Allstart also fixes a wide array of other automotive maladies such as short circuits on power seats, heaters and wipers. “It can be very time consuming to find the source of an electrical problem,” explains Jerry.

Understanding that he is in an evolving industry which requires constant training and education, Jerry is very active in national trade groups. He is currently a member of the Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association and he serves as Northwest President of the Electrical Rebuilders Association. Since both are national organizations, it’s a good thing that Jerry enjoys travel. A map in his office, with what appears to be more than 100 pins, shows some of the far locations that his business-related travel has taken him.

After 20 years in business, many of them working seven days a week, Jerry understands the sacrifices an entrepreneur makes. “Sometimes a small business is more in control of you, than you are of it,” he explains with a smile.

Jerry is adamant that much of his success is due to the hard work of his five-person staff. Allstart Auto Electric is very much a family business; Jerry’s son, David, now serves as manager of the company. Besides his mechanical skills, David has a strong background in customer service, which Jerry considers to be “essential to the business.”

Jerry and Allstart Auto Electric have been Oregon Coast Bank customers since we first opened more than 13 years ago. The bank has provided a variety of business loans, financed his home, and provides Allstart Auto Electric’s credit card processing. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Oregon Coast Bank,” says Jerry. “What they’ve done for my family and business is priceless.”

All of us at Oregon Coast Bank understand that our local economy is driven by companies like Allstart Auto Electric and entrepreneurs like Jerry. If you’re doing business on the Oregon Coast, we’d like to be doing business with you.

She was given a musical name, Delcinea, but growing up in Lincoln City and the Portland area she spent far more time on soccer fields and basketball courts than she did studying music. Gradually, while acting in summer stock productions, she grew to love the theater, and once she started singing on stage people began to take notice. At the age of 17, Delcinea Lutes accepted a music scholarship to the Hartt School, a prestigious performing arts conservatory in Connecticut. There she met Matt.

Matt Plenk had grown up more than 3000 miles away, in Lindenhurst, New York on Long Island. Like Delcinea, he had first been recognized for his athletic prowess, but when people heard him sing in church and school productions, it was clear he had a future in music. Matt also entered the Hartt School on scholarship and soon gained national attention as a tenor competing in the New York Metropolitan Opera’s Young Artists Contest. After graduation, he accepted another scholarship and began his post graduate work at the Yale School of Music.

Five years after they met, Delcinea and Matt were married in Oregon. Needless to say, with all their opera colleagues in attendance, the hymns that day sounded somewhat impressive. Matt had already accepted a fulltime position with the New York Metropolitan Opera, which is somewhat akin to a baseball player graduating college and starting for the Yankees the next day.

Buying a home in New York during the height of the real estate boom was difficult on two young singer’s salaries, so Delcinea left music temporarily to take a job on Wall Street. Soon they were the proud owners of a condominium. It was just 900 square feet with a view of a brick wall less than six inches away, but being homeowners in Manhattan while in their twenties certainly had its advantages.

A few years later, during a party at the Met, Delcinea met the publicist for Renee Fleming, the world’s most acclaimed soprano. Fleming was also Delcinea’s idol. She was in need of an additional assistant on her staff, and Delcinea quickly accepted the job. Within a few years, she had risen through the ranks to become Fleming’s manager.

Matt’s career continued to blossom and he performed in opera houses from Tokyo to Milan. When she wasn’t on the road with Fleming, Delcinea would travel with Matt, managing Fleming’s staff and affairs online. It was an exciting life, but the couple wanted something more, a family.

With their first child, Ellie, just a baby, the family’s heavy travel schedule was manageable. But after a second child, Owen, had arrived and Ellie entered pre-school, life on the road as a family was difficult. Delcinea and Matt also began to question whether they wanted to raise their children in New York.

Oregon, particularly the coast, was their first choice. Delcinea and Matt spent as much vacation time there as they could. But the couple was realistic. Opera jobs in the Northwest are few, and the pay far less than what is available in major cities.

In an effort to reduce his travel, Matt accepted an offer to join the faculty of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. The university encouraged him to continue performing internationally, it would be good publicity for the school, but with his fulltime salary as a professor he could spend far more time at home with his young family. Putting their roots down in Denver, a city they enjoyed for its recreational opportunities, seemed to be a perfect solution. Until they tried to buy a home.

To call the housing market in Denver a hot one is an understatement. Delcinea and Matt put in full price offers on five different homes. Each time, they were beaten out by offers of as much as 25% above asking price. Typically a home would come on the market and more than a dozen buyers would make offers the first day. The couple’s realtor suggested that they get preapproved for a mortgage to gain bargaining power. That proved problematic.

Matt’s salary as a professor wouldn’t qualify as income until he had been on the job for several months and showing proof of income as a traveling opera singer was a paperwork nightmare. Although they had a substantial down payment and could afford the payments, Denver mortgage lenders, who were busy enough making conventional loans, didn’t want to take the time to document the couple’s income.

Delcinea’s dad, a long-time Oregon Coast Bank customer, suggested that they call Eric Greenawald, who manages the bank’s real estate lending team. That’s when things changed. “Eric was incredibly helpful,” remembers Delcinea. “He let us know that we could qualify for a conventional mortgage immediately, but that it would be for a lesser amount. Then he suggested that the bank could fund the full amount locally, at a slightly higher rate, until Matt’s salary as a professor could be counted for income purposes, at which point he would refinance the mortgage in the secondary market at the lowest possible rate.”

Within a few days, Delcinea and Matt had a preapproved loan and the advantage of a bank behind them that promised to fund the loan quickly. With the additional bargaining power, their next offer to buy a home was successful. Soon they had moved their family from New York to Denver, all made possible through the relationship they had with their bank on the Oregon Coast. “At the closing, our realtor told us that she’d never seen a bank fund so quickly,” recalls Matt. “I doubt she’d ever dealt with a true community bank before, the kind where the customers actually get to know the decision-makers.”

So how convenient is it for a couple in Denver to do all their day-to-day banking at the Oregon coast? “It’s really easy,” explains Delcinea. “We deposit checks automatically using our cell phones and we pay bills and manage our accounts online. I call Roxie at the Oregon Coast Bank Lincoln City office every once in awhile when I have a question, but she’s fun to talk with anyway.”

These days you really can do all your banking transactions online. What remains important is the relationship you have with your bankers. Although they now live in Denver, Delcinea and Matt are most comfortable dealing with their Oregon Coast bankers, which is fine with us. By the way, if you’re curious to hear Matt sing, you won’t need to travel to New York or Milan. Enter this link into your computer or smartphone browser: http://matthewplenk.com/Matthew_Plenk/Audio.html. For those of you who’d like to sing along, some of the selections are even sung in English.

Children are rarely sure of what they want to do when they grow up, but Chris Dials of Tillamook always had a clear picture. He wanted to run heavy equipment. Not just operate it, but own it, employ others, and build things that would last forever.

Chris’s mom worked as the office manager for Fallon Logging, and by the time he was in the sixth grade, Chris was given the responsibility of opening the gates of the rock pit. Always, as he puts it, “a numbers person”, Chris would study the company’s books as he waited for trucks, dreaming about heavy equipment and running the numbers to figure how he could someday operate his own company profitably.

After graduating from Neah-Kah-Nie High School, Chris headed to the Alaskan oil fields to start saving money. Working for BP for five years, he drilled, built roads, and operated a wide array of equipment. The hours were long, but the three weeks on, three weeks off schedule allowed him to return to Tillamook frequently, where he had obtained a contractor’s license and was doing excavating work on his own.

With demand for his excavating work in Oregon growing, Chris left BP and devoted his full attention to Chris Dials Contracting. Today the company employs four fulltime, owns six large pieces of equipment, and works steadily building logging roads, performing wetland restoration and slope stabilization.

Large excavating contracts are typically secured months or even several years ahead. Chris Dials Contracting regularly bids on a wide variety of services including projects by the BLM, US Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, Metro and Burlington Northern. The crew travels extensively, working as far away as John Day. Between projects, his staff continues working fulltime performing equipment maintenance. Chris anticipates that within the next year he’ll need to more than double his crew.

Financial risk is always a factor when bidding large projects. “This is a competitive business, you always have to keep a close eye on the numbers,” says Chris. Operating heavy equipment also requires constant attention to safety, which Chris considers to be their top priority. “You simply don’t put yourself in dangerous positions,” he explains.

Owning heavy equipment requires considerable capital investment. Between his savings from working in Alaska and project revenues, Chris was able to buy his first five pieces of equipment outright. Earlier this year, he asked his old bank to help finance a Link-Belt 332 Road Builder. Although he was putting 50% down and had the contracts in hand to justify the investment, his old bank was hesitant to make the loan.

Frustrated, he decided to visit our new Oregon Coast Bank Tillamook branch and spoke with Angela Warren, who manages the office. He received the loan that very same day and also set up a line of credit as well at Oregon Coast Bank Online Banking, so that he could manage his accounts with his phone or laptop while on the road.

The photos shown above were taken at a 180 acre wetlands restoration project that Chris Dials Contracting is performing for Metro, the agency that provides region wide planning for the Portland metropolitan area. The fact that a Tillamook based company earned the contract is impressive. It’s also the type of project that Chris enjoys most. “We’re building things that will be there forever,” he explains. Which, recalling his childhood, is exactly what he has always wanted to do.

Lalori Lager is a behavioral health counselor and the owner of the coast’s largest provider of outpatient drug and alcohol treatment. Her husband Scott is a commercial fisherman and vessel owner. In most places, a diverse combination of family businesses like the Lagers own would be rare. But here on the coast, entrepreneurship is a way of life, often a requirement. In fact, Lalori and Scott are as enthusiastic about each other’s businesses as they are their own.

After receiving her master’s degree in forensic psychology, Lalori worked for a large mental health facility and in corrections. Thirteen years ago, when the Lagers purchased Reconnections Counseling, Scott operated the business office while Lalori ran the clinical aspects. Today, with offices in Newport, Toledo, Florence, and Lincoln City, Reconnections Counseling employs ten case managers and counselors serving individuals, families, court systems, hospitals and child welfare agencies. Working in drug and alcohol treatment can be emotionally trying. “You see people at their worst,” explains Lalori. “But often you get to watch them turn their lives around one hundred and eighty degrees.”

Scott began fishing on his dad’s Newport-based commercial salmon trawler at the age of five. As an adult he worked for Tyson and Trident Seafoods, fishing out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. In 2010 Scott and Lalori purchased The Hornet, a salmon trawler and crabber based in Newport. They sold that vessel last summer.

In 2011 they expanded their holdings with their purchase of The Eclipse, which is owned by the Lager’s corporation, Celestial Seafoods LLC. With a crew of four, The Eclipse fishes for tuna, crab and hag fish, a delicacy most often exported to Korea.

While entering Yaquina Bay on January 20, 2014, The Eclipse suffered a horrific accident. Slamming into the rocks of the jetty, the vessel ended up lying on its side. Fortunately, thanks to an immediate response by Coast Guard members who saw the accident take place, no lives were lost. Scott, who had brought one of his sons with him to the embankment to watch the boat’s return, helped pull his crew from the water and then rendered first aid.

The damage was close to a total loss and the insurance company was slow with its claims process. Despite having no income from the boat, the Lagers still had to make vessel payments to a finance company. Soon they were feeling financial pressures. That’s when Scott decided to call Jake Postlewait at Oregon Coast Bank to ask if the bank would be interested in financing the extensive repairs that The Eclipse required.

“If it wasn’t for Oregon Coast Bank, we wouldn’t still be in business,” says Scott. “The bank was our lifesaver, loaning us the money to keep going,” adds Lalori. Remarkably, in just ten months the repairs were complete. “Both Jake and Joe Postlewait were with us the day we put the boat back in the water,” remembers Scott. “That meant a lot to us.”

How did Scott and Lalori get through the accident and subsequent financial nightmare? “We kept persevering, knowing that if we continued to work hard, eventually things would all come together,” explains Lalori. Which is what true entrepreneurs do, and why they deserve their success.

By the age of five, Stan Shones was already helping out on his dad’s boat. For four decades he averaged 280 – 300 days per year on the water. About ten years ago, he finally decided to leave the actual fishing to his captains and crews. But Stan hardly slowed down. His typical days still average six to ten hours of vessel upkeep and management, which is how he likes it. In fact if you ask him about his choice of careers he’ll tell you: “No regrets, I’d like to do it again.”

Stan’s boats have been based out of Newport since 1979. Married for 56 years, Stan and his wife Roberta raised three boys in the area, two who became fishermen themselves and one who became a chiropractor. Stan and Roberta have also been blessed with eight grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.

Over the years, Stan has owned a dozen boats. His first was a 26-footer, which you could fit three of in the Miss Berdie, an 88-foot vessel Stan purchased in 1988. Tom Stam has worked on the Miss Berdie for more than 30 years. About 20 years ago Tom became the captain. These days he’s also a partner, as is Paul Shones. Tom and a crew of three head the boat to Alaska each winter to fish for pollock and cod. During the summer and fall the Miss Berdie typically fishes for Pacific whiting and crab along the coasts of Oregon and Washington.

Stan also still owns the 62-foot Emerald Sea, a vessel he purchased in 1981. The Emerald Sea employs five and typically fishes for squid, sardines and crab.

Part of the reality of owning fishing vessels is adjusting to change. Government policies often force boats to ply waters far beyond traditional fishing grounds. The increased distance makes trips back to port economically unfeasible, so boats need more capacity. Stan says candidly: “If you don’t upgrade, you fall behind.”

Last fall a major conversion was started on the Miss Berdie. Its hull was widened from 28’ to 39’, virtually doubling the ship’s holding capacity to 440,000 pounds. The wheelhouse, galley, engines and refrigeration were all replaced. The complete process will take about a year, but Stan kept the entire crew employed working on the conversion.

Major conversions on large fishing vessels can cost millions, which is one of the reasons why having a good banking relationship is important to vessel owners. Stan has banked with Oregon Coast Bank for more than a decade. “They know us, know our history, and know we do business right,” he explains. “When we decided to upgrade the Miss Berdie, we were able to talk face to face with our bankers – that’s important to us.”

After all these years, fishing is still in Stan’s blood. “In my spare time I work,” he says with a smile. But he admits that his grandchildren and great grandchildren do keep him busy. Stan also has taken time to give back. He served for many years on the state’s Fish and Game Development Board and the Crab Marketing Association. He’s currently Chairman of the Board of Mid-Coast Christian School.

What’s his secret of success? “Keep your nose clean and work hard,” says Stan. He also remains thoroughly grounded – “God has blessed me in ways that I never expected.” Fishing for a living teaches people a lot of things, perhaps the most important is humility.

Born on George Washington’s birthday and in the state of Oregon, his parents combined those facts and named him “Georgon”. He was the youngest of eight, and it was his sister who started calling him “Poggy” (rhymes with froggy). The nickname stuck, which is why the captain pictured above is known to all as Poggy Lapham.

His dad owned a small salmon troller based in Newport, and in the summers Poggy learned to be a fisherman. The majority of the catch he took to the processor, but Poggy’s father always saved fish to share with his friends and neighbors.

While studying art and English at the University of Oregon, Poggy dated a girl from Alaska, who got him a summer job as a gillnetter. He then spent a year at the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, returning to Alaska the following summer.

Returning to Newport, Poggy landed a job as a deckhand on the Michele Ann and was able to earn a good income crabbing. Eventually he worked his way up to captain the 66-foot vessel. In 2009, Rip Carlton sold Poggy 10% of the Michele Ann. He purchased another 44% in 2013 and recently acquired the remaining shares.

On the water for 280 days a year, the crew of the Michele Ann earns a good wage. “It can be tough, you never wake up to the same conditions, but this boat supports five families,” points out Poggy. Generally it’s six weeks on and two weeks off for the crewmembers. “They’re family-oriented guys who are hardworking, humble and take pride in the boat,” he explains. Just as his father did, Poggy encourages his crew to share some of the catch with their families and friends. “It helps us feel good about what we do.”

Philosophically, Poggy considers fishing to be a noble profession – “We’re harvesting a wild, sustainable resource.” As hard as they work – 60 hours without sleep is not unusual during crabbing season – fishing has its advantages. “We get to travel in this comfortable boat anywhere we want, as long as we can make a living.”

“We’re not pack animals, we like to fish where others aren’t,” laughs Poggy. But generally the Michele Ann will long-line for black cod in September and October, crab from November to January, return to long-lining from February through May, and tender in Alaska for Trident Seafoods during the summer.

As a tender, the Michele Ann delivers fuel, water and supplies to the fleet and brings back fish to be processed. “That leaves the rest of the day for recreation,” says Poggy. His wife, Raysha, and their five year old son can join him on the boat during those summer months, which the family considers to be their annual Alaskan vacation.

In 2009, when his dad passed away, Poggy purchased the family’s Logsden property with a loan from Oregon Coast Bank. While on the boat, he uses online banking to manage his personal and business accounts. Poggy utilizes an Oregon Coast Bank line of credit for the Michele Ann and the bank has collateralized the vessel’s permits. That, and plenty of hard work, has allowed Poggy to acquire a considerable asset at a relatively young age – we’ll leave you to guess by the picture.

“I put a huge value on knowing my bankers and being able to pick up the phone and get a loan,” Poggy says about his relationship with Oregon Coast Bank. But clearly it’s a two way street. As a vessel owner, Poggy creates family-wage jobs. We value him as an Oregon Coast Bank customer and understand that it’s entrepreneurs like Poggy who fuel our local economy.

Think of a classic photographic image of the Oregon coast and chances are it came from the camera of award-winning Newport photographer Chuck Forinash. For well over 30 years his work has appeared in galleries and art collections, on postcards and brochures, in hotels and restaurants, even on billboards.

A native of Newport, Chuck set off to college to eventually become a dentist, or perhaps a doctor like his father. An elective course in photo journalism changed his life’s path. Capturing compelling images seemed to come naturally to him. He entered and won a photography contest sponsored by Pacific Northwest Bell and his photo of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse appeared on more than two million phonebook covers. When a college counselor told him he could make a career of photography, Chuck never looked back.

Initially he worked as a newspaper photographer and shot scenic coastal images in his spare time. Soon his photographs began appearing in galleries, which in retrospect was a difficult way to make a living. His photos sold well, but after printing costs, framing, and gallery fees, there wasn’t much money left over.

As many artists eventually learn, Chuck realized that talent wasn’t enough; he’d also have to become proficient at the business side of the industry. He started by designing a series of postcards. After seeing the “proofs”, eight local businesses committed to sell them. Taking those commitments to his local banker, Chuck was able to get a $5,000 loan to cover the printing costs. The postcards sold quickly. He added additional images to the collection. More than 30 years later, those eight original local businesses, and many more, still sell his postcards. Millions of Forinash postcards have been mailed worldwide, each promoting the Oregon coast in the process.

As demand for his photography grew, Chuck decided to open a working studio and framing shop in South Beach. It turned out to be a sound business decision. By framing his own works he was able to control costs. In addition, framing for others produced steady, year-round, income. Chuck was careful to only hire framers with an artistic eye. The framing shop earned a reputation for quality, and today serves a large loyal clientele which includes renowned local artists Michael Gibbons and Rick Bartow.

In 1988 the owners of the Portland area Newport Bay Restaurant chain commissioned Chuck to shoot a series of photos. Those images became the focus of the restaurants’ décor and are still seen by thousands of diners each month. When the chain expanded to the Seattle area, Chuck was again commissioned to shoot the restaurants’ large format photographs.

Décor photography became an important segment of his company’s income. His work was purchased for display in motels, homes, businesses, even public buildings. Chuck’s photography also began to appear in commercial publications such as brochures.

1999 marked the opening of the Forinash Gallery on Newport’s historic bayfront. The popular gallery displays the works of more than a dozen artisans, as well as an extensive collection of Chuck’s photography. It’s a casual mix of fine arts and crafts. Wine tasting, gourmet coffee and classical music enhance the atmosphere. The gallery will pack and ship artwork to anywhere in the world, a convenience appreciated by locals and visitors.

From a business standpoint, Chuck’s success is a classic example of the maxim “you make your own luck”. But that old adage also applies to his photography. “To shoot a great scenic image you have to know the right places, understand the light, and be patient enough to capture the perfect moment in time,” explains Chuck. “Paying careful attention to composition allows you to create an image of depth in a two-dimensional media.” In other words, it’s not luck.

Forinash Framing Studio and the Forinash Gallery employ six and support the work of many local artists and photographers. Chuck has purchased the buildings as well as several other local properties. In fact it was a real estate loan that brought him to Oregon Coast Bank. After ten years the note on one of his buildings became due, and his old bank made the renewal process difficult. He called Oregon Coast Bank and was told “whatever you need, we’ll make it happen.” Within days, Oregon Coast Bank made the loan. “That got my loyalty pretty fast” Chuck remembers.

These days Chuck has become an avid user of Oregon Coast Bank online banking, checking his balances and moving money between accounts. But he still appreciates the business feedback he gets from his bankers and often visits our Newport office, sometimes just to say hello.
Chuck remains an in-demand photographer, but he recognizes that it’s his mix of businesses that has allowed him to continue pursuing his passion through economic and technological changes. “The variety keeps it interesting”, he says. With an attitude like that, his success is no surprise.

After graduating from Newport High School, Tim Braxling headed off to Oregon State University to become an engineer. By the time he’d received his degree, he’d tired of desk work and decided to try his hand at the construction business as a partner in Quality Concrete of South Beach.

“It seemed like a really good idea at the time,” laughs Tim. Working construction during the summers allows you to enjoy the outdoors. Of course winter is quite a different story and outdoor work loses much of its appeal.

Also a native Oregonian, Mike McClelland received a degree in education at Western Oregon University. After student teaching, he was offered a fulltime teaching job, but decided instead to work as a contractor at the coast. By 1990 he had joined Quality Concrete after buying out Tim’s former partner.

Despite the cyclical nature of the construction industry, Quality Concrete is still successfully building more than 25 years later with projects as far south as Florence, as far north as Manzanita, and as far east as Bend. That’s a tribute to Tim and Mike’s work ethic, expertise, and ability to adjust to market conditions. It’s also a testament to their partnership.

“When we started, we only did concrete work,” explains Mike. “We now do excavating, site work, foundations, framing, siding, roofing and steel buildings.” In fact Tim and Mike now also operate a general construction company, QC Contractors, which builds homes, multi-unit dwellings and commercial buildings.

“We always have an owner/operator on the job,” comments Tim. “Having hands-on owners is our key to quality control.” Eventually a reputation for quality is what ensures the longevity of contractors. “In a small town, everything is word of mouth,” adds Mike.

Succeeding at the coast requires flexibility. “Around here, you do big and small,” points out Mike. It’s not unusual for Quality Concrete to perform jobs as small as a homeowner’s sidewalk and then complete a parking lot for a major hotel the next day. “Every job is different,” says Tim. “That keeps things interesting.”

Repeat business is essential. Large national general contractors who have hired Quality Concrete for commercial projects on the coast have later hired the company for projects in the Portland area. Recently a local Newport customer asked Quality Concrete to work on a project in Bend.

To Mike, long-term success boils down to one thing: “you do what you say you’re going to do”. That may sound simplistic, but it’s certainly not a given in the construction industry.

Although crew sizes may vary depending on the project, Quality Concrete has employed six workers fulltime, even during the recession. When the company is hired for projects outside the local area, the fulltime crew travels to the jobsites, ensuring ensuring excellent workmanship.

Quality Concrete’s relationship with its bankers actually predates the founding of Oregon Coast Bank. “Face to face banking is very important to us,” explains Tim. “They know us and we’re comfortable with them, which makes things a whole lot easier.” Over the years the bank has financed company vehicles, funded building projects and supplied a credit line. Tim and Mike have also obtained the mortgages for their own homes through Oregon Coast Bank.

Search online and you’ll find thousands of American businesses that include the word “quality” in their names. Names of course can be deceiving. In this case, it’s not a marketing ploy. Tim and Mike are adamant about quality, which may be why their company has remained strong for more than 25 years.

Few people realize that the largest marine experiment station in the nation is right here on the Oregon coast. Part of OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES – pronounced with a long “o”) incorporates fisheries, aquaculture, and marine mammal research in Newport with seafood science and surimi research in Astoria.

COMES came into existence following a long-term lobbying effort by fishermen for more research in fisheries management and marketing. Now celebrating its 25th Anniversary, COMES is an applied group of scientists, meaning they tackle real world issues.

Working in partnership with the community, COMES uses an advisory board to help focus on the most critical issues. A minimum of 50 research projects are always underway. COMES’ achievements have had a profound effect on our coastal economy.

COMES was instrumental in developing a shore-based Pacific whiting industry for Oregon, where the fishermen could be involved in the processing rather than just selling a commodity. As a result, Pacific whiting has become the largest fishery in the state and continues to grow.

Although there are approximately 50 salmon stocks just off the Oregon coast, COMES geneticists are now capable of determining the stream origins of individual salmon. That can be significant whenever a particular fresh water run, such as last year’s Klamath run, is having problems.

COMES’ Molluscan Broodstock Program has improved oyster breeding stock for heartier, better tasting, more attractive oysters, while its Seafood Microbiology and Safety Program has developed better processes to reduce contamination in raw oysters. An additional Value-Added Program has brought more oyster based products to market, such as prepackaged oyster shooters, which became an immediate hit in grocery stores.

“Fishery managers must accommodate life histories of hundreds of stocks and species through space and time,” says Dr. Gil Sylvia, Director of COMES. “Without good science, it’s not possible.”

Sylvia was instrumental in COMES’ development of Fish Trax™, an electronic fishery information platform that helps industry, marketers, and fishery managers collect, analyze, and share information. In addition, the Fish Trax™ system has evolved to become an important tool for consumers who want to know more about the seafood they eat – including the origin and harvest area of a particular fish.

What’s next on the horizon? “We’re studying harvesting, processing and the preparations of seaweed – we think it’s the next kale,” remarks Sylvia.

With 11 faculty members, 15 people on staff and about 40 graduate students, COMES has brought a significant number of jobs to our coastal economy. In fact the marine research and education industry is now the third largest industry sector in Lincoln County.

At Oregon Coast Bank we recognize how important COMES has been to our communities. We’re proud that Gil and his wife Cathy Donnellan, a Newport CPA, are longtime bank customers, as are many of their colleagues. Fred Postlewait, our bank President, volunteers on the COMES Advisory Board. We also make every effort to do our part to sustain and develop our local seafood industry by providing financing to fishermen, processors, and others in the industry.

Good science can result in great seafood. It’s also the key to sustainable fisheries. Congratulations to the OSU Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station for 25 years of remarkable accomplishments.

Dustin Capri knew from an early age exactly what he wanted to do in life. “When I’m older I want to be an architect,” he wrote in a 5th grade report. At the University of Oregon he studied architecture and fell in love with a fellow student who shared his passions. Amanda Capri had always been fascinated by the blueprints her father shared with her. She also realized at an early age that architecture was a “wonderful combination” of her favorite subjects – art and math.

While most of their fellow graduates wanted to work their way up the ladder at large firms in major metropolitan areas, Dustin and Amanda had other aspirations. “Quality of life was important to us,” explains Amanda. “We wanted to build our own practice in a smaller area where we could become part of the community.” After examining the pros and cons of various small markets throughout the country, they decided to lay their roots down in the town Dustin had grown up in, Newport.

Unlike many professions, architects can’t immediately put out a shingle and open for business. After graduation 5600 hours of work is required in 16 different architectural disciplines. Along the way they must pass seven national examinations and eventually must appear in front of the state review board. “You’re practicing architecture that entire period,” points out Dustin. “But someone else needs to stamp the drawings.” Dustin and Amanda feel fortunate that they were able to learn from and collaborate with their mentor, the well-respected Newport architect Dietmar H. Goebel.

The Capris have amassed a long list of public, commercial and residential projects since 2010, ranging from home remodels to the Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Center for Health Education, a collaboration with Goebel currently under construction. “With our practice covering from Astoria to Brookings, we’re not forced to specialize,” remarks Amanda. Besides its large public and commercial projects, Capri Architecture currently has custom home designs under construction and several in the planning stages.

Our expertise is “designing buildings that thrive in a harsh coastal climate”, says Dustin. The firm is also known for incorporating sustainable design into its projects. “Taking advantage of natural light, natural ventilation, optimal materials and technology can noticeably improve energy efficiency, carbon emissions, even physical health,” explains Amanda. Both Dustin and Amanda are LEED Accredited Professionals in Neighborhood Development and are affiliated with the US Green Building Council.

Dustin and Amanda believe that architecture should be a collaborative process with clients and future building users continually involved. Through interviews, workshops and feedback, the Capris are able to learn and understand each project’s unique requirements and incorporate those needs in the design.

When they decided to start their architectural practice in Newport, Dustin and Amanda felt that it was important to open their accounts at a locally owned community bank. “We can’t say enough about the people at Oregon Coast Bank”, remarks Dustin. “We can do our banking on our cell phones and computers, but we actually look forward to visiting the branch and just saying hi.”

Dustin and Amanda also obtained their mortgage from Oregon Coast Bank. They are currently remodeling the home, which was built in 1885 and overlooks Newport’s bayfront. When will it be complete? “Probably never,” laughs Amanda. “Architects never stop thinking about new ways to improve a building.”