2020 Vision
Your guide to the industries of Portland’s future
Edited by Kasey CordellBy Zach Dundas, Oakley Brooks, and Kasey Cordell
AS THE ECONOMIC FOG we’ve come to call the Great Recession persists, we for one are tired of pondering when it’s all going to lift. Some analysts say next year; others, next decade. Our Magic 8 Ball says, “Ask Again Later.” So we figured we’d take a balloon ride above it all and grab a longer view of the economic landscape. We talked to city officials, economics professors, industry experts, and the psychic around the corner (just kidding) to get a read on what industries—and companies—are likely to be driving Portland’s economy in 2020. The answers: clean energy, green building, advanced manufacturing, software, and activewear. Geeks with style, basically. Of course, there are obstacles—lack of venture capital and executive-level talent, a workforce that doesn’t always have the technical expertise needed, a shortage of industrial land—but we’re not letting that cloud our binoculars. After all, we’ve got a lot going for us, too: cheap power, a port with close proximity to the world’s fastest-growing economy (that’d be China), smart urban planning, and a quality of life that continues to attract creative, enterprising new citizens. We’re not about to pat your head and tell you economic recovery is around the corner, but when it does arrive, here’s what it’s likely to look like.
Published: September 2010
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Under “Pioneers” in the ACTIVEWEAR section, you have Nike’s 2009 revenue at 19 million. I think that should be billion, with a “b.”