THE WORD “INFLUENTIAL” means many things. In Portland, the adjective could apply to elected politicians, radio talk-show hosts, and political consultants—all of whom we chose not to name here.
What matters for a city figuring out what it wants to be when it grows up (or if it wants to grow up) isn’t influence alone, but how the influential meld their sway with other qualities. Vision. Clout. Judgment. Taste. Connection. Principle. Grit. Gravitas. And—in a time in which another key element, power, can be so fleeting (ask the mayor and the president)—momentum.
Change is at hand. Portland soon will restock city council with fresh faces. The city’s old economy continues to sputter, but tech start-ups and small businesses are percolating. Our population is diversifying, as are the markets for everything from our lumber (which China can’t get enough of) to our indie rock bands. Huge institutions are redefining themselves for the new era that other, more nimble and youthful enterprises have already begun to create.
With all of this in mind, here are 50 people (including a few groups) we think possess the spark and will to craft Portland’s future. (Add your own choices in our ballot form to the left.) We hope you’ll agree that this eclectic roster harnesses enough raw energy to influence any city—whatever influence may mean right now.
Published: January 2012
I’m sorry but Zenger farm only serves RICH porlanders who want to send thier kids to a trendy foodie summer camp. It’s really sad that so many people in the Portland area who really care about people with limited resources never get reconigition or credit for what they do. People like Ms. Khueler only get reconized because they look good. Ms. Khueler had very little explerience before working at Zenger, yet somehow go promted to executive director right away. Just because someone looks good doesn’t mean they are the " star of the ag Movement" …PLEASE that comment makes me want ot BARF…
Anytime you come up with a list like this, you’ll always get people complaining about who has been leftt off. That being said, how about some of these Portlanders:
Simon Tam – He’s the founder of the Asian band, The Slants, who graced the front page of the Oregonian and Portland Tribune this past year for taking on the United States Trademark Office over the right to use their name, for rejecting a million dollar contract from Bodog Ent., and for helping raise over $700,000 for charitable causes over the last few years.
Joseph Santos-Lyons – The coordinator for APANO (Asian Pacific Americans Network of Oregon) and Co-Director of OPAL (Environmental Justice for Oregon) who been rallying together comunities of color for stronger representation both in the city as well as the state.
Stephen Ying – You’ve listed his wife, Helen, but Stephen also is probably the most influential Chinese American in the city. He makes city officials tremble when he enters City Hall and has been uniting businesses in the Hold Town Chinatown district for decades.
Another Portland Monthly “best of” bites the dust. This list that has very to do with the reality of Portland. This list smacks of favoritism and it does (as another person noted) have a very clicquey, inner circle feeling too it. Bo Kwon? Really? I’m sorry but his time is over. What about real Portland Chefs like Vitaly Paley or Andy Ricker, people who are making true strides in Gastronomy and putting Portland food on the map. Not just imitating other Korean Taco trucks, al a Roy Choi, whom I worked years ago before his wild and well deserved ascent…the dude is truly a food genius. What about Camas Davis and the Portland Meat Collective? No real political movers on the list. People might not like him, but how can you deny that Sam Adams is a pretty dang influential person in Portland? And though I disliked the whole thing, I would have thought that the top echelon of Occupy Portland have been pretty damn influential this year. Like many other “TOP 50” or whatever lists I’ve read from Portland Monthly, it’s just another example of the elitist, out of touch nonsense that comes from Portland Monthly. Clearly they don’t have any boots on the ground of real Portland.
My opinion is that Bo K. has influenced a bunch of new cart owners and entrepreneurs to go into business! If you look back at their history you will see that Bo is friends with Roy Choi (KOGI) in LA and brought the Cart buzz to us in town! Thank goodness.. So yummy!
Great Job to Andy Batt for pictures! John Jay and Mark Knutsen are amazing humans as well! Go Portland!
Other influential green names left off:
Sallinger, Riskedahl, Baldwin, Jenks, Bell, DEQ Director Dick Pedersen, plus one enviro defense lawyer that probably should have made the list this year: Morford
Bo Kwon is not a mogul by any means. First of all, he stole the whole “Korean BBQ Taco” movement from Chef Roy down in LA, who had been doing this long before Bo came along. As a friend of a former employee, I’m truly disappointed to see Bo on here. He never used to pay out credit card tips, was too high to function 80% of the time, and left me with a really bad taste in my mouth. I used to think he was a really good guy, until I realized how wrong most of the stuff he was doing turned out to be. Weed and money came first and second to his employees, and that’s not how any good business owner should function. He shouldn’t get to decide if his employees “deserve” the tips they earn. Look up his tax records, then tell me if he’s been good for this community.
I’m astounded that any list of “Portland power players of the past” would exclude Neil Goldschmidt.
honored to know two of them….to Don and David…thank you for your work to make Portland a better place….
Perhaps a few more women next time?
I hate to say it, but this list has a very “clubby” feel to it. There are so many other influential people in this City – wow!
Thank you for the recognition to Nichole Maher and Mark Knutsen. Two great Portlander who are making a difference from the ground up.
Great article
Beautiful photography thanks to Andy Batt! He should be on the list!
Bo Kwon, marketing wiz???
Tasty food, sure. But the WHOLE concept – Korean tacos, roving truck, twitter updates and surprise locations – was stolen from Los Angeles’ Kogi BBQ Taco Truck, which had been doing the exact same thing 2 years before Koi…