Archive for Chris Nordyke

Jim Collins on Corvallis

Most would agree that Corvallis remains an incredible place to live. Most would also agree that it took a large number of  smart, motivated and talented people to bring Corvallis to where it is today. The question now though is, are we still on our way up, or are we a “team” that is on ...

Bald Hill Farm: Is the Land Use Code More Valuable Than the Community?

Community values will apparently have no place at the Bald Hill Farm land use hearing next Monday. All that matters is the land use code. Even when damaging to the community in a particular situation, the council is required by law to make a judgment based on what the land use code says. Former Corvallis City ...

Share Your Ideas For the Chamber of Commerce.

If you were given carte blanche by the powers that be to create a new Chamber of Commerce, what would it do for it’s members? I’ve volunteered to head up what I’ve aptly named the Membership Services Group at the Chamber. They’ve asked me to cut or modify stuff that’s not adding value to members, and ...

Why is Chris Nordyke Doing This?

I have a strong sense that Corvallis is in a precarious position. Many articles and blog posts have already made similar assertions, so I’ll unpack that some more another day. Let me quickly define my ideal for Corvallis, at a 30,000 ft view: that 10 years from now, Corvallis is a destination for young professional families ...

The Chamber as Cheerleader?

What would it look like for the Chamber to be a cheerleader for its members? I mean that both figuratively and literally. One example of being a cheerleader is radically promoting “Buying Local”. I don’t just mean sending out a couple emails, having a badge on the website, creating stickers for people’s windows, or hosting a ...

Tell Me You Love It: An Excitable Attorney

I love doing business with people that love their business. Like the personal injury attorney that salivates when I tell him about a client who got hit by a car crossing a street in Portland. True story. (with saliva added for emphasis) John Dezzani is a friend of mine. He’s an attorney at Jeanne Smith and ...

Is Our Chamber of Commerce Obsolete?

Frankly, it’s worth asking this of any old-school civic group. If a group is no longer doing what they set out to do, why keep paying into it? Show me the value, and I’ll continue showing you the money. The first Chamber of commerce was organized in 1768 in New York city. Every chapter across ...

Trade Show Success Reminder