Portland, OR. The Oregon Historical Society’s (OHS) annual Oregon History Makers Awards & Dinner recognizes contemporary individuals and organizations who are positively shaping the history, culture, and landscape of Oregon. Pictured above are OHS Board President Mort Bishop, and 2023 Oregon History Makers Sarah Mensah, Brian B. Obie, Tillamook County Creamery Association CEO Patrick Criteser, and Liz Shuler. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
About the recipients:
Brian Obie’s revolutionizing leadership has left an indelible mark on Eugene, Oregon, creating upscale environments that celebrate local art, food, and businesses.
Sarah Mensah has forged a pathbreaking career in both the professional sports and athletic apparel industries.
Liz Shuler made history in 2021 when she was elected as the first woman president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 56 unions with 12.5 million members.
Tillamook County Creamery Association operates production facilities in both Tillamook and Boardman, employing more than 900 people throughout Oregon. It recently exceeded $1B in retail sales.
Pat Reser and William Westphal
The gala on October 1st also raises funds for the Oregon Historical Society’s important work to collect, preserve, and interpret Oregon’s past.
Anne Naito-Campbell and Mary Lang Bishop
From The Oregon Historical Society:
Each year, the Oregon Historical Society honors living leaders and organizations that are making history through scientific discovery and exploration; innovations in business, communications, and the arts; or service in their communities. Whether they were born here, lived here, or work here, these Oregon History Makers represent the best of what the state has to offer.
Here’s more about the 2023 Oregon History Makers:
Sarah Mensah – TRANSFORMATIVE SPORTS INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE
A graduate of Aloha High School and the University of Oregon, Sarah Mensah has forged a pathbreaking career in both the professional sports and athletic apparel industries. She spent almost two decades with the Portland Trail Blazers, eventually becoming one of the highest-ranking woman executives in professional sports. In 2013, Mensah joined Jordan Brand, and in 2021 made history as the first Black woman to lead Nike, North America. This year, Mensah returned to Jordan Brand as President, the first woman to hold that position. Throughout her career, Mensah has excelled at developing, empowering, and guiding culturally diverse cross-functional teams through periods of change and growth.
Brian B. Obie – VISIONARY BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADER
Brian Obie’s revolutionizing leadership has left an indelible mark on Eugene, Oregon, creating upscale environments that celebrate local art, food, and businesses. As president and principal owner of Obie Companies, Inc., his catalog of commercial and development accomplishments includes two nationally-acclaimed hotels in Eugene — the luxurious Inn at the 5th and the art-centric Hotel Gordon, named after his father — and a third, The Inn at 500 Capitol, located in Boise, Idaho. Obie is also responsible for the development of the 5th Street Public Market, and the new, beautifully designed Market Alley in Eugene. As a community volunteer, Obie has served on the Eugene City Council, as Mayor of Eugene, and as president of the University of Oregon Foundation.
Liz Shuler – PATHBREAKING UNION PRESIDENT
A native of Milwaukie, Oregon, Liz Shuler made history in 2021 when she was elected as the first woman president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 56 unions with 12.5 million members. The daughter of parents who both worked for Portland General Electric, Shuler began her career working for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Oregon (IBEW) before becoming chief of staff for the IBEW president. A visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, Shuler believes the labor movement is the single most powerful vehicle for progress and that unions are a central force in leading lasting societal transformations.
Tillamook County Creamery Association – BELOVED OREGON BRAND
Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the best-tasting, highest-quality dairy products made in the most natural way possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook® produces internationally recognized, award-winning cheese as well as exceptional dairy products including ice cream, butter, and yogurt. Today, Tillamook® is in one in four households in the United States and recently exceeded $1 billion in retail sales. TCCA operates production facilities in both Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon, and employs more than 900 people throughout the state. As a Certified B Corporation®, TCCA upholds a commitment to being good stewards of cows, farms, communities, and the environment.
The Oregon Historical Society is dedicated to making Oregon’s long, rich history visible and accessible to all. For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platform, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, OR 97205
Support OHS: The Oregon Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Federal Tax ID 93-0391599.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Historical Society’s original exhibition, Freeze the Day! A History of Winter Sports in Oregon shares stories from across the state and illustrates the emotional draw of winter sports that Oregonians have enjoyed for generations. Oregon’s unique topography and climate have created an environment of endless possibility for outdoor recreation. Whether engaging in leisure activities on the weekends or competing in professional athletic events, Oregonians have long enjoyed experiences shaped by snow and ice and Oregon Historical Society vintage photos illustrate the point.
Portland’s Brodie Leitch was noted as being one of the few U.S. women ski jumpers of her era. Here she is landing a jump at Timberline Lodge in May 1939.
Cloud Cap Inn stands at nearly 6,000 feet on Mount Hood’s northeastern flank. Built in 1889, the one-story, crescent-shaped, log-and-shake inn was the mountain’s first permanent resort.
Start of the 1931 Fort Klamath to Crater Lake Ski Race.
Sledders are photographed on a toboggan run on Mount Hood in 1930.
Three vintage NW skiers.
Skiing enthusiasts in Portland just before World War II knew the name Hjalmar Hvam as readily as most people recognize the names of professional athletes. The photo above is of Hvam making a gelandesprung jump in 1937.
Glenn Jackson (second from left) at Mt. Ashland, about 1965. Photo Kenn Knackstedt, Southern Oreg.
Countless individuals have shaped the history of winter sports in Oregon, including Native people who developed and adapted technology and cultural practices to survive and thrive with the snow and ice of winter months. Euro-American emigrants who arrived in the nineteenth century began to explore ways to recreate in the mountains, lakes, and rivers. At the beginning of the twentieth century,
Oregonians started building alpine resorts, sporting clubs, and recreational facilities across the state. This work set the stage for championship athletes to thrive. Freeze the Day profiles 13 such athletes, including Olympic snowboarders Ben Ferguson and Chris Klug, luger Jack Elder, figure skater Tonya Harding, and Special Olympics Oregon snowboarder Henry Meece. Innovators also flourished, such as Hjalmar Hvam, who developed the world’s first workable safety ski binding, and Oregon Adaptive Sports, which provides snow opportunities to community members with disabilities. Visitors will also discover many of the ice sports that people enjoy throughout the state as well as beloved teams past and present, from the Portland Rosebuds to the Portland Winterhawks.
The Freeze the Day exhibit runs through July 17th, 2022.
More details about the exhibit from the Oregon Historical Society:
Family-friendly
Free for Members
Researchers
Teachers
Handicap Accessible Friendly
LOCATION: Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, Oregon 97205 Get Directions
Freeze the Day! is a fun and immersive exhibition for visitors of all ages. While snow may not be falling in the gallery, visitors can hold out their hand to “catch a snowflake” within the exhibit, look for friends and family in a community scrapbook, and share their love of Oregon’s wintry weather online using the hashtag #OHSFreezeTheDay. Freeze the Day! shares how winter sports continue to shape Oregon’s cultural fabric and offers something to all visitors, whether they are avid winter sports participants or simply admirers of Oregon’s natural wonders.
Portland, OR. “We are the Rose City! A History of Soccer in Portland.” That’s the focus of a new exhibit coming to the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) in late July. The Oregon Historical Society Museum will be reopening its doors to the public on Saturday, July 11th at 10:00 A.M. It has been closed since March 14th due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Timber exhibit photo above features Mamadou “Futty” Danso, Jack Jewsbury and Steve Purdy celebrated a win following the Timbers first home game in the MLS era. (Photographer Craig Mitchelldyer, Courtesy of Portland Timbers.)
“We’re looking forward to reopening,” said OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. “We’ve got lots for people to see, and we’ll be following of course all the guidelines required by the state and the county as far as face coverings and social distancing.” Museum-goers will be able to check out OHS’s permanent exhibit, “Experience Oregon,” which debuted last year and chronicles “the good, the bad and the ugly,” of Oregon’s history, according to Tymchuk. Additionally, the new exhibit entitled, “Soccer in the Rose City,” will explore a full history of Portland’s soccer culture.
Capo Tina leads section 108 during a 2019 Portland Thorns game. (Courtesy of 107 Independent Supporters Trust.)
Over the past few months, OHS has been busy producing a weekly newsletter and keeping the community updated and informed through social media.
“We’ve been very proud of all the work and material we’ve been able to provide through our social media outlets,” Tymchuk said. “We’ve been putting out great material on the pandemic, such as the Spanish flu pandemic of 100 years ago and how it impacted Oregon and lessons learned and not learned. And then we were able over the past couple of weeks to put out just a phenomenal amount of material on racial justice and equity.”
Just before having to shut its doors on March 14th, the museum was getting ready to debut an exhibit entitled, “Nevertheless, They Persisted: Women’s Voting Rights and the 19th Amendment.” Museum-goers will still be able to check out the exhibit when OHS reopens. “[It’s] a phenomenal exhibit—artifacts and documents, chronicling the fight for equal rights for women and giving them the right to vote,” Tymchuk said. “We’re anxious to give that a showing to everybody.”
March in 1913 in support of women’s right to vote. Photo featured in OHS exhibit, “Nevertheless, They Persisted.”
Additionally, the OHS has a variety of virtual programs that can be found on the OHS website that will still be available after the museum reopens.
According to Tymchuk, due to good financial planning and the Multnomah County levy, which provides the museum with funding, the OHS has not had to make any mass lay-offs or budget cuts. “We’ve been very fortunate,” he said.
Tymchuk encourages anyone interested in supporting the OHS to visit the museum after it reopens, to make a tax-deductible donation, or to become OHS members. “A membership in OHS is a great deal, and we encourage people to become members—that way they get all the material that we put out,” he said. He also provided this reminder: “Here in Portland, because of the Multnomah County levy, all Multnomah County residents have free admission [to the museum].”
“We’ve been actively fulfilling our mission during this time,” Tymchuk said, referring to the pandemic’s effect on the OHS. “We certainly live in a time where people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of history.”
OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk and Oregon Governor Kate Brown in June 2013.
Following re-opening, public museum and store hours will be Wednesdays – Saturdays from 10 am – 5 pm and Sundays from 12 pm – 5 pm. The OHS Research Library remains closed for renovations that began in January 2020. More information on library services that are available during the renovation can be found at ohs.org/libraryreno.
About the Oregon Historical Society:
For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (www.ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
Salem, OR. A new mix of marketing strategies attracted 55.2 percent more new donors and 6.7 percent more total donations – a record $4.9 million – to the Oregon Cultural Trust in 2017. The funds will support fiscal year 2019 grants to cultural organizations across the state. Recent grants have helped fund projects like transforming a major gallery at Portland Children’s Museum into The Studio – a clay, maker and multi-purpose art space for families.
The FY2019 Cultural Development Grant Guidelines, with budget form, are now posted here. The online application will open March 1, 2018 with an application deadline of April 13, 2018. The FY19 Cultural Development grant cycle are for projects taking place August 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019. Grant seekers interested in applying for Cultural Trust grants are encouraged to attend the 2018 Conversation with Funders & Partners workshops.
Executive Director Brian Rogers explains how the Cultural Trust attracted more donors. “We changed it up a bit, investing more of our resources in grassroots marketing. The goal was to have as many one-on-one conversations with cultural donors as possible. These results validate that strategy. We are looking forward to investing the increased funding in cultural activities throughout Oregon.”
“People are the best communicators of how the cultural tax credit works,” said Cultural Trust Board Chair Chuck Sams. “Our teams attended countless cultural events to talk with patrons about using the tax credit to double the statewide impact of their cultural giving. It is gratifying that Oregonians answered the call to continue strengthening Oregon’s cultural community and overall quality of life.”
The Cultural Trust contracted with bell+funk of Eugene and Artslandia of Portland to help plan and implement its 2017 marketing campaign. Working with Trust staff, they launched a new Ambassador program, a comprehensive online toolkit, a Make-a-Match game to engage event patrons and a first-ever Cultural Trust phone bank. They also adjusted campaign creative to better tell grant impact stories and helped to strengthen promotional partnerships with cultural and media partners.
Cultural Trust board members actively participated, hosting Ambassador events and submitting letters to the editor to media outlets across the state.
The $4.9 million fundraising total – up from just shy of $4.6 million in 2016 – includes 9,767 donations and 1,642 new donors, up from 1,058 in 2016. It also includes $406,827 raised through the Willamette Week Give!Guide, a 3 percent increase over 2016.
More than half of the money raised will be distributed directly to Oregon’s cultural groups this summer; the remainder will grow the Cultural Trust permanent fund. Cultural Trust grants are distributed through five Statewide Cultural Partners – Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and the Oregon State Office of Historic Preservation – as well as to 45 county/tribal coalitions and directly to cultural nonprofits via Cultural Development Grants.
The more than 100 projects supported by Cultural Development Grants in FY2018 include:
the “Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years” interactive exhibit at Oregon Historical Society and community programming by the Oregon Black Pioneers in Salem;
Theater lighting and sound equipment upgrades for the Florence Events Center;
The renovation of the historic Baker Orpheum Theatre to become a community performing arts center in Baker City;
Exhibits and programs that highlight the LBGTQ community and Native youth as part of a Cultural Diversity Initiative by the High Desert Museum in Bend; and
Again, here are the details about applying for the grants:
The FY2019 Cultural Development Grant Guidelines, with budget form, are now posted here.
The online application will open March 1, 2018 with an application deadline of April 13, 2018. The FY19 Cultural Development grant cycle are for projects taking place August 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019. Grant seekers interested in applying for Cultural Trust grants are encouraged to attend the 2018 Conversation with Funders & Partners workshops.
Grants are awarded in four categories and are intended to fund arts, heritage, history, preservation and humanities programs.
Cultural Development Grants are for project activities that:
Protect and stabilize Oregon’s cultural resources;
Expand public awareness of, access to and participation in quality cultural experiences in Oregon;
Ensure that Oregon cultural resources are strong and dynamic contributors to Oregon’s communities and quality of life; and
Build an understanding of the value and impact of culture to Oregonians.
The four grant categories are:
Access: Make culture broadly available to Oregonians;
Preservation: Invest in Oregon’s cultural heritage by recovering, preserving and sharing historic assets and achievements;
Creativity: Create and/or present cultural or scholarly work; Support the development of artists, cultural experts, or scholars who promote culture as a core part of vibrant communities; and
Capacity: Strengthen cultural organizations to increase stability, improve sustainability, or measure/share cultural impacts.
In considering funding requests, the Cultural Trust seeks proposals that will expand the public benefit of Oregon’s culture through:
Positive impact on, or improvement of, cultural resources and activities and the expansion of public and private support for culture;
Preservation of the past or investing in the future, by commissioning new work that continues Oregon’s strong artistic, literary and humanistic presence;
Enhancing cultural opportunity and understanding by creating or sustaining model programs that can be replicated elsewhere; and
By creating opportunity for every community to invest further in its culture, stimulating new ventures that could not be tried without Trust help.
Have questions? Contact Aili Schreiner at [email protected] or 503.986.0089. You may schedule a 30 minute grant application conversation before April 13, and may submit draft applications for feedback by March 31.
FY19 Cultural Development Grants
As part of the grant agreement (sent directly to recipients), FY19 CDV grant recipients must complete and submit the following to [email protected]:
Updated Board Roster: Include names and contact information
Grant Guidelines & Application: Have you updated your grant guidelines or application since last year? If yes, please attach your new versions (PDF format)
Cultural Plan: Have you updated your Cultural Plan? If yes, please attach your updated plan (PDF format). For tribal coalitions, your Cultural Resource Department Plan can be submitted instead.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Historical Society has a new exhibit featuring the work of Hood River Photographer Peter Marbach. He straddled the source of the river near Canal Flats, BC. It’s an underground spring, most likely fed by the Kootenay River. Peter Marbach is documenting the landscapes and culture of the entire 1,250 miles of the Columbia River, from its beginnings, to the two-mile-wide confluence with the Pacific. The exhibit, which runs from January 19th – April 1st, is called The Columbia River: From Source to Sea. Here’s a glimpse of a few of the images.
Photographer Peter Marbach captures wildflowers during last light on Dog Mountain.
The Purcell Mountains are reflected in calm water near Spillimacheen, BC.
Akisqnuk First Nation elder Pete Sanchez is featured in this photo along the shores of the Columbia near Windermere, BC.
While this exhibit showcases the beauty, culture, and geographic diversity of Nch I Wana – The Big River, it is the hope of photographer Peter Marbach that this display will launch greater public awareness and encourage those at the negotiating table to consider the moral obligation of honoring aboriginal knowledge of river restoration and to harness the will and existing technology to bring back the ancient runs of salmon that will once again make the Columbia a life giving source to all.
Peter Marbach will be on hand to talk about his photos on Wednesday, February 15th from 7 AM – 8:30. He will discuss the importance of the current Columbia River Treaty re-negotiations and its implications that may lead to the eventual return of Pacific Salmon all the way to the headwaters.
The event will take place at the Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Ave, in Portland.
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A graduate of Aloha High School and the University of Oregon, Sarah Mensah has forged a pathbreaking career in both the professional sports and athletic apparel industries. She spent almost two decades with the Portland Trail Blazers, eventually becoming one of the highest-ranking woman executives in professional sports. In 2013, Mensah joined Jordan Brand, and in 2021 made history as the first Black woman to lead Nike, North America. This year, Mensah returned to Jordan Brand as President, the first woman to hold that position. Throughout her career, Mensah has excelled at developing, empowering, and guiding culturally diverse cross-functional teams through periods of change and growth.
Brian Obie’s revolutionizing leadership has left an indelible mark on Eugene, Oregon, creating upscale environments that celebrate local art, food, and businesses. As president and principal owner of Obie Companies, Inc., his catalog of commercial and development accomplishments includes two nationally-acclaimed hotels in Eugene — the luxurious Inn at the 5th and the art-centric Hotel Gordon, named after his father — and a third, The Inn at 500 Capitol, located in Boise, Idaho. Obie is also responsible for the development of the 5th Street Public Market, and the new, beautifully designed Market Alley in Eugene. As a community volunteer, Obie has served on the Eugene City Council, as Mayor of Eugene, and as president of the University of Oregon Foundation.
A native of Milwaukie, Oregon, Liz Shuler made history in 2021 when she was elected as the first woman president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 56 unions with 12.5 million members. The daughter of parents who both worked for Portland General Electric, Shuler began her career working for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Oregon (IBEW) before becoming chief of staff for the IBEW president. A visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, Shuler believes the labor movement is the single most powerful vehicle for progress and that unions are a central force in leading lasting societal transformations.
Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the best-tasting, highest-quality dairy products made in the most natural way possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook® produces internationally recognized, award-winning cheese as well as exceptional dairy products including ice cream, butter, and yogurt. Today, Tillamook® is in one in four households in the United States and recently exceeded $1 billion in retail sales. TCCA operates production facilities in both Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon, and employs more than 900 people throughout the state. As a Certified B Corporation®, TCCA upholds a commitment to being good stewards of cows, farms, communities, and the environment.
