In February of 2023, the city of Tualatin’s Economic Development Manager met with me to tell me about the new program that the city had developed called “Tualatin Made.” This was a program whose objective was to assist as many companies as possible to transform for tomorrow’s economy in a deep and impactful way.” As part of this program, I was introduced to Bob Cannon, CEO of Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) and we talked about the Tualatin Manufacturing and Trades businesses and how we could all partner to build them up.
That February day in 2023 I learned for the first time that the city of Tualatin has more than 200 Trades and Manufacturing businesses within the borders of our city. I was shocked that there were that many. I assumed we had about 50. I had been extremely busy re-building the Chamber after the quarantine years and these businesses weren’t exactly visible. Tualatin does a beautiful job of tucking them away behind trees and in alley ways, behind other buildings and in small industrial sections, so that you do not see the scope of these amazing makers and manufacturers that fill our business community, but I promise you, they are there!
Once I ventured out to go tour and meet with the businesses, I found them everywhere…and my mind started to turn with ideas on how the Chamber could support this industry in a more relevant and powerful way.
At the time, the Chamber had three levels of membership available. “Silver” which is our entry level of membership for networking and promotions. “Gold” which is a level higher with more opportunities for sponsorships and logo displays… then there was an empty gap in our membership levels and our last level is “Platinum,” which is the highest level of membership and includes significant opportunity for sponsorships at our signature events. I realized that the gap in our membership between Gold and Platinum should be filled with a membership that was exclusively designed to serve our Trades and Manufacturers. Keeping with the precious metal theme we named it “Titanium.”
Titanium has 20 Charter members today and any business that joins in 2025 gets “Charter Member” status for life with a few extra benefits.
The regular benefits are:
- Quarterly leadership and business education classes with networking
- Coordination of CEU credit classes with Clackamas Community College
- The STEAM Team Education foundation “WorkReady” events for elementary, junior high and high school students in the Tigard/Tualatin School District.
- A Special Titanium Trades and a Titanium Manufacturing Excellence in Business Award presented to the winners each year at the Excellence in Business Awards Banquet
- Focused Business and Government Advocacy
- An annual Titanium Alliance Trades & Manufacturing Magazine/Directory
- An annual Titanium Alliance Trades & Manufacturing Forum
- Titanium Happy Hour Networking on the third Thursday at Tualatin Station Bar & Grill
Charter members receive:
- First right of refusal to be part of the WorkReady programs each year
- Two free admissions to the Annual Forum for life
- Their LOGO on the promotion’s poster and on the slide deck at the Forum
- Their logo displayed on the Titanium Charter member page on the website
- Published on the Charter logo page in the Magazine/Directory
This year’s annual Titanium Forum will be held at the Perlo Construction Auditorium on October 23, 2025. The presentations will be on Workforce development by Work systems, INC, an economic update on Trades & Manufacturing from Oregon Business and Industry, and an inspirational capstone message about inspired Leadership from Dr Ian Beaty, along with dinner and networking. The first edition of the Titanium Magazine and Directory will be available there. It will also be mailed to 14,000 addresses in Tualatin in September and the magazine will be delivered to the high schools, hotels, and waiting rooms all over Tualatin.
Please join us! You can register at tinyurl.com/yb945uce.
Titanium was just an idea in 2023. Some told me it was impossible…but a huge team of dedicated professionals volunteered on the Titanium Committee to help develop and run the program and it is thriving.
The Board of Directors, and myself have worked diligently to mold Titanium into a robust and relevant program that will stand the test of time and support our Industrial businesses into the future. In the words of Alan Kay, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
For more information: www.Tualatinchamber.com.
