Newsletters
Volume 6, Issue 3 Fall 2006
News from CEO, Jim Schell
Bits – N - Pieces
It seems like only yesterday since OK was conceived, but I’ve been facilitating teams for over 10 years now. By my unofficial count I’ve co-facilitated over 400 OK meetings over that span of time – I currently co-facilitate three teams and, during one extended period several years ago, co-facilitated four. One doesn’t commit such time and energy to a project for ten years without loving it, and, I must admit it, I love OK. Most of all however, what I love the most about OK is the people who have become successful team members.
Yet, while those monthly OK meetings that I facilitate are fun, energy-packed and always educational, the event I enjoy the most is our annual meeting. This year the magic date falls on Tuesday, October 3, 5:30 – 8:30 at the Bend Golf and Country Club.
The reason I super-enjoy our annual meetings goes back to the kind of people who are attracted to OK and eventually transition into successful members. The successful OK member is energetic, motivated to learn, interested in what other businesses are doing, and willing to share his or her business knowledge. Put all those traits together in one person, then put one hundred and fifty of those folks in the same room, and what do you have? Why, you have a room packed with energy and enthusiasm, that’s what you have, which means the place feels like all those OK members are plugged into a giant light socket and the switch is turned on.
Which accounts for the reason those meetings rank so high on my enjoyment meter.
This year’s annual meeting is going to be the mother of all annual meetings, in celebration of OK’s tenth anniversary. We owe a resounding thanks to Shannon Mara of Rebound Physical Therapy (a longstanding OK 3 team member), whose company has chosen to become OK’s first-ever “Annual Meeting Sponsor.” Without Rebound’s participation, we would not be able to offer the kind of program Susie has assembled in order to honor the occasion.
For those enlightened members (and their facilitators) who attend, in addition to co-mingling with 150 other electrified OK members and facilitators, you’ll also be treated to:
• A sit-down dinner.
• A presentation by yours truly on what I’ve learned from you, OK’s members, over the past ten years. You’ll see a lot of yourself in what I have to say.
• Give-away/door prizes, the likes of which we’ve never given away before and which, whether you know it or not, you’ve played a role in generating.
• A recognition of the eight OK members who have been with us since Day One.
• A recognition of the OK Facilitator of the Year.
• The announcement of OK’s Member of the Year.
For you newer OK members, if you’ve enjoyed your OK experience thus far, your enjoyment meter is about to take a giant leap forward.
I hope to see all of you on October 3.
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Also, for you newer OK members, I’d like to take this opportunity to explain how our organization works. OK is an LLC, and the “business” is owned by its three partners - my wife Mary, yours truly, and Susie Stevens. We are known as a “social entrepreneurial” business, which means that we are designed to work for the common good but generate enough revenues to pay our own way.
I am a volunteer, similar to the other 38 volunteers who co-facilitate OK teams. I do what Susie asks me to do, which currently includes the co-facilitation of three teams, writing articles (including this one), assisting at the annual meeting and the ongoing recruitment of volunteer facilitators and team members. Mary is a volunteer facilitator as well, in addition to helping Susie out when asked.
Susie serves as President of OK and is a salaried Executive Director working full time. Cathy Wambaugh works part time and serves as OK’s Technology Support and Special Projects Coordinator. Susie also has a volunteer Board of Advisors made up of OK facilitators and members; people who provide her with ideas and suggestions on how to continuously improve the OK experience. Current members of her Board of Advisors include Mark Neuman, Roberta Johnson, Carol Hollowell and Lou Albertson.
Thus, with the exception of Susie and Cathy, OK is 100% a volunteer-driven organization, which accounts for the reason why our annual dues are so low.
The “volunteer” aspect of OK also accounts for the primary reason we are able to provide such a meaningful service to our members. Since our facilitators aren’t paid for what they do, they do it for one reason and one reason only. They volunteer because they want to give something back. And, because they care.
Yes, they do what they do because they care. Because they care about Central Oregon and the community within which we live.
But most of all, they do what they do because they care about you.
Toni Ryan - COBRA
OK 23 Member
Describe your business and position:
I serve as the Executive Director of the Central Oregon Battering and Rape Alliance, also known as COBRA. COBRA is a public benefit charitable organization that provides comprehensive family violence and sexual assault services and promotes the value of living life free from violence. For the past 30 years, COBRA has provided Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties with emergency shelter, a 24 hour hotline, support groups, peer counseling, and children’s services for victims. Our prevention efforts focus on working with men to end violence against women. Our newest service is a supervised visitation center which opened in Deschutes County in January 2006.How long have you been a member of OK?
I have been a member of OK 23 for three years.What have you enjoyed most about OK?
COBRA is exploring social entrepreneurships as a way to increase revenue to support the services we provide. I have enjoyed the immersion in the business culture that I experienced as an OK member. The issues entrepreneurs face are universal but the context is quite different between the private and nonprofit sectors. It has been a fascinating and broad education. The pleasure comes from the intimate environment to learn this in. I have a great respect for my team members and their willingness to share their growing edges.What is the top value you and your business have received from OK?
The connections are invaluable. The response from those I’ve met through OK has been very genuine and supportive. On a personal level, I am inspired by the compassion others have demonstrated as they learn about the issues COBRA works with. For the business, I have a better understanding of what it takes to form social alliances with private businesses.
Tim Larkin - Summit Accommodators
OK 3 Member and OK 22 Co-Facilitator
Describe your business and position:
How long have you been a member of OK?
I have been a member for 10 years. I joined OK when it first started.What have you enjoyed most about OK?
I've enjoyed many aspects of OK. The exchange of ideas is invaluable whether we are focused on my business's issues or talking about someone else's.
What is the top value you and business have received from OK?
I think, at the end of the day, the greatest value I get is "sharing the load" with others who understand my business, my strengths and weaknesses, and who genuinely care about me and my success. Being a business owner can be a lonely business and it is invaluable to have a team of people who understand that and will come along side you during the tough times all business owners experience.
Jane Grimm - Centro Information Systems
OK 2 - Member
Describe your business and position:
President / CEO of Centro Information Systems. Our full-service business forms capability includes project planning, design, print production, inventory management, distribution and order fulfillment. In addition we offer expertise in full-service commercial printing, the design and production of promotional products and have customized on-line access to company merchandise and printed materials.How long have you been a member of OK?
6 yearsWhat have you enjoyed most about OK?
Sharing critical business issues and listening to the supportive and constructive feedback and suggestions from my OK team.What is the top value you and business have received from OK?
The problem solving help received from my team members who have faced similar challenges in their businesses and the relationships that have developed over the years.
Mary Schell - Specialty Cigars International
OK 5 Co-Facilitator
What is your current position and what services do you provide?
How long have you been an OK Facilitator?
What have you enjoyed most about being a Facilitator?
What is the best advice you would give to an OK Member?
My advice is to remember where we all started, how we all grew, and how our experiences can shape others to avoid the mistakes of entrepreneurialism. Proactively communicating our experience is the key to a great team and OK member.Also, the willingness to participate honestly when situations are not so pleasant will make the member and team stronger and effective.
Central Oregon OK News
Susie Stevens, President
Summer is soon to be over and OK’s fall events are ready to start strong. OK will be presenting a number of different educational & training opportunities this last quarter, so we encourage you to check them all out under OK Events. Event information is also always posted on OK’s website at www.opp-knocks.org .
The invitations for the OK Annual Meeting are being mailed via our post office and if for some reason you do not receive one, please let us know. We request that you please RSVP by September 22nd. We look forward to a very enjoyable event and seeing all of you there.
There is still time to make a nomination for the OK Facilitator and the OK Member of the Year. If you need a nomination form, please notify us at Susie@opp-knocks.org . The awards will be made at the annual meeting.
The OK Member Directory is now complete and posted on the OK website. Special thanks to Cathy in our office and Alpine Internet for making it happen. We hope you use it and benefit from it. Please let us know as changes occur within your businesses and we’ll make the changes to the directory.
Jim, Cathy and I will be meeting again this fall to have our annual OK strategic planning meeting for ’07. Last year’s planning meeting proved to be a positive jump start for us this past year. I encourage each of you to devote some time this fall to do the same type of planning. It makes it a lot easier to start the year with the plan in place and ’07 will be here before we know it. I hope all of you have a strong fall and end the year where you had planned and wanted your businesses to be.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the Annual Meeting!
A Few Notes from Cathy
Cathy Wambaugh, Technology Support, Special Projects Coordinator
As many of you are aware the OK Member Directory is now live on OK's site. If you have not checked it out please do. We at OK hope this will be a helpful tool, giving your business more on-line exposure, as well as, a functional Directory for members to use. Please know that if your information is incorrect or has changed, please send the changes to cathy@opp-knocks.org . I will be editing and updating the Directory and OK database on a weekly basis.
I would also like to remind everyone of the option and convenience to pay for membership fees, register and pay for seminars and order and pay for books online. It's been up and running now for awhile, so if you prefer to make payments with your credit card, please go to OK's website to make that happen or give us a call and we will be happy to assist you with your transaction.
2006 Upcoming Events:
September 21, 2006
5th Annual Bend Business Forum
"My Advice to You Is...."
"Three of Bend's most successful executives share tips and suggestions on how to build a successful business and enjoy a rewarding career."
Presenters include: Gary Fish, CEO, Deschutes Brewery Inc., Patricia Gibford, Pres. & CEO, Clear Choice Health Plans and Jim Lussier, The Lussier Center/TLC
7:00-9:00 A.M.$25
St. Charles Medical Center, Center for Health and Learning
Phone: 382-3221
Fax: 385-9929
Register On-Line: www.bendchamber.org
September 22
Employee Retention: Pay Now or Pay Later!
Presented by Jan Baker, Jan Baker Facilitates
Sponsored by the Prineville Chamber and OK
Meadow Lakes Golf Course
October 3
OK’s 10th Annual Dinner Meeting
Sponsored by Rebound Physical Therapy
5:30 P.M.-8:30 P.M.
October 17
Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Symposium
7:30 A.M.-Noon
Reservations to EDCO at 388-3236
October 18
Best Practices presents: “Understanding Your Financial Statements.”
Seminar Fee includes a copy of the book.
November 8
Best Practices presents: “Nuts and Bolts of Real Estate Investing”
COMING IN ‘07
January 10
Best Practices presents: “Building and Burnishing a Business Brand”
Presented by Bill Chiaravalle and Barbara Schenck, authors of the new book “Branding For Dummies.”
Thanks to all of our OK Business Sponsors
Best Practices Seminars:
WorkSource Oregon, Employment Department
OK Annual Meeting Sponsor:
Rebound Physical Therapy
Patron Sponsors:
Bank of the Cascades
Citywide Mortgage
Columbia River Bank
Community First Bank
LibertyBank
South Valley Bank & Trust
US Bank
Umpqua Bank
Washington Mutual Bank
In Kind Patron Sponsors:
Alpine Internet Solutions
Cascade Business News
Press Pros
Solution Sponsors:
Compass Commercial:
JD Mowlds
Erich Schultz, SIOR
Steve Toomey
