Employee Spotlight: Ryan Smith at Insitu

September 28, 2023September 28, 2023jbrandt

Our spotlight series introduces Ryan Smith, Flight Test and Systems Engineering Manager at Insitu.

Ryan’s career grew out of his fascination with UAVs and his belief that uncrewed systems will be the future of aviation. After studying aerospace engineering at Embry Riddle in Prescott, AZ, Ryan worked for Boeing for 17 years. In 2020, he chose to move to the Gorge to work at Insitu as the natural next step in his career, stating “I loved the work I did and the teams I worked with, but I needed a change. I wanted to move to a smaller community and saw an opportunity come up at Insitu. As both a leader in the industry and a subsidiary of Boeing, Insitu was clearly the best opportunity for me.”

When asked to talk about what he appreciates most about Insitu’s company culture, Ryan had positive things to say about the company’s commitment to both community engagement and to the work/life balance for its employees.

“Moving into the area during COVID-19, I wanted to find a way to engage with the community and found the volunteer opportunities that Insitu coordinated to be the perfect way. The opportunities were often open to the whole family and the Boeing donation match went back into the organizations we worked with. My family and I love the outdoors and all the activities in the area. What we weren’t expecting is how amazing this community is. Since our first week here we’ve felt so welcome. I love the Gorge and since moving here, could not imagine myself anywhere else.”

In addition to great opportunities for community engagement, Ryan spoke of the company culture’s commitment to a healthy work/life balance.

“At Insitu, we work hard and we play hard. I think one of the best things the company does is recognize and support the need for a healthy work/life balance. This summer my family and I had the opportunity to spend 17 days running the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado River. Even though this trip took me away from work for 3 weeks with no possible contact, I was fully supported by my team and leadership. The culture of the company encourages trust and support for each other, which is critical in being able to balance the day to day or support the larger opportunities. The team here is great, and I’m happy to be here.”

When asked “What would you like to gain from you and/or your company being members of the GTA?” Ryan replied,

“Before moving to the area, the only company I knew of was Insitu. While I’m just starting to understand the breadth and scope of the GTA, I appreciate that there is an organization supporting STEM and its connection to industry. As it becomes increasingly difficult to attract talent, the growth of local talent who already understand the benefits of living in the gorge can really help the local industry. I am constantly impressed by the amount of talent here in the gorge. It’s great to run into other tech folks at Makerspace and at soccer and at dinner.

“Workwise, the GTA offers opportunity for both the collaboration and competition that are needed to help our local industry sector achieve a greatness that one company would not be able to achieve on its own.”

And in keeping with his active appreciation for community and collaboration, Ryan’s answer when asked the question, “Who would you most like to share a meal with and what would you have?” Ryan replied that he would love to have the opportunity to have lunch with Jason Hartmann to learn more about the GTA.

When asked about exciting and innovative projects in his work, Ryan spoke enthusiastically about the Integrator VTOL, which is a UAV that has been developed in collaboration with Hood Tech. “The vertical takeoff and landing capability increases both the endurance and safety of the Integrator’s flight without sacrificing the max takeoff weight or range. There is a two-stage vertical takeoff and landing – a UAV carries the Integrator to safe altitude for launch and captures it for recovery. This piggy-back cuts out the need to carry the weight of extra batteries and motors, which increases endurance, and the freed-up space that batteries would occupy can be utilized to build in more redundancy features that increase safety.”

118 East Columbia River Way

Bingen,WA 98605

Tel: 1-509-493-8600

Fax: 1-509-493-8601

www.insitu.com

Founded in the Gorge in 1994, Insitu is a company that has aimed to become the gold standard in Group 2 and 3 Uncrewed Autonomous Systems. The company’s focus has been on providing ISR Services, Software and Fully Integrated Systems around the world. Today, the company has grown to approximately 700 employees in various buildings throughout the Gorge.

Employee Spotlight: Matthew Hamilton at Sagetech

August 30, 2023September 28, 2023jbrandt

Our spotlight focus turns this month to Matthew Hamilton, Sagetech Avionics’ Chief Technology Officer. Matt leads the technology teams of the company to create advanced avionics solutions that currently serve on unmanned aircraft platforms. Matt’s qualifications include a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Matt shared his story of how he came to work at Sagetech when he was asked why he chose to live in the Gorge to pursue his career in tech and innovation. Prior to his employment at Sagetech, which began in November of 2015, Matt worked at Aviation Communication Surveillance Systems (ACSS), a division of L3-Harris, in Phoenix AZ. At ACSS, Matt worked on traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and transponders for commercial aircraft. Matt first learned about Sagetech when his employer began working on a new mini TCAS product and purchased a Sagetech legacy transponder to evaluate it. When this program was cancelled, Matt was moved to qualification testing, at which point both he and his colleague David Day started looking for new and more interesting opportunities. Dave reached out to Sagetech and quickly got an interview and an offer and moved to the Gorge. Dave immediately reached out to Matt about the opportunity to work at Sagetech with him. Two weeks later in October, Matt flew north and had a “working interview” where he helped design some of the transmitter circuitry that is still part of Sagetech’s MX Platform. During his interview Matt stayed in the former Sagetech owner’s barn (which was the former Sagetech building!), hiked Eagle Creek, and fell in love with the Gorge while the weather was fantastic. Even though Dave was the only other person that Matt knew in the Columbia Gorge, when Sagetech offered the job, he took it. He started work in November and had to stay in a vacation rental because there was no housing available. The weather turned quickly… with snow in November and continuous rain for the next six months.

When asked to share one great thing that Sagetech does for its employees, Matt replied without hesitation, “Sagetech offers a continuing education program, which includes learning to fly, as a way to foster an aviation culture at the company. The company pays for half the cost of a private pilot’s license or any college or education/ training up to $5k/year, as long as it is in line with Sagetech’s business.” Matt is now a certified private pilot and has found that being a pilot himself has proven invaluable in developing a user-friendly product for customers because he can personally flight-test the products. He added, (with a grin) “There is nothing that can match the value of real-life product testing!”

Matt was enthusiastic about his work developing innovative and progressive projects at Sagetech that will “make the skies safer by helping aircraft avoid mid-air collisions.” The company’s Airborne Collision Avoidance System X (ACAS-X) is the next generation of collision-avoidance systems that is specifically designed to meet the needs of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and small UAS. This technology is also applicable to crewed aviation (Fixed Wing, Rotorcraft and eVTOLs) Sagetech is now designing a smaller version of their MX transponder for the less-than-55 lb. UAS market. Today, small UAS do not have transponders because “it would overwhelm the 1090 MHz spectrum.” Instead, they can be equipped with a passive receiver and use ACAS-X to avoid collisions. For larger aircraft, the MX will get upgraded with some extra processing capability to include the ACAS-X and a UAT receiver. Sagetech is working with many of the major advanced air mobility (AAM) players, one of the company’s key target markets. Uncrewed cargo aircraft have also been targeted in Sagetech’s quest to make the skies safer through certified collision-avoidance systems. Sagetech’s innovation has extended now to the development of an iOS app that will soon be available for light sport and experimental aircraft to equip with ADS-B.

When asked to elaborate on what he and his company would like to gain as a member of the GTA, Matt replied that he sees the GTA as “a great recruiting tool that provides visibility to the company.” He also sees synergies between and among the Gorge tech companies that have not been leveraged yet, which the GTA could help with.

Matt attributes his success at Sagetech to the amazing team of engineers that he works with, and to his supportive wife Hauna and kids Brogan, Bella, and Brynlee. When Matt is not working, he enjoys flying to new places with his family. And to wrap up this extraordinary interview, Matt was asked the famous question… “If you could have one meal with anyone, who would you choose, and which dish would you share?” And in keeping with Matt’s enthusiasm for aviation, the answer came back (not too surprisingly!) that he would love to dine with Neil Armstrong and share a long conversation about aviation history over a sirloin steak.

Visit Sagetech’s website to learn more about the company and products!

Bill Howland at SightLine – our June Employee Spotlight!

June 23, 2023October 4, 2023jbrandt

Meet Bill Howland, an Embedded Hardware Engineer who has been on SightLine Applications’ hardware engineering team in Portland for the past five years. As a native Oregonian and Portlander, Bill counts himself lucky to live in an area where he can pursue his passion for electronics and ride his bike to work when the weather cooperates.

Bill’s interest in electronics began when he was 12 years old, taking apart audio systems and trying to build or repair his way to a better version. So when it came time to choose his career, electronics was naturally the ONLY choice! While still in college, Bill’s first job was working for BASF Temperature Sensing (formerly Engelhard Corporation), where he progressed from Electronic Technician to Engineering Technician and eventually Hardware Engineer. There he oversaw the design, assembly and testing of optical pyrometers for the RTP Radiance and Vulcan CVD systems made by Applied Materials, Inc. (world-wide manufacturing of silicon wafer processors). At times Bill was the entire manufacturing team. Bill remained at BASF for 13 years, had a brief period of home-based contract work, and then came to work at SightLine.

When asked what he appreciates most about his work at Sightline, Bill replied that, “SightLine allows employees to grow, learn, and ‘wear multiple hats’ so things stay interesting!” His outlook on learning and and creating solutions has earned him the reputation among his teammates as “THE go-to electrical genius at SightLine who many folks rely on for troubleshooting hardware, cabling, power automation, etc.” – says colleague Charlie Hayward

His personal interests have remained focused on music and his knowledge of musical trivia is at this time unrivaled! He continues to refurbish and repair vintage audio equipment and antique radios as a hobby, and his quirky humor shows clearly with his answer to the question, “Who would you choose to have dinner with and what dish would you share?” Bill’s #1 choice was to have dinner with Bugs Bunny at the LOOOONG table he shared with Yosemite Sam, and “we would have Bugs’ “Hasenpfeffer” recipe” (carrots!).

SightLine Applications creates onboard video processing software that is then typically integrated as an embedded system into high-end optronics systems (gimbals, UAVs, UGVs, PTZs, and more!). Bill Howland is part of the team that designs the electronic subsystems to interface various cameras to SightLine’s systems.

Founded in 2007, SightLine has offices in both Hood River and Portland. The two offices help with the recruitment needs that require a variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise. With around 40 employees in the two offices, this small company has been a core member of the GTA since the Alliance was created.

Email: info@sightlineapplications.com

Website: sightlineapplications.com

Employee Spotlight: Crystal Cuellar @ Silicon Forest Electronics

May 24, 2023August 31, 2023jbrandt

This month’s Employee Spotlight focuses on the production floor at Silicon Forest Electronics, where Crystal Cuellar is the Senior Lead in production of printed circuit board assembly. Silicon Forest Electronics employs 98 people, and Crystal has been working there for 16 years. She first heard about Silicon Forest Electronics through her daughter’s participation in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program in Vancouver, where her daughter was matched as a sister into another family that personally recommended Silicon Forest Electronics as a great workplace.

When asked what she appreciates the most about her employer, Crystal replied that it was, “the time and training that Silicon Forest Electronics provides to employees so that they can be promoted in-house. The company’s practice of offering opportunities to learn new skills and to advance in one’s career has helped the company to grow successfully.”

As a production lead, it is Crystal’s responsibility to keep communication flowing between the production crew, the Customer Focus Teams, and Engineers. She manages both the people and the product as it moves through the production floor, ensuring that the highest quality product goes out to customers.

Crystal Cuellar takes pride in her work and the work of her production team. She finds it especially satisfying to see the growth and development of the company’s newer hires as the demand for Silicon Forest Electronics’ services continues to grow.

While Crystal herself is not personally active at the GTA’s social events, she appreciates that much of the demand for Silicon Forest Electronics’ products comes from fellow GTA companies. Her personal work ethic demands that the quality of products and the service provided by Silicon Forest Electronics has a positive and profound impact for every customer.

Fun Fact! If Crystal could have one meal with anyone, she would choose Hannibal Lector, a character from the movie Silence of the Lambs, and she would make liver with some Fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Silicon Forest Electronics

6204 East 18th Street

Vancouver, WA 98661

360-694-2000

email: sfesales@si-forest.com

website: siliconforestelectronics.com

Employee Spotlight: Kate Wurster, Columbia Gorge STEM Hub Coordinator

March 24, 2023August 31, 2023jbrandt

Kate Wurster was recently hired as the STEM Hub Coordinator at CGESD in October, 2022 as a natural fit, with her love of language and communication and her extensive background in education.

As a Fulbright Scholar with degrees in German and Education, Kate first got involved in education professionally when she taught English to primary and secondary students in Hamburg, Germany. After that, her path progressed through community colleges in Maine and in Colorado. Moving to the Gorge with her husband Pete and son Chase, her skills and talent led her to Hood River Valley High School where she served as the Career Connected Learning Coordinator. In this role, Kate collaborated with CTE teachers at the high school to build robust post-secondary pathways between HRVHS and CGCC, by creating meaningful workplace-based experiences for students. Her engagement with CGCC led her to new professional opportunities at the College, where she continued to champion the value of CTE programming to help serve local workforce and employment needs.

Kate believes in the power and importance of good communication in all aspects of her life – personal and professional. She is fluent in written and spoken German and hosts a monthly German language conversation group called Stammtisch at Crush Cider Cafe in Hood River. She is also inspired by nature and embraces all that the Gorge has to offer – trail running, skiing, hiking, stand up paddle boarding and exploring the beautiful landscape the Gorge has to offer.

Kate’s aspirations include travelling and living abroad with her family for a couple of years so that they can fully immerse themselves in another language and culture. When asked what her favorite meal would be to share with her favorite celebrity, she had no hesitation in replying, “I would love to have had dinner with Ruth Bader Ginsburg or with Michelle Obama – sharing a Mediterranean dish with chicken kabobs and tzatziki, pita bread and hummus, falafel, and a delicious Turkish coffee would be (would have been) amazing!”

In her Coordinator role, Kate’s primary focus is in Career Connected Learning initiatives (career awareness, exploration, preparation & training) at the middle and high school (bridging post-secondary) levels. She thoroughly enjoys her role of “matchmaker” within the STEM sector, stating, “I find it most rewarding to work with educators to identify their career-connected learning needs. I then determine what the best fit (which company and/or professional mentor) will best to supplement the educator’s curriculum with real-world expertise and context. The matchmaking step involves networking with industry contacts to open the pathways where the needs meet.”

Kate is eager to collaborate with educators, students and families, as well as community & industry partners in the region to provide opportunity and access to Career Connected Learning activities and programming. She has found the Gorge to be an amazingly dynamic and rewarding place to work in Career Connected Learning, commenting, “When it comes to leveraging industry/ education connections, for a relatively small and rural region, the diversity of industry represented here, and the willingness for industry to engage and support local youth, is very impressive! “

Kate’s major work initiatives for the STEM Hub include the College and Career Expo and the Advanced Manufacturing Educator Externship. Last year’s College and Career Expo event had approximately 150 students representing 11 different high schools in the region, including WA schools in Klickitat & Skamania Counties. The Advanced Manufacturing Educator Externship is a 3-day, experiential externship focused on the Advanced Manufacturing sector (including a hands-on introduction to CGCC’s Advanced Manufacturing program by the College’s lead instructors and site visits to a variety of local manufacturing employers in Hood River & Wasco County on days 2 & 3).

The GTA provides a crucial link to the local high tech industry for the STEM Hub. It provides a platform for networking opportunities with local industry partners that is essential for the work of Career Connected Learning in the region. Plus, industry awareness around the work of the STEM Hub is necessary for the success of the STEM Hub’s programs, and the GTA provides the link to leverage the participation and support of local tech companies.

____________________________________

400 E Scenic Dr. #207

The Dalles, OR 97058

541-656-0976

The Columbia Gorge STEM Hub is a program of the Columbia Gorge Education Service District, serving as the “connective tissue” between families, students, educators and industry throughout the Gorge’s five Oregon counties (Hood River, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler) as well as Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington (through partnership with Career Connect Southwest WA).

The STEM Hub is a small but mighty team of three, focused on increasing equitable access to quality STEM experiences in our region. The STEM Hub walks its talk, modeling its goals of equity and quality of life for its employees by offering a hybrid work schedule that allows flexibility and a healthy work-life balance.

To learn more about all that the Hub has to offer, visit the website at: https://www.gorgestem.org/

Employee Spotlight: Evan Leglar @ Zepher, Inc.

February 21, 2023August 31, 2023jbrandt

Meet Evan Leglar, a Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineer at Zepher, Inc. where he provides technical support for product development. His work spans from helping customers directly to refine their concepts into manufacturable products, to providing operational support for existing customers and product lines. In a typical day, he floats between progressing a design project, to developing assembly plans for a contract manufacturing job, to helping scope a new design project for a customer in need.

Evan first learned about Zepher when he was in school at Oregon State in Corvallis, by meeting some folks from the GTA at a career fair booth. He also had a friend who had just interned at Zepher the year prior. Between the interesting work he heard about from his friend and the allure of the gorge, he was excited to make the move from Hillsboro, OR.

When asked about what he appreciates most about his work at Zepher, Evan talked about the wide variety and opportunities in the scope of his work. Ranging from helping standup operations for design services, to leading projects across various ground support equipment types to dipping into the world of hydrogen energy. His exposure to the wide variety of customer and product types that comes from being in the design services world has given him the chance to learn a tremendous amount about the aerospace industry, as well as how to support external partners in the product development process.

See Evan’s LinkedIn Page to learn more about his interests, skills, and award-winning innovative achievements.

About the Company

Zepher works with the design, development, and manufacturing of aerospace ground support and testing equipment. In addition to traditional manufacturing services, Zepher has been developing machining and metrology capabilities along with mechanical design services to allow the company to service more of their products’ lifecycle, to improve the overall speed of production, and to improve the chances that the products will make it to market. In support of Zepher Flight Labs, Zepher has been building competence in the budding Hydrogen Aviation market with the design and integration of the hardware needed to support H2 fueled flight.

Zepher’s participation in the GTA grows from the company’s interest in sharing knowledge and in growing with other companies in the gorge. The GTA provides presence in the broader technology industry that increases opportunity and ability for the Gorge’s small companies to offer high quality careers and world class products in the U.S.

For employees like Evan, the ability to attend live events promises a great opportunity to meet interesting local tech professionals and learn about gorge-made products.

Quick Links	Contact Evan directly!	Contact Zepher, Inc
www.zepherinc.com	Evan.Leglar@Zepherinc.com	310 Larch St.
https://crgta.org/zepher-inc/	evanleglar@gmail.com	Bingen, WA 98605
	Linkedin.com/Evan Leglar
		PO Box 2158
		White Salmon, WA 98672

		info@zepherinc.com
		509-637-2520

Employee Spotlight: Justin Gradek @ OMEP

January 26, 2023August 31, 2023jbrandt

Meet Justin Gradek, OMEP’s consultant assigned to cover the Columbia River Gorge Region. Justin has been with OMEP for six years as a Senior Manufacturing Consultant. Justin consults with manufacturers around the state on a wide range of topics including capacity growth, strategy, facility layout, and equipment selection. He also does design work and coaching when called for. A portion of his time is spent on advancing manufacturing CTE programs with educators around the state.

Justin loves the flexibility in his work with OMEP. He appreciates that the agency’s mission and work style allows it’s employees to work with clients and on projects that the employees themselves are passionate about. For Justin, his work with companies in the Gorge to help create economic prosperity in the community where he lives is more than simply a professional goal – it is a personal goal as well.

“I’ve lived in The South, big cities on the east coast, California, and Europe – and there is nowhere as beautiful as the Pacific Northwest and The Gorge specifically. I also find the people of the west to embody a lot of the ruggedness and perseverance that I imagine it took to establish farming and industry on this land a couple hundred years ago. The Northwest has a lot of opportunity for people looking to build a good life while trying something new, and I think that’s me.”

Picture of Justin and partner Monica Gulley and 3 sons, taken at home in Hood River summer 2022

When asked to give an example of something innovative, progressive, or exciting in his work, Justin described OMEP’s “Ready or Not” business simulation. This 4-hour, in-person group exercise gives teams of 5-8 people leadership roles within a fictional company in order to collaboratively make decisions and investments to grow the company based on the strategy they create. Teams compete against each other during this event, and it is interesting, educational and fun. OMEP has delivered this simulation to groups as large as 300 people and as small as 30. His current work involves adapting the simulation to be incorporated into Portland Public Schools’ CTE programs, as well as around the state at various institutions throughout 2023. This simulation is good context for much of the work that OMEP does, and Justin encourages people to go through the exercise whenever possible.

About the Company

Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership OMEP is best described as a “Public Non-profit” funded through NIST grants, Business Oregon state funding, and client fees. OMEP is part of the nation-wide NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, the goal of which is to advance small and medium-sized manufacturing by making business consulting available to this specific industry demographic.

OMEP has a staff of about 20 consultants based around the state. Each consultant has specialized expertise in manufacturing and a broad network of generalist skills to assist manufacturers in current and pressing challenges. The companies we work with span aerospace, medical devices, food products, assembly, construction, and primary wood and metal processing. If a company uses a process to change a product, then OMEP can likely work with them.

The range of expertise that OMEP consultants deliver fits into three broad categories:

Manufacturing operations: including lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, manufacturing engineering, and technology solutions.
Business Financials and Strategy: mastering financial understanding, understanding growth services, and developing strategies for success.
Workforce Solutions: examining the organization’s structure and alignment, leadership and employee development, and recruiting onboarding and training.

OMEP joined the GTA with goals that are both broad and specific: to contribute to the local economy directly by helping companies who can benefit from our expertise, and to contribute indirectly by partnering with organizations that advance manufacturing through technology-focused training, working with educators to expose the next generation of workers to manufacturing opportunities, and facilitating groups working on challenges that are tangent to manufacturing.

OMEP Office

Online appointments and Onsite services

7650 SW Beveland St. #170

Portland, OR 97223

omep.org

Phone: 503-406-3770

Contact Justin directly!

Email: jgradek@omep.org

phone: 661.203.2273

Quick Links

www.o mep.org

GTA Website>OMEP

Member Spotlight: Jacobs

November 17, 2022November 21, 2022jbrandt

About the Company

Jacobs (formally known as Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.) is a publicly traded corporation that was founded in 1947. Today the company employs approximately 58,000 people worldwide with about 1,200 located in Oregon. Jacobs has been in operation for 75 years—serving both public and private clients in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, including the States of Oregon and Washington, as well as various local agencies and municipalities that include Cities, Counties, Ports, service districts and private sector clients with infra-structure projects in water, wastewater, industrial processes, transportation, planning, permitting, construction management, and studies of all sizes to foster resilient communities.

In addition to design work for buildings and campus planning, transportation design for roadways, bridges, and rail, Jacobs provides wastewater operations and maintenance services on-contract to several cities in the Gorge.

Jacobs is currently managing the Dog River Pipeline Replacement project (shown above) for the City of The Dalles. The project includes permitting, design and construction management services to install 3.5 miles of new pipeline with new fish screening and passage.

Jacobs supports clients through all stages of planning, design, permitting, project management and construction for contracted projects.

The City of Hood River wastewater treatment plant, located on City property at the west end of the Port of Hood River, is operated under contract by Jacobs. Jacobs helps the City manage the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality requirements related to the effluent that it discharges to the Columbia River.

Projects such as these fit Jacobs’ company philosophy to make the world smarter, more connected and more sustainable. Jacobs recognizes the need for holistic, balanced urban and placemaking solutions that support environmental stewardship. Climate change is acknowledged as a defining issue that requires leveraging capabilities and deep expertise for solutions.

“Challenging today” is the company’s response to the increasing complexity our world is experiencing. These challenges call on humanity to join forces, putting knowledge and imagination together to reinvent the way problems are solved and shaping the next generation of innovative solutions. The company’s team of technology professionals, engineers, architects and specialists work to provide leading edge solutions ranging from end-to-end solutions to more complex engineering systems that will create and sustain well-functioning and thriving communities into the future.

Jacobs supports projects for the Cities of Hood River, Cascade Locks and The Dalles. Team members live and work within the Columbia River Gorge area on both sides of the river, and Jacobs is invested in improving the Gorge’s communities as a trusted partner. Jacobs has joined the GTA to make and strengthen connections- for its local team members living in the Gorge, with the local business community, and with other technology-minded professionals. Jacobs offers Gorge tech companies resources for services in the Water, Civil, Data Science, Geotechnical, Structural, Electrical and Development sectors.

Gorge Contact: Annie Alsheimer, PE

annie.alsheimer@jacobs.com

Annie has been involved with the GTA since moving to the Gorge in 2018, and she joined GWIS in 2019. In 2021, she joined Jacobs Engineering through their Portland office, but still wanted to keep a local Gorge presence by staying active in GWIS, and working on local projects in the Gorge supported by Jacobs.

She says, “I have enjoyed the hybrid-remote, work-life balance the Jacobs provides me, as well as advancement in my career growth in Water Resources as a civil engineer. I like to bring a civil engineer’s perspective to the highly mechanical/ electrical engineering industry that is represented in the GTA.

I hope more people join the Jacobs team in the Gorge!”

Jacobs’ offices nearest the Gorge in Oregon are located in Portland, Corvallis and Bend. In Washington, the nearest company offices are in Yakima and Richland.

Portland

2020 S.W. Fourth Avenue, 3rd Floor Portland, OR 97201 503.235.5000

Bend

377 Southwest Century Drive, Suite 201 Bend, OR 97702 541.318.4716

Corvallis

1100 NE Circle Blvd., Suite 300 Corvallis, OR 97330

Yakima

32 N 3rd Street, Suite 320 Yakima, WA 98901 509.426.2772

Richland

1835 Terminal Drive, Suite 150 Richland, WA 99354

Website: www.jacobs.com

GTA Company Profile Page>Jacobs

GTA Member Spotlight: Cardinal IG Hood River

August 11, 2022August 11, 2022jbrandt

Mountain Photography Studio Facebook Cover.png

About the Company

Cardinal IG was originally founded in 1962 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. To date, Cardinal Glass Industries has 52 locations in the United States, and all of the company’s factories are located between 600’ to 1300’ above sea level. The factory’s elevation is crucial to “lock in” the specific atmospheric pressure where the IG unit is produced, making the Hood River the only feasible location for siting a production facility in Oregon.

The Hood River operation opened for business in January 2004 and currently has 380 employees. It is one of eleven factories producing IG units.

About the Manager

David Windsor is the Plant Manager at Cardinal IG Hood River. David moved to Hood River during the summer heat wave of 2003, just prior to the facility’s opening.

In glass manufacturing since the mid 80s, David’s personal philosophy shows through in the Hood River facility’s culture.

He says, “I think manufacturing is COOL! I love making things and get a huge sense of accomplishment seeing what we make and how we do it! I believe in manufacturing in the USA- not as a political slogan- but from a perspective of quality, cost, environmental responsibility and business ethics.”

When he is not at work, David enjoys time with his family and maintains his interest in railroads and classic cars.

Quick Links

Cardinal Glass Industries

3125 Neal Creek Mill Road

Hood River, OR 97031

Ph:541-354-1280

www.cardinalhoodriver.com

www.cardinalcorp.com

GTA Website>Cardinal Industries

Cardinal IG Hood River

Cardinal IG Hood River produces 8,000 dual and triple pane IG units per day. We are an OEM supplier to branded window and door manufacturers in the Western US and Canada. Approximately 50% of our production exports to Canada. We integrate into our customers’ production to improve their efficiency and our product quality greatly reduces their risk of field issues.

In addition to coordinating production with it’s customers, another facet of Cardinal Industries’ success lies in its reputation for reliable insulated glass windows that last the lifetime of a building. This principle of highest quality and durability was first implemented in 1968, when the CEO at that time realized that the only road to long-term success was to produce the longest lasting, most durable IG units. Today, Cardinal produces IG units that can last 50 yrs and has the lowest IG failure rate in the industry.

Cardinal’s reputation as the world’s most admired glass company has grown out of it’s commitment to both customers and employees.

Hood River Plant Owner David describes Cardinal as “a high tech manufacturer that operates on old fashioned principles, such as doing business on a hand shake and honoring our commitments.

The company is committed to it’s employees and has invested heavily in creating positive, life changing, and life lasting experiences for every employee. David Windsor explains that, “If you work for Cardinal, you will grow and emerge a more capable, successful person!”

Personal growth is matched with Cardinal’s commitment to employee safety. The company was recently certified by Oregon OSHA as a VPP Star site, clearly demonstrating that the #1 priority is employee safety!

Cardinal Hood River joined the GTA in order to foster connections with the local high tech business community and as a way to influence youth and other members of the community to get excited about manufacturing.

ANPC – Advanced Navigation & Positioning Corporation

February 8, 2022February 8, 2022jbrandt

This company was founded by a former sensor fusion engineer with Lockheed Advanced Development Projects (aka Skunk Works), who sought to re-imagine aviation navigation technology in a location that would provide an ideal manufacturing and testing environment, and a talent pool of skilled and enthusiastic engineers.

ANPC was founded in 1991 and based in Hood River, Oregon to meet both the environmental needs for the business as well as to attract the talent needed for the company to be successful. The variable weather and terrain conditions in the Gorge present aviation challenges representative of the thousands of airports worldwide that ANPC and its innovative technology were created to serve. The company’s unique challenges demand that ANPC be at the forefront of several engineering disciplines, and the Pacific Northwest is known as a draw for fresh and ambitious talent. The employee demographic that this area attracts was the second compelling reason to locate the company in the Columbia Gorge Region. ANPC’s Chairman and CEO, Jeff Mains, has been a part-time resident in the Gorge for over 20 years, and CEO Mains, like most of ANPC’s 45 employees, is an outdoor enthusiast attracted to the Gorge for its breathtaking scenery and myriad outdoor activities including windsurfing, skiing, hiking, and fishing. ANPC’s employees love the outdoors and the beauty and recreational opportunities that the Gorge offers.

ANPC is a global leader and pioneer in advancing aviation surveillance and navigation, with customers and system installations operating on all seven continents. At the same time, this small and progressive company is actively tied into the Gorge economy and community with its reliance on many local suppliers and service providers to support and maintain its Hood River headquarters, and occasionally employs local vendors for fabrication and materials. Both municipal and regional airports at Hood River and The Dalles have provided enthusiastic support for ANPC’s development and testing of equipment and technology for 30 years. KDLS Airport in Dallesport, WA has been ANPC’s established test and demonstration site since the company’s founding in 1991. In 2022, KDLS will also become a customer when ANPC commissions a public instrument approach procedure for the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport.

Despite the pandemic challenges we are all facing, ANPC has grown its workforce by 15% and has expanded its product offerings to enter several new and exciting markets. Among recent highlights:

ANPC has installed multiple systems in Antarctica to enable all-weather landings in the most hostile environment on Earth

ANPC has produced the first and only rapidly-deployable surveillance and precision landing system for defense and disaster recovery applications

This year, ANPC will begin developing border & perimeter security solutions that combine primary and secondary radar technology, electro-optical imaging, and RF drone detection

ANPC has recently joined the GTA to pursue its goal to become a prominent employer in the Gorge with an engaged presence in the organizations that promote growth and talent development within the region. This company is at the leading edge of aviation technology and offers exciting career opportunities in a challenging but fun work environment.

Contact:

ANPC

489 N. 8th Street, Ste. 203

Hood River, OR 97031

USA: 800-228-1857 X 230

Global: +1-541-386-1747 x230

info@anpc.com