Business Portland News & Event Round Up, April 27

Recent business stories of note:

• Portland’s unemployment rate has dropped to 7.9%
  Down from 8.1 percent in February and 9.4 percent from a year ago

• Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner was in Portland
  And had a closed-door meeting with CEOs at Nike HQ

• New report says America's middleweight cities will drive future economic growth
  Portland shows strong GDP growth

• The BEST Business Awards were given out this past week
  Celebrating 20 years of business leadership in Portland

• Walk Score reveals transit system rankings for 25 cities
  Portland lands at number 10

• Chris Teso, founder of Portland-based Chirpify, explains how it works
  The company's service really makes it easier to sell and purchase items directly from Twitter

• Portland startup Zapproved continues to grow
  Portland is an amazing place to start a company

• Project ready industrial land has been certified near PDX
  Portland has a new plot of industrial land ready for development

• Portland is home to the only whisk factory in the United States
  In 1950, there were four domestic whisk manufacturers

• A Portland company is making over ketchup
  Local company hopes to cover more than just fries

• A Convention Center hotel idea resurfaces with the improved economy
  Metro is considering whether to revisit the possibility of a headquarters hotel

• There is a large development being proposed for SE Division Street
  A former Wild Oats grocery store would be converted into small business offices and retail spaces

• Stumptown Coffee's Duane Sorenson featured on Entrepreneur
  Lessons in Influence

• Portland's Ristretto Roasters makes its mark
  Ristretto has carved out a niche by creating simultaneously high-design and community-oriented coffeehouse environments

• Ruby Jewel Ice Cream is expanding with a second shop in downtown's West End
  The 1,600-square-foot shop will occupy the former Betty Ford Lounge

• Portland's Old Town Pizza has recently gotten into the beer business
  And will deliver beer by bike

• Wheel of Fortune goes green for Portland
  This year marks the fifth season that Wheel of Fortune has featured a “Going Green” theme week

• The power of property owners in determining community success
  Whether they realize it or not, landlords have the power to actively or passively shape and restrict a neighborhood's commercial success

• What are some of the secrets to retail district revitalization?
  Commercial districts, like any part of our communities, operate more like ecosystems

• Some lessons on how to make the most of meetings
  Good meetings are the nerve centers of a good organization

• New video, Finding Portland, was produced, shot, and edited in 51 days during March and April at the invitation of TEDx Portland

Some business announcements and events of note:

• The Portland Revenue Bureau has announced a Tax Amnesty Program

• The Collaboratory was launched, an opportunity for manufacturers to receive research and development assistance

• Toast: The Oregon Artisan Spirit Tasting is this weekend

• The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network kicks off its Life in an Incubator webinar series on May 1

• Milagro's Boutique is donating 25% of sales on May 2 to Sunday Parkways

• 2012 Software Association of Oregon Member Recognition Gala: Why Oregon is on May 3

• TiE Oregon is offering the Incubator Startup Series starting May 8

• The Communicators Conference, a public relations and business communicators event is May 9

• The Willamette Angel Conference is May 10

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