Oregon Business Advocates Urge Springfield Community to Stay Engaged at the 2025 State of Business Program

In the midst of a particularly tumultuous state legislative session, rollercoaster national politics, and economic uncertainty, one message rang loud and clear at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce‘s 2025 State of Business program: stay connected and stay engaged.

Filling the Ford Alumni Center’s Lee Barlow Giustina Ballroom to capacity on Tuesday, Springfield and Eugene area business leaders, government officials, and community members gathered to participate in the Springfield Chamber’s seventh annual State of Business event.

Participants enjoyed coffee, light breakfast, and caught up with one another before getting settled to hear from Chamber President and CEO, Vonnie Mikkelsen. Mikkelsen gave a brief overview of the preliminary results of the Chamber’s annual Business Climate Survey, which aims to give them a snapshot of hyper-local and regional business conditions, priorities, and perceptions. The Chamber then uses this data in their day-to-day work, ensuring the priorities of their members match the priorities of the Chamber.

After the first round of responses, the survey showed that while local businesses find inflation, hiring and retaining employees, and regulation/compliance as the three top business challenges, most respondents were still reporting feeling somewhat to very confident in the health of their business. Respondents also rated quality of life (public safety, homelessness, clean streets), the state tax structure, and reduced regulations as among the top priorities for improvement.

Mikkelsen ended this section with a reminder that the Business Climate Survey is by no means closed– in fact, anyone who has a stake in the business climate in the Springfield area should weigh in, regardless of their membership to the Chamber. The Survey will officially close out in June.

Next, Mikkelsen invited the program’s three speakers to the stage: JL Wilson of the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC), Mark McMullen of the Common Sense Institute (CSI), and Angela Wilhelms of Oregon Business and Industry (OBI).

JL Wilson, Principal at Public Affairs Counsel and Executive Director and Lobbyist with OSCC, delivered an info-packed presentation titled Advocacy in Focus: 2025 Legislative Session. In it, Wilson gave an overview of the chaotic legislative session that remains underway, highlighting an unusually high number of bills (the most in over 25 years), massive amount of “placeholder” bills, and concerns over federal funding cuts. Wilson also included a helpful list of bills OSCC has been following, supporting, and opposing through the session, urging listeners to stay up to date and ready for calls to action through their various communications channels and coming from local Chambers, like Springfield.

Following Wilson, Common Sense Institute’s Vice President of Policy and Research, Mark McMullen, shared significant data from the state budget report. He pointed out that since Oregon has a strong reliance on in-migration from out of state workers and an attractive quality of life, it is important for lawmakers to prioritize affordability and quality jobs into the future.

Speaking third was President and CEO of Oregon Business and Industry, Angela Wilhelms, who shared insights from OBI’s Competitiveness Agenda and Oregon Business’ Push/Pull Report. Her message was clear that while Oregon has historically done a poor job of business growth and retention, there are “cracks starting to show” as more business voices are coming to the table with the help of Chambers of Commerce and organizations like OBI. Wilhelms focused on the importance of the business community coming together to unify their voices and continue to make the case to lawmakers that the private sector matters, now more than ever.

The three presenters wrapped the program by responding to questions from the audience.

The Springfield Chamber would like to thank their Presenting Sponsor, PeaceHealth; Venue Sponsor, University of Oregon; and Table Sponsors– AIMS Mobile Nursing, Assured Partners, Chambers Construction, Eugene Area Radio Station, IEQ Technology, Northwest Natural, Oregon Community Credit Union, Sheild Catering, Springfield Utility Board, Summit Bank, and the City of Springfield– for making this event possible.

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Business Advocacy
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is a trusted convener and provider of business resources. They recognize the systemic interdependencies of a healthy economy and provide an ear and a voice for local business at the confluence of government, commerce, and community. They advocate for business by increasing visibility, dialogue, and representation at local, state, and federal policy circles around issues of impact and interest to their members. Learn more about the Chamber’s Business Advocacy work.