We are saddened by the news of former OBA President Lynn Lundquist’s passing recently. He was 78.

A farmer, teacher and rancher, Lundquist was OBA’s founding president. He was first elected to the Oregon legislature in 1994 and became speaker in 1997. He retired in 2007 after leading OBA, which was founded in 2001. He was then elected in 2008 to the Crook County Commission where he served one term.

In 2008, OBA recognized Lynn with the Statesman of the Year Award.

Click on the image below to view the 2008 Statesman Tribute Video:

Here at OBA, we mourn Lynn’s passing while celebrating his life as a true Statesman and leader who helped create a better Oregon during his lifetime and a brighter future for all of us.

Leaders from Stanford University’s Clinical Excellence Research Center will examine methods of health care innovation that lower costs and improve patient outcomes. Local experts of our region will address how they are successfully putting these groundbreaking models into action in health care delivery.

Keynote Speaker and Moderator: Arnold Milstein, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and Director of Stanford’s Clinical Excellence Research Center (CERC).

Panelists:
- Clinical Excellence Research Center Fellows
- James R. Carlisle, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Providence Medical Group
- Bruce Goldberg, MD, Director, Oregon Health Authority
- Pat McDonald, VP, Intel Technology and Manufacturing Group
- Winston Wong, MD, Medical Director, Community Benefit, Kaiser Permanente, National Program Office

Program Topics:
Lean in Health Care
Alternative Payment Methodology
The Patient Centered Primary Care Home
Social Determinants of Health

We applaud our legislators for approving this legislation and encourage the Senate to do the same. As stated in OBA’s 2013 Legislative Agenda, “OBA supports investing in the transportation projects necessary to increase Oregon’s economic competitiveness in the global market….It is imperative that Oregon commit to this funding in 2013 before the window of opportunity to leverage federal funding closes.”

YES Votes:

*Excused: Reps. Barton, Freeman, Thatcher, Weidner

Pictured at left: U.S. Rep. Bonamici with Chris Brown, Vestas Americas President of OBA member Vestas Wind Energy

Photo by Joel Fischer, OBA

The board accepted an Environment & Economic Development Policy Committee recommendation to uphold OBA’s standing policy in support of the Clean Fuels Program and voted in favor of support for the Oregon Opportunity Initiative with the caveat that details of the proposal may be refined during the session.

“I am thrilled to join the Senate Appropriations Committee and follow in the footsteps of my mentor, Senator Mark Hatfield,” said Merkley.  “There is no clearer statement of values and priorities than how our government allocates its resources.  I look forward to bringing common-sense, Oregon values to the national conversation in this new role.”

Oregon has not had a member of Congress on the Appropriations Committee in either the House or Senate since Sen. Mark Hatfield, who was Chairman of the committee, retired in 1996. Senator Merkley will be only the second Oregon Senator ever to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Merkley’s appointment will take effect when the 113^th Congress begins its session in January.

We will be conducting the testing through Dec. 7 at the Cover Oregon office in Salem, and it will take about 60-90 minutes per testing session.

If you are interested or would like more information,
please e-mail lmorawski@coveroregon.com or call 503-373-9424.