Southern Oregon Surpasses Other US Regions in High-Tech Diversity Measure

Medford Ranks #1 for High-Tech Diversity Measure: Southern Oregon Surpasses Other U.S. Regions in High-Technology

MEDFORD, OR – When a small town in Southern Oregon rose to become the nation’s #1 city in terms of the high-tech diversity component for the overall ranking, Economist Minoli Ratnatunga and others at the Milken Institute took notice. With the institute’s data-driven research in hand, Ratnatunga made a late January, 2015, visit to Medford, connecting with high-tech leaders and learning more about its diversity. While there, she also announced that growth in Southern Oregon’s high-tech industry had surpassed other areas in the state and nation.

Ratnatunga co-authors the annual Best Performing Cities report for the Milken Institute, which consists of a team of economists, industry experts and scholars whose mission is to gather and use statistics in ways that will increase global prosperity.  She acknowledges that Medford’s ranking came as a surprise to some, but says that the statistics speak to the region’s business innovation and links to the global marketplace. “It’s all about brand recognition,” Ratnatunga says. With a designated #1 ranking in the High-Tech Diversity component and an overall ranking of #6, Southern Oregon is well on its way to becoming a high-tech hub for this business sector.

Ron Fox, Executive Director of SOREDI (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.) agrees, saying that high tech businesses in Medford and other Southern Oregon cities are providing innovations to major global entities. “From this corner of the world, our high-tech companies are doing business with some of the most recognizable names in business history.” For example, Google, 3M, United Technologies, Honeywell, Stanley Black & Decker and other household names are currently designing products using Linx Technologies wireless components, which is headquartered in the small town of Merlin. With 1,400 percent growth in two years, Medford’s Coding Zeal is a global web and mobile application development firm providing technology for companies such as Amazon.com, Pivotal Labs, Mavenlink.com, SweetyHigh.com and SilverCloud, Inc., to name a few. Carestream in White City supplies the global medical infrastructure and has moved into the multibillion-dollar touch panel industry. And products from Rogue Valley Microdevices are being incorporated into worldwide biotech projects, including advances in cancer diagnostics and DNA analysis. Co-owner Jessica Gomez explains that her customers are global, but she works locally to help develop regional business policy. “We really can shape the direction of our regional economy, and that’s super exciting.”

According to Fox, Linx Technologies, Coding Zeal, Carestream and Rogue Valley Microdevices provide a sampling of the growing high-tech businesses relocating to Southern Oregon. He says that the region’s unique drawing card is what he terms “Business and Balance,” meaning all the necessary resources for business success, along with a landscape that offers recreation, traffic-free commuting, and a more relaxed lifestyle.  “While each owner tells a different story about why they chose to start a business in Southern Oregon, they have things in common,” Fox explains. “Each appreciates the business-friendly atmosphere. They are impressed by the high quality workforce, and they have discovered that they can be creative and productive without being stressed out.”

This ‘Business and Balance’ synergy might also help answer why Oregon saw the highest percentage of inbound moves among all U.S. states in 2013 and 2014. According to statistics gathered by United Van Lines, 66 percent of Oregon’s overall moves were inbound.  For SOREDI, these numbers indicate a trend, but the actual businesses tell the real story and have inspired SOREDI’s latest promotion called The Southern Oregon Edge.  “Here, you can have it all,” says Fox. “You can own a thriving high-tech business and get the support that’s necessary for expansion. And, you can have an office with a view and be steps away from
all the beauty and recreation that Southern Oregon offers. That’s the Edge we’re talking about!”

For Linx Technologies President and CEO Tolga Latif, it goes even beyond the environment, to the availability of transportation along the I-5 corridor, and ultimately to the people of Southern Oregon.
“Our team is as strong as any I’ve ever worked with in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Houston,” he says. “What you get in the Rogue Valley is talent, performance and loyalty.”

“Business and Balance” IS Southern Oregon’s Edge, and technology firms are flocking to this region to
experience both.

Photo credits:

Jim Craven Photography – Coding Zeal
David Gibb Photography & Design – Carestream