Some say, "Behind every great man is a great woman." The great woman is Elaine Franklin, wife of the great man Senator Bob Packwood. While Senator Packwood has had a very public career, less is known about his successful wife, Elaine. Her leap to US politics as a second career after being head of an English physical education department and coach is little known fact.

The transition from big city in England to Casper, Wyo., honest spoken, with a touch of an English accent, Elaine's career has included a new country, new career, and a very public spotlight. What is it like to be married to a public figure and have a career and identity of your own?

Honest talk laced with humor is a great description of my friend Elaine Franklin. Come meet her in person!

Wednesday, August 9th

The purpose of "Try Local First" is to support local businesses, in particular, small locally-owned businesses. They are the ones who have mortgaged their homes to become entrepreneurs and employ others in our community. A majority of those employed in the United States are employed by businesses with less than 50 employees.

On the first of July, local small businesses got a big hit to their cost of doing business in the form of the Minimum Wage Increase passed by Oregon Legislators. Good intentions? We need go no further than a city to the north for results of this type of legislation. Read more...

Watch the video below to discover how we're working with The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to help fish and preserve the long-term health of the Deschutes River.

Match Short- and Long-Term Goals With The Right Investments. Not all investments are created equal. Some are better suited for short-term goals, while others can help you build resources for objectives far in the future. As an investor, then, one of your biggest challenges will be to match your short- and long-term goals with the appropriate investment vehicles. How should you proceed? Read more...