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Significant forces in any community are its neighborhood businesses. The Mid-county MEMO offers this section to our business neighbors for news, advancements, promotions, expansions and other noteworthy events to be shared with the community at large.
To insure publication, please send submissions for each month by the 15th of the previous month. Business Memo submissions for the July issue are due by Monday, June 16. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or mail editorial submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave, Portland, OR, 97230. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904.
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| Dawn Ngo provides that personal touch at Dawn's Beauty Salon, 11511 N.E. Halsey St. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
A decade ago, Dawn Ngo immigrated to Portland from her native Viet Nam with her mother and three-year-old son. Eighteen months ago, Ngo and her family welcomed a new daughter, Kelza.
Upon her arrival here, she found work as a seamstress at the Jantzen Swimsuit factory. But the American dream and a deep-seated entrepreneurial spirit drove the young woman to seek new avenues of personal and professional fulfillment.
In 1996, Ngo enrolled in Vancouver Beauty School. There she studied to be a professional in hair and nail care. Her education completed, she worked for a time at Kim’s Beauty Salon and Professional Hair and Nails, both on Southeast Division Street, before striking out on her own.
For three years now, Ngo has owned and operated Dawn’s Beauty Salon at 11511 N.E. Halsey, and just last year completed training necessary to be an instructor. A little over two years ago, sister-in-law Tammy Truong, who also trained at Vancouver Beauty School, came on board. Salon customers can request hair cut and styling, hair color, hi-lighting and permanents.
Dawn’s Beauty Salon is open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Appointments can be arranged at other times to meet clients special needs and walk-ins are welcome.
MEMO readers will receive a haircut for the special price of $6.99 from now through June 18 with mention of this article. Call 503-258-0631 to find out more or to schedule an appointment.
West Coast Bank will open Airport Way branch
West Coast Bank continues its expansion in the Portland Metro area with the opening of a new branch and business banking office at 122nd Avenue & Airport Way in the Parkrose Business Center. The company’s second Mid-Multnomah County bank will open in June 2003, subject to regulatory approval, and will serve both business and retail clients with a full-service branch, ATM, drive-up, night depository and specialized business banking services.
President and CEO Robert Sznewajs said, “West Coast Bank is committed to supporting the East Portland business banking team and our customers with this new branch. Longtime banking executive Gary DeRoschers and his team of experienced business banking relationship managers will operate from this location.”
Regional President Dave Hansen said, “The Airport Way facility will serve the Columbia Corridor-a vibrant business area that extends from Portland International Airport east toward Gresham and Troutdale. Together with the recently relocated Clackamas branch, the Airport Way branch broadens our Mid-County presence and enlarges our branch network to 17 Portland/Vancouver branches.”
West Coast Bancorp is a Northwest bank holding company with $1.6 billion in assets, operating 44 offices in Oregon and Washington. The Company serves clients who seek the resources, sophisticated products and expertise of larger financial institutions, along with the local decision-making, market knowledge, and customer service orientation of a community bank. West Coast Bancorp, the parent company of West Coast Bank and West Coast Trust, is a publicly held bank holding company headquartered in Oregon. The Company offers a broad range of banking, investment, fiduciary and trust services. For more information, please visit the Company web site at www.wcb.com. or contact Regional President Dave Hansen at 503-603-8040.
Looking for work or workers
If employment is a concern for you or your business, Mt. Hood Community College’s (MHCC) Workforce Development Center is likely to have information or resources for you. The Workforce Connections program, located at the Maywood Annex at 4510 N.E. 102nd Ave., offers a menu of services to both businesses and job seekers.
Employers can post jobs at no cost, use on-site recruitment and interview facilities, get information about the labor market and tax incentives and can get assistance with outplacement. Job seekers can use Workforce Connections’ extensive job listings and referral services or can spend time in the Career Center doing career research. Job search workshops, career assessments and Job Club are always available. Workforce Connections also provides information about short-term skills training and the hidden job market.
Across 102nd in MHCC’s Maywood Park campus, a variety of services are available to job seekers, employers, and community members. The Workforce Training Technology Center offers self-paced computer classes that can be accessed at anytime. Enrollment is open-entry; and there is no need to wait for the beginning of a new term to start learning. Instructors are always available to help, and the flexible hours (open until 9 p.m. four nights a week with some weekend hours) also means working people can take classes. Courses offered include Microsoft Office Applications, Internet and Microsoft Office Specialist Preparation and Testing. English as a Second Language and GED classes are also available.
If you have any questions about MHCC’s services at the Maywood Park campus, you can call Workforce Connections at 503-252-0758 or the Maywood Park Business Office at 503-491-6100.
Summer school
Saturday Academy, an award winning educational program for students in grades 4-12, is pleased to offer classes at David Douglas High School, Alice Ott Middle School and Gilbert Heights Elementary School the weeks of July 7 and July 14. Hands-on, in-depth classes are offered in science, mathematics, computer science and the arts. Instructors are successful professionals from the community. Regular tuition prices range from $85.00- $145.00 and Saturday Academy is giving all students in David-Douglas, Centennial, Oregon Trail, Parkrose or Reynolds School Districts a 25% discount off these prices. Students who are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program can receive additional discounts of up to 90%. Class catalogs are available at the schools or by calling 503-748-7497. Information is also available on line at www.saturdayacademy.org.
Spicy new taste sensation
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| Kittipong Ketsophon, proprietor of Manna Thai Cuisine at 10041 N.E. Glisan St., serves a spicy Larb Beef Salad to Samorn Siemienczuk. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
Ketsophon came to this country about five years ago, first landing in San Francisco. While there he studied business at San Francisco State and worked part time in the restaurant industry. Before long he and a friend put their knowledge of both business and Thai food to work for them in a restaurant known as Thai Lanna. A little over a year ago, Ketsophon received an invitation from his cousin, Prachan Rodruan, a Baptist Pastor, to visit Portland. His cousin, it seems, had motive beyond a family visit. He showed Ketsophon a restaurant operating then as the Lunch Box Cafe that was for sale. Seizing the opportunity, Ketsophon divested himself of his interest in the Bay Area business and opened shop at his current location in December of 2002. He says that while the economy here may be down, taxes and the cost of doing business are less than in San Francisco and he is optimistic about the economic climate of Oregon. The general climate here seems to also be to his liking as he says Portland reminds him of his native country.
Manna Thai Cuisine serves lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., dinner from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and is open Saturdays from Noon-9 p.m. Free delivery is available and orders can be made to go.
The restaurant now also serves as a Thai-Lao church. Pastor Rodruan presides in his native Thai language on Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Interested community members are welcome.
For more information about the restaurant or Sunday services, please call 503-257-8287.
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