Experts say resilience is key, takes planning

Keynote presentation

Keynote presenter and Director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), Erin McMahon, introduced Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s developing “Plan for a Resilient Oregon” project — a statewide strategy leveraging expertise from 53 community-based organizations to achieve a more prepared, proactive response to natural hazards and disasters.

Developed in partnership with the OEM, Oregon State University and the University of Oregon, the plan follows a “whole-of-community” framework because “no single agency or sector can do it alone,” McMahon said. “Resilience is built when everybody has that seat at the table to amplify their voices.”

The plan integrates several Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) to help mitigate and respond to potential disasters. ESFs are groupings of government and private sector capabilities organized around key operational areas, such as housing, transportation and health infrastructure, providing a scalable, flexible framework to coordinate resources. “These functions are not siloed, they’re interconnected,” McMahon said.

Additionally, Recovery Support Functions (RSFs), organized around key areas of disaster resilience, are activated post-disaster to coordinate comprehensive, long-term recovery initiatives. “While our ESFs guide the response, it is our RSFs that become the backbone of initiating our recovery efforts,” McMahon said.

Regional economic data

Two regional economists, Ajsa Suljic and Nicole Ramos, representing Washington and Oregon, respectively, each shared a slideshow presentation showcasing economic and labor market trends over the past few years.

At the state level, Washington’s seasonally adjusted employment rate dropped from 4.8% to 4.5%. Both employed and unemployed labor forces have decreased, reflecting people either leaving the job market or spending longer periods unemployed. Additionally, there has been a significant decline in non-farm jobs, with five of the eight months captured in 2025 seeing job losses.

According to Suljic, the future six to 12 months are expected to bring steady job growth, encouraged by innovation in manufacturing and continued tourism. At the same time, an aging workforce, the gig economy, AI innovation and federal tariffs could pose significant unforeseen challenges.

In Oregon’s Mid-Columbia region — Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties — migration is on the rise, with newcomers typically having higher incomes than those who are leaving. Multnomah County was both the top outflow destination and inflow source.

According to Ramos, unemployment is on the rise in all three counties, with most industries seeing a decline in job numbers. Payroll has increased, but the number of business units is decreasing, meaning fewer companies are paying higher wages to a reduced workforce.

With the healthcare and manufacturing sectors declining, Ramos emphasized the vulnerability of communities reliant on a few sectors. “When we talk about resilience in terms of industry, we like to talk about diversification,” Ramos said. “You don’t want all of your employment in one industry if a shock does happen.”

Resilience panel

To bookend the morning, a panel composed of representatives from various industries gathered on stage to discuss resilience efforts.

John Davies, partner and agent with Columbia River Insurance, defined resilience in the insurance industry as the company’s ability to pay claims — healthy insurance companies require reserves to support their community after immense losses, such as wildfire destruction.

Hood River County Emergency Manager Charles Young described resilience as all-encompassing and multi-layered, claiming that strong individuals lead to resilient neighborhoods, which in turn build resilient communities. “For me, resiliency is the ability not to be overwhelmed by an external shock,” Young said. “It goes across the gamut from individuals up to large organizations.”

Mt. Hood Meadows President and General Manager Greg Pack described resiliency as properly training and taking care of staff. “How can we provide them with the right resources to be able to keep them long term?” Pack asked.

Joey Karney, VP of engineering and utility operations with NW Natural, described resiliency as ensuring uninterrupted energy service through robust utility infrastructure and backup systems. “Resilience, to me as a utility provider, is that gas is there no matter what’s going on outside on the coldest winter days,” Karney said. “You’ve got 100 things to worry about, and your energy shouldn’t be one of them.”

Finally, Key Bank VP Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager Dillon Borton, described resiliency as maintaining substantial capital, liquidity and risk management, while also acting as a trusted advisor to help clients prepare for financial shocks. “Our clients are coming to us for more than a loan; they have other needs,” Borton said. “Maintaining those relationships and being that trusted advisor is critical.”