POV-engineeringEvery day, businesses are considering where they should locate and grow. To demonstrate why they should choose our region, community leaders embarked on a regional grassroots effort – the Land Here, Live Here campaign – to promote the Portland-Vancouver metro area to employers looking to start, expand, or relocate a business.

Business leaders, including the Port of Vancouver USA, form the public-private-non-profit partnership centered on the goal of job creation for local residents. Campaign co-organizer Ron Arp addressed the port’s Board of Commissioners on May 26 and provided an update on recent activities.

Originally known as Land Here, Live Here, the campaign was recently expanded to include a “Learn Here” component. Business prospects are increasingly drawn to our region by the quality of our educational system. Companies such as Fisher Investments, Banfield Pet Hospital, and nLight indicate that education played an important role in their decision to land and expand here.

This year the Land Here, Live Here, Learn Here campaign honored exemplary alumni, school staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to better our community. Honorees included teachers in the Evergreen School District, parents in the Washougal School District, and leaders with Washington State University Vancouver.

Major sponsors of the program this year are Identity Clark County, Real Living the Real Estate Group, Northwest Capital Mortgage and the Port of Vancouver. The port is currently hosting a traveling Land Here, Live Here, Learn Here display in its lobby to help spread the word about this important campaign.