In 1829, Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company Columbia Department, had two small cabins constructed on an island in Willamette Falls. The Kalapuya Indians promptly burned them, but a claim had been made and the roots planted for the oldest city in the Oregon Territory. Incorporated for over 160 years as Oregon City, McLoughlin's city at Willamette Falls has served as the political capital of an independent Oregon Country and the first capital of the Oregon Territory. Considered the oldest industrial site in the West, with saw, flour, paper, and woolen mills, Oregon City was also a transportation center for covered wagons, steamboats, and railroads. As a regional entertainment hub over the years, the community has provided both residents and visitors with such pleasures as Chautauquas, Oregon's first sporting events, the first state fair, a variety of annual festivals, and an array of opera, vaudeville, and movie houses.

Portrait

Jim Tompkins is an international authority on designing and implementing end-to-end supply chains. Jim is currently Chairman of Tompkins Ventures and Tompkins Leadership. He has started 15 businesses that have done over $2 billion in worldwide revenue during his 50-year career while enhancing the profitable growth of numerous companies, giving him an insider's view into what makes great companies even better.In April 2020, he founded Tompkins Ventures, a global hands-on solutions network that helps executive teams turn Capital, Facilities, Leadership, Logistics, and Technology problems and opportunities into competitive advantage. He founded Tompkins Leadership in 2022, focusing on Executive & Board Search, Human Capital Development, Leadership Development, Organizational Transformation, and Strategy & Innovation. He previously built Tompkins International from a backyard startup into an international consulting and implementation firm.Jim received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, all from Purdue University. Jim is a Distinguished Engineering Alum from Purdue University and has been awarded the prestigious Frank and Lillian Gilbreath Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers. He has written 32 books, including the most recently released, Insightful Leadership: Surfing the Waves to Organizational Excellence, and has made over 2,000 presentations globally.