PRO (Premier Resource Organization) – Networking/Mastermind Group

Business name: PRO (Premier Resource Organization, Inc)

Main contacts:
Mark Vandervest – (503) 495-4973
Dave Kezziah – (503) 481-2240

Website: www.OregonPRO.com

Excerpt from website:
To succeed & exceed in business, it is necessary to develop strong, lasting professional relationships. The focus of PRO is business development by creating the opportunity for you to network, develop marketing skills, share resources, and increase referrals while expanding your personal and professional sphere of influence on a regular basis.

Q: What made you want to start PRO?

A: I started PRO because I found immense value in professional networking, masterminding, and sharing resources.

Q: If you had to pick one thing out of your day, what’s the most exciting / favorite?

A: Coming home to my beautiful, loving family.

Q: Who is your ideal customer?

A: A solopreneuer who is eager to think outside of the box and contribute to the success of others.

Q: What do you consider your biggest weakness?

A: Procrastination.

Q: How are you improving on that weakness?

A: I am trying to plan out my week, and not be weak with my plan.

Q: What is your biggest strength?

A: I am a tenacious optimist.

Q: How do you like running [their business]?

A: With energy, enthusiasm, and a mix of humor.

Q: If you could change one thing about your businesses day-to-day routine, what would it be?

A: I would be more consistent with my daily schedule.

Q: Any new specials you can tell your customers about? 🙂

A: We are offering 50% off of our intake fee (a $37.50 value) with every membership through the last day of summer.

Q: If you had a chance to say one thing to a brand new customer, before they walk in the door, what would it be?

A: If you’re not part of a weekly resource or mastermind group, you are doing yourself and your business a huge disservice. Being part of PRO for the last 7+ years has cultivated strategies that have gained me far more business than any other referral source of income. It takes a different mindset to share your knowledge (and weaknesses) with your sphere of influence. Most people think business is a competition, when in reality you are only in competition with yourself. If you have a sharing mindset, you will excel. If not, you are going to continue to struggle throughout life. Come and check us out for free and experience the value. Coffee is on us!

The History of Beaverton, Oregon- Rose Biggi

Rose Merlo lived with her family until 1920 when she married a young Italian man who worked for her father, Louie Biggi. When her father retired, the Biggi’s bought 14 acres to farm near what is now Cedar Hills Blvd. Seven years later Louie died, leaving Rose to raise and support three children-and 14 acres full of vegetables. Three acres were the winter crop: horseradish. Rose had a friend who made a little grinding machine, and she ground the root grown on her farm in Beaverton. She traveled to Portland, Hillsboro and around Beaverton with her basket of ground horseradish. It began to catch on. A savvy businesswoman, Rose saved her profits little by little and began to buy the land surrounding their existing acreage. Rose eventually built a larger home and building which housed the Beaverton Horseradish Factory. The demand for Rose’s product continues today, with her children and grandchildren running the company. Beaverton Foods products are shipped all over the world, from the same location on Cedar Hills Blvd. in Beaverton.

The History Of Beaverton

Spurred on by a railroad into town built in 1868, the small farming community west of Portland began to grow. By 1893 the City of Beaverton was formally incorporated with a population of 400. Alonzo Cady, a local businessman became the first mayor.

In 1872, George Betts became the City’s first postmaster. The post office was located in a general store that he owned. The current post office is located on Betts street, named in honor of the first postmaster.

Beaverton’s first library opened its doors in 1925 on the second floor of the Cady building. Over the years the library has been housed in several different locations. The Library was taken over by the City government in 1941 and rehoused in the old firemen’s hall. Then in 1948 it was moved to a building on first street, then again in 1958 to a location on Hall street where it stayed until 1980. It was temporarily located in the Hall Street Station for four years. In 1984 the Library was moved to a different location on Allen Boulevard where it stayed for a number of years until a new Library was built at the intersection of Fifth Street and Hall Boulevard in September 2000.