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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Press Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">October 3, 2011<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 15pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Avakian Seeks Nominations of Outstanding <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> Employers<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">State Labor Commissioner will present 3<SUP>rd</SUP> Annual BOLI Business Leadership Awards<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">PORTLAND—</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, head of the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), has announced the opening of nominee submissions for the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> Annual BOLI Business Leadership Awards. These awards are intended to provide distinction to a select group of businesses that go above and beyond the call of duty in supporting civil rights and equal opportunity, fair workplaces, and developing <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s workforce through employee training. The awards ceremony will take place on December 1 at the 27<SUP>th</SUP> Annual BOLI Employment Law Conference in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Portland</st1:City></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">“<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> is a great state, home to businesses that exemplify the spirit of BOLI’s mission in their work every day,” said Commissioner Avakian. “As the state’s champion for civil rights, fair workplaces and workforce development, we want to recognize some of those businesses for their exceptional efforts.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">BOLI Business Leadership Awards will be presented in three categories: Civil Rights Champion, won last year by Verde of Portland; Fair Workplace Champion, won last year by Continental Mills of Pendleton and MaPS Credit Union of Salem; and Workforce Development Champion, won last year by Columbia River Bar Pilots of Astoria.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Nominations are open for just five weeks: now through November 7.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Nominees must be businesses or non-profit employers currently operating primarily within <st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>, or with headquarters in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Awards will be determined based on information provided in the nomination form, as well as the nominee’s company size and geographic location.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">What:<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>BOLI Business Leadership Awards<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Who:<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>Presented by BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">When:<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 3"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Nominations are due by 5pm on Monday, November 7, 2011<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -108.75pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 144.75pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Where:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Nomination forms and additional information are available at <A href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/"><FONT color=#000080>www.oregon.gov/boli/</FONT></A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -108.75pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 144.75pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">How:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Submit nominations by email to </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-language: #00FF; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-language: #00FF"><A href="mailto:Bob.Estabrook@state.or.us"><FONT color=#000080>Bob.Estabrook@state.or.us</FONT></A> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Or by fax to 971-673-0762<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in -9pt 0pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Bureau of Labor and Industries defends the rights of all Oregonians to equal, nondiscriminatory treatment in workplaces, housing and public accommodations and encourages and enforces compliance with state laws relating to wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment. The bureau also partners with business and labor organizations to build a skilled workforce in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> and trains employers to understand and comply with civil rights and other labor and employment laws.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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