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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Press Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">December 1, 2011<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">CONTACT:<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>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-FAMILY: Times; FONT-SIZE: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Avakian Honors Outstanding <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> Employers<o:p></o:p></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-FAMILY: Times; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">BOLI chief names 2011 champions in civil rights and workforce development<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">PORTLAND- Today, State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, head of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), presented the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> Annual BOLI Business Leadership Awards at BOLI’s 27<SUP>th</SUP> Annual Employment Law Conference at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Oregon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Convention Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This year, two <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> employers were recognized for their significant contributions to our communities and their embodiment of BOLI’s mission: to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This year’s honorees are:<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: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Civil Rights Champion – <st1:City w:st="on">Hawthorne</st1:City> Auto Clinic of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Portland</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Hawthorne Auto co-owners Jim Houser and Liz Dally were nominated for their efforts to foster a more livable community. Houser’s work to increase small business employees’ access to healthcare and to provide career paths in mechanical fields for diverse youth, and Dally’s support for Bradley-Angle House and leadership on workplace protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking—a civil right enforced by BOLI, coupled with their business commitment to the environment as a certified Eco-Logical Business, helped earn Hawthorne Auto this year’s Civil Rights Champion award.<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: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Workforce Development Champion – SE Works of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Portland</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For 14 years, SE Works has helped build positive connections between job seekers and employers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The extraordinary efforts of SE Works to assist job seekers, especially low-income, multi-barriered individuals, in seeking and applying for jobs have also translated to strong relationships with employer who will reach out to SE Works when they need reliable help.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The range of services and programs offered by SE Works helped to set them apart as this year’s Workforce Development Champion.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">“The bar for one of our awards gets higher every year,” Avakian said.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Our champions represent the most compelling stories from our pool of nominees, and we want to keep hearing these stories.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That’s why I’m officially opening nominations for the 2012 Business Leadership Awards today with a new, simplified process that will make it even easier to submit nominations.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">From now through October 1<SUP>st</SUP>, nominations can be submitted by anyone at anytime, just by emailing </FONT><A href="mailto:BizAwards.BOLI@state.or.us"><FONT color=#0000ff face="Times New Roman">BizAwards.BOLI@state.or.us</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"> with:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The nominator’s name and contact information;<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The nominated employer, including their website and a contact person and reliable contact information; and<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></LI>
<LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: char; COLOR: black; mso-hyphenate: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-layout-grid-align: none" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-language: TH" lang=X-NONE><FONT face="Times New Roman">How the nominee has demonstrated leadership in its commitment to fair workplaces, protecting civil rights in the community and/or developing a stronger workforce.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></LI></UL>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Avakian created the BOLI Business Leadership Awards in 2009 to recognize the good work that <st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>’s employers do every day for the community, their workers, and the future of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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