|
{Member Profile}
Gorge Technology Alliance (GTA) members use technology in virtually every sector of the economy. To help understand the wide range of member businesses, the GTA provides a monthly “member profile” to introduce our members and the services and products they offer.
June 2007 |- Gorge Technology
This month we introduce Gorge Technology and owner, Kent Heighton. Gorge Technology works with small and mid-size businesses to effectively and profitably integrate technology. Among the services provided are technology planning and management, hardware and software, website design, 3D modeling and CAD, and on site training.
Gorge Technology essentially provides IT support for businesses. It is a mature company with experience in finding solutions to fit a business’s needs. Clients range from large to small companies in a variety of applications including legal, manufacturing, medical, commercial, banking, government, and corporations. This breadth of experience in meeting a variety of businesses’ information technology needs is what owner, Kent Heighton, describes as one of his company’s greatest strengths.
Kent has been working with businesses and computers for almost 30 years. He started his career in New York, but moved to the Gorge in 1996 and began operating Gorge Technology from Hood River, Oregon. Since then, Pam Ritzenthaler and David Burns have also joined to offer services through Gorge Technology. Pam is a project manager with an MBA and a keen sense of business. She manages web development projects and custom software development. In addition she provides user training. She also teaches at Columbia Gorge Community College. David focuses on technical support, network management and installation. Kent states that between the three of them for this type of service “No one in the Gorge has that breadth of experience. We have all been seasoned in this industry for quite some time.”
As companies grow, their technology usages become increasingly more complex and critical to the efficient functioning of the business. Gorge Technology specializes in providing solutions and knowledge, acting as an information technology provider, to support growing businesses. Gorge Technology interfaces directly with business owners to help ensure that their technology solutions fit with the company’s business plan. Most relationships are therefore long term and focus on the areas in which Gorge Technology can help a business to excel through the use of effective technologies and support.
If you think your business could benefit from Gorge Technology’s services, contact Kent at 541-386-7409 or visit www.gorgetec.com.
May 2007 |- EPiC RFID, LLC
This month we introduce EPiC RFID, LLC and co-owner, Owen Minnick. EPiC RFID is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integration and consulting firm offering comprehensive business solutions in several verticals.
RFID has been referred to as the "oldest emerging technology." It was used by the British in World War II to identify their returning planes. After a long history of use, it was revitalized about four years ago when standards were set for UHF, the frequency for electronic price codes. RFID allows a company to place a specific, unique identifying code (license plate) on every component and subsequent integrated system of a product. Another aspect making this technology useful and providing many commercial applications is the ability to read these codes up to 15 feet away. Therefore, products and assets can easily be inventoried using RFID technology.
EPiC RFID focuses on RFID technology based solutions not pursued by many of their competitors. They provide a full solution for a business, offering a complete package of hardware, software, and engineering. They work in a number of verticals, including auto retail sales, agriculture supply, warehouse management systems, government, large industrial plants, and the medical field. Currently, their customer base includes international and domestic clients.
One example of an RFID solution that is pursued by EPiC RFID is in the agriculture sector. While many of their agricultural clients are located in California, this solution has potential benefits and applications for growers in the Columbia River Gorge. RFID allows a unique identifier to be added to packaging, for instance to a box of cherries. This identifier can track information about the product origin, the date the cherries were picked, which field and tree they came from, who picked them, and follow the box through transport. The numerous benefits include the ability to minimize health issues if fruit becomes contaminated. Instead of throwing out the entire crop, the problem can be contained to the farm and even the field, tree, or sortation plant. RFID can also help growers locate fruit in modified atmosphere cold storage, allowing market timing optimization.
As a small start up firm, EPiC began in 2004 with two owners. One of the owners, Owen Minnick, is located in Hood River. Real estate and citing of a development lab are two of the benefits he mentioned of locating in the Gorge. He noted that in general, the rural nature of the area lends itself well to his profession, but one of the key limitations to expansion is the ability to find and attract qualified employees.
If your business could benefit from an RFID solution or if you would like to discuss potential solutions with EPiC RFID, contact Owen Minnick at 541-285-6085.
April 2007 |- Privacy Ready, LLC
This month we introduce Privacy Ready, LLC and founder, Jeff Nicol. Privacy Ready is an independent privacy consulting firm focused on developing comprehensive and effective corporate privacy compliance programs. The company has two main thrusts: providing web based training and offering privacy consulting services.
Privacy Ready’s main focus in the privacy world is on customer data rather than worker data, a heavily regulated field. Jeff works with companies to develop best practices in policies, training, and the technology a company needs. He also assists clients when the company must manage a problem and deal with regulators and public relations.
Jeff made the move to the Columbia River Gorge after a number of years working for Intel in Portland. In order to start Privacy Ready in Hood River the proximity to the Portland airport, access to broadband connectivity, and his wife’s work were essential, but one of the main draws was the Gorge’s recreational opportunities. He now conducts trainings from home to a worldwide audience.
Privacy Ready has been a GTA member since 2006 and has been located in the Gorge for the past 5 years. As a privacy expert, Jeff sometimes observes Gorge companies engaging in illegal or poor communication practices which violate individual privacy rights. These tend to be mistakes rather than actions conducted maliciously, such as exposing email addresses of a group of clients. Education regarding compliance and understanding how to protect a client’s privacy is the key to changing this behavior.
To learn more about Gorge Technology Alliance members, including those listed here, please view our Current Members Directory.
|
