Foster Road business group reviews 2018’s successes

Here’s how members of the Foster Area Business Association celebrated their progress, and what they’re hoping to accomplish this year …

This friendly group of members of the Foster Area Business Association gather in the Foster-Powell neighborhood for their annual meeting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

When members and guests of the Foster Area Business Association (FABA) attended their annual meeting at the Pieper Café on February 22, they had much to celebrate – according to their neighborhood business district’s President, Allen Rowand, of Gray Dog Digital.

“Our all-volunteer Board of Directors has done much during the last year to help our district continue to grow,” Rowand told East Portland News.

Here, talking with members, is FABA President Allen Rowand.

In the community, Rowand remarked, becoming involved with the Foster Road Shelter project at the beginning of 2018 helped lead to a steering committee that will be overseeing some $100,000 in infrastructure improvements in the area surrounding the shelter.

For the district businesses, last summer’s “Foster Tasting Tour” was successful, even amid the noise and congestion of road construction. The tour generated an estimated $9,811 of revenue for participating businesses, all of whom reported an average of 15 first-time customers, recounted Rowand. “And, our new ‘Foster WinterFest’ boosted Holiday revenue and visits to businesses, as well.”

Hospitality is evident as guests help themselves to snacks.

The 30 attendees at the annual meeting snacked on the appetizers put out by the host business, Pieper Café, as they networked and conducted business.

“Because we have enough members here for a quorum, we’ll also vote on the slate of Board Members for our upcoming year,” the association’s President said, as he brought the meeting to order.

During the meeting, Rowand commented that businesses “were lucky that the Portland Bureau of Transportation has helped reduce construction impacts on the area, and has provided sponsorship for events.

During the business meeting, Foster Road area business people listen and participate in the election of Board Members.

“This year, we’ll be continuing to strengthen our organization, and build our structure,” Rowand promised. “We’ll be adding quarterly gatherings to help draw people together, and a couple of low-key events to highlight different geographic areas of our business district, in addition to our major events.”

The slate of candidates for their Board of Directors was unanimously approved; and at their next Board meeting, they selected their officers:

Allen Rowand, President
Kelsey Denogeon, Pieper Café, Vice President
Laura Kropf, Steve Turmell Visual Design, Treasurer
Shannon Amrine, Starday Tavern, Secretary

The Board Members elected to serve at-large include: Matthew Mi?eti?, Red Castle Games; Steve Woolard, Carts on Foster; and Danielle Deschenes, Danielle Deschenes Realtor.

Find out more about FABA by visiting their website: CLICK HERE.

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