In the News

2006

What UCF didn't tell us about biotech  Orlando Sentinel, FL - Mar 5, 2006 ... "There are huge business advantages to being in an area where other people are doing the same thing," says Joseph Cortright, an economist who co-wrote the ...

Leaders seek to boost biotech sector  Boston Globe, United States - Mar 9, 2006 ... ''It's an interesting proposition," said Joseph Cortright, an Oregon economist who studies the biotechnology industry. ''But it strikes me as a big challenge."....

Wanted: The Young And Restless  Hartford Courant, United States - Feb 26, 2006 By Carol Coletta and Joseph Cortright. Recent headlines about the latest census data on US cities have had city leaders - most notably ...

Cities must retain the young, restless  Albany Times Union, NY - Feb 26, 2006 By CAROL COLETTA and JOSEPH Cortright. ... Joseph Cortright is an economist with Impresa Inc. They wrote this article for The Washington Post.

Scripps: Are Gardens, Jupiter bottleneck bound?  Palm Beach Post, FL - Feb 18, 2006 ... At least one economic analyst, Joseph Cortright, has declared that, if Palm Beach County thinks it's going to be the next big biotech hub, it's kidding itself....

Seeking the young & the restless  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA - Feb 15, 2006 By Carol Coletta & Joseph Cortright. Headlines about the ... strengthening America's cities. Joseph Cortright is an economist with Impresa Inc.

To climb, cities grab key adults Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription), USA - Feb 15, 2006 By CAROL COLETTA and JOSEPH Cortright. Recent headlines about the latest census data on US cities have had city leaders — most...

Wanted: The Young and Restless Washington Post, United States - Feb 12, 2006 ... itself well in the race for talent. Joseph Cortright is an economist with Impresa Inc. Carol Coletta is president and chief executive ... 

 Experts forecast city's future  Arizona Republic, AZ - Feb 9, 2006 ... When the out-of-towners took a tour of Chandler earlier in the day, Joe Cortright, an economic consultant from Portland, Ore.,....

Young at Heart: Finding The Key Demographic Needed To Revitalize America's Inner Cities Planetizen - January 10, 2005 Economist Joe Cortright and Carol Coletta, host of Smart City Radio and CEO of CEOs for Cities, outline the findings of their recent report, "The Young and the Restless in a Knowledge Economy".

2005

More of the young and hip fight urban urge USA Today - Dec 28, 2005 ... "They're very economically important to cities," says Joe Cortright, a Portland, Ore., economist who did the research for the CEO group. ...

Employers, cities entice the young and the restless San Diego Union Tribune, United States - Dec 18, 2005 ... to-date job skills – are more likely to be entrepreneurs and are more mobile than others in the work force, according to a study by economist Joseph Cortright ...

Which Joel Kotkin to believe: the scoffer or the booster? Portland Oregonian, OR - Dec 11, 2005 ... Maybe he's just confused. Joseph Cortright is an economist with the Portland consulting firm Impresa. He is co-author with Carol ...

Cities' success tied to attracting young educated Chicago Sun-Times, United States - Dec 8, 2005 ... economic future unless it succeeds in understanding and attracting the young, college-educated workers who propel today's knowledge-based economy," Cortright ...

THE CORPORATE KICKER Portland Oregonian - Dec 8, 2005 ... this wacky corporate lottery. Joe Cortright, of Northeast Portland, is an economist with Impresa Inc., a Portland consulting firm.

Young professionals critical to growing economies, report says Portland Business Journal, OR - Dec 6, 2005 Mirroring a local study he released in 2004, Portland economist Joe Cortright has released a national report emphasizing how important young, college-educated ...

Barriers to biotech Charlotte Observer, NC - Oct 16, 2005 ... Joseph Cortright, an Oregon economist who co-authored a biotech report for the Brookings Institution think tank, scoffed at the notion that biotech can change ... Portland's New New Economy Willamette Week, OR - Oct 5, 2005 ... "They're like the spotted owl," says local economist Joe Cortright, whose study of these phenomena is gospel among Portland boosters. ... 

San Antonio leaders defend city's bioscience push San Antonio Business Journal, TX - Oct 2, 2005 ... Naysayers include Joe Cortright, co-author of a 2002 study on the US biotech industry sponsored by the Brookings Institution. Cortright ... 

Biotech payoff 'more prestige than payroll'

States spend millions in feverish pursuit of biotech Washington Business Journal - Oct 3, 2005 Four years ago, just 14 states had targeted biotech as a way to grow their economies. Today, 41 states are chasing the business.  "That says a lot more about the herd instinct of people who do economic development in this country than the economics of biotechnology," says Joseph Cortright, a Portland, Ore.-based economist who co-authored a 2002 Brookings Institute study on biotech.

THE ECONOMIST:  High-flying house prices fueled by fervor can't last
The Oregonian, July 17, 2005
Joe Cortright (Special to The Oregonian) “Hard as it is to imagine, those high-flying prices may be coming to an abrupt -- and for some, painful -- end. The sad truth is we're likely in the midst of a classic housing bubble.”

Chasing biotech dollars in Phila. Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - Jun 19, 2005 ... Joseph Cortright, a Portland, Ore.-based economist, said the biotechnology industry is prone to coagulate in areas where it already exists, rather than ...  

The bioinformatics dream gets a wake-up call Buffalo News, NY - Jun 19, 2005 ... the author of a widely watched Brookings Institution study in 2002. Looking at research funding, patents and other factors, he found that biotech centers such ... 

City leaders discuss need for going global Rocky Mountain News, CO - Jun 16, 2005 ... economies. "Figure out where you are the first, best or only," said Joe Cortright, an economist with Impresa Consulting in Portland, Ore. ... 

Betting on biotech San Diego Union Tribune, CA - Jun 1, 2005 ... "It's essentially like a casino," said Joseph Cortright, a Portland, Ore., economist. "There are lots of bets you can lay down and ... 

Biotech's hype, hope yield losses Globe and Mail, Toronto, Canada - Jun 1, 2005 Cortright, who co-wrote a report critical of biotechnology's ability to drive a region's economic growth, says local government officials who promise companies also sorts of incentives to relocate are ignoring the industry's financials.  "The mistake that people make is confusing science that is really cool with something that is going to have a significant economic impact," he said.

San Francisco: Stem cell's Silicon Valley? USA Today - May 2, 2005 . .. Joe Cortright, a Portland, Ore., economist who tracks biotech, says the city landing the institute will be better positioned to gain supremacy in the biotech ... 

Valley has 'grown up' after 18 years but still has far to go Arizona Republic, AZ - May 1, 2005 ... at ASU is part of that combination of Knowledge Economy/biotech, bioscience capacities in a ... But a recent study by the Brookings Institution suggests you're not ... 

15 reasons San Francisco is the right city for the stem cell ... San Francisco Examiner, CA - Apr 28, 2005 ... According to a 2002 study by Cortright and. Mayer, the Bay Area ranked first in venture capital investment in biotech from 1995-2001. ... 

Malaysia's biotech folly Asia Times Online, Hong Kong - Apr 27, 2005 ... A study of 51 biotech centers in the US by the Brookings Institution revealed that it often takes a decade or more to develop biotechnology-based products, and ...

In Portland, living the green American dream Christian Science Monitor  - April 26, 2005 More young urban professionals are forgoing square footage for eco-friendly homes....Well-educated young people are disproportionately drawn to Portland, according to Joe Cortright, economist and coauthor of "Young and Restless: How Portland Competes for Talent," a study of the migration of 25- to 34-year-olds across the US. "In focus groups people said Portland is a place where you can live your values, and environmentalism is clearly one of them."

Merix dips its toe into Asia acquisitions game Portland Tribune, OR - Apr 19, 2005 ... “Anybody who’s in that industry and in a lot of other manufacturing industries really has to have a global strategy,” said Joseph Cortright, an economist ... 

The half-full case for ScrippsPalm Beach Post, FL - Mar 21, 2005 ... I wrote about economist Joe Cortright, who testified on behalf of environmentalists about the difficulty of turning Palm Beach County into a biotech hub simply ..

Bioengineered Pork Seattle Weekly, WA - Mar 22, 2005 ... area alone, according to Joseph Cortright, an independent Oregon economist and co-author of an influential study on how cities and states are pursuing biotech. ... 

US Science Policy:  Upstart States Nature - March 2, 2005 Cortright isn't convinced by the ambitious Scripps Florida project. "I am extremely sceptical that it will produce any kind of biotech industry there.

Stem cells' promise pits jobs vs. values: States want biotech business  USA Today - Feb 16, 2005 ... in 2003 to spend $310 million for a Scripps Research Institute near Palm Beach. ... biotech economic development at consultant Impresa in Portland, Ore. ...

2004

Portland's New Pioneers, by Joe Cortright Portland Oregonian, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004 They're young, creative and seek and quality of life not found elsewhere --and the region's economic rebound rests on their tech-savvy shoulders as Joe Cortright explains in this feature in the Commentary section of the Oregonian.

Portland Mayor Vera Katz highlights young and restless in her farewell "State of the City" address, December 10, 2004 ". . . our economy is very different from the economy that existed just two decades ago. The industries rooted in our pioneer heritage are being supplanted by new types of pioneers. Many of these pioneers are those educated young adults that some call “the creative class,” but who I refer to as “the young and the restless.”  They’re drawn here in great numbers by our city’s beauty, by our culture, by our affordability and by our reputation for innovation. Being young, they know the greatest constant in the world today is change. They are comfortable with it. They find opportunity in change. So should we."

2003

Biotechnology: Rolling the Dice Florida Trend, FL - Dec 31, 2003 ... All of California has fewer than 450 biotech firms. Several sources, including Ernst & Young, the Institute for Biotechnology Information and the Brookings ...

Economic recovery expected to take hold Oregonian, OR - Dec 31, 2003 ... All in all, said Joe Cortright, an economist with Impresa, a Portland consulting firm, 2004 holds at least as much, if not more, promise for the area than 2003 ...

Why Boston covets its role as biotech hub Christian Science Monitor - Dec 24, 2003 ... Plus, biotech factories pollute less and require less energy than other industries. ... as one of their top two targets for industrial development, a Brookings ...

Baltimore Makes a Bold Bid To Transform Neighborhood Washington Post, December 1, 2003; Page A1, By Michael Barbaro "This is a mania," said Joseph Cortright, an economist who has written extensively on the development of biotech centers. "Ten years ago, everyone wanted to be the next Silicon Valley. Three years ago, they wanted to be the center of e-commerce. Now that both of those have fizzled, everyone in the economic development fraternity thinks they need to be in biotechnology."

Scripps will bring many so-so salaries Orlando Sentinel, FL - Nov 26, 2003 ... the La Jolla research institute, but the biotech cluster that sprung up around it in California is far more difficult to replicate here, said Joseph Cortright ...

Business Facilities (magazine), "US Biotech's Top 40," (November)

Biotech Land Rush, by George Howland Jr. Seattle Weekly, WA - Nov 20, 2003 The region's leaders have caught biotech fever, and economist Joseph Cortright says that can be an unhealthy obsession. "Biotech ...

Life in US Biotech? The Scientist, - Nov 20, 2003 Still, the industry employs relatively few technical workers overall. The Commerce Department estimates that a total of 34,000 scientists work for biotech companies, and the vast majority of these jobs are located in just six states. Even for cities with a high concentration of biotech, such as Boston and San Francisco, the largest companies still rank as only minor employers in the region, a Brookings Institution report found last year.

Selling points Oregonian, OR - Nov 9, 2003 Joe Cortright's commentary on why "Things Look Different Here" isn't such a bad slogan for Oregon.

Westside forum on the economy gives equal time to quality of life Oregonian, OR - Nov 8, 2003 ... Her comments dovetailed with economist Joseph Cortright's presentation of the final phase of his westside economic study. "A critical ...

Economists eye long-term growth for Washington Co. Katu.com, OR - Nov 7, 2003 ... If we stand still, if we don't innovate, if we don't create new companies, then clearly we could be too dependent," said economist Joe Cortright. ...

The Man Who Would Be Kings Village Voice, NY - Nov 4, 2003 ... It may be a zero-sum game, where money spent at the ballpark is not spent somewhere else," says Joe Cortright, a former economist for the Oregon state ...

States flock to biotech like gamblers to lottery tickets USA Today - Nov 3, 2003 ... relocate. Going after biotech jobs is akin to "spending your life's savings on lottery tickets," says economist Joe Cortright. He ...

The Nine States of Oregon Oregonian, OR - Nov 1, 2003 ... In the new economy, said Portland economist Joe Cortright, the urban area is an important gateway for the rest of the state -- what he only half-jokingly calls ...

Leaning left, Portlandia looks to right itself Oregonian, OR - Nov 1, 2003 ... Joe Cortright, a Portland economist working on a study of this age group, said the relative scarcity of people in this age range makes them a valuable commodity ...

LSI's tax incentives in the spotlight Oregonian, OR - Oct 30, 2003 ... It remains to be seen whether there's any bounce at the bottom of this down cycle," said Joe Cortright, a Portland-area economist with Impresa Consulting. ...

To avoid 'brain drain,' can bay area learn to be hip? St. Petersburg Times, FL - October 27, 2003 ... Regional economist Joe Cortright of the Impresa consulting company in Portland, Ore., will steer the study. "Historically, this ...

Can Florida become a high-tech state? Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL - Oct 26, 2003 ... I am skeptical," said Joe Cortright, a Portland, Ore.-based consultant who did a study of American "biotechnology centers" last year for the Brookings ...

Scripps envisions its dream home South Florida Sun-Sentinel, FL - Oct 26, 2003 ... Joseph Cortright, author of a 2002 study for the Brookings Institution on biotech clusters, said Scripps' prowess as an economic magnet is overrated. ... Marketplace Morning Report, October 22, 2003 (RealAudio Feed) From San Diego: Eric Niiler explains why Florida is trying to lure Scripps' biotech research work out of San Diego. (Public Radio)

Hardwoods law at core of debate Coos Bay World, OR - Oct 22, 2003 ... But Joe Cortright, an economist and consultant representing the petitioners, disputed Taylor's view and said the new entrants into the alder business were ...

Retailers set sail for southwest suburbs Oregonian, OR - Oct 22, 2003 ... Companies such as West Marine -- specialized concerns with regional drawing power -- face equally specialized decisions in whether to expand, said Joe Cortright ...

State Hopes To Cash In On Biotech The Ledger, Florida - Oct 20, 2003 ... Joseph Cortright, author of a 2002 Brookings Institution study on the nation's biotech clusters, said the industry is concentrated in nine metropolitan areas ...

$510-million catalyst St. Petersburg Times, FL - Oct 19, 2003 ... Joseph Cortright, author of a 2002 Brookings Institution study on the nation's biotech clusters, said the industry is concentrated in nine metropolitan areas ...

Biotech plans: Boon or fantasy? ... shot at best,'' said Joseph Cortright, an economist ... biotechnology industry study for the Brookings Institution ... for the most part, these [biotech] companies are ...

ST. PAUL: City takes next steps on biotech St. Paul Pioneer Press, MN - Oct 16, 2003 ... A Brookings Institution study last year also listed Minnesota as an also-ran in what is likely to be a highly competitive industry ...

Mid-sized cities get hip to attract young professionals USA Today - Oct 10, 2003 ... elsewhere. "Bill Gates is pushing 50," says Joe Cortright, head of Impresa Inc., an economic consulting firm in Portland, Ore. "The ...

Oregon firms smorgasbord loses entree Oregonian, OR - Oct 10, 2003 ... Joe Cortright, an economist with Portland-based Impresa, attributed some of the industry strength to Oregonians' willingness to try new foods. ...

High-tech plan pays off for Tualatin Oregonian, OR - Oct 1, 2003 ... Novellus is certainly a nice tenant to have here," said Joe Cortright, an economist and vice president for Impresa, a Portland-based consulting firm. ... Oregon Business, "Footwear and Apparel:  A Cluster of Giants" (October)

Economic vital signs show hints of new life Oregonian, OR - Sep 13, 2003 ... One reason, Portland economist Joe Cortright said, is that businesses are still reaping the benefits of an earlier spree of investment in information ...

Sawmills battle Weyerhaeuser Oregonian, OR - Sep 10, 2003 ... Economist Joe Cortright, who was hired by the small mill owners, said banning Weyerhaeuser from buying state-forest logs would help open the industry  ...

No urban/suburban divide Oregonian, OR - Sep 9, 2003 Economist Joe Cortright's recent "Westside Economic Study" provides overwhelming evidence that livability is and will be a key economic asset. ...

Housing market still booming Oregonian, OR - Sep 3, 2003 ... Diversified economy helps One reason for that is the region's more diversified economy, said Joe Cortright, an economist with Impresa Consulting. ...

Portland Oregonian, "Sports Apparel Seeks Respect at the Top" , (August 2)

Portland Oregonian, "Cutting a new direction" (OHSU Plans for biotechnology), (August 2)

Sacramento Bee, "Area push to boost biotech industry" (August 1)

Richmond  Federal Reserve Bank , Regional Focus, "Seeing the Light," by Charles Gerena, (Summer 2003)

Hillsboro Argus, "Building a biotech industry in Oregon may take decades" (July 24)

Portland Oregonian, "In a state of unemployment," (July 19)

Portland Tribune, "NAFTA takes a blue-collar bite," (July 18) 

Portland Tribune, "Jobless rate- not as scary as it looks" (July 15)

Columbia (SC) State:  "How SC's $12 million bet on biotech soured," (July 13)

St. Paul Pioneer Press, "U. Buys into Biotech," (July 7)

Seattle Times, "A Hub of Tax Breaks for South Lake Union Biotechs," (June 16)

Portland Business Journal, Economist argues for the long view in building tech (May 15)

Minneapolis Star Tribune, "State has long way to go to become biotech center, (May 10) Hillsboro Argus, "Local officials share their concerns about county's future," (May 6)

The Scientist, "Indiana Wants You" (Volume 17, Issue 5) (May 5) Salem Statesman Journal "House to visit stadium funding" (May 5)

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank (San Antonio Branch), Vista, "Biotech and the San Antonio Economy," by Keith Phillips and Maria Ritka Dzula , (Spring 2003)

Portland Tribune, "Big hopes, bad times" (Apr 22) Seattle Times, "Cities hang their hopes on building up biotech" (April 21)

Portland Oregonian, "Hillsboro cuts in school days trigger alarm (April 17)

San Diego North County Times, "San Diego's bursting bio-diversity" (April 13) Toronto Globe and Mail, "US cities compete for biotech dollars"  (April 8)

Phoenix Arizona Republic, "State mapping biotech's future" (March 29)

London, The Economist, "Cluster analysis:  Like birds of a feather, biotech firms flock together (March 27)

Joe Cortright's Op-Ed: "Rural Revival," Portland Oregonian, (March 9)

Sacramento Bee, "Will capital area be biotech mecca?," (March 4)

Indianapolis Business Journal, "Life Science Initiative Selects Targets" (March 3)

Plant Sites & Parks, "Biotechnology:  Industry of the Future" (March)

Portland Oregonian, "County's economy hinges on rebound in chip-making, (February 26)

Denver Rocky Mountain News, "Reuteman: Colorado in position to gain after dust settles" (February 15)

Portland Oregonian, "State must risk to keep tech edge" (February 4)

Portland Brainstorm Magazine, "Banking on Biotech" (February)

Portland Oregonian, "Portland, Multnomah County don't have aid for schools in plans" (January 30)

2002

Portland Oregonian, "State's biotech firms trail others in growth, study says" (December)

Hillsboro Argus "Economist expects turnaround in local economy by late 2003" (December 12)

Willamette Week, "Anywhere, USA" (December 11)

Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank , Business Review, "From Laboratory to Market:  The Biotechnology Industry in the Third District," by Timothy Schiller, (Fourth Quarter 2002)

Portland Oregonian, "Business leaders call for sales tax" (December 10)

Denver Business Journal, "Institute will produce 'plan' for Colorado's biotech industry" (December 6) Portland Oregonian, "Destination PDX: a youth culture convergence" (December 1)

Industry Week,  "Questioning Biotech's Benefits" (November)

New York Federal Reserve Bank (Buffalo Branch), The Regional Economy, "Vitality in Upstate Medical Manufacturing" by Richard Deitz and Ramon Garcia, (Fall 2002)

Seattle Times, "Seattle and San Diego: Reflections on two cities" (September 15)

Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Economic Review, "How High Tech is the Tenth District," by Chad Wilkerson, (2nd Quarter, 2002)

Portland Tribune, "What's right with Portland:  a lot" (August 30)

Portland Oregonian, "Area's Economic Future Lacks Battle Plan" (August 18)

Austin American-Statesman, "Austin boom in '90s part of creative shift in U.S.:  Migration of talented, highly paid workers creating new landscape" (August 4)

London Financial Times, "A risky experiment in biotechnology" (June 26)

Seattle Times, "Economic Memo: Risk and biotech go together" (June 23)

Portland Tribune, "What’s up?: As job growth increases a bit, forecasters pin an economic comeback on certain sectors" (June 14)

New York Times, "Cities and States Clamor to Be Bio Town, U.S.A." (June 11).

Wall Street Journal, Desperately Seeking To Lure Biotechnology Businesses, (June 11)

Business Week, "So you want to be a biotech hotbed?" (June 13)

Toronto Star, "Too many cities want to be biotech centres" (June 13)

Philadelphia Inquirer, "A new industry could provide new lifeblood" (June 12)

Raleigh News & Observer, "A growing industry and the Triangle is a Leader" (June 11)

Site Selection, "Biotech Not Everywhere Despite Claims to the Contrary" (June)

Public Radio International--Marketplace "Biotech Cities" (June 11)

San Francisco Chronicle, "Biotrends: Two major reports highlight the globalization of biotechnology and the battle within the U.S. for regional supremacy" (June 10)

Portland Business Journal, "Westside Economic Summit Seeks Economic Development Direction" (April 3)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Biotech research touted as prime market to tackle" (March 20)

Portland Tribune, "Urban growth boundary’s bad rap may be bunk" (March 19)

Seattle Times, "Oregon's downturn: State battered by slump in manufacturing" (January 13)

2001

Portland Tribune, "Tech still powers Oregon economy" (December 4)

Willamette Week, "Tales from the New Economy - Q&A: Joe Economist" (November 21)

Wall Street Journal, "Economic roil hits Northwest:  Once booming area faces downturn after blows to multiple sectors" (October 17)

Minneapolis Star Tribune, "New study finds a stronger Minnesota high-tech sector (August 7, 2001)

Minnesota Public Radio, "Gay Index Measures High Tech Success" (June 5)

New York Federal Reserve Bank (Buffalo Branch), The Regional Economy, "The Information Technology Industry in New York State," by Richard Deitz and Ramon Garcia, (Spring 2001)

The Arizona Republic, "Venture capital chump change could raise big interest in Arizona" (January 29)

Washington Post, "Weathering the Tech Shakeout<!--plsfield:stop--> " (January 16)

Portland Oregonian, "Study illustrates nuances of high tech" (January 16)

2000

Austin Statesman, "Technology and Tolerance:  Austin Advantages" (June 25) 

Portland Oregonian, "In Washington County, High Tech Digs In" (May 18)

Earlier News

1999

Portland Oregonian, "EconData.Net gives easy access to local, regional economic data" (December 20)

Portland Oregonian, "A Growing Gap" (October 3) [Oregon's rural counties aren't keeping pace with the Portland area in terms of the number of jobs and wages]

Portland Oregonian, "Study Finds Fast Lane Businesses, aka Gazelles in Short Supply" (October 3)

Portland Oregonian, "Its One Oregon, Not Two", (January 31)

Willamette Week, "Who's Supporting Who?:  Challenging a widely held misconception about state funding" (January 27)

1995

Portland Oregonian, "Legislature Casts Aside Valuable State Resource" (August 8)

Portland Oregonian, "Cashing in on Video Poker" (February 17)