Carrie Hulse
Carrie Hulse is the Program Manager for the Office of Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business (OMWESB) at Business Oregon. The OMWESB administers the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), and Emerging Small Business (ESB) certification programs. These certification programs help to promote economic opportunities for small businesses.
Before becoming the Certification Manager in October 2013, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) hired Carrie in 2010 to bring the DBE certifications in compliance with 49 CFR 26. Throughout the position, Carrie met and performed site visits with approximately 400 firms.
Carrie has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Her career with state government began in the early 1990’s in Juneau, Alaska where she worked primarily in the Juneau District Attorney’s Office.
Adam Helvey
Adam Helvey is the Statewide Outreach Coordinator at the Department of Administrative Services. Adam graduated with a bachelor’s in Communications fromTrinity Western University in Langley, Canada in 2005. Before coming to DAS, Adam held several sales and customer service focused jobs. In 2010 he began his career with State Government at Oregon Housing and Community Services helping to facilitate the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative, in Customer Service and Outreach.
Now, working at DAS, Adam is very passionate towards creating awareness for the Oregon Cooperative Procurement Program, encouraging businesses to seek contracting opportunities with the State of Oregon, and supporting our communities in any manner possible.
John Downing
John Downing is the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Small Business Programs Manager. Before joining ODOT, John started and operated a specialized construction company based in the Willamette Valley with a statewide reach. John’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to flourish as a small publisher of children’s books, which gives him a unique perspective when working with small businesses across the state. John has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Corban University in Salem, Oregon.
John Saris
John Saris is the Finance & Incentives Manager, Business Oregon. At Business Oregon, John administers the State of Oregon’s business finance and incentive programs offered to Oregon’s small businesses. State resources include direct loans, loan guarantees, private activity bonds, Oregon New Market Tax Credits, Aggie Bonds, enterprise zones and state funded technical assistance resources and programs.
Prior to joining Business Oregon in 2009, John worked in commercial lending and business development serving markets in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. While working with small to mid-sized business, John helped businesses navigate obstacles common to various phases of start-up, expansion, restructure and acquisition. These experiences led John to pursue opportunities within the public sector in economic development to support Oregon’s emerging businesses and help improve the public resources available to assist those efforts.
