by University Communications
August 22nd 2023
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Portland State University President Ann Cudd was tapped to join Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s Portland Central City Task Force focused on addressing future economic growth and immediate challenges facing the Central City.
The task force, announced by Gov. Kotek earlier this month, will be co-chaired by the Governor and Dan McMillan, president of insurance company The Standard. It was convened in partnership with the Oregon Business Council.
“As the city’s research university, Portland State is a hub of innovation and an engine for economic advancement,” Cudd said. “We are also a longstanding and committed partner to the city and I am ready to get to work along with other city leaders to turn Portland’s ship in a new direction.”
Positioning PSU to help lead Portland’s renaissance is one of the opportunities that drew President Cudd to take the job as the university’s 11th president. She started work Aug. 1.
The Portland Central City Task Force meets for the first time this week and will meet several times over the course of the upcoming months with the goal of having a set of recommendations to present at the Oregon Business Plan Summit in December.
“It’s no secret that downtown Portland has faced an onslaught of challenges in recent years that have tarnished some of the characteristics that people love about Oregon’s largest city,” said Gov. Kotek when she announced the task force. “Growing pains turned into crises, exacerbated by a global pandemic, and now concerns about Portland have become a statewide economic issue. It’s time to look forward, bring together diverse voices, and focus our energy on developing concrete and equitable solutions.”
PSU President Cudd will bring all of the assets of Portland State to the task force table to meet the goals of a stronger city. In addition to being the largest landowner in downtown Portland, PSU is an economic development engine actively engaged in educating a talented and diverse workforce and in community engaged research addressing pressing issues including climate change and housing insecurity.