Software/ Information Technologies
It may come as a surprise that Central Oregon is home to more than two dozen software development companies. Most are not high profile businesses, but rather smaller firms competing successfully in specialty fields including Internet search optimization (SEO), utility monitoring and billing solutions, licensing software and other niches. In addition to firms operating in the region, an estimated 300-400 technicians, software engineers, graphic artists and other tech professionals work remotely for companies outside Central Oregon. Quality of life and everything that denotes - quality schools, safe communities, lack of congestion, low crime rates, world-class health care, abundant recreational opportunities, "big city" amenities (restaurant, galleries, retail shops) and of course incredible natural scenic beauty - are bigger location drivers for software and information technology firms, which often are small and mobile enough to locate where they choose. One necessity is a robust and affordable telecom infrastructure that allows companies to connect quickly and reliably with the rest of the world - something Central Oregon is well positioned to deliver with many multi-million investments in self-healing networks and high speed wireless, fiber optic and digital technology.
We are especially excited about the opportunities software and IT can
play with our other targeted industries including biosciences, medical
device, renewable energy and electronics. We think of software and IT as enabling tools, frequently developed and optimized for a particular industry. In fact, the best description heard recently of the software industry was that it was not an industry per se, but a "conglomeration of outsourced IT departments." This description was used as an endearing term from a 30-year tech veteran to illustrate that today software firms cut across nearly every aspect of our economy.