Online investing continues to be popular among consumers, due in part to the fact that it meets most Americans' requirements - it's fast, easy and convenient. In fact, according to research conducted by business research firm JupiterResearch, online trading households are expected to grow from 17.3 million in 2005 to 22 million by 2010. With so many companies competing for a piece of that pie, it can be difficult at best for consumers to navigate the ever-changing ... [full story]

(NewsUSA) - Savvy travelers know the trick of rolling their clothes when they pack to reduce wrinkles and save space. This usually works for smaller, casual articles of clothing, such as tops and jeans. But what if you had to pack a suit? And if you are taking a short trip for business, how do you fit your business attire into an overnight bag that you don't have to check? Such travelers' difficulties were common for ... [full story]

Even though Americans are feeling some relief at the gas pump from last fall's record prices, their checkbooks are still likely to take a hit this winter as natural gas and heating oil prices continue to soar. In fact, the Energy Department predicts that those using natural gas to heat their homes can expect to see their monthly bills rise 48 percent from last year. If it's an especially cold winter, the cost will be even ... [full story]

The world separating Carl Durrenberger and William Swanson couldn't be wider. Durrenberger, 29, is a chemical engineer and market developer for Hewlett-Packard's ink jet printer division in San Diego. Swanson, 57, is chief executive of Raytheon Co., a defense contractor based in the Boston suburb of Waltham with annual sales of $22 billion. But their paths collided in a burst of national headlines recently after Durrenberger revealed on his Web log, or blog, that a collection of ... [full story]

David Salazar, a first-generation Colombian-American, is one of a growing number of Hispanics taking their places in the small-business ranks. Culturati Research, a marketing-research firm he co-founded in San Diego two years ago, earns $2 million a year providing Procter & Gamble, Nestle and other companies with marketing data on the booming Hispanic marketplace. "There are so many business opportunities out there. ... You just have to get your hands dirty," said Salazar, 29. The ranks of Hispanic-owned ... [full story]

Cascade Bancorp (headquartered in Bend, Oregon) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of the Cascades, today announced that Patricia L. Moss, President and CEO of Cascade Bancorp and CEO of Bank of the Cascades, is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2006 Award in the Pacific Northwest. According to Ernst & Young, the awards program was designed to recognize outstanding entrepreneurs on a regional, national and global level who are building ... [full story]

Umpqua Holdings Corporation, parent company of Umpqua Bank and Strand, Atkinson, Williams & York, Inc., announced today the completion of its acquisition of California-based Western Sierra Bancorp by merger on June 2, 2006. Western Sierra shareholders will receive 1.61 shares of Umpqua common stock for each share of Western Sierra common stock, giving the transaction a total value of approximately $352 million. As of June 5th, all Western Sierra Bancorp branches, including those of Western Sierra ... [full story]

Columbia Bancorp, parent company of Columbia River Bank, today announced its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program for up to $1.5 million of its common stock. Since August 23, 2003, the company has invested approximately $614,000 to repurchase and retire 35,570 shares of its common stock. This repurchase program will be used to regulate capital and neutralize the effects from exercised stock options. The company intends to finance the purchases using its available ... [full story]

expressDeposit Makes Depositing Checks as Easy as Sending an Email Umpqua Bank, a regional independent community bank in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, introduces expressDeposit, a powerful new payment solution product that allows business customers to scan, submit and deposit checks electronically from their desktops without having to visit a bank or ATM. expressDeposit uses state-of-the-art technology to convert checks into digital image files, which are transmitted to the bank and electronically deposited into ... [full story]

Copley News Service Clothes racks in many areas are taking on a more natural bent. Spurred by the widening acceptance of all things organic, many boutique retailers and some mainstream chains are adding new lines of apparel stitched together using cotton that has been grown without genetic modification and without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. "Just about everybody is going organic, especially upscale consumers," said Kurt Barnard, president of Barnard's Retail Consulting Group in Nutley, N.J. Organic cotton ... [full story]

Read Amy Tykeson’s bio and it is easy to see why CableWORLD once named her one of the 50 most influential women in cable.  Labeled a true "cable gal," Tykeson is the chairman and CEO of Bend Broadband.  She was part of the industry long before she was hired by HBO in 1980, where she moved through the ranks and ultimately served as VP of Area Marketing in New York. Her father, Donald Tykeson, helped ... [full story]

Marda Stoliar’s life is one of international intrigue.  A native Oregonian, she has seen all corners of the world and brought back to Bend the secret recipe to a happy, successful and fulfilling life. At age 65, the former model, high-end shoe designer and manufacturer; has become a highly sought after culinary advisor to individuals and businesses all over the world as the director and chief instructor of the International School of Baking.  While her ... [full story]

Oregon’s Employment Situation: May 2006   Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May was essentially unchanged at 5.6 percent, from 5.5 percent in April. The state’s unemployment rate has been stable this year, with the rate staying between 5.3 percent and 5.6 percent for the first five months of the year. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in May, about the same as the 4.7 percent reading in April, and at its lowest level since July 2001 ... [full story]