This is the joyous time of year when so many families are celebrating high school, college, or professional school graduations. I want to congratulate all of Oregon’s graduates on their accomplishments—and thank the educators and family members who supported them. 

Let’s also not forget the 35,000 kindergartners who are Oregon’s future graduates. Last week, I visited Vose Elementary in Beaverton with Dr. Charlene Williams, Director of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), to talk to kindergarteners in Josy Womack’s class and give each student a kindergarten diploma. 

The visit highlighted Treasury’s partnership with ODE to promote our $100 Kinder Grad incentive, which offers families a $100 bonus toward their saving for post high school education once they open a new Embark 529 account with their own initial deposit of $25. 

It was a pleasure to meet the kindergarteners at Vose Elementary with Dr. Williams and let families know the best time to start saving to help their kindergartener’s dreams come true is now. Any family of a kindergartner can download their own diploma at the Embark website. I appreciate all of ODE’s help as we spread the word about Embark’s $100 Kinder Grad incentive through messages to families, educators, and school administrators. 

Embark accounts are growing. In the 2025 calendar year, Oregon families opened more than 9,500 new Embark 529 accounts. We want to sustain the momentum.  

Congratulations to all the kindergarteners who will graduate in the Class of 2038!

Meeting community leaders in Astoria

In May, I spent three days meeting with North Coast community and business leaders in Astoria. Time and again I heard people tell me they were anxious about the war in Iran and its destabilizing impact on the economy. They told me that the sharp rise in fuel prices is hitting the hospitality and recreation industries hard and that rising inflation hurts rural and coastal communities the most.

Despite these challenges, I was inspired by the North Coast community’s innovations and collaborations. I saw many examples of how Oregon businesses are competing on a global stage.

In Astoria, I toured Fort George Brewing. I told Chris Nemlowill, Fort George’s co-founder, that I remembered visiting the Bumblebee Tuna fish canning factory where Fort George’s brewery is located today. The cannery’s evolution from a canning factory to brewery is an example of the North Coast’s adaptability and its entrepreneurial spirit.

At Treasury, we’re focused on doing our part to help Oregonians navigate these difficult times. I let North Coast leaders know that the Oregon Public Employee Retirement Fund (OPERF) portfolio is built to perform reliably in a range of potential market conditions on behalf of retirees, public employers, and all Oregonians.

Local bond projects are also strengthening communities across the region and the state. Some of the projects financed in recent years include the modernization of Seaside High School, renovations at the Liberty Theater, small business incubation at Casa Mariposa, and the expansion of Columbia Memorial Hospital.

I want to thank former Senator Betsy Johnson for her help in gathering so many community leaders. In June I’ll be in Salem meeting with local leaders and union members. I’m looking forward to hearing about their aspirations, ideas, and concerns.

 - Elizabeth Steiner, MD, Oregon State Treasurer