PATRICIA C. SCRUGGS
Ms Scruggs brings over twenty eight years of business and economic development experience to her practice. She has led the development of over 60 economic and workforce development plans, focusing on midsize metropolitan regions and technology-based industries. Patricia has developed in-depth strategies for workforce and industry clusters in biotechnology, clean technology and energy, creative services, financial services, health care, high technology manufacturing, metals and equipment manufacturing, architectural and engineering services, and transportation and distribution.
Patricia's economic development focus stems from her strong private sector background combined with public sector experience. In 1996, she was actively involved in the formation of the New Economy Coalition which led to a statewide effort to establish Oregon's first public-private partnership on innovation issues. After multiple tech-based projects across the country, she was appointed as Oregon's first Director of Innovation and Technology. As state director, she managed the Governor's innovation council and state's technology efforts, passing legislation and acting as a liaison among industry, education and government. Since leaving Oregon in 2005, Patricia has continued her innovation services assisting state and regional efforts across the country.
Ms. Scruggs' work also includes a focus on creating and anchoring local wealth through sustainable development practices and creative industries. Since her 1993 publication, Guidelines for State Level Sustainable Development, Patricia has been integrating sustainable development and impact investment concepts into economic strategies at the state, regional and industry level. Most recently, she lead a national study on the role of equity capital in rural communities and serves on the Ford Foundation's working group for Wealth Creation in Rural America.
Prior to establishing Scruggs & Associates in 1993, she worked for Coopers & Lybrand as a senior consultant in the manufacturing & technology practice, as the quality manager for CommScope, and as an engineer for IBM. She has served and chaired multiple economic boards and committees, and was a founding member of several organizations including New Economy Coalition, the Oregon Creative Services Alliance and the Oregon Natural Step Network. Patricia is also active in her community, serving on the board of her local visual arts center and volunteering for community supported agriculture farms.