Communications entrepreneur Doug Mohr of Mohr Solutions is relocating his telecommunications company to Sisters from the Willamette Valley after looking for a suitable expansion location for more than a decade. His critical power and telecommunications integration firm started in Hillsboro in 2001 with a successful satellite office opening in Bend in 2007.
His new home on Barclay Drive in downtown Sisters allows him to be closer to his key employees and staff, and with a roster of corporate customers spread all over the Pacific Northwest, from California to Alaska, this new Central Oregon hub makes perfect logistical sense. And the scenery is easy on the eyes as well.
Mohr fell in love with the Sisters area after winning a contract to retrofit the lighting equipment and HVAC systems at the Sisters School District in 2010. He gives many thanks to EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) and Clark Jackson, Central Oregon’s business development officer, as well as Sisters Economic Development Manager Caprielle Foote-Lewis for assisting in the process that eventually landed him in Sisters.
“Mohr Solutions designs, engineers and installs communications infrastructure for telecommunication, utilities and public service provider,” said Mohr. “We also provide critical backup power for a wide range of facilities and provide public entities and businesses with energy efficient solutions that help to reduce annual energy costs.”
Mohr Solutions opened with a handful of employees and has quickly expanded, with a projected increase to 48 by the end of 2015, based on certain tax incentive commitments Mohr made to the state. The company operates by partnering with a variety of major telecommunication carriers like CenturyLink, Verizon Wireless, AT&T and BendBroadband to optimize his customers’ networks and systems with energy efficiency and alternative answers to myriad off-grid projects.
“We currently have 40 employees total. We have seven full- time employees here in Sisters. We also have an office in Hillsboro with additional employees spread across the entire northwest.”
There was a viable thread of amazing resource in Central Oregon for the company, which was another factor in the seamless move.
“Jackson’s team – and especially Caprielle – have been fantastic. The first step was tax savings, in exchange for us guaranteeing so many jobs. They are very active and they stay very involved. Over in the Valley we were basically nonexistent. There was virtually no other discussion or aid regarding the continued growth of our business. It centers on assisting telecommunication carriers and first-responders like 911 centers to deliver new technology that is more reliable and more efficient, and can reach more people using microwave and fiber-optics technologies.”
In addition to continued support from EDCO, Mohr Solutions found a great support network through other local businesses, particularly Hayden Homes and a local realty group, who helped one of their employees get the loans that they need at a fair value.
A member of Mohr’s crew from North Carolina told him that he couldn’t afford to purchase a home in Sisters and would have to buy in Redmond. EDCO graciously connected him with numerous local resources and they were able to locate a suitable place that fits his family’s needs in Sisters.
“This is a fantastic place to live,” added Mohr. “We moved to Sisters for quality of life, as it had the right combination of being a small, warm community and providing business development incentives. We are excited to have our office here and look forward to support the local community is many ways.”
Mohr’s outlook for the future includes an optimistic mindset where the system is continually being challenged to discover ways to be better and more efficient.
“We hope to increase our sales volume tenfold and also diversify our customer base, he said. “By implementing these energy efficient solutions we can further our goals and help set an inspirational example for the entire industry.”
Mohr Solutions Inc.
251 West Barclay Drive, Sisters, OR 97759, 541-549-2000, www.mohrsolutions.com
CEO and Founder: Douglas Mohr
Services: Telecommunications infrastructure and integrations solutions
Established: 2001
Employees: 40
