Steve Shields Announces Bid for Governor

Candidate pledges to take Oregon in a new direction.

Steve Shields will run for the Oregon Governor's seat. Photo: Karl Maasdam

(SALEM, Ore.) - Steve Shields, a very different kind of candidate, will throw his hat into the ring, filing papers to run as a Democrat for governor of Oregon. Shields is the only candidate from either party not to hold elective office or have worked in state government, something he considers an asset.

“I’m the only candidate not stuck in the politics of the past, which means I’m the only real change agent in this race. While I respect the hard work being done by those on the front lines of delivering critical services to Oregonians, I also recognize that Salem is broken,” said Shields.

He added, “Oregon has reached a tipping point, and we can no longer be satisfied with incremental fixes to our most serious challenges. A new type of leader is needed with the real-world experience and confidence to spark truly innovative approaches and real change.”

Key facts about Shields, a lifelong Democrat, which make him competitive in this race:

Shields grew up in a labor household in rural Marcola, Oregon, yet has strong business credentials with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Oregon State University and an MBA from the University of Washington. He spent 18 years at Hewlett-Packard and has been involved in small businesses and start-ups.

From working his way through college as a mill worker in Springfield, to his time as an employee of the U.S. Forest Service, to a long and successful career in high technology, Shields understands the basic tenets of our economy – as well as the urban-rural divide.

Shields has real-world strategic manufacturing and economic development skills (and a lot of smart ideas for job growth) at a time when our state and economy most need these assets. He was a leader in the unit that implemented one of the most successful and innovative business models in the world and that doubled the number of jobs at HP’s inkjet division in Corvallis during the 1990s from approximately 3,000 to 6,000.

He is a proven leader and strategic planning expert who is sought after to fix dysfunctional organizations and make them work better. A professional problem-solver is exactly the type of person we need in Salem right now.

Source: Steve Shields 2010

Also see these Salem-News.com articles about the Oregon Governor's race:

Sep-18-2009: Bradbury Says 'No More Excuses' - He Will Run for Oregon Governor Salem-News.com

Sep-18-2009: Oregon AG John Kroger and Others Endorse John Kitzhaber for Oregon Governor Salem-News.com