When we started our company, we were really only thinking about the Portland Metro area. It’s where we live and we have spent a long time figuring out just how to operate. We’re still figuring it out, but we’re learning a lot and smoothing out the rough edges.

We’ve had awesome direct support professionals in the Portland area. One of those awesome people is Ronda Gaughan. Several month ago, she expressed her regret that she needed to move to the Lincoln City area for personal reasons.

We didn’t want to lose her, but were unsure of how we could keep her. There was the possibility of her coming to Portland occasionally to do work, but we felt she was too good to not use as much as we could.

We discussed the idea of what it would take to find customers for her in Lincoln City and contacted the local Community Developmental Disabilities Program (CDDP) to assess the need. We were assured by Lincoln County and the local brokerage that a provider organization was indeed needed in the area.

Drew and I (Rex) made a trip to Newport to meet with the brokerage and CDDP. Very soon after we had Ronda’s first customer. Another employee from Portland decided to move to Lincoln City, but soon after moving there, she resigned.

We advertised for new DSPs and have hired Becki Hoydic and Nicci Faught. We are in the process of finding them customers. We need more great DSPs in Lincoln County.

Last week, we signed a lease on our new Lincoln County office. It’s just off of Hwy 101 in Lincoln City. We are now a presence on the coast.

We believe we offer a great formula for customer success and the expansion is only beginning. There are other locations that are developing and as soon as we find the time, we’ll be trying to hire in other parts of the state.