Oregon Ties to Trump Administration Are Few

President's pick for commerce secretary does have local investment.

Gage Skidmore

As President-elect Donald Trump firms up his cabinet nominees, Oregon continues to be on the outside looking in.

The federal disclosure forms Trump filed in May show he the owned Nike shares worth between $100,000 and $250,000. He may have since sold those shares as some reports say he's liquidated some of his portfolio but he does not have to file another disclosure this year.

The most direct connection is to Trump's pick for commerce secretary—billionaire investor Wilbur Ross. Ross, who made his fortune turning around distressed industrial companies, began a series of large investments in 2009 with Greenbrier, the Lake Oswego-based barge and rail-car manufacturer.

Wilbur Ross (Palmbeachdailynews/CC-BY-4)

Ross served on Greenbrier's board of directors from 2009 to 2013, and one of his employees, Wendy Teramoto, serves on it now.

"Over many years, Wilbur Ross served Greenbrier as a dedicated and trusted Board Member, investor and business partner.  Now he will serve our country.  Mr. Ross is an excellent and qualified choice for Commerce Secretary and we are privileged to know him well, says Greenbrier Senior Vice President Jack Isselmann. "We continue to enjoy a strong working relationship with WL Ross & Co through Wendy Teramoto' s participation on our Board of Directors."

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