Oregon
Travel Oregon Seeks a New Boss at a More Reasonable Salary
This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.
After some much needed sunlight on its operations, Travel Oregon is looking for a new chief executive—at a significantly lower salary.
Not long into a meeting last September of the Oregon House Committee on Economic Development, its chairman quoted from an OJP investigation about dysfunction at state-funded Travel Oregon and the oversized salary of its longtime executive director.
Then Rep. Daniel Nguyen (D-Lake Oswego) looked at the man sitting steps away at the witness table, Todd Davidson, the executive director whose base salary was more than $365,000 the year before.
“How do you justify paying that salary?”
Offering an answer from the witness table was Scott Youngblood, an eight-year veteran of Travel Oregon’s oversight commission. He suggested that Davidson, who had announced he would leave the agency this summer, wasn’t overpaid. Rather, he was the “Michael Jordan” of travel marketing.
“Scrutiny, it’s coming,” Nguyen would go on to say about the 70-employee, $45 million a year agency. “That is what the public is asking for.”
Travel Oregon’s board of commissioners apparently listened to the concerns Nguyen and other lawmakers expressed after OJP reported that employees said the agency had a toxic work culture and delayed sending out $9 million in small grants for a year. In a unanimous vote last month, the nine commissioners approved a salary range of $235,000 to $255,000 for Davidson’s eventual replacement, far less than Davidson’s compensation and an amount more in line with directors of vastly larger business-aligned state agencies such as Business Oregon and the Department of Agriculture.
OJP’s investigation “helped spur conversations about Travel Oregon’s work in my committee, among others in the Capitol, and at the kitchen tables of Oregon families,” Nguyen said by email Monday.
Travel Oregon, also known as the Oregon Tourism Commission, is funded by a statewide 1.5% tax on hotel stays. The governor appoints the nine members of its board to oversee an agency that spends about $45 million a year to promote Oregon tourism.
The issue of Davidson’s compensation has come up before. In 2020, the Secretary of State’s Office released an audit that focused on his high salary and those of his key staff. But nothing changed.
Today, the commissioners say they are looking for “a reset” at a time when international travel to Oregon is down and Portland-area tourism hasn’t fully recovered from business losses from the civic unrest after a Minneapolis policeman murdered George Floyd.
Candidates have until March 30 to apply for the top job promoting Oregon’s $14 billion-a-year tourism industry.
Nguyen and members of the Economic Development Committee will hear Wednesday from Greg Willitts, chair of Travel Oregon’s board of commissioners and president of FivePine Lodge and Spa in Sisters.
“Travel Oregon is funded largely through tax dollars,” Nguyen said Monday, “and we expect results, transparency, and accountability from their operations.”
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Entering the 2026 college football season, the Oregon Ducks are looking to not only win their first national championship in program history but also their second Big Ten title in the last three seasons.
When the Ducks joined the Big Ten in 2024, they kicked off their inaugural season in the conference in style, finishing the regular season undefeated at 13-0. This regular season was concluded with a thrilling 45-37 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten championship game.
Eug 040522 Lanning 02 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Ohio State Buckeyes, however, got revenge for their loss to the Ducks at Autzen Stadium earlier in the regular season, beating Oregon 41-21 in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl. Entering the 2026 season, here’s a look at the Ducks’ chances of winning the Big Ten for the second time.
Oregon Ducks Big Ten Title Odds: Who’s The Biggest Threat?
According to the latest betting odds by FanDuel Sportsbook, the Ducks have +270 odds to win the Big Ten championship this season. The one team ahead of them is the Ohio State Buckeyes at +190, who, believe it or not, are in search of their first Big Ten title since 2020. The Buckeyes were upset by the Indiana Hoosiers 13-10 in the Big Ten championship last season.
Among the top teams in the Big Ten next season, Ohio State poses the biggest threat to the Ducks’ chances of not only winning a conference title but also the national championship. The Buckeyes and Ducks will face off in what could be the game of the year in Columbus on Nov. 7.
As exciting as this matchup will be for college football fans, it likely won’t be the only one between the Buckeyes and Ducks. Regardless of which team wins the Nov. 7 showdown in Columbus, the Buckeyes and Ducks could match up again in the Big Ten title game and in the CFP.
Other Teams That Pose a Threat to Oregon
While the Buckeyes are the main threat to the Ducks’ Big Ten title aspirations, other teams will be worth watching. One of those teams is the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers.
Despite the key losses this offseason, which include Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, coach Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers restocked talent with the addition of TCU Horned Frogs transfer quarterback Josh Hoover and Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Nick Marsh.
The only two losses that the Ducks suffered last season came against the Hoosiers. If the two face off in the Big Ten championship, Indiana looks to continue its dominance over the Ducks. The Hoosiers and Ducks don’t play each other during the regular season.
The USC Trojans, whom the Ducks will face at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sept. 26, also look to knock off Oregon in what should be one of the top games of the first month of the college football season. Oregon coach Dan Lanning is undefeated 2-0 against USC’s Lincoln Riley and looks to extend the Ducks’ winning streak against the Trojans to five games.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing
02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 14 drawing
1PM: 6-3-6-3
4PM: 7-0-0-9
7PM: 2-0-6-0
10PM: 2-5-1-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. — Oregon State Police are asking for additional witnesses to come forward after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 20E in Deschutes County left two people seriously injured.
Troopers responded at 12:47 p.m. Friday, July 10, to the crash near milepost 41. A preliminary investigation found a westbound 2013 black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck pulling a single-axle utility trailer attempted to pass a black Dodge 4500 towing a trailer. Police said an eastbound Hyundai Elantra tried to avoid a collision with the Chevrolet, lost control in the gravel on the eastbound shoulder, veered into the westbound lane and collided with the trailer pulled by the Dodge 4500.
The driver and passenger of the Hyundai were flown by air medic to a local hospital with serious injuries.
The crash affected traffic for about five hours. The driver of the Chevrolet was cited for careless driving and unsafe passing.
OSP is asking anyone who may have seen the Chevrolet driving westbound on Highway 20 at the moment of, or prior to, the collision to contact the OSP Northern Command Center dispatch at 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone. Callers should reference case number SP26-255130.
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