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Ornelas EnterprisesAnother Family Business Profile from FBE…
Ornelas Enterprises has grown into a profitable, fast-growing, family owned contract electronic manufacturing company. In the early 90’s, as the high technology industry experienced yet another downturn, Tino Ornelas faced the biggest career decision of his life. His company, Tektronix, was planning to reorganize, and he didn't want to be redeployed. So he borrowed $25,000 and started his own business in Hillsboro, Oregon. Nearly 15 years later, the company is managed by Tino, his wife, Joy, and their daughter Nita Werner. When other companies struggled during the high-tech downturn in the late 90’s, Ornelas maintained its profitability because it had by then expanded its manufacturing capabilities into other industries including medical equipment, automotive and aeronautics. Quality And Community InvolvementThe emphasis and business reputation at Ornelas Enterprises centers around the company’s strong commitment to quality and staying involved in the community. Since 1994, when the company received the Intel Quality Award, the company has continued to receive numerous industry awards including the 1996-2002 Business Journal's Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies, the 1999 Families in Good Company Award, and the 1999-2002 Business Journal Technology Fast 50. Ornelas Enterprises has also earned a number of significant certifications including the coveted ISO 9001-2000 #A8182. Community involvement is not a catchword at Ornelas. The family has always been involved in efforts to give back to the local community because they believe that “a healthy community creates a healthy company, and healthy companies create healthy communities.” One form of giving back to the community includes a remarkable program sponsored by Ornelas called the Joy Fund. While many companies reward high achievers in high school, the Joy Fund helps students whose parents may be financially strapped to pay for those financial challenges that are often overlooked such as band trips, dance shoes or credit recovery classes. Secret To Success:Smart Enough to Ask for HelpSuccess at Ornelas has not been without its challenges. The early years were a struggle, largely because of poor communication skills and management issues that affected the bottom line. As those issues became more pronounced and visible to employees, the family summoned the courage to bring in a family business counselor and a financial advisor to lead them out of the difficult situation. The move paid off, and today the family leadership has learned how to face obstacles and problems with controlled emotions and practical solutions that make good business sense. “We're not perfect,” says Nita Werner, “but at least we were smart enough to recognize we needed help.”
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