Jason Spadaro

This year’s Columbia Gorge Economic Symposium, organized by The Dalles-based Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, focused primarily upon the Columbia River Gorge region’s forest products industry. Several speakers discussed what they saw as the industry’s challenges and opportunities over the next 10 years. Jason Spadaro, president of SDS Lumber Company in Bingen, was the keynote speaker for the event, which was held Thursday at the Hegewald Center in Stevenson. …Spadaro said that sentiment also applies to the forest products industry. “There is a general impression of the decline of the industry,” Spadaro said. “Honestly, nothing is further from the truth. I see a bright future for the industry.” Spadaro listed what he perceived as several main challenges facing the forest products industry in Wasco, Sherman, and Hood River counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington.