Mackenzie’s president Dietrich Wieland attended the conference as a representative of Greater Portland Inc., where he serves as board chair. GPI is a regional economic development organization with the goal of recruiting and growing quality businesses. 

As part of the Oregon delegation, he participated alongside Oregon State Rep. Daniel Nguyen, and representatives from Business Oregon, City of Hillsboro, City of Gresham, Oregon State University, Silicon Forest Partnership, and HP, Inc. 

In his role as board chair for GPI, Dietrich highlighted some of his key takeaways from the four days in Arizona.

1. The semiconductor ecosystem is vast and deeply interconnected. 

The industry spans materials science, software development, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies like clean tech. Experiencing it firsthand reinforced how global this sector truly is and how success depends on cross-border collaboration for both materials and talent, which can be a complex balance in today’s political climate. 

2. Other states are competing aggressively. 

Delegations from New York, Ohio, Arizona, Sacramento, and Texas arrived with large teams, unified messaging, and clear strategies. Oregon’s presence was strong, and one statistic shared by Business Oregon resonated across the event: 

Oregon is home to 15% of the nation’s semiconductor jobs but only 1% of its population. 

That is a powerful reminder that Oregon is a major player, but remaining competitive will require coordination, visibility, and sustained investment. 

3. Global partnerships are key to Oregon’s next phase. 

Future success will depend on building reciprocal relationships with markets that complement Oregon’s strengths. Countries such as Germany and The Netherlands stood out as strong potential partners, offering models of collaboration that align well with Oregon’s innovation economy. 

4. Workforce development is Oregon’s defining advantage.

Workforce development was a primary topic at the conference, and Oregon should continue to strengthen programs alongside industry partners and the higher education system. 

Greater Portland is a national leader in the semiconductor workforce, ranking second nationally behind Silicon Valley and ahead of Dallas (#3), Phoenix (#4), and Boston (#5). This workforce is the foundation of the sector, and businesses will follow a robust and growing talent base that we can retain within our region.

“SEMICON West served as both a reality check and a call to action, GPI said in an email after the event that featured Dietrich’s takeaways. “Oregon’s semiconductor foundation is strong, but continued leadership will require focus, collaboration, and a collective effort to match the scale and strategy of other regions.”

Mackenzie’s Experience
Mackenzie has been a design partner to many within the industry for more than three decades. We’ve assisted these confidential clients in site feasibility studies, development decisions, facility planning, and the design of complex facilities and campuses. Our work includes semiconductor facilities, fabrication, laboratories, research and development, manufacturing support, life science facilities, and waffle slab structures.

Advanced technology facilities are designed and built with aggressive schedules, and must be reliable with built-in flexibility for future processes. Mackenzie's integrated design approach efficiently delivers projects with a focus on speed-to-market, 24/7 operations, and the flexibility to change with time.

Learn more about our work in the industry here.