John Ledger

John Ledger is Vice President for External Affairs at Associated Oregon Industries (AOI), Oregon 's largest and most influential business organization. He is the editor of the Business ViewPoint magazine (circulation over 23,000), oversees all public and other external relations for AOI and lobbies the Oregon legislature on environmental and transportation issues. A frequent speaker and columnist, John holds numerous appointments to boards and commissions from Governors Kitzhaber and Kulongoski, the President of the State Senate, and the Speaker of the Oregon House. John is Oregon 's leading expert on state-business environmental policy. He is responsible for the passage of sixteen pieces of innovative legislation including the Green Permits Act, and the Willamette River Watershed Improvement Trading Act, all promoting incentives for environmental improvement. He originated and authored the legislation creating the Oregon Sustainability Board, the first of its type in the nation. On the regulatory side, John represents the businesses community on rulemaking and policy issues before the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. He sits on many DEQ advisory committees ranging from water quality standards to permitting procedures. John began his career with Engineering Science, Inc. He spent fifteen years with the Idaho DEQ overseeing state air, cleanup, and hazardous waste programs before being appointed Deputy Director under Governor Cecil Andrus. Just before coming to AOI he taught upper division/graduate level courses in government and business interaction at Boise State University 's College of Business . Although born in St. Boniface , Canada , John grew up in Southern California . He earned a BS and MS in biology from California State University – Los Angeles , and did further work in biochemistry and biology at Idaho State University . John enjoys history, playing piano poorly, and tending his bonsai collection. John and his wife, Julie, live in south Salem with their dog, a turtle, and other small animals left behind by their now-grown son and daughter.