Brown is a vice president of Oregon Iron Works (OIW), a Clackamas manufacturing company founded in 1944. She’s also a fan of mass transit, particularly the growing use of streetcars in the U.S. When she heard that no one was making them domestically, Brown’s first thought was, “We could do that.”

She researched it. She called economic development experts such as Charlie Allcock at PGE for feedback. And in December 2005, she launched United Streetcar, an OIW subsidiary.

Keeping it local
Since then, the company has manufactured the first American-made, modern streetcar since 1951, creating more than 20 new jobs at United and more for its suppliers. American components formed 70 percent of the prototype car; an American drivetrain now in testing will soon raise that to 90 percent.

Brown says demand is there, and growing: She has orders for at least six streetcars for Portland’s Eastside Loop and at least seven for Tucson, Ariz. Cities are recognizing, she believes, that streetcars do more than just reduce greenhouse gases. They also spur development — almost $3.5 billion within three blocks of Portland’s existing line, for example.

And across the country, streetcars are creating green jobs. The Portland and Tucson projects combined will make or sustain about 150 green jobs for United and its subcontractors.

Why United Streetcar?
Part of her company’s success will rest on its ability to compete against European and Asian companies who now dominate the market. Domestically, the “Made in the USA” stamp is an advantage, especially where federal dollars are concerned.

But Brown says making streetcars efficiently — which meant redesigning the Czechoslovakian cars Portland currently uses — helps union-friendly United compete on price against overseas companies.

“If we had had to make everything by hand like the Czechs do,” she says, “there’s no way we could even come close to being competitive. Our advantage was using our existing high-caliber machines and workers to make something new.”

An eye for opportunity
Brown, who has an MBA in international business, keeps her ear to the ground, exploring new markets — such as OIW’s foray into wave-energy devices that will soon be tested off the southern Oregon coast.

Her goal? Not just to blaze new trails, but to create something lasting. “Yes we want to build this great product that we really believe is a catalyst for development,” she says, “but our number one mission is to be a viable source of employment and products for years to come.”