I.V. grad realizes flight dream through RCC/BDC
From our weekly issue dated March 24, 2010
Clay Clark remembers riding as a child in a helicopter with his dad“s logging company.
“I fell in love with flight, and it“s always been my dream to open a school here in Southern Oregon,“ he said.
Today he“s the proud owner of Table Rock Helicopters, the only nonmilitary helicopter-training center between Portland and Redding. Located at Medford/Rogue Valley International Airport, the school can train up to 50 students at a time.
A graduate of Illinois Valley High School who has flown for more than 10 years, Clark opted for flight school rather than college — and earned a commercial pilot“s license, as well as qualifications to become a flight instructor.
His dream of owning a flight school came true with the help from Rogue Community College Business Development Center. In January 2009, Clark began researching how to start a new business and was directed to Lew Tagliere, an RCC Business Development Center counselor.
Tagliere got Clark started, then referred him to Michael Smith, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. (SOREDI) business and community development manager. Clark next spent approximately 26 hours preparing his business and marketing plans with the help of Kenny Houck, business development coordinator at RCC“s Illinois Valley Business Entrepreneurial Center in Kerby.
Finally, Clark qualified for the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization“s revolving loan fund, which provided Clay with the start-up capital he needed to get his flight school off the ground.
“The RCC Business Development Center provided me with the guidance I needed to make my dream and passion a reality,“ Clark said. “I had the help of Kenny Houck and Lew Tagliere to organize the business, and without them none of this would be possible.“
Besides operating the flight school, Clark has expansion plans that include charter flights, air taxi service, and partnering with the tourism industry in Southern Oregon. For more information, contact Table Rock Helicopters at 541-973-1874 or info@tablerockheli.com.
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