Salem Chamber of Commerce President Tom Hoffert Receives League of Minority Voters Bipartisan Award

Tom Hoffert, President of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, was awarded the prestigious bipartisan award by the League of Minority Voters in recognition of his exemplary leadership in fostering bipartisan collaboration for the betterment of the community.

Hoffert expressed his gratitude, saying he was “deeply honored to receive this award.”

Alan Rasmussen, current President of the Salem Chamber of Commerce Board, commended Hoffert’s commitment to bipartisanship and said he “very much deserves this recognition” because of his abilities with “great dialogue and working towards win-win results.”

Rasmussen described working alongside Tom. “I have had the pleasure to watch up close his masterful skills in bipartisanship. It’s very easy for one to say they are bipartisan, but very much another to execute it,” Rasmussen said. “He stands firm on the principles he is representing but balances that with a professionalism and mutual respect that brings people to the table.”

The League of Minority Voters was initiated to foster relationships and build trust with lawmakers from both political parties. By bringing together lawmakers from different political backgrounds, the initiative aims to increase consensus and decrease gridlock in the legislative process.

President and CEO of the League of Minority Voters, Promise King, said, “Tom Hoffert has been a champion for working across the aisle to promote bipartisan work for the Salem Chamber of Commerce’s mission. He has made great strides in working across the aisle for the greater good of Salem Communities.”

The League of Minority Voters’ State of Civil Rights/Candidate Forum, where Hoffert will receive his award, is scheduled for Thursday, May 16th, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Doubletree Lloyd Center Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Previous forums have brought together community leaders, including elected officials, business executives, and clergy members, and attracted over 250 participants.

This year’s theme is the 2024 Election (The Role of Minority Voters). This forum is an opportunity to unite diverse voices, celebrate civil rights victories, develop multi-racial strategies and bipartisan alliances, and advance inclusive social justice policy plans in ways that unite us from our divisions.

“We, at the League of Minority Voters, feel honest and direct conversations from the candidates around issues of voting rights, bipartisanship, and minority representation are of the utmost importance,” said King. “We will also honor outstanding champions of our communities during this forum.”

The recipients this year are Representative Tawna Sanchez, who has served the House of Representatives since 2016 as the second Native American in state history; former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts (Lifetime Achievement Award); U.S. Senator Ron Wyden; Gale Castillo, founder of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce; and Tom Hoffert, CEO of the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

The League of Minority Voters was founded in 2007 by a multi-racial group of Oregonians who believe that what affects one community affects all of us and that the challenges that impact minority voters must be met with consistent advocacy from all people of conscience. Their mission is to fight and promote the advancement of minority voters’ rights through education, empowerment, and mobilization. As a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, they are dedicated to empowering minority voices in the community and government and serving as a liaison between communities of color, policy leaders, and institutions.