Cascade Employers Association
Cascade Employers Association is a 1947-founded, Salem, Oregon-based HR consulting membership organization serving approximately 600 employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington with tiered memberships, an HR helpline, training, and fee-for-service consulting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersSalem, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cascade Employers Association does
Cascade Employers Association is a private, membership-based HR consulting organization founded in 1947 and headquartered in Salem, Oregon, serving approximately 600 employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington. The organization provides tiered annual memberships that grant direct access to an HR Helpline, hundreds of tools and resources, member-only content, and discounts on services, supplemented by fee-for-service offerings spanning Employee Handbooks, Compensation and Benefits Consulting, Workplace Investigations, HR Audits, Affirmative Action Plans, Coaching, Recruitment, Employee Surveys, and People and Data Analytics. Underlying technology is limited and largely third-party: MemberSuite powers the member portal, e-commerce store, and event registration, while LearnUpon hosts the Learning Hub for on-demand training and HRCI recertification; the association does not disclose proprietary software development.
The business model rests on four revenue streams: recurring annual membership fees, training and event registrations (public, private, and on-demand), professional services consulting on a project basis, and one-time product sales through the Cascade Store (HR forms, posters, guides). Go-to-market is sales-led with a regional emphasis, combining direct outreach, a Refer-a-Member program, content marketing (GreatWork Blog, NewsBrief, Employer Alerts), webinars, and active social channels. Member testimonials span manufacturing, food production, agriculture, engineering, trucking, energy, sanitation, healthcare/supportive housing, and nonprofit organizations, indicating a deliberately diversified base across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise accounts.
In June 2026, the organization completed a long-planned leadership transition: Gayle Gilham retired after 50 years (14 as President) and was succeeded by Jenna Reed, previously Senior Vice President and General Counsel, who combines business and employment law expertise. Operating geographies are explicitly limited to Oregon and Southwest Washington, with no global footprint. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors, with no disclosed venture, private equity, or public ownership, consistent with its 501(c)(6) trade association structure.
Cascade Employers Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cascade Employers Association
- Legal name
- Cascade Employers Association
- Website
- https://cascadeemployers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cascade Employers Association is a 1947-founded, Salem, Oregon-based HR consulting membership organization serving approximately 600 employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington with tiered memberships, an HR helpline, training, and fee-for-service consulting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cascade Employers Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HR Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing (BPACAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), Workforce Benefits Administration (Enrollment & Deductions) (BPACAIAF)
Keywords
Where Cascade Employers Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cascade Employers Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide access to HR helpline, hundreds of tools and resources, and significant cost savings on services. Multiple membership tiers are available with varying levels of benefits and access.
- Training and Events: Public training sessions, on-demand classes, HR Academy certificate programs, and specialized workshops offered to both members and non-members. Private training available for organizations.
- HR Consulting Services: Fee-for-service HR solutions including employee handbooks, affirmative action plans, HR audits, investigations, coaching, recruitment, compensation consulting, and benefits consulting.
- Store Products: HR forms, policies, guides, factsheets, checklists, and employment posters sold through the Cascade Store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Membership packages with varying levels of benefits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Cascade Employers Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cascade Employers Association is a membership-based employer association that sells annual memberships to employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington, providing access to an HR Helpline, employee handbooks, compensation and benefits consulting, workplace investigations, HR audits, affirmative action plans, training programs (HR Academy, supervision, harassment prevention), and an online store of HR forms, policies, and employment posters.
Product overview
Cascade Employers Association is an HR consulting membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of services for employers in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The core offering centers on Membership Packages that provide helpline access to HR experts and member resources. Key service pillars include HR Solutions (Affirmative Action Plans, Employee Handbooks, HR Helpline, HR Audits, HR Flex-Staff, Paid Leave Oregon support, and Workplace Investigations); People and Workplace Solutions (Coaching, Recruitment, People and Data Analytics, Employee Surveys, and Restorative Conversations); and Total Rewards Solutions (Benefits Consulting, Compensation Consulting, Employee Benefit Programs, and Compensation/Benefits/Trend Surveys). Training offerings include a Training Catalog with programs like HR Academy, Basics of Supervision, Harassment Prevention Training, Conflict Coaching and Accountability, and Employment Law for Supervisors, plus free member training through HR Connect Webinars, HR Services Webinars, and Micro-Learnings. The organization also publishes the GreatWork Blog and monthly NewsBrief, provides Free Employer Resources including HR Forms, Employment Posters, and operates a Store for HR-related products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Membership Packages Annual membership program providing HR helpline access to experts, hundreds of HR tools and resources, cost savings on consulting services, training discounts, and member-only content for employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
- Employee Handbooks Three flexible options for developing custom employee handbooks with varying levels of Cascade's guidance to suit the needs of different employers.
- Compensation Consulting Compensation guidance grounded in reliable market data and real-world HR experience for employers in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
- Workplace Investigations Neutral, third-party workplace investigations conducted for employers of all sizes to address workplace complaints and compliance issues.
- Benefits Consulting Expert guidance on employee benefits program design and strategy for employers.
- Affirmative Action Plans Development and management of affirmative action plans to help employers meet federal contractor requirements.
- HR Audits Comprehensive HR audit services that assess compliance and identify improvement areas across an employer's HR practices.
- HR Flex-Staff Flexible HR staffing solutions providing temporary or project-based HR support for employers that need supplemental HR capacity.
- Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Services Recruiting services that help employers attract and hire qualified candidates in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
- Compensation, Benefits and Trend Surveys Survey data on compensation, benefits, and industry trends for market benchmarking by employers and HR teams.
- Coaching Professional coaching services for leadership development and employee growth within member organizations.
- HR Academy Certificate program providing foundational HR knowledge and expertise development for HR professionals and people managers.
- Private Training Customized training programs delivered on-site at member organizations, tailored to their workforce and HR priorities.
- Training Catalog Catalog of professional training programs for HR professionals and employers, including Basics of Supervision, Harassment Prevention Training, Conflict Coaching and Accountability, and Employment Law for Supervisors.
Companies that use Cascade Employers Association
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cascade Employers Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cascade Employers Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cascade Employers Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Gusto: Cloud-based HR, payroll, and benefits platform for SMBs with built-in compliance support and HR resources. Emerging tech-first competitor that increasingly bundles services Cascade offers as a traditional association.
- Jackson Lewis P.C. National law firm specializing exclusively in workplace law, providing employment law counseling, investigations, and training. Partial overlap with Cascade's workplace investigations and employment law advisory services.
Broad incumbents
- Paychex: Large HR services company providing payroll, benefits administration, HR outsourcing, and compliance support to SMB and mid-market employers. Competes for the same employer HR budget through technology-enabled scale.
- TriNet: PEO serving small and mid-market businesses with full-service HR solutions including compliance, benefits, and payroll. Comparable as an outsourced HR alternative for the same employer customer profile.
- Insperity: National PEO providing bundled HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance services to small and mid-sized businesses. Overlaps with Cascade's HR outsourcing value proposition at greater scale.
- SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): National HR professional membership organization with 300,000+ members offering HR resources, certification, training, and policy advocacy. Broader incumbent in the HR membership space with national scope rather than regional focus.
Direct peers
- California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber): Large state-level business and employer association offering HR compliance products, training, and employment law resources to California employers. Comparable as a state-level membership organization serving employer HR/compliance needs.
- HR Source: Illinois-based employer association providing HR consulting, training, employment law guidance, and compliance support to member companies. Comparable regional association structure with similar service pillars (helpline, training, consulting).
- Employers Council: Colorado-based nonprofit employer association offering HR consulting, training, and compliance services to member employers. Closest direct peer given similar membership-based model, regional focus, and HR consulting/advisory service mix.
Regional players
- Synergy Solutions: Southern California-based employer association providing HR consulting, training, and compliance services to member employers. Comparable regional association model but operating in a different geography than Cascade.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cascade Employers Association social profiles
Digital presenceCascade Employers Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cascade Employers Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cascade Employers Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cascade Employers Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cascade Employers Association
What does Cascade Employers Association do?
Cascade Employers Association is a membership-based employer association that sells annual memberships to employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington, providing access to an HR Helpline, employee handbooks, compensation and benefits consulting, workplace investigations, HR audits, affirmative action plans, training programs (HR Academy, supervision, harassment prevention), and an online store of HR forms, policies, and employment posters.
Is Cascade Employers Association a public or private company?
Cascade Employers Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cascade Employers Association founded?
Cascade Employers Association was founded in 1947. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cascade Employers Association based?
Cascade Employers Association is headquartered in Salem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cascade Employers Association make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are training and Events, HR Consulting Services and store Products.
Who are Cascade Employers Association's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Gusto and Jackson Lewis P.C.. Broad incumbents are Paychex, TriNet, Insperity and SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). Direct peers are California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber), HR Source and Employers Council. Synergy Solutions is listed as a regional player.
Does Cascade Employers Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cascade Employers Association.
What industry is Cascade Employers Association in?
Cascade Employers Association's product category is HR Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAKAE, Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAD, Employment & Labor Law. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.