Voting Opens for Best of the Willamette Valley: Cast Your Ballot for 2025’s Top Businesses

This year’s highly anticipated Best of the Willamette Valley contest opened at noon on March 17. Now in its sixth year, the contest continues to expand in both categories, participants and this year a larger magazine.

"We are one of the most popular ‘best of’ contests in the mid-valley," said Bill Cummings, president of NERUS Strategies, the contest’s producer. "With over 3,450 businesses participating, we are also one of the largest and most competitive. This year we are expanding our results to the top three in each category."

Presented by Advantage Heating, AC & Electrical, Best of the Willamette Valley invites and engages the community in recognizing standout businesses, organizations and individuals across Benton, Linn, Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. Lincoln County businesses are recognized separately in the "Best of Lincoln County" categories.

Nominations were held from February 17-28, resulting in 7,175 nominations representing over 3,450 businesses and individuals. This year’s contest features 281 categories, ranging from accounting services to yoga studios. Voting is open daily from noon on Monday, March 17, until 5 p.m. on Friday, April 4, at VoteBOWV.com. No registration or fees are required to participate.

Businesses seeking support will display the Best of the Willamette Valley "Vote for Us/Me" badge on social media, websites, in stores and offices, and on TV and radio. The badge is easily recognizable across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and TikTok.

Winners will be featured in the Best of the Willamette Valley magazine and on the contest website, publishing on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. The magazine will be mailed to select households, distributed at the winners' event and available online at BestoftheWillametteValley.com. The publication serves as a comprehensive guide to the best businesses and services in the region.

"For the first time, we’ll be honoring not only Gold and Silver winners in each category but also Bronze," said Neil Potter, COO of NERUS Strategies. "With all winners featured in a full-sized magazine, this year’s competition will be bigger and better than ever. Our magazine is filled with information about the individuals and businesses that are voted best in over 280 categories."

Advertising opportunities range from two-page spreads to 1/6-page ads, with pricing starting at $1,295. All ads include full-color design by an award-winning creative team. Premium space is in high demand, though advertising is not contingent on winning.  Individual copies are now on pre-sale for $8, a $17 savings from the regular price.

Each year, the contest hosts a celebration to honor winners at a unique Willamette Valley location. In 2024, over 600 people attended. This year’s ticketed event will take place at The Farm on Golden Hill, a historic six-generation family farm in Silverton, Oregon. The venue’s 360-degree views of cascading hills provide a scenic backdrop for the celebration. Tickets will be available for general admission and VIP packages. McKillips Catering, a family-owned business, will cater the event for the third consecutive year. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Willamette Humane Society.

Advantage Heating, Cooling & Electrical, a family-owned business specializing in heating, cooling and air quality solutions, is the contest’s presenting sponsor. The company is known for its quality work and customer satisfaction.

​The contest is produced by Salem-based NERUS Strategies. Since 2017, NERUS has partnered with newspaper and broadcast media across the U.S. and Canada. In the Willamette Valley, the contest operates independently of any media company. In 2024, NERUS expanded with Best of the Rose City in the Portland area and also produces contests in Tri-Cities, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle and Bellingham.

Business associates and advertisers of NERUS Strategies, Best of the Willamette Valley and its affiliated companies, including presenting sponsor Advantage Heating, AC & Electrical, receive no special treatment in the contest process. Farm photo courtesy of Taylor Metal Products.