History
QUAD Inc. was founded in 1975 by E.W. “Bud” Myers, an appliance repairman who suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a diving accident in the Sandy River. Bud realized that no accessible housing or supportive services existed in the Portland area to help newly injured quadriplegics adjust to their injury and transition into life with a disability. With a unique vision and uncanny drive but no special skills or connections, Bud was able to bring together the community resources needed to open Myers Court in 1980, the first independent living center in the nation not affiliated with a hospital or rehabilitation center.
Myers Court received national attention for its pioneering, barrier-free design some 10 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act set minimum standards for wheelchair accessibility. Today QUAD Inc. continues to provide the best possible combination of independent living services, consistently exceeding minimum standards with effective and judicious management of its resources.
Since 1993, QUAD Inc. has focused its efforts on developing new housing projects. Rolling Green Apartments in Hillsboro was funded in 1995 and opened its doors in 1997 with 25 new units. Central Station Apartments followed in 1999 with 23 new units serving the Gresham community. QUAD Inc.‘s most recent building, Burnside Station Apartments, opened for service in 2004 with 21 new apartments in East Portland.
QUAD Inc.‘s Board of Directors, led by Executive Director Greg Gortmaker, is currently focused on strengthening and sustaining the organization for the future with a plan to develop more desirable facilities and services where more people with disabilities will find the resources they need and want to live independently.
