Column: Local Grads Make the World A Better Place Episode 9; Meet Jorge Barragan
Editor’s Note - This is the ninth part in a multi-part series of columns looking at students who were educated within The Dalles School system and who have gone on to make major contributions to our community by bringing their skills and experience to make a positive impact for all of us. A huge thanks goes to Nancy Turner and Patty Rolen.
Patty Rolen
Nancy Turner
By Nancy Turner and Patty Rolen
Here’s a little history of Jorge’s family.
His grandpa still lives in Mexico.
His father emigrated to the United States at the age of 17 and settled in the Tri-Cities area in Washington.
While taking an English class, he met a woman whose family came to US when she was a baby.
They fell in love and eventually married. As a young couple, they came to The Dalles with the intention of opening a restaurant in 1994.
They had four children.
Jorge is their eldest.
His Parents?
His Dad, Jorge and Mother, Lupe Barragan - They are the owners of the prolific and popular Casa el Mirador Restaurant on West 2nd Street, in The Dalles.
In 2010, Jorge graduated from The Dalles Wahtonka High School.
At that point, like many young adults, he was eager to get away and have new experiences. He moved to Corvallis to attend Oregon State University for two years before transferring to Portland State University. He double majored in Human Resources and Business Management. He lived in Portland for a total of five years.
And in 2018 he married Chelsea, who graduated from high school in The Dalles in 2012.
It was Jorge’s uncle who first got him interested in real estate. Jorge earned his real estate license in 2015. A couple years later, in 2017, Jorge and Chelsea moved back to The Dalles. He joined Columbia Gorge Real Estate and got to work establishing himself as a successful realtor.
Jorge also started and owned Double Berry Frozen Yogurt in The Dalles. It was a great little yogurt shop during the time it was around. They closed the doors in 2016.
A mentor in Portland had taught him how to save for rainy days. Jorge has hung in there as a realtor, and done well. A major factor in his success is that people in The Dalles know and trust him. He is one of the few Spanish-speaking agents in the gorge. If other agents need help with translation, or clients are struggling to understand lenders who only speak English, he’s there to help.
Jorge is a member of the Rotary Club and is on the Board of the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation. They do the Festival of Trees every year. Prior to COVID, he was an Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce. He values giving back to his community in one way or another.
Chelsea, his wife, is a stay-at-home mom for Isabella, who just turned two, and their four-year-old, Valentina. Chelsea volunteers and coaches Valentina’s soccer team of four to five-year-olds. Even if he’s not coaching, Jorge never misses a game and often helps out at practices. He says it’s a bit like herding cats. But at this age, it’s all about having fun and participating.
Both of Jorge’s siblings, Eddie and Alex, left The Dalles briefly to attend college.
They’ve moved back as well.
His sister, Victoria, moved to Eugene and graduated from the University of Oregon. This year she plans to go back to school to earn a graduate degree, possibly in law. Clearly, the children of this family benefited from a good start in The Dalles school system. They went on to further their education elsewhere, returning as skilled professionals.
Jorge’s father was always highly involved in The Dalles Community. He was on the Board of Trustees at MCMC, and worked with the Chamber of Commerce. He paved the way for the next generation.
As Jorge put it, “He handed me the torch.” A core belief of this family is that it’s important to give back to your community. The sense of community spirit is something Jorge appreciates about The Dalles, and why he chose to live here.
What brought Jorge and Chelsea back to The Dalles? Having family here was a draw, and so was their love of a small community. They appreciate how friendly folks are. Jorge has a great reputation as a realtor and as an all-around great guy. We are lucky he chose to return. And if you get a chance, track down those little girls playing soccer. You’ll get to meet Jorge and Chelsea!
Support Local News
Available to everyone. Funded by readers.
