2017 Chairman of the Board: Jeffrey S. Hurd, Beckner & Hurd, LLC
In the span of just four weeks in May we have the opportunity to recognize the local impacts of small businesses, the critical role of economic development, and the multiple benefits of hosting the best sporting event in baseball right here in the Grand Valley. To use a horse racing metaphor (yes, we get the Kentucky Derby also this month) I’d call that a “Triple Crown” and a big win for all of us.
Our local business community is predominantly small businesses. Here at the Chamber approximately 80% of our members have ten or fewer employees. In the Grand Junction urban area, we have about 8,700 business establishments (defined as a single physical location) according to the online website, Your Economy, and 30% of all of our jobs are in establishments with nine employees or less. For 54 years, the Small Business Administration has been leading a celebration of the huge collective impact of small businesses, and the Chamber plans several activities to celebrate the small businesses during this week. We hope you will join us.
A year ago, the Chamber, GJEP, and the Business Incubator commemorated economic developers’ week with a press conference to draw attention to a historic memorandum of understanding that the entities had signed. It spelled out clearly the leadership role of the Business Incubator in business creation, the leadership role of the Chamber in business retention and expansion, and the leadership role of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership in business recruitment. Equally important was the pledge that each entity would support their partners in all of these activities aimed at strengthening the economy. On behalf of the Chamber I want our community to know that we remain committed to that MOU and to working collaboratively with all of our economic development partners to help grow our economy.
JUCO is celebrating 60 years of baseball, but we all know that JUCO is about much more than baseball! This event brings our community closer together, creates as terrific sense of pride, and offers an economic boost from visitor spending. This year, with the help of sponsor Home Loan, we are offering businesses kits to help them show their support for the event and welcome our out-of-town players, families, fans and coaches.
Springtime is usually a time for rebirth and optimism about the future. These celebrations of small businesses, economic developers, and JUCO give us hope for a prosperous future and that alone is reason to join in the celebrations.
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce May 2017 Newsletter.