C.J. Rhyne – Business Retention/Expanion Specialist
As many of us know, the best Economic Development tool is the mobilization and excitement of the existing businesses in the community. We are well on our way in each of those categories here in the Grand Valley. After more than forty business visits in 2017, we have many businesses and entities spreading the word about our community and the great things that are being accomplished here. A renewed excitement is brewing and each business wants to do their part in the role of moving Grand Junction and the surrounding area forward and more business friendly.
Five months into 2017, and I have been busy with many visits, projects, meetings, summits, and trainings. Another successful Economic Development Week is in the books. We produced a series of outstanding videos on the importance of Economic Development in Colorado’s Grand Valley. The videos were centered around Public-Private Partnership, Community Vision, and Community Leadership. I need to send a big shout out to Candace for helping with it all. What a great teammate she was to help create those videos.
Attending summits and conferences is a great way to get a pulse on the community and also see what other communities are doing to stay ahead of the curve. Already this year I have attended the Outdoor Industry Leadership summit, CAMA summit, VinCO, manufacturers round tables, and the Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute conference.
Looking forward to continuing and expanding on all of these aspects for the remainder of the year. Remember, Economic Development is a process, not a program.
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce June 2017 Newsletter.