If you’ve spent any time at a Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce event, you’ve felt it. The ease of walking into the room at Networking@Noon. The familiar faces greeting you at Business After Hours. The introductions that happen naturally at a Quarterly Membership Luncheon. The sense that you are not just attending something, you…
Each year, I look forward to the release of the Edelman Trust Barometer. Not because it tells us something new, but because it puts language and data behind what many of us are already feeling here at home. This year’s report confirms it. The divide is growing. Seventy percent of people worldwide now have what…
One of the most impactful moments in the Young Entrepreneur Academy each year is the CEO Roundtable. It is where ideas meet experience and where our students get the opportunity to step out of the classroom and into real conversations with leaders who have built, led, and grown organizations right here in our community. Last…
As I look at the future of Mesa County, I keep coming back to one simple truth: if we are not intentionally investing in young professionals today, we are leaving the future of our workforce and our community to chance. This isn’t just about filling jobs. It’s about cultivating leaders. For years, we’ve talked about…
Celebrating Ag Awareness Week March 14th-24th Long before Grand Junction had a modern business ecosystem, it had an industry that ignited the valley. Agriculture. During Ag Awareness Week, I find myself reflecting on that history and the role agriculture has played in shaping our community. As the CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of…
Mesa County’s approach to workforce development is receiving national attention. The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce was recently honored by the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) with the Outstanding Chamber Program Award for Large Chambers for its workforce initiative, WestSlope Works. Chambers from across the western half of the United States were considered…
Running a business is not easy. Behind every storefront, service, and job is a long list of challenges that do not always make headlines. Tight margins. Workforce pressures. Rising costs. Constant change. Yet, across Mesa County, businesses show up every day anyway. They solve problems, support employees, and keep our local economy moving forward. That…
Colorado employers participating in Registered Apprenticeship Programs may be eligible for a new incentive through the New & Emerging Industries Apprenticeship Tax Credit, created by HB24-1439. This refundable state income tax credit is designed to encourage the adoption and expansion of apprenticeships in new and emerging occupations statewide. Eligible employers can receive up to $12,600…
As Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program continues to evolve, Mesa County employers are adjusting to changes that affect workforce planning, payroll administration, and compliance responsibilities. As we move into 2026, there are several updates to the FAMLI program employers should be aware of, along with an anticipated federal change that has been delayed….
Candace Carnahan, President and CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed Vice Chair of the Colorado Chamber Alliance (CCA). The Colorado Chamber Alliance is a statewide network representing more than 75 local chambers of commerce and over 50,000 businesses across Colorado. The organization works to strengthen chambers through shared…