Latest News/Events
Every day, I talk to employers in Mesa County who are facing the same quiet crisis: they can’t find or keep workers—not because the jobs aren’t there, but because housing affordability keeps pushing those workers out. We talk a lot about economic development, talent pipelines, and business vitality. But none of those goals are sustainable…
On Tuesday evening, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce proudly celebrated the graduation of 15 bold young innovators—our largest cohort to date—from the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), marking the program’s 12th year of cultivating youth-driven business leadership in Mesa County. Over the course of 20 weeks, these middle and high school students did far…
We’re asking local businesses to take less than five minutes to complete our short survey. Your feedback will help us advocate for smart, balanced policies that reflect the realities of doing business in Western Colorado. Tariffs on raw materials, equipment, and consumer goods can directly increase costs for manufacturers, healthcare providers, and retailers. Whether it’s…
Your Investment. Your Choice. All perk options below are IN ADDITION to the standard benefits included in each tier level of investment. Click HERE to learn more about the benefits of each membership type. “Small Business” Tier ($415/year) – Choose 1 Perk from Below Annual Business After Hours Pass (1 year access) E-Link Announcement (1-time…
The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) hosted its annual Trade Show last Saturday at the Mesa Mall, where our record class of 15 middle and high school students from across the county officially revealed their products and services to the public. This marks a significant milestone for students in the…
When Elisabeth Henry, Chair of the Young Professionals Network and local changemaker, signed up for the Mesa County Leadership Program, she was hoping to gain a better understanding of the community she had come to call home. What she discovered instead was something far more profound: a renewed sense of purpose, connection, and responsibility as…
On Monday, May 12, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce proudly hosted the Western Regional Talent Summit at the Mesa County Workforce Center in partnership with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). This event was part of the statewide Opportunity Now Regional Talent Summits initiative, which was launched to identify…
Following a workshop discussion on Monday, May 5th, the Grand Junction City Council voted to end the 4th and 5th Street pilot program and return the corridor to its prior configuration at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 7th. The decision came after months of mounting concern from downtown business owners, customers, and community…
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Day, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to spotlight a member who’s taking workforce development into their own hands — quite literally. Driven Diagnostics, an advanced diagnostics and repair shop owned by Rich Willis, recently welcomed its first apprentice, Keegan Womack, into a thoughtfully built apprenticeship program….
As the 2025 Colorado Legislative Session enters its final week, the flurry of last-minute negotiations, committee votes, and late-night floor debates is reaching its peak. For the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, this moment is more than just the close of a legislative calendar—it’s the culmination of months of targeted advocacy, strategic partnerships, and…
This Saturday, May 3rd, Brielle Nye, founder of Carry It On, will represent not just the Grand Valley, but the entire state of Colorado in the 2025 Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) National Competition—a prestigious event that brings together the top student-run businesses from across the country. Brielle earned this honor after being selected as the…
WHAT IS THE MESA COUNTY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM? Three Decades of Business Leader Creation In 1992, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce gathered twenty-five up-and-coming leaders to become the first-ever Mesa County Leadership Class. Tasked with learning more about what made our community operate and how they could become civically engaged to ensure future economic…
Last week, regional collaboration took center stage at the annual State of the Valley event hosted by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce at Colorado Mesa University. The gathering brought together elected officials, top administrators, and business leaders from across Mesa County to share progress, discuss challenges, and explore new opportunities to strengthen our…
Last Wednesday evening, 15 innovative young minds took the stage at the DoubleTree by Hilton to pitch their newly formed businesses at the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Investor Panel event. This transformative program—the only YEA! chapter in the state of Colorado—guides middle and high school students through the real-world…
A bill moving through the Colorado Legislature right now threatens to pull the rug out from under rural economic development efforts across the Western Slope. House Bill 25-1296, if passed, would severely weaken the Enterprise Zone Investment Tax Credit—one of the most effective tools we have to attract capital and create jobs in hard-to-reach communities…