TABLE OF CONTENTS
2005-2006 First Quarter Newsletter (.pdf)
2005-2006 Second Quarter Newsletter (.pdf)
2006 Third Quarter Newsletter
Archive Business News
Laramie Listed in top 5 Places to Live
Wyoming Business Report
Wyoming Business Climate the best in 50 States
Wyoming choses as top 10 Pro-business states
2007 Winners of LEDC Business Awards
New 2007-2008 Board Members Elected
New Board Press Release
New Board Members Elected
June 22, 2007
At the Partners in Progress Annual Investor Meeting, annual elections were held to elect new Board members for the Fiscal year of 2007-2008. Current board members Bob Davis, of Duane Toro Real Estate and Ken Grunkemeyer, President of American National Bank were re-elected. Dave Coffey, President of Coffey Engineering and Surveying, LLC, Megan Goetz, Attorney at Pence and MacMillan, Guy Warpness, President of Wyo Tech were elected to their first terms on the board.
Sam Clark, CEO of Farm Bureau Insurance Company and Dr. David Walrath, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming both retired from the LEDC Board of Directors after many years of service to this community organization. Dan Furphy also publicly thanked Tim Stamp for his 8 years of dedicated service to the Laramie Economic Development Corporation.
The ceremony concluded with a passing of the gavel from this years Chairman of the LEDC Board, Dan Furphy of First National Bank of Wyoming to Karen Saunders, President of The Mortgage Source.
Winners of 2007 LEDC Business Awards
June 2007
Winners of the LEDC Business Awards recieved their awards, June 21, at the 7th Annual Big Bash. This year’s annual event, was held at the Laramie Country Club and celebrated the successes of doing business in Laramie.
According to Karen Gibbons, LEDC’s Vice President of Marketing, this year Coach Joe Legerski was featured as the guest speaker to talk about "Winning Ways" of the WNIT Champion Cowgirls Basketball team.
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
After nominations were received from LEDC’s Board of Directors for this year’s awards business awards, ballots were sent out to all the Investors in Partners In Progress to vote for this years winners.
The candidates for Small Business of the Year 2007 were Windrider Technologies, Delta Nu, Groathouse Construction, Delta Construction, Calvaryman and Modern Printing. The criteria for this award was for those who have conducted business for at least two years; contributed time and resources to our community; experienced favorable business health in terms of number of employees, increased sales, and general financial condition, and demonstrated entrepreneurial skills by innovation. Last year this award went to CMB and Dooley Oil Company. This year the Small Business of the Year 2007 award goes to Delta Nu this year. Delta Nu Raman system creates a unique spectral signature by measuring the interaction of a low-power laser with a sample. The signature is then compared against an on-board database library of known chemicals for an identity. Delta Nu was recently purchased by Intevac, but will continued to operate in Laramie as a wholly owned subsidiary of the California company. Keith Carron, President of Delta Nu accepted the award for his company.
BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
The candidates for Business Person on the Year 2007 were Phil Nicholas, of Anthony, Goodrich and Tangemen, LLC, Dr. Jonathan Benson, CEO of the Wyoming Technology Business Center, Keith Carron, President of Delta Nu, Fred Ockers, Executive Director of Albany County Tourism Board, Dr. John Pope, of the Blue Sky Group. Dr. Kent Kleppinger, Paul Hoffman, Sweetwater Limited, and Duane Toro of Duane Toro Real Estate. Dr. Kleppinger was announced as this year’s winner. This award was open to all individuals who have been in business more than five years; consistently demonstrated a high level of community involvement through participation in civic, community, and LEDC oriented projects and activities; significantly contributed to the economic health of our community through investment, benevolent support and participation in economic development programs, demonstrated strong managerial skills in dealing with changing economic conditions, and maintained an active leadership role for their employees, peers, and citizens of Laramie. Gibbons, commented that “Dr. Kleppinger has truly epitomized all those qualities and more in the way he conducts business, assists in recruiting high quality health care individuals and works in the community to help others.”
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!
Survival of the Fittest 2007 is a special category which recognizes a developing company or an existing company that has undergone a period of adversity; has managed to maintain its’ excellence of service and market position and has provided positive encouragement for employees. Last year this award went to Coffey Engineering. This year the candidates were Aristatek, Inc, Fat Burrito, The Kourthourse Racquet and Fitness Center, The Laramie Country Club, Albany County Carpet, The Comfort Inn, Delta Nu and Express Pharmacy. Gibbons announced to the group that this award was well deserved and went to The Kourthouse Racquet and Fitness Center.
March 2007
WYOMING LISTED IN TOP 10 BUSINESS STATES
Wyoming chosen in Pollina Poll. Recently this poll pointed to Wyoming as one of the 10 top pro-business states. The Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States study examines twenty-nine factors relative to states’ efforts to be pro-business, and at 60 pages is the most comprehensive examination of states to date. The study is limited to factors over which state government has control. The list reflects state leadership that truly understands the importance of producing the best job opportunities available for their constituents. These state governments understand that they must be very pro-active in the international battle to keep and attract jobs.
Picking the most cost effective pro-business location is often a confusing and complex task for companies. "We were motivated to perform this study by our clients who increasingly ask us the same question "If we are to keep our operations in the U.S., which states have the most pro-business climates?" said Dr. Pollina. The Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States were selected based on those factors that are most important to corporate executives and can be controlled by a state's political leaders. “Each of the Top 10 Pro-Business States has something to learn from the others and all 10 should be held up as models for the other 40 states and the federal government” said Dr. Pollina.
October 2006
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August 06
opportunities. More than 1.7 million people move from metropolitan areas to small cities or rural counties each year, according to U.S. Census Bureau research. The study identifies the small communities that would be most attractive to people considering such a move. The highest scores go to well-rounded places with strong economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, first-class educational systems, and good access to big-city attractions.
Tim Stamp concluded by saying, “This study simply acknowledges what is going on in Laramie. You can see it everywhere you look. Laramie is coming of age, and living here affords you the best of everything. The city is making great strides in catching up the backlog of infrastructure needs that have long been on the wish list of “need to do” projects. The mayor, Jodi Guerin has led the
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