December 2019 Lander Chamber Newsletter

2019

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

Photo by Kristy Cardinal

INTRODUCTION

From the Executive Director

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big welcome to our new members: Atmosphere Marketing, Dentures & Dental Care of Lander, and St. John’s Health Lander! (page 4) And thanks to Householder Properties for hosting November’s Business After Hours! (page 2) Shopping for Christmas has begun in earnest, as has the Chamber’s annual effort to encourage Landerites to Shop Local and Think Lander First! Taking our cue this year from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we’ve distributed golden tickets in the form of Lander Bucks to participating member businesses who’ll be awarding them to lucky shoppers in gratitude for their choice to keep their dollars here in town. Lander Bucks can be used just like gift cards and are accepted by more than 300 local businesses. So, while you’re shopping in Lander for those perfect Christmas gifts, you just might receive a gift of your own!

It’s also time for that much beloved Lander Christmas tradition: Light Up Lander! On Saturday, December 7th, welcome Santa to town and watch the Light Parade head down Main Street to Centennial Park for the Christmas tree lighting. Festivities begin at 3:00 p.m. at South 7th & Main. Businesses ought to consider the growing popularity of Light Up Lander: WYDOT estimates that 5,800 people (!) traveled to Lander last year for the event, and Mr. D’s reported about 1,800 people visited with Santa and about 900 crowded around Centennial Park for the tree lighting. A sure sign that Light Up Lander has become a “must attend” event is that people have begun staking out their spots along the parade route the day before -- and many choose to stay overnight until Sunday.

What a great opportunity to boost those Christmas sales!

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Susan Weideman, President Lander Vision Center

Michelle Mazur, Vice-Pres.

Elevate Rehab

Joanne Slingerland, Treasurer Central Wyoming College

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mika Baker, Past President Central Bank and Trust

Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty Inc. Inter Mountain Builders

Dave Fehringer WH Smith & Associates, Inc.

Suzanne Norris Wyoming Life Resource Center

Jonathan Tonkowich Wyoming Catholic College

Rick Bestul NAPA Auto Parts

Looking ahead to the New Year, the Chamber soon will be accepting applications for 2020 Tourism Asset Development (TAD) Grants. Funded by the Fremont County Lodging Tax, these grants of up to $1,000 are available to tourism-related non-profit and civic organizations for the purpose of developing assets, activities, and events that will attract tourist dollars to Lander.

The annual Community Awards Luncheon is also on the horizon, and we’ll be inviting your nominations!

In the meanwhile, we wish you all the joys and blessings of the Christmas season!

Eric Andrews Fagnant, Lewis, Brinda P.C.

James Whiting Whiting Law PC

PROFESSIONAL STAFF Owen Sweeney Executive Director

Carol King Associate Director

Kelsey Ball

Owen Sweeney Executive Director Lander Chamber of Commerce

Operations Assistant

November Business After Hours hosted by Trey Warren, Householder Properties

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December Business After Hours will be hosted by

Wyoming Catholic College 2019-20 Schedule

Dec. 19 Wyoming Catholic College Jan. 16 Lander Bodyworks Feb 20 Central Bank & Trust

March 19 Lander Golf Course April 16 Ron’s Flooring May 21 Westward Heights Care Center

COMMUNITY EVENTS

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BUSINESS AFTER

CALENDAR

BUSINESS December Calendar of AFTER Events EVERY MONDAY Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library EVERY SATURDAY Lander Valley Farmers Market, 1-3 pm, VFW, on the west end of Main St. Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library or upstairs in Bank of the West FIRST WEDNESDAY Brain Injury Support Group 5-6 pm, Soldier’s House of Fremont County, Riverton THIRD THURSDAY Soup & Support: Caregiver Support Group, 11am-12:30 pm, Frontier Home Health & Hospice 1-14 Women’s Suffrage in Wyoming art show, Lander Art Center 1 Art in the Afternoon 10am-3pm, Lander Community Center 3 Creative Writing Workshop, 6:30-7:30 pm, Central Wyoming College Lander 6 First Friday My Store Belles & Beaus, open until 9 pm, 258 Main St.

6 First Friday: Art & Live Music, 5-9 pm, The Middle Fork

13 Holiday Open House, 10am-3pm, Central Bank & Trust, Lander

6 First Friday Holiday Open House, 5-8pm, Snow Deep Designs

13 Madama Butterfly Met Opera Live, 5:30-8:45 pm, Lander Library Carnegie Room

7 Magic Flute Met Opera Live, 1-2:45 pm, Lander Library Carnegie Room 7 Light-Up Lander, 3-5 pm, Mr. D’s Food Center, parade begins 6 pm 7 Old Time Christmas Open House, 5-7 pm, Lander Pioneer Museum 7 Christmas Open House, 10am-4pm, Dubois Museum 7 Holiday Open House, 10am-4pm, National Bighorn Sheep Center, Dubois

14 Christmas Open House, 10am-4pm, Riverton Museum; 2-4pm, kids make historically inspired Christmas decorations 16 Lander Valley High School Choir Concert, 7-9pm, LVHS auditorium 19 Business After Hours, 5:30-7:30pm, Wyoming Catholic College, 427 Main St., Lander 23 Fremont County School District #1 holiday break begins

9 St. John’s Medical Center, Lander Open House, 4-7 pm, 25 Merry Christmas!

Lander Center, 175 N. 1st St. 31 New Year’s Eve Party, 9 Lander Valley High School 10pm-1:30am, Shoshone Rose Casino & Hotel Band Concert, 7-9pm, LVHS auditorium 11 Elks Hoop Shoot, 5:307:30 pm, Lander Middle School gym 12 Lander Middle School Band Concert, 7-9pm, Lander Valley High School auditorium

Dr. Susan Baker 933 Main St., Suite 3, Lander

Dentures & Dental Care of Lander is a 40 year old practice with a new owner and a big time facelift. Dr Susan Baker purchased the practice from Dr. Peter Pappas in 2017. Since then the office has been remodeled and all equipment updated, including 3D imaging. You can still get dentures all in one day, courtesy of their talented technician, John Riggs. In addition a full range of services are provided, including placing and restoring dental implants.

Debbie Meredith and Michele Miller, front office manager and chairside assistant, respectively, will schedule your appointment and help you feel at ease.

Still located at 933 Main Street in Lander, come by and meet the team. Accepting new patients!

Atmosphere Marketing

Dallin & Caitee Cooper 2255 Brunton Court, Suite A, Riverton

Atmosphere Marketing is a digital marketing agency that was founded by Dallin Cooper in 2015 during his early college years. Several things contributed to the company’s early growth, including it being named a winner in the Ellbogen 30K competition at the University of Wyoming and the addition of Caitee, Dallin’s wife (who enthusiastically jumped on board.) In December 2018, Atmosphere relocated from Laramie to Riverton in order to better serve the needs of its clients across the state of Wyoming. They focus primarily on Search Engine Optimization, which is the process of helping businesses rank near the top of Google’s search results. They can also create affordable websites, offer advice on social media strategy, and run Google Ad campaigns for their clients.

St. John’s Health, Lander

175 N. 1st St., Lander Tony Leonard, Kala and Cheryl Officially open, the clinic will offer family health services through a nurse practitioner, along with various specialized services, beginning with urology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and telehealth. Additional specialties will be added over time. The clinic is located at 175 N. 1st St., across from the Chamber of Commerce. For an appointment, call 307.332.2189.

For information, go to www.tetonhospital.org/ lander.

NEW MEMBER WELCOME NEW MEMBER WELCOME

Dentures & Dental Care of Lander, LLC

THINK LANDER FIRST

THINK LANDER SHOP LOCAL

MORE MONEY CIRCULATES BACK INTO LOCAL HANDS HEN YOU SHOP CLOSE TO HOME AS OPPOSED TO ONLINE.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS

WHERE YOU SPEND MATTERS

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer

Think Lander Shop Local

Shop at over 300 LANDER businesses Available only at the Lander Chamber of Commerce Stop in Today to Purchase Lander Bucks

by John Privette, Regional Director Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network

Regardless of the news on trade agreement negotiations, international trade continues to present opportunities for Wyoming small business. In support of international trade, the state of Wyoming established an Asia-Pacific trade office in Taipei, Taiwan in 2018. This means, Wyoming small business has in-country trade specialists to assist in market development by identifying possible buyers and trade events.

Listed are five key considerations when evaluating if your business is ready to develop an overseas market, whether in the Asia-Pacific region or any other country: #1 Commitment Businesses new-to-exporting can expect to face numerous challenges such as redesigning packaging, establishing logistics or getting paid. The market development process takes time — often two to three years to establish a foundation. It is important that the business understands this; mistakes may happen and setbacks may occur. Strong management support is critical to achieving success in overseas markets. #2 Research To be successful in international trade, a business must research the potential markets. There are many factors to consider; including, the market demand for your product, the market growth prospects and competitive landscape. The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is available to assist your company conduct this research. #3 Focus Exporting will create new operational processes within your company. In most case, new-toexporting companies begin by exporting into just one overseas market based on the research.

The experienced gained from that focused effort is applied toward new international markets. If the Asia-Pacific region provides opportunities for your product or service, leverage the expertise in the Asia-Pacific trade office to assist your market development focus. #4 Resources Developing an international market requires resources — primarily time and money. A company with revenue growth from domestic markets are usually in the best position to exploit international opportunities. There is a steep learning curve when entering an overseas market including packaging, regulation, documentation, logistics and marketing & sales requirements. Having a dedicated person as an export specialist is beneficial. #5 Knowledge Look for opportunities to develop and expand the export knowledge for company employees. The Wyoming SBDC Network is a good first stop for international trade education with several export-topic webinar recordings available and an international trade specialist to answer your questions. If your product is value-added agriculture, the USDA WUSATA organization offers cost reimbursement programs to assist in market development; there is no better education than to visit the market.

If you would like assistance with expanding your market overseas, contact your local Wyoming SBDC Network advisor Sarah Hamlin at WyomingSBDC.org.

About the Wyoming SBDC Network: The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2018 alone, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 111 new businesses, create or save 1,402 jobs and bring a capital impact of more than $10 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

EXPORTING TIPS

Five exporting tips for Wyoming companies

Artery Construction Joe Artery, 57 Tweed Lane, Lander

Museum of the American West Jim Corbett, Director 1445 Main St., Lander

Brace, Marty 28 Pinto Lane, Lander Elevate Rehab Michelle Mazur 388 Main St., Suite A, Lander Energy Fuels Curtis Moore 225 Union Blvd., Lakewood, CO

NOLS 284 Lincoln St., Lander Tweed Lane Storage Kim Johnson 100 Tweed Lane, Lander Wahl Electric Scott & Amy Wahl PO Box 1535, Lander

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS! BT Incorporated Sue Leffler, Vice President 642 S. Federal Blvd.

Riverton Bighorn Restoration Group Ron & Carol Smith 803 Welch Blvd., Lander The Rock Shop Inn Anthony Prate 4260 Hwy 28, Lander

RENEWING MEMBERS

Lander Bake Shop Matt & Angie Flint, 259 Main St., Lander

RENEWING MEMBERS

AAA Stowaway Storage, Beth Johnson, 120 & 125 Poppy St., Lander

Farm Bureau Financial Services Jake Huhnke, Cori Slingerland 1630 Main St., Lander

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 78

This issue of the chamber newsletter is printed by Western Printing