The Business Times Volume 29 Issue 14

THE BUSINESS T IMES News JULY 21-AUGUST 10, 2022

VOLUME 29, ISSUE 14

THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS NEWS SINCE 1994

THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM

TrendsDeveloping 2 Contributors dedication Opinion 2 Business Briefs 4 Business People Almanac

In this issue

n Outlook update

Colorado employment is expected to grow more than initially forecast in 2022 even as economic challenges persist.

n Workforce center director eager to take on new role with GJEP. See page 2

n Regional role

Aikta Marcoulier continues to help small businesses, but in a regional role with the Small Business Administration.

After serving more than five years as director of the Mesa County Workforce Center, Curtis Englehart says he’s ready to continue efforts to promote work force and economic development as executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

n Gaining fame

Grand Junction ranks among the best places to retire featured in cover story that appears in a national magazine.

n Best for business

4

Colorado ranks fourth overall in the latest ranking of top states for business compiled by the CNBC cable TV network.

n Less optimistic

19

A measure of optimism among small business owners continues to drop on record-low expectations.

n HR assistance

21

A Western Colorado HR group offers businesses help in not only recruiting talent, but also following laws.

n Departments Almanac Business Briefs Business People Contributors News Opinion Trends

30-31 28 30 21-25 2-18 26-27 19-20

Business Times photo by Phil Castle

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THE BUSINESS T IMES News The Business Times

Page 2

July 21-august 10, 2022

Trends Contributors Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac

Colorado update: More payroll gains, but challenges, too Phil Castle

The Business Times

Colorado employment is expected to grow more than initially forecast in 2022 even as rising inflation and interest rates present economic headwinds to businesses.

Nonfarm payrolls are expected to grow 104,000 in 2022, according to a midyear update to the Colorado Business Economic Outlook. That’s 30,000 more than what was projected when the report was published in December.

“The forecast has improved markedly,” said Brian Lewandowski, executive director of the business B. Lewandowski research division at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

But even as Colorado outperforms other states in rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, other challenges remain. Inflation has climbed to its highest level in 40 years, and the Federal Reserve has responded by increasing short-term interest rates. Supply chain issues Rich Wobbekind persist, and the war in Ukraine also has exerted effects.

“The risk of recession is growing,” Lewandowski said. A recession could start later in 2022 or early in 2023, but likely will be short and shallow, he said.

The division compiles an annual business and economic forecast for Colorado. The leaders of 14 committees involved in the forecast met in June to update the report.

Lewandowski and Rich Wobbekind, senior economist and faculty director of the division, discussed the results during an online media briefing.

Over the past two years, private sector payrolls in Colorado increased 414,000, more than offsetting jobs lost in early 2020 because of the pandemic and related restrictions.

As of May, the latest month for which estimates are available, nonfarm payrolls had increased 124,600 over the past year, a gain of 4.6 percent.

See UPDATE page 18

After serving more than five years as director of the Mesa County Workforce Center, Curtis Englehart says he’s eager to begin a new role as executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

Developing dedication Workforce center director eager for his new role with GJEP

C

urtis Englehart considers work force development and economic development inseparable — one can’t occur without the other. “They really go hand in hand.”

After serving for more than five years as director of the Mesa County Workforce Center, Englehart is scheduled to begin on Aug. 3 his new job as executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

While Englehart will take on a new role with a different organization, he expects the experiences he’s gained and relationships he’s developed will cross over.

Moreover, he says his ultimate objective remains the same. “I’m really invested in Mesa County and seeing Mesa County succeed.”

Englehart says he’ll continue his work, only in a

different way. “That role has a lot of potential to bring opportunity to Mesa County. That’s exciting to me.”

Karen Troester, chairwoman of the GJEP board of directors, says she’s excited, too. “We couldn’t have a better person leading us forward.”

Troester says Englehart brings to the position business, communications and leadership skills along with his experience as a partner in economic development efforts in Mesa County as well as Colorado. “He’s well-known, well-liked and, most importantly, well-respected in the state.”

Englehart will succeed Robin Brown, who resigned nearly a year ago to become chief executive officer of the Colorado Mesa University Foundation See DEVELOPING page 17

STORY AND PHOTO BY PHIL CASTLE

Goal the same for regional SBA exec: help business Phil Castle

The Business Times

As the administrator of SBA Region VIII, Aikta Marcoulier oversees programs and services in Colorado and five other states.

Aikta Marcoulier worked for more than 10 years running a Colorado Springs center providing a range of services to small businesses.

It was a job Marcoulier said prepared her well for her latest efforts to help small businesses — but on a much larger scale.

President Joe Biden appointed Marcoulier in April as administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Region VIII. She oversees the programs and services of the federal agency in Colorado as well as Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Her new role includes supporting the Biden administration and helping district SBA offices in her region meet their goals. She also expects the job to involve a lot of online meetings and travel to connect with staff and business owners in a six-state area that sprawls across more than 580,000 square miles, the most rural of any SBA region in the country.

At the same time, Marcoulier said one thing hasn’t changed, and that’s her goal to help small businesses succeed.

To that end, she said she’s excited about the resources the SBA offers, including assistance with financing, government contracting and disaster recovery.

She said she’s especially excited about an initiative to increase the share of federal contracts going to small businesses and strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Given the $1.2 trillion in funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, there are a lot of additional opportunities for small businesses, she added.

Before her appointment, Marcoulier worked more than 10 years as executive director of the Small Business Development Center in Colorado Springs.

A network of 14 full-time SBDCs and more than 50 part-time satellite offices are located across Colorado, including the Grand Valley.

See EXEC page 16

July 21-August 10, 2022

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Serving families of the Western Slope for more than 100 years.

well-rounded perspective Grand Junction among to Mesa County role thenew best places to retire

Phil Castle as well as New England and Canada.

Visit Grand Junction director: Organization The Business Times Whidden said people who work in information technology aren’t just “geeks,” plays a role in helping city gain recognition

Frank bringsamong what the he Grand Whidden Junction ranks considers perspective to his best placesa well-rounded to retire featured in a national new job as Mesa County administrator. magazine.

Whidden worked Grand Junction in information placed second among technology and holds seven of what were abilled master’s in as degree standout computer information communities in which systems.

Butanheimage also to retire, and holds a doctoral from the Colorado degree applied National inMonument management and appeared on the cover decision making of the August issueand of Frank Whidden worked for more than Elizabeth Fogarty Kiplinger’s Personal 20 yearsmagazine. as a minister. Whidden has Finance worked for large and small organizations Visit Grand Junction, the city’s in both the private and public sectors. destination marketing organization, bought Whidden to draw on all on of the his a full-page ad expects about Grand Junction experiences in helping Mesa County back cover of the magazine. Images Visit commissioners make and carry out decisions.

Grand Junction proposed were included Valuing staff and making the county with the story. an employer choicedirector is among the Elizabeth of Fogarty, of Visit priorities, Whidden said.

So is planning Grand Junction, said destination marketing that results indon’t sustainable and organizations control funding such lists, balanced budgets on a long-term basis. but can play a role in the way cities gain Meanwhile, County will recognition throughMesa media placements. continue to pursue efforts that promote a friendly business environment and economic development, Whidden said.

Whidden officially began working as county administrator at the beginning of the year. He succeeds Tom Fisher, who was hiredColorado as county Summit ranks manager first for itsinwork force County, Utah. and fourth overall in the latest ranking of Whidden joined Mesa County in top states for business.

August 2011 as information technology The CNBC cable television network director.

In April 2014, he became compiles its annual America’s Top deputy States county administrator for Business based on a totalforof 88resource metrics management in a staffing reorganization across 10 categories. that eliminated director Colorado four moved up positions. from eighth Before joining County, to fourth overall in theMesa 2022 ranking, Whidden worked for a company providing behind top-ranked North Carolina, then information services to Washington andtechnology Virginia. colleges and universities.

In thatout role, Colorado received 1,522 of hea managed IT systems andanalysis. services for possible 2,500 points in the institutions in Alabama, Illinois The state received Arizona, 302 points in

but offer ana important because “From marketing perspective strategy standpoint, they’reGJ familiar with nearly aspect of of Visit is creating a every foundation operations and how work gets done.

They experiential articles through public relations also tend tofocused think about and potentially channels on new tourism,” Fogarty better ways of doing things in asking and said. “When a city’s brand begins to gain answering “what if ” questions.

“They know recognition, the next step is often a ‘best how totoeffect change in anbyorganization.” place retire’ followed ‘best place to Whidden expects to bring that same live.’” approach duties as administrator.

“Thattoishisthe natural progression of Whidden said it’s to help Visit GJ’s public relationshisandrole advertising county commissioners make and then strategy for Grand Junction,” she said. implement commissioners “This is alsodecisions. indicativeThe of the great work in turnorganizations represent the of are the local andresidents businesses county and express their will, he said.

“We accomplishing.” workThe for theKiplinger people.” magazine article Whidden said he considersNational himself featured not only thealso Colorado aMonument, liaison between the commissioners and but also the Avalon Theater, county staff, and one of the priorities is to Colorado Mesa University, Downtown make sure employees feel valued.

Whidden Grand Junction, Grand Mesa, Museum of saidWest he hopes not onlyColorado to improve morale, the and Western Botanical but also take steps that will make Mesa Gardens. Such outdoor activities as golfing, County an organization for which people rafting and skiing were mentioned. wantThe to work. magazine has a total print, Meanwhile, Whidden online, email and social mediaexpects presencethe of county to continue policies and initiatives 18.5 million households. that support local business and economic F development. There are additional steps that can be taken to make it easier for local businesses to sell products and services to the county, he added.

Mesa County will keep working with other government entities, organizations and institutions on fostering an environment jobless rate for June. that Personal supports income existingin businesses and Colorado rose attracts new of businesses, hethe said. eight-tenths a percent in first quarter of said therequarter couldof 2021. be a 2022Whidden compared to the first opportunities to encourage the additional Per capita personal income rose three-tenths development businesses that provide of a percent onof a year-over-year basis. services to the agricultural industry as well Tax rates are comparatively lower in as promote Mesa asand a distribution Colorado with top County corporate individual center for theofregion. income rates 4.55 percent.

The important thing up is from to consider North Carolina moved second issues from a well-rounded perspective, to first overall with the top ranking for Whidden said.

“Weranking won’t befor myopic as we economy, second access to look at things.” capital and fifth ranking for technology ✦ and innovation.

Colorado ranks fourth overall in CNBC top states for business

moving from second to first for its work force, the category that carries the most weight in the analysis.

Colorado ranked ninth for technology and innovation; 11th for both economy and education; 12th for life, health and inclusion; and 16th for both infrastructure and business friendliness.

The stated fared less well in other categories, though, at 22nd for access to capital, 34th for cost of living and 36th for cost of business.

Gross domestic product, the broad measure of goods and services produced in the state, fell at an annual rate of 1.9 percent during the first quarter of 2022.

But the unemployment rate in Colorado fell to 3.5 percent in May. That’s a tenth of a point lower than the national

Washington finished second overall with the second ranking for technology and innovation, third ranking for economy and fourth ranking for work force.

Virginia placed third with the second ranking for education and sixth ranking for both access to capital and business friendliness.

Texas, Tennessee, Nebraska, Utah, Minnesota and Georgia rounded out the top 10 states in the 2022 rankings.

Mississippi ranked as the worst state overall for business with the worst ranking for business friendliness, 49th ranking for economy and 48th ranking for technology and innovation. Alaska placed 49th overall, followed by Louisiana, New Mexico and Hawaii.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

The Business Times

Mind Springs Health hires new executive An executive with experience with behavioral health care providers in the Midwest and Florida is expected to begin his latest role in August as chief executive officer of Mind Springs Health in Western Colorado.

John Sheehan was selected as CEO in concluding a sixmonth national search, the Mind Springs Health board of directors announced.

Mind Springs Health operates the West Springs Hospital John Sheehan and a residential substance abuse treatment facility in the Grand Valley as well as 13 offices for outpatient treatment in a 10-county region of Western Colorado.

Mind Springs Health is the largest provider of mental health and addiction treatment on the Western Slope.

Sheehan succeeds Sharon Raggio, who resigned.

Doug Pattison has served as interim CEO of Mind Springs Health since January.

“Mr. Sheehan was our choice to lead our organization as he impressed us with not only his experience and industry knowledge, but with his empathy and

compassion for the vulnerable populations Mind Springs Health serves,” said Stefan Bate, chairman of the Mind Springs Health board of directors.

“There are many exciting changes happening with behavioral health services in Colorado and we, as the board, have tremendous confidence in John’s ability to not only lead Mind Springs Health, but to have a strong, positive impact on mental health throughout the state,” Bate said.

Sheehan has worked for the last year as CEO and president of the Rochester Regional Health Information Organization.

The electronic health information exchange serves medical providers and 1.5 million residents in update New York.

Sheehan also worked as CEO of Harbor Toledo, a behavioral health care provider with a total of more than 30 treatment locations in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia.

Prior to that, he worked as vice president of behavioral health services for the BayCare Health System, the largest nonprofit private provider of inpatient care in Florida.

His mentor there was Frank Murphy, the founding CEO of BayCare and advocate for integrating behavioral health services into the health care system.

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July 21-august 10, 2022

West Slope legislators receive high marks from NFIB Four state legislators representing Western Colorado received scores above 90 percent in the latest grading by a small business advocacy group.

The National Federation of Independent Business based the scores on voting on 12 measures during the 2021-2022 session of the Colorado General Assembly.

Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state Tony Gagliardi director for the NFIB, said Gov. Jared Polis signed two of the 12 measures into law. “But that good news is outweighed by five other bills he also signed into law that were not helpful for small businesses.”

Gagliardi said 13 state senators and 21 state representatives received scores above 90 percent.

They included State Sen. Ray Scott, a Republican from Grand Junction representing District 7, and State Sen. Don Coram, a Republican from Montrose representing District 6.

Scott received a 91 percent and Coram and 92 percent.

They also included State Rep. Janice Rich, a Republican from Grand Junction representing District 55, and State Rep. Matt Soper, a Republican from Delta representing District 54. Rich received a score of 91 percent and Soper a score of 92 percent.

Scott and Coram are term-limited. Rich is running for election to the Senate District 7 set vacated by Scott.

The NFIB opposed nine of the 12 measures upon which the grading was based and supported three.

A measure was enacted that allows pass-through entities to elect to pay state income tax at the entity level and claim federal deductions for state and local taxes.

So was a measure that reduced the corporate and individual state income tax rate from 4.55 percent to 4.4 percent.

The measure also exempted rate reductions from statutory requirements that tax expenditure legislation including a tax preference performance statement and a repeal after a specific period of tax years.

But other measures the NFIB opposed also were signed into law. They included measures prohibiting stores and retail food establishments from providing single-use plastic carryout bags, creating new funding sources for transportation infrastructure to support electric vehicles, defining instances in which overpayments of workers compensation benefits are recoverable, establishing a new recycling program and permitting lawsuit plaintiffs to assert direct negligence claims against employers.

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Grand Junction seeks funding for water plant restoration plan

The City of Grand Junction is seeking funding — and public comments — as it pursues plans to restore an historic water treatment plant.

The city is applying for a $150,000 grant from the State Historical Fund to help cover a $200,000 project to restore the Orchard Mesa Water Treatment Plant — the first facility of its kind in the Grand Valley when it was built in 1939.

A public meeting on the project is set for 5:30 p.m. July 28 at the Business Incubator Center at 2591 Legacy Way in Grand Junction.

Several uses have been proposed for the water plant, a two-story brick and concrete building, including a water museum and education center.

“We are very excited to consider the potential of retaining the history of Grand Junction water that is embodied by the original water plant,” said Troy Reynolds, chairman of the Grand Junction Historic Preservation Board. “If we are successful with our grant application and able to restore the building, current and future generations will have an opportunity to understand and appreciate the early challenges of delivering clean water to the community.”

The city listed the water plant and associated structures on its register of historic sites, structures and districts.

The city received a $15,000 grant from the State Historical Fund to complete an historic structure assessment to determine the condition of the plant and what steps would be required to preserve it. The assessment outlined three phases of rehabilitation work and a final phase to change the occupancy of the building.

The water plant was constructed in 1938 and 1939 with funding from the Public Words Administration and initially had the capacity to treat 5 million gallons of water a day. The facility was upgraded over the years. It was decommissioned in 1969 when a new facility was put into service.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

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July 21-august 10, 2022

Alpine Banks places $34 million in stock City seeks applications for ARPA funding

Alpine Banks of Colorado completed the private placement of $34 million of common stock, the company announced.

Alpine Banks sold 1,192,983 shares of Class B nonvoting common stock at $28.50 a share to qualified institutional and accredited investors.

“We are excited to announce our successful capital raise. We feel the support for this offering, particularly in Glen Jammaron the current market environment, reflects Alpine’s strong performance and potential, which are driven by our dedicated employees, customers and communities,” said Glen Jammaron, president and vice chairman of Alpine Banks.

“The additional capital will support our organic growth across the state of Colorado and allow us to continue to serve and give back to the communities and customers who have supported us for nearly 50 years.”

D.A. Davidson & Co. served as financial advisor and sole placement agent of the offering. Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie served as legal counsel to Alpine Banks of Colorado.

Holland & Knight served as legal counsel to the placement agent.

A $6.2 billion employee-owned organization headquartered in Glenwood Springs, Alpine Bank operates locations across Colorado and serves more than 160,000 customers. For more information, visit the website at www.alpinebanks.com.

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Applications will be accepted through Aug. 15 for requests for funding allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The Grand Junction City Council appointed a committee to recommend how to use state and local fiscal recovery funds the city received under ARPA. The committee recommended the city allocate funds to projects addressing housing, homelessness and mental and behavioral health.

A total of $9 million is available. Earlier this year, the city allocated $1.4 million to Visit Grand Junction, the Grand Junction Regional Air Alliance and Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission to offset the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on the tourism and lodging industry.

Applications for funding are available from the city manager’s office in Grand Junction City Hall. The committee will review applications and recommend selections to the city council for funding.

Eligible projects will include those addressing: n Housing, including programs and services intended to increase affordable housing for low-income households.

Projects could include affordable housing acquisition, development, preservation and rehabilitation as well as community land trusts and land banking. n Homelessness, including programs and services for individuals and families experiencing homeless. Projects could involve crisis response, employment services and recovery support as well as new programs to mitigate homelessness. n Mental and behavioral health, including programs or services to help individuals experiencing mental health and substance abuse issues and related challenges. Projects could involve counseling, intervention and treatment as well as other support services.

The committee and city staff will evaluate applications based on how projects address needs, the readiness to proceed, capacity to implement, budgets and long-term sustainability.

For more information, contact Johnny McFarland, assistant to the city manager, at 244-1505 or johnnym@gjcity.org.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

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July 21-august 10, 2022

29 art show Grand opening set for Jersey Mike’s Subs July to display works

A grand opening celebration is scheduled to continue through July 24 for a Jersey Mike’s Subs location in Grand Junction.

Franchise owners Robert Merullo and Kevin Embree expect the grand opening as well as a fund-raiser to continue through July 24 at the restaurant at 1201 Wellington Ave. Customers who receive fund-raising coupons distributed through a grassroots effort can make a minimum $2 donation to Colorado Discover Ability in exchange for a regular sub sandwich.

Jersey Mike’s offers sub sandwiches featuring premium meats and cheeses sliced on the spot; breads baked in the store; and fresh onions, lettuce and tomatoes. Sandwiches are topped with a blend of red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Guests can order orders in the store, online or through the Jersey Mike’s app. Curbside pickup and delivery is available for orders through the app or third party delivery partners.

In Grand Junction, Jersey Mike’s Subs is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

The Grand Junction location is one of more than 2,200 nationwide.

Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s locations have raised a total of nearly $90 million for local charities. In 2020, the company’s 12th annual Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving raised $20 million for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.

For additional information about Jersey Mike’s Subs, visit the website at www.jerseymikes.com.

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by mentorship participants

An upcoming show will display the work of participants in a program designed to empower teen-agers and young adults through business and art mentorship.

The youth-led art show, titled “Windows to Freedom, Doors to Success,” is set for 4 to 7 p.m. July 29 at the Clifton Community Hall, 126 Second St. Participants in the Business and Art Mentorship (BAM) program ages 12 to 20 will display and sell their artwork.

The show will include an awards ceremony, a performance of the Nuevua Generación Folclórico Dancers, a teen fashion show, art sale and silent auction.

A majority of the proceeds from the sale will go to the participating artists.

Local artists have mentored program participants, assisting them with drawing, fashion merchandising, painting and photography. Their works include acrylic paintings on canvas, digital prints, graphite and pencil illustrations, jewelry and painted skateboards.

The Business and Art Mentorship program provides participants a way to form peer groups, connect with community resources and learn skills.

Tauma Lee, director of the program, has worked in child development for 28 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in journalism and professional writing. She also apprenticed for four years in watercolor and architectural illustration. She founded BAM in 2018 to connect teens to art projects with professional artists.

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City of Grand Junction seeks photographs for annual calendar

Submissions will be accepted through Aug. 5 for an annual calendar printed and distributed by the City of Grand Junction.

The calendar features photographs of Grand Junction and the Grand Valley, one for each month of the year and the cover.

Selected photos will come with information about where they were taken as well as the names of the photographers, their websites and social media handles.

The calendar also includes the annual city report, descriptions of boards and commissions, a directory of city services and letter from the mayor of Grand Junction.

The calendar is distributed to households throughout the city.

Photos may be submitted online in a variety of file types, including AVI, FLV, JPG, MOV, MPG, MP4, PDF, PNG, SVG, TIF and WMV. Photos should be submitted online at https://upload.crowdriff.com/2023-CityCalendar.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

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July 21-august 10, 2022

Annual event celebrating moose set for Grand Mesa An annual event celebrating moose is set for July 30 atop the Grand Mesa east of Grand Junction.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service have scheduled the 12th annual Grand Mesa Moose Day for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Forest Service Visitor Center located at 20090 Baron Lake Drive off Colorado State Highway 65.

Trina Romero Participants are encouraged to bring insect repellent and water as well as prepare for the possibility of rain and cooler weather.

The free event will feature kid-friendly activities, including arts and crafts as well as prize giveaways.

Children can earn a prize for going on a hike with a

wildlife officer to look for signs of moose activity. Experts will lead presentations on moose biology and history as well as demonstrate how biologists transplant and track moose.

“They are fascinating animals, and it’s great they are doing well in Colorado,” said Trina Romero, watchable wildlife and volunteer coordinator for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northwest Region. “Our management efforts have led to one of the healthiest moose populations in the country, and we are very proud of that. This is a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about how moose are doing in Colorado.”

Thanks to reintroduction efforts by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Colorado moose population has grown to more than 3,000.

Photographs of moose walking through towns, on

popular hiking trails or ski slopes are taken almost daily.

Public curiosity about the largest big game species in Colorado continues to grow as well, Romero said.

“Most people see moose by accident while hiking, fishing or camping,” she said. “If you suddenly see one, be sure to keep your distance. If you are searching for moose, be prepared with a camera, binoculars or a viewing scope.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to keep dogs on a leash and far away from moose.”

Moose don’t fear humans, but react instinctively to dogs as if they’re predators and will attack. If your dog comes running back to you, there’s a good chance the moose will too, Romero said.

Additional information is available from the website at https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlife.aspx.

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BLM seeks out public comments on big game corridor conservation plans

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will seek public comments on potential changes to conserve big game corridors and other habitat in Colorado.

The Colorado State Office of the BLM is considering an amendment to oil and natural gas program decisions in existing resource management plans to promote the conservation of big game corridors and other big game habitats. The agency seeks public input as it prepares a statewide resource management plan amendment and associated environmental impact statement.

“We are excited to invite the public to participate in amending our resource management plans,” said Alan Bittner, deputy state director of the BLM. “Enhancing wildlife migration corridors and habitat connectivity is a top conservation priority.

This amendment will be an innovative step toward better protecting the migratory patterns of Colorado’s big game populations.

We look forward to the engagement and efforts of everyone involved.”

The BLM plans to align its efforts with the State of Colorado and its big game conservation goals.

“Improving conditions for iconic big game species is a shared priority for Western states and our federal agency partners,” said Dan Gibbs, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “The Department of Natural Resources is pleased to be working closely with the BLM on this pioneering statewide planning initiative, and on other fronts, to reduce barriers to migration and movement and conserve key habitat for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and moose on public lands across Colorado.”

The public may submit comments regarding the scope of the analysis, relevant issues, potential alternatives and identification of relevant information through the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY. The BLM will announce the dates of upcoming virtual public meetings on the ePlanning website.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

Veterans in Business

The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the Veterans in Business Group by the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce.

Veterans in Business (VIB) endeavors to support veteran entrepreneurs and those in the work force by providing support, resources and referrals with the intention to support and grow our community.

With over 18,000 veterans in Mesa County, the Fruita Chamber recognizes the important role the veteran community plays in the business community. The Veterans in Business group aims to provide an opportunity for the veterans in the business community to come together and network, find resources and grow their businesses.

The Veterans in Business Committee chair is Jennifer Gates from the Business Incubator Center. Jennifer served eight years on active duty in the Navy as a construction electrician.

During that time, she was deployed to Okinawa, Iraq, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda.

Another founding member of the VIB Group is KJ Kline with Edward Jones.

The Business Times

KJ is also the post commander of American Legion Post 2006 and served for a total of 12 years — four years of active duty in the Navy as an operation specialist and eight years in the Air Force Reserve as an air transportation specialist and deployed to Kuwait. During KJ’s time in the Navy, he served in Gaeta, Italy, where he was assigned to the admiral staff for Com Sixth Fleet.

The inspiration behind this group comes from a lack of business resources specifically for the veteran community. We want to bring veterans together to give them an opportunity to learn about the resources that are out there and to hopefully create new resources for our community.

The inaugural Veterans in Business event took place on Tuesday, July 19, at Fruita Chamber member Axeology.

To sign up for the Veterans in Business group or learn about upcoming Veterans in Business events, visit https://bit.ly/ VetInBizApp or contact the FACC at (970) 858-3894 or by email at Membership@ fruitachamber.org.

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July 21-august 10, 2022

CMU keeps drive-through COVID-19 testing site open Colorado Mesa University plans to keep operating a drive-through COVID-19 testing site on its Grand Junction campus.

“CMU built a nationally celebrated response infrastructure during the pandemic that will continue serving the larger community so long as there is a need,” said CMU President John Marshall. “Sustaining John Marshall the campus testing site demonstrates CMU partnerships are enduring, and our investments serve the community well beyond campus and the classroom.”

CMU has worked closely with Mesa County Public Health during the pandemic to not only to ensure a safe

and sustainable return to in person learning for students, but also pool resources to meet the testing and vaccine needs of the community. CMU and MCPH announced a joint partnership with Mako Medical, which began serving as testing facilitators on July 1.

The CMU testing site is located just north of Bunting Hall and is accessible from North Avenue and Cannell Avenue or 7th Street and Bunting Avenue. The site is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Nasal swab PCR tests are administered by onsite staff. Results are available within 48 hours.

No appointments are required. Online registration is available, however, on the website at https://mako. exchange/scheduler/registration/?location=7308.

In addition to the CMU drive-through site, rapid home

and PCR tests are available throughout the community.

Pick up test kits are available during regular business hours at the MCPH Health and Human Services Building, located at 510 29 1/2 Road. Quantities may be limited based on supply.

Direct mail tests can be ordered on the federal COVID-19 website.

A positive test will result in a call or text message from Mesa County Public Health to communicate information about what to do next and how long to isolate from others.

In-person PCR testing also is available at local pharmacies, including those at City Market, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Target, Walgreens and Walmart, as well as at urgent care facilities and primary care clinics.

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West Star Aviation completes Collins systems installation

West Star Aviation completed the first installation of both the Collins Pro Line Fusion system and Collins Venue CMS system in a Challenger 604 aircraft at its Grand Junction facility, the company announced.

“The combination of Pro Line Fusion and the Collins Venue CMS retrofit on a Challenger 604 represented a unique first for not only West Star, but the industry as well,” said Walt Marcy, avionics technical sales manager for West Star at Grand Junction.

In addition to the cockpit and cabin avionic installations, the aircraft also underwent a full cabin refurbishment, including

all soft goods and all new carbon fiber woodwork as well as a 96-month inspection.

West Star Aviation offers a range of services that include the maintenance and repair of airframes, engines and avionics as well as painting and interior refurbishments. In addition to its facilities at the Grand Junction Regional Airport, West Star Aviation operates facilities in Aspen and Denver as well as in Arizona, Illinois, Minneapolis, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

For more information, visit www.weststaraviation.com.

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CU-led study: Water demand top threat to food security

Increased demand for water poses the top threat to food security in the next 20 years, followed closely by heat waves, droughts, income inequality and political instability, according to the results of a study led by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The report, published in One Earth, comes as global hunger levels in 2021 surpassed the previous record set in 2020, and food insecurity in many countries could worsen this year, according to the United Nations and World Bank.

Ranking the top 32 threats to food security over the next two decades, the study shows that increased collaboration between these areas could fortify global food security. While researchers and policymakers are developing solutions to improve the resilience of food systems, they often work in isolation — tackling one problem at a time.

“We provide strong support for the idea of building more resilient food systems in general, rather than trying to deal with individual problems here and there,” said Zia Mehrabi, an assistant professor of environmental studies and lead author. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a climate, environmental or political shock to the system. If you have resilient systems in place, they’ll be able to deal with all the different kinds of shocks.”

Researchers compiled the report by surveying 69 food system experts on their perceptions of key emerging threats and priority research questions for global food security amid extreme events.

The results uncovered the need for increased collaboration and coordination between researchers who study specific threats to food systems so that decision makers have comprehensive information, updated models and relevant tools as threats arise. The findings could play a role in meeting the United Nations goal to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition by 2030.

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Continued from page 2 The centers offer a range of services, including free and low-cost counseling and instruction on all aspects of starting and growing businesses.

During her more than 10 years as director, the Pikes Peak SBDC twice received the SBA Region VIII award for excellence and innovation. The 2014 award recognized efforts to help businesses recover from wildfires and flooding.

Marcoulier received the Colorado State Star Award, the highest awarded presented to SBDC employees in the state.

In addition to her other duties, Marcoulier created and managed a cyber security program offering training and consulting to small businesses throughout Colorado.

Prior to joining the SBDC, Marcoulier worked as director of partnership marketing for the Professional Bull Riders and before that as a project manager with the Native American Sports Council.

She received bachelor’s degrees in economics and psychology from the University of Iowa. She later received as master’s of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix.

Marcoulier said she was excited to accept the appointment as regional SBA administrator because it extends her efforts to help small businesses. She works out of Denver, but oversees the operations of the agency in a six-state area.

The SBA offers a variety of programs

July 21-august 10, 2022 FOR YOUR INFORMATION For more information about programs and services offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, visit the website at www.sba.gov. and services, including those involving lending, government contracting and disaster relief. The Colorado District Office of the SBA backed a total of nearly $1.4 billion worth of loans during the 2021 fiscal year — $34 million in Mesa County.

Small businesses in Colorado are recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, Marcoulier said. But challenges persist, she said, including labor shortages and supply chain issues. Inflation and the threat of a recession could change spending in ways that affect small businesses.

Marcoulier said SBA efforts to increase the proportion of federal contracts going to small business could help, especially given the funding that will be spent under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. She encouraged small business owners to work with the SBA and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers to find out more about selling goods and services to federal, state and local government agencies.

Marcoulier said she enjoyed her work at the Pikes Peak SBDC, but now she’s looking forward to continuing that work on a larger scale as regional SBA administrator.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

Developing

Continued from page 2 and vice president of development at CMU. Steve Jozefczyk served as interim director at GJEP. Englehart says Jill Calvert and Barb Golden, executive director and deputy director of the Mesa County Department of Human Services, respectively, will oversee operations at the Mesa County Workforce Center until a new director is hired.

Englehart has worked in that position since December 2016 and for a year before that as manager of the workforce center.

He previously worked as a project manager and business development representative.

Before joining the workforce center in 2013, he worked as a relocation consultant and operations manager with Mesa Moving and capital projects and events specialist with the City of Grand Junction.

He earned degrees at Colorado Mesa University and Trinidad State College, where he also played baseball and served as team captain.

Englehart says he wasn’t looking for a new job, but the role of executive director of GJEP and the mission of that organization matches his interests in helping businesses create more jobs and further diversifying the local economy.

He says he’ll bring to the position a collaborative leadership style in which he’ll seek out the involvement of the staff in making decisions.

He expects the transition to his latest role to be an easier one because of his experiences in working with GJEP and others involved with economic development.

Having grown up and worked for his entire career in Western Colorado, he’s also familiar with the region. “I know Mesa County, I believe in Mesa County and I’m fully invested in Mesa County.”

The county is well positioned to not only continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also experience additional growth, Englehart says.

The area offers a skilled work force, business friendly environment and strong university in CMU. That’s not to mention a qualify of life that includes a range of outdoor recreational opportunities, he says.

“It’s a big playground.”

GJEP can take a more proactive role, he says, in bringing businesses and jobs to the area as well as helping existing businesses expand their operations. That means not only responding to businesses considering relocating or expanding operations, but also seeking them out.

Troester says proactive recruitment also constitutes a priority for the GJEP board, and Englehart will contribute his experiences and connections to leading those efforts. “I feel like we can really see some good things happen this year.”

Englehart says he’s looking forward to continuing his efforts to promote work force and economic development. He’s says he’s grateful to the GJEP board for its support and trust in his abilities to do that.

“It’s a great organization, and I’m very thankful.”

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The Business Times

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The Business Times

Update

Continued from page 2 All 12 industry sectors experienced year-over-year gains in employment — including a 7 percent gain in professional and business services, 5 percent gain in construction and 4 percent gain in manufacturing. Employment in seven of the sectors exceeded levels in January 2020, before the onset of the pandemic in the United States.

Payrolls grew the most — 12 percent — in the leisure and hospitality sector, which includes restaurants and hotels. But the sector was hit hardest by the pandemic and related restrictions. Employment remains 2 percent below January 2020 levels.

Employment also remains below pre-pandemic levels in the education and health services, government and mining sectors.

Given what’s foreseen as slowing employment growth in the third quarter and little to no growth in the fourth quarter, Colorado might have already created the additional 30,000 jobs projected for 2022, Wobbekind said.

Lewandowski said Colorado fares well nationally for a number of metrics, ranking second for labor force participation rate, personal income growth and per capita personal income growth as well as third for average hourly wage growth.

Labor remains in short supply, however, in Colorado and the United States, Lewandowski said. The shortage has been exacerbated by a drop in the number of employees working multiple jobs.

Other economic headwinds persist, he said.

The Consumer Price Index, a broad measure of the price of everyday goods and services related to the cost of living, was up 9.1 percent in June compared to the same month a year ago. That was the biggest year-over-year gain since 1981.

The CPI for the Denver, Aurora and Lakewood area increased 8.3 percent in May compared to the same month a year ago.

The rising prices of gasoline, food and other goods and services have outpaced wage growth, Lewandowski said. “Many individuals don’t feel better off.”

In an effort to curb inflation, the Federal Reserve increased its short-term

July 21-august 10, 2022 FOR YOUR INFORMATION The update to the Colorado Business Economic Outlook for 2022 is available online at https://colorado.edu/business/ brd/news/2022/07/15/coloradobusiness-review-issue-2-2022. interest rate three-quarters of a point in June. Some expect the Fed to raise the rate a full point when it meets July 26 and 27.

Interest rates on loans have increased in turn, making financing more expensive.

Wobbekind said homeowners with mortgages with fixed interest rates at what were historically low levels don’t pay more. But those considering buying homes will. Rental rates have increased as well, he said.

Lewandowski said rising interest rates could slow real estate activity as well as affect the financial activities sector.

Companies offering mortgage refinancing have announced layoffs. Ultimately, home construction could slow as well, he said.

At the same time, business leaders in Colorado and small business owners nationwide have grown increasingly pessimistic, he said.

The Leeds Business Confidence Index fell 12.8 points to 41.1 for the third quarter, the fifth-lowest reading in history.

Individual readings for each of six metrics the index tracks also slipped below 50, reflecting more negative than positive responses. The index is based on the results of quarterly surveys of business leaders across Colorado and industry sectors.

Nearly 70 percent of those who responded to third quarter survey said higher prices have at least moderately affected their businesses.

The National Federation of Independent Business reported its Small Business Optimism Index dropped 3.6 points to 89.5 in June. The index has remained below its historical average of 98 for six consecutive months.

The portion of those who responded to the survey upon which the June index was based who expect the economy improve over the next six months dropped seven points between May and June to net negative 61 percent. That’s the lowest reading in the 48-year history of the index.

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News Trends Contributors Not so great expectations Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac

July 21-August 10, 2022

The Business Times

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INDICATORS AT A GLANCE

n Business filings

t New business filings in Colorado, 43,780 in the first quarter, down 2.1 percent from the first quarter of 2021.

n Confidence

t Consumer Confidence Index 98.7 for June, down 4.5. t Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado, 41.1 for the third quarter, down 12.8. t National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index 89.5 for June, down 3.6.

n Foreclosures s Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 18 in June, up from 3 in June 2021. n Foreclosure sales in Mesa County, 1 in June, unchanged from 1 in May 2021.

n Indexes

s Conference Board Employment Trends Index, 119.38 for June, up 0.5. t Conference Board Leading Economic Index 118.3 for May, down 0.4%. t Institute for Supply Management Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing, 53% for June, down 3.1%.

n Lodging

s Lodging tax collections in Grand Junction, $367,395 for May, up 26.7% from May 2021.

n Real estate

t Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 498 in June, down 26.3% from June 2021. t Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County, $211 million in June, down 17.3% from June 2021.

n Sales

s Sales and use tax collections in Grand Junction, $6.2 million for May, up 7% from May 2021. s Sales and use tax collections in Mesa County, $4.2 million for June, up 10.4% from June 2021.

n Unemployment t Mesa County — 3.3% for May, down 0.1. t Colorado — 3.5% for May, down 0.1. n United States — 3.6% for June, unchanged.

Small Business Optimism Index drops further on record-low reading A measure of optimism among small business owners continues to decline on record-low expectations for an improving economy.

The National Federation of Independent Business reported its Small Business Optimism Index dropped 3.6 points to 89.5 in June. The index has remained below its historical average of 98 for six consecutive months.

“As inflation continues to dominate business decisions, small business owners’ expectations for better business conditions have reached a new low,” said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist of the NFIB. Bill Dunkelberg “On top of the immediate challenges facing small business owners, including inflation and worker shortages, the outlook for economic policy is not encouraging either as policy talks have shifted to tax increases and more regulations,” Dunkelberg said.

Kevin Kuhlman, vice president of federal government relations for the NFIB, agreed.

“Inflation remains the top problem for the small business economy, and there seems to be no end in sight. Small business optimism Kevin Kuhlman has declined for six consecutive months, and expectations for better business conditions are at an all-time low.”

The small business advocacy group bases the index on the results of monthly surveys of members, most of them small business owners. For June, all 10 of the components the index tracks retreated. The readings for five components were a net negative, reflecting more negative than positive responses.

The portion of those who responded to the survey upon which the June index was based who expect the economy to improve over the next six months dropped seven points between May and June to net negative 61 percent. That’s the lowest reading in the 48-year history of the index.

A net 23 percent of respondents reported plans for capital outlays, down two points. A net 3 percent said they consider now a good time to expand, down three points.

The portion of respondents who expect sales to increase fell

13 points to a net negative 28 percent.

The share of those who expect increased profits decreased a point to a net negative 25 percent. Of those reporting lower profits, 30 percent attributed the trend to increased materials costs, 16 percent blamed weaker sales and 14 percent cited higher labor costs.

The share of those who reported plans to increase staffing declined seven points to 19 percent.

A net 50 percent reported unfilled job openings, down a point from a record-high reading in May. Fully 94 percent of those who said they were hiring reported few or no qualified applicants. While 33 percent reported few applicants, 27 percent reported none.

“The labor force participation rate has been slowly rising this year, with more people taking jobs,” Dunkelberg said. “However, the labor shortage continues to be a difficult problem for small businesses. A few more months of increased employment might get total employment back to pre-pandemic levels.”

Higher wages could attract additional employees to the labor market, he said.

For June, a net 48 percent of respondents reported raising compensation, down a point. A net 28 percent said they plan to increase compensation in the next three months.

Asked to identify their single most important problem, 34 percent of those who responded cited inflation, up 21 points from a year ago. Another 23 percent cited labor quality, and 8 percent cited labor costs.

The Consumer Price Index, a broad measure of the price of everyday goods and services related to the cost of living, was up 9.1 percent in June compared to the same month a year ago. That was the biggest year-over-year gain since 1981.

A net 69 percent of respondents to the NFIB survey reported raising average selling prices, down three points from a recordhigh reading in May. Price hikes were most frequent in the retail, transportation, construction and wholesale sectors. Price raising activity has increased over the past year to a level not seen since the 1980s.

The share of respondents planning to increase inventories fell three points to a net negative 2 percent. A net 5 percent reported existing inventories were too low, also down three points.

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Mesa County tax collections trend upward Tax collections, one measure of sales activity, continue to increase on a year-over-year basis in Mesa County.

The county collected more than $4.2 million in sales taxes in June, a 10.1 percent increase over what was collected for the same month a year ago.

The county also collected more than $411,000 in use taxes in June — nearly all of that on automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county. That was a 13.4 percent gain over the same month last year.

June tax reports reflect May sales.

Sales, use and lodging tax reports for the City of Grand Junction for June weren’t available as of press deadline.

Mesa County tax collections on retail sales topped $2.5 million in June, up 8.8 percent from the same month last year. Collections increased 16.9 percent on home improvements, 9.3 percent on automobiles and 7.9 percent on general merchandise Sales tax collections also increased on a year-over-year basis in June in the construction, hotel and restaurant, manufacturing and telecommunications categories.

Through the first half of 2022, Mesa County collected nearly $23.4 million in sales taxes. That’s an increase of more than $2.3 million and 11.4 percent over the first half of 2021.

MESA COUNTY TAX COLLECTIONS

Sales tax Use tax Total

June 2022 $4,253,602 $411,307 $4,664,909

June 2021 $3,862,125 $362,698 $4,224,824

Change 10.1% 13.4% 10.4%

The county collected almost $2.2 million in use taxes through the first half of 2022, a 15.5 percent gain over the first half of 2021.

Year-to-date tax collections on retail sales exceeded $14.2 million, a 6.8 percent increase fueled by gains in seven of eight categories.

They included an 11 percent increase in home improvements, 5.8 percent increase in general merchandise and 5.6 percent gain in automobiles. Collections on food and beverages edged down a tenth of a percent.

Year-to-date sales tax collections also increased in all but one of the other industry categories, including an 18.7 percent gain in the wholesale category, 15.5 percent gain in the manufacturing category and 11.5 percent gain in the hotel and restaurant category.

Collections decreased 15 percent in the finance category.

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Page 20

The Business Times

U.S. payrolls grow, jobless rate steady United States payrolls increased 372,000 in June and the national unemployment rate held steady at 3.6 percent for a fourth consecutive month, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.

Payroll gains for the previous two months were revised downward, however, a total of 74,000 to 384,000 for May and 368,000 in April.

With the latest numbers, nonfarm payrolls have increased an average of 383,000 a month over the past three months.

Total U.S payrolls remain 524,000 below the February 2020 level and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. But private-sector employment has recovered job losses from the pandemic and related restrictions at 140,000 jobs higher than February 2020. Government employment is 664,000 lower.

For June, 5.9 million people were counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work. Of those, 1.3 million have been

unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. Another 3.6 million people were counted among those working part-time because their hours were cut or they were unable to find full-time positions.

The labor participation rate — the portion of the population working or looking for work — edged down a tenth of a point to 62.2 percent. That’s still below the 63.4 percent labor participation rate in February 2020.

Payroll gains in May were spread out among industry sectors.

Employment increased 74,000 in professional and business services, 67,000 in leisure and hospitality and 57,000 in health care.

The average workweek shortened a tenth of an hour to 34.5 hours. The manufacturing workweek slipped a tenth of an hour to 40.3 hours.

Average hourly earnings rose 10 cents to $32.08. Over the past year, hourly earnings have increased 5.1 percent.

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July 21-august 10, 2022

Labor index rises

An index tracking labor trends has increased, signaling continued, albeit slowing, job growth.

The Conference Board reported its Employment Trends Index rose a half point between May and June to 119.38 with four of eight components advancing. The latest reading remains below those for April and March, however.

“We expect positive, but decelerating, job growth over the next months,” said Frank Steemers, senior economist at the Conference Board.

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Trends Contributors Opinion Great workplaces Business Briefs Business People Almanac

July 21-August 10, 2022

The Business Times

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COMING ATTRACTIONS

n The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction has scheduled presentations on planning, accounting and startups.

A presentation on planning for small business startups is set for noon to 1 p.m.

July 21 at the center, 2591 Legacy Way. A free Finance Friday webinar on accounting is set for 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. July 29.

The next session of a business startup workshop is set for and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at the FWorks coworking space at 325 E. Aspen Ave. in Fruita.

The workshop will offer an overview of how to start a business, including licensing requirements, trade name searches and financing options. Admission is $55.

A presentation on cash flows for small businesses is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m.

Aug. 16 at the Business Incubator Center.

A bookkeeping boot camp is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 29 at the center. Participants will learn how to set up and track business accounting records and gain more control over their businesses. Tuition is $75.

For more information about upcoming events, programs and services at the Business Incubator Center, call 243-5242 or log on to https://gjincubator.org. n The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its next coffee and community connections event for 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

July 26 at Timberline Bank, 649 Market St. in Grand Junction. Admission is free for chamber members and $5 for others. For more information call 858-3894 or visit the website at https://fruitachamber.org. n A Grand Valley BizMix networking event is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 26 at the Bank of Colorado location at 2452 Patterson Road in Grand Junction.

The event is open to members of the Grand Junction, Palisade and Western Colorado Latino chambers of commerce as well as the Young Professionals of Mesa County. Admission is $10 n The next meeting of the Coffee Club networking group is set for 9 to 10 a.m.

Aug. 19 at the FWorks coworking space located at 325 E. Aspen Ave. in Fruita. There’s no admission to attend.

WCHRA offers help in dealing with changing circumstances With employees changing jobs and leaving the work force at record levels, the so-called Great Resignation has been tough on employers.

Given pending legislation, employers must know how to not only become an employer of choice, but also what they can offer employees in terms of wages and total compensation.

Before COVID — let’s call it BC — we knew the working days of traditionalists ages 76 to 99 and baby boomers ages 57 to 75 were and their retirements would Michelle numbered leave a gap other generations in the Olson work place with smaller populations wouldn’t fill.

With COVID, we saw those generations leave even earlier than expected.

Then came the Great Resignation. In April 2022 alone, 3.4 percent of workers quit their jobs, leaving 221,000 open positions in their wake.

Do you know what your business needs to remain competitive with Generation X ages 41 to 56, Millennials age 26 to 40 and Generation Z ages 25 and younger?

Look at your benefit offerings to see if you can be creative within the areas of social responsibility and possible community work days as well as employee wellness and health club discounts and pet insurance.

That’s not to mention making sure your company mission and values are communicated and incorporated into your workplace culture.

Even as you strive to be an employer of choice, make sure your company is up to date with all the Colorado employment laws and get ready for what’s coming.

Are your hourly employees getting their correct number and time of breaks as well as uninterrupted lunch time, sick time and travel time. Do you know how to post a position under the new Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act? Do you know what FAMLI is?

If not, the Western Colorado Human Resource Association offers help with its monthly meetings and conferences. The WCHRA can not only get you the information you need to deal with changing generations in the work force and employment laws, but also connect you with a network of human resource professionals.

Come check us out.

The WCHRA has scheduled a free networking event at the Grand Junction Rockies starting at 6:35 p.m. July 26 at the Suplizio Field Pavilion at 1315 North Ave. A free legislative law update is set for Aug. 2 to offer information on recently enacted employment laws.

To register for these events and learn more, visit the WCHRA website at www.wchra.org.

The WCHRA helps businesses to not only find talent, but also make a better world.

Michelle Olson is human resources manager at Kadenwood Brands and president of the Western Colorado Human Resource Association. She brings to her duties more than 15 years of HR experience.

For additional information about the WCHRA, visit the website at www.wchra.org.

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Registration open for Leading Edge business course Registration remains open for the next session of the Leading Edge business planning and management course.

The 12-week course is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m.

Wednesdays Aug. 31 to Nov. 16 at the Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way in Grand Junction.

Tuition is $275, which includes classroom sessions, a workbook, resource guide and three hours of individual consulting. Tuition is $100 for each additional participant from the same business.

The course will offer a combination of classroom

instruction, interactive exercises and conversations with subject matter experts to teach participants how to start and grow businesses.

Participants will complete a business plan or strategy and test their models for financial viability.

To register or obtain more information about the Leading Edge course and other instruction, services and programs offered at the Business Incubator Center, call 243-5242 or visit https://gjincubator.org.

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The Business Times

July 21-august 10, 2022

Strive for excellence in your customer service Exceptional companies stand out in the hearts and minds of their customers by delivering high-quality services on a consistent basis.

Consider your recent experiences as a customer. Out of your last 10 experiences, how many companies stood out as exceptional? How many were mediocre? And how many were downright poor? Most likely, the majority of your experiences were mediocre, a few were poor and fewer still exceptional.

Now, reflect on the defining qualities of your experiences. Did you Marcus feel welcomed and appreciated? Were Straub you treated with dignity and respect?

Did the product or service you purchased exceed your wants and needs? Will you buy from this company again? Did they provide a good value?

Are you happy to have done business with this company?

Would you, without hesitation, refer your family and friends to do business with them, too?

In your honest answers to these and other questions lies the key to greater success. By understanding what you value most in your consumer experiences and then duplicating them in your business for your customers, your company will stand out. In turn, you’ll benefit from increased referrals and enjoy more success.

Consumers have a variety of businesses form which to choose when they’re in the market for a product or service.

Moreover, they’re increasingly discerning with their hardearned money when it comes to satisfying their wants and needs. That makes it crucial to consistently deliver highquality products and services.

Consistency in several key areas is vital to operating

By understanding what you value most in your consumer experiences and then duplicating them in your business for your customers, your company will stand out.

a standout business. It’s your steadfast commitment to consistency and excellence that will enable you to maintain that position over time. n A caring team: When a company hires managers and employees who care, they assemble a team of people who hold themselves personally accountable to delivering exceptional customer experiences. Conversely, when team members don’t do their best or care for customers — both in their attitudes and behaviors — customers feel that.

Business reputations are damaged and revenues lost. n Effective ownership: Providing exceptional customer service on a consistent basis begins with the owners. When those who’ve brought the company into existence have integrity and endeavor to give their customers more reasons to say yes and fewer reasons to say no, the likelihood of building an extraordinary company increases. n Training and skill development: If your goal is to help your team members be their best on a consistent basis, it’s imperative to offer ongoing training and skills development in the areas of communication, customer service, leadership, listening, relationship-building and sales. Effective training will position your company to operate at the highest standards and to meet and even exceed the desires of your growing clientele. By instilling and supporting a positive

mindset and helping them develop the necessary skills, your caring team members will be positioned to deliver an exceptional experience each and every time they connect with your valuable customers. n Making it right: Operating a standout company isn’t about perfection. It is, however, about the pursuit of excellence and giving your absolute best day in and day out. When you or your team drops the ball with a customer, your integrity must step in — no matter what — and make it right for the patron who makes operating your business possible in the first place. Your business can consistently deliver high-quality products and services for years.

But it only takes one paltry experience for a customer to stop doing business with you and share that negative experience with countless others. It costs next to nothing to earn referrals from your customers. But it’s costly to have consumers think poorly of you and your business.

It’s the quality of each customer experience that matters most. The critical ingredients of an exceptional experience are exceptional people, exceptional products and exceptional services. Get these right on a consistent basis, and your business will always stand out as one of the greats in the hearts and minds of your customers.

Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. His personalized coaching and consulting services help individuals, business owners, executives and companies build teams, organizations and lives filled with happiness and success. Straub is winner of the International Coach of the Year Award and author of “Is It Fun Being You?” He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings.

Reach Straub at 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

The Business Times

PAge 23

Strategic plan helps in adapting to a changing world The work-a-day world has changed dramatically in the past two years. Employees telecommute, meetings are conducted virtually and business opportunities have evolved. A strategic plan can help business owners and staff focus on what really matters, adapt to the changed work world and grow and prosper.

What’s a strategic plan? Simply stated, it’s a document that establishes the direction of an organization. It can be a single page or run to many pages.

It’s a living document, so simple and brief is usually better.

What goes in a strategic plan?

You can put many things into your strategic plan, but generally the main components include a vision statement; mission statement; core values; Janet strengths, weaknesses, opportunities Arrowood and threats; long-term goals; yearly objectives; and action plans for each objective. Here’s a closer look at each component: n A vision statement encapsulates how you envision your business functioning and growing. This is an aspirational statement, so it should focus on your dreams for your company. This statement could be concept-based or quality based, depending on the nature of your business. Examples of concept-based statements include those of Disney “To make people happy” and LinkedIn to “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global work force.”

Quality based statements include those of Ben & Jerry’s

Applicants sought for trail committee

Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. Aug. 4 for openings on the Colorado Recreational Trails Committee.

There are openings on the committee for representatives from four congressional districts, including the 3rd District covering Western Colorado.

The group of 11 volunteers advises the Colorado Wildlife Commission and Colorado Parks and Wildlife on matters pertaining to trails, including their locations, uses and funding. The committee also reviews, ranks and scores applications for state trail grants.

Members serve four-year terms unless they’re filling the remainder of an unexpired term. They may be reappointed for second, four-year terms.

Committee members represent each of eight congressional districts. Two at-large members and a representative from the Great Outdoors Colorado program also serve on the group.

Committee members also represent and advocate for a variety of trail users and uses, including non-motorized and motorized uses.

Members are selected on the basis of their qualifications, skills, outdoor recreational interests and leadership qualities.

Applicants should email applications and resumes to trails@state.co.us with the words recreational trails committee application and their congressional district number in the subject lines.

Additional information is available from Fletcher Jacobs at the email address at fletcher.jacobs.co.us.

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“Making the best ice cream in the nicest possible way” and Nordstrom “To serve our customers better, to always be relevant in their lives and to form lifelong friendships.” n Your mission statement describes what you do right now. It often describes what you do, for whom and how. Focusing on your mission each day enables you to validate your vision statement. This statement should be two or three sentences long, not exceeding 50 words.

Here is a simple, generic mission statement: To provide tutoring and learning support services that allow children to achieve learning success and become life-long learners and contributing members of our community. n Your core values take into account company beliefs and behaviors that enable you to attain the goals stated in your vision and mission statements. Here is an example from Coca-Cola. Leadership: the courage to shape a better future. Collaboration: leverage collective genius. Integrity: be real. Accountability: if it is to be, it’s up to me. Passion: committed in heart and mind. Diversity: as inclusive as our brands. Quality: what we do, we do well. n Your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) take into account where you stand in your market. Who’s your competition? What affects your business and goals? You can complete a simple SWOT analysis by making a table with four columns — one for each SWOT element — and then adding as many rows as needed to address these elements. Many of your entries will show up under more than one SWOT element. n Long-term goals should offer a look into the future.

Where do you want to be in one, two, five and 10 years?

What objectives do you need to set to meet these goals?

Try to be as quantitative as possible. n Manageable yearly objectives support long-term goals. There’s a useful acronym to help in this process.

Make your objectives SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based. n Action plans for each objective provide the dayto-day details of how you will achieve each coal and its objectives. Avoid too much detail, though, or you could limit flexibility and have a hard time getting employee and manager support.

Why do you need a strategic plan? Consider this proverb: “A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just drudgery. But a vision with a plan can change the world.”

Your strategic plan offers the means by which you prepare proactively for situations, initiate actions and influence — rather react to — changing circumstances. Without a plan, a company is like a cork bobbing in the Colorado River, subject to the whims of the current. A strategic plan keeps you on track so you, your managers and employees know where the company is and where it’s going.

Janet Arrowood is founder and managing director of the Write Source, a Grand Junction firm offering a range of services, including grant and proposal writing, instruction and technical writing. Reach her at janet.arrowood@thewritesourceinc.com. For more information, log on to www.TheWriteSourceInc.com.

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Page 24

The Business Times

July 21-august 10, 2022

In developing leadership, consider who the leaders are

“The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.” — John Maxwell I love that quote. It’s pithy, but also includes some hidden challenges.

You can’t just snap your fingers and develop leadership in form and fashion to drive your organization.

The main thrust of the quote is this: “The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development.”

In talking about leadership, perhaps you should broaden your definition of Tim who the leaders are in your organization.

Haggerty Perhaps there are more leaders than your organizational chart dictates.

If leadership development is the single biggest way to impact an organization, why do so few companies take the time to develop leaders? More importantly, within those organizations where leadership development is taking place, which leaders are being developed?

Maybe you should consider that everyone in your organization is a leader.

Some lead things you want. Others lead things you don’t want.

In fact, you might even change your focus and begin training everyone to become a leader. Hourly. Salaried.

Everyone.

Let’s begin with a few facts about leadership development. I’ve analyzed the differences between companies that employ command and control versus those that emphasize servant leadership. I’ve come up with some interesting factoids: n The top 500 companies in the United States list leadership development among the top three imperatives for success. n Of the roughly 18.2 million companies in the U.S., 70 percent — 12.7 million — list leadership as a business imperative for both their short- and long-term success. n Of those 12.7 million companies, 66 percent — 8.3 million — list leadership development as the top imperative for success. n Of those 8.3 million companies, 30 percent — 2.5 million — admit they miss the mark when it comes to leadership development.

Yet, “hate my job” and “hate my boss” consistently rank among the top reasons people cite when discussing job dissatisfaction in employee engagement surveys year after year.

Those 2.5 million companies believe leadership remains a top imperative for success, they need assistance in driving the correct leadership development and recognize what the correct leadership can do for their organization.

That means there are only 2.5 million companies on the U.S. that realize the significance of the right leadership development.

Tim Haggerty and his wife, Bernadette, operate a consulting firm based in Grand Junction that helps clients transition from command and control to servant leadership and change the view of wages and benefits from expenses to investments. Haggerty brings to the venture more than 40 years of experience in operations management and a record of decreasing costs while increasing productivity and revenue. Reach him at info@timothyhaggerty.com or (610) 737-0496. More information is available at www.timothyhaggerty.com.

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Office of Advocacy: Reduced regulations save firms money

Efforts to reduce government regulation also reduced costs for small businesses, a federal agency reported.

The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reported nine rules reducing the regulatory burden for small businesses resulted in nearly $3.3 billion in quantifiable savings Major Clark during the 2021 fiscal year. Other regulatory changes sought by SBA Office of Advocacy led to burden reductions that aren’t easily quantified.

“Advocacy is proud of our efforts to aid small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes made by federal rulemakers during FY 2021 have decreased the burden on small businesses when they need it the most,” said Major Clark, deputy chief counsel for advocacy.

As the voice of small business in the federal government, the SBA Office of Advocacy recommended regulatory relief to help small businesses while educating regulators on crafting rules that lower burdens on businesses.

The office held 20 online issue roundtables over the course of the 2021 fiscal year to promote conversations between small business owners and federal regulators. In addition, the office sent 17 formal comment letters to federal agencies, making small business concerns clear in the rulemaking process.

The Office of Advocacy advances the views and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts and state policy makers.

For more information, visit the website located at https://advocacy.sba.gov.

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July 21-August 10, 2022

The Business Times

PAge 25

Cardio exercises help improve day-to-day living It’s no secret: To keep healthy, we must move every day. Movement strengthens our muscles — including our hearts. Did you know the heart is the only muscle that never stops working?

Cardio exercise keeps the heart strong. Learning what cardiovascular exercise is and why it’s important is the first step. From there, you can explore ways of getting cardio exercise in the gym and some tips on making your experience enjoyable and beneficial.

Simply put, cardio exercise increases your heart rate. When you run or walk up and downstairs, you’re performing cardio exercise. The stronger Paula your cardiovascular system becomes, Reece the more capillaries you have delivering oxygen to the cells in your muscles, where those cells burn more fat.

A strong cardiovascular system means more than just weight loss. Cardio exercises strengthen the heart and lungs, reduce the risk of heart disease, increase bone density, lower stress and enhance sleep. Most important, cardio makes your body more efficient in day-to-day living.

Cardio exercise should be personalized to fit you. Begin by finding your target heart rate. This will give you a starting point to make sure your workouts are not only beneficial, but also safe. To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. To find your target heart rate, multiply your

Cardio exercises strengthen the heart and lungs, reduce the risk of heart disease, increase bone density, lower stress and enhance sleep. Most important, cardio makes your body more efficient in day-to-day living.

maximum heart rate by 55 percent and 85 percent. This range is most beneficial.

If you don’t have a heart rate monitor or fitness band, consider buying one. A monitor tracks your heart rate throughout your workout and also can record the amount of time you exercised in your zone and how many calories you burned.

Cardio exercise can be performed inside and outside.

It’s a personal preference. Both have advantages. Cardio equipment in a health club is designed for exercise. Each machine is designed to imitate your body’s natural movements.

Understanding what each machine does will help you decide which one works best for your body and meeting your goals.

Ideally, it will be a combination of machines.

Start with the treadmill. It simulates walking or running.

This machine has both incline and speed adjustments. By increasing the incline of the bed of the treadmill, you feel as though you’re walking uphill. This will also increase your

heart rate. Use the handles for balance only, not support.

When you use the treadmill without holding on, you engage your core muscles to stay balanced.

An elliptical machine provides a non-impact form of exercise. This cardio machine offers a good alternative for people with joint or back issues. This machine can provide upper and lower body strengthening and conditioning. You can set the resistance for a harder workout as well as the cross ramp for an increased incline.

The recumbent bike offers another beneficial cardio machine. It works the gluteal muscles and allows you to change the level of resistance.

Still other cardio machines include the Stairmaster that simulates climbing stairs and Adaptive Motion Trainer machine that can vary from stepping to running. The rowing machine offers a great cardio intensity workout as well.

Cardio exercise is just one of the four cornerstones of exercise, but one of the most important. There are various ways to increase your heart rate. Choose one that best suits your body and fitness goals. By choosing exercises you enjoy, you’ll be more likely to stick with them. The benefits of cardio exercise far exceed just weight loss.

Paula and Dale Reece own Crossroads Fitness Centers in Grand Junction with a downtown location at 225 N. Fifth St. and north location at 2768 Compass Drive. For more information, call 242-8746 or visit the website located at www.crossroadsfitness.com.

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As the real estate market softens, opportunity knocks The real estate market in Grand Junction started to slow in the second quarter primarily due to the recent increase in interest rates.

Over the past few months, interest rates on residential and commercial loans have increased from the 3 percent to 4 percent range to the 5 percent to 6 percent range. Rates are expected to move even higher.

The cost of borrowing has been pushed up by the jump in U.S. Treasuries as the Federal Reserve tries to control inflation, which is now running at a than 40-year high. With the cost Tim more of living continuing to climb, it looks Whitney like the Fed will increase its short-term interest rate again at its July 26 and 27 meeting, maybe as much as 1 percent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.3 percent in June on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 1 percent in May. Over the past year, the all-items

With the cost of everything going up and without cheap money flowing, demand for real estate slows. The inventory of available properties will increase, which in turn should drive prices back down to previous levels — meaning closer to equilibrium.

index increased 9.1 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand, a measure of wholesale prices, increased 1.1 percent in June. Prices for final demand goods rose 2.4 percent, and the index for final demand services advanced 0.4 percent.

Final demand prices moved up 11.3 percent for the 12 months ending in June. Typically, when the PPI goes up, retail prices follow.

With the cost of everything going up and without

cheap money flowing, demand for real estate slows.

The inventory of available properties will increase, which in turn should drive prices back down to previous levels —meaning closer to equilibrium.

This is where opportunity knocks. Instead of submitting an offer on a property you wish to buy at above asking price because you’re competing against other offers, you’ll soon be able to buy the property you want at a more palatable price.

While I expect the real estate market to continue softening for the remainder of this year, I also expect the future to hold more opportunities for buyers than sellers.

After all, sellers have had the upper hand for the last few years, so now it’s the buyers turn.

Tim Whitney is managing broker of Coldwell Banker Commercial Prime Properties, a commercial brokerage and property management company based in Grand Junction. He’s been involved in the sale, leasing and management of commercial real estate in Colorado for more than 35 years. For more information, call 243-7375 or visit www.CBC-Prime.com.

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Contributors Opinion Bold predictions for lust 2015for, Be careful what you Familiar face in a new place A new year Business affords itmore Briefs exposes who you really are like not-so-bold repeats a boost for local businesses a new opportunity Business People Almanac to meet local needs THE he B BUSINESS usiness T T Times IMES

PPAGE age 26 22

The pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are coming together.

That is, if selecting the leaders of the Grand Valley organizations that serve businesses and promote economic and work force development could be considered a metaphorical puzzle.

The latest piece to fall into place? The selection of Curtis Englehart as executive of thealways Grand brings Junction Partnership.

A newdirector year almost an Economic opportunity for a fresh start and Still ambition other pieces soon willbetter. be added, including a new leader at the Business renewed to do things Incubator Center that and usually a successor DianetoSchwenke, who’s retiring after nearly In business, boilstodown providing customers better products 35 as president and of the Grand Areamust andyears services faster and at chief lowerexecutive cost than officer competitors.

Part ofJunction the process Chamber of Commerce. include listening to customers to determine what they actually need and then Yet another piece is in with Jeffgood Engell as thethe new director of the Small meeting that need.

After all,place it does little to offer latest and greatest if Business Development Center in Grand Junction. nobody actually wants what you’re selling.

On larger scale, Aikta wasGrand appointed in April Justalike thegeographical businesses that belong to Marcoulier the group, the Junction Areaas the new administrator the U.S. Small Administration Region VIII.of Chamber of Commerceofinvariably starts Business out the new year with a reassessment She overseesand theresources programsitand services the federal agency Colorado and five the services provides andofhow well they matchinwith members other needs.states.

Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the chamber board of directors, All the this choices are critical, no less what important than thehis organizations lead personifies approach in describing he considers role for the they coming and and services they offer businesses. year:programs listen to members, determine their needs and then meet those needs. It’s a excellent one that’sof likely dividends role Englehart with whichconstitutes Franklin isanfamiliar as choice, market president Banktoofpay Colorado. for aThe longprocess time. will take on a more structured approach in what the chamber taking onofaanew role with different organization, he brings to the plansWhile as thehe’s resumption program aptlya called Listening to Business.

Under the position the skills, experiences andinrelationships he developed overbarriers the pastto program, business owners participate in-depth interviews to identify five years director of the they Mesaencounter.

County Workforce Center. He’s worked with growth andasother problems GJEPThe as anew partner economic efforts.

He knows year on offers a good development time to join the proverbial club.how to work with businesses and meet their needs.

And as someone who’s grown up and worked his As an advertiser or reader, what do you need from the Business Times? entireWhile careerbusiness in Western Colorado, he’s familiar the region. journals traditionally gather with and report the relevant news to Karen Troester, chairwoman of the GJEP board of directors, Englehart readers, communication isn’t necessarily a one-way street.

That’spraised especially true as this well-known, well-liked importantly, in the Webway: sites “He’s and e-mail make the dialogueand, moremost convenient than well-respected ever. state.”

Good publications don’t exist in a vacuum. They respond to the needs of As Englehart put it,They economic development and work force development advertisers and readers. provide what’s needed. go hand in hand.

Businesses So what do you need? can’t relocate or expand their operations without a skilled work additional force. No news one’s coverage more familiar with work development Mesa Is there that would help force keep you informed in about County than Englehart. local business developments? Are there features that would be interesting or Of course, gainwould is the make Mesa your County Center’s loss. useful?

Is there GJEP’s advice that jobsWorkforce a little easier?

Hopefully, a successor soon be found build on Englehart’s there.

It’s equally important to will ask what you to don’t need.

With limitedefforts time to Likecontent Englehart, to which his newtoposition and space be produce and Engell limitedbrings space in publish practical it, would skills time and experiences. case,else? he worked as a business coach at the East Colorado better devotedIntoEngell’s something SBDC in Greeley.

He also worked more than 10 years as the owner and operator What’s good? What isn’t?

What’s needed?

What isn’t? of a global helping governments aroundTimes the world Let us consulting know. Sendfirm us an e-mail.businesses Commentand online on the Business Web on economic development initiatives. sitevarious at www.thebusinesstimes.com.

You could even write an old-fashioned letter to Beforeif her appointment to the SBA, Marcoulier similarly served businesses the editor you’d like. Your feedback, both positive and negative, is valued and and owners as executive director of the Pikes Peak SBDC in Colorado will business be carefully considered.

Springs. worked inare thatthe role for more years, winning GoodShe publications result of notthan only10the efforts of theirawards staffs, for buther also excellence and innovation. collaborative efforts involving advertisers and readers.

Now it’s aother matter of finding a few moretooflisten the right pieces to fit into theout Like any good business, we want to our customers, find puzzle andneed complete the meet picture of an effective partnership of organizations and what they and then those needs. agencies It’s athat newserve year. businesses.

Please help us to do so.

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THE BUSINESS TIMES

609 North Ave., Suite 2, Grand Junction, CO 81501 TEL (970) 424-5133 • FAX (970) 424-5134

Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall

Editor: Phil Castle

Reach advertising at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com Reach the editor at: phil@thebusinesstimes.com.

Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com The Grand Valley Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group LLC, is published twice monthly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers.

Copyright © 2015 — AllCopyright rights reserved. © 2022 — All rights reserved.

In case anyone ever had any questions about Democrats It’s that timewhy of year when kept Joe Biden in hisand basement with a press lid of resolutions prognostications abound.

10 during the election Mya.m. favorite saying applied cycle, to Newthey Year’s should haveisnoindoubt resolutions sayingnow. they’re basically a I just got done to break the first week bunch of promises with my morning of January.

And while I won’t predict a devotion aspretty much accurately whole lot,and, I can usual, its topic was nail a few things that without question dead on forthe what I You will see these are will make news. was about put into pretty, well,topredictable: words: negativity.one: ■ Prediction Problem negativity There willis,be some can’t avoidedevent, with sort ofbeweather what I was pondering. natural disaster or But at least God put it heinous occurrence on my someone heart to be less Craig Hall where will negative personally be interviewed and say while still pointing the following: “I’veout loving corrections on negative events and policies we all never seen anything suffer from due to the actions of our like that in my president theifagenda lifetime.” and It’s as this of his party.

Craig Letisme begin by saying what’sHall person a required most obvious.

Everything occurring in attendee at every news Washington since the president’s election reporting event.

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by Vice Kamala most of the time whenPresident it comes to Harris in her role asPeople attorney neighbors andprevious acquaintances. should general — for crimes any to be surprised at petty what goes onthan fromattime time in their history.

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If he■could do thisthree: to Justice Thomas live Prediction Something good on imagine what willtelevision, happen economically, andJoe thewould do to you in private. government will take credit for it. The most That’s Joe’sis career in the Senate recent example gas prices, where people in nutshell. no the other ideas for aska me why I He’s won’thad credit president no the “cry-baby-soup” rhetoric lowmatter gas prices.

My answer is simple: his wife-doctor puts out about the of great Government never makes the price plans Joe had for theand country. help something go down simplyJust takestocredit folks out,news. overspending onisimproving for good Gas pricing subject to infrastructure (whichNow the government has many global factors. there are proven timeanswers and again it can’t do)some isn’t of government to addressing new. trillions waste, fraud and them Spending to keep prices stableinfor Americans, abuse giving has people scraps but ourwhile government nonetable of them in has been bothit parties.

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JulyJANUARY 21-august 10, 2015 2022 15-28,

cleaner oil drilling and production in the United while long runStates always hurt increasing consumers.dirtier Another drilling andunemployment production around thea world fact is that reaches certain (with our enemies, no less) And won’twhile reduce level based on the economy. the the carbon footprint.

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Theno government knows he knows had nothing to do because with this.his mental capacity won’t allow to understand ■ Prediction four:him In keeping with eternal truths.

And when that happens, things the government does, I predict the our presidentwill is now just a mouthpiece government manipulate the numbers to regurgitating liethe after lie his is handlers make the claim economy getting demand of him. his job and better because ofBecause how hardthat’s it is working to there’s cream after Americans.” his speech isNow over. help allice of us “working The simplesay, truth is that’s president. you might “Craig, youour always say this has always been bombastic and aboutJoe President Obama because you don’t alike “king” rhetoric. how Ihis party him.”ofYou’re rightThat’s in a sense. don’t and always described knowthe thepress man,have but what I know of himhim. and Just this pastIweek in his thinking, don’t he likewas it orportrayed him one iota. the press asgo a politician who’s a storyteller Before you off, however, I didn’t like with a flairBush for exaggeration.

Finally, some President and his bailouts, stimulus accurate reporting. the free market to save and his abandoning Themarket. rest of And us simply himhim a the free I don’tcall know liar who lacks original ideas.

I canthe either.

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Andishe got I guess what saying that away with for decades. is, until perhaps it’sittime to get outThat of our own he couldn’t resist the lust of absolute power perspective.

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There’s a lot of information on the a second here.

GreatThere’s Depression.

TheBiblical truth islesson it wasn’t Many God’s willthe gets us get close even atimes, good one until government got to what weThere’s lust foralso only to take away. involved. plenty of itresearch Perhaps youwarm feel I period failed in using on the medieval when the negativity makewarmer a point.than Fairtoday enough. planet wastomuch with Ia think put less lust people in perspective as Joe’s wholeI lot (and warmer well winning willwas have himatgo down our before man here all).

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Maybe research will help stop Sadly, lust ran his third campaign, all of these trends.

Otherwise, we’lland bethe negative lessons were forgotten. saying we’ve never seen anythingAnd likewe it in all oursuffer lives. for Andit.not in a good way.

Craig Craig Hall Hall is is owner owner and and publisher publisher of of the the Business Times. Reach Reach him him at at 424-5133 424-5133 Business Times. or or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.

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Don’t stop the presses: Small firms offered big role Why newspapers matter in government contracting — now more than ever “Stop the presses.”

I always wanted to scream that exclamation at the top of my lungs as an excited newspaper editor eager to remake the front page to include a late-breaking story.

I recall a couple of occasions over the course of my career when I not only bumped against press deadlines, but busted them beyond repair to accommodate situations in which it seemed like news was falling down around Phil Castle our heads. But I never stopped a press run once it began. That’s a fairly serious matter that would necessarily involve some fairly serious circumstances.

It’s been decades since I worked at a newspaper with its own press. I suppose I’d have to make a phone call or send a text to stop the presses.

In all seriousness, I’m more concerned these days about another meaning for stop the presses. And that’s the decline of the newspaper industry and what that implies.

For businesses and business owners, but also for individuals and, collectively, our nation. The ramifications include everything from economics to governance to the growing divide among citizens whose common interests and values should unite them.

The trends make me all the more grateful to work in print journalism with real, honest-to-goodness print. Call me a Luddite, but I prefer printed pages.

I acknowledge the advantages of screens and wouldn’t go back for a minute to the dark ages before the internet. But there’s just something about reading a newspaper you hold in your hands. The visual and tactile experience can’t be replicated.

Especially while you’re also slurping hot coffee.

I’m doubly blessed to work for a newspaper that enjoys the support of so many advertisers. I’m not just writing that because what they do makes it possible for me to do what I do. Given the myriad options for their advertising dollars, I’m grateful they spend some with the Business Times. I hope it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Tragically, my good fortune is more the exception than the rule.

According to a recent report from the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University, more than 360 newspapers closed in the United States between late 2019 and May 2022. Since 2005, the U.S. has lost more than a fourth of its newspapers. At a rate of two newspapers a week, the U.S. remains on track to lose a third of its newspapers by 2025.

Here are some more grim numbers to ponder. Newspaper revenues have shrunk by more than half since 2005 — from $50 billion to $20 billion. Newspaper employment has dropped even more — about 70 percent since 2006. That includes a 58 percent reduction in newsroom staffs.

One result of all those casualties?

About 70 million residents — a fifth of the U.S. population — either live in an area with no local news organization or only one local outlet. About 7 percent of counties in the U.S. have no local newspaper.

The biggest threat to arise in these news deserts? The loss of information that informs residents, helps them identify and address problems and promotes the kind of efforts that sustain communities and democracy.

Newspapers play a crucial role as watchdogs guarding against all manner of malfeasance. In particular the government power that seems to so easily corrupt those who wield it.

Thomas Jefferson once said if he were presented a choice between a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, he wouldn’t hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

Newspapers fulfill a crucial function in offering a curated source of information for broad consumption. Professional reporters, photographers and editors gather and disseminate news — most of them, I’d contend, in fair and ethical fashion.

No lies. No political polarization for the sake of polarization. Where it’s presented, opinion is identified as such.

Moreover, there are no algorithms involved with newsprint. Readers are free to choose for themselves whether to pour over stories word by word, skim the headlines or ignore what doesn’t interest them at that moment. Here’s the best part: There’s a good chance they’ll read something that contradicts their beliefs and perhaps even changes their minds.

Newspapers don’t function to reinforce opinions, but to challenge them. With facts, not hyperbole.

There’s good news — in every sense of those words — that some for-profit news organizations still prosper, hybrid and nonprofit models have been invented to deliver news and more digital-only news sites have launched.

I suspect newspaper presses eventually will stop, becoming as anachronistic by technological evolution as buggy whips.

Then I’ll just have to read the paper on a screen while I drink my coffee.

But it’s my fervent hope newspapers — and by broader definition, the press — never stop.

Phil Castle is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or phil@thebusinesstimes.com.

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During July, the U.S. Small Business Administration has highlighted the commitments to America’s small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups as well as the benefits of a bipartisan infrastructure law that will create opportunities for small manufacturers and contractors.

As Colorado and the nation recovers from the pandemic and supply chain issues, the federal government must level the playing field for small manufacturing firms that want to expand and compete globally. As I visit communities throughout the Rocky Mountain region, I see more jobs, more hope and something else more important: the rebirth of pride that comes from buying American.

Colorado is a hub for small manufacturers. One example is Deltech Furnaces Inc. based in Adams County. Deltech designs, builds and exports furnaces to produce scientific products, from laboratory implements to semi-conductor Aikta components. Deltech is a small, family run company with Marcoulier a big impact. Today, Deltech furnaces can be found at universities and laboratories worldwide.

The mission of the SBA is to assure an equitable federal procurement strategy that prioritizes small and disadvantaged businesses, increases competition and rebuilds our economy from the bottom up and middle out. The SBA collaborates with an array of federal agencies to take shopping small to a whole new level by transforming how the U.S. government — the world’s largest buyer — spends more than $560 billion of tax revenues on goods and services each year.

To assist businesses with planning, strategy and contracting, Buying from small the SBA works with various partners, and disadvantaged including Procurement Technical businesses will leverage Assistance Centers. President Joe Biden laid out his vision to open the federal government’s more doors to federal contracting purchasing power to with an ambitious goal: Increase re-establish domestic the share going to small and disadvantaged businesses by supply chains and 50 percent by 2025. Buying from American-made products. small and disadvantaged businesses will leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to re-establish domestic supply chains and American-made products, using market growth opportunities to strengthen the industrial base.

Included in these reforms is an effort to make certain that “category management,” a government-wide initiative to strategically source commonly purchased goods and services, doesn’t shut out small businesses. We want to make it easier for more small businesses owned by people of color, women and veterans, to do business with the federal government. The administration has directed more than 40,000 federal contracting officers across government to spend tens of billions of dollars more with small, disadvantaged businesses.

The $1.2 trillion included the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act creates an enormous opportunity for small construction and service firms. The SBA stands ready to support these businesses with bonding capacity, access to capital and the ability to subcontract with large businesses to get their fair share of the contracting pie. We must ensure taxpayer dollars are used to fortify entrepreneurship, innovation and domestic supply chains — and in the process strengthen our democracy by creating equitable pathways to the American dream.

Today, we are more committed than ever to ensuring the federal government shops small to help our nation build back better following the pandemic.

Aikta Marcoulier is administrator of U.S. Small Business Administration Region VIII. Marcoulier oversees the programs and services of the federal agency in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. For more information about the SBA, visit www.sba.gov. Follow the agency on Twitter @ SBArockymtn and @SBA_colorado.

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SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Business Times welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor on issues affecting businesses in Western Colorado. Submissions should be emailed to phil@thebusinesstimes.com and include names and telephone numbers for verification.

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n DONATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUG. 1 FOR STUFF THE BUS SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE

Donations will be accepted through Aug. 1 for an annual school supplies drive sponsored by Townsquare Media in Grand Junction.

Participants can stuff the white activity bus parked in the Clock Court at Mesa Mall, located at 2424 U.S. Highway 6 & 50.

School supplies most needed include boxes of tissues, colored pencils, composition and spiral notebooks, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, pencils and pencil boxes, plastic storage bags and scissors.

Volunteers will unstuff the bus starting at 10 a.m. Aug. 2 and sort supplies into boxes for distribution to Mesa County School District 51 elementary and middle schools. Parents in need of supplies can request assistance from the office staffs of the schools their children attend.

Monetary donations for high schools can made be through the District 51 Foundation website at https://d51foundation.org/ stuff-the-bus. n MESA COUNTY RSVP SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH A VARIETY OF EFFORTS Mesa County RSVP is looking for volunteers age 55 and older to help the Grand Junction-based organization meet its mission to strengthen the community.

Volunteers are needed to help at the emergency room and outpatient surgery departments at Community Hospital; membership at the Senior Recreation Center; and cooking, playing games and security at Karis. Tourism ambassadors also are needed at the Grand Junction Visitors Center.

For more information, call 243-9839, extension 5, or visit the website at www.rsvpgrandjunction.org. n GRAND JUNCTION GREYHOUND BUS STOP RELOCATED TO HORIZON DRIVE The Greyhound bus stop in Grand Junction has been relocated to the Shell gasoline station and Good 2 Go convenience store at 745 Horizon Drive.

Greyhound passengers can connect with Grand Valley Transit services at bus stops at the nearby Clarion Inn and Wendy’s Restaurant.

For more information about Greyhound services, schedules and ticketing, call (800) 231-2222 or visit www.greyhound.com.

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The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business Briefs. Email items to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.

Phoenix Haus, a Grand Junction-based prefabricated house designer and manufacturer that specializes in environmentally friendly homes, was among the finalists that received funding in the latest Greater Colorado Pitch Series.

Phoenix Haus received a $250,000 investment from Greenline Ventures. The funding was announced during an event conducted at the Avalon Theater in Grand Junction in conjunction with West Slope Startup Week.

Eight finalists were selected from among more than 100 applicants — the most ever for the three-year series — for a chance to pitch their ventures to providers offering capital for rural Colorado companies in various stages of startup and development.

Greenline Ventures, a Denverbased investment management firm that specializes in providing capital to underserved businesses and communities, offered growthstage debt of $250,000 up to $1 million.

The firm announced it would invest $250,000 in both of the two finalists — Phoenix Haus and the El Jacal Mexican Restaurant and Grill in Fort Morgan.

Phoenix Haus also was among the 50 winners in the 2021 Colorado Companies to Watch program honoring fast-growing privately held firms headquartered in the state.

Phoenix Haus relocated from Detroit to Grand Junction in 2017 and was approved to participate in the Rural Jump Start Program offering credit on income and sales taxes.

The company uses manufacturing processes that increase quality and output and result in prefabricated building systems that meet the highest environmental and energy standards.

For additional informtion, call (877) 548-8237 or log on to www.phoenixhaus.com.

n WIENERSCHNITZEL MARKS HOT DOG MONTH WITH OFFER ON PLANT-BASED HOT DOGS Wienerschnitzel celebrates National Hot Dog Month in July with a special offer for its plant-based hot dogs.

Wienerschnitzel offers a buy-one-get-one free for veggie dogs ordered at www.wienerschnitzel.com with the promo code VEGGIE at checkout. The offer is good through July 31 for pickup and delivery.

“It’s exciting to be able to invite vegetarians to join in the celebration of National Hot Dog Month,” said Doug Koegeboehn, chief marketing officer for Wienerschnitzel.

Wienerschnitzel offers plant-based hot dogs three ways: a traditional backyard dog with tomato, pickle, ketchup, mustard and American cheese; a Chicago dog with mustard, pickle, tomato, onion, relish, peppers and celery salt; and a barbecue dog with barbecue sauce, pickle and chopped onions.

Wienerschnitzel operates or franchises restaurants in 10 states — including locations in the Grand Junction area. For additional information or to find the closest Wienerschnitzel location, log on to www.wienerschnitzel.com. n JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE EVENT SET FOR JULY 27 AT BUSINESS INCUBATOR CENTER An upcoming event will offer information about the James Webb Space Telescope.

STEM is My Future has scheduled the Webb Space Telescope Night for 6 to 8:30 p.m. July 27 at the Business Incubator Center at 2591 Legacy Way in Grand Junction.

The event will include a viewing of photos taken by the James Webb Space Telescope as well as a screening of the movie “Hunt for Planet B: The Quest for Another Earth Begins.”

The event is free, but proceeds from concessions that will be available for purchase will support local science, technology, engineering and math programs.

For more information, visit https://gjincubator.org.

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Applications sought for pedestrian and bicycle committee Applications will be accepted through Aug. 5 for a steering committee that will help develop a pedestrian and bicycle master plan for Grand Junction.

“Members of the community who want to help shape active transportation for the City of Grand Junction are welcome to apply for the new steering committee,” said Felix Landry, community development planning supervisor. “This is an opportunity for community members of all abilities to guide improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle experience whether you travel by bike lanes, sidewalks or trails for fun or for work.”

The Grand Junction City Council will select the members, which may include individuals and stakeholder group representatives.

The 10 to 15 members of the committee will attend a series

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of six meetings scheduled for September through April 2023. The committee will review project goals and deadlines, research ideas and promote community involvement. The committee also will assure the plan is inclusive, equitably distributes resources and reflects a variety of experiences and interests.

The master plan will guide efforts to fund transportation improvements in the city as well as identify design standards, policies and programs that support biking, walking and other nonmotorized and low-powered modes of transportation.

To apply for the committing, log on to https://www.gjcity.org/ FormCenter/Community-Development-14/PedestrianBike-PlanAdvisory-Committee-A-93.

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n ALPINE BANK WEALTH MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES BANKING OFFICER PROMOTION

Jennifer Hawley has been promoted to banking officer with Alpine Bank Wealth Management, overseeing client accounts in Delta, Montrose, Ouray and Ridgway.

She brings to her latest position experience in client account and employee benefit plan administration as well as financial planning education.

Jennifer Hawley She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction and worked in human resources in the nonprofit sector.

“Jennifer has been a significant contributor to Alpine Bank Wealth Management’s success since she joined our team in 2019,” said Darla Daniel, manager and senior vice president of the division. “We look forward to great things from her.”

Hawley said she’s eager to serve clients and offer guidance with financial planning. “Alpine Bank Wealth Management provides excellent service to our clients, and I’m committed to maintaining and growing that standard.

I also look forward to developing the department and our regional team.”

With $1.2 billion in assets under management, Alpine Bank Wealth Management offers a range of services that include investment and trust management, individual retirement accounts and employee benefits accounts.

For additional information, visit the website located at https://www.alpinebank.com/wealth-management. n HEIDEN HOMES REALTY HONORS ITS BEST-SELLING AGENTS FOR JUNE Toni Heiden and Kathy Tomkins were honored as the top-performing agents for June at Heiden Homes Realty in Grand Junction.

Heiden posted the highest dollar volume in sales for the month. Heiden and Tomkins tied for the most closed transactions.

Heiden, owner and manager of Heiden Homes Realty, brings to her Toni Heiden duties nearly 45 years of experience in the real estate industry in Western Colorado.

The U.S. Commerce Association has honored her three times with the Best of Grand Junction Award for real estate agents and managers.

In addition to her experience in real estate, Tomkins brings to her duties experience in construction, manufactured home sales and heavy Kathy Tomkins equipment.

Heiden Homes Realty operates offices at 735 Rood Ave. For additional information, including property for sale and rent, call 245-7777 or log on to the website located at www.heidenhomes.com.

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SHARE YOUR NEWS The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business People and the Almanac calendar of events. Email submissions to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com. n BRAY & CO. ANNOUNCES ADDITIONS TO RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL DIVISIONS Shannon Cassidy has joined Bray & Co. Real Estate in Grand Junction. Lori Long has joined Bray Commercial Real Estate.

Cassidy works on the Tyler Harris Real Estate Team. She brings to her duties experience as a real estate assistant and transaction coordinator as well as an office assistant.

“I’m personable, have great Shannon Cassidy communication skills and will go above and beyond to get the job done,” she said.

Long worked with the residential division at Bray & Co. before joining the commercial team. She also brings to her position experience working in the oil and natural gas industry.

“I like to keep my clients updated and informed throughout Lori Long their real estate transactions,” she said. “Whether buying, selling or starting a business and looking for your first space, my goal is for you to have an enjoyable and rewarding experience.”

Bray & Co. Real Estate operates offices at 1015 N. Seventh St. For more information, call 242-3647 or visit www.brayandco.com. Bray Commercial Real Estate operates offices at 244 N. Seventh St. For more information, call 241-2909 or visit www.braycommercial.com. n TWO GRAND VALLEY RESIDENTS APPOINTED TO STATE BOARDS Two Grand Valley residents have been appointed to state boards.

Gabriel Otero of Fruita was appointed to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. He’ll serve a four-year term on the commission as a representative of sportspersons from west of the continental divide.

The commission is responsible for sustaining wildlife resources and providing a state parks system and outdoor recreational opportunities.

Zebulon Miracle of Grand Junction was appointed to the State Historical Society board of directors.

The society, a state agency operated under the Colorado Department of Higher Education, offers public access to cultural and heritage resources, including museums and special programs, as well as services related to archaeology, history and preservation.

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July 21 n Presentation on small business planning, noon to 1 p.m., Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, Gramd Junction. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 July 26 n Coffee and community connections event featuring conversations with local leaders, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Timberline Bank, 649 Market St., Grand Junction.

Admission free for members of the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, $5 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Grand Valley BizMix networking event for members of the Grand Junction, Palisade and Western Colorado Latino chambers of commerce and Young Professionals of Mesa County, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Bank of Colorado, 2452 Patterson Road, Grand Junction. Admission $10. n Western Colorado Human Resource Association membership appreciation and membership drive at the Grand Junction Rockies, 6:35 p.m., Suplizio Field Pavilion, 1315 North Ave. www.wchra.org July 28 n Welcome Thursday Friends networking meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m., Koko’s Tavern, 152 S. Mesa St., Fruita. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 July 29 n Free Finance Friday webinar on accounting, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 Aug. 2 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Veterans in Business monthly muster, 6 to 7 p.m., location to be announced.https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 Aug. 4 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business free networking luncheon, noon to 1 p.m., Business Incubator Center. Participants should bring a soup, salad or side dish to share. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Business startup workshop, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., FWorks, 325 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita. Admission $55. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 Aug. 10 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon, noon to 1 p.m., Timberline Bank. Admission $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org Upcoming n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11, Grand Valley Primary Care, 101 Jurassic Ave. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Presentation on cash flows for small businesses, noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 16, Business Incubator Center. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business sunset river float, 5 p.m., Aug. 16, Rimrock Adventures, 927 Colorado Highway 340, Fruita.

Admission $35. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 See ALMANAC page 31

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Almanac

Continued from page 30 Upcoming n Open Coffee Club free networking meeting, 9 to 10 a.m.

Aug. 19, FWorks. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Welcome Thursday Friends networking meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 25, Rib City, 455 Kokopelli Drive, Unit E, Fruita. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce presentation on the benefits of membership, noon to 1 p.m.

Aug. 30, chamber offices, 360 Grand Ave. and via Zoom.

242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30, Bellco Credit Union, 2478 U.S. Highway 6 & 50. Admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214 n Leading Edge business planning and management

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course, 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays Aug. 31 to Nov. 16, Business Incubator Center. Tuition $275. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8, Family Health West, 300 W. Ottley Ave. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Palisade Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 21, Dancing Moon Bed & Breakfast, 568 34 Road, Clifton. Admission for members $5 in advance and $6 at the door. Admission for others $8 in advance and $10 at the door. www.palisadecoc.com or 464-7458 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 27, River City Sportsplex, 2515 Riverside Parkway, Admission $10 in advance, $12

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at the door. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214 n Bookkeeping boot camp, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 29, Business Incubator Center. Admission $75, which includes lunch. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 n Fruita and Palisade Chamber of Commerce joint business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 19, Ordinary Fellow, 202 Peach St. Admission for members $5 in advance and $6 at the door. Admission for others $8 in advance and $10 at the door. www.palisadecoc.com or 464-7458 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce health summit, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 26, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 743 Horizon Drive. Admission $65 for chamber members and $75 for others. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org F

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