Grand Junction

When we think about culture and the arts, chances are we aren’t thinking about those industries in terms of their economic impact.  We are likely thinking about the local art gallery, the last play, concert or movie we saw or perhaps our favorite Grand Junction’s Art on the Corner sculpture.  In Colorado, the creative industry – comprised of creative enterprises and occupations – employs over 120,000 people making it one of the larger clusters of Colorado’s economy, and one that is experiencing growth.  In fact, Colorado experienced a 29.5% increase in the number of artists between 1990 and 2000 – only five states saw more growth.

Mesa County has 255 arts-related businesses employing nearly 900 people.  These businesses include things like art galleries, architects and interior designers, graphic designers, musicians and entertainers, photographers and photography studios, radio, television, and audio and video production and sales.  Grand Junction has a vibrant art scene with galleries and art centers such as the Western Colorado Center for the Arts, a focal point of artistic activity in the community. 

Even though the national reputation of our state’s creative economy is significant, there are steps remaining in order to more fully realize the potential this sector has.  The Colorado Council of the Arts is examining ways to promote the industry and continue to attract creative individuals and businesses alike.  In the meantime, the next time you are out for your cultural “fix” remember, you are contributing to an important sector of our local economy.

To learn more about the State of Colorado’s Creative Economy, click here.

For all of you who have been waiting for GJEP’s next blog post, I apologize for how long it has taken to get something live. Being a month and a half into the year with no new blog posts is simply unacceptable. 

I will offer just one really good excuse for our lack of recent blog posts; we are off to a great start this year and have been busy.  Our phone is ringing with inquiries and prospects, we have been to two separate industry trade shows and we have hosted a community tour.  While we can’t know for sure what has triggered this increase in activity, we are sure happy to see it. 

Locally we know the news that Grand Junction has experienced significant job loss in the past year has been hard to hear and for those who have personally experienced job loss, it has been even more difficult.  We certainly aren’t trying to make light of this but it is important to point out that from our economic development perspective, this can be seen as a new asset for our community as we work to attract new business. Grand Junction and Mesa County, Colorado have a quality, skilled labor force ready to go to work.  We also know that the quality of life in the Valley is truly second to none – even if it has been colder than usual.  These are just some of the messages that we are sharing. 

So, as the year continues, keep your eyes out for GJEP’s featured local businesses and investors, informative blogs about real estate, art in the Valley, manufacturing, etc.  If the first six weeks are any indication, 2010 is looking pretty bright for us here in Happy Valley.

(with very sincere apologies to Clement Moore)

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the GJEP house

Not a creatures was stirring, not even a mouse

Then stockings were hung by the elevator with care

In the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

The eco-divas were nestled all snug at their desks

While wishes and visions danced in their heads.

S-Mama in furry fleece, K-Dawg in Loki softshell, A-Diz topped with a cap,

All settled down for a long winters Wrap.

When up on the roof there arouse such a clatter

They sprang from their desks to see what was the matter

Away to the window they flew with a flash

Tore open the back door and threw up the sash

The moon on the dumpster covered with new fallen snow

Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below.

When what to their wondering eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh with eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver so lively and quick

Well they knew in a moment, is must be St. Nick

More rapid than tweets, his coursers they came

And he whistled and he shouted and he called them by name

On Twitter, on Google, on Facebook and Bing

On follower, on friend, on blogger and linkedin!

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall

Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!

Fleet of foot, like eco-divas pushed to the brink

When they meet an obstacle are driven to drink

To the rescue the coursers they flew

With a sleigh full of rewards and St. Nicholas too.

And in a twinkling, they heard on the roof

The prancing, the pawing of each little hoof

As they drew in their heads and were turning around

In the door St. Nicholas came with a bound

He was dressed all in Loki, Mountain Khakis and clogs

And his clothes were all tarnished with hair from his dogs

A bundle of swag he had flung on his back

And he looked like A-Diz returning from OR opening her pack

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work

And filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk

And laying a finger to the side of his nose

And giving a nod to the elevator up he rose

The eco-divas, grinning like elves

Falling upon the stockings could not contain themselves

As stockings were emptied the only sound to be heard were screams

Of delight, for every gift was that of their dreams.

He sprang to his sleigh, and to his team gave a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.

And, best wishes for 2010!

Thanksgiving gives time to pause, reflect and think about the people, places and events in our lives that have touched us one way or another.  With that in mind for my first blog post, I would like to take the opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving and give a big Thank You to all GJEP investors, board members and supporters.

I have been part of the GJEP team for just over a year and I have to say, I have met and become involved with an amazing group of people.  I am proud to call Grand Junction my home and it has been a pleasure being involved with an organization as dedicated to the growth and development of our community. 

Community leaders, business owners, public servants, and individuals of the highest caliber came together 25 years ago to keep Grand Junction and the surrounding areas prosperous and thriving, even in tough times.  Thank you, to our founding members, and to the leaders of our community who embraced the concept of economic development then and continue to work toward economic sustainability for our communities. 

I am thankful for you.

 Happy Thanksgiving.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the presentation of an award to local business JG Management Systems, Inc. JGMS is a professional services firm offering facility assessments and operations support, program and project management, engineering design and analysis, and technical services to government and private sector clients nationwide. The company was founded in 2001 by Jerome Gonzales and has since grown into a very successful business. Barely a month goes by without some recognition or award bestowed upon JGMS. These include 2007 Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies, 2007 Colorado Best Small Company for Working Families, and SBA 2009 Regional Minority Small Business Person of the Year Award for Region VIII.

The most recent award recognized JGMS as a Colorado Company to Watch.  Colorado Companies to Watch is a program of the State of Colorado and the Edward Lowe Foundation which showcases trend-setting leaders in diverse entrepreneurial fields that strengthen the state’s economy. Second stage companies are typically growth focused,  6 to 99 full-time equivalent employees and $750,000 to $50 million in sales or a similar range of working capital. These second stage companies fuel the economic fire by developing valuable products and services, creating quality jobs, enriching communities, and creating new industries throughout the state.  We are proud that JGMS and many other great companies call Colorado home. Congratulations!

Chris Reddin, Executive Director of the Business Incubator Center and Stephanie Steffens, Colorado Companies to Watch program, present the award to Jerome Gonzales.

JGMS is a client of the Business Incubator Center and Chris Reddin nominated JGMS for the award. For more information on the Colorado Companies to Watch program click here .

Nominations for 2010 awards are now being accepted.

On Thursday November 5, 2009 GJEP turned 25!  The celebration of 25 years of economic development in the Grand Valley also served as the theme for this year’s Annual Meeting.  With over 275 people in attendance the keynote speaker, Don Marostica, and Chairman of GJEP’s Board of Directors, Carol Skubic, and an original founder, Denny Granum, had the opportunity to discuss the importance of economic development.  I am certain after the past few weeks that this community remembers how important it was then and is aware of how important it remains. 

In the days leading up to the celebration, I had the task of preparing a visual history of the past 25 years.  While combing through old marketing files, scouring for historic facts and figures, and refreshing my own memory about the past 25 years, I learned a great deal about this community.  Perhaps what stands out most is the way this community bands together for the good of its citizens.  Whether creating the original economic development group, Mesa County Economic Development Council, running aggressive ads in Los Angeles in the 90’s to recruit new business, or changing the name to a more recognizable one, the leaders and citizens of the Grand Valley know how to get results.  GJEP – that more recognizable name – has helped to create over 3,000 new primary jobs and over $100 million in capital investment.  Not bad for a small organization in Western Colorado.   I also realized through my “blast through the past” that many organizations don’t make 25 years.  It sure feels good to be a part of this one.  I look forward to the next 25 years of economic development in the Grand Valley.

To view the entire presentation click here.

It was an exciting day last week when I received a call from Paul Petersen, Manager of Mesa Mall, reporting the news that Cabela’s would shortly announce its new and only Colorado location in Grand Junction. This was great news for many. For Macerich, the owners of the mall, it was no doubt a relief to fill a vacant 75,000 square foot space. For Grand Junction MSA, its position as a regional hub is enhanced with new retail opportunities taking it to the next level. For our local tourism industry, who will benefit from the attraction of Cabela’s, as destination shoppers travel from miles around. For our local economy, which will enjoy a boost from increased sales tax revenues. For Western Colorado where outdoor recreation opportunities abound and the spirit of our communities is reflected in our beautiful scenery, it is recognition that we are a premiere outdoor location. And finally, for the future. The future in the Grand Valley is bright. At a time when business expansion is rare, least of all in the retail sector, Cabela’s recognized the opportunities here and wants to be a part of our future.

Welcome Cabela’s!

Please join GJEP and a host of community members to celebrate 25 years of economic development in Mesa County.  Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 11:30 at Two Rivers Convention Center in downtown Grand Junction.  Please click here to view the invitation and RSVP card.

Here in Colorado we are very proud of our ability to act and think on a regional level. Collaboration is top of mind in our community, across the state and in the economic development world.  It was therefore no surprise when I was invited to participate in Metro Denver EDC’s site selection event. Even though the Denver economic development organizations have much bigger budgets than us smaller ED groups, they don’t forget to spread the love around. I attended a panel discussion where eight national site selectors gave their feedback to Denver, and Colorado, on our strengths and weaknesses and gave us some hot tips on key site selection factors for our key industry targets.

It was an excellent panel discussion, with great information, some of which will be very useful for GJEP as we continually refine our marketing programs and prospect service offerings. Here’s a few random highlights of what was said:

• Marquee projects, such as the expansion in Colorado of the world’s largest wind turbine company, Vestas, can put your state and community on the map. Since the announcement of this project, interest in Colorado has really picked up.
• Data centers are a huge growth industry. The key factors a company looks for are cost and availability of power, lack of natural hazards, and tax benefits and incentives. Omaha, Central Washington and San Antonio are top of mind currently, but we have some opportunities here in Colorado.
• Site consultants, like many businesses, are in the process of site elimination, not site selection. Successful communities have fine tuned their community response to be timely (rapid), authentic, and represented by one entity only.
• Although the current market for corporate expansions is weak there are ‘panther’ companies on the loose. Under the radar, they are “stealth fully gobbling up the competition.”  They are hard to find but present many opportunities for communities at this time.
• Colorado used to be an afterthought to many companies but now, we are a major player. Part of the reason for our success is collaboration. We work well together.
• Should you provide an arial tour of your community and fly three helicopters in formation, you would be wise to alert emergency services first. (Apparently there were many reports of alleged terrorist activity when Metro Denver EDC took the site consultants on a flying tour.)

Following the panel discussion the consultants were whisked away to Beaver Creek to enjoy the lovely fall colors. Although we do work very well together, I was quick to remind my Denver eco devo friends that technically Beaver Creek is on the West Slope and all promotion of the Front Range should be left at the Eisenhower Tunnel.