Entrepreneur launches free bid leads Web sites

Phil Castle, The Business Times Tim Loncarich has been involved in the procurement process from both sides in searching for government and business contracts and compiling information about those contracts for others. But the serial entrepreneur and former Grand Junction resident hopes to expand the process to a far larger scale in making bid leads […]

Grand Valley firm develops Web site platform

Phil Castle, The Business Times John Nelson was looking for a Web site platform that could meet the varied needs of the varied companies he operates — not only in building and hosting Web sites, but also handling commerce, e-mail marketing and social media sharing. What’s more, he wanted something that was affordable. In other […]

Mesa County jobless rate trending downward

Phil Castle, The Business Times The unemployment rate in Mesa County has begun to slip even as summer temperatures and the employment that goes with it increases. Seasonal hiring in landscaping and construction helped pull down the monthly jobless rate a tenth of a percent in May, the beginning of what’s usually a downward trend, […]

Colorado economic development chief outlines priorities

Phil Castle, The Business Times Improved broadband communications, a more robust outdoor recreation industry and additional growth in rural areas rank among the top priorities for economic development in Colorado, according to the new executive overseeing those efforts. Achieving a renewed goal to promote a healthier population and communities in the state depends on nurturing […]

Tax collections, climb but pace slows in city

Phil Castle, The Business Times Sales and use tax collections continue to increase in the Grand Valley, although the pace has slowed in Grand Junction. While Mesa County reported a 1.5 percent  increase in year-over-year sales and use tax collections in its latest report, the City of Grand Junction reported a gain of only three-tenths […]

Real estate broker gains fame for investment in lobbying

Phil Castle, The Business Times Linda Romer Todd believes there’s a direct connection between business and politics: “If you’re in business, you’re in politics.” That’s why Todd, owner of the Associated Brokers & Consultants real estate firm in Grand Junction, long has been involved in efforts to influence legislation affecting her industry. In her addition […]

Engineering jobs: CMU grads find work in Grand Valley

Engineering jobs: CMU grads find work in Grand Valley

Phil Castle, The Business Times        Eric Goetz keeps close tabs on the mechanical engineering degree programs offered at Colorado Mesa University for several reasons. Goetz serves as chairman of an industry advisory committee that strives to make sure engineering students learn what they need to succeed in the workplace. Goetz also serves […]

CMU center to promote innovative efforts

Phil Castle, The Business Times Tom Benton wants students to land good-paying jobs after they graduate from Colorado Mesa University, to be sure. But he has even greater expectations for students with entrepreneurial aspirations. “We’re going to give them tools to start companies to provide quality jobs. It’s a bit of a grandiose idea, but […]

Sales reflect steady growth in real estate market

Phil Castle, The Business Times While the Mesa County real estate market hasn’t yet fully recovered, at least by prerecession standards, year-over-year increases in sales reflect what observers consider steady growth. “There’s a feeling of stability in the marketplace,” said Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction. Annette Miller, senior […]

West Star retains top repair facility ranking

West Star retains top repair facility ranking

Phil Castle, The Business Times West Star Aviation continues to rank as the top maintenance, repair and overhaul  facility in the latest results of an annual survey conducted for a prominent trade publication. The recognition comes as the company opens a new paint hangar in Grand Junction to handle larger corporate aircraft and promotes its […]