Phil Castle, The Business Times The unemployment rate continues to drop in Mesa County even as the labor force grows, two trends that bode well for the continued recovery of the market. “It really sets us up to have a really strong 2022,” said Curtis Engelhart, director of the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand […]
The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction will create and expand programs to help women and minority business owners as part of a grant from Wells Fargo. The $25,000 grant will help fund coaching and classes offered through the Small Business Development Center as well as the business incubator and commercial kitchen programs and assistance […]
A man who’s worked as both a business coach and owner of a global consulting firm has been hired as the director of the Small Business Development Center in Grand Junction. Jeff Engell is scheduled to start working at the center on May 2. He succeeds Julie Morey, who served as director nearly 30 years. […]
A measure of optimism among small business owners has declined along with expectations for improving conditions. “With inflation, an ongoing staffing shortage and supply chain disruptions, small business owners remain pessimistic about their future business conditions,” said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist of the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB reported its Small Business Optimism […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Nina Anderson believes it’s her job to fill jobs — to help companies find good employees and employees find good companies. And she loves her job. Since opening an Express Employment Professionals franchise in Grand Junction in 2007, Anderson estimates her staffing agency has played a role in putting nearly […]
SCL Health and Intermountain Healthcare have completed a merger that brings St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction into a combined organization serving patients in seven states. “I am very excited to have St. Mary’s and Intermountain Healthcare come together as one health system,” said Bryan Johnson, president of St. Mary’s Medical Center. “We can […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Reliability and affordability long have ranked as the most important factors in meeting the needs of utility customers. Add sustainability to the list and along with it solar and wind power and other forms of renewable energy, said Alice Jackson, president of Xcel Energy-Colorado. “At the end of the day, […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Jim Sims sees a potentially dangerous confluence in the increasing reliance on rare earth minerals and the foreign countries that produce them. He’s hopeful, though, a company for which he works will help remedy the situation with a project planned for Nebraska. Sims, the vice president of external affairs for […]
Suggestions will be accepted through April 15 for speakers and educational sessions at the upcoming West Slope Startup Week. The free regional business conference is scheduled for July 11 to 15 with virtual events throughout rural Colorado as well as in-person events in Grand Junction. West Slope Startup Week follows the TechStars Startup Week format […]
The Rocky Mountain Health Foundation awarded a total of nearly $540,000 in grants to health-focused organizations in Western Colorado. A total of 83 organizations in 16 West Slope counties received grants, including the first awards from the Simple Gifts Fund. The fund was created to support organizations providing services that might not align directly with […]