John Marshall has some proverbially big shoes to fill as the new president of Colorado Mesa University. But he’s taking his first steps are in the right direction. Marshall will succeed Tim Foster, who in his 17-year tenure oversaw remarkable growth at CMU by nearly every measure. Between 2004 and 2019, student enrollment grew 63 […]
It appears there’s some light at the end of the proverbial pandemic tunnel. The latest results of surveys of Colorado business leaders, small business owners and consumers reflect increasingly upbeat expectations for the months ahead. That’s welcome news for weary business owners and managers who’ve endured the effects and restrictions of COVID-19 for more than […]
Announcements made only a week apart underscore the importance of two things: the contributions of Colorado Mesa University to Western Colorado and the person who leads CMU. According to the latest results of an analysis conducted every two years, CMU accounted for $539 million in economic effects in a 14-county region of the West Slope […]
For years, Christmas came early for Mesa County businesses. And we’re not just talking about the holiday shopping season and retailers. Annual reports invariably forecast continued economic growth in the year ahead. The report for 2020, for example, characterized the outlook as not only positive, but exceptionally positive. That didn’t happen, of course. But who […]
I’ve heard a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind. I’ve also seen evidence for just the opposite. A cluttered desk is a sign of genius. A quote attributed to no less a genius than Albert Einstein poses a good question: Of what, then, is an empty desk a sign? The debate over […]
As usual, Abraham Lincoln put it best in exhorting his fellow citizens to strive to finish the work to achieve a just and lasting peace. The final paragraph of Lincoln’s second inaugural address in 1865, delivered just weeks before his assassination, began with these still-familiar words: “With malice toward none, with charity for all …” […]
There’s an argument to be made for the precept that government is best which governs least. There’s an existential role for governments to defend citizens from enemies foreign and domestic. There are times, too, when government is better suited to provide services in a collective fashion — paving streets and putting out fires, to name […]
Many publications compile lists to highlight the efforts of those deemed to be performing something the best. Lists offer at a glance a compelling comparison of who’s who based on a certain set of metrics — revenue, for example. The latest lists also demonstrate Grand Valley businesses rank among the best in the state and […]
Small business owners and managers face a lot of challenges — nearly as many, probably, as there are operations. But some challenges are more prevalent than others and some downright ubiquitous. Every four years, the National Federation of Independent Business compiles a report on what are deemed the most pressing challenges of all. The small […]
There’s encouraging and discouraging news about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on businesses in the latest economic indicators and survey results. As is usually the case with complex and changing situations, it’s a mix that requires a more nuanced consideration. It’s not necessarily rocket science, but more like common sense. If the implications weren’t […]