Leaders convene at Governor’s Business Forum

The Wyoming Business Alliance (WBA) hosted the 2024 Governor’s Business Forum at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie on Nov. 12-14, where over 500 state leaders gathered to network and share their devotion for Wyoming’s successful future.

The WBA serves as Wyoming’s premier business advocate, providing a unified voice and advocating for polices to help grow Wyoming.

This year’s theme, “Wyoming on the Move,” was kicked off with a policy and prosperity summit, where Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray facilitated a meaningful conversation between industry leaders and legislators on policies.

Emceeing the three-day event was WBA and Wyoming Heritage Foundation (WHF) President Renny MacKay and WBA WHF Chairwoman Lauren Benford. The keynote speaker for the forum was Olympic Gold Medalist Bryan Clay.

Moving forward

To begin the second day of the forum, Exxon Mobil XTO Energy Public and Government Affairs Manager Greg Pulliam moderated a panel of experts for the first session of the day which focused on projects transforming the state.

Joining Pulliam was UW School of Energy Resources Executive Director Dr. Holly Kruka, Black Hills Energy Wyoming Operations General Manager Dustin McKen, Earth Work Solutions Owner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tyler Miller and Wyoming Business Council Broadband Manager Chad Bolling.

The panel of industry experts highlighted emerging and unique projects and trends which will have a significant impact on Wyoming and its businesses and community.

“There are so many exciting energy and mineral production projects happening in Wyoming,” Kruka stated. “I could not list them all, but the top projects include Exxon’s expansion project and the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. Also, we are seeing an increased demand for carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery projects.” 

She continued, “We have rare element resources as well, with new projects located near Upton and Wheatland, but my personal favorite is the memorandum of understanding between Rocky Mountain Power and Eight Rivers who are looking at constructing a new coal-fired power plant in Wyoming.”

Up next

This year, the WBA featured a Wyoming success story – Western Welding Academy in Gillette. 

Founder and Owner Tyler Sasse explained how the academy began and has flourished over the years. 

Up next was The Only Co. Founder and CEO Josh Law who mediated a panel of experts as they discussed economic forecasts and trends impacting Wyoming’s growth.

The panel of industry experts included UW College of Business Assistant Dean Anne Alexander and Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell. 

UW has developed a statewide economic forecast which Alexander delivered while Dorrell looked at how this forecast will impact demographic trends and how Wyoming can solve future problems in the years ahead to gain prosperity. 

“Wyoming’s economic outlook is mixed for 2025, with a continuing decline in the coal industry, shortages in housing and child care and an aging population clouding the state’s mid- and long-term growth prospects,” Alexander stated.

She continued, “Positive signs for Wyoming’s economy include employment in natural resources and mining is expected to rise slightly in 2025, along with increases in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, transportation and utilities, education and health services, hospitality and professional services.”

Dorrell added, “We have issues but it’s important to keep young people in Wyoming to help solve some of our economic problems. Young people are the ones most affected by the state’s economic challenges, and it’s important to create opportunities for them to grow and thrive here.”

Topics impacting Wyoming

Former Wyoming Public Media News Director Bob Beck led the conversation around Wyoming’s shifting media landscape with panel experts Press Forward Director Dale Anglin, former NBC News Justice Correspondent Pete Williams and Aberdare Ventures Founder and Managing Partner Paul Klingenstein.

The panel discussed how the media marketplace in Wyoming has changed significantly, while examining the erosion of local news and information across the country and how this change impacts local communities.

Dale spoke about the Press Forward Initiative and its role of business and stakeholders in journalism.

Press Forward is a national coalition investing more than $500 million to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy which expands access to local news and to scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive.

“The steady and significant decline in the availability of reliable, fact-based local news across the country is connected to growing threats to democracy, increasing polarization and the spread of disinformation,” she stated.

Following the panels discussion, Williams sat down with Cowboy State Daily Executive Editor and Co-Founder Jimmy Orr to discuss the publication’s mission on providing high-quality local and statewide reporting.

Focusing on Wyoming

During the afternoon breakout sessions, attendees had the option to listen to various expert panels discuss state issues.

Industry experts discussed topics which included working with federal partners to advance Wyoming, how taxation moves state businesses, factors driving Wyoming’s workforce and its housing shortage.

Wyoming businesses are creating hundreds of new jobs each year, yet a significant number of positions remain vacant. 

This workforce shortage is impeding how fast companies can grow and impacts their bottom line. 

This diverse panel highlighted ways Wyoming employers are addressing workforce challenges and developing ideas for how other businesses can too. 

Cheyenne Regional Health System President and CEO Tim Thornell mediated the panel and discussed the shortage of employees in healthcare and the impact it takes on the hospitals’ bottom line.

“A program here in Wyoming which supports the lack of healthcare providers is the UW School of Medicine’s regional campuses in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI),” Thornell stated.

Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Director Liz Gagen reported on the department’s 2024 annual report released in June.

“Wyoming’s average monthly employment increased by more than 6,300 jobs from 2022-23, and the state returned to pre-pandemic employment levels for the first time,” she mentioned. “Wyoming’s unemployment rate fell to 2.9 percent, and the labor force increased by approximately 2,500 people.

Climb Wyoming CEO Katie Hogarty provided attendees with an overview of the program, stating, “The women Climb Wyoming serves are often living below the federal poverty level and face tough decisions about how to pay for food, safe housing, childcare, reliable transportation and other basic needs.”

Climb Wyoming helps single moms across the state with professional training for better-paying, in-demand jobs employers are hiring for in local communities and, on average, Climb Wyoming graduates more than double their income two years after completion of the program.

Keep an eye on future editions of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup for more from the 2024 Governor’s Business Forum.

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.