Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal Q1 2015 | Page 9

MDale Steenbergen

The Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce

President/CEO

Where We Stand: Challenges and Opportunities for 2015
cost on the economy. When it
community forward. Together
2015 is upon us and as we embark
comes to jobs, income levels and
these 3 significant economic
on a new year, we have both the
tax dollars, all are dramatically
drivers have combined to provide
hope of great things to come
impacted when sudden jolts occur
prosperity for the region and
and realization of challenges
in any of the commodity markets
opportunity for the future.
that face us in the coming year.
and our community will not be
We are certainly blessed to live
immune from the pain. Long term,
The energy industry, although not
in Cheyenne Wyoming. Our
there is still oil underneath Laramie
new to Wyoming, is a relatively
economy is growing and there
County. It is a finite resource, so
new occurrence in our area.
are signs of positive growth in the
while prices come and go, the
Although the plays have been
region. Wyoming’s prosperity is
profit potential will stay put.
significant for the neighbors to
largely due to the forward thinking
the South (Colorado) and the
of previous generations who
Technology is a real
have helped us through the
game changer for the
storms. The question for us
region.
as we go through 2015 is,
“2015 is going to be a great future of ourCheyenneOur
partners at
“what will our legacy be?”
year. Your Chamber of
LEADS have done a
Will we have a legacy of
phenomenal job working to
growth and prosperity or will Commerce is committed to
diversify our economy by
we leave future generations
help you take advantage recruiting NCAR, Microsoft
in a political and economic
and others, as well as
of all the possibilities the
quandary, which will be
working on expansions
year will offer and we will like Greenhouse Data.
difficult for them to navigate?
Let’s take a few minutes
be there by your side when Technology companies
to reflect on both the
the challenges appear.” have not yet offered us
challenges and opportunities
a significant boost in
we face this year that will
primary jobs. However, the
certai