Wyoming Business Council

📢 June 4 SLIB Meeting | Your Voice Matters

On June 4, Wyoming faces a critical choice: invest in the infrastructure that allows our communities to grow or continue hitting the limits of our current capacity.

We’re calling on the Team of Thousands to share your story. Housing isn’t a handout. It’s the foundation businesses need to grow, workers need to stay and communities need to thrive.

We want to hear from those living this challenge every day: developers, employers, local officials, workers, students and young professionals. Your voice makes the difference.

The State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) will decide whether to fund two critical housing infrastructure grants in Douglas and Wright. Let’s make sure they hear why this matters.

🗓 June 4, 2026
💻 Meeting Info: lands.wyo.gov/boards/state-loan-and-investment-board
💬 Help shape WBC’s future vision: wbc.pub/wbcmission26

Join the Wyoming Business Council and a panel of local leaders, developers, employers and community members for an unscripted conversation about Wyoming's housing shortage.

It’s time to move the conversation from a social issue to what it really is: a cornerstone of economic growth. If Wyoming wants to attract top companies and keep the next generation here, we need places for people to live. Housing isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of our economic capacity and central to WBC’s vision and mission.

Ask questions and share your story because your voice matters.

Building Wyoming’s Future: Housing as Critical Infrastructure

🗓️ June. 2 ⏰ 12 PM

💻 Register here: wbc.pub/BWF_Housing

Missed the last one? Watch the replay of all our past conversations at wbc.pub/TOT_Events

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Building Wyoming's Future: Housing as Critical Infrastructure. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Wyoming businesses are ready to grow. But if workers can't find a place to live, the jobs go somewhere else — and so do our kids. Join the Wyoming Business Council and a panel of local leaders, developers, employers, and community members for an unscripted conversation about Wyoming's housing shor...

Recognizing the next wave of Main Street leaders in Wyoming! 🌟

Torrington Main Street, Main Street Douglas, Glenrock Main Street and Main Street Promotions-Evanston Wyoming have all earned the Affiliate Main Street designation, highlighting their commitment to strengthening downtown districts through the Main Street model.

These communities are actively building momentum, supporting small businesses, engaging volunteers and creating vibrant local economies.

And the impact is real: in 2025 alone, Wyoming Main Street communities saw 28 new businesses, 53 new jobs and over 12,600 volunteer hours invested. 👏

Learn more about Wyoming Main Street at wyomingmainstreet.org.

Main Street America

🌟 Big news for Wyoming communities!

Laramie, Rock Springs, Sheridan and Gillette have been recognized as Accredited Main Street programs, the top tier of national designation.

Through dedicated leadership, community involvement and a commitment to revitalizing downtown districts, these programs are creating vibrant spaces where small businesses and local culture thrive. This recognition highlights the real, measurable impact happening across Wyoming’s main streets every day.

Learn more about Wyoming Main Street at wyomingmainstreet.org.

Main Street America, Downtown Laramie Wyoming, Downtown Rock Springs, Downtown Sheridan Association, Gillette Main Street

The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors is gearing up for our quarterly meeting on May 19-20 via Zoom. 📍💻

This session brings together state and local leaders to align on infrastructure-led growth, regional planning and strategic investments that strengthen Wyoming's future.

We're also proud to welcome new board member Dave Kinskey, whose leadership and experience will help advance community-driven growth across the state.

From broadband expansion and business support programs to major community-readiness projects in Douglas and Wright, this meeting highlights the work underway to build opportunity and capacity statewide.

📍 Zoom

Learn more here: wbc.pub/WBC_Board

🗣️ Public participation is encouraged. Join the conversation tomorrow!

Wyoming Grit, National Recognition. 🤠📈

Huge congratulations to Heidi Foy, founder of Bullfrog Recruiting Solutions, for being named a Zoom Solopreneur 50 Honoree! Selected from nearly 3,000 founders across the U.S., Heidi is proving that you don’t need to be in a coastal tech hub to build a high-impact, national business.

Bullfrog Recruiting is a game-changer for the rodeo world, providing athletes and coaches with the clarity and access they need to navigate the recruiting process.

At the WBC, we are proud to have supported Heidi’s journey through our Kickstart Grant program. Her success is a perfect example of our mission in action: building business success that puts Wyoming on the map.

"The (Kickstart) program provided encouragement, accountability and valuable feedback, validating that this business had the potential to grow beyond an idea." ~ Heidi Foy

Congrats, Heidi, on this incredible milestone!

Our downtowns are more than just historic buildings – they are the economic and cultural hubs of our communities.

This Thursday, May 14, the Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board is meeting in Glenrock to discuss how to expand the Main Street network, launch a mentorship program and continue positioning Wyoming Main Street as a leader in downtown development.

Whether you're a local business owner, a community leader or just passionate about your town's future, we invite you to join the conversation in person or virtually. Let's work together to make our Main Streets even stronger.

The Details:
📍 Where: Glenrock Town Square (Upstairs) or via Zoom
🕙 When: Thursday, May 14 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Find the full agenda and Zoom link at wbc.pub/MS_Board

10 Bold Ideas. 10 Tickets. One Resilient Future. 🤠🎉

Economic Development Week is about celebrating the collaborations that drive innovation and growth – and there’s no better example than the coming together to support our local leaders.

We are thrilled to announce that 10 Wyoming innovators are heading to Ignite 2026 on us! 🎟️

Earlier this week, we asked for your best ideas to spark growth in Wyoming. From rural childcare models and brownfield redevelopment to industry-education partnerships, the submissions proved that Wyoming’s future is in good hands.

This giveaway was made possible by a group of partners dedicated to bridging the gap between local ingenuity and professional opportunity. A massive thank you to our co-donors:

🔹 Manufacturing Works
🔹 Harfst & Associates
🔹 Ryan Franklin Real Estate

Together, we’re helping these changemakers access the tools they need to dismantle constraints and build stronger communities. Congratulations to our winners (see today’s stories for the winners)! We can't wait to see the impact of your work!

👉 Get inspired at Ignite: sheridanwyomingchamber.org/2026-ignite-conference



Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce

This is what the Team of Thousands looks like in action. 🤝

Economic development isn’t a solo sport. This week, as we celebrate , we’re trying an experiment in the Bighorn Basin. 🏔️

Today, Assessment to Action (A2A) teams from Burlington, Lovell, Greybull, Basin, Meeteetse and Thermopolis are gathering for a shared mission. These communities are fighting for their futures and since they are often tackling similar hurdles, we thought: Why not fight together?

This meeting isn't about formal presentations; it’s about honest conversations. It’s about sharing what worked, what didn’t and offering the advice and support that only a neighbor can give.

As Danae Bales from the Basin Heritage Initiative puts it: "A2A is a powerful program that brings community leaders together in a strategic way... This process is life-changing."

When small communities collaborate instead of compete, they don't just solve problems – they build a resilient region. We are honored to be the connector in the room, helping these passionate leaders bridge the gap between a tough challenge and a shared solution.

Great economic development starts with great people – and great people never stop learning. 💡

Huge congratulations to our East Central Regional Director, Drew Dietrich, on earning the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Drew joins approximately 1,200 active CEcDs worldwide – and brings every bit of that expertise back to the communities he serves across Platte, Niobrara, Converse and Natrona counties.

Drew's achievement reflects exactly the kind of persistent curiosity and dedication that drives our entire team every day. We are as committed to growth as the communities we serve.

📖Read the full release at wyomingbusiness.org/News