January 2023 Newsletter

Photo by Rose Vowles

From the CEO POINTS TO PONDER

Global economic troubles have led to uncertainty at the local level, and many of our members have concerns about the future of their businesses.

Last month, I discussed inflation and how it might affect your business. While many may be familiar with the mechanics of inflation, the related term “stagflation” is less understood.

What is Stagflation?

Stagflation describes when inflation is high, the economy slows, and unemployment remains high. This situation is challenging for government and economists, as actions taken to tackle unemployment can increase inflation and vice versa. In terms of harm to people and businesses, it is the worst possible economic situation, leading to lower wages, fewer jobs, and less money for families to spend on necessities.

How Does Stagflation Affect Local Businesses?

Our local businesses are already feeling the effects of stagflation in several ways. Rising prices mean we have to pay more for supplies and utilities, while rising oil prices increase our transportation costs. In addition, high unemployment means that there are fewer customers with less to spend. A further cause for concern is the rise in interest rates, making credit more expensive. Supply chain issues are also making it harder to obtain stock and materials.

The Big Picture

We are not currently in a stagflation situation in the U.S., and economists are divided on whether we are headed in that direction. However, we must recognize that stagflation is serious for all businesses. Unfortunately, there is little we can do at the local level to alter the situation. By remaining agile and adaptable, you have the tools to survive challenging economic conditions. While it may be tempting to increase prices slightly to boost short-term profits and provide a cushion in the bank, this isn’t always the best approach— this approach risks being regarded as profiteering, alienating clients and customers in the long term.

If the economy does end up stagflating for a considerable amount of time, we will very likely end up in a recession. I’ll take up that concept next month.

Owen Sweeney CEO Lander Chamber of Commerce

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President

Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty

Vice President Dave Fehringer Fremont Engineering

Treasurer Chris VonHoltum Central Bank & Trust

Past President Eric Andrews Summit West CPA Group

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

James Whiting Whiting Law

Tom Davis Fremont Therapy Group

Jennifer Hamilton SageWest Healthcare

Jenna Ackerman Associate Real Estate Broker

Justin Hegwer Farm Bureau Financial Services

Brian Rohrbacher Atlantic City Federal Credit Union

Joseph Susanka

Wyoming Catholic College

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Owen Sweeney CEO

King Associate Director

Dayna LaTorre Event Coordinator

Carol

EVERY TUESDAY

Carnegie Book Nook at the Lander Library 1-5 pm

EVERY WEDNESDAY Rotary Club noon, Oxbow Restaurant

FIRST THURSDAY

Parkinson’s Support Group, Lander Senior Cntr 2-3 pm

EVERY THURSDAY

Kiwanis Club, noon, Mamaw’s Kitchen @ Inn at Lander (formerly Summit)

EVERY FRIDAY

Carnegie Book Nook at the Lander Library noon-4 pm

EVERY SATURDAY

Improv Acoustic Music Jams Lander Art Center 10 am-noon

1 First Day Hike Boysen State Park, meet at Park Headquarters, 10 am

1 First Day Hike South Pass City, meet at Dance Hall, 1 pm

1 First Day Hike Sinks Canyon State Park, Meet at the Popo Aige Campground Nature Trail, 1 pm

6 Lander First Friday Galleries, retailers, restaurants in Lander, 6-8 pm

6 First Friday Fremont County Museums, 9am-5pm

14 Met Opera “Fedora” Lander Library, 10:55 am

19 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Central Bank & Trust, 5:30-7

20-22 Ice Fishing Derby Weighin begins at 8 am on Friday and ends at noon on Sunday

January Events CALENDAR

29 Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race 9 am race start, location TBD

Welcome, New Members!

Jenna Ackerman, Associate Real Estate Broker

Associate broker, Jenna Ackerman, moved to the Lander community in 2008 - drawn to the west by the wide open spaces and outdoor recreation. Her formal education in business management laid the foundation for her independent start up, The Middle Fork restaurant, established 2012. She earned her real estate sales license in 2015 and trained along side a farm and ranch broker servicing, mainly, central Wyoming.

Brodie Law, LLC

Amanda Brodie is licensed to practice law in both Wyoming and Colorado. She is an experienced civil and criminal litigator, and is now focusing her practice primarily on estate planning. Amanda was born and raised in Lander and she and her family now have settled in her hometown community. She enjoys hiking in the Wind Rivers, skiing in nearby Jackson Hole and watching Cowboy football.

White Heart Foundation

Our Mission: Improving the mental and physical health of post-9/11 veterans through eco-therapy and specialized care. Not only do we believe our 100% model is superior to the outdated, black hole style of other nonprofit organizations, we also believe that your dollars are best spent working one on one with our warriors, rather than treating them as if they were numbers.

CHAMBER EVENT

Legislative Session Preview Luncheon

Left to right: Owen Sweeney, Chamber CEO; Rep. Ember Oakley (R-55), Rep. Lloyd Larsen (R-54), Rep. Pepper Ottman (R-34), Rep.-Elect Sarah Penn (R-33), Sen. Tim Salazar (R-26).

A big THANK YOU to our sponsors: Teton Therapy, Wyoming Life Resource Center, Black Hills Energy, City of Lander, and Rocky Mountain Power! Thanks also to our Preferred Media Partner County 10, to Western Printing for donating all printed materials, and to Mr. D’s for providing catering services.

Thank You, Renewing Members!

AAA StowAway Storage

Beth & Kim Johnson 120 & 125 Poppy St., Lander

Atnip Well & Pump Service

Terry & Robyn Atnip PO Box 1520, Lander

Bonneville Builders

Jerod & Joni Gould PO Box 552, Lander

Broken Anvil Ranch

Francie Mortenson PO Box 1837, Lander

Clark’s Landscaping Brian & Jill Clark PO Box 1204, Lander

DOWL

Kasey Jones, Office Manager 149 Main St., Lander

Epic Life, Inc. Shelli Johnson 814 S. 6th, Lander

Farm Bureau Financial Services

Justin Hegwer 1630 Main St., Lander

RaJean Strube Fossen 178 Smith St., Lander

Grace Reformed Fellowship Philip Strong, Pastor 545 E. Main, Lander

The Middle Fork Jessica Bostick-Lee, Halle O’Neal, Sam Poitras 351 Main St., Lander

New York Life Insurance Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Suite B, Lander

NOLS Terri Watson, President 284 Lincoln St., Lander

Les Schwab Plains Tire Jordan Gunter, Manager 1175 N. Federal, Riverton

The Rock Shop Inn

Anthony Prate 4260 St. Hwy 28, Lander

Shoshone Rose Casino & Hotel

Sheila Matt, General Manager 5690 Hwy 287, Lander

Tweed Lane Storage Kim Johnson 100 Tweed Lane, Lander

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Enroll Wyoming

Alicia Underwood Fremont County Navigator Cheyenne

RENEWING MEMBERS

Book Your Next Meeting at the Chamber!

Looking for a brighter, roomier, more professional and technologically advanced place to host a meeting? The Chamber’s got you covered!

Full Zoom Room Functionality

Our two DTEN video conferencing boards provide our members with a simplified professional meeting experience. The dual setup provides a multi-touch video display alongside a digital whiteboard that allows live onscreen annotation of documents and content sharing.

Contact Us to Reserve Your Meeting Today! You don’t need a Zoom account to take advantage of this benefit. Chamber members without their own Zoom license can use ours to host meetings with unlimited minutes for up to 100 participants. Member-only rental pricing makes this an affordable benefit for your business, and conference room is included in some memberships. Contact us today to schedule your meeting!

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