Contributors Opinion Bold predictions for lust 2015for, Be careful what you Familiar face in a new place A new year Business affords itmore Briefs exposes who you really are like not-so-bold repeats a boost for local businesses a new opportunity Business People Almanac to meet local needs THE he B BUSINESS usiness T T Times IMES
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The pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are coming together. That is, if selecting the leaders of the Grand Valley organizations that serve businesses and promote economic and work force development could be considered a metaphorical puzzle. The latest piece to fall into place? The selection of Curtis Englehart as executive of thealways Grand brings Junction Partnership. A newdirector year almost an Economic opportunity for a fresh start and Still ambition other pieces soon willbetter. be added, including a new leader at the Business renewed to do things Incubator Center that and usually a successor DianetoSchwenke, who’s retiring after nearly In business, boilstodown providing customers better products 35 as president and of the Grand Areamust andyears services faster and at chief lowerexecutive cost than officer competitors. Part ofJunction the process Chamber of Commerce. include listening to customers to determine what they actually need and then Yet another piece is in with Jeffgood Engell as thethe new director of the Small meeting that need. After all,place it does little to offer latest and greatest if Business Development Center in Grand Junction. nobody actually wants what you’re selling. On larger scale, Aikta wasGrand appointed in April Justalike thegeographical businesses that belong to Marcoulier the group, the Junction Areaas the new administrator the U.S. Small Administration Region VIII.of Chamber of Commerceofinvariably starts Business out the new year with a reassessment She overseesand theresources programsitand services the federal agency Colorado and five the services provides andofhow well they matchinwith members other needs.states. Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the chamber board of directors, All the this choices are critical, no less what important than thehis organizations lead personifies approach in describing he considers role for the they coming and and services they offer businesses. year:programs listen to members, determine their needs and then meet those needs. It’s a excellent one that’sof likely dividends role Englehart with whichconstitutes Franklin isanfamiliar as choice, market president Banktoofpay Colorado. for aThe longprocess time. will take on a more structured approach in what the chamber taking onofaanew role with different organization, he brings to the plansWhile as thehe’s resumption program aptlya called Listening to Business. Under the position the skills, experiences andinrelationships he developed overbarriers the pastto program, business owners participate in-depth interviews to identify five years director of the they Mesaencounter. County Workforce Center. He’s worked with growth andasother problems GJEPThe as anew partner economic efforts. He knows year on offers a good development time to join the proverbial club.how to work with businesses and meet their needs. And as someone who’s grown up and worked his As an advertiser or reader, what do you need from the Business Times? entireWhile careerbusiness in Western Colorado, he’s familiar the region. journals traditionally gather with and report the relevant news to Karen Troester, chairwoman of the GJEP board of directors, Englehart readers, communication isn’t necessarily a one-way street. That’spraised especially true as this well-known, well-liked importantly, in the Webway: sites “He’s and e-mail make the dialogueand, moremost convenient than well-respected ever. state.” Good publications don’t exist in a vacuum. They respond to the needs of As Englehart put it,They economic development and work force development advertisers and readers. provide what’s needed. go hand in hand. Businesses So what do you need? can’t relocate or expand their operations without a skilled work additional force. No news one’s coverage more familiar with work development Mesa Is there that would help force keep you informed in about County than Englehart. local business developments? Are there features that would be interesting or Of course, gainwould is the make Mesa your County Center’s loss. useful? Is there GJEP’s advice that jobsWorkforce a little easier? Hopefully, a successor soon be found build on Englehart’s there. It’s equally important to will ask what you to don’t need. With limitedefforts time to Likecontent Englehart, to which his newtoposition and space be produce and Engell limitedbrings space in publish practical it, would skills time and experiences. case,else? he worked as a business coach at the East Colorado better devotedIntoEngell’s something SBDC in Greeley. He also worked more than 10 years as the owner and operator What’s good? What isn’t? What’s needed? What isn’t? of a global helping governments aroundTimes the world Let us consulting know. Sendfirm us an e-mail.businesses Commentand online on the Business Web on economic development initiatives. sitevarious at www.thebusinesstimes.com. You could even write an old-fashioned letter to Beforeif her appointment to the SBA, Marcoulier similarly served businesses the editor you’d like. Your feedback, both positive and negative, is valued and and owners as executive director of the Pikes Peak SBDC in Colorado will business be carefully considered. Springs. worked inare thatthe role for more years, winning GoodShe publications result of notthan only10the efforts of theirawards staffs, for buther also excellence and innovation. collaborative efforts involving advertisers and readers. Now it’s aother matter of finding a few moretooflisten the right pieces to fit into theout Like any good business, we want to our customers, find puzzle andneed complete the meet picture of an effective partnership of organizations and what they and then those needs. agencies It’s athat newserve year. businesses. Please help us to do so. F ✦
THE BUSINESS TIMES
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Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall
Editor: Phil Castle
Reach advertising at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com Reach the editor at: phil@thebusinesstimes.com.
Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com The Grand Valley Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group LLC, is published twice monthly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers. Copyright © 2015 — AllCopyright rights reserved. © 2022 — All rights reserved.
In case anyone ever had any questions about Democrats It’s that timewhy of year when kept Joe Biden in hisand basement with a press lid of resolutions prognostications abound. 10 during the election Mya.m. favorite saying applied cycle, to Newthey Year’s should haveisnoindoubt resolutions sayingnow. they’re basically a I just got done to break the first week bunch of promises with my morning of January. And while I won’t predict a devotion aspretty much accurately whole lot,and, I can usual, its topic was nail a few things that without question dead on forthe what I You will see these are will make news. was about put into pretty, well,topredictable: words: negativity.one: ■ Prediction Problem negativity There willis,be some can’t avoidedevent, with sort ofbeweather what I was pondering. natural disaster or But at least God put it heinous occurrence on my someone heart to be less Craig Hall where will negative personally be interviewed and say while still pointing the following: “I’veout loving corrections on negative events and policies we all never seen anything suffer from due to the actions of our like that in my president theifagenda lifetime.” and It’s as this of his party. Craig Letisme begin by saying what’sHall person a required most obvious. Everything occurring in attendee at every news Washington since the president’s election reporting event. While I understand most isn’t the perspective fault of Joe can Biden. He simply people’s indeed be limited doesn’t have the within, mental their capacity by, or contained owntopersonal understand what he’s doing. experiences,oritrealize is too much to ask to Don’t of what’s before being consultmisunderstand. some historicalAll perspective done wrong and evil Biden has sayingare such a thing? Yes,ideas this response can believed his entire career. these days, apply to some events. But But when it comes he’s just reading thingsdisasters, off a teleprompter. to weather and natural I’m pretty his reading sure For this as is dismal simply as history repeating itself. performances note cards on whatof Same as it has— forwith millions and millions to do every — are his made limitedit! years. Moresecond important, thewith planet press the fact is he’s How’s been What engagements, didn’t were certain species. as worse since his election to the thatbad fororperspective? Senate. Thankfully, fewWhen of hisitideas were ■ Prediction two: comes to a put into or werethat effective setting crime orlaw something occursinbetween policy in the anyother way. required attendee at all humans, most events successful newsJoe’s reporting is thelegislation person who was crime bill we’re subsequently repealed says athis: “They just the nicest by Democrats thatway succeeded putting people, and in no did I seeinsomething more minorities prisonsNo —one nore irony, like this coming.”inExactly. does in California by Vice Kamala most of the time whenPresident it comes to Harris in her role asPeople attorney neighbors andprevious acquaintances. should general — for crimes any to be surprised at petty what goes onthan fromattime time in their history. Joe’s secondtowns greatest neighborhoods, and success wasthey getting everyone the left with people know becauseon people areto hate Thomas the most vile, good.Clarence And for the timesusing that they shouldn’t racist tactics—since the Civil repeat War in be shocked like before with politicians, defining men. offendersthe andcharacter terroristsof —black where’s the Of course,that some Supreme Court decisions interview says, “This doesn’t surprise lately show you why Joe did what he did. me in the least.” If he■could do thisthree: to Justice Thomas live Prediction Something good on imagine what willtelevision, happen economically, andJoe thewould do to you in private. government will take credit for it. The most That’s Joe’sis career in the Senate recent example gas prices, where people in nutshell. no the other ideas for aska me why I He’s won’thad credit president no the “cry-baby-soup” rhetoric lowmatter gas prices. My answer is simple: his wife-doctor puts out about the of great Government never makes the price plans Joe had for theand country. help something go down simplyJust takestocredit folks out,news. overspending onisimproving for good Gas pricing subject to infrastructure (whichNow the government has many global factors. there are proven timeanswers and again it can’t do)some isn’t of government to addressing new. trillions waste, fraud and them Spending to keep prices stableinfor Americans, abuse giving has people scraps but ourwhile government nonetable of them in has been bothit parties. Stopping place.perfected The only by things has in place in the
JulyJANUARY 21-august 10, 2015 2022 15-28,
cleaner oil drilling and production in the United while long runStates always hurt increasing consumers.dirtier Another drilling andunemployment production around thea world fact is that reaches certain (with our enemies, no less) And won’twhile reduce level based on the economy. the the carbon footprint. And government government might brag thethe number is low, taking over, and solvingdid the it’s more thanaddressing likely the government problems at thebeing expense somethingof toevery cause person that number low of other has Conversely, never worked or — every and not in aperson good way. when been the picks intention of our republic. Need I business up, it’s because the people go whoon? need to buy widgets who were not It’swidgets not thatbecause Joe didn’t anywas of buying the know economy this in his blathering on about them for contracting due to natural (or unnatural, 50 years. Joecaused) damned well knew it. The government reasons, decided we bigger problem is Joe longer better buy some today widgets. Theno government knows he knows had nothing to do because with this.his mental capacity won’t allow to understand ■ Prediction four:him In keeping with eternal truths. And when that happens, things the government does, I predict the our presidentwill is now just a mouthpiece government manipulate the numbers to regurgitating liethe after lie his is handlers make the claim economy getting demand of him. his job and better because ofBecause how hardthat’s it is working to there’s cream after Americans.” his speech isNow over. help allice of us “working The simplesay, truth is that’s president. you might “Craig, youour always say this has always been bombastic and aboutJoe President Obama because you don’t alike “king” rhetoric. how Ihis party him.”ofYou’re rightThat’s in a sense. don’t and always described knowthe thepress man,have but what I know of himhim. and Just this pastIweek in his thinking, don’t he likewas it orportrayed him one iota. the press asgo a politician who’s a storyteller Before you off, however, I didn’t like with a flairBush for exaggeration. Finally, some President and his bailouts, stimulus accurate reporting. the free market to save and his abandoning Themarket. rest of And us simply himhim a the free I don’tcall know liar who lacks original ideas. I canthe either. What theany government does, and sum story the only things thing itup canwith do, one is hurt theabout economy. sheriff. greatest political speech in Unless itHis does nothing or put criminals was plagiarized from a politician jail instead of partnering with them,from nothing England, and it does caused to Always drop outlook of the government willhim help. the primaries first timesays Joe at itpresidential this way, whatever the the government ran ago. Histhe second gave it is decades doing, whatever namerun of the lawusit Barack Obama, a lesson itself.or goal of is passing, or whatever theinname Perhaps those instilled in Joe’s the bureaucracy it islosses presenting to the mind hisexpect political position is besttoserved people, the polar opposite occur. in corruption and I’m access. Andishe got I guess what saying that away with for decades. is, until perhaps it’sittime to get outThat of our own he couldn’t resist the lust of absolute power perspective. There’s plenty of history abooks third and time.historical Yet the moment research he outachieved there to it, it was snatched from mentally begin to understand thathim all of this hasin his diminished capacity the office happened before. And it and willinagain, by those the whotopic continue the elder abuse in whether is people or government. trotting out to do their isevil Thethis bestman recommendation to deeds. find There’s a reason allthat of this is coming some books or try whole Googleto light thing.now. There’s a lot of information on the a second here. GreatThere’s Depression. TheBiblical truth islesson it wasn’t Many God’s willthe gets us get close even atimes, good one until government got to what weThere’s lust foralso only to take away. involved. plenty of itresearch Perhaps youwarm feel I period failed in using on the medieval when the negativity makewarmer a point.than Fairtoday enough. planet wastomuch with Ia think put less lust people in perspective as Joe’s wholeI lot (and warmer well winning willwas have himatgo down our before man here all). Andasyep, worst in killing history.other surprised peoplepresident have been There were negative lessons for the people since history was first written. people in Joesome running and losing twice. Maybe research will help stop Sadly, lust ran his third campaign, all of these trends. Otherwise, we’lland bethe negative lessons were forgotten. saying we’ve never seen anythingAnd likewe it in all oursuffer lives. for Andit.not in a good way. Craig Craig Hall Hall is is owner owner and and publisher publisher of of the the Business Times. Reach Reach him him at at 424-5133 424-5133 Business Times. or or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. F ✦
