4 In this issue
n Bonfire Oyster Co. expands for demand
Bonfire owner Michael Haley bought a food trailer that is nearly four times larger than his other trailer.
Saying No to Status Quo
5
GJ City Council considers its next steps for securing a permanent site for the HomewardBound Resource Center. n Resource Center future discussion
n Palisade Chamber business awards
The 2025 Palisade Chamber Annual Member Banquet and Community Awards was held Jan. 31, winners announced.
9
n GJ Chamber winners announced Retired editor/reporter Castle garners inaugural Spirit of Business Award.
14
n Beef up your weekend Mesa County Ranchers Gear Up for Annual Meat-in Day 16
n Free tax filing by CMU students Free tax filing pays off in experience for CMU students. 18
Museums of Western Colorado is working to generate increased revenues to help create a more vibrant museum experience.
— See Page 2
Hayden, the executive director of the Museums of Western Colorado, stands next to the stagecoach that the Museum of the West added to a traveling exhibit currently on display. Museum visitors can sit in the stagecoach, but be warned: If you’re a tall person, it was not meant for you. There also is a saddle for people, particularly kids, to sit on. The hands-on approach is something Hayden learned at previous museum jobs, and it’s a great way to get people engaged in the museum experience. Meanwhile, Museum of the West will be home to three traveling exhibits this year, which gives museum visitors reasons to come back more often.
Shenna
Photo by Tim Harty.
For Museum’s Future, Money Matters
Museums of Western Colorado board sought a ‘great’ executive director to rev up revenues
Tim Harty The Business Times
The Museums of Western Colorado have targeted $1.849 million for total revenues this year, and that’s an ambitious number.
The nonprofit organization’s Internal Revenue Service Form 990s from recent years show why, as the total revenues were as follows:
• $1.423 million in 2018.
• $1.347 million in 2019.
• $947,814 in 2020.
• $1.916 million in 2021.
• $1.369 million in 2022.
• $1.1 million in 2023.
• $1.316 million in 2024.
The 2021 total is an outlier, because it marked the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were getting vaccinated and out of the house, looking for things to do after spending much of 2020 indoors, hence that year’s low total revenue. The museum also benefitted from government, COVID-relief money in 2021.
Aside from 2021, no year exceeded 2018’s total revenue of $1,423,533, so expectations have been set high for Museums of Western Colorado Executive Director Shenna Hayden, who will mark one year on the job on March 25.
She welcomes the challenge.
Museums of Western Colorado Executive Director Shenna Hayden explains some of the history of the pottery displayed in the Hohokam, Casas Grandes & Contemporary Pottery display at the Museum of the West, 462 Ute Ave. in downtown Grand Junction. Photo by Tim Harty
“The museum was doing a great job of just keeping a status quo, but when I came on board, it was very clear we don’t want the status quo,” said Hayden, who came to Museums of Western Colorado from the Children’s Museum in Olympia, WA. “We want the museum to be successful, self-sustaining and able to provide all of these services to the community in an engaging way, in a way that people want to engage with.”
She had the disadvantage of taking the job after it had been vacant for the better part of a year. However, with the onset of 2025, she is ready to tackle ways to increase revenues.
The largest source of revenue annually comes from grants and contributions, such as sponsorships.
For grant money, Hayden said the museum’s goal is to bring in $285,000 this year. For sponsorships, she’s on a mission to increase them dramatically, because the numbers show they have been in decline, and the museum received only $20,000 in sponsorships in 2024.
For 2025, she said, “We’re going big, we’re going to be looking for $204,000.”
Hayden will be working on finding sponsors throughout the year by reaching out to different organizations and businesses and saying, “Hey, we feel like this matches your mission and vision really well. Would you want to sponsor this part of the exhibit?”
She gave the example of the museum’s gun collection.
“We’re very well known for our gun collection. We have quite an amazing collection of handguns and rifles and shotguns, and they’re beautiful, and we have quite a bit of them on display,” she said. “But we would love to kind of modernize that display, and it’s going to cost a pretty penny. So, something that I’ve wanted to do is reach out to some of the gun ranges and gun stores and stuff and see if we can’t get people to work together to sponsor new exhibits.
“So, that’s kind of the process of figuring out like what can we do, and then who in the community could possibly match with that?”
The Museums of Western Colorado – the three museums are Museum of the West, Dinosaur Journey, and Cross Orchards Historic Site – also is trying something new in the form of an annual fund campaign, “which the museum has never done before,” Hayden said. “We started the annual fund in December, and that is the money that goes toward the field-trip scholarships, so that all students can come to the museum. Our goal is to raise $20,000 a year for field trips, and since December we’ve raised $15,000. So, we’re doing pretty good on that one.”
After donations and sponsorships, another revenue stream that needs to be boosted is the paying customers. For that, Hayden has put several plans into motion.
Chief among them is the traveling exhibits that will be displayed in a gallery that was paid for by a $30,000 grant from the Grand Junction Lions Club. The grant covered the construction to make the gallery, and it now permanently bears the name: The Grand Junction Lions Club Traveling Exhibit Gallery.
Hayden said she expects the Museum of the West will have at least three traveling exhibits per year.
“So there’ll be three chances to come back to Museum of the West and see something new,” she said.
The next thing to do regarding the traveling exhibits is to get sponsors. The first exhibit, A Great Frontier of Sketching the American West, is already on display, but it doesn’t have a sponsor.
See MUSEUM on page 12
Bonfire Oyster Co. owner Michael Haley stands outside the 8-foot-by-23-foot food trailer Bonfire bought at the start of the year to get four times the space it had with its previous trailer. Haley said some work had to be done to make it ready for Bonfire to use. “We could have operated it right away, but we needed the color to change — it was red — and we also needed our logos and stuff put on there,” Haley said. “And then just spreading the word with everybody: ‘Hey, we bought a new trailer.’ So, then we had to market that, and it took about a month, month-and-a-half before we had everything good to actually get out there and start selling.” Photo by Tim Harty.
Aw, shucks! We need a bigger trailer
Bonfire Oyster Co. already has 3 times as many events scheduled this year than it had last year
Tim Harty The Business Times
After making do with a 6-foot-wide and 8-foot-long food trailer and a tent to serve fresh oysters at events on the Western Slope, Bonfire Oyster Co. decided this year to go big.
Bonfire owner Michael Haley bought a food trailer that is 8 feet wide and 23 feet long, which is nearly four times larger than other trailer. And it’s necessary, because something else is getting bigger for the business that started in 2021: demand for its oysters.
Haley said Bonfire Oyster Co. worked 48 events in 2024. That’s setting up at places such as Palisade winery Savauge Spectrum and Grand Junction brewery Base Camp Beer Works, or catering events such as weddings, birthday parties and office parties.
This year, he already has 142 events scheduled, nearly triple the previous year.
The new, bigger trailer allows Bonfire Oyster Co. to do things it couldn’t do previously wherever it resided. But it didn’t replace the previous trailer and tent. It was an addition.
“Now, we can do multiple events in one day,” Haley said. “We can drop this trailer off at a winery or wherever we’re at that day, and then we can go off and do another event, another winery or do catering. So, it allows us to do multiple things.”
It likely means he will hire two more employees to complement the existing two.
They’ve already been busy in January, which is new for Bonfire Oyster Co. and necessitated by the big purchase to start the year.
“We actually started early this year because we had the new trailer, so we can kind of work out the menu and figure out how the new trailer works and all that sort of stuff before we get into the busy season,” Haley said. “Because we didn’t want to start in the busy season and (have to) figure things out. Normally we are
shut down during this point, but not this year.”
The bigger food trailer is a welcome addition to a business that operates out of Grand Junction’s Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, an organization Haley praises for what it does for start-up businesses.
“We’ve grown a lot, and this allows us to do everything inside,” Haley said. “Before, we had just the tent setup, so holding down a tent, trying to shuck oysters or grilling at the same time, it was extremely hard.
“So, this allows us to be indoors, out of the weather, but also allows us to do more as a company, because we have a big grill and fryers and all that sort of stuff. It allows us to expand on our menu, which is really nice.”
Haley expects one other thing to grow a little this year and perhaps a lot more in following years: the region his business will serve. Bonfire Oyster Co. in previous years has set up its food trailer in Gunnison, thanks to Buckle Family Wine inviting them, and has done catering jobs in the Aspen area. Haley wants to become a frequent presence in Moab, UT, and Denver. And he dares to dream of doing business in other surrounding states in addition to Utah.
The larger food trailer was this year’s investment, but Haley said Bonfire Oyster Co.’s growth almost went in a different direction.
“We were trying to get a brick and mortar,” he said, “but then we kind of decided to hold off and just continue with doing the food trailer, just kind of expand more and get out there more before we end up doing a brick and mortar, just kind of so people know we’re here sort of thing.”
An actual restaurant still has its appeal and remains in the plans if Bonfire Oyster Co. continues to grow.
“We are looking into doing a brick and mortar here in Junction, Palisade, just because we’ve been here for so long, and a lot of the customers ask us when we’re going to,” Haley said. “So, they want it. They want us to have a brick and mortar.”
MORE ABOUT
WHERE TO FIND THEM
Because the business is mobile, Bonfire Oyster Co. owner Michael Haley said people can track where it will be on its business website: bonfireoysterco.com.
“We post our events on our website, in our social media, where we’re gonna be that week,” he said. “We have about a month in advance, so people can find us. … We have a lot of return customers and then just word of mouth. We still have people that don’t know about us, and they find out about us when they show up to a winery or just with random friends.”
SHUCKOLOGY 101
Bonfire Oyster Co. also occasionally hosts oyster shucking classes. And, yes, they call it Shuckology.
“People come in, and we teach them about oysters and how to shuck them,” Haley said, admitting it’s not as easy as it sounds at first, but most people learn quickly. So, if you want to learn to shuck, check its website and social media for the next session.
See BONFIRE on Page 6
City Council discusses Resource Center future
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
With the lease for the Homeward Bound Resource Center set to expire April 15, the Grand Junction City Council is considering its next steps for potentially securing a permanent site for the center.
During a Feb. 24 workshop, Grand Junction City Manager Mike Bennett outlined the possibility of purchasing a property at 2851 North Ave. that could be leased to local nonprofits to house the center’s operations, ensuring its long-term operation. Council members discussed key potential decisions, including funding, community involvement, and the city’s role in the project.
The council will explore the viability of purchasing the building during an executive session on March 5, prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting. That meeting could lead to a future vote to decide whether the city will move forward with the purchase. If approved, the city would initiate a request for proposals (RFP) process to assess the capabilities of local nonprofits interested in collaborating on the project.
Bennett emphasized the need for a discussion to ensure the city doesn’t unintentionally become the owner of a building and take on more operational responsibilities than planned. He stressed the importance of providing an opportunity for experts to manage operations instead.
The city’s broader role in the center was another point of discussion.
“We need to have a robust conversation about whether this is the right role for us and how we move forward,” Kennedy said.
Mayor Pro Tem Randall Reitz agreed a discussion about the city’s long-term intentions with the Resource Center is necessary, adding, “I do support the idea of having an RFP process to figure out how we would staff it and build the operation.”
Collaboration with county
Additionally, Council Member Scott Beilfuss said while the city has faced challenges in collaborating with the county on this issue, the Mesa County Health Department may be able to assist. He referenced a conversation with Mesa County Executive Director of Public Health Xavier Crockett, who suggested the county health department could potentially provide assistance.
Council Member Cody Kennedy introduced the topic during the City Council communications segment, suggesting it be added to the agenda for the next meeting. He asked whether the current funding is tied to performance and recommended that the city pause a large chunk of the funding while exploring the more permanent solution.
Bennett clarified that while the city had committed $460,000 annually for the Resource Center’s operations, the funds are paid in quarterly installments of $115,000, rather than as a lump sum.
He also noted the current agreement ends April 15.
Additionally, Bennett said Homeward Bound subcontracts with United Way for some of the labor, with a portion of the funds passed on to them.
Policy and role of the City
Bennett said city staff members want to ensure any proposal aligns with the council’s comfort level and outlined several key decision points for consideration. These included whether the city will offer the building at a discounted or free rate, and whether the provider can operate with or without a subsidy from the city.
“There are resources and partnerships we haven’t fully utilized. We need to work together on these big issues,” Beilfuss said.
Community engagement
Council Member Anna Stout asked Bennett if community engagement will be part of the process in determining the types of services local nonprofits can provide.
Meanwhile, Kennedy pointed out the city had not yet engaged with the community on North Avenue, where the site is being considered. He emphasized the importance of speaking with businesses and homeowners in the area to gather feedback and avoid the challenges that downtown business owners faced when the current Resource Center was established.
As the discussion on the topic drew to a close, Stout said, “I think both of those meetings are important to have, but we do need to acknowledge that one of those will be an executive session and that we’re not trying to (avoid) telling the community about that. We’re doing our due diligence. And then if the due diligence shows that there’s something for us to discuss to move forward, then we have that conversation publicly.”
Mike Bennett
Cody Kennedy
Scott Beilfuss
Anna Stout
Bonfire
Continued from Page 4 FRESH
OYSTERS
When Haley says Bonfire Oyster Co. sources its oysters fresh, he means it.
With access to 27 different aquaculture farms through co-ops, he said, “We can get fresh daily lists, so we can choose our oysters, and we’ll select them the day before an event. They’ll pull them out of the ocean. They’re bagged and on a plane and to us in the morning, so then people can get the freshest oysters as possible for the events. So, all of our stuff is fresh.”
NOT HIS FIRST RODEO
Bonfire Oyster Co. was a startup business that still operates out of the Grand Junction Business Incubator, 2591 Legacy Way. But when Haley went to the incubator, anyone who’d been around there more than five years said, “Hey, Michael! Welcome back!”
Owner Michael Haley stands inside the trailer Bonfire Oyster Co. bought recently to upgrade to a larger, more self-contained unit than the trailer and tent that he had been using since starting the business with a simple plan. “We started in 2021 as just a tent setup and tried to sell oysters, get people to oysters in Colorado,” he said. “And then we talked to some wineries, and they allowed us to work on their location.” Now, Bonfire has a grill, fryers, sink, food-prep space and storage, all inside. where it’s protected from the elements, and Haley already has scheduled 94 more events than Bonfire Oyster Co. worked in 2024. Photo by Tim Harty.
Haley said he and his wife, Natasha, operated a food truck called Ganic Grub, a field-to-fork concept, for about six years. They sold it in early 2016 and took a break as Michael said he went back to work in the oilfield, and Natasha went off to do catering for big catering companies. They also moved to Arizona.
They made their way back to Grand Junction and at Thanksgiving and Christmas, “We kind of got tired of the traditional turkey and all that, and we decided to switch it up, and we started doing seafood boils, oysters, but at that time we would just smoke them or grill them,” Haley said.
That was until a friend came over and showed them how to shuck oysters using a spoon.
“We kind of got talking with him and said this is kind of an idea, and he just really kind of pushed us and said, ‘Hey, you should do this,’ so then we started
in 2021. And we started with the Business Incubator, which we had done with our previous food truck, which they helped us out a lot.”
HONEY, YOU’RE THE BEST Haley is sole owner of Bonfire Oyster Co., but he says Natasha provides the brainpower that makes the business run.
“She’s a lot smarter about business than I am,” he said. “I definitely wouldn’t be here without my wife.” AND FINALLY, I’D LIKE TO THANK... Haley expressed gratitude to the wineries and breweries that allowed him to set up his trailer and tent and serve oysters.
He couldn’t name them all off the top of his head, but he did mention Restoration Vineyards, Savauge Spectrum Winery and The Blue Beryl Winery, all in Palisade; Base Camp Beer Works in Grand Junction; and Buckle Family Wine in Gunnison.
“They definitely took a chance on us,” Haley said.
And it paid off. That’s how Bonfire’s reputation spread and business grew.
“The company does really well at wineries and breweries, sometimes occasional events that aren’t kind of quite those, but we mainly stick to the wineries and stuff,” he said.
Haley said Bonfire Oyster Co. is going to become a regular at several locations this year, such as Hotel Melrose in downtown Grand Junction on Thursdays and occasional Saturdays, starting in mid-March; Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate in Palisade on Fridays, beginning in mid-April; and Restoration Vineyards for Sunday brunches.
Inpatient psychiatric hospital closing March 10
West Springs Hospital’s board of directors announced the hospital will close March 10, leaving the Grand Valley without an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
The board made the announcement in a news release Feb. 24, and it emphasized outpatient services are not impacted by the hospital closure.
“While West Springs Hospital is located on the main campus, all outpatient services that are located there remain open. That includes outpatient psychiatry services, withdrawal management program in Grand Junction, case management, therapy and the Residential program in Clifton, and many, many more,” the news release said.
The news release listed three primary reasons for closing West Springs Hospital:
• “Fiscal Position: The hospital’s financial challenges, compounded by industry fluctuations.
• “Medicaid Unwinding: The uncertain future around Medicaid and a cloudy healthcare landscape.
• “Underutilization: Despite being licensed for 48 beds, or even 64 beds as it was in the past, West Springs Hospital has had an annual average daily census of 30 or less each year since 2019. Although the census rose in 2024, reaching as high as 38 in some months, it was not enough to sustain operations.”
The West Springs board provided a statement that said: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the upcoming closure of West Springs Hospital. This decision was not made lightly, and we understand the profound impact it will have on our patients, staff and community.
“West Springs Hospital has proudly provided inpatient psychiatric care to the Western Slope for 20 years, but it is time to take a step back and explore other care models that are more sustainable in today’s changing healthcare landscape.
“The Board of Directors understands its commitment in maintaining the building that the community funded and is evaluat-
ing other opportunities and potential uses of the building that would still meet vital healthcare needs and maintain a unique gem in Grand Junction.”
Board Chair Carlos Cornejo added the board is “exploring more modern care models that would meet the need for acute mental healthcare support.” And it is evaluating the possibility of starting an acute treatment unit or a crisis stabilization unit.
“Some of our community partners want us to explore that option,” Cornejo said.
With West Springs Hospital closing, Larkin Health Systems and Mind Springs Inc. mutually agreed to part ways and not renew the organization’s management agreement.
“We are grateful to Larkin Health for their invaluable guidance and support during this transition. We would like to especially thank Nicholas Torres for his time and commitment in overseeing the organization these past few months,” said Carol Skubic, board treasurer. “We are exploring other partnership opportunities.”
Community input sought on library branch’s future
Mesa County Libraries invites the community to participate in discussion about the future of the Orchard Mesa Branch Library. Because of declining usage, rising rent costs and anticipated budget reductions in 2026, the library must evaluate the long-term sustainability of its current location.
Mesa County Libraries said in a news release a 21 percent rent increase in 2023 placed additional financial strain on the Orchard Mesa branch, and upcoming changes to property tax rates will further impact the budget. Additionally, more than 60 percent of Orchard Mesa library cardholders use the Central Library in downtown Grand Junction.
Given these factors, the library is exploring alternative solutions. To ensure transparency and gather public input, Mesa County Libraries will host a series of community chat sessions with library leadership. These sessions allow patrons and community members to voice their concerns and share ideas.
The Community Chat schedule is as follows:
• March 4, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• March 7, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• March 13, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• March 14, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
• March 19, 1–3 p.m.
• March 25, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• March 26, 4–6 p.m.
All sessions will be hosted at the Orchard Mesa Branch Library. During these times, patrons and community members will have the opportunity to speak with the library executive director and a board trustee.
For those unable to attend, a short survey is available online or can be picked up at the Orchard Mesa Branch Library. Community members can also email the executive director at director@mcpld.org.
Mesa County Libraries encourages community members to participate in this conversation. The community input is essential in determining the best path forward for the Orchard Mesa Branch Library. F
The Milky Way named Business of the Year by Palisade Chamber
The Palisade Chamber of Commerce announced its award winners from its 2025 Annual Member Banquet and Community Awards, which took place Jan. 31 at Orchard River View, 3926 U.S. 6&24 in Palisade.
Atlasta Solar Center was the event’s presenting sponsor, and Community Hospital was the hospitality sponsor.
The award winners, along with comments provided by the Palisade Chamber, are:
Citizen of the Year:
Lynette Talbott
“Lynette’s dedication to her family and community isn’t just inspiring, it’s legendary. She’s the not-so-quiet force behind so much of what makes Palisade feel like home. For all she’s done, and all she continues to do, she is a shining example of what it means to live a life of purpose and love in Palisade. And that is why Lynette Talbott is absolutely deserving of the Citizen of the Year award.”
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Dixie Burmeister
“Dixie has been a cornerstone of what has made Palisade what it is today. Dixie has over 40 years of volunteer-ship, helping put on the Palisade Peach Festival, Honey Bee Festival, Olde Fashioned Christmas, promoting our agricultural region throughout the state. Dixie’s passion for Palisade (and of course peaches) shines through her dedication to strengthening and uplifting the community.”
Board Member of the Year:
Chuck Youmans
Youmans “has overseen the Palisade Chamber’s budget, which has been no small feat. On top of that, Chuck always
shows up filled with positivity, joy and creative solutions.”
Volunteer of the Year:
Amy Barr
Barr is the owner of Jerry’s Pest Control and “has been phenomenal in supporting our chamber over the past year. Whether it’s cutting up peaches for the Palisade Peach Festival or providing support to Dixie (Burmeister) at the Gingerbread Contest and Showcase, Amy has shown up. She is full of dedication, heart, and hard work.”
Business of the Year:
The Milky Way Palisade
From the coffee shop’s first day in business, Milky Way “has embraced the heart and soul of Palisade, creating a warm and welcoming space where locals and visitors alike can come together. Their cozy patio and seasonal photo wall have added charm and vibrancy to downtown Palisade, offering picture-perfect moments year-round.”
Friend of Agriculture:
James and Laura Sanders, Aaron Woolsey
James and Laura Sanders, owners of the Palisade Peach Shack – Western Slope, “have shown unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting the agricultural heritage of Palisade. Their decision to place a conservation easement on their orchard acreage at the gateway to Palisade demonstrates a heartfelt commitment to protecting farmland from development and ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and benefit from this vital agricultural resource.”
Aaron Woolsey, James Sanders’ brother, “has also been brought into the business and is providing a fun, educational and accessible way for people to learn about and appreciate where their food comes from.”
The Milky Way Palisade, shown during its ribbon-cutting event, was named the business of the year at the Palisade Chamber of Commerce’s annual member banquet.
Lynette Talbott
Dixie Burmeister
Amy Barr
CMU business school gets prestigious AACSB accreditation
Tim Harty The Business Times
As business-school accreditations go, this isn’t run-of-themill stuff that every university gets at some point.
When Colorado Mesa University’s Davis School of Business officially earned AACSB International accreditation recently, it marked the school’s entrance into an exclusive group. CMU said in a news release it “joins an elite group of business schools worldwide as less than 6 percent of institutions have the AACSB distinction.”
Also, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business was founded in 1916 and “is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools, recognizing institutions that demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, curriculum development and student success.”
“This accreditation reaffirms the quality, relevance and impact of our business programs,” CMU President John Marshall said. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, the hard work of our students and the commitment of our entire university to delivering an education that is both rigorous and deeply connected to the real world.”
Suzanne Owens-Ott, interim academic department head of the Davis School of Business, said AACSB accreditation is a big deal because it comes from a third party “that specializes in evaluating business schools against the highest standards of quality. The accreditor establishes criteria – AACSB has nine –and then evaluates candidate schools against their ability to meet those standards.”
She said the standards are updated every few years, the most recent being 2020, and she compared it to having a financial-statement audit where an independent third party attests to the quality of the financial statements, so users know if they are reliable or not.
“AACSB attests that the (Davis School of Business) meets the criteria necessary to deliver a high-quality business education,” Owens-Ott said.
Suzanne Owens-Ott
“This accreditation,” she added, “reflects the relentless commitment of our faculty, staff and students to elevating business education at CMU. It validates our hands-on, industrydriven approach and reaffirms our promise to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in today’s competitive business landscape.”
The AACSB International accreditation stands to benefit Colorado Mesa as a recruiting tool, but Owens-Ott said there’s a greater benefit.
“It helps us to focus on continuous improvement and meeting the highest standards of quality in everything we do,” she said. “It drives us to make sure that everything we undertake directly relates to our mission, which is preparing our students to be business leaders in Western Colorado and beyond. It helps us analyze our curriculum, faculty staff and facility resources, student achievement and societal impact in relation to our overall mission.”
The accreditation also directly benefits the students of the Davis School of Business.
Owens-Ott said AACSB will help CMU’s business students stay abreast of the latest issues and changes in business and business education. It will make resources available that are shared on discussion boards, blogs, conferences and seminars.
“All these resources,” she said, “guide us in developing and updating courses and curriculum.”
For prospective employers, Owens-Ott said the AACSB accreditation serves as a seal of approval or quality that the Davis School of Business graduate came from a program that makes continuous improvement in business education a high priority.
Or, an undergraduate student who graduates from an AACSB accredited institution may find it easier to get accepted into a more selective graduate program, she said.
added, “reflects faculty, staff education industrypromise to and skills competitive accreditation Mesa as a there’s a continuous everything undertake students to be us analyze achievement students of the students business discussion developing and AACSB the Davis that makes priority. AACSB into a more
Museum
Continued from page 2
“So the museum essentially is sponsoring it,” Hayden said. “We paid for it, brought it in, but we’ll be looking for sponsors for our fall exhibit, which is going to be called Europe, and it’s a STEM exhibit, all about how bicycles work.
“And it’s got tons of interactives. It’s super fun, but we’re going to Colorado-ize it and talk about our Grand Valley cycling history, which was a very rich history. We’ve got lots of really fun information about bicycling here in the Grand Valley.
“So, we’re hoping to get some engagement from local bike shops and stuff like that as well.”
More renovation is in store, too, as Hayden said some galleries will be modified to be able to display items that are in storage. She said most museums have only 5 percent of their collection on display, meaning there’s opportunity to rotate some displays in and out to keep things fresh.
And Hayden plans to put her stamp on displays by doing something she excelled at in previous jobs: making them interactive.
Case in point is the “A Great Frontier of Sketching the American West” exhibit. It’s about art, displaying sketches from two Frenchmen who explored The West. They were from the East Coast and traveled west in a stagecoach, drawing what they saw along the way.
That led to Museum of the West adding a real stagecoach to the exhibit, bringing a fun element into view and play.
Hayden said they wanted “to kind of reinforce the story of what would it have been like to travel west in a wagon, so we’ve got our stagecoach in there and you can get in the stagecoach and check it out, and we’ve got a saddle that kids can get on. And adults, too, adults can get on it as well, and just imagine what would it be like to travel west for months on end and sitting in a saddle or sitting in a stagecoach and or a wagon.”
The museum also put out “a beautiful riding dress that belonged to a woman, and you can see it looks like a skirt, but it’s really pants … to preserve her modesty,” Hayden said.
Still to come, she hopes, will be a sketching element, “so people can sketch what they see in the gallery or sketch what they imagine it might have looked like coming through Grand Junction at the time. We’re working on creating a very specific sketching bench for people to sit on with an easel connected to it, and so we’re building that.”
If you’re getting the picture, then Hayden’s succeeding.
And that’s what the Museums of Western Colorado board members saw in Hayden and why they hired her.
One of the reasons the museum went nine to 10 months without an executive director is because the board deliberately took its time to do “a very comprehensive search for a great executive director,” Board Chair Christina Harney said. Hayden was it.
“We really wanted somebody that was gonna do some good things for the museum, and we were very lucky to get Shenna,” Harney said. “She’s amazing.”
See MUSEUM on page 14
Museums of Western Colorado Executive Director Shenna Hayden points out interesting facts about some of the pistols displayed in the Mesa County Sheriffs gun display at Museum of the West, 462 Ute. Ave. in downtown Grand Junction. A note displayed in the exhibit says: “This exhibit represents the most complete set of Sheriffs’ pistols in the United States. The vast change in the technology of law enforcement weaponry is evident in this collection.” Hayden likes to have items in galleries for people to be able to touch, but that doesn’t apply to the pistols, which are kept behind glass. Photo by Tim Harty
MORE ABOUT MUSEUMS OF WESTERN COLORADO
Grants, donations and sponsorships are the largest funding source for the nonprofit Museums of Western Colorado.
Find out more about its three museums by going online to museumsofwesternco.org or call 970-242-0971. And if you’re inspired to make a donation or want to be a sponsor, ask them about that, too.
You also can always visit the museums: Museum of the West, 462 Ute Ave., Grand Junction.
Dinosaur Journey, 550 Jurassic Court, Fruita.
Cross Orchards Historic Site, 3073 Patterson Road, Fruitvale.
Go to museumsofwesternco.org for hours of operation and ticket prices. GETTING CREATIVE FOR FUNDING
To fund some changes and improvements to the Museums of Western Colorado, Board Chair Christina Harney said the board “decided to free up some of our savings, so that we can start the process of making the museum more vibrant to get community interest so that we can build more revenue.”
She added, “We’re still trying to be fiscally responsible,” but the board believes several new positions needed to be added: a director of development and communications to strengthen the museums’ connection to the local community and beyond; a second paleontologist at Dinosaur Journey to help boost the exhibits there; and it’s bringing back the librarian position.
Harney said Museums of Western Colorado also sold some of its property at Cross Orchards, “so we can do some improvements at Cross Orchards” to the exhibits and the experience for people who visit.
“We’re actually going to be doing that soon,” she said. “We have a some great plans for that museum.”
THE MUSEUM’S GOT THE TOUCH
Asked about the challenge of marketing museums to today’s youth, who tend to have smartphones to entertain them constantly, Harney’s passion for museums showed in her reply:
“Well, you can’t touch a real dinosaur bone on your phone, can you? You know, you can’t sit in a stagecoach at home. Cross Orchards has a bunch of exhibits that are interactive. And so it’s all about experiencing the history, not just reading about it, and that’s what the museums that we have do for people.”
Ultimate
goal? There’s a lot to that
The question put to Museums of Western Colorado Executive Director Shenna Hayden seemed pretty simple: What ultimately do you want to accomplish as executive director?
“A great question,” she said. “So, there’s a lot to that.”
Hayden proceeded to explain, and there’s no need for a reporter to wordsmith it. She did great on her own, so here’s the long answer:
“I was really excited to take this position because I really wanted to be a part of creating something that was going to be a big part of the community and providing a place where everyone, no matter who they were politically or economically or any of that, everyone was welcome to come under one roof and learn together and be side by side and really make something that’s amazing for the community. That’s kind of my overarching goal.
“And I’ve been working in museums for over 13 years, and while that sounds like a short amount of time, it was a lot of time to be able to have a chance to learn from a lot of really successful people in their field. And that was something that I kept coming back to.
“It was like, I want the chance to try this for myself, and I want to be able to bring a team together with all of these people who have just the right to skills to be successful and create a place where not only does my staff feel safe and excited about coming to work every day and are having fun – because if you’re not having fun, then why are you doing it? – and so that’s a big thing, too.
“And I felt like sometimes the fun gets left out, and that can be an important part because when we’re having fun and we’re enjoying it and we feel safe and we feel heard, then that’s when we do our best to work.
“And I think so far since I’ve been here, I really see that coming together. Like, I see our team working together to accomplish things, and people are excited about it, and I’ve said this a thousand times to people: We are a small but mighty team.
“And it is kind of unbelievable to think about we’re running three different sites. It’s not like we have just one museum, and we’re all here together every day. We are spread across three different places across the county, and we’re only 19 people, and it’s a lot of work to keep all three of them going.
“And so that was a challenge that when I was looking at the position, I was like, that’s an extra layer on top of it: How do you manage three sites and make something that is not only sustainable, but creating a service for the community, and the community sees it as something of value that they can utilize and go to and be part of for education, educational purposes and entertainment purposes?
“Because, you know, we like to make learning fun. It’s sneaky learning. I say that a lot, too. We want to be sneaky with our learning here without them realizing that’s what you’re doing.”
GJ Chamber bestows 5 business awards
Retired editor/reporter Castle garners inaugural Spirit of Business Award
Phil Castle was vacationing in Italy when the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce presented its 2025 Business Awards during its annual banquet Feb. 28 at Two Rivers Convention Center.
He had a longheld belief that as an editor and reporter he was never to be part of a story he was reporting, and it appears even in retirement he remains of that mind.
But even while in a country on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Castle can’t dodge the fact the Grand Junction Chamber selected him to be the inaugural winner of its Spirit of Business Award.
Castle wasn’t at the banquet to accept his award – again, busy checking out the Colosseum in Rome and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City – but he’s still part of the chamber’s history as it lauded his 25 years as a reporter and editor for The Business Times.
2025
The chamber wrote summaries for the five award winners and said the following about Castle:
“For over 25 years, Phil Castle was the voice of business in Grand Junction, telling the stories behind the statistics and highlighting the people who drive the local economy. As the editor of The Business Times, he covered nearly 1,000 publications, bringing integrity, curiosity and heart to every article.
“Even in his retirement, Castle’s legacy as a trusted journalist and business advocate remains. In recognition of his contributions, the Chamber is proud to present the inaugural Spirit of Business Award to a man who spent his career ensuring that businesses big and small had a voice.”
Castle took a few minutes during his vacation to write an email with a few thoughts about receiving the Spirit of Business Award. He wrote: “I’m thrilled to receive the chamber award. Having covered the annual awards presentation for so many years, I’m aware of what an honor it is to receive that kind of recognition. I’m so grateful.
“It’s doubly gratifying to receive rec-
ognition for something I loved doing. I was blessed to work so long in print journalism with real print and what I’d contend was real journalism. Most of all, I was blessed to tell the remarkable stories of so many wonderful businesses and their owners. The incredible challenges they endured and risks they took to bring products and services to market. The ways they cared for their customers and employees. Their contributions to the community. Some of my biggest heroes are entrepreneurs. Moreover, my boss gave me unbridled freedom to pursue those stories I deemed most compelling. What a luxury for a journalist.
“Even after 25 years of work as editor of a business journal, I was constantly amazed by the innovative businesses in the Grand Valley. They do that here? Really? I couldn’t wait to tell those stories. Or believe I was fortunate enough to get paid to do so. I really was blessed.”
The chamber’s awards honor businesses and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, community involvement and business success in the Grand Valley.
Grand Junction Chamber Award Winners
Christi Reece Group Small Business of the Year
Success in business isn’t just about numbers, it’s about impact. Since its founding in 2019, the Christi Reece Group has integrated philanthropy into its operations, setting aside 2 percent of every transaction for local nonprofits through the CIRCLE Fund. This initiative has donated over $421,000 to 28 organizations, including $85,000 in the past year alone. By engaging clients and employees in the selection of causes, they ensure that their contributions remain meaningful and deeply connected to the Grand Junction community.
Innovative Textiles Large Business of the Year
From humble beginnings crafting kite-flying fibers to revolutionizing the fishing industry, Innovative Textiles has built a global brand while remaining committed to Grand Junction. Acquired by Shimano American Corp. in 2009, the company continues to prioritize local hiring and workforce development. Their inclusive employment strategies support young professionals, veterans, individuals in community corrections, and those with disabilities. By investing in apprenticeships, internships and generational mentorship programs, Innovative Textiles is shaping the future workforce while keeping high-quality jobs in Mesa County.
Young
Selena Sanchez
Professional of the Year
A Grand Junction native and Colorado Mesa University alum, Selena Sanchez is shaping the future of the local economy through innovative marketing and community leadership. As Director of Marketing at the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, she promotes the region as a premier business destination. Her previous work with the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, GROWL Agency, and the Colorado Companies to Watch Grand Junction Chapter has connected and elevated local businesses. Additionally, her role on the United Way Board of Directors showcases her commitment to community service and regional development.
Shane Haas Citizen of the Year
With 43 years in the construction industry, Shane Haas has built more than just buildings – he has built a lasting legacy. As President of FCI, he has played a pivotal role in regional development. Beyond his professional success, Haas is deeply invested in education, workforce development and healthcare. His leadership roles with the D51 Foundation, Grand Junction Economic Partnership and Marillac Health have helped strengthen vital community services. His dedication to mentorship, conservation, and entrepreneurship makes him a true champion for the Grand Valley.
Continued from page 12
Harney added, “One of the things I really liked about her is she really pushed the idea of more interactive exhibits, so that kids when they come to the museum can enjoy touching things and having that kind of experience versus just reading stuff up on the wall.”
Hayden credited her children’s museum experience for the hands-on elements she likes to incorporate.
“I think when they looked at me what they were really wanting was somebody who could understand engagement and how to bring some of that liveliness of a children’s museum,” she said. “Museums shouldn’t all be, ‘Don’t touch,’ and, ‘Look only,’ and, ‘Be quiet,’ and, ‘No speaking.’ Museums are places of education, and they’re places of fun. And there’s ways, even if you have stuff that people can’t touch, there’s ways of creating exhibits to make them hands-on.
“And so when I came on board, that was what they expressed to me was that they really loved that about me, and they wanted to see more of that in the museums. They wanted to see more engaging exhibits and more opportunities to do things and more programming. And so that’s definitely something I’m working toward.”
Fun is more likely to bring the kids back, often with parents in tow, and that means dollars.
Hayden acknowledged her plans are not things that can be done overnight.
“They take time, and they take a lot of money,” she said, which goes again to the need to increase revenues.
She believes what she’s doing will slowly but surely bring in more money, and the museum will become more and more vibrant and keep bringing people and their dollars back.
“The fact that we haven’t been able to just snap our fingers and now we’ve got 20 interactive exhibits, that’s been very frustrating for me, because I really want to snap my fingers and have it all done,” she said. “But again, it takes time, and it takes planning, and it takes keeping your team together and working towards the same goals and then finding those sponsorship dollars or grant dollars where they are available.”
In time, Hayden hopes the $1.8 million of revenue the museum is targeting this year will look small compared with future revenues.
Phil Castle
Agriwest, CSU launches Agri-Tech Seminar Series
AgriWest, an initiative of the Grand Junction Business Incubator Center, and Colorado State University are bringing the AgriTech Seminar Series to the Grand Valley this year.
The series aims to explore the latest technologies available for agricultural applications, providing insights and networking opportunities for local professionals.
Beginning in March and running through August, the seminar series will take place on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m., hosted at various Business Incubator and CSU locations throughout the Grand Valley. Each workshop is a stand-alone event, and participants must RSVP for each session. Dinner will be provided at no charge to attendees who RSVP in advance.
The Agri-Tech Seminar Series will feature expert speakers who are users of the technologies being discussed. They will share firsthand experiences, highlighting the pros and cons of each technology, ensuring participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the tools available to enhance agricultural operations.
The scheduled workshops are as follows:
• March 12 – Virtual Fencing for Cattle, hosted at CSU Western Campus, 3170 B ½ Rd, Grand Junction.
Speakers will be Western Colorado rancher Justus Redd and CSU Extension Range Specialist Retta Bruegger.
• April 9 – 3D Printing Applications in Agricultural Settings, hosted at CSU Western Campus, 3170 B 1/2 Road, Grand Junction.
• May 14 – Drones/UAV in Crop Production, hosted at CSU Western Colorado Research Center – Grand Valley, 1910 L Road, Fruita.
• June 11 – Leveraging AI Tools for Production Agriculture, hosted at Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction.
• July 16 – Agrivoltaics, hosted at CSU Western Campus, 3170 B 1/2 Road, Grand Junction.
• August 13 – Remote Sensing/ Monitoring of Rangeland Data, hosted at CSU Western Campus, 3170 B 1/2 Road, Grand Junction.
For more information or to RSVP for any of the workshops, contact Janie VanWinkle at jvanwinkle@gjincubator. org or CSU-WCRC at CSU-WCRC@ colostate.edu.
Beef up your weekend Mesa County Ranchers Gear Up for Annual Meat-in Day
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
Local cattle ranchers are preparing to host folks from the community for the annual Meat-In Day celebration, set for 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday March 15, at the Mesa County Fairgrounds.
The event, which started in response to Gov. Jared Polis’ “Meat-Out Day” proclamation in 2021, has become a community staple, offering local producers a chance to connect with the public and celebrate beef and beef agriculture.
“It’s a great opportunity for local ranchers and our organization, as well as other food producers across the valley, to connect with the general public,” cattle
rancher Dean VanWinkle said. “We usually give out somewhere around 1,000 hamburgers for free.”
This year, two ranchers are donating beef for the event: VanWinkle Ranch and Way Out West Livestock. In addition to beef, attendees can expect a variety of meats, including pork and chicken to be sampled out by local food trucks.
VanWinkle also said J Brack and Sons Trucking will bring its cattle pot, a semitrailer used for hauling livestock, for kids to tour.
The event will feature booths from local vendors, a bounce house, a carriage ride tour for kids, and livestock, including a cow-calf pair and a family milk cow. VanWinkle said that in past years the event has attracted a crowd that is less familiar with agriculture, which was the intended goal.
“The very first year we put it on, we were planning on 500 to 600 people,” VanWinkle recalled. “It’s continued to get a little bigger each year.”
Entertainment will include Rick Mancuso and The Five Star Band and a cash bar operated by Clark and Co’s Distilling of Palisade.
As the Meat-In Day celebration grows, so does the recognition of agriculture’s importance to Mesa County’s economy. VanWinkle pointed to research from Colorado State University Extension, showing that each cow in Mesa County contributes between $600 and $800 to the local economy.
With nearly $94 million in total agricultural products sold in Mesa County annually, including more than $48 million in livestock sales alone, the event not only brings the community together but also highlights the significant role local meat plays in sustaining the economy.
Line up to meet and show support for local Mesa County beef producers. Photo courtesy of Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association.
The Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association has at least 1,000 hamburgers ready to grill and give away. Photo courtesy of Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association.
Beginning with our Jan 8, 2025 edition, your favorite business and community newspaper goes WEEKLY!
“We’re excited for the next chapter in the Business Times service to the Grand Junction and Grand Valley communities. For our readers, we’ll be covering even more local, original stories than ever before while giving our advertisers more opportunities to reach the clientele they desire, all in the quality format you’ve come to expect from the Business Times!” — CRAIG R. HALL, PUBLISHER
■ Advertising contracted for must be specified as either Business Times Run of Press (BTROP) or Focus Special Section Advertising (Focus) on contract. Combined contracts are not allowed unless approved by the publisher although earned rates in the Focus sections may apply.
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■ Basic design of advertisements is included in the contracted price and includes the initial design of ad proof as long as the materials provided by the advertiser meet specifications, otherwise, design fees of $25.00 per hour will apply—billed in 1/2-hour increments. Minor proof adjustments will be provided at no charge at the publisher’s discretion and major adjustments may be subject to the publisher’s $25.00 per hour rate.
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■ Advertiser may cancel this contract at any time with a 30 day, written notice. Upon cancellation, advertiser will be invoiced for all ads run at its retroactive, earned rate based on the cancellation date and billed a 25% fee on the remaining cancelled ads. Advertiser will be given full credit for all monies paid toward the final invoice.
■ Prepaid advertising is non-cancellable and will not be refunded under any circumstances, although the advertiser may opt (and publisher reserves the right) to pull all remaining, scheduled advertising.
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Free tax filing pays off in experience for CMU students
A month into tax-filing season, Colorado Mesa University students are on pace to prepare and file more tax returns for Grand Junction-area residents than last year’s 150.
CMU offers the free tax assistance through the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides basic tax return preparation to qualifying individuals.
Suzanne Owens-Ott, interim academic department head of CMU’s Davis School of Business, said 144 appointments with individuals had been scheduled as of Feb. 24, 83 filings had been completed, and 11 more are in progress.
“Thus far, it has been pretty steady,” Owens-Ott said. “Gary (Hypes, a CMU accounting instructor) has been returning five to 10 calls per day to schedule. This is the first year that we will be doing returns past spring break.”
While the federal deadline to file tax returns is April 15, CMU will stop filing returns as of April 5.
we’re doing, because obviously taxes are a very stressful thing for a lot of people,” she said. “And it’s helped us gain experience, too, which has been nice, because I personally am an audit intern right now, so I do a lot of accounting things, but they’re not necessarily on the tax side.
“It’s been really cool for me to see how the processes work, how to actually file a return, how to work with clients who aren’t necessarily super familiar with that area. … It’s been very positive for me and all the people that I’ve worked with.”
Baldwin admits nerves surfaced at first, but it didn’t take long to settle down.
“Actually working with the clients, having real tax forms and using real tax software, that was kind of stressful at the beginning,” she said. “But I will say that the transition into getting comfortable with actually filing the taxes wasn’t as hard as I thought it was gonna be. The forms were relatively self-explanatory and the software is very user-friendly.
Colorado Mesa has 31 students working its two sessions per week, Wednesday 6-8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon, and Owens-Ott said they have been averaging 15 to 20 appointments per session.
An appointment can be booked by calling 970-248-1395.
While students are doing the work, they must complete and pass four IRS certifications to be qualified for the VITA program, which Hypes oversees. Then, they’re supervised by four CMU faculty members and have backstops in the form of 10 local Certified Public Accountants and IRS employees to answer questions, and a quality-review process is in place to ensure all filings are accurate and compliant.
CMU accounting major Brighten Baldwin, a senior who also is pursuing a Master of Business Administration, is one of the students doing the tax-return preparation. She said the VITA program is mutually beneficial for the CMU students and the clients.
“All of the clients that I’ve had have been like super, super appreciative of what
“So, the stuff that we’re doing, especially with the support of the external reviewers, has made it a lot easier to transition into.”
Baldwin has done two audit internships with accounting firms, and she said, “I’ve really liked the audit side of things.”
She thinks that might be her future in accounting post-CMU, but the tax-preparing experience she’s getting through the VITA program has reminded her she has options.
“This is kind of like my first year being introduced to tax, and I actually will say I like it a lot more than I expected to,” Baldwin said. “Like, I was not excited about tax. I did not want to do it. But I really, really enjoyed the process so far. … I think either way it’s super, super helpful for any student going into accounting, especially if they want to be a CPA, just being able to see those real-life examples and kind of connect some of those dots.
“I don’t know if I personally will go into taxes, but I will say I’m definitely more open to it now than I was before this year.”
Clay Urban, left, chose to use Colorado Mesa University’s free tax preparation service this year and is shown here at the Davis School of Business on Feb. 26, getting assistance with an intake form from CMU senior Brighten Baldwin.
taxes are a people,” she experience, I personnow, so I do they’re not me to see actually clients who with that for me and with.” surfaced at settle down. the clients, real tax stressful at the say that comfortable with hard as I forms were the softespecialreviewers, into.” audit internshe said, things.” future in tax-preparing the VITA options. year being will say I to,” Baldexcited about I really, … I think helpful for any especially being able and kind of personally will go definitely more this year.”
Employment/HR bills, orders dominate headlines
There’s an old expression that goes, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” While that proverb generally holds true for weather, the 2025 year in the employment/human resources law arena has started out like a really, super big lion.
Like really big.
After all, it seems that a day doesn’t go by without another announcement about a bill, executive order, regulation, etc., that could significantly impact employment/human resources law for Colorado employers. Here are some of the Colorado bills and other measures that Colorado employers are facing:
Colorado Worker Protection Collective Bargaining (SB25-005). This bill would repeal a Colorado labor law that has been in place since the early 1940s. The existing bill, which is known as the Labor Peace Act, requires a union to win two votes approving the union, with the second requiring an affirmative vote of 75 percent of the employees, before all employees are required to pay dues.
The proposed bill (i.e., SB25-005) would eliminate the second vote (i.e., only one vote would be required). Recently, the Colorado Senate passed the bill, and sent it to the House, where it is also expected to pass, which would send it to the governor.
FAMLI Modifications. Way back in 2020, Colorado voters passed the paid family and medical leave insurance program (FAMLI). As you’ll recall, Colorado FAMLI provides for 12 to 16 weeks of paid leave for employees who meet certain conditions. FAMLI also requires the employee’s employer to hold the employee’s job until the employee returns and maintain the employee’s health-care benefits during the duration of their leave.
Recently, the Colorado Legislature proposed a change to FAMLI that concerned limiting the rights of employees that work at a highly specialized employer. That bill, though, was quickly shelved.
Then, on February 25, 2025, another bill was propounded in the Senate that would: (1) increase the leave available to parents who have a child receiving inpatient care in a neonatal intensive care unit; and (2) reduce the premium payment from its current rate of 0.9 percent to 0.88 percent in 2026. Unlike the “highly specialized” bill, this bill could have the legs to go the distance.
President Trump’s executive order regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion put on hold by a Maryland Court. On Jan. 21, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an
executive order that identified the intent to terminate most Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the federal government. While the order mostly concerns federal departments and their agencies, it did have implications regarding DEI programs in the private sector.
That is, the president ordered “all agencies to enforce (the Country’s) longstanding civil rights laws and to combat illegal private sector DEI preferences.” So, the president’s order did not identify that DEI programs in private organizations are illegal. Instead, the order sought to deter DEI programs that constitute illegal/unlawful discrimination, often referred to as “unlawful reverse discrimination.”
But the Country’s law protecting against discrimination, harassment and retaliation based on certain protected classifications (e.g., sex, race, national origin), as identified in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, remains in effect.
This executive order has been the subject of a number of litigations wherein parties requested courts to limit the executive order or strike it down. In fact, on Feb. 21, 2025, a Maryland federal court handling one of the litigations issued a nationwide injunction preventing, at least temporarily, enforcement of three key provisions in the order on the basis that the executive order violated the First and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution. The president’s administration is very likely to appeal this ruling, so this is far from a settled landscape.
In addition to these bills and orders, the Colorado Legislature is seeking to amend current law regarding noncompete agreements, how wage claims are addressed by the Colorado Department of Labor, and the tip credit in cities and counties that have raised their local minimum wage above the statewide minimum amount. This later bill would, for example, lower the minimum wage for Denver restaurant employees from $15.79 to $11.79.
In short, the year has just begun, but efforts to modify existing employment/human resources laws seem to crop up every day. And it’s certain to be an interesting legislative year that is unlikely to be described as “going out like a lamb.” F
Michael Santo is co-founder and managing attorney of the Bechtel & Santo law firm in Grand Junction. His practice focuses on defending companies in employment litigation, including discrimination lawsuits, wrongful discharge and wage-and-hour matters. He also represents employers in claims of trade-secret misappropriation, unfair competition and employee raiding. Santo is a member of the Western Colorado Human Resource Association. Visit www.wchra.org.
Tariffs, Local Growth and an Entrepreneurial Future
For a long time, outside forces have shaped our local economies, especially in Colorado, where one shift in global policy can echo through our farms, our small businesses and our communities.
Tariffs are one of those forces. You might hear the word and picture far-off debates in Washington, D.C., yet their impact can be deeply felt on the Western Slope, where our margins are often razor-thin.
Tariffs, those taxes on certain goods coming across our borders, are intended to protect domestic industries by leveling the playing field when foreign competitors offer artificially low prices. Sometimes other countries respond with their own tariffs, which can impact local producers trying to export products.
This can matter for rural and remote Colorado businesses that sell goods internationally. For a small manufacturer trying to sell handcrafted products here in Colorado, tariffs might be the difference between survival and closing up shop.
But if you rely on imported materials, even something as simple as metal or specialty equipment, rising import costs could slow you down or squeeze your profits. Before we know it, that extra cost might show up in the price of a local product or service, and it could become a cycle that affects us all.
Not all small businesses will be affected in the same way. For instance, a local craftsperson who imports only a small number of materials might handle higher costs differently than a larger farm or a manufacturing plant deeply tied to global supply chains.
The question is how do we take charge of our own story, especially when decisions about tariffs and trade are made far from our region? The answer, in my view, isn’t to wait on outside forces to lower or raise tariffs for our benefit. It’s to double down on our local strengths.
We can start by keeping our supply chains close to home whenever possible, supporting the farmers, craft producers and entrepreneurs who source or create the very materials we need. That’s how we reduce our vulnerability to market jolts and ensure more of our dollars circulate right here.
It also means making sure we have the broadband, the roads and the training programs in place, so our entrepreneurs can pivot fast if tariffs hit their bottom line. Good infrastructure and a skilled local workforce are the foundation for any kind of growth, whether you’re running a cattle ranch that suddenly finds an international market or a solar startup trying to manage higher input costs.
Also, state or regional policies (like grants, tax incentives or infrastructure spending) can offset tariffrelated pressures in rural and remote areas by encouraging local sourcing or helping entrepreneurs pivot to new markets.
Most importantly, we need to keep building
communities where people want to live, work and create. Yes, tariffs matter, but so do vibrant downtowns, strong schools and open spaces that feed the soul. When we develop our own entrepreneurship hubs, mentorship networks and local incubators, we keep local talent in town and spark new ventures.
That’s how we turn big, unpredictable factors such as tariffs into manageable challenges.
The future of our economy won’t be shaped solely by national trade policy; it’ll be shaped by the smart and innovative decisions we make in our own backyards. We might not control tariffs, but we do control how well we prepare for them, how connected we are to one another and how deeply we invest in our own people.
This is about taking the reins of our local destiny. Even if outside forces shift, rural Colorado can still cultivate a robust, enduring economy, one that grows from the inside out and stands on the strength of our own entrepreneurial spirit.
FDalida Sassoon Bollig, chief executive officer of the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction, is an experienced strategist with demonstrated work in international affairs. She brings to her duties experience in economic development, entrepreneurship, leadership partnerships, public policy and trade. For additional information about programs and services offered at the center, call (970) 243-5232 or visit gjincubator.org. Reach Bollig by email at dbollig@gjincubator.org.
Michael Santo
Dalida Bollig
Letter to the Editor
What do you do when the system is so broken you can’t even file a protest?
Dear Editor,
Currently the City of Grand Junction is in campaign mode in search of the next batch of council members, having just completed the petition process the 27th of January.
I learned firsthand this week that it is nearly impossible to protest the petitions and affidavits of our city council candidates.
Having seen the petitions (redacted versions) for Cody Kennedy and Alexis Hitzeroth on social media, I downloaded them and started comparing them. It became quickly apparent that there are issues in the petition verification process at the city clerk’s office.
First off, per state statute titled 31-10-302 (5) Nomination of Municipal Officers, a person cannot sign petitions for multiple candidates in the same race. So, essentially in this instance, Cody submitted his petitions over a week earlier than Alexis began collecting signatures, and if there were any duplicates, the signer only counts toward the one that was signed first, in this case Cody.
The problem here is by visual inspection of the petitions, it is apparent that the clerk’s office stopped verification of signatures when it was apparent Cody had enough to make the ballot, leaving the names available. I’m not saying there were duplicates; however, this is one of the reasons people get as many signatures as possible, and the task needs to be completed.
Next is the petitions’ signatures themselves. There are specific things required to be filled out. For instance, the county (Mesa) must be written in by each registered elector, or the signature is rejected. Between the two candidates over 30 signatures were rejected by staff for various reasons, including missing the county.
However, there were 16 signatures between the two candidates that were missing the county that the city clerk and staff failed to catch and reject. In fact, on one of Alexis’s petitions, there were six in a row that the city clerk acknowledges that they “just missed” and accepted.
Another thing they “just missed” is that four of the six affidavits submitted by Alexis were notarized incorrectly.
Per the City of Grand Junction candidate guidelines and statute 31-10-302 (3), these affidavits are required. If you attempt to submit a petition without the affidavits signed and properly notarized, the city will not accept them until you provide the aforementioned documentation.
So, it would be safe to presume that the same rationale would be used if the petitions are accompanied by an incorrect notarized affidavit. A simple polite, “We
cannot accept this, please return with the Affidavit notarized properly?” Nope, they missed it completely. They accepted the petitions and approved them in “apparent conformity with the provisions of section 31-10-302 as determined by the clerk.”
How do I know all this? I wanted an answer, so I filed a written protest. I stated that the forms were incorrectly notarized causing the documents to lose their official verification status, therefore invalidating the documents resulting in the failure to meet the requirements of candidacy. (Though, yes, Alexis is ultimately responsible for the forms she submits, this error resides solely on the shoulders of the notary).
Two days later I received a written response:
The complaint was untimely and without merit for the following reasons.
1) Timeliness: Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 31-10-305, objections to nomination petitions must be submitted in writing within three days of the filing of the petition. Your complaint was filed well beyond this statutory deadline, making it untimely.
Three days? How is that even possible? Per the City of Grand Junction Candidate Guidelines, the Clerk has within five days to notify the candidate if the petition was even sufficient to make the ballot. The petitions, though public record, are not published by the city, and a Colorado Open Records Act request to get the petitions can take up to three days itself. Not to mention there is no record published when a petition is submitted, nor when the clerk approves them. In fact, all the clerk does is send a letter of sufficiency to the candidate and upload their photo onto the website. So, how do you know when the three days start?
2) Validity of Petition Determination: As required under C.R.S. 31-10-302(3), I reviewed the nomination petitions at the time of filing and determined they were in apparent conformity with legal requirements.
Two things to say on this one is that if it was in “apparent conformity with legal requirements,” shouldn’t the affidavits be correctly filled out? I asked via email after the fact where the timestamp was at, documenting when the petitions were received by the clerk, as I did not see them on the top of the page as is customary. The response was ...
“If you look at the petition with the 2 at the top, there is a timestamp at the bottom, right-hand of the first page with JAN 27 2025 PM 3:39. We kept the petitions stapled disallowing us from timestamping at the top like we typically do (due to the thickness of the packet). I noticed the other two petition packets were not timestamped at the deadline, so I timestamped the other two packets at that time at the bottom of the first page of each. You will note that packets 1 and 3 have a timestamp of JAN 27 2025 PM 4:00 at the bottom-right of the first pages. All three packets were received before the deadline.”
So, of the three petitions only one has all the pages timestamped, including the affidavits.
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3) Notarial Defect: While your complaint correctly identifies a defect in the notarization process, it does not allege fraud or any disqualifying interest on the part of the Notary. Under C.R.S. 24-21-526 of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), a defect in notarization alone does not invalidate the notarial act. The complaint does not contest the authenticity of the Candidate’s signature nor present evidence of fraudulent activity.
This is specifically listed by the Colorado Secretary of State as one of the most common mistakes made by a notary. And here is where we get into the legal weeds a bit. Not being an attorney, I researched and identified that Colorado notary law does not include a correction procedure to correct a notary error or mistake on a notarial certificate, and in multiple states it is illegal to correct a notarized document that has to be dated by a specific date after the fact. I did not find an answer either way for Colorado.
So, is it not big deal and can be fixed? Is it going to be left incorrect? Or is it illegal to correct? I still think my protest on the matter was valid. In researching before filing the protest, I did not find the statute that is referenced above by the clerk, and here is a snippet from that. The first part is specifically what the clerk is referencing and the next sentence I believe to be just as important.
Except as otherwise provided in section 24-21-504 (2), the failure of a notarial officer to perform a duty or meet a requirement specified in this part 5 does not invalidate a notarial act performed by the notarial officer. The validity of a notarial act under this part 5 does not prevent an aggrieved person from seeking to invalidate the record or transaction that is the subject of the notarial act.
So, yeah, the system is broken, vague, indirect answers, and no desire for correction or accountability.
I hope with a new city manager that there will be a renewed focus on accuracy and accountability.
– Kraig Andrews
Kraig Andrews is a former Grand Junction City Council member and former Mayor Pro-Tem.
Dear city of Grand Junction, it’s about the one thing you didn’t address
I honestly don’t know any other headline I could use as it relates to my feelings on the City of Grand Junction’s reaction to an Op-Ed that ran in the 2/26/25 edition of The Business Times.
Before the sun set and the ink dried on that issue of The Business Times, I received an email from the city with concerns about the contents of the Op-Ed along with what appeared to be a defense of the city’s actions related to the closing, moving and resettling of the homeless resource center from its current location in downtown Grand Junction.
And while I expected some sort of response, it wasn’t this. Then again, perhaps given City Council’s actions in the past several years, maybe it is. After all, responding and doing without listening to the people of Grand Junction seems to be the standard operating procedure.
Making the email response even more confusing, I honestly could not understand just who wrote the response or exactly what office the response came from. My final take? The email, while making fair points here and there in its contents on a few (off) topics, had nothing to do with the focus of the Op-Ed in question.
So let’s start there. This time on topic to what was sent to me.
First off, I do not know who wrote the email. Was it the city manager, the city communications director, the communications director writing on behalf of the city manager or the city manager writing through the communications director? I literally can’t tell. But I’ve always believed when one is writing for oneself, identifying who’s writing the communication is paramount. Same as if you’re writing as a representative of someone else. I’ve read the email dozens of times since its arrival, and I still don’t know, but I do know it’s from the city.
Let it be known here. I am writing as the publisher of The Business Times and as its representative. Period.
So accepting that, let’s address what the email states right off the bat. Here’s the second paragraph:
“Transparency and ethical governance are how the City conducts its business whether in working to address the complex issue of homelessness in our community or otherwise. In the penultimate paragraph of the Feb. 25 Business Times article regarding Homeward Bound, the Business Times staff characterized the City’s consideration of the possible purchase of the property at 2851 North Avenue as 1) for the benefit of Homeward Bound and that the purchase would be unethical; 2) that a decision to buy the property will be without public input and implying that there will be none; and, 3) that the City is without funds to acquire the
property. The characterizations are inaccurate and inappropriate, and the Business Times must correct or retract the same.”
Let me be clear on one point. It was an Op-Ed, not an article, and The Business Times nor its publisher will retract opinion based on random takes or interpretations of Op-Eds or opinion columns. Opinions are written to make folks think – especially when it comes to speaking truth to power. Also, if one wants to speak their opinion related to an Op-Ed or column, one writes a letter to the editor on topic for what was printed – not demand retractions.
So, perhaps that does explain (a little) the email I received. It wasn’t written as a letter to the editor, because whoever wrote it didn’t want to address the focus of the Op-Ed, which was the conflict of interest between HomewardBound and city council members when it came to initially awarding the homeless resource center funding to now purchasing of property for moving the center from its temporary home to a new facility the city is looking to purchase next door to HomewardBound’s current business location.
So, let’s also look at what the city says it’s about. We never said purchasing property for the resource center would be unethical. You did. But entering into negotiations to buy the property next door to HomewardBound certainly appears very concerning at best, again, because when the original contract was awarded, there was no transparency related to the political relationship of the mayor and HomewardBound’s chair.
And in what way does negotiating to buy the property right next to HomewardBound not look like it’s for the benefit of HomewardBound, especially now that council member, candidate and HomewardBound relationships have come to light.
And seriously, the city is literally in negotiations to buy the property without public input. Having any input from citizens after the fact is meaningless.
As for funding, let me help. It’s not in the budget, even though the city knew last year it would need to move the resource center because of complaints and safety concerns. I thought safety was a priority with our city council. Additionally, there are plenty of safety concerns surrounding HomewardBound’s current location from citizens and businesses alike. So, by all means, let’s send more their way?
We’re not saying the city shouldn’t be part of the solution related to the myriad problems caused by the homeless situation in our town. We’re simply saying the city should be transparent and honest. It now appears it hasn’t been from the start with the resource center.
Trying to change the subject won’t hide the elephant in the room. Perhaps the city will address it in its next email.
F
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at (970) 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Innovation Thrives in Freedom
In 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright, bicycle mechanics in Dayton, OH, earned their place in history by inventing, building and flying the world’s first successful airplane. Their invention revolutionized transportation and opened up a new world.
At the same time, the U.S. Army had paid Samuel P. Langley $50,000 to design a flying machine, which crashed in the ocean twice, ending the project. The Langley debacle was one of the first of many government contracts trying to force innovation.
Innovation is the process by which individuals and organizations generate new ideas and put them into practice. Innovation leads to increased productivity and is the foundation of American economic growth and national competitiveness.
“Top Ten American Inventions” posted by the intellectual property law firm of Schmeiser Olsen and Watts LLP on Oct. 4, 2024, included the steam-powered engine, the telephone, the lock-stitch sewing machine, the light bulb, the airplane, the Internet, the electric motor, the microprocessor, the polio vaccine and the personal computer.
Others may hold different opinions as to which inventions should be in the top 10; however, they all have one thing in common: Private individuals or employees of private companies are responsible for these inventions.
Saranya Akharamahaphanit, wrote “Privately Held Companies and the Innovation Edge” on Dec. 9, 2024, in which she said that “all else being equal, privately held companies are in the best position to innovate and gain long-term competitive advantages from these innovations. The first priority of any company, private or public, is to make a profit. Unlike privately held companies, publicly traded companies have a responsibility to their shareholders to show constant growth.”
She gave as an example the reluctance of a public company to invest in innovation projects that may not succeed on the first attempt. Private companies are unencumbered by this and have more strategic freedom.
Akharamahaphanit said one of the biggest advantages privately held companies have is that they can act without having to explain themselves to outside parties. It is easier to get the entire organization on board with a new project much more quickly and efficiently than their publicly traded counterparts.
Privately held companies, who have only themselves to answer to, are often the better vehicles for unfettered growth. There may be a cause and effect. She noted the number of publicly traded companies has
been in steady decline, while the number of new privately held companies continues to grow.
In his October 14, 2023, article, “Are You Free to Innovate?” Eugene Ivanov pointed to freedom as one of the most powerful drivers of innovation. He emphasized that restrictions on liberties have a chilling effect on the corporate innovation process. He said a reasonably strong correlation exists between a country’s ability to innovate and the level of political freedom in the country.
Cecily Tyler seems to agree with Ivanov in her April 2024 article entitled, “What is Innovation? Exploring Public and Private Sectors.”
“The private sector generally seems to be granted more freedom with the capital it has access to when innovating,” she said. “Public sector budgets are subject to more oversight and bureaucracy.”
As the Wright brothers’ invention of the airplane demonstrated, individuals have creative abilities that are waiting to be unleashed. Paying someone to innovate may not be the very best use of public funds, as the failure of Langley’s airplane design exemplifies.
History is replete with examples of great innovators who came from humble beginnings. Bill Gates started a trillion-dollar company in his parent’s garage. Because of the Internet and other technological advancements, individuals have unprecedented access to information. This fact alone empowers and stimulates creative thinkers to innovate.
A plethora of examples of disastrous results from government funding innovation can be found such as Solyndra, Synthetic Fuels Corporation, Clinch River Breeder Reactor and the Superconducting Super Collider.
A common critique of government efforts to spur innovation is that they should not be picking winners and losers. Throwing taxpayer funds at companies to force specific inventions has not proven to be particularly effective.
The most beneficial action any local, state or national government can take is to remove onerous restrictions and excessive taxes that stifle innovation. Those same governments should protect intellectual property rights and enforce contracts.
When governments remove stumbling blocks, innovation can flourish.
F
Phyllis Hunsinger is founder of the Freedom & Responsibility Education Enterprise Foundation in Grand Junction. The FREE Foundation provides resources to students and teachers in Western Colorado to promote the understanding of economics, financial literacy and free enterprise. A former teacher, principal and superintendent, Hunsinger wrote “Down and Dirty: A ‘How To’ Math Book.” Reach Hunsinger by email at phyllis@free-dom.us.com. For more information about the FREE Foundation, log on to www.free-dom.us.com.
Phyllis Hunsinger
Craig Hall
n PROSPACE INTERIORS DONATES $12,500 TO COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY WRESTLING PROGRAM
ProSpace Interiors recently presented a $12,500 check to Colorado Mesa University’s wrestling program during the annual Battle in Brownson dual meet against Western Colorado University.
ProSpace president Dave Huerkamp presented the check to the men’s wrestling program and was joined on the mat by Mike Mendoza, the CMU men’s wrestling head coach, and Vice President of Development and CEO of the CMU Foundation Robin Brown. The funds are designated for a wrestling scholarship.
ProSpace Interiors is a full-service, commercial office and healthcare furniture store in Grand Junction. It specializes in working with clients to create customized workspace solutions for various industries including business, healthcare, education and government.
n DISCOUNTED BLOOD DRAWS AT THE 2025 HEALTH FAIR
Dr. Carolyn Gochee and the Wellington Wellness Clinic will host their annual health fair on Saturday, March 8, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Attendees will dive deep into their health journeys, meet leading healthcare professionals and discover valuable insights that can transform their well-being.
Discounted blood draws will he offered with special pricing available only during the Health Fair. Each participant will receive a comprehensive 20- to 30-page functional health report detailing their results.
Prescheduling blood draws is recommended because availability is limited. It also helps reduce wait times and guarantees a spot at this popular event.
Attendees can learn about specialized services, such as Ortho-Bionomy techniques to alleviate acute and chronic pain. IRLEN screenings will be offered for those experiencing reading and learning difficulties. There will be wellness offerings from practitioners such as: Janelle Maurin for Bowen therapy and Gut Health; Heather Bennigsdorf for acupuncture; Tarna Fuller as an Ayurvedic practitioner; Kat McArthur for lymphatic massage therapy; Danielle Yahn for IV therapy; Kylee Croasum for 20-minute hand massages; and Barb Hedges for EFT sessions.
For more information or to schedule your appointment, contact Dr. Carolyn Gochee at getwell@wellingtonwellness.com or call 970-549-4241.
Wellington Wellness Clinic is located at 2530 N. Eighth St., Suite 206, Grand Junction.
n WOMEN’S NETWORK HOSTING GUT HEALTH WORKSHOP
The Mesa County Women’s Network will host a workshop focused on gut health and well-being, featuring health expert Renee Williams. The workshop will explore the five essential secrets to better gut health and how improving this aspect of your body can positively impact your overall health.
Whether you are looking to reduce bloating, improve your cognition, boost your energy or find a sense of greater balance and joy, this workshop will provide the tools and support to prioritize your well-being. It is designed for individuals interested in exploring practical, natural solutions for achieving a healthier, more vibrant life.
The workshop will take place March 11, 6 to 8 p.m. in the board room of Abstract & Title Company, 2464 Patterson Road, Grand Junction.
The cost is free for members, $35 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, go online to MCWN.US.
n APPLY FOR COLORADO CAPITOL CONFERENCE IN D.C.
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) together with Colorado Mesa University, the University of Colorado and Colorado State University invite all Colorado residents to apply to the Colorado Capital Conference to be held June 24-26 in Washington, D.C.
One hundred Coloradans from a diverse cross-section of the state will be selected through a competitive application process to participate in this bipartisan conference. During the event, they will have an opportunity to hear from and interact with our nation’s leaders in an informal setting.
“It’s never been more important for Coloradans of every stripe to learn more about our federal government and engage in conversation with one another,” CMU President John Marshall said. “The Colorado Capital Conference is unique, and our nation is begging for citizens to get engaged and find common ground. No matter your party affiliation or geography, we hope all Coloradans apply to join us in Washington, D.C., next summer.”
All applications must be received no later than March 7. Conference participants will be announced by March 19. Participants are responsible for their own accommodations (at a group rate) and airfare.
There is a $650 registration fee, which covers most meals and conference materials. Guests are welcome to participate in evening events for a prepaid fee of $200.
For more information about the conference or to apply, visit www.coloradomesa.edu/capital-conference.
n EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT WEBINAR TO ADDRESS HR ISSUES
Express Employment of Grand Junction is offering a free webinar to help business leaders understand Colorado and federal human resources laws, regulations and hot-topic issues affecting personnel operations.
The March 25 webinar will take place from 11 a.m. to noon and include three senior policy advisors from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. It will focus on understanding the Colorado FAMLI (Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance) Act.
There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation, but Express Employment is collecting questions in advance. Send your questions no later than March 15 to Stacey Mascarenas at stacey.mascarenas@expresspros.com.
n WYOMING U.S. REP TO SPEAK AT LINCOLN DAY DINNER
The Mesa County Republican Women’s Lincoln Day Dinner this year will feature U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) as keynote speaker.
The event will take place March 22, 5 p.m., at the Clifton Community Center.
Hageman recently co-sponsored a bill to permanently move the BLM Headquarters to Grand Junction. She will be joined on stage by 3rd Congressional District Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO).
The Lincoln Day Dinner is an annual tradition celebrating Lincoln’s enduring principles of unity, freedom, and perseverance. It is open to the public, and tickets may be purchased at mesacountyrepublicanwomen.com.
For more information, contact mesacountyrepublicanwomen@gmail.com.
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Hickenlooper University of residents 24-26 in cross-section of the process event, they our nation’s every stripe to another,” unique, and our matter your Washington, participants will accommodations materials. apply, visit
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