Last week, participants in the Leadership Colorado program loaded up a bus and spent two action-packed days learning about impactful industries on the western side of the state. In Parachute, Terra Energy Partners brought the group to tour natural gas well pads, learned about the
sustainability practices they employ that are some of the strongest in the industry, and Ed Sealover led a discussion on the post-legislative session oil & gas regulation outcomes. In Grand Junction, participants chose to take an aviation tour with West Star Aviation and the Grand Junction Regional Airport, learning about workforce development and burgeoning air access for new businesses to come and thrive in that area, or took a manufacturing tour with Coorstek, Innovative Textiles, and Reynolds Polymer, learning how they are constantly innovating to produce even better products.
Leadership Colorado partnered with The Go Game, a technology-fueled teambuilding company that took participants on a scavenger hunt to discover and interact with many downtown small businesses and broke down barriers to discover deeper and more meaningful relationships between participants.
Candace Carnahan (CEO, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce) hosted a delicious regional-inspired dinner at Redlands Mesa Golf Club, where she spoke about the Grand Junction business climate and their important contributions to the Colorado economy.
The cohort capped off the program by visiting Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs where they took a historical cave tour and learned about the fascinating business of running a seasonal theme park attraction.
Thank you to our program hosts at Terra Energy Partners, The Go Game, Coorstek, Innovative Textiles, Reynolds Polymer, West Star Aviation, Grand Junction Regional Airport, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, Redlands Mesa Golf Club, and Two Step Total Transportation Worldwide for making this an unforgettable program on the Western Slope!
Looking back on the program, participants said:
“I loved learning about the businesses in the western slope. As business leaders, we should know more about businesses outside of Denver and the impact they’re making in our economy. Prior to the program, I wasn’t aware of the high-tech companies and how big a part the gas industry was to the economy of that area.”
“Surprisingly, my favorite part was participating in The Go Game, which taught me subtle lessons about taking on leadership roles and being bold in decision-making. Oh, and it was really fun too.”
“ALL the manufacturing tours on the last day were great. The passion and ingenuity they have for their business and the market they sell to is
palpable. They are utilizing some technology that has been around for decades but using it in a new way or for a new market opportunity. Their drive to do better was apparent…whether that was utilizing new tooling/machinery for minimizing scrap (ProLine/Innovative Textiles) or brainstorming how to get VERY large pieces of acrylic across the world (Reynolds) or maximizing output while producing high(er) quality parts (CoorsTek), it was so cool to see in action!”
“Terra Energy – great tour with lots of information. Continue to focus on the great work you do for the state, the safety regulations you have in place already and what we can do as business leaders to support your efforts.”
“I and many other people were fascinated by the West Star Aviation tour and was glad I got to see planes being painted and refurbished, which put the business into proper perspective. I was glad we got to ask questions in a classroom setting to leaders of the company and the Grand Junction Airport. It was very clear they were proud of their top-ranked services. It was interesting to learn that a global leader in their industry calls the Western Slope home. It was amazing that they offer such a broad range of services, from mechanical repairs to exterior painting. Thank you for taking the time to give some insight into such an interesting industry!”
