WBC Board approves several strategic loans, contracts, and reports for community and statewide development.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) Board of Directors concluded its quarterly meeting virtually this week, approving strategic investments and outlining a bold vision to confront the state’s most pressing economic challenges.
CEO Josh Dorrell opened the meeting by detailing the WBC’s strategic shift since 2020. Moving beyond broad project funding, the Council now acts as a collaborative catalyst, concentrating on high-impact investments that dismantle barriers to growth.
“We’ve really looked at how we take our investments and unlock growth not necessarily for the nice-to-haves but for the have-to-haves in order to make sure that we’re doing what it takes at a local level to inspire that growth,” Dorrell said.
Building the Foundation for Growth
The WBC is actively working with communities to address “binding constraints” like restrictive housing regulations and infrastructure gaps. These efforts are powered by the Economic Growth Flywheel, a framework ensuring every state dollar invested drives long-term community development.
Programs that have not delivered results have been discontinued, while those that address core economic issues have been refined for greater impact. Current WBC investments are already generating an estimated $30 million in annual economic impact.
While acknowledging successes, Dorrell was candid about the myths surrounding Wyoming’s economy. Addressing data on shrinking wages and youth out-migration, he emphasized that while current efforts are leveraging state dollars better than ever, the scale of the challenge requires even bolder action.
“The things that we’re doing today are good. The things that we’re doing are leveraging state dollars better than we’ve ever done in the past. The things that we understand about the problem, we know it better than we’ve ever known it. But we also know that it’s not enough,” Dorrell said.
Board Actions and Approvals
The WBC Board took the following actions during the Dec. 17 meeting:
- Investments: Approved a 50/50 Loan (in partnership with First Federal Bank & Trust of Sheridan) for Newman Restoration & Cleaning, and a Succession Loan (in partnership with First Northern Bank of Buffalo) for Mountain West Valuations, LLC.
- Operations: Accepted the Q1 FY26 Financial Report and FY 25 Financial Audit, ensuring continued transparency and fiscal responsibility.
- Services: Approved contracts with CTC Technology and Energy and an amendment with Silicon Couloir.
- The team also shared their vision for the future, with Entrepreneurial Development Manager Taylor Vignaroli noting, “Opportunity is not accidental. It is something we create, we give, or are given. We can create opportunity through the choices we make today. And I believe it is a responsibility of those in a position of leadership to expand opportunity, especially for those whose voices are not always heard.”
- Strategy: Approved contract extensions with the Harvard Growth Lab, Building State Capabilities, and Eric Protzer to continue using world-class data to inform Wyoming’s economic blueprint.
