Wyoming Business Images 2014

8/12/2019 Wyoming Business Images 2014

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http://www.laramiewy.org/http://www.wyocoffey.com/http://www.wyomingstatebank.com/


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http://www.wysheridanworks.com/


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Cheyenne

Cheyenne LEADS, the Cheyenne-Laramie County Corporation

or Economic Development, are specialists in producing businessopportunity by encouraging strong capital investment anddiversified economy in the community.

21 W. 15th St., Ste. 304 | Cheyenne, WY 82001 | (307) 638-6000 | (800) 255-0742 | www.cheyenneleads.org

Downtown Cheyenne Development Authority/Main Streetfocuses on developingdowntown Cheyenne with promotions for merchants, programs for business and propertyowners, and ongoing production of events to Cheyenne a true attraction for both localsand tourists.

1601 Capitol Ave. | Cheyenne, WY 82001 | (307) 433-9730 | www.downtowncheyenne.com

The Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerceis the voice for business.The chamber represents Cheyenne businesses on a local, state and federalevel; focusing on growth of military presence and assistance in businessegulation. The chamber unites the business community with monthlynformative luncheons, networking events and numerous committees.

21 W. 15th St., Ste. 204 | Cheyenne, WY 82001 | (307) 638-3388 | www.cheyennechamber.org

Visit Cheyennepromotes Laramie County as a vacation and meeting destination,providing travelers the information they need to create a memorable experience.

Visit Cheyenne also provides leadership in promoting and developing the areastravel industry, increasing visitor spending and growing the economy.

21 W. 15th St., Ste. 202 | Cheyenne, WY 82001 | (307) 778-3133 | (800) 426-5009 | www.cheyenne.org

The City of Cheyenneis a progressive community from its rough and tumble beginnings in867 when the population consisted of 600 construction workers, entrepreneurs and campollowers. Cheyenne has grown to 61,000 residents. Today, the community offers a wide variety

of recreational, cultural and diverse opportunities for everyone who lives in and visits ourommunity. Cheyenne A Community of Choice.

101 ONeil Ave. | Cheyenne, WY 82001 | (307) 637-6200 | www.cheyennecity.org
http://www.cheyenneleads.org/http://www.downtowncheyenne.com/http://www.cheyennechamber.org/http://www.cheyenne.org/http://www.cheyennecity.org/http://www.cheyennecity.org/http://www.cheyenne.org/http://www.cheyennechamber.org/http://www.downtowncheyenne.com/http://www.cheyenneleads.org/


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BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/WYOMING||3

14

20

10

2014 EDITION | VOLUME 6

11BUSINESS CLIMATE

ROCK SOLIDBusinesses choose state forstable, growing environment

14OUTDOOR PRODUCTS

GETTING

IN GEARWyomings business climate,natural attractions drawoutdoor equipment companies

20DATA

DATA DRIVENWyoming draws big datacenter investment withmild weather, low taxes

and favorable energy costs

CONTENTS

18EXPORTS

SPANNINGTHE GLOBE

26ENERGYALL IN

30TRANSPORTATION

EARTH MOVERS

34EDUCATION

BRAIN STORMERS

5 OVERVIEW

6 DISCOVER

33 ECONOMIC PROFILE

38HEALTH

TREATED WELL

40LIVABILITY

AT HOME ONTHE RANGE

44BEER

CRAFT MOVEMENT

ON THE COVER

The sun lights up Mirror Lake

in Medicine Bow-Routt National

Forest near Laramie.

Photo by Jeff Adkins

WYOMINGBUSINESS IMAGES


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4 ||WYOMING BUSINESS IMAGES

SPONSORED BY THE WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL | 2014

Rock SolidBusinesses choose state for stable,growing environment

Exports give a boostto the states economyand companies

Wyoming powers upin coal, oil, gas, and

wind transmissionand research

businessclimate.com/wyoming


InnovationWyomings deep rosterof research assets fuelnew discoveries

ManufacturingManufacturers take advantageof Wyomings low cost ofdoing business

EnergyWyomings diverse energyportfolio helps power the nation

OnlineWhats on businessclimate.com/wyoming

TabletTake Wyoming with you witha digital edition availablefor tablet viewing.

Twitter

Keep updated andinformed on the latestreal-time news,developmentsand information.

Demographics

Drill down on thenumbers behindWyomings powerhouseeconomy with a full setof statistics and data.

Top Industries

Learn about keyindustry sectors andtop companies thatmake the state work.

Photo Gallery & Videos

See unique faces, spaces andplaces presented in a whole newway courtesy of our team ofaward-winning photographers.

VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF CONTENT |BILL McMEEKIN

EDITOR |EMILY McMACKINCONTRIBUTING WRITERS |MARC ACTON, NAN BAUROTH,PAMELA COYLE, JOHN FULLER, BILL LEWIS,

STEPHANIE VOZZA, GARY WOLLENHAUPT,

ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER |RAVEN PETTYCOPY EDITOR |JESSICA WALKER BOEHMSTAFF WRITER |KEVIN LITWINLEAD DESIGNER |KACEY PASSMORESENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS |STACEY ALLIS,LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, JAKE SHORES,

VIKKI WILLIAMS

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS |JACKIE CIULLA, LINDSEY HIGGINS,MATT WEST

CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY ANALYST |BECCA ARYLEAD PHOTOGRAPHER |MICHAEL TEDESCOSENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS |JEFF ADKINS, BRIAN McCORDSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS |MICHAEL CONTI, WENDY JO OBARR,FRANK ORDOEZ

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN |ALISON HUNTEREXECUTIVE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER |DESHAUN GOODRICH

SALES SUPPORT PROJECT MANAGER |SARA QUINTSALES SUPPORT COORDINATOR |CHRISTINA MORGANAD PRODUCTION MANAGER |KATIE MIDDENDORFAD TRAFFIC ASSISTANTS |KRYSTIN LEMMON,PATRICIA MOISAN

WEB PROJECT MANAGER |DAVID DAYWEB DEVELOPER I |NELS NOSEWORTHYWEB DESIGNER II |RICHARD STEVENSDIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER |JILL RIDENOURDIGITAL PRODUCTS DESIGNER |ERICA LAMPLEY

CHAIRMAN |GREG THURMANPRESIDENT/PUBLISHER |BOBSCHWARTZMANEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT |RAY LANGENSENIOR V.P./SALES |TODD POTTERSENIOR V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT |JEFF HEEFNERSENIOR V.P./OPERATIONS |CASEY HESTERSENIOR V.P./JOURNAL DIGITAL |MICHAEL BARBERV.P./SALES |JAREK SWEKOSKYV.P./CONTENT OPERATIONS |NATASHA LORENSMEDIA TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR |CHRISTINA CARDENPHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR |JEFFREY S. OTTOWEB SERVICES DIRECTOR |ALLISON DAVISCONTROLLER |CHRIS DUDLEYSENIOR ACCOUNTANT |LISA OWENSACCOUNTS PAYABLE COORDINATOR |MARIA McFARLANDACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE COORDINATOR |DIANA GUZMANIT DIRECTOR |DANIEL CANTRELLEXECUTIVE SECRETARY |KRISTY GILESHUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER |PEGGY BLAKE

Wyoming Business Images is published annually byJournal Communications Inc. and is distributed throughWyoming Business Council.

For advertising information or to direct questions or commentsabout the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at(615) 771-0080 or by email at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Wyoming Business Council214 W. 15th St.Cheyenne, WY 82002Phone: (307) 777-2800

VISIT WYOMING BUSINESS IMAGESONLINE AT

BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/WYOMING

Copyright 2014 Journal Communications Inc.,725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazinemay be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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Please recycle this magazine.

2014 EDITION VOLUME 6

http://www.businessclimate.com/wyomingmailto:[email protected]://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.jnlcom.com/http://www.businessclimate.com/wyomingmailto:[email protected]


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DiscoverWyoming

TRAINING LEADERSTHROUGH NATURE

A Wyoming-based nonprofitorganization uses the outdoors as aclassroom. The National OutdoorLeadership School has more than48 years of experience in wildernesseducation, taking students of all ageson remote expeditions and teachingthem technical outdoor skills,leadership and environmental ethics.

The organization offers challengingcourses ranging from 10 days to

a full academic year t hat teachstudents to lead others in ruggedoutdoor environments usinga hands-on approach.

NOLSoffers courses inbackpacking, canoeing, caving,mountaineering, rafting, skiingand fly fishing, all with the goalof improving skills in such areasas leadership, decision making,communication, tolerance foradversity, vision and action, and

overall competence. A core partof the program includes studiesin land resource managementand protection, sustainability ofecological, social, and economicsystems, and wilderness ethicsand practices for everyday life.

NOLS, the largest back countrypermit holder in the U.S., runscourses from 14 locations worldwide,ranging from the Tetons in Wyomingto destinations such as Mexico and

East Africa. More than 120,000students have graduated from theNOLS program.

SIGNATURE BUSINESS



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Students in Wyoming build valuable life

skills through educational programs offered

by The National Outdoor Leadership School.



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555 General Brees Rd.Laramie, WY 82070(307) 742-4164www.laramieairport.com

Shovel ready building sitesavailable in our Airport Business Park

http://www.laramieairport.com/http://www.firstinterstate.com/http://www.laramieairport.com/


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GEAR UP AND HEAD TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Wyomings annua l hunting competitions are a unique part of the states outdoorexperience, and serve as major tourism draws and fundraising opportunities.

The One Shot Antelope Hunt(oneshotantelopehunt.com) in Lander is held onthe opening day of antelope season and includes eight three-man teams that take partin a one-day hunt. Each person gets only one shot during the entire day.

In Goshen County, the 2Shot Goose Hunt(2shotgoose.com) takes place thesecond Saturday of December. The hunt draws about 40 teams, each consisting oftwo hunters who are allowed two shots each to bag their geese. The hunt is a majorfundraising initiative that supports programs in Goshen County and Wyoming.

In Hulett, the Old West Invitational Turkey Shoot(oldwestturkeyshoot.com)is set for May 8-10, 2014. The weekend includes Annie Oakley competitions, golfand dinners, and serves as a fundraiser for Wyoming Wildlife The Foundationand the Greater Hulett Community Center.

In Cody, the Shooting Industry Masters(shootingindustry.com/masters)

is a competition that consists of handgun, rif le and shotgun events. The event, heldon July 19-20, 2013, drew 313 competitors and 74 industry partners, and raiseda record $81,250 for shooting programs.

FROM ASH COMES GOLD

Trona, a naturally occurring mineral, is the raw material that is refined into

soda ash or bicarbonate of soda, ingredients used in glass making, chemicals,paper goods production, water treatment, and in detergents and baking soda. And

Wyoming has lots of it, supplying about 90 percent of the nations soda ash supply.

The Wyoming Mining Association says the state produced 17 million tons of trona in2011, and the industry employs more than 2,200 people. Wyoming exported more than$61.4 billion of the product in 2012, its largest single export category.

Sweetwater County lays claim to the title Trona Capital of the World. The tronaindustry in Sweetwater can be traced to discoveries in the late 1930s during oiland gas exploration, with the first mine shaft excavated in 1946.

A number of companies have operations i n Sweetwater County relat ed to trona,

with perhaps the best known being Church & Dwight, producer of Arm & Hammerhousehold products. The company built its sodium bicarbonate plant in GreenRiver in 1967 to take advantage of the natural soda ash reserves in the area.

STATE AIDS INFAST GROWTTH

Wyoming prov ides anideal environment for

entrepreneurial growth,marrying its advancedbroadband infrastructure,research assets like the

University of Wyomingand Western Research

Institute, supportservices, low business

costs and quality of life.

The states success incultivating entrepreneurialcompanies can be found inthe 2013Inc.5000 list of

the fastest-growing privatecompanies in the U.S.

Cracking the top 100was WellDog, a Laramie-based company that offers

technical services to helpenergy operators aroundthe world reduce greenhousegas emissions, preserve

water resources andimprove safety.

WellDog gener ated athree-year growth rate inrevenues of 3,758 percent,

making it the 88th fastest-growing company on thelist.Inc.listed WellDog'srevenues in 2012 at

$8 million.

Another entrant was

Information Systems

Consulting Inc., inCasper, a provider of

advanced technologysolutions. The companyachieved a three-year

revenue growt h rate of71 percent and its 2012revenue was $61 million.

5.8People per square mile

in Wyoming, compared

to the U.S. average of 87.4

BIG STAT

WHOS HER E

THINGS TO DO

MADE HERE

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http://www.goshenwyo.com/


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Wyoming may be known as

the Equality State, but its

head and shoulders above

most of the other 49 whenit comes to doing business.

In fact, there are three

compelling reasons to locate and grow a business

in Wyoming, says Bob Jensen, president and CEO

of the Wyoming Business Council.

First, the overall cost of doing business is lower

than a lmost any other state, he says. Second, its

easy to get things done here. We have easy access to

elected officials and staff in counties. We know each

other and work well together. And third, and most

important, is Wyoming s regulatory environment.

We have a stable, conservative government and a

stable fiscal picture.

What Makes Wyoming Different

Wyoming is well ma naged, Jensen says. From

a fiscal standpoint, the state has no deficit, whichmakes it unnecessary to raise taxes on business

to cover budget shortfalls.

We try to be as accommodating as possible,

Jensen says. We have rules thats necessary but

were consistent. We dont change things on a whim.

Were business friendly, and that translates into less

risk and less cost doing business.

Wyomi ng doesnt have a corporate income t ax ,

nor does it have an individual income tax. Its sales and

property taxes are low, and there isnt an inventory tax.

Any tax you can think of is going to be lower here

than almost any other state, Jensen says. The

reason is because were an energy-producing state,

Rock

Solid

BUSINESS CLIMATE

STABLE FISCAL AND REGULATORYENVRIONMENT GIVES WYOMING

A WINNING COMBINATIONFOR BUSINESS

By Stephanie Vozza


14/54


and we have a number of companies extracting

minerals from our state.

The taxes related to those activities strike a

balance between recognizing the loss of value to the

state and keeping that ta xation low enough that it

encourages development of resources, Jensen says.

Were a huge producer of energy to the rest of the

nation, and that production enables tax structuresthat are favorable to businesses, he says.

Declare Wyoming

As a way to help businesses understand they

can declare freedom and independence within

the parameters of the governance of business,

the Wyoming Business Council created the

Declare Wyoming campaign.

You can run your business in Wyoming the

way you intend to run it without fear of regulatory

burdens, Jensen says. We wanted to get the word

out, and the campaign continues to resonate with a

lot of businesses.

Wyomings stable regulatory environment gives the state

a decided business advantage.

Learn more about why businesses choose Wyoming at

businessclimate.com/wyoming

STAFF PHOTO BYMichael Tedesco

Jensen says his office has fielded numerous

inquiries because of the campaign: Its not just

recruitment, he says. Its a celebration of

Wyomings existing businesses. Theyre here

on purpose because of our business climate.

L&H Industrial, a Gillette-based company that

designs and manufactures aftermarket parts for

mining shovels, draglines and drills, has more than50 years of history in Wyoming.

The benefits of Wyoming are the people, says

L&H President Mike Wandler, who participated in the

Declare Wyoming testimonial campaign. We have

a great staf f, especially tradesmen. Theres a strong

work ethic in Wyoming. L&H is here to stay. Wyoming

has been great to us and continues to be an ideal place

to have your company and corporate headquarters.

Focus on Sectors

Wyoming is an energ y production state, with the

economy fueled in part by the energy and mineral

industries companies that Jensen calls good

corporate citizens. His office is also interested

in recruiting the dig ital industry, with more data

centers and Internet-related companies.

A number of data centers have grown up here

and expanded, he says. Some come from outside,

such as Microsoft, Echostar and Dish Network.

These digital industries are taking advantage of

low power costs and our high-capacity broadband.

Theyve found our great climate to help lower overall

costs for their operations. Weve got some highvisibility successes, and we hope they bring others.

To attract these high-tech employers, the

Wyoming Business Council works closely with

the University of Wyoming, as well as the states

community colleges, to offer the right curriculum.

The Business Council also helps existing employers

keep employees skills up to date through its

workforce training f und.

Not only are we working on the front end to

ensure that our students are workforce ready, were

also helping facilitate specific skill set training,

Jensen says.

A Great Place to Live

And Wyoming offers a g reat quality of life.

Were a small state the least-populated state,

Jensen says. We have a terrific outdoor lifestyle. If

youre interested in a relatively rural environment,

enjoy the ease of getting around town, and like to

know your neighbors and make a difference in the

community, you can get that done in Wyoming.
http://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyoming


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They Are the Champions

The Wyoming Business Council is a champion for small business,

according to the National Coalition for Capital. The NCFC awardedthe Bus iness Council its Champion of Small Bus iness Award in

August 2013. NCFC cited the states economic development and

government leaders who demonstrate leadership in supporting

policies and initiatives designed to promote access to capital for

small businesses and entrepreneurs. Among the initiatives of fered

are a variety of loan programs and Industrial Development Bonds,

as well as the Wyoming Small Business Investment Credit Program

and the Wyoming Partnership Challenge Loan Program. All of these

programs help the Business Council reach its overall economic

development goals.

Declare Your Independence, Declare Wyoming says a new campaign

by the Wyoming Business Council, launched in an effort to recruit outdoor

products manufacturing and supply-chain companies to the state. Using

a combination of national print advertising and social media marketing,

the Declare Wyoming campaign centers around video testimonials of some

of Wyomings existing business owners who have proudly declared their

independence in Wyoming. The campaign is rooted in conversations with

business owners who have thrived in Wyoming, as well as those who have

either relocated their business to Wyoming or who are seriously considering

it. Learn more atwww.declarewyoming.com.

Declare Wyoming

Tax Foundation Best States for Business

Source: U.S. BEA

Source: Tax Foundation Best States for Business Climate, 2013

2009:$34.43billion

2010:$36.46billion

2011:$38.19billion

2012:$38.42billion

Wyoming GDP

Source: Pollina Corporate Real Estate, 2013

POLLINA TOP

PRO-BUSINESS STATES

1. Utah

2. Nebraska

3. North Dakota

4. Virginia

5. Wyoming

1. Wyoming

2. South Dakota

3. Nevada

4. Alaska

5. Florida
http://www.declarewyoming.com/http://www.declarewyoming.com/http://www.declarewyoming.com/


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GETTINGIN GEAR

WYOMINGS BUSINESS CLIMATE,NATURAL ATTRACTIONS DRAW

OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT COMPANIES

OUTDOOR PRODUCTS

For manufacturers of outdoor

equipment f rom firear msand optics to gear and clothing

having a Wyoming address is good

business. Its also a great lifestyle.

I can be in the mountains in 10

minutes, says Mike Lilygren, one of the principals

of Lander-based Bridge Outdoors, a manufacturer

of outerwear, outdoor equipment and accessories.

The company also offers a custom-branded line

with each customers own logo on the products.

Beyond Wyomings tax advantages and low cost

of living, I have access to outdoor recreation and

an outdoor lifestyle, he says.

At Grouse Wing Camo, owner Carlos Gonzales

constantly field tests the innovative camouflage

products made by his company for hunters andother outdoor enthusiasts.

Thats what its all about in Wyoming. Outdoor

recreation, Gonzales says.

The Lander-based company sells clothing, dried

food, outdoor cutlery and hunting equipment. Grouse

Wing s breakthrough camouf lage design is based on

the pattern of a grouses wing.

I got a nice five-point buck on my last hunt. I do

every year, he says.

Well Equipped

A Wyoming address helps Grouse Wing stand out

in a competitive industry. Demand for authentic

By Bill Lewis



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Outdoor product manufacturers like Mike

Lilygren of Bridge Outdoors choose Wyomingfor its business incentives and lifestyle.

STAFF PHOTOS BYMichael Tedesco BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/WYOMING||15


18/54

VISIT OUR

ADVERTISERSCasper Area Economic Developmentwww.casperworks.biz

Cheyenne LEADSwww.cheyenneleads.org

First Interstate Bankwww.firstinterstatebank.com

Goshen County EconomicDevelopment Corporationwww.goshenwyo.com

Jackson Hole Airportwww.jacksonholeairport.com

Laramie County Community Collegewww.lccc.wy.edu

Laramie Economic Developmentwww.laramiewy.org

Laramie Regional Airportwww.laramieairport.com

Powder River Energy Corporationwww.precorp.coop

Rocky Mountain Powerwww.rockymountainpower.com

Sheridan CountyChamber of Commercewww.sheridanwyomingchamber.org

University of Wyomingwww.uwyo.edu

Wyoming Business Councilwww.wyomingbusiness.org

Wyoming State Energy Office

www.wyomingbusiness.org/program/energy-wise-wyoming/1153

http://www.casperworks.biz/http://www.cheyenneleads.org/http://www.firstinterstatebank.com/http://www.goshenwyo.com/http://www.jacksonholeairport.com/http://www.lccc.wy.edu/http://www.lccc.wy.edu/http://www.laramiewy.org/http://www.laramieairport.com/http://www.precorp.coop/http://www.rockymountainpower.com/http://www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org/http://www.uwyo.edu/http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/program/energy-wise-wyoming/1153http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/program/energy-wise-wyoming/1153mailto:%[email protected]://www.wyomingenergy.org/http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/program/energy-wise-wyoming/1153http://www.wyomingbusiness.org/http://www.uwyo.edu/http://www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org/http://www.rockymountainpower.com/http://www.precorp.coop/http://www.laramieairport.com/http://www.laramiewy.org/http://www.lccc.wy.edu/http://www.jacksonholeairport.com/http://www.goshenwyo.com/http://www.firstinterstatebank.com/http://www.cheyenneleads.org/http://www.casperworks.biz/


19/54

outdoor products is growing, and what

could be more authentic than gear made

in a state whose name is synonymous

with outdoor adventure, Gonzales asks.

I call it the Nike mentality, he says.

People want to have the right gear.

Gonzales is a Wyoming native. Mikeand Kristy Jones moved to the state in

2007 from Portland, Ore., when Mike

Jones worked for another company.

In May 2013, they decided Wyoming

was the perfect location for their new

business, Fremont Knives.

Wyomi ng offers distinct advanta ges

for a startup businesses, including

grants for trade shows, low taxes and a

probusiness climate, Mike Jones says.

His company produces folders

pocket knives made in the UnitedStates and the Farson blade, a modern,

stainless steel survival tool inspired by a

tool used by the inhabitants of the Great

Red Desert near Farson. It can be made

into a hatchet, chop kindling, skin a n

animal or chop onions for dinner.

Basing the company in Wyoming wa s

both a business and a personal decision.

We make products used by western

outdoors people, our target consumers,

Jones says. And we love Wyoming. It

fits. Its our lifestyle.

Wyomi ng offers a nother a dva ntage

for outdoor manufacturers. The states

central location in the West makes it easy

to ship products anywhere. Lilygren at

Bridge Outdoors says it is more efficient

and cost effective to distribute products

from Lander than from large cities on

the West Coast. The company ships to

retailers and direct to consumers.

Efficient logistics are important to

Grouse Wing Camo as well. Gonzalessays the company has a growing customer

base in Pennsylvania and other Eastern

markets. Outdoorsmen cant af ford

to waste days waiting for their orders

to arrive during hunting season.

Favorable Business Climate

Tax advantages, a favorable business

environment a nd unmatched mountain

views brought HiViz Shooting Systems

to Laramie. The company relocated

from Colorado.

HiViz Shooting Systems ma nufactures

light-gathering sights, recoil pads and

accessories for the shooting industry.

HiViz considered Wyomings tax

advantages for the business and its

employees, resources available through

the University of Wyoming, and a favorable

location with a beautiful view of the

Snowy Range mountains to the west,says President and CEO Phillip Howe.

The decision to relocate the company

was difficult, and choosing the proper

location was essential to our continued

growth within the industry, Howe says.

The fine people with the Wyoming

Business Council and the Laramie

Economic Development Corp. worked

diligently to accommodate our needs and

make us feel welcome. We look forward

to settling into our new home in the

firearm-friendly state of Wyoming.The companys relocation is rooted in

Colorados tightening of its gun control

laws. HiViz announced in spring 2013

that it would seek a new location more

supportive of its products and customers.

And t heres one more benefit for

outdoor manufacturers in Wyoming,

says Bridge Outdoors Lilygren.

Being in Wyoming also has marketing

advantages. It means more to our customers

to be a real Wyoming-based company,

he says. The first item in our mission

statement says we have to be in Wyoming.

Fremont Knives, also based in Wyoming, makes

pocket knives and the Farson-blade survival tool.

BIG AS ALLOUTDOORS

Outdoor

recreation

generates

$646billion

in consumer

spending and 6.1

million direct jobs

in the U.S.

$4.5billion

Consumer

spending onoutdoor recreation

in Wyoming

50,000Direct jobs in the

state from outdoor

recreation

Source: Outdoor

Industry Association



20/54

Spanning

the Globe

EXPORTS

WYOMINGEXPORTSGIVE ABOOST TOTHE STATESECONOMY,

COMPANIES

W

hile being home on the

range is great, the state is

making a name for itself

well outside its borders.

Exports by Wyoming

businesses totaled

$1.4 billion in 2012, and over the past five years,exports have grown by more than 30 percent.

Wyoming is one of 11 states that saw double-digit

growth from 2011 to 2012.

The states major exports include chemicals,

machinery, oil and gas products, and minerals. More

than 63,000 Wyoming jobs a re tied to international

trade, and nearly 20 percent of all manufacturing

workers depend on exports for their jobs.

Export Training

Many efforts are being spearheaded by theWyoming Business Council, a state agency t hat

facilitates economic growt h.

A relatively new program, Wyoming ExporTech,

is administered through t he Business Council

and helps smaller companies that want to get

into international trade. Over the past t wo years,

Wyoming ExporTech has worked with 11 local

companies, and many of them are seeing newor expanded export activity.

We are interested in providing a value-added

service to companies in the state. We have been able

to assist companies with targeting foreign ma rkets

for their products, says Cindy Garretson-Weibel,

agribusiness director for the Wyoming Business

Council and Wyoming Ex porTech program manager.

A gra nt from the Small Business Administrations

State Trade Ex port Promotion program helped

Wyomi ng businesses of fset ExporTech t rai ning

costs. Wyoming ExporTech was conducted in part

by the Business Council, Manufacturing-Works andthe Wyoming Small Business Development Center.

By John Fuller

TOP EXPORT DESTINATIONS

Canada

$330 million

Australia

$136.7 million

Brazil

$118 million

Indonesia

$101 million

Chile

$73 million



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A lot of what we do is training; we have found

this not only helps them in product development

and marketing overseas, but even enhances their

domestic market plans, Garretson-Weibel says.

Tom Balding, owner of Tom Balding Bits

& Spurs in Sheridan, is a graduate of the Wyoming

ExporTech program. His company makes bits

and spurs used by the equine industry.For several years, we had considered exporting,

but we didnt have all of the tools and know-how

to do it, he says.

Balding says he is seeing some early results from

the program and has added customers.

Bruce King, chief executive officer, of AristaTek

in Laramie, says the Wyoming ExporTech program

helps his company focus on the right international

customers for his business. AristaTek has developed

a software program to assist first responders in

dealing with hazardous materials incidents.

While we have done limited exporting, it has not

been a focus of the company, and we decided it was

time to direct more effort in that area, King says.

ExporTech Boosts Wyoming Trade

Larry Stewart, an ExporTech program manager

and director of Manufacturing-Works, says Wyoming

ExporTech helps companies look at their products

or services and match them to overseas markets.

Manufacturing-Works provides business and

technical assistance, engineering solutions,

marketing advice and financial counseling.The Business Council also helps Wyoming

companies get insurance gua rantees and export

funding through Ex port-Import Bank programs.

Another prog ram is the U.S. Agriculture

Departments Market Access Program, which gives

food producers technical assistance in exporting.

In 2012, Jessen Wheat Co. in Pine Bluffs became

the first U.S. wheat producer to export organic proso

millet and wheat to China.

The Wyoming Ex porTech program also offered

ideas for Sue Osborn, a principal at Sheridan-based

EMIT Technologies.We had already been doing some exporting, but

we feel the ExporTech program helped us enhance

our export business, says Osborn, whose company

makes catalysts and other emission control products

used in the natural gas and other industries.

Peggy Drury, owner of Crazy Woman Water Co.

in Buffa lo, says she received expert advice on her

overall business plan from the training, which could

lead to an expansion of her artesian bottled water

product into Canada in the near future.

They helped me understand the mechanics of theexport business, Drury says.

Bruce King, CEO of AristaTek, uses the ExporTech program

to focus on expanding to international customers.

Japan

$59 million

Mexico

$56 million

Netherlands

$45 million

Venezuela

$43 million

Thailand

$42 million

STAFF PHOTO BYMichael Tedesco BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/WYOMING||19


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DATADRIVEN

WYOMING DRAWS BIG DATA CENTERINVESTMENT WITH MILD WEATHER,

LOW TAXES AND FAVORABLE

ENERGY COSTS

EVAPORATED COOLING

AND WIND-GENERATED

POWER HELP DATA CENTERS

RUN EFFICIENTLY AND

CONTROL COSTS

WYOMING OFFERS DATA

COMPANIES ENERGY CREDIT

PROGRAMS AND COST-

REDUCTION GRANTS TO

SUPPORT GROWTH

THE STATES LOCATION AWAY

FROM SEVERE WEATHER

AND ITS COOL, DRY CLIMATE

IS MAJOR DRAW FOR DATA

CENTER DEVELOPERS

DATA


23/54


24/54


Plentiful, fast

broadband,

coupled with low

energy costs and

cool, dry weather,

make Wyoming

a powerful draw for data center

investment. Low tax rates and

a portfolio of incentives add to

the states attractiveness.

The combination has put theCowboy State on the leading edge

of data center development, with

Microsoft considering an expansion

to its new $112 million data center,

and the new National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Research Wyoming

Supercomputing Center seeing

a big demand from researchers.

Home-grown companies are

expanding, too. Cheyenne-based

Green House Data partnered with

New Jersey-based 1547 Critical

Systems on a 35,000-square-foot

expansion that will more than

triple its state footprint when it

opens in spring 2014.

Green House Data, which

also has co-location centers in

Portland, Ore., and Newark, N.J.,

needed more room and checked

out San Jose, Calif., Chicago and

Dallas, as well as sites in Iowa and

Nebraska. It stayed in Wyoming.

We were running out of space,says Shawn Mills, Green House

president. We would not have

expanded in Wyoming if the

government entities werent

favorable to entrepreneurs and

high-growth companies and

focused on growing business.

Robust State Incentives

A renewable energy cred it

program is the newest state

incentive, and Green House was

the first company to take part.

Wyoming a lso offers a Ma naged

Data Center Cost Reduction Grant

Program, which provides:

Up to $2.25 million over three

years to reimburse utility costs

for power or broadband

A sales tax exemption for

projects with at least $5 million

in capital and $2 million

equipment investments

A state environmental permitcost exemption for mega-centers.

Cities, towns and counties also

have access to grants to offset the

cost of building public

infrastructure to help recruit and

retain data centers.

We are highly competitive,

says Brandon Marshall, director

of new business recruitment at

the Wyoming Business Council.

A lot of states are passing credits

for data centers, but we already

have a track record.

By Pamela Coyle

Wyomings evaporative cooling capabilities help NCAR-Wyoming

run the massive Yellowstone supercomputer more efficiently.

STAFF PHOTO BYBrian McCord


25/54


Location is a big factor, too.

Wyoming is not in hurricane,

tornado or eart hquake zones.

It is one of the safest places in

America to host data , Mills says.

In 2013, Expansion Solutions

magazine named Wyoming a Top

5 Award of Excellence winnerin data center recruiting and

retention, the second straight year

for the recognition. The award

recognized incentives Wyoming

has put in place through a

partnership of Gov. Matt Mead,

the Legislature and the Wyoming

Business Council.

Low Energy Costs

Demand for disaster recoverystorage fuels some increased

interest, but Wyomings mild

climate and low power costs

remain top draws. Data centers

require huge amounts of power,

both to keep stacks of servers

humming and to cool facilities

for optimal performance.

Wyoming weather supports

evaporative cooling, a key feature

at Green House Data and the

NCAR-Wyoming SupercomputingCenter, which includes Yellowstone,

a cluster of high-performance

supercomputing processors, a

massive data archiving facility

and a special system for

visualizing data.

Yellowstone routinely draws

more than a megawatt about the

same as about 1,000 Wyoming

homes, says Rich Loft, director

of technology development for the

Computational and InformationSystems Laboratory at NCAR.

Evaporative cooling is a key

factor enabling the NWSC to

achieve high energy efficiency,

as are utility costs compared

to other parts of the country.

Interest is broad, too, in NWSC,

which houses Yellowstone that

is 30 times larger than NCARs

previous system . Yellowstone

began operations in Oct ober

2012, first running 11 large-

scale experiments, and has been

general production since 2013.

Wind-generated power, plus

evaporative cooling and other

design elements, keep Green

Houses energy costs about

40 percent lower than the

industry average. The company

distinguished itself further byadding a 100-gig circuit in 2013.

Microsoft, Green House, and

the supercomputing center are

in Cheyenne, as is Mountain

West Technology Network and

EchoStar Broadcasting Corp.,

both of which have data centers.

The Wyoming Technology

Business Center, at the University

of Wyoming in Lara mie, is home

to a data center that leases space

to private companies. Sheridan-based Ptolemy Data Systems

won a 2013 Laureate from t he

Computerworld Information

Technology Awards Foundation

for its role in creating a statewide

telemedicine network to bring

medical and psychiatric care

to isolated communities in

Wyoming. The news spa rked

more sector interest in Sheridan,

which had its own booth at the

Data Center World conference

in Orlando in October 2013.

Interest is broad, too, in the

Supercomputing Center, which

is 30 times larger than NCARs

previous system, and has a lready

run 11 large-scale experiments.

Loft credits state government

and business, as well as the

University of Wyoming.

They have been agile, focused,

and enthusiastic in their supportof the project, he says, not only

in attracting the facility and

clearing the way for the center,

but also in developing research

and educational partnerships.

INCENTIVES

Green CreditWYOREC REDUCESCOMPANIES

CARBON FOOTPRINT

A renewable energy creditprogram gives Wyoming anothertool in attracting and financing newbusiness development. Purchase ofWyoRECs allow businesses to offsettheir power consumption fromtraditional sources and meet theirgoals for sustainable energy use.

The program, a partnershipbetween Powder River Energy Corp.

and the Wyoming Business Council,uses the proceeds from the sale ofRECs to enable new developmentprojects. Funds can be used forcash matches required in theBusiness Council InvestmentReady Communities Grant& Loan programs.

Laura Ladd, a PRECorpconsultant who designed theWyoRECs program, says it is agood fit for large power consumersthat want to reduce their carbon

footprints but may not have theoption to buy power from renewablesources from their provider.

The program makes Wyomingmore attractive for data centers,high-tech developments and largeindustrial users that may haveconcerns about the statesenergy profile, she says.

We can assure folks that theycan meet their renewable energytargets and get affordable power,all in Wyoming, Ladd says.

PRECorp, Ladd says, couldhave sold its credits for cash onthe open market, but wanted todo something that would benefitits membership and the broaderWyoming business communityover the long-term.

Green House Data, a Cheyenne-based data center powered byrenewable energy, was the firstcustomer to buy WyoRECs.

Pamela Coyle

Find more about Wyomings clean-

energy efforts and business incentives

at businessclimate.com/wyoming
http://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyoming


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http://www.twitter.com/declarewyominghttp://www.instagram.com/declarewyominghttp://www.facebook.com/wyobizcouncilhttp://www.declarewyoming.com/


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Researchers at the Energy Innovation Center

at the University of Wyoming look for newways to maximize energy resources.

STAFF PHOTO BYMichael Tedesco26 ||WYOMING BUSINESS IMAGES


29/54

Wyoming is a leader in coal,

oil and gas production,

and wind energy capacity.

Research at the University

of Wyoming, Wyoming

Research Institute, and

other institutions on coal gasification, wind flow and

turbine optimization put the state on the front lines

of whats next.Of course, energy without distribution is but hot

air, and massive transmission projects are moving

forward to spread the wealth to the south and west.

1,700 Miles of Transmission Lines

TransWest Express LLC, an independent

transmission developer, plans to build a 725-mile

line that will provide utility companies in California,

Nevada and Arizona access to Wyomings high-

capacity wind energy. The TransWest Express

Transmission project, a 600-kilovolt,

3,000-megawatt direct current transmission line,

is among those on the fast track.

A separate project includes about 1,000 miles of

new 230-kilovolt and 500-kilovolt traditional lines

between the Windstar Substation near Glenrock

and the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho.

A joint effort by Idaho a nd Rocky Mountain Power,

the Energy Gateway West Transmission project

will deliver power from traditional and renewable

resources to meet growing customer needs.

Both are part of a federal initiative to speed upthe lengthy permitting process, which can involve

dozens of local, state, federal and tribal agencies.

The two Wyoming projects are among seven targeted

by the Rapid Response Team for Transmission.

Tapping Wyomings Wind Capacity

More efficient energy transmission is key to tapping

vast wind resources. Wyoming ranks 10th in wind

capacity, and could provide up to 113 times the states

own power consumption needs, according to a National

Renewable Energy Laboratory assessment.

A mega-project in the works, with planned

generation of 2,000 megawatts to 3,000 megawatts,

All In

ENERGY

WYOMING POWERS UP IN COAL,OIL, GAS, WIND, TRANSMISSION

AND RESEARCH

By Pamela Coyle



30/54

would double the number of wind turbines

on the ground. The Chokecherry and

Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project

will add 1,000 wind turbines on the

Overland Trail Ranch, just south of

Rawlins. Construction on the $5 billion

project is expected to start in late 2014,

with production about five years later,

according to The Power Co. of Wyoming.

Morley Co., a Jackson-based developer,

expects to start producing wind power

from its Belvoir Ranch facility near

Cheyenne by 2016. The $600 million

project, rough ly 130 t urbines, could

produce about 300 megawatts. Pathfinder

Renewable Wind Energy is eyeing two

Wyomin g projects: Pathfinder-Zephyr

project (2,100 megawatts) and Whirlwind

I (250 to 500 megawatts).

Innovation Through ResearchWhen t he projects are online,

researchers will know more about

wind behavior, blade aerodynamics

and turbine placement. How best to lay

out large-scale wind farms and consider

wake effects from upstream turbines on

their downstream counterparts attracted

the single-largest number of research

papers at the Internationa l Conference

on Future Technologies for Wind Energy.

hosted in October 2013 in Laramie.

The conference was co-sponsored by

the Wind Energy Research Center at the

University of Wyoming and the Danish

Technical University.

It is a logical progression, says

Jonathan Naughton, WERC director.

If youre researching, you want to do it

where you have largest effects. As wind

farms have gotten larger, the wake issue

has become more important.Researchers also are working on complex

modeling, unsteady blade aerodynamics

and how to design turbines for a round-the-

clock design life of 25 years.

The Energy Innovation Center, at

the University of Wyoming, opened in

January 2013 with advanced research

tools that support maximizing gas and

oil resources. A 3-D visualization

laboratory and four-walled CAVE

(Cave Automatic Virtual Environment)

model subsurface oil, gas and water

movements and interactions.

Separately, Western Research Institute

in Laramie targets research, pilot testing,

and commercialization of energy systems

and environmental technologies, often

in partnership with client companies.

It has three pilot gasification plants,

plus a 50-gallon-per-day pilot plant

producing liquid fuels from

thermochemical reactions.

Driving Wyomings Economy

In 2012, Wyoming ra nked seventh

in production of crude oil and third in

production of natural gas. Wyoming

also benefits from the shale gas boom

in North Dakota, says Bruce Hinchey,

president of the Petroleum Association

of Wyoming.

Many of the companies located

in Wyoming, as well as some of the

services companies, are running crews

and equipment back and forth to NorthDakota, he says.

The coal, oil and gas industries

continue to drive Wyomings economy.

Oil and gas companies alone pay half

of the total property t axes collected

statewide. All minerals, including oil,

gas, coal and trona, contribute $1 billion

annually in severance taxes, according

to the association.

The vast majority of state t ax money

comes from minerals, Hinchey says.

We have lots of minerals, lots of revenue

and not a lot of people.

Wyoming is a leader among states in wind power

generating capacity.

8.8%

Wyoming powerprovided by wind

10Rank among states

in capacity

1,410Megawatts of installed

wind projects online

420,000Equivalent number of

homes powered from

wind energy

24Wind projects

in Wyoming

Source: American Wind

Energy Association 2012Fact Sheets



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Illinois: 48,762,691

Texas: 44,178,225

Indiana: 36,720,174

Montana: 36,693,982

Colorado: 28,566,094

North Dakota: 27,528,666

West Virginia: 120,448,553

Kentucky: 90,942,408

Pennsylvania: 55,505,563

Wyoming: 401,441,611

Wyoming Oil ProductionTOP NATURAL GAS PRODUCING STATES(MILLIONS OF CUBIC FEET, 2012) (in thousands of barrels)

Source: U.S. EIA

Coal Production Leaders*

*Based on 2012 totals. Numbers in short tons

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration = 25,000,000

1. Texas: 7,475,495

2. Louisiana: 2,955,437

3. Pennsylvania:

2,255,695

4. Oklahoma: 2,023,461

5. Wyoming: 2,022,475

6. Colorado: 1,709,376

7. New Mexico: 1,215,773

8. Arkansas: 1,146,168

9. West Virginia: 539,860

10. Utah: 490,393

Source: U.S. EIA

50,000

52,000

54,000

56,000

58,000

2007

2008

2010

2009

2011

2012
http://www.caedna.net/


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Earth

Movers

TRANSPORTATION

PROGRAM GIVES WYOMINGCOMMUNITIES TOOLS FOR

PROJECT-READY SITES

STAFF PHOTO BYMichael Tedesco30 ||WYOMING BUSINESS IMAGES


33/54

C

ompanies searching for a business

location often want a project-ready

site with transportation and utility

infrastructures already in place.

For that r eason in 2013, the

Wyoming Business Councillaunched a Site Evaluation and Certification

Program that provides communities across the state

with sites that prospective relocating businesses

know are project ready. The WBC hired national site

selection firm McCallum Sweeney Consulting to

design and execute the program.

McCallum Sweeneys evaluation includes a list of

requirements that an interested community with a

industrial property must address before prospective

companies would ever look at the site as a viable

place to build, says Heather Tupper, marketing and

outreach program manager in the business andindustry division for the Wyoming Business Council.

McCallum Sweeney provides an unbiased,

outsiders view of what needs to be done,

Tupper says.

A key factor the consulti ng firm studies is

potential impediments to development, such

as streams, old roads, utility easements or any

environmental contamination issues. It also

evaluates utility services such as the location and

capacity of infrastructure, such as electric, gas,

water, sewer and telecommunications, to see if they

are optimal on any project-ready site.

The Wyoming Business Councils site evaluation

and certification program is based on the demands

McCallum Sweeney experiences with their siting

clients who are searching for sites to locate

new facilities.

Speed to market is becoming one of the most

important factors for companies when they are

establishing a new facility. Companies are pressured

to be operational in shorter and shorter timeframes,making it even more important for communities to

have sites that are ready for development, says Mark

Sweeney, Senior Principal of McCallum Sweeney

Consulting. States and communities with project-

ready sites have a competitive advantage when it

comes to winning these projects.

Three Parks So FarIn 2013, three business parks two in Torrington

and one in Sheridan went through the evaluation

phase of the Site Evaluation and Certification

Program. One park in Torring ton and the parkin Sheridan are now in the certification phase

and expected to be certif ied in 2014.

We decided to strengthen our economic

development marketing efforts, and having heard

about this program, we thought it would enhance

the marketability of the newly developed 43.5-acre

Sheridan Hi-Tech Park located near Interstate 90,

says Robert Briggs, City of Sheridan planning a nd

economic development director. Becoming certified

will ma ke us marketable to large industry prospects,

which is what we want. says Robert Briggs, City

of Sheridan planning and economic development

director. Becoming certified will make us

marketable to large industry prospects, which

is what we want.

By Kevin Litwin



34/54

Nicholas Bateson, City of Sheridan

public worksdirector, says McCallum

Sweeney has been poring over every

detail with regard to improving the

business park.

They look into how much gas and

electricity we can provide to a site, where

the power substations are located inthe community, what are the parks

tellecommunications capabilities, and

what are the roadway needs in a nd out

of the site, Bateson says. Sheridan wants

to target certain industries such as data

centers, light manufacturing and a wide

scope of technology-based businesses, and

Sheridan Hi-Tech Park will ultimately be

able to accommodate them all.

Strong Transportation System

For companies looking for a st rong

transportation infrastructure, Wyoming

is a highly desirable location. Three

interstates cross the state: I-25 runs

north/south along t he Rocky Mountain

Front Range; I-80 crosses the state

Learn more about Wyomings transportation

assets at businessclimate.com/wyoming.

west to Salt Lake City and east to major

Midwest metros; and I-90 in northern

Wyoming provides a link to the Northwest

and Upper Midwest markets. The road

system includes 13 U.S. highways.

Class I carriers BNSF and Union

Pacific operate on more than 800 miles

of track that crisscross Wyoming, andthe railroads are key transportation

assets for statewide companies that

ship energy-based goods such as oil,

gas products, coal and trona. Short-

line carriers such as Bighorn Divide &

Wyoming Railroad as well as Watco also

contribute to the states overall economy.

The state also is served by 36 general

flight facilities, 10 of which offer

commercial airline service. The largest

facility is Jackson Hole Airpor t with

more than 500 employees, while DenverInternational A irport is only 90 minutes

to two hours from Wyomings major

population centers.

3Major interstates that cross

the state I -25, I-80 and I -90,as well as 13 U.S. highways

800Miles of rail serving the state,

including from Class I carriers

BNSF and Union Pacific

10Airports offering

commercial service

36General flight facilities

WYOMING

TRANSPORTATION

FACTS

J H ANonstop service to:

Atlanta

Chicago

Dallas

Denver

Houston

JFK New York

Los Angeles

Minneapolis

Newark

Salt Lake City

San Franciso

Seattle

(307) 733-7695 www.jacksonholeairport.com
http://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.jacksonholeairport.com/http://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.jacksonholeairport.com/


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ECONOMIC PROFILE

Labor Force

Civilian Labor Force (Nov. 2013)

308,895Economy

Gross Domestic Product (2012)

$38.4billion

Exports (2012)

$1.42billion

Major IndustrySectors (2012)

Cost of Living

Median Household Income:

$56,573Median Home Sale Price:

$206,733

Income

Per Captia Money Income:

$28,858Source: quickfacts.census.gov

Top Employers Government

Related

University of Wyoming

5,000+

F.E. Warren Air Force Base

4,000+

State of Wyoming

3,500+

Population

2012: 576,412

2000: 493,782

Change: 16.7 percent

Educational

Attainment

High School Graduate

47%Bachelors Degree +

15%Advanced Degree or More

7%Cheyenne

61,537

Casper:

57,813

Laramie:

31,681

Largest Cities

NaturalResources& Mining

Construction

9.1%

Education& HealthServices

9.5% 7.5%

25.5%

Government

18.2%

Trade,Transportation

& Utilities

11.6%

Leisure &Hospitality

6.2%

3.2%

Professional& Business

Services

Manufacturing

3.7%

1.3%

3.7%

FinancialActivities

Information

OtherServices

Source: Wyoming Department

of Workforce Services


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UW students have access to resources and labs that enable important discoveries.

oil recovery, carbon management,

advanced coal technology, wind

energy and other fields of energy

research, says William Gern,

vice president of research and

economic development at the

University of Wyoming.

For example, the Digital RocksPhysics lab has the most high-

resolution 3-D X-ray microscope

available, which makes UW the

first un iversity in the world to

offer the tool to researchers and

students to aid in the understanding

of underground oil and natural

gas reservoirs.

For companies drilling for shale

petroleum, UW can also research

the underground flow of oil, gas

and even brine water through

shale, to ensure that everything

possible is extracted f rom

those wells.

We can also experiment with

extractions from small capillaries

adjacent to the shale so that

companies can extract even

more hydrocarbons from the

wells, Gern says.

Watering New Technologies

UW is conducting research

into how water moves in the

environment, specifically

groundwater f lowing through the

soil and trees, then evaporating

into the atmosphere.

Water usage is a big necessity

in Wyoming for companies that

extract minerals from the Earth,

so the university is utilizing MR I

technology to study how water

moves and where it goes, Gernsays. This conservation research

is important for our mineral

extraction industries, as well as

for municipalities and agriculture

interests throughout our state.

In another water research

project, UW is working with the

state of Utah to study the entire

Colorado River Basin system.

Wyoming i s a headwat er state

to the Colorado River sys tem

through the Green River and the

Wind River mountain range, so

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

Location

Enrollment

Academic programs

Website

Nonresident enrollment

Undergraduatesover 25 years old

Laramie

TOTAL: 13,929 (Fall 2012)

Undergraduates: 10,209

Graduate and professional

degree students: 3,720

Approximately 190 areas of

study in colleges of Arts

and Sciences, Agriculture

and Natural Resources,

Business, Education,

Engineering and Applied

Science, Health Sciences,

Law, and the School of

Energy Resources

www.uwyo.edu

22%

26%

http://www.uwyo.edu/http://www.uwyo.edu/


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http://www.uwyo.edu/


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Wyomings seven community collegesbuttress the states workforce needsby offering two-year transfer degrees,customized certificate and industry-specific programs that provide the statewith a trained and skilled workforce.

In 2013, more than 28,000students were enrolled in Wyomingscommunity colleges.

Overseeing the seven collegesis the Wyoming Community CollegeCommission, which works to anticipateand respond to business and industryneeds by developing pertinent coursecurricula for students looking toprogress into emerging careers.

Wyoming is a minerals-driveneconomy with oil, gas, coal andtrona , and it s been important to

develop a good relationship withthose type of companies to betterprepare future workforces in thosesectors, says Jim Rose, WyomingCommunity College Commissionexecutive director.

One of the many companies thecommission has collaborated withis petroleum refiner HollyFrontier.The firm is teaming with LaramieCounty Community College on an11-week Process Technology programthat teaches would-be employeesabout safety regulations prior to evergetting hired by HollyFrontier.

Completing the course workguarantees the students an interviewwith the company, says Kevin Burke,vice president and refinery manager

at HollyFrontier.The LCCC course teaches

students about OSHA requirements,environmental guidelines anddifferent technologies, such ashow to make gas and diesel fromcrude oil, and how to move suchproducts from point A to point B.

There are plenty of great jobs inthe minerals field working in refineries,power plants, with pipelines, gascompressor stations, chemical plants,trona mines and more, Burke says.If a student completes the LCCCprogram, we know they are interestedin this field, and HollyFrontier hires 10to 15 people every year to begin high-paying careers.

Kevin Litwin

Strong Sense of CommunityWYOMING COLLEGES DESIGN PROGRAMS TO MESH WITH INDUSTRY NEEDS

COMMUNITY COLLEGES
http://www.lccc.wy.edu/


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TreatedWell

HEALTH

WYOMINGS

HOSPITALSBUILDNATIONALREPUTATIONSFOR HIGH-QUALITY CARE

When it comes to treating

heart attack patients,

Wyomin g Med ical Center

is one of the fastest on

the draw in the nation.

We use the STEMI

protocol, so from the time you hit our door and get

into our cath lab, it can be 45 minutes to get your

artery open way below the national average, saysVickie Diamond, president and CEO of the 192-bed

hospital in Casper. We are i n the 90t h percentile

in the country.

This top-notch ranking illustrates the depth of

treatment options and investments in the latest care

throughout the state at its 27 acute-care facilities

that includes a new hig h-tech, soft-touch digita l

mammography at Evanston Regional Hospital and

a new da Vinci surgical system at Memorial Hospital

of Converse County.

Washakie Medica l Center opened a new cancer

treatment center; Ivinson Memorial Hospital haslaunched a womens health program; and Memorial

Hospital of Sweetwater County received a $3.1 million

cancer grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust

to purchase state-of-the-art cancer radiation

treatment equipment.

We dont have to take a backseat to anyone in

providing good quality of care, not only in the region

but across the country, says Dan Perdue, president

of the Wyoming Hospital Association.

U.S. Newsrecognized Cheyenne Regional Medical

Center for its pulmonology specialty programs in its

annual 2013 Best Hospitals ranking. The 222-bed

Cheyenne Regional is on the leading edge of a range

of specialized care, offering comprehensive services

including cancer treatment, cardiovascular care,

neurosciences, orthopedics, and wound management

and hyperbaric medicine.

With more than 2,000 employees, Cheyenne

Regional is one of the major employers in the state.

Founded in 1867, it can lay claim to a number of firsts

including the first hospital in the nation to use the

Stealth Treon neurosurgical navigation system, t hefirst a rtificial disk replacement surgery in Wyoming

and creation of the first comprehensive weight-loss

surgery program in the state.

Critical Care

In 2013, Washakie Medical Center was named to

the HealthStrong Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals

in the United States list.

This shows our teams dedication to our patients

and the pride they take in their work, says CEO

Margie Molitor.

The ranking also illustrates Molitors convictionthat bed size does not determine quality of care.

When we take people on a tour, they are impressed

with our capabilities. For a small hospital, they are

astounded at everything we offer, she says.

Newer technologies include 3-D mammography,

along with remote ICU monitoring, known as i-Care,

with remote critical care nurses and intensivists

helping monitor patients for early trends.

Weve seen an increase in our abilit y to keep

patients here instead of needing to transfer them

to other facilities, Molitor says.

Wyoming Medical Center is a tertiar y referral

hospital, ha ndling referrals for all levels of specialty

By Nan Bauroth



41/54

care from surrounding counties. The facility is

staffed by 170 physicians and houses 45 specialist

capabilities, including trauma, robotic surgery, open

heart, neurosurgery, cardiac care and stroke care.

We have the whole scope of services you need

from a hospital with full time, in-house intensivists,

and hospitalists who manage our medical patients,

as well as pediatric hospitalists to ma nage ournewborns and pediatric patients, Diamond says.

Wyoming Medical Center has received a Gold

Plus rating for three years by the American Heart

Association for its Joint Commissioned stroke care

center. Continuous rapid renal replacement therapy

for acute patients and the new Mini-Maze procedure

for patients suffering chronic atrial f ib are available.

Medical Home on the Range

To service the states low-density population,

Wyomings acute-care hospitals formed the WyomingIntegrated Care Network, with the goal of providing

patient-centered homes, where a patient has a

conti nuous relationship with a physician. Wyoming

Medical Center also sends its specialists by airplane

to clinics in rural areas.

In Molitors experience, although Wyomings

hospitals may be smaller than those in urban areas,

small hospitals provide better care, because it is

more personalized care. Our patients are our

neighbors and our friends, and that brings an

additional level of accountability.

Wyomings award-winning hospitals work to provide patients

with excellent care, treatment and services close to home.

STAFF PHOTO BYMichael Tedesco

90

90

25

80

Wyoming Medical Center

Campbell County

Memorial Hospital

Sheridan Memorial Hospital

St. Johns

Medical Center

Lander Regional Hospital

Memorial Hospital

of Sweetwater County

Riverton Memorial Hospital

Cheyenne Regional

Medical CenterIvinson Memorial HospitalEvanston Regional Hospital

Star Valley

Medical Center

South Big Horn

County Hospital

Hot Springs County

Memorial Hospital

Washakie Medical Center

West Park Hospital

Powell Valley

Healthcare North Big

Horn Hospital

Mountain ViewMedical Center

Memorial Hospital

of Carbon County

Weston County

Health Services

Crook County

Medical Services

Niobrara Health

and Life Center

Community

Hospital

Platte County

Memorial HospitalSouth Lincoln

Medical Center

Johnson County

Healthcare Center

=Critical Access Hospitals=PPS Acute Hospitals



42/54

STAFF PHOTO BYJeffrey S. Otto40 ||WYOMING BUSINESS IMAGES

At Homeon the

Range

LIVABILITY

NEWCOMERS

AND NATIVESEMBRACEWYOMINGSWELCOMINGLIFESTYLE


43/54


From the mountain ranges in thewest to the High Plains in the east,

Wyomin gs topography is renow ned

for its exceptional natural beauty.

But its the people within those

gorgeous hills and valleys that truly

make the state a special place to live and work.

The U.S. government owns about 48 percent of

Wyoming s land, and much of t hat area includes

iconic national parks, forests and historic areas,

including Yellowstone, Devils Tower, Grand TetonNational Park and the Shoshone National Forest,

as well as nearly three dozen state parks and

historical areas.

But nature is by no means Wyomings only virtue.

Its communities have each created outstanding

places to live, offering technological advances,

culture, arts, recreation and other amenities,

without the high crime, congestion and pollution

found in large cities.

By Gary Wollenhaupt


44/54


The American Dream Composite Index survey

found Wyoming residents feeling more positive than

residents of most other states about the quality of

their environment and health.

Wyoming is also one of the least densely populated

states, which makes for close-knit business and

social communities.Youve heard of the six degrees of separation?

says Eric Brandjord, business development lead for

Inter-Mountain Labs in Sheridan, who moved to

the state as a toddler. You only have to go to two

or three degrees in Wyoming before you find a

mutual acquaintance.

As a resident of the state whose heritage extends

over multiple generations, Gregg Jones, president

of the Jonah Bank of Wyoming in Cheyenne, values

the business climate thats shaped by the states

geography and demographics.

Its much easier, depending on the product line

or service, to get yourself known in the state or

community, he says. Its an interesting, eclectic

mix of people who ultimately understand that

because of our size, we need to get along, and we

do for the most part.

Code of the West

With a western heritage that shows up in everythingfrom the states license plate to the University of

Wyoming mascot , the cowboy is not a rel ic of t he

past, but a fixture of the present. Many folks continue

to live by the Code of the West, unwritten rules that

guided life on the range.

That same code guides people in business today.

We do a lot of things with a handshake, and

theres a fair amount of honor and integrity in

the business culture and climate, says Ken Ball,

president of Ball Advertising in Casper.

We have a symphony and [a] fair amount of

theater, from independent groups and the college,

Ball says. Unless you have to have a Tiffanys or

Downtown Sheridan welcomes visitors by offering shopping, nightlife, dining, and annual festivals and events.


45/54


In Wyoming, the hills and plains arealive with the sound of music, with arange of festivals that appeals to musiclovers of all stripes.

The Beartrap Summer Festival gotits start 20 years ago as a local event.Today, its grown into a family-focusedweekend that draws top names from thebluegrass and country music genres.Nestled in Beartrap Meadow Park atopCasper Mountain, the festival alsoincludes local food and craft vendors.

With camping nearby on CasperMountain, families make a weekendout of the event. I ts beginning to drawvisitors from all over the state, says

Jana Price, festival director. Weregetting a lot of people to see ourheadline acts.

Other signature events include: Oyster Ridge Music Festival,

Kemmerer: This free festival heldin Kemmerers Triangle Park drawspickers of all instruments, includingguitars, mandolins, banjos and fiddlesfor a celebration of homegrown talent.Theres even a chance for the audienceto jam with their own instruments.

Targhee Bluegrass Festival,Alta: For more than 25 years theGrand Targhee Resort has hosted topbluegrass acts and fun for the familywith a Kids Fun Zone. The stage isset at the bottom of two ski lifts fora spectacular view of the mountain.

Wyoming BBQ Championshipand Bluegrass Festival, Worland:Bring your appetite for barbecue

and a good time at the annual festivalin the Big Horn Basin between Casperand Billings, Mont.

Nowoodstock, Ten Sleep:The annual three-day music festivaltakes place in Vista Park next tothe Nowood River and offers theopportunity to experience new music.

Big Horn Mountain Festival,Buffalo: The annual festival celebratingacoustic, bluegrass, Americana,roots and folk music will be heldJuly 11-13, 2014, at the JohnsonCounty Fairgrounds. Events includeincluding the Wyoming Mandolinand Banjo Championships, an

old-time fiddle contest, and a guitarcompetition. Gary Wollenhaupt

The Sound of MusicFESTIVALS STRIKE A CHORD IN WYOMING

EVENTS

a Saks Fifth Avenue, which you can get by going

to Denver, youre in pretty good shape here.

Family Focused

Amy S hoa les, pra ctice direc tor for La ra mie

Physicians for Women and Children, and her family

moved to Wyoming about three years ago. She says

they love the extensive city parks system and

proximity to national parks, as well as the wide range

of outdoor activities and adventures.

You dont have to be a hunter or fisherman to

enjoy it, she says. Theres mountain biking, rock

climbing, kayaking and much more economical

downhill skiing than you find in Colorado.

For family vacations, she ventures to Rocky

Mountain National Park, a short two-hour drive

away. We have great vacation destinations with

a decent drive time, she says.

Summer is prime time for many outdoor activities,but the fun doesnt stop when the snow flies.

We have a cabin on a little lake up in central

Wyoming where we water ski , play in the water,

do a lot of backpacking t rips and play golf, Jones

says. Theres no better time to visit our world-class

fisheries than when the water cools off in the fall

or the ice comes off in the spring. And, in the dead

of winter, we ski and snowmobile. Wyoming has

no rival for outdoor sports.

The states educational resources win high praise

from newcomers as well.There are amazing educational opportunities

here, Shoales says. People sometimes worry their

kids wont get a good education if they live out in the

rual areas, and thats not even close to being true.

Discover more things to do at

businessclimate.com/wyoming.

At Arthur Park in Rock Springs, families enjoy the citys first

disc golf course, playgrounds, open spaces and walking trail.
http://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyominghttp://www.businessclimate.com/wyoming


46/54

CraftMovement

WYOMING DEVELOPS A THIRSTFOR MICROBREWERIES

BEER

There is a new craft movement inWyom in g, and th is one is about

beer. Craft brewing production rose

32 percent in Wyoming between

2011 and 2012, signaling both an

increasing appetite and opportunity

for microbrews in the Cowboy State.

Wyomings 15 cra ft breweries have collect ed

an impressive 46 Great American Beer Festival

medals, and 18 World Beer Cup medals, including

gold medals for some of the toughest categories

(American-Style Strong Pale Ale, American-Style

Wheat Beer and Double IPA) have been claimed,

sometimes in multiple years, by local brewers.

Tim Barnes is owner of the award-winning BlackTooth Brewing Co. in Sheridan, the second-largest

beer brewer in Wyoming. Barnes says he doesnt

view other in-state brewers as competitors, but as a

fraternity of Davids taking on national brand Goliaths.

Were all t rying to attract market share for the

local breweries, he says. The truth is, my beer

doesnt impact other craf t breweries. Were not

competing against each other for the same beer

drinker. Were competing for the idea that our beer

is equivalent or better than the major brands that

people choose to buy when theyre in a liquor store or

bar with competing product on tap or on the shelves.

Tim Moore, owner of Freedoms Edge Brewery in

By Marc Acton



47/54

Local breweries work together

to increase demand and support

microbrew opportunities.

STAFF PHOTO BYBrian McCord BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/WYOMING||45


48/54

Top and Bottom:At craft breweries like Freedoms Edge BreweryCompany in Cheyenne, customers try distinct local beers and

learn about the process from the people who produce them.

Cheyenne, says that just like many Wyoming

businesses, the craft beer movement in the state

is driven by the independent spirit.

This is a t rend that is really takin g hold across

many industries, he says. Its local, fresh and you

can actually have a conversation with the people who

brewed it. People want to know where, when and how

products are produced.

Pouring on Growth

Wyomings cra ft beer indu str y picked up s tea m

in the mid-2000s, a combination of growing demand,

a successful tourism industry and Wyomings

independent spirit.

Jim Mitchell, owner of Lander Brewing Co., describes

his entry into the market as simply a matter of filling

a need. He and fr iends bought a bar 24 years ago,

which he describes as a typical Wyoming kind of

bar, but we had been exposed to craft beers and were

really big fans, so we went to the beer distr ibutor

here and said we wanted to get some Red Hook. The

distributor said, Oh, this is Budweiser country

youre not going to sell any. We sold out the first

week and ordered more. Then more, then more.

Eventually, Mitchell couldnt overlook the business

opportunity. He purchased an available space next

to his bar and started brewing successfully.

Mitchells entrepreneurial spirit parallels

Wyomings own image of independence. Its also

echoed by Barnes, who says, The entrepreneurial

spirit required to start a brewery is something thatsinherent in Wyoming culture. It certainly takes a

different personality to be a success here.

High-Profile Water

The growth of the craft beer industry isnt just

about the personality of the crafters. Its also about

the land itself. The quality of the water and the

availability of natural resources is key, Barnes says.

The water profile in particular is such that theres

not a lot of things that need to be added or deleted

from the water in order to brew great beer. Grains

are grown closer the Pacific Northwest has a bigpercentage of the hop growing areas in the country.

Any good businessman will tell you its not just

enough to make a great product people still have

to buy it. Barnes says in the case of beer, the idea

of buying local drives business.

People prefer to buy products made as close to

home as they can, he says. Folks from Sheridan

want to drink Black Tooth beer before they drink

something made out of state.



49/54

Craft brewers are becoming plentifulin Wyoming, but producing high-qualitybeer is not Wyomings only talent.

From the small batch bourbons ofWyoming Whiskey to the unexpectedtastes of Irv in Cellar Winer y, spirits inWyoming have never been more,well, spirited.

Steve Nally, master distiller forWyoming Whiskey, learned his craftas master distiller at Makers Mark,and says from the very beginning,

Wyoming Whiskey has focused onbeing a local product, the first legallydistilled spirits made in the state.

While we were building the recipe,I talked to farmers here about differentgrains we could use. All of them comefrom Wyoming, Nally says.

When Wyoming Whiskey releasedits first bottles in 2012, says Nally,nobody in the state had tasted ourwhiskey, but we had more than 3,000people supporting us that day. Thattells you how much Wyoming peoplewant to support local products.

Perhaps there is no better

representative of the spirits industryin Wyoming than Kathleen Irvin ofIrvin Cellar Vineyards in Riverton,

one of a half-dozen or so wineriesin the state. Irvin speaks of her winewith equal par ts fondness andsalesmanship, and is forthcomingabout the hard work shes put into bui ld such qualit y from scratch.

From fruity dessert and honeywines to unexpected offerings likejalapeno wine, Irvin produces f lavorsto match the beauty of the land thatbears the grapes she crushes andher customers appreciate it, whether

they live in the shade of her vines oracross the globe.Marc Acton

In the Spirit of ThingsWINE INDUSTRY, BOURBON CREATE A BARREL OF OPPORTUNITY

WINE A ND WHISK EY

Altitude Chophouse and Brewery,Laramie, WY

Avery Brewing Company,

Rock Springs, WY

Bitter Creek Brewing Co.,Rock Springs, WY

Black Tooth Brewing, Sheridan, WY

Clear Creek Brewing, Buffalo, WY

Freedom's Edge Brewing,Cheyenne, WY

Geyser Brewing Co., Cody, WYGillette Brewing Co., Gillette, WY

Lander Brewing Co., Lander, WY

Library Sports Grill and Brewery,Laramie, WY

Luminous Brewhouse, Sheridan, WY

Prairie Fire Brewing Co., Gillette, WY

Roadhouse Brewing Co.,Jackson, WY

Snake River Brewing Co.,

Jackson, WY

Snowy Mountain Brewery,Saratoga, WY

Snowy Range Brewery,Centennial, WY

Suds Brothers Brewing Co.,Evanston, WY

Ten Sleep Brewing Co.,

Ten Sleep, WYThai Me Up Restaurant & Brewery,

Jackson, WY

The Anchor Bar, Pine Haven, WY

Wind River Brewing Co.,

Pinedale, WY

Wyoming State Brewing Co.,Casper, WY

Wyoming CraftBreweries



50/54

Ad Index

29 CASPER AREA

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2 CHEYENNE LEADS

8 FIRST INTERSTATE BANK

10 GOSHEN COUNTY ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT CORP.

32 JACKSON HOLE AIRPORT

37LARAMIE COUNTY

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

C2 LARAMIE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

8 LARAMIE

REGIONAL AIRPORT

16 POWDER RIVER

ENERGY CORPORATION

C3 ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER

1 SHERIDAN COUNTY

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

C4 UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

24 WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL

16 WYOMING STATE

ENERGY OFFICE


51/54


52/54

ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT CONTACTS

Wyoming Business Council

Cheyenne, WY

(307) 777-2800

www.wyomingbusiness.org

Town of Basin, WY

(307) 568-3331

www.basinwyo.net

Big Horn Mountain Country

Buffalo, WY

(800) 227-5122

www.bighornmountains.org

Campbell County Economic

Development Corp.

Gillette, WY

(307) 686-2603

www.ccedc.net

Carbon County Economic

Development Commission

Rawlins, WY

(307) 324-3836

www.ccwyed.net

Casper Area EconomicDevelopment Alliance

Casper, WY

(307) 577-7011

www.casperworks.biz

Cheyenne LEADS

Cheyenne, WY

(307) 638-6000

www.wyomingbusiness.org

Town of Chugwater, WY

(307) 630-3411

Converse Area New

Development Organization

Douglas, WY

(307) 358-2000

www.candowyoming.com

Town of Dubois, WY

(307) 455-2345

www.duboiswyoming.org

City of Evantson, WY

(307) 783-6309

www.evanstonwy.org

Forward Cody

Cody, WY(307) 587-3136

www.forwardcody.com

Forward Sheridan

Documents

Wyoming Business Images 2014