Governors’ Business Forum kicks off Wednesday

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Entrepreneurs have been struggling more than usual since the pandemic began. On Wednesday, the Governor’s Business Forum gave community leaders a chance to finally re-connect.

The Wyoming Business Alliance and the Wyoming Heritage Foundation hosted the Governor’s Business Forum at Litlle America Wednesday.

The event was a chance for Wyoming Businesses to connect, discuss business trends and the economy in Wyoming.

The focus of panel discussions was labor retention.

“Our largest export is our youth... They keep leaving the state. On our panel the youngest speakers said, they want to feel valued. they want to feel their employers have a vested interest in them,” said Grayson Buckingham, CEO & President of DISA Technology and Panel Moderator.

The panel also discussed attracting talent.

“We all struggle with the labor force right now, finding enough people to fill all the jobs we have. It’s always a challenge and I think that uniform,” said Tom Hirsig, CEO of Cheyenne Frontier Days.

And finding access to capital in the state and industry-driven education and training so that employees get the skill pool they need from students and workers.

“A lot of the consulting that we engage and a lot of the analytical work is outside of the state of Wyoming. We don’t want to be doing that but, there’s that disconnect between what the private sector wants and what we’re training our youth to do,” said Buckingham.

They also discussed how the pandemic changed the face of tech in business and the needs of businesses and employees.

“What’s going to keep Wyoming going, is the younger generation. Not only that but we need more diversity here. We can implement new ideas from those backgrounds and put them into the businesses here in Wyoming, and greater benefit Wyoming. Your work environment should be a safe space for you. That’s what you’re revolving your life around, it just needs to feel comfortable. You need to feel like you’re making a good contribution to the company that’s going to change your life,” said Rikia Pettus, Senior & Student Council President at Poder Academy.

More than 600 people attended in person and others online.

“I think Wyomingites should be very proud of the state and the leadership we have in this state because we’ve come through the pandemic very well,” said Hirsig.

The business forum will continue through Thursday.

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