CHEYENNE — Cheyenne and Laramie County business leaders are pushing ahead with plans to raise $1.3 million for a new cooperative economic-development effort designed to bring 600 high-paying jobs to the community.The initiative, called "Progress and Prosperity … The Next Dimension," is a four-year effort aimed at recruiting new industry to diversify Cheyenne˜s government-based economy, training and educating Cheyenne˜s work force to meet today˜s business and manufacturing needs, and developing a project that will enhance the community˜s quality of life.
Two Cheyenne business leaders have agreed to co-chair a seven-month campaign to raise money for the initiative. They are Rick Kaysen, president and CEO of Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power, and Tom Stuckey, Norwest Bank president and CEO.
Joining them on a Progress and Prosperity Development Council are Cheyenne mayor Leo Pando, Laramie County commissioner Jack Knudson, J. Michael "Mick" Powers of Powers Products Co., Cynthia Pomeroy of First American Title and Stan Bader of US West Communications.
The economic-development project is sponsored by Cheyenne LEADS and the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce and is an outgrowth of a planning effort and feasibility study undertaken by the Laramie County Quality Growth Alliance, a consortium of Cheyenne economic-development groups, and National Community Development Services Inc., of Atlanta.
NCDS interviewed 76 community leaders about economic-development efforts before recommending a campaign to raise $1.3 million for the initiative.