SeonAh Kendall: Economic Health Manager, City of Fort Collins

Each month BizWest invites a business leader to reflect on the issues affecting his or her industry. This month, BizWest asked SeonAh Kendall, economic health manager for the city of Fort Collins to discuss her role in business sector of the community.

BizWest: As economic health manager for the city of Fort Collins, you’re in a position to help maintain or improve the business climate in the city. In your experience, what is the single greatest tool that a city like Fort Collins has to accomplish that?

SeonAh Kendall: The city can be most effective through collaboration and staying engaged with our business partners. If we don’t have the tools to address problems facing businesses, we steer them to resources to ensure they’re making connections that will help them thrive. In the region, we work closely with the Larimer Small Business Development Center, the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, Larimer County Workforce Center, Colorado State University, Front Range Community College and other partners. Nationally, we participate with such groups as the International Economic Development Council and the Economic Development Research Partnership to learn and share best practices that we can apply in our communities.

BW: What are the major strengths of the Fort Collins economy at the midpoint of 2018?

Kendall: Regionalism is a major strength for Fort Collins and northern Colorado as a whole, ensuring that we’re addressing major challenges to the economy that don’t respect municipal boundaries. For example, transportation, climate and talent are all being addressed at the regional level. Cooperating on economic development at the regional level means we’re doing what’s best for the entire region, not just individual communities.

We also have a very strong startup community and an innovative entrepreneurial culture. Our businesses are really taking the lead on innovation and thinking outside the box. They’re taking control of their own destiny. We have so much talent in this community that when people leave an HP or an Otterbox or a Woodward, they’re choosing to stay in Fort Collins and using knowledge and innovation to become entrepreneurs themselves.

BW: What are the biggest issues or challenges that the city faces, either short term or long term?

Kendall: Two major issues are talent and housing affordability. We are facing a shortage of talent and diversity in skills and education within the talent pool for our employers. The entire region has shifted from attracting/chasing the next big company to attracting talent. Fort Collins has been on this journey since 2014 through the Labor Force Analysis project, and we are working with our regional partners to address this. Housing affordability has also emerged as a major issue for the region. Wages haven’t necessarily kept pace with the cost of living, and as we continue to attract new talent, we must continue to evaluate how we provide a welcoming environment for all incomes and housing levels.

BW: The nation, state and region have experienced an incredible period of economic prosperity since the last recession. It won’t likely continue forever. What is Fort Collins doing to prepare for downturns that inevitably occur?

Kendall: A diversity of industries and adaptability/innovation have helped Fort Collins weather past downturns. The city will continue to help businesses navigate challenges and opportunities now and into the future. The city is active in multiple regional partnerships and initiatives to assist with the region’s long-term economic health. For example, the NoCO Manufacturing Partnership and the NoCO Health Sector Partnership work with economic developers, workforce developers and industry to get future talent excited about careers in manufacturing and health care. We’re also participating in Talent 2.0, which is a regional approach to address access, educational alignment and barriers to a strong workforce. As many folks retire, how do we transfer their knowledge to new and future leaders? We want to do that through great mentorship/entrepreneurship opportunities and an untapped talent pool.

BW: What industry has been the brightest spot in the Fort Collins economy over the past five years?

Kendall: Strength in multiple diverse industries has helped the Fort Collins economy survive and thrive. The bright spot has been the people. The people who run our businesses and work here aren’t just corporate citizens — they’re residents of our community. I am proud to work in a community where businesses and residents are invested in making sure Fort Collins is successful because they work and play here.

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