Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

The Grand Junction Chamber is leading the charge to oppose HB25-1286, a bill that would impose costly and impractical temperature regulations on every employer in Colorado, regardless of industry. If passed, it could disrupt industries from construction to agriculture and tourism, costing businesses and workers across the Western Slope. Want to learn more about how this bill could impact your business? Click here to read the full article and find out how you can get involved! gjchamber.org/hb25-1286

Shining a spotlight on our 2025 Large Business of the Year: Innovative Textiles What started as a local business crafting kite strings has evolved into a global leader in the fishing industry! Innovative Textiles introduced PowerPro in 1997, a game-changing fishing line, and has continued to innovate ever since. More importantly, they remain deeply committed to Mesa County’s workforce—hiring veterans, career changers, and individuals overcoming challenges while creating high-quality local jobs. Join us in congratulating Innovative Textiles, the 2025 Business of the Year! 📸 Ryan Sanchez

On March 10th, we had the honor of hosting a sold-out City Council Candidate Forum, bringing together candidates, business leaders, and community members for an open discussion on the future of Grand Junction’s economy, workforce, and infrastructure. Also recognized at this luncheon were two local business expansions. Thank you to Smokin' Oak Wood-Fired Pizza and CommWest for your continued investment in our community! We appreciate everyone who attended and engaged in this important conversation! Stay tuned—our Spring Election Voter’s Guide is coming out this week to help you make an informed decision at the polls. Read More about the Candidate Forum Here: https://lnkd.in/g7dknWCp Election Day is April 8th—make sure your voice is heard! Thank You to Our Sponsors! Title Sponsors: Eide Bailly LLP, ImageNet Consulting, LLC Corporate Sponsor: Mesa Mall Featured Sponsors: ASPHALT SPECIALISTS & SUPPLY, INC., Capital Business Systems, Inc., Colorado West Outdoor Advertising, Gearhead Outfitters, Inc., Grand Junction Memorial Gardens, kerry phillips, Nightingales Care at Home, Orkin, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Xcel Energy

Colorado’s business competitiveness is in decline, and businesses are taking notice. Nearly half of companies surveyed are actively considering investing outside of Colorado due to rising costs, increasing regulations, and a growing wave of legislation that prioritizes litigation over economic growth. Every day, we hear from business owners who are questioning whether staying in Colorado is sustainable. If we don’t change course soon, we won’t just be watching businesses leave—we’ll be wondering why we didn’t act when we had the chance. Read our latest piece in the The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction from our President & CEO, Candace Carnahan, ACE on why it’s time for real support for business, not just talk. Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g78d3Fp4 The Colorado Chamber of Commerce The Sum & Substance #ColoradoBusiness #EconomicCompetitiveness #GrandJunctionChamber

Small Business of the Year: The Christi Reece Group - A Refreshing Real Estate Company Success in business isn’t just about numbers—it’s about impact. The Christi Reece Group has made philanthropy a core part of their mission, dedicating 2% of every transaction to the CIRCLE Fund, which has donated over $421,000 to local nonprofits since 2019! Their commitment to giving back makes a lasting difference in Grand Junction. Join us in celebrating the 2025 Small Business of the Year—Christi Reece Group! #GJChamber #SmallBusinessOfTheYear #ChristiReeceGroup #CommunityImpact

We had the privilege of bringing local business leaders, Leadership Program participants, and CMU political science students to the heart of Colorado’s policy-making process for our Annual Legislative Days at the Capitol. This trip is all about amplifying Western Slope voices and engaging directly with key decision-makers shaping our state’s future. Our Thursday night dinner was a highlight as always, where attendees were able to connect with Colorado General Assembly members and business coalition partners to ensure our region’s needs are heard. A big thank you to everyone who joined us and all of our generous sponsors! Advocacy starts with engagement, and we’re proud to help drive the conversation forward. Guest Speakers included: Lt Governor Dianne Primavera Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director, Shoshanna Lew Colorado Department of Energy Deputy Director, Dominque Gomez Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Joe Barela Colorado Competitive Council Executive Director, Rachel Beck Colorado Chamber of Commerce VP of Governmental Affairs, Meghan Dollar Common Sense Institute Colorado Director of Policy & Research, DJ Summers Title Sponsors: Charter Communications, Intermountain Health, Pinnacol Assurance Corporate Sponsor: West Slope PharmaLogic, Xcel Energy Featured Sponsors: Entrada Consulting Group Transportation Sponsor: ABSOLUTE PRESTIGE LIMOUSINE SERVICE, LTD.

Join us for our Quarterly Membership Luncheon and Candidate Forum on March 10th at the DoubleTree by Hilton! This special event will feature candidates from the 2025 Spring City Council race, who will discuss key business priorities and the challenges affecting the Mesa County economy every day. We hope this event serves as an opportunity for you to hear from the candidates and engage with the issues that matter most! Register Here: https://lnkd.in/ggH2Q3qf... *Pre-Registration Required

We were proud to support and participate in Mesa County Workforce Center's annual Workforce Summit held at Colorado Mesa University last week! From presentations on internal fraud prevention and wage requirements to putting AI into action in the workplace, the Summit provided relevant insights and tools to address today's pressing workplace priorities. Our CEO Candace Carnahan joined a panel with fellow work-based learning champions at Mesa County Valley School District 51, the Workforce Center, and Innovative Textiles, to share resources and benefits for employers, and also facilitated a unique conversation about creative ways to invest in employees alongside the Grand Junction Business Incubator Center, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), Housing Resources and Insight Financial Solutions. It was great to see the diverse body of stakeholders, employers, and practitioners taking part in these important conversations, and is a true testament to the value of collaborative initiatives like this for our community!

We had a great time at this month's Business After Hours event, hosted by Driven Diagnostics Auto & Diesel Repair! We enjoyed delicious snacks and great drinks with good company. The highlight of the night is always the incredible mingling and networking that happens at these events. It's a pleasure to connect with such a diverse crowd and engage in meaningful conversations. Here's to more events like this where we get to learn, grow, and have fun together!

It’s always a rewarding experience to connect with the next generation of leaders, hear fresh perspectives, and engage in meaningful conversations. We firmly believe in the power of collaboration and the importance of fostering relationships with young professionals who will help shape the future. We are grateful to Young Professionals Network of Mesa County for all the great work they are doing in Mesa County!