What We Do
OUR SHARED FUTURE
At the Wyoming Business Council (WBC), we don’t just manage the present; we architect the future. Our work is focused on dismantling the specific barriers that prevent Wyoming from thriving—whether that is a lack of industrial power, a gap in small business financing, or a shortage of local career paths for our youth. By pairing strategic investment with data-driven leadership, we ensure that every Wyoming community has the tools it needs to win.
Building Strong Communities
Providing the “Must-Haves” for Growth. The WBC collaborates with communities to build self-reliance and local control. We work with mayors, council members, and commissioners to build the essential foundations—industrial power, water, sewer, and high-speed internet—that towns need to attract new investment. While others focus on repairing the past, we invest in the infrastructure that makes future growth possible. By cutting through red tape and outdated regulations, we make it easier for people to build homes and start businesses right here in Wyoming.
The Bottom Line: Most state programs only have money to fix things once they break. We’re the ones helping towns build the new things they need to grow. We install the pipes and pavement today so the next generation has a place to build tomorrow.
Helping Businesses Compete & Grow
Leveling the Playing Field for Local Ingenuity. The WBC doesn’t pick winners and losers; we clear the path so the private sector can succeed. By bridging the gap between local banks and entrepreneurs, our loan programs ensure Main Street stays Wyoming-owned. Whether it’s helping a machine shop expand or a new owner take over a retiring local staple, we provide the technical tools and startup connections that businesses need to win in the West.
The Bottom Line: We don’t hand out favors. If a private bank or company can handle a project alone, we stay out of the way. We step in only to bridge the gaps that prevent local shops from staying open and Wyoming-owned. These are investments, not gifts—often loans that are paid back to the state with interest.
Helping Families Thrive & Stay Together
Creating a Future Worth Staying For. Economic development is about people, not just numbers. Our mission is to reverse the youth exodus by creating high-quality career opportunities that allow the next generation to build their lives in the 307. By fostering a 77% growth in Wyoming’s non-mineral economy since 2008, we are creating the stability needed to keep our families whole and our communities vibrant for generations to come.
The Bottom Line: We work to create opportunities right here, so “home” stays home. We want our kids and grandkids to have every reason to stay in Wyoming rather than moving to Denver or Salt Lake to find a good life.
The Truth of Our Work...
Wyoming faces a potential $1.7 billion infrastructure gap, yet the Wyoming Legislature is proposing cutting the Wyoming Business Council (WBC), which widens this gap even more and leaves public lots empty across 23 counties.
There are many misconceptions about our work, but the truth is we work directly with towns and counties to help them address infrastructure gaps that are hampering their growth potential.
To address the misinformation out there, we’ve provided key details and data-backed information here.
Legislation that Created the Business Council
The WBC was built by the Legislature to solve a management crisis.
Since our inception, we’ve been a foundational part of supporting every municipality, city council, local economic development group, along with countless WY entrepreneurs and business owners. It’s a collaborative effort that enables Wyoming’s cities, towns, and counties to have a bright future.
Learn more about the creation of the WBC here.
Success Story
How Public-Private Partnership Kept Mesa in Wyoming
When Mesa Natural Gas Solutions envisioned a $70 million production campus in Evansville, they faced a hurdle common in Wyoming: a total lack of industrial infrastructure. There were no roads, no water lines, and no sewer systems to support a project of this scale. In a powerful letter to the Wyoming Legislature, Mesa CEO Scott Gromer explains how the WBC became the “linchpin” that turned this ambitious vision into a reality, securing hundreds of jobs for Natrona County.
Key Highlights from the Letter:
- The Investment: A $70M campus creating 400+ jobs with a $25M annual payroll.
- The Gap: No Wyoming or regional bank was willing to fund the $4.2M in dirt work and utilities needed to make the site workable.
- The Solution: A Business Ready Community (BRC) grant to the community funded the infrastructure, which Mesa matched with nearly $500,000 of its own cash.
- The Multiplier: This project didn’t just help Mesa; it opened 200 additional acres for future industrial development in Evansville.
The Bottom Line:
“Without WBC involvement, (Mesa) may not have been built in Natrona County or Wyoming at all… WBC’s support helped turn a $70 million vision into reality.” — Scott Gromer, CEO
Our Team. Our commitment.
Economic development in a state as vast as Wyoming requires more than just funding; it requires a specialized network of experts and the oversight of proven business leaders. The WBC is built to provide exactly that—professional, non-partisan stewardship of our state’s economic future.
A Team of 38 Dedicated Experts
While our mission is massive, our team is lean. We are a group of 38 passionate professionals—including regional directors who live and work in your communities, investment specialists, and industry experts. From our “boots on the ground” in every corner of the state to our strategists in Cheyenne, we act as the connectors and facilitators that help local leaders turn a community vision into a reality.
Private-Sector Oversight: Our Board of Directors
The WBC is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor. Unlike traditional state agencies, our board is comprised of private-sector business leaders from across Wyoming. They bring a wealth of real-world experience in banking, manufacturing, agriculture, and technology to the table. This structure ensures that every project we recommend for funding undergoes a rigorous business-first review, focusing on long-term viability and return on investment for the taxpayer.
Our Core Mission
At the heart of everything we do is a simple promise: The Wyoming Business Council supports strong communities so businesses can compete and families can stay together. We aren’t looking for short-term headlines; we are building the resilient systems and infrastructure that ensure Wyoming remains a place where our children and grandchildren can choose to build their lives.
Use the map below to quickly locate your nearest regional director (click on your region for current contact information and additional regional details).
Strategic Investments
These are not handouts. They’re investments to support communities, so they can support their local businesses. These are some stories from just some businesses you may recognize across our great state.