Grand Junction Economic Partnership Releases Economic Impact Report

While the Grand Junction Economic Partnership (GJEP) has experienced staff turnover over the past year, it has maintained a focus on supporting the greater community and now experiences increased stability with new leadership at its helm.

In August 2022, Curtis Englehart accepted the role of GJEP’s Executive Director. Curtis Englehart was previously the Director of the Mesa County Workforce Center for more than fivee years and was the driving force behind Mesa County’s Work Ready Community Initiative.

Deputy Director, Steve Jozefczyk who served as the organization’s Interim Director for one year, stated, “With support from the GJEP Board and staff, our team was striving for a seamless transition during our search for a new Executive Director. Curtis hit the ground running by picking up existing projects and moving forward with new initiatives he envisioned for GJEP.”

Since taking on the role, Englehart has hired two additional staff members, including a Director of Marketing & Communications and an Office Manager. He has worked to facilitate new strategic planning and goal-setting initiatives with GJEP’s internal team and Board of Directors while strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and leadership throughout the community

He stated, “We are very pleased with our end-of-year numbers and are excited to share our economic impact and return on investment with our community. 2022 was a very successful year, and we have great momentum as we start 2023! We are proud to say that for every $1.00 invested in GJEP in 2022, we generated $20.00 in economic impact.”

With a fully staffed team, GJEP focused its efforts on ending the year strong, citing five out of their seven wins happening toward the end of 2022. The report calls out a total economic impact of $15,690,242 for 2022, resulting from business attraction and expansion efforts. This economic impact includes:

• 7 wins (business expansions and/or relocation).
• 9 local assists.
• 83 actual jobs created and 333 potential jobs in 2022.
• $8,920,062 in economic impact from job creation.
• $4,025,000 total capital expenditure.
• $6,770,180 economic impact of capital expenditures.

The year’s wins include EquipmentShare, Spares in Motion, and MotoMinded. EquipmentShare, a nationwide construction technology company, expanded into the Grand Junction area. Their presence in the area created 13 new jobs with an average salary of $50,000 and a total capital expenditure of $3,000,000 into our community through the purchase of their building. Spares in Motion, the largest international e-business platform for wind turbines, selected Grand Junction as its first North American location and became the 26th company for Mesa County accepted into the Rural Jump Start Program. Additionally, motorcycle parts manufacturer, MotoMinded, worked closely with GJEP during their relocation from Colorado Springs to Grand Junction in 2022.

As our community continues building momentum together, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership anticipates more wins for Mesa County in 2023. Englehart stated, “It is great to see the attention our community is garnering. Our marketing efforts are seeing record engagement levels and it is also great to see additional projects and stories that highlight our local area, like Grand Junction appearing in the New York Times’ 52 Best Places to Visit in 2023. It remains an exciting time for this great community.”

GJEP will secure more wins as it works closely with several prospects in its pipeline from various industries, including outdoor recreation, manufacturing, and technology. In 2023, new leads will be generated through expanding its marketing efforts and attending meaningful tradeshows, including the upcoming AVALON Australian International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition. Additionally, GJEP plans to promote several powerful tools for attracting new business, such as Opportunity Zones within the Grand Junction area, the Riverfront at Las Colonias business park, and the Rural Jump Start Program.

The Grand Junction Economic Partnership will continue building strong relationships with its fellow economic development partners, including the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and the Business Incubator Center, as well as our local and state governments. GJEP will soon announce the return of the 2023 Western Colorado Economic Summit.

To view the Grand Junction Economic Partnership’s 2022 Annual Report, please visit www.gjep.org/annual-report-2022.

About the Grand Junction Economic Partnership

The Grand Junction Economic Partnership (GJEP) works to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the Grand Junction area by supporting high-impact capital investment and job creation. GJEP is a single stop for businesses looking to relocate or expand in the cities of Grand Junction and Fruita, the Town of Palisade, and surrounding communities in Mesa County. Operating as a 501(c)3, GJEP offers free services that help businesses navigate incentives and opportunity zones and connect with realtors and developers, the workforce, local leadership, and more. Visit www.gjep.org for more information.