Teton Valley Business Development Center

MISSION:

To develop a stable and diverse economy by retaining, strengthening and recruiting businesses in Teton Valley.

Fletcher White, PresidentBrian McDermott, Executive DirectorMay 2015

HTTP:/ /MADEINTETONVALLEY.COM/

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Contents

Overview Focus Our Work Successes History Board of Directors

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Overview• Mission: To develop a stable and diverse

economy by retaining, strengthening and recruiting businesses in Teton Valley.

• Goal: Grow full-time, year-round, family-wage jobs

• Overarching strategies:• Grow and attract recreation technology, creative and

light manufacturing businesses.• Support and grow existing agriculture, retail, service,

tourism sectors

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Focus on the Future • Teton Valley’s greatest opportunity to diversify its economy beyond tourism, construction, public services and agriculture is to recruit businesses that benefit from our unique natural, recreational and infrastructure assets.

•We are working to develop complementary recreation and aviation technology clusters, supported by expertise in materials science and machine tools.

•These clusters will produce high-value products and provide well-paid jobs for assemblers, machinists, engineers, designers and product testers.

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Our Work• Aggressively working to recruit companies to Teton Valley.

• Working with Idaho State University to provide avionics and aviation technical education and manufacturing at Driggs-Reed Memorial airport.

• Supporting local start-up businesses with low or no-cost rent and consultation.

• Providing business counseling and expert consulting referrals to area businesses.

• Developed a recruiting brochure and website, www.MadeInTetonValley.com.

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Our Work

•Our Made in Teton Valley brand aims to create awareness of the history, quality and integrity of the valley.•Local producers will soon be placing this logo on everything from agricultural products to clothing, outdoor gear, recreational experiences and more.

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Our Work• Surveyed Teton Valley business owners about workforce development and training priorities; currently working with EITC to provide training responsive to business needs.

• Supporting the new the EITC campus in Driggs.

• Surveyed business owners and operators in the tourism industry to assess their resources, determine needs and consider obstacles to growth; identified needs in online information, wayfaring signs and customer service; implementing plans to address those needs.

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Our Work

• Hosted the Teton Valley Travel and Tourism Summit.

• Working with contractors to obtain public works licensing and improve opportunities to obtain contracts for the EITC building renovation and other government projects.

• Facilitating local customer service training through the College of Southern Idaho.

• Exploring strategies to improve K-12 education in Teton County.

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Successes

• Entrepreneur Amy Hatch has created Garage Grown Gear, a website celebrating innovative outdoor equipment.

•Amy launched the e-commerce part of her site this Fall.

•TVBDC is supporting her with subsidized office space and advice.

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Successes

• TVBDC advised custom outdoor apparel maker, Burgess Custom, on its selection of manufacturing and show room space in Victor.

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Successes

• We recruited and helped settle a boutique ski manufacturing company, Sego Skis, in Victor. They are initially investing $250,000 and employing five people.

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History• Discussions began in 2010 among citizens

seeking to diversify the local economy.• Citizens and consultants developed The Teton

Valley Economic Development Plan, which Teton County formally adopted in 2013.• The Teton Valley Business Development Center

was formed in 2013 with financial and in-kind support from private donors and the Idaho Department of Commerce, Teton County, and the cities of Driggs, Victor and Tetonia.• In November 2013, the TVBDC hired executive

director Brian McDermott, a former corporate marketing and communications executive.

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Board of DirectorsTVBDC board members Affiliation Position

Fletcher White CEO ProGuide Direct PresidentBrian Gibson Alliance Title Secretary

Wayne Maness Victor City Council, U.S. Bank Treasurer

Roger Brink Sotheby's Realty Director

Jen Magnusson Blixt & Co. DirectorGloria Hoopes Mayor, City of Tetonia DirectorBill Leake Teton County Commissioner Director

Hyrum Johnson Mayor, City of Driggs Director