A City
In Motion
2024 Annual report
A message from the president
As we reflect on 2024, one thing is clear—the spirit of connection in the Greeley Area is something special. It thrives because of the heart and dedication of this incredible network of businesses and leaders. Through collaboration, advocacy and meaningful connections, the Greeley Area Chamber has worked alongside you to create opportunities for growth, elevate your voice and drive economic impact. From fostering hundreds of moments of connection to ensuring businesses were heard at the State Capitol, we are proud of the progress we’ve made together.
Looking ahead, we are excited to launch Beyond the Horizon 2030, a bold initiative shaping the future of Greeley’s economy. Your input has been invaluable—over 1,000 business leaders contributed to this vision, reaffirming the Chamber’s role in supporting, expanding, and advocating for local businesses. We invite you to be part of this movement as we continue to set the pace for innovation, leadership and economic prosperity in Northern Colorado.
Thank you for being an essential part of this journey. Here’s to a future of growth, collaboration, and boundless opportunity.
Jaime Henning
President & CEO, Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce
Who we are
where we are going
Our Mission
We champion and serve our business community. We are the leading voice and convener for business and industry.
Our Vision
We are the catalyst for business development, growth, and success.
Our Values
Business and Industry | We keep our businesses at the center of everything we do
Innovation | We value innovation and solutions to lead our region forward
Inclusion | We strive for a welcome and inclusive community
Community | We are dedicated to our community and its growth and understand the importance of legacy
Action | We act on opportunities and challenges in our community
beyond the horizon
What We Heard and What’s Ahead
To build towards a thriving future in Greeley, we prioritized listening to our stakeholders in 2024. Through a comprehensive blend of qualitative and quantitative analysis, we identified key challenges, opportunities and trends that will inform the direction of the Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce for years to come.
How We Listened
Key Findings
Opportunities for Impact:
The Chamber is poised to amplify its influence in the following areas:
Business growth & development
Regional leadership & Advocacy
workforce sustainability
communications & Marketing
Driving Engagement & Impact
This year, the Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce fostered connections, championed local businesses, and strengthened our community through dynamic events, strategic partnerships, and meaningful engagement.
serving as the leading voice for our businesses
advocacy
The Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce is a leading and important unified voice for the greater community. We do this by engaging issues important to business in our region and delivering significant return on investment for our stakeholders.
impact report
Jaime (President & CEO) personally testified at the legislative session 5x for Greeley businesses. Here are a few of the outcomes:
Let us know what is important to you and your business. Let your voice be heard. Attend our next Common Grounds: Where a lot can happen over coffee. They take place the first Friday of every month.
The Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce’s key areas
local policy priorities
Collaboration with Community partners
We value relationships with civic leaders and will continue our commitment to further developing positive and mutually beneficial working relationships. Furthering economic resiliency and mutually beneficial partnerships is one of our core strengths.
Education and Workforce
Desirable communities require quality education and public schools dedicated to high performance. A city or region’s economic competitiveness and quality of life depend on the success of its early education, K-12, community college, and university-level people and programs. Education is essential to the quality of life and economic well-being of the City of Greeley and the State of Colorado.
Commitment to Growth
The Greeley Area Chamber is committed to the growth of our city and region and strategies to support it. With significant growth on the horizon for the Greeley Area and region, our support will extend to Economic Development projects with existing business expansions and attraction of new business. We support projects that stake a claim on innovation and the improvement of our business climate.
Community Infrastructure
We believe in a high-quality transportation system that allows individuals and goods to move safely, quickly, and conveniently and reliability around the community and region is necessary to preserve and improve quality of life and economic growth. The Chamber also supports trails, sidewalks, and greenspace to promote quality of life. We also recognize the need for proactive water policies to develop and ensure future supplies for Greeley’s residents and the city’s future growth.
Government Efficiency
A local government that is fiscally responsible, a careful steward of public tax dollars, and regularly reviews ordinances and policies allows the private sector to flourish. This helps build the economy and nourishes the overall quality of life in the communities it serves. In these pursuits, working in partnership, public and private sectors make Greeley an outstanding place to live and work.
Economic Development Partnership
The Greeley Area Chamber will continue to be a critical partner in the Economic Development process partnering with the City of Greeley and Upstate Economic Development along with Chambers throughout the region to ensure Greeley’s continued success. We will ensure we are a destination for business development & retention as well as talent and opportunity. We also will take a lead role in growing future leaders and fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will be future-focused and economically competitive with an eye on the global markets
Don’t just take it from us
Voices of Our Investors
Why the Chamber Matters
The Community Council on Education was founded over 12 years ago, sparked by a shared concern among the Chamber and local business leaders about the state of education in Greeley and its impact on economic growth. Businesses recognized that school performance affected their ability to attract talent and began collaborating with the District to drive positive change. This partnership has led to significant initiatives like the District’s Career Pathways Programs and internships for high school students, bridging education and workforce development.
The Chamber’s leadership has been instrumental in these efforts, providing support, meeting spaces and uniting businesses to advocate for local schools. Recent successes include a video promoting internships produced in partnership with Comcast and District 6, showcasing the importance of connecting students with real-world experiences. Additionally, the council has worked to promote the District’s achievements within the business community, fostering stronger relationships and greater awareness of the positive strides being made in local education.
The Community Council, composed of diverse businesses and educational institutions, exemplifies the power of collaboration in strengthening education and building a brighter future for Greeley.
Being a part of the Greeley Chamber has given me an incredible start to my business. I began my membership by participating in Greeley Eats, where I met so many people in one night. Winning ‘Best Dessert’ gave me a huge boost of confidence in my product, and the Chamber provided a wonderful platform to showcase who I am and what I do!
Participating in Leads gave me invaluable practice as a business owner—talking with other local entrepreneurs, building relationships, and finding ways we can work together for mutual success.
As a stay-at-home mom for the past 16 years, my experience in the workplace was limited. For the last eight years, I’ve had my cinnamon rolls, orange rolls and dinner rolls as a side hustle, but shifting my mindset to that of an entrepreneur and business owner has been a journey. I’m incredibly grateful to the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, and especially the Leads group, for being a partner in that transition.
connecting within the community
programs & events
our heartbeat
our investors
Don’t just take it from us, let the numbers speak for themself.
73 New investors in 2024
86% Retention Rate
(8% higher than the national average)
39 Ribbon Cuttings
Join us
Why? Here’s a few reasons:
elevate the local business environment
provide access to valuable resources
have a voice and advocate to support commerce
connect with other business leaders
we want to hear from you
your feedback matters to us
2025 board of directors
leadership
- Bob Beiersdorf – Allo Fiber
- Leah Bornstein – Aims Community College
- Trudi Boyd – Chevron
- Matt Estrin – 477 Distilling/Oak & Maple/Greeley Hatchet House
- Dr. Andy Feinstein* – University of Northern Colorado
- Levi Gain* – Doug’s Carpet & Upholstery Care
- Lori Gama – DaGama Digital Marketing Agency
- John Gates – City of Greeley, Mayor
- Tom Grant – Grant & Associates, P.C.
- Lisa Hudson – SBDC – UNC Biz Hub
- Aimee Hutson – Aunt Helen’s Coffee House & Cafe
- Julie Jensen – Greeley Area Realtor Association
- Past-Chair*, Jason Jones – Adams Bank & Trust
- Treasurer*, Kaycee Lytle – Bank of Colorado
- Kristina McGuffey – ServPro of Greeley/Windsor
- Chair*, Dr. Deirdre Pilch – Greeley-Evans School District 6
- Roger Ramirez – The Garage Automotive Solutions
- Collin Richardson – Richmark
- Marilyn Schock* – UCHealth
- Betzy Valdez – Immigrant Hope
- Justin Watada – Greeley Stampede
- Kevin Weimer – Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
- Rich Werner – Upstate Colorado Economic Development
- Lindsay Yeater – Yeater & Associates
*Denotes Executive Committee
Thank You, Outgoing Directors:
Christian Schulte – Peters Schulte Odil pllc
Josh Dollard – Pepsi Beverages Co.
Chris Gentle – Adams Bank & Trust
Judy Hicks – Anderson & Whitney PC
Margo Karsten – Banner Health
Professional Staff
Jaime Henning, CCE
President / CEO
