By JEREMY PELZER
Casper Star-Tribune
| Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2011 11:45 pm
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A leading national credit rating agency has upgraded Wyoming to its highest possible rating, an indication of the state’s fiscal soundness that officials and analysts say could help attract new businesses.
Earlier this month, Standard & Poor’s raised Wyoming’s credit rating from AA+ to AAA, citing the state’s economic strength, low debt levels and conservative budgeting and forecasting practices, among other factors. Wyoming’s outlook is “stable,” according to the agency.
Only 11 other states have S&P’s top rating, most of which are in the East and Midwest.
In many other states, credit ratings are important primarily because they affect how easy it is to issue state government bonds and the interest rate the state has to pay on them.
But that won’t have much impact in Wyoming, which has only $38.5 million worth of outstanding bonds — likely the lowest amount of any state, according to State Treasurer Joe Meyer.
Instead, state government and business officials said the main benefit of Wyoming’s rating upgrade will be as a signal to the business community that the state is a stable, desirable place to be.
It’s an endorsement state leaders hope to tout as Wyoming looks to diversify its economy by luring in new industries such as high-tech data centers.
“I think it is a good message for people looking for a place to relocate that Wyoming is going to remain fiscally sound, and we are very conservative when it comes to our taxes,” Gov. Matt Mead told Bloomberg News last weekend. “They’re not going to face a big tax increase, because we are fiscally sound, and we continue to be fiscally sound, and we’re not looking for companies to come here and tax them out of our state.”
Wyoming Business Council CEO Bob Jensen said having a top credit rating will be helpful not only to bring in new companies, but to keep existing companies from leaving the state.
“It’s just another signal and another confirmation that the fiscal health of the state of Wyoming is very strong,” Jensen said.
Wyoming continues to have a AA+ rating with the nation’s two other major credit rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s.
Posted: Monday, January 17, 2011 4:28 pm
YRA's enplanement record is 30,899, set in 2000.
United Express led the upswing with an 40.6 percent increase in Cody-Denver passengers. The airline had 13,821 passengers in 2010 compared with 9,827 in 2009.
United Express started the year slowly with only 1,864 enplanements in January-April.
After an April meeting between YRA and United officials, lower ticket prices led to more than 1,000 enplanements each month the rest of the year with a high of 2,087 in August.
Delta Connection had a decrease of 13.4 percent with 14,533 passengers in 2010, compared with 16,773 Cody-Salt Lake City travelers in 2009.
After experiencing problems with the full to capacity parking lot during the holiday season, YRA is taking steps to alleviate the situation.
Hooper said changes to the new parking lot will help the overflow problem.
"We have twice the parking at the new terminal as we did at the old terminal and thought that would solve the problem," Hooper said. "But thanks to an increased amount of flying for the holidays we had some parking troubles."
Hooper recommended and the board approved eliminating one-hour parking in 22 spots in the lot.
To help make up for that, parallel parking will be created along the rock canal at front of the terminal.
"We will take the one-hour signs off the spots and post them on the new spots once we stripe the spaces," Hooper said. "This will make for some additional parking."
YRA also will look at moving up the parking lot expansion planned for 2014.
"We have to see about moving other projects around to free up money to make this happen," Hooper said. "Most airports have parking problems during the holidays and we were no different."
The board also designated eight spots in a smaller lot west of the terminal as parking for The Landing restaurant.
The board set Saturday, March 19, for the grand opening of the new terminal. Gov. Matt Mead will be invited to participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony. He will be visiting Cody that day for another event.
On another matter with the new terminal, Hooper said later that nothing is out of the ordinary about the dozens of long screws through the roof that poke into the ceiling over the main hallway in the terminal.
(Richard Reeder can be reached at richard@codyenterprise.com.)
How Important Are Small Businesses to the U.S. Economy?
America's small businesses - some 20 million strong - are the strength of our nation's economy. They account for 39 percent of the country's gross national product, create two out of every three new jobs and produce two and one half times as many innovations per employee as do large firms.
Small firms:
Information courtesy of the Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy.
Eleutian breaks ground
By Brenna Bratten
Eleutian Technology's busy year culminated with the groundbreaking of its new headquarters in Cody on Friday.
About 200 people attended the ceremony at which a rendering of the $3.7 million building was revealed. The Wyoming Business Council provided about $3 million for the building, which will be owned by Forward Cody and leased to Eleutian.
A few things have changed since the 10,161-square foot building was planned.
First, the number of teachers located at the headquarters has decreased.
More management was needed after Eleutian expanded into China with its recent acquisition of Idapted, Ltd.
The building will house mostly upper-level positions including management, finance, human relations, sales and operations. Salaries will generate $8 million in revenue throughout the community, Forward Cody President/CEO James Klessens said at a press conference earlier that day. The average salary for the 40 employees who will be hired during the next three years will be about $50,000.
There are already 38 teachers employed at Eleutian's center in the Park County Complex. Eleutian now employs 500-600 teachers statewide, President/CEO Kent Holiday said at the press conference.
Holiday said they originally planned to start with 20 full-time employees, but that's already grown to 28.
Guest speakers at the groundbreaking on the four-acre site at 3300 Big Horn Ave. began with Mayor Nancy Tia Brown. Next, Cynthia Cloud said she was excited to perform her first duty as state auditor-elect in Cody. She read a letter from Gov.-elect Matt Mead who was unable to attend.
Eleutian officials - including Holiday and managing director of the Cheyenne Capital Fund Robert Grady - spoke, as well as Klessens and officials from Plan One Architects and Groathouse Construction.
Each introduced the people and teams who made the groundbreaking possible. Klessens told the crowd it wasn't just one person involved but many and "hundreds and hundreds of hours."
Klessens also made special mention of the Eleutian teachers, who made up about one-third of the crowd.
Grady explained the groundbreaking is a milestone for the company and also a milestone for the state.
"Eleutian is an example of what can happen in Cody," he told the crowd. "Just as we're breaking ground today, I hope Eleutian can be groundbreaking for technology companies in Wyoming."
Construction is scheduled to begin this month and be finished next summer.
After the groundbreaking, Grady said officials had a company meeting where they decided two things: One, all employees will have access to a stock-option program, and two, all teachers working more than 15 hours will receive health insurance.
Eleutian will continue to expand, but Holiday said it will always be a Wyoming-based company.
Raisin Companies Literally!
Every once in a while, a simple idea, well thought out and structured, bears fruit. That sure is the case with Cody's newest company, Tastie Foods International.
About a year ago, company owner, David Blair approached Forward Cody regarding relocating the business to Cody. Blair had been in Cody for a Gro-Biz conference at the Holiday Inn, and liked the community. Tastie Foods developed a proprietary process for flavoring the raisins and other products. The company's initial offering, raisins flavored like root beer, black licorice, green apple and sour cherry caused a few laughs initially. Upon the first taste, the laughter subsided and the magnitude of the product's potential settled in. Tastie Food's product that tastes like candy but is really good for you! It works for kids, diabetics, and frankly anyone who wants a healthy, all natural product. Look out reconstituted fruit snacks and gummy bears...there's a new raisin in town!
In early July, Blair and his wife Tina began a concerted effort to bring their manufacturing facility to Cody. With the help of Forward Cody staff and board members, a facility and financing were arranged to bring the production on line. Just recently, the facility received the necessary approval from state and federal regulators to begin production. By month's end, the company will deliver their first order to Food Services of America en-route to school food service programs across Wyoming and Montana.
David created the product to address health and weight issues in children and adults. His obvious passion for making a quality product is evident in his explanation of his products. In addition to raisins, he has developed a line of gluten-free cereals, garbanzo bean snacks and many more items. These will come on-line as the raisin production becomes established.
For Forward Cody, the Tastie Foods project has been a true testimonial to the hard work and perseverance that it takes to launch a start-up company.
We're happy to welcome David and Tina to Cody with this great product!
Casper Star-Tribune
| Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2011 11:45 pm
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A leading national credit rating agency has upgraded Wyoming to its highest possible rating, an indication of the state’s fiscal soundness that officials and analysts say could help attract new businesses.
Earlier this month, Standard & Poor’s raised Wyoming’s credit rating from AA+ to AAA, citing the state’s economic strength, low debt levels and conservative budgeting and forecasting practices, among other factors. Wyoming’s outlook is “stable,” according to the agency.
Only 11 other states have S&P’s top rating, most of which are in the East and Midwest.
In many other states, credit ratings are important primarily because they affect how easy it is to issue state government bonds and the interest rate the state has to pay on them.
But that won’t have much impact in Wyoming, which has only $38.5 million worth of outstanding bonds — likely the lowest amount of any state, according to State Treasurer Joe Meyer.
Instead, state government and business officials said the main benefit of Wyoming’s rating upgrade will be as a signal to the business community that the state is a stable, desirable place to be.
It’s an endorsement state leaders hope to tout as Wyoming looks to diversify its economy by luring in new industries such as high-tech data centers.
“I think it is a good message for people looking for a place to relocate that Wyoming is going to remain fiscally sound, and we are very conservative when it comes to our taxes,” Gov. Matt Mead told Bloomberg News last weekend. “They’re not going to face a big tax increase, because we are fiscally sound, and we continue to be fiscally sound, and we’re not looking for companies to come here and tax them out of our state.”
Wyoming Business Council CEO Bob Jensen said having a top credit rating will be helpful not only to bring in new companies, but to keep existing companies from leaving the state.
“It’s just another signal and another confirmation that the fiscal health of the state of Wyoming is very strong,” Jensen said.
Wyoming continues to have a AA+ rating with the nation’s two other major credit rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: Monday, January 17, 2011 4:28 pm
YRA's enplanement record is 30,899, set in 2000.
United Express led the upswing with an 40.6 percent increase in Cody-Denver passengers. The airline had 13,821 passengers in 2010 compared with 9,827 in 2009.
United Express started the year slowly with only 1,864 enplanements in January-April.
After an April meeting between YRA and United officials, lower ticket prices led to more than 1,000 enplanements each month the rest of the year with a high of 2,087 in August.
Delta Connection had a decrease of 13.4 percent with 14,533 passengers in 2010, compared with 16,773 Cody-Salt Lake City travelers in 2009.
After experiencing problems with the full to capacity parking lot during the holiday season, YRA is taking steps to alleviate the situation.
Hooper said changes to the new parking lot will help the overflow problem.
"We have twice the parking at the new terminal as we did at the old terminal and thought that would solve the problem," Hooper said. "But thanks to an increased amount of flying for the holidays we had some parking troubles."
Hooper recommended and the board approved eliminating one-hour parking in 22 spots in the lot.
To help make up for that, parallel parking will be created along the rock canal at front of the terminal.
"We will take the one-hour signs off the spots and post them on the new spots once we stripe the spaces," Hooper said. "This will make for some additional parking."
YRA also will look at moving up the parking lot expansion planned for 2014.
"We have to see about moving other projects around to free up money to make this happen," Hooper said. "Most airports have parking problems during the holidays and we were no different."
The board also designated eight spots in a smaller lot west of the terminal as parking for The Landing restaurant.
The board set Saturday, March 19, for the grand opening of the new terminal. Gov. Matt Mead will be invited to participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony. He will be visiting Cody that day for another event.
On another matter with the new terminal, Hooper said later that nothing is out of the ordinary about the dozens of long screws through the roof that poke into the ceiling over the main hallway in the terminal.
(Richard Reeder can be reached at richard@codyenterprise.com.)
__________________________________________
How Important Are Small Businesses to the U.S. Economy?
America's small businesses - some 20 million strong - are the strength of our nation's economy. They account for 39 percent of the country's gross national product, create two out of every three new jobs and produce two and one half times as many innovations per employee as do large firms.
Small firms:
- Represent 99.7% of all employer firms.
- Employ half of all private sector employees.
- Pay 45% of total U.S. private payroll.
- Have generated 60 to 80% of net new jobs annually over the last decade.
- Create more than 50% of non-farm private gross domestic product (GDP).
- Supplied more than 23% of the total value of federal prime contracts in FY 2004.
- Produce 13 to 14 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms. These patents are twice as likely as large firm patents to be among the 1% most cited.
- Are employers of 41% of high tech workers (such as scientists, engineers, and computer workers).
- Are 53% home-based and 3% franchises.
- Made up 97% of all identified exporters and produced 26% of the known export value in FY 2002
Information courtesy of the Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy.
____________________________________________________
Eleutian breaks ground
By Brenna Bratten
Eleutian Technology's busy year culminated with the groundbreaking of its new headquarters in Cody on Friday.
About 200 people attended the ceremony at which a rendering of the $3.7 million building was revealed. The Wyoming Business Council provided about $3 million for the building, which will be owned by Forward Cody and leased to Eleutian.
A few things have changed since the 10,161-square foot building was planned.
First, the number of teachers located at the headquarters has decreased.
More management was needed after Eleutian expanded into China with its recent acquisition of Idapted, Ltd.
The building will house mostly upper-level positions including management, finance, human relations, sales and operations. Salaries will generate $8 million in revenue throughout the community, Forward Cody President/CEO James Klessens said at a press conference earlier that day. The average salary for the 40 employees who will be hired during the next three years will be about $50,000.
There are already 38 teachers employed at Eleutian's center in the Park County Complex. Eleutian now employs 500-600 teachers statewide, President/CEO Kent Holiday said at the press conference.
Holiday said they originally planned to start with 20 full-time employees, but that's already grown to 28.
Guest speakers at the groundbreaking on the four-acre site at 3300 Big Horn Ave. began with Mayor Nancy Tia Brown. Next, Cynthia Cloud said she was excited to perform her first duty as state auditor-elect in Cody. She read a letter from Gov.-elect Matt Mead who was unable to attend.
Eleutian officials - including Holiday and managing director of the Cheyenne Capital Fund Robert Grady - spoke, as well as Klessens and officials from Plan One Architects and Groathouse Construction.
Each introduced the people and teams who made the groundbreaking possible. Klessens told the crowd it wasn't just one person involved but many and "hundreds and hundreds of hours."
Klessens also made special mention of the Eleutian teachers, who made up about one-third of the crowd.
Grady explained the groundbreaking is a milestone for the company and also a milestone for the state.
"Eleutian is an example of what can happen in Cody," he told the crowd. "Just as we're breaking ground today, I hope Eleutian can be groundbreaking for technology companies in Wyoming."
Construction is scheduled to begin this month and be finished next summer.
After the groundbreaking, Grady said officials had a company meeting where they decided two things: One, all employees will have access to a stock-option program, and two, all teachers working more than 15 hours will receive health insurance.
Eleutian will continue to expand, but Holiday said it will always be a Wyoming-based company.
_______________________________________________
Raisin Companies Literally!Every once in a while, a simple idea, well thought out and structured, bears fruit. That sure is the case with Cody's newest company, Tastie Foods International.
About a year ago, company owner, David Blair approached Forward Cody regarding relocating the business to Cody. Blair had been in Cody for a Gro-Biz conference at the Holiday Inn, and liked the community. Tastie Foods developed a proprietary process for flavoring the raisins and other products. The company's initial offering, raisins flavored like root beer, black licorice, green apple and sour cherry caused a few laughs initially. Upon the first taste, the laughter subsided and the magnitude of the product's potential settled in. Tastie Food's product that tastes like candy but is really good for you! It works for kids, diabetics, and frankly anyone who wants a healthy, all natural product. Look out reconstituted fruit snacks and gummy bears...there's a new raisin in town!
In early July, Blair and his wife Tina began a concerted effort to bring their manufacturing facility to Cody. With the help of Forward Cody staff and board members, a facility and financing were arranged to bring the production on line. Just recently, the facility received the necessary approval from state and federal regulators to begin production. By month's end, the company will deliver their first order to Food Services of America en-route to school food service programs across Wyoming and Montana.
David created the product to address health and weight issues in children and adults. His obvious passion for making a quality product is evident in his explanation of his products. In addition to raisins, he has developed a line of gluten-free cereals, garbanzo bean snacks and many more items. These will come on-line as the raisin production becomes established.
For Forward Cody, the Tastie Foods project has been a true testimonial to the hard work and perseverance that it takes to launch a start-up company.
We're happy to welcome David and Tina to Cody with this great product!
______________________________________________________________
The Best and Worst Run States In America: A Survey of All Fifty
Posted: October 4, 2010 at 12:30 am
How well run are America’s fifty states? 24/7 Wall St. has taken several months to consider that question. Our writers looked at hundreds of data sets ranging from debt rating agency reports to violent crime rates, unemployment trends and median income. Of those, we chose what we considered to be the 10 most important ranking of financial and overall government management. The best run state is Wyoming. The Worst is Kentucky. The standing of each is supported by their ranking in the data sets we considered, as are the rankings of all fifty states.
24/7 Wall St. has completed one of the most comprehensive studies of state financial management ever performed by the mainstream media. It is based on evaluation principles used in the award-winning Best Run States In America ratings published by the Financial World Magazine during the 1990s. These studies were used by state governments to evaluate the efficiency of their own operations. The new 24/7 Wall St. study is meant to help businesses and individuals examine state operation with an unbiased eye.
The work involved in comparing states is challenging. This is due the volume of the data and the many ways it can be interpreted. A comparison is made even more difficult because state governments have advantages and disadvantages that may be decades old. These include the presence of natural resources, the the decisions by large companies to locate or leave and the extent to which populations are rural or urban. Populations of some states have changed very little. Other states have added or lost hundreds of thousands of people in the last decade. Many border states accommodate large numbers of immigrants.
Ultimately, however, states can control their own destinies. Well-run states have a great deal in common with well-run corporations. Books are kept balanced. Investment is prudent. Debt is sustainable. Innovation is prized. Workers are well-chosen and well-trained. Executives are picked based on merit and not “politics.”
24/7 Wall Street identified surveys with complete data sets for each state. Using this data, our formula ranked each state giving weight to metrics that are most important to prudent governance. In addition to traditional fiscal information, including GDP per capita, debt per capita, and and credit rating, our analysis also showed the impact of state policies on its residents. Combined, this created a complete picture of the “state of each state.” A fuller accounting of out methodology can be found at the end of the article.
The 24/7 Wall St. State of the States is meant to be an analysis that will refocus the debate on state management and financial operations in a period when the future of all 50 states is at stake, just as the future of the country is uncertain.
1st Wyoming
Debt per Capita: $4,310 (2nd)
Unemployment Rate: 6.8% (8th)
Home Price Change (’06 – ’09): 23.6% (1st)
Median Household Income: $52,664 (19th)
Wyoming comes in first place in 24/7 Wall St.’s Best Run States. Falling in the top fifteen in every metric, including sixth in debt per capita and second in percent below the poverty line. The only two flaws in the state’s record is median income, where it ranks 19th, and health insurance coverage, where it ranks 32nd. It also ranks first in high school completion. With just over half a million residents, it is the least populous state.
Read more: The Best and Worst Run States In America: A Survey of All Fifty - 24/7 Wall St.http://247wallst.com/2010/10/04/the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-a-survey-of-all-fifty/
.
Posted: October 4, 2010 at 12:30 am
How well run are America’s fifty states? 24/7 Wall St. has taken several months to consider that question. Our writers looked at hundreds of data sets ranging from debt rating agency reports to violent crime rates, unemployment trends and median income. Of those, we chose what we considered to be the 10 most important ranking of financial and overall government management. The best run state is Wyoming. The Worst is Kentucky. The standing of each is supported by their ranking in the data sets we considered, as are the rankings of all fifty states.
24/7 Wall St. has completed one of the most comprehensive studies of state financial management ever performed by the mainstream media. It is based on evaluation principles used in the award-winning Best Run States In America ratings published by the Financial World Magazine during the 1990s. These studies were used by state governments to evaluate the efficiency of their own operations. The new 24/7 Wall St. study is meant to help businesses and individuals examine state operation with an unbiased eye.
The work involved in comparing states is challenging. This is due the volume of the data and the many ways it can be interpreted. A comparison is made even more difficult because state governments have advantages and disadvantages that may be decades old. These include the presence of natural resources, the the decisions by large companies to locate or leave and the extent to which populations are rural or urban. Populations of some states have changed very little. Other states have added or lost hundreds of thousands of people in the last decade. Many border states accommodate large numbers of immigrants.
Ultimately, however, states can control their own destinies. Well-run states have a great deal in common with well-run corporations. Books are kept balanced. Investment is prudent. Debt is sustainable. Innovation is prized. Workers are well-chosen and well-trained. Executives are picked based on merit and not “politics.”
24/7 Wall Street identified surveys with complete data sets for each state. Using this data, our formula ranked each state giving weight to metrics that are most important to prudent governance. In addition to traditional fiscal information, including GDP per capita, debt per capita, and and credit rating, our analysis also showed the impact of state policies on its residents. Combined, this created a complete picture of the “state of each state.” A fuller accounting of out methodology can be found at the end of the article.
The 24/7 Wall St. State of the States is meant to be an analysis that will refocus the debate on state management and financial operations in a period when the future of all 50 states is at stake, just as the future of the country is uncertain.
Debt per Capita: $4,310 (2nd)
Unemployment Rate: 6.8% (8th)
Home Price Change (’06 – ’09): 23.6% (1st)
Median Household Income: $52,664 (19th)
Wyoming comes in first place in 24/7 Wall St.’s Best Run States. Falling in the top fifteen in every metric, including sixth in debt per capita and second in percent below the poverty line. The only two flaws in the state’s record is median income, where it ranks 19th, and health insurance coverage, where it ranks 32nd. It also ranks first in high school completion. With just over half a million residents, it is the least populous state.
Read more: The Best and Worst Run States In America: A Survey of All Fifty - 24/7 Wall St.http://247wallst.com/2010/10/04/the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-a-survey-of-all-fifty/
__________________________________
Forward Cody is now on FACEBOOK. As
with the world rapidly communicating in new digital, active formats, via
cell phones, laptops, ipads, so now is Forward Cody, part of the social
media world...
Find us at
Find us at
and be sure you "Like" us
.