Business urged to 'pay it forward'

BYLINE: CHRISTINE McMANUS ChristineMcManus@coloradoan.com

As Colorado's economy faces a projected slowdown next year, Maury Dobbie called out to 300 people at a luncheon Monday to "pay it forward" and do a favor for the local economy.

Dobbie - the newly hired president and CEO of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp. - said the organization will rely on even more active members and regional partnerships to promote the economy.

"We must be the change we wish to see in our communities," Dobbie said. "Don't bring me a dead cat without a shovel. I'm relying on your suggestions and ideas."

Dobbie has one year to bring regional economic results, said incoming board chair Eric Holsapple. Goals in the coming year include:

Issue a new report on the business climate,

Lure and retain more jobs. NCEDC has promised to add 9,000 jobs to the region by 2010,

Find regional transportation solutions,

Lobby state Legislature for pro-business changes,

Promote NCEDC's new Web site,

Promote the new Clean Energy Cluster of Northern Colorado and

Increase the overall payroll in the region.

The annual luncheon was at the Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect Road. Dobbie took the helm of the Fort Collins-Loveland area economic organization a week ago, after J.J. Johnston suddenly resigned in early October.

Johnston was the original president and CEO of the organization the past 4½ years. The organization also reduced its board from 18 to 12.

Rather than find another specialist in economic development, the board chose Dobbie, who served as board chair the past year. She has years of experience as a local business owner of Media Tech Productions with her husband.

"Maury's been successful in other business areas. I think she'll bring that pattern to the NCEDC," said Glenn Wilson, Anheuser-Busch plant manager and recently reappointed board member.

"You can train someone in economic development. But it's hard to train someone in small business. Smaller companies are the backbone of the new economy," he said.

Dobbie will receive economic development training.

This year, NCEDC raised $4.9 million of its $5 million goal, from 214 investors. The NCEDC staff processed 77 business relocation inquiries and hosted 13 visiting companies.

Several companies this year brought more than 600 jobs to the area, including Pelco, Spirae Inc., Advanced Micro Devices and Research Data Design.

NCEDC partnerships include: Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, the Regional Transportation Authority, Upstate Colorado Economic Development, Fort Collins and Loveland city councils, Larimer County, the state of Colorado, local chambers of commerce and colleges.

Colorado State University President Larry Penley delivered the keynote economic speech. Under Penley's leadership, the university is positioning itself to prove its impact on the economy, not only in quality graduates, but also product-to-market innovations and research with a global outlook.

Martin Shields - the regional economist hired in partnership by NCEDC and CSU's office of economic development - said he will soon begin sharing his research findings on the regional economy.

Even before the movie "Pay it Forward" about a boy who tries to start a chain reaction of life-changing favors, Dobbie said she's applied the principle to business and encouraged others to do the same.