Teton Valley Business
Development Center
MISSION:
To develop a stable and diverse economy by retaining, strengthening and
recruiting businesses in Teton Valley.
F l e t c he r W h i t e , P re s i d e nt
B r i a n M c D e r m o tt , E xe c ut i v e D i re c t o r
M ay 2 0 1 5
H T T P : / / MA D E I N T E TON VA L L E Y.COM /
Contents
 Overview
 Focus
 Our Work
 Successes
 History
 Board of Directors
2
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
3
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.
4
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 DriggsReed 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.
5
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.
6
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.
8
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.
10
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.
11
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 Directors
TVBDC board members
Affiliation
Position
Fletcher White
Brian Gibson
CEO ProGuide Direct
Alliance Title
President
Secretary
Wayne Maness
Victor City Council, U.S. Bank
Treasurer
Roger Brink
Sotheby's Realty
Director
Jen Magnusson
Gloria Hoopes
Bill Leake
Blixt & Co.
Mayor, City of Tetonia
Teton County Commissioner
Director
Director
Director
Hyrum Johnson
Mayor, City of Driggs
Director
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