WHEATLAND — Platte County Economic Development hosted their annual meeting at 10th St. Social on Tuesday night where the group honored retiring members Mona Sherard of Sherard Realty, and Chugwater rancher, Justin Gentle. Additionally, new members Lindsey Burke, Piccadilly Playschool; Daren Hershey, Superior Contracting; Jenn Stone, Stone Welding; and John Wiegel, Platte County School District #1 Superintendent were heartily welcomed.

January saw the induction of a new director in Tracy DeRyk; who has taken on the role with vigor, stating that the PCED enjoyed a 44% increase in its membership this year to date. PCED Chairman Matthew Kukowski, Sr. Vice President at Platte Valley Bank, praised DeRyk saying, “Tracy has shown great enthusiasm, she has great ideas and has done a lot of working being the “face” of the organization. We appreciate her efforts.” 

DeRyk added that her four main goals have been or are in progress of being met; and are ongoing ideals of the organization which include increased PCED engagement and exposure across Platte County, increasing membership to help strengthen the PCED mission for business retention, expansion, and recruitment, forging and strengthening relationships with both statewide and bordering county economic development organizations and working to achieve increased business recruitment, retention, and expansion throughout Platte County. The significant increase in membership appears to be evidence of a working strategy. 

DeRyk discussed the fiscal health of the county, reporting that there are fewer job openings than last month, but still more jobs than people to fill them. DeRyk also noted in her detailed report that current school enrollment is up to 913 students in District #1; conversely, enrollment was at 897 students in August, 2023.

The PCED members welcomed Jim Mathis, President and CEO of WyoTech; (who recently named a new president of the trade school, effective November 1, 2023) and a member of the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees.  Mathis regaled the attending audience with inspiring anecdotes of his childhood, schooling, and later his complex and evolving presence at WyoTech. 

Mathis has been instrumental in reviving a lagging enrollment trend when he took over in 2018. The school had only 12 enrolled students at that time, and is currently boasting 1024 students as well as 225 full-time employees.  Mathis went from being a student of WyoTech, to being an employee, to breathing life back into the school as its President. This journey has spanned 48 years.

Mathis was not reticent about sharing an equal number of failures that eventually led to successes. “I got here in large part due to my failures!” he said. “I just want to encourage all of you to continue to be patient, professional, and persistent in your efforts to grow businesses and find resources. The best economic development that you can do is to invest in your own local businesses; do they have the capacity to grow? Do they have a vision to grow? Their growth will continue to add value to other companies. Invest in them first, and new businesses will follow.” 

The PCED currently has a roster of 71 members, represented by businesses, individuals and other organizations throughout Platte County. Also in attendance were Platte County Commissioners Steve Shockley, Kayla Mantle, and Ian Jolovich.