I was thankful to see so many business leaders, community partners and local and state elected officials turn out for the Chamber’s 2026 State of Business event.
The evening was a reminder of something we know well at the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce: this region is full of people who care deeply about the health of our economy, the success of our employers and the future of our community.
Business leaders, community partners and elected officials gathered for the Chamber’s 2026 State of Business event.
I want to thank everyone who joined us, as well as our speakers: Fort Collins City Manager Kelly DiMartino, Alpine Bank Regional President Ben Van Hoose and Anheuser-Busch General Manager Nathan Murphy. Each brought a valuable perspective on the state of business in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado.
I also want to thank Anheuser-Busch for hosting us, Soul Puppets for bringing live music to the evening and our sponsors for helping make the event possible.
“One of the strongest takeaways from the conversation was that Fort Collins is on solid economic footing.”
Our speakers were optimistic about the state of business in Fort Collins, and that optimism is well-earned. We have a strong small business community, major employers, Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurial energy and one of the region’s greatest assets in Colorado State University. Together with strong community connections and a focus on quality job creation, those strengths give Fort Collins a strong foundation. At the same time, we know businesses are navigating real economic headwinds. Interest rates, rising insurance costs, workforce pressures and broader market uncertainty continue to shape decisions for employers across the region.
As Ben Van Hoose noted in his remarks, Northern Colorado will have to work together to protect what makes this region strong and continue growing in the face of changing conditions.
A Strong Business Climate Does Not Happen by Accident
At the Chamber, we work incredibly hard for small business and for the broader business community. Our focus is on helping Fort Collins remain a place where businesses can start, grow, hire, invest and succeed. That includes creating opportunities for connection, but it also includes the less visible and deeply important work of advocacy.
Advocacy in Action
We are educating business owners on the issues affecting them, investing resources into business advocacy and making sure the voice of business is part of important local and regional conversations.
State of Business brought that work into focus by creating space for business and civic leaders to be in the same room, hear from one another and better understand the opportunities and challenges shaping our economy.
Fort Collins has a good, solid economy. We should be encouraged by that, and we should stay engaged in the work required to keep it that way.
Thank you again to everyone who attended State of Business and to everyone working every day to keep Fort Collins and Northern Colorado moving forward.