States ENDOW Executive Council to Meet at UW

The University of Wyoming’s role in economic development and diversification will be front and center when the state’s ENDOW Executive Council meets on campus Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 11-12.

The leaders of ENDOW, which stands for Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming, also will tour local businesses and meet with community leaders.

The public is invited to participate in the meetings Monday from 1-6 p.m. and Tuesday from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. The ENDOW Executive Council sessions also will be broadcast live via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ENDOWyo.

After six months of research, analysis and meetings with local and state economic stakeholders, the ENDOW Executive Council will review its preliminary findings and recommendations to Gov. Matt Mead and the Wyoming Legislature. That is scheduled to take place starting at 2:30 p.m. Monday.

At 4:30 p.m. Monday, university leaders are scheduled to present the plan for development of an Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Additional UW presentations are set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, including an introduction by President Laurie Nichols; discussion of UW’s work on carbon engineering and carbon materials by School of Energy Resources Executive Director Mark Northam; discussion of technology and tech-enabled initiatives by College of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Michael Pishko; and discussion of UW’s industry and federal partnerships by Vice President for Research and Economic Development Ed Synakowski.

From noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, UW student panel discussions are planned on “The Opportunity Landscape in Wyoming,” with students sharing their suggestions and observations of Wyoming’s future economy -- and their postgraduation desires and plans.

The ENDOW Executive Council submitted its first report to the governor in August. The Wyoming socio-economic assessment established a baseline for the preliminary findings and recommendations due by Dec. 31, which sets the stage for the advancement of a 20-year economic diversification strategy for the state.

More information on ENDOW may be found at www.endowyo.biz.