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McGee, Zaback picked to head "Progress & Prosperity II"

CHEYENNE -- Two Cheyenne businessmen have been selected to head an aggressive 5-year economic development program aimed at bringing new businesses and jobs to Laramie County.

Mike McGee, a senior partner for McGee, Hearne and Paiz, and Mark Zaback, president of American National Bank, have been named the general co-chairmen of Progress & Prosperity II, a joint economic development effort by Cheyenne and Laramie County government agencies and private businesses.

McGee and Zaback will coordinate the activities of the campaign and the volunteer leadership organization that is being recruited to build on the success of the first Progress & Prosperity program, which raised more than $1.7 million to bring 12 new companies and 1,138 new jobs to Cheyenne over four years.

" This is the perfect time to expand on the goals of the previous P&P efforts," said McGee. "We've enjoyed some success. We can, and should, build on this momentum while we can."

Hundreds of Laramie County business leaders supported the efforts of Cheyenne LEADS, the Cheyenne Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County as they worked from 1998 to 2002 to raise $1.7 million that was used to improve the infrastructure at the Cheyenne Business Park, attract new businesses and develop training programs.

For P&P II, community leaders have set a goal of raising $2.8 million over five years. That money would be used to buy and improve industrial sites which could in turn be used to recruit businesses that would bring with them 1,200 primary jobs, create 1,020 secondary jobs and generate an estimated $52 million in payroll earnings.

" These sound like some pretty lofty goals, but given the success of our first campaign, we think we can do it," said Zaback. "Now, as in the first campaign, the support of our local business leaders are crucial."

Providing leadership at the Development Council level are: Jon Gates, chief executive officer of the United Medical Center, Laramie County Commissioner Diane Humphrey, Rick Kaysen, president and chief executive officer for Xcel Energy, J. Michael Powers, chairman of Powers Products, Sierra Trading Post founder and President Keith Richardson, Cheyenne Mayor Jack Spiker and Wells Fargo Bank President Tom Stuckey.

Detailed campaign goals and timelines will be unveiled as the P&P II team nears the kickoff for its campaign in September.

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