Press Room ::

For immediate release:

April 7, 2009
For more information:
Rachel Girt, Marketing and Public Relations
Wyoming Business Council
Office:  307.777.2851 Cell: 307.631-4681
Email: rachel.girt@wybusiness.org

Business Council board welcomes new members and elects officers

MP3 quote from Clarene Law, co-chair of the Business Council Board of Directors. Transcript of the audio is at the end the release.

CHEYENNE – At its March meeting in Torrington, the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors welcomed two new board members, Lee Lockhart and Larry Caller, and elected officers for this year.

The board is comprised of 15 non-partisan private sector members who are appointed by the governor, who also serves as co-chair, and confirmed by the Wyoming Senate. The board authorizes policies and budgets, makes decisions on grant and loan applications, and selects the chief executive officer for the Business Council.

Lockhart, of Worland, and Caller, of Rock Springs, fill two positions left open by Jim Davis and Ted Ladd, both of whom served six years and were term limited by statute. The new board appointments run until March 1, 2012.  The new board members’ bios are below.

Board Co-Chair Clarene Law said Lockhart and Caller hit the ground running at their first meeting.  “For new guys, I was really impressed and I think that they will add a great deal to the Council for the good of the state.”

The board also elected the following officers to the executive committee: Clarene Law, of Jackson, as co-chair; Cliff Root, of Riverton, as vice chair; Gus Fleischli, of Cheyenne, as secretary/treasurer; and Donna Kinskey, of Sheridan, and Nathan Bekke, of Cheyenne, as members at large. They will serve in these positions until March 2010. Their bios can be found on the Web site at http://wyomingbusiness.org/about/members.aspx .

Members of the Board of Directors include: Gov. Dave Freudenthal; Clarene Law, of Jackson; Nathan Bekke, of Casper; Richard Bratton, Sr.; Larry Caller, of Rock Springs; Karla Fiebelkorn, of Gillette; Gus Fleischli, of Cheyenne; Donna Kinskey, of Sheridan; Lee Lockhart, of Worland; Richard McGinity, of Laramie; Matt Mead, of Cheyenne; Frank Mendicino, of Westminster, CO; Gary Negich, of Laramie; Cliff Root of Riverton; Donald Russell, of Basin; and Richard Walje of Salt Lake City, Utah.

LEE LOCKHART BIO:
Lee Lockhart has been the publisher of the Northern Wyoming Daily News in Worland since 1989. Lockhart has held numerous positions with newspapers since his passion for them began in high school. He has worked for newspapers in Riverton, Green River, Jeffrey City, Cheyenne, and Worland. He has served as past president of the Wyoming Press Association and as a board member of the Science, Technology, and Energy Administration from 1990 -1998. Locally, he has served on the Worland Chamber of Commerce board and the Washakie Development Association board of directors. Born in Riverton, Lockhart grew up on the family farm in Fremont County and graduated from Shoshoni High School. He received an associate’s degree in general business from Central Wyoming College and graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Business Administration. He has been married to his wife Susan for 33 years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.

LARRY CALLER BIO:
For the past 35 years, Larry Caller has been the owner of Rock Springs Block Co., a company that specializes in precast concrete products for underground mining and oil/ gas production. About 12 years ago, he developed Bitter Creek Brewing, a local brewpub/ restaurant in Rock Springs.  The Pub has won numerous awards for its famous beer named “Bob.” Caller has been active in politics for the last 25 years, serving as a state senator, county commissioner, and on numerous local, state and federal boards.  He was active in the local county economic development group, Sweetwater Economic Development Association, and received its Leadership Award in 2003.  In 1989, Inc. Magazine selected him to participate in a technology transfer program sponsored by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and the government of Spain. Caller was born and raised in Rock Springs and graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has been married to his wife Jane for 35 years and they have one daughter.                                                                        

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO:
Quote by Clarene Law, co-chair of the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors: “We recently have established two new board members within our board. We have a board of 15 very qualified individuals that deal with business plans that come before us. We just recently welcomed Lee Lockhart and Larry Caller. Both gentlemen hit the ground running at our Torrington meeting. For new guys I was really impressed and I think that they will add a great deal to the Council for the good of the state.”

The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org .

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