About Economic Development
Our economic development team prioritizes services that aim for common, positive results, for our businesses, communities, and citizens.
Economic Development News
Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development (LCEWD) Welcomes New Associate Director of Economic Development
Janine Ledingham has joined Larimer County as the new Associate Director of Economic and Workforce Development.
Ledingham brings over 15 years of experience to Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development [LCEWD], driving regional economic growth across Colorado, including extensive
She will lead the business and economic development services provided by LCEWD, emphasizing support for local and regional businesses, to attract, retain and expand new business opportunities. Additionally, a key component of her position will be collaborating with industry leaders to pursue and maintain a skilled and diverse workforce.
"Northern Colorado's demonstrated commitment to regional economic development, the opportunity to join a very talented, collaborative group of economic development partners in the region, and the strong projected growth and opportunity in Northern Colorado really drew me to this role," Ledingham said. "The alignment of values and commitment to regional economic development made this opportunity very compelling."
Ledingham's career spans leadership roles with Small Business Development Centers across the state where she first discovered a passion for economic development by helping entrepreneurs launch and grow successful businesses. Her most recent position was Director of Colorado’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center. Before that, she served as Director of the Longmont Economic Development Partnership, supporting small businesses while strengthening Longmont’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Ledingham holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Trinity University and an MBA from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. "I'm passionate about supporting Colorado’s economic vitality. In this role, I look forward to learning the regional landscape and working with our partners to create and support high-impact initiatives to foster economic growth across Northern Colorado.”
Ledingham's priorities include engaging with regional partners to understand their strategic initiatives and exploring emerging opportunities through the Regional Economic Development Initiative and other economic development partnerships.
LCEWD Director Mark Johnston said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Janine to our team. Her extensive experience in economic development and business support services, matched with her values of collaboration and thoughtful solutions, makes her an ideal fit for such important work. I’m confident in her ability to strengthen the LCEWD and the broader partnerships to help our local economy for businesses of all sizes.”
Larimer County Joins Statewide Economic Development Alliance
Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development has joined the CO|Align Initiative, marking a significant step toward enhanced regional collaboration in economic development across Colorado. By signing this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), we join other state agencies and regional organizations in a coordinated effort to strengthen Colorado's economic future.
This partnership will help us:
- Align our local economic strategies with statewide initiatives
- Reduce duplicate efforts across regions
- Enhance our capacity to serve Larimer County businesses and workforce
- Access additional resources and partnerships for economic development
- Contribute to Colorado's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
Our participation in CO|Align demonstrates our commitment to building a more resilient and prosperous economy that benefits all Larimer County residents while contributing to Colorado's broader economic success.
We look forward to working with the community as we implement this exciting new partnership. If you have any questions about CO|Align or would like to learn more about how this could benefit your organization, visit Co|Align.
