WYOMING

Last year, Gov. Matt Mead asked me to do a difficult thing — join the Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming initiative executive council. He charged the council with bringing bold, game-changing ideas to the table that would help diversify Wyoming’s economy for the long term.

"It’s screwed us up," said Faculty Senate chair-elect Donal O’Toole, who teaches in the Veterinary Sciences Department. "If you want a technical answer, it screwed us up. Real bad."

"The colleges just didn’t have the passion for it that I have," he said. "So I had this epiphany that, if I can’t work with them, I might as well build my own. I have taught a number of professional pilots, and many former students are flying for military services."

He likened the maker space to "a gym for people that like to build things with robots and lasers."

The Cowboy State has now legalized many applications of blockchain technology, from trading virtual currency to storing corporate records, making Wyoming one of the first states to welcome the new digital frontier with open, deregulated arms.

Montana and Wyoming are well known for agriculture, but a new method of farming being utilized in Jackson Hole is one of the firsts of its kind in the world.

"I am excited to welcome Kawasaki, a highly esteemed company to Wyoming," Governor Mead said in a statement Tuesday. "This announcement is the culmination of many hours of research, strategic planning and vision."

Steps to enhance Wyoming’s outdoor recreation that won’t cost money:

"Our focus is on enabling our existing businesses to create primary jobs,"

The ENDOW Executive Council is asking for your participation in this strategic process and requests your candid feedback and thoughtful guidance to help shape Wyoming’s future.