The Journal
The West End Economic Development Corp. in collaboration with the Southwest Innovation Corridor has hired Ryan Taylor for a joint internship between the town of Rico and The West End towns of Nucla and Naturita.
Taylor will work full time, splitting time between Rico and the West End, said a press release from Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado.
The Southwest Innovation Corridor’s goal is to aid in community-led efforts in the region to ensure economic stability in each of the three towns. Goals include developing a cohesive image for each community in collaboration with its partnering nonprofit and business organizations. Taylor will do this through providing technical assistance to local businesses and tackling Rico marketing efforts.
Kari Distefano, Rico’s town administrator, has enormous praise for Taylor. “Having him available has been very helpful. It was Ryan who got the community event calendar to be a collaborative effort. He has been working on information about the attractions in Rico and he is going to start working with the Scenic Byway and Colorado Tourism Office.”
Taylor is a senior at Western State Colorado University studying business administration/entrepreneurship. He is a University Innovation Fellow with Stanford University’s d.School, Design and Innovation Program, and a goalie for Western State’s hockey team.
You can reach Ryan Taylor at rvan.taylor@western.edu.
