“What makes our community thrive,” asked EDWC Chair Christina Kraft to a room full of local business leaders. “Is it the mountains that surround us, the visitors who come from around the world, or the businesses that keep our economy alive? The truth is—it’s all of us, working together,” she said to a room full of nods and approving cheers.
At the recent State of Estes, Kraft, the Chair of the Economic Development & Workforce Council (EDWC) reflected on the successes of 2025 and laid out her plans for elevating local business in 2026.
“Over the past year, the EDWC delivered more than 30 educational programs, reaching 223 participants and creating an estimated $600,000 in educational value for our community. That’s not just a number—it represents real people gaining new skills, businesses finding new opportunities, and a stronger foundation for our local economy,” she noted…