On April 14 sixty local leaders will depart on a two-day visit to Boulder and Fort Collins, Colorado. Hosted by the Boulder Chamber, we will meet with business, education, and government leaders there. Boulder and Fort Collins are university communities with many similarities to Santa Cruz City and County. They are nationally recognized as a center of innovation. They have experienced many of the same kinds of challenges of a vital economic community with strong environmental and social values and a politically liberal electorate.
As we did in May, 2012, during the Chamber's CLV to San Luis Obispo (SLO), leaders representing both the public and private sectors will meet with peers from Boulder and Fort Collins to discuss shared issues and opportunities. Many of the 67 people who participated in the SLO trip have indicated they expect participate. The Chamber invites you to join us as we look at innovative ideas, programs and initiatives which might be adapted to our community. Our experience last year demonstrated the power of this opportunity to develop or strengthen relationships within our community.
Boulder offers some interesting opportunities for study. It is the home of the Innovation Center of the Rockies, a business incubation center, providing support for entrepreneurship and the commercialization of new technologies with areas of focus in bioscience, renewable and clean technologies, and nano and optical products. It has developed a strong community brand as a technology and business center as well as a socially liberal, environmentally conscientious community. It has adopted an economic vision that stresses the alignment of public and private expectations.
Fort Collins, home of Colorado State University, has one of the U.S.'s premier bio-tech business incubators. CSU has been successful in attracting National Institute of Health funding and in developing business spin-offs. It has coupled its institutional foundation with its business incubator to support the development of promising concepts using institutionally-developed Intellectual Property.
The Chamber will coordinate all travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, transportation, and program session details. The all-inclusive fee for participation in this program is $1,250*. (See below for air travel options to arrive early or extend your stay.) You are invited to be one of the local elected officials, public and education administrators, nonprofit leaders, and business principals to participate in this this unique opportunity. The detailed report of the Findings of the 2012 CLV (PDF 500K) to San Luis Obispo including a list of those who participated will give you more information about last year's trip as will photos of the trip taken by Gary Merrill.
* Registration is subject to space availability and participant distribution targets. Payments will be refunded in full in the event we are unable to seat you.
The Chamber and the Santa Cruz Community express their most sincere thanks to Dominican Hospital whose sponsorship makes the 2013 CLV possible.
Depart: Sunday, April 14, 2013 • 9:45 a.m. from a point of departure in Santa Cruz County (to be determined) by bus to San Jose Airport • 1:10 p.m. Southwest Airline Flight 3384 SJC/Den, arriving 4:35 p.m. • 5:00 p.m. bus to Boulder Return: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 • 3:30 p.m. from Boulder to the Denver Airport by bus • 7:10 p.m. Southwest Airline Flight 419 Den/SJC, arriving 8:45 p.m. • 9:15 p.m. Depart San Jose Airport by bus to Santa Cruz County • 10:00 p.m. Approximate arrival time, Santa Cruz Nonrefundable Deposit: $500, due with registration on or before February 25, 2013. Cost: $1,250, due in full not later March 29, 2013 Included: Hotel, Meals, Transportation, Materials No-Air Option: Want to arrange you own arrival and departure to Boulder? The no-air option is $895. You are welcome to book one or both of the same flights the group will be traveling on (listed above) and we may be able to provide you transportation to and/or between Boulder/Denver and Santa Cruz/San Jose subject to available space. Contact the Chamber to talk about these arrangements. Hosts: Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Boulder Chamber of Commerce
For more information contact: Bill Tysseling Executive Director Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Bill.Tysseling@SantaCruzChamber.org 831 457-3713 Ext. 108