Come Meet our Board and Staff
For more than a decade, the Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation (Chaffee County EDC) has led efforts on behalf of primary employers to create an economy that rivals our unsurpassed mountain lifestyle.
Two hours from the Denver metro area and nestled along the Continental Divide, the County is home to 12 14,000-foot peaks (the most of any U.S. county) and the headwaters of the Arkansas River. Renowned as the “banana belt of Colorado,” the region boasts a mild climate year round that attracts an educated and active workforce, making it a global hotspot for knowledge workers.
The region, known for more than a century for its grit, entrepreneurship, and Western ethos, now supports a lively and burgeoning startup community focused on social entrepreneurship, lifestyle brands, and outdoor recreation.
Board Members
Dave Blazer
Board Chair
Owner
The Trailhead
Buena Vista, CO
Jeff Post
Past Chair
Owner/Broker
First Colorado Land Office
Salida, CO
Joe Smith
Board Vice-Chair
Vice President
Collegiate Peaks Bank
Salida, CO
Gwen Allen
Board Secretary
Manager
Central Colorado Title & Escrow
Salida, CO
Gary Kelly
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Sangre de Cristo Electric Association, Inc.
Buena Vista, CO
Robert Morasko
Chief Executive Officer
Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC)
Salida, CO
Thomas Warren
General Manager
Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort
Nathrop, CO
PT Wood
(Non-Voting Governmental Representative)
Commissioner
Chaffee County, District #2
Salida, CO
Charlie Chupp
Owner
Fading West, LLC
Buena Vista, CO
Pat McCarty
President
Comfurt Gas Inc.
Buena Vista, CO
Carlin Walsh
CEO
Aristata Communications
Poncha Springs, CO
Erik Young
Treasurer
Stotler & Young CPA
Salida, CO
Brian Berger
Town Administrator
Town of Buena Vista
Christy Doon
City Administrator
City of Salida
Ben Cairns
Vice President & Campus Dean
Colorado Mountain College – Leadville & Salida
Salida, CO
Staff & Contract Partners
Staff:
Jake Rishavy, Executive Director
Abby Peters, Program Director
Partners:
Tara Reed, Operations & Administration
Tim Martinez, Ascent Accelerator
Robin Vega, Marketing & Communications