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As many of you may already know, our CEO Dixie Johnson was diagnosed with a Grade IV Glioblastoma brain cancer and has been on medical leave from her role at the Chamber. Glioblastoma is an aggressive cancer and is very physically and emotionally taxing. In true form, Dixie has shown her resilient spirit as she continues to receive treatment and fight this battle with incredible courage and grace.

We are reaching out to let you know that Dixie has come to the decision to formally resign her role as CEO, effective January 1, 2025. It is incredibly difficult to have to make this announcement, but we all support Dixie in her decision to take this time to focus solely on her health and family.

The community has been unwavering in their generosity and support as Dixie and her family have focused on navigating the best care possible. The Chamber staff have also been amazing in their ability to step in during Dixie’s absence and fully take over the management and day-to-day operations of the Chamber in a seamless and professional manner.

The Chamber has seen incredible growth under Dixie’s 13 years of leadership, including increasing our community of members, broadening the quality of our offerings, and expanding outreach to support the success of our business community. Dixie has also built a highly passionate and skilled team of professionals who’ve helped make this growth possible.

We feel so appreciative of Dixie and her team’s ongoing commitment to our business community and building a Chamber that stands out as a leader in our state. The Board of Directors and Chamber staff will continue building on the strong foundation Dixie has built for fueling a vibrant community and thriving business environment for Sheridan County.

We will be moving forward soon with a formal search for Dixie’s replacement, and you will be receiving further information once we have finalized our process.

The Board of Directors and Chamber staff are committed to preserving Dixie’s legacy and will consistently work to serve our community with the highest level of dedication. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the Chamber staff or Board of Directors.

— Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce 2024 Board of Directors

PRESIDENT
Jen Crouse
Sheridan College Foundation

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Rosemary Garber
Century 21 BHJ Realty, Inc.

VICE PRESIDENT
Aaron Sopko
Range

TREASURER
Mikole Bede Soto
Chapman Valdez & Lansing Law Office

DIRECTORS

Kristen Czaban
Sheridan Memorial Hospital

Butch Dillon
Sheridan Floor To Ceiling

Jessie Dykhouse
FDL Consulting, LLC

Nadine Gale
AlphaGraphics

Ron Lee
Rocky Mountain Discount Sports

Laura Lehan
Peak Consulting

Brady Lewis
WWC Engineering

Ty Malone
Kennon

David Schwend
Navajo Transitional Energy Company – Spring Creek Mine

AARONS HOBBY & RC

The Chamber welcomed new member Aarons Hobby & RC with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. Owned by Aaron Cervantes, the shop sells hobby and remote control vehicles and accessories. It is located at 39 N. Scott St., Unit 29, in Sheridan. For more information, call (307) 763-9916 or visit their Facebook page: Aarons Hobby & RC.
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Jim Schellinger, Blake Mortensen, Yvonne Swanson and Dina Garcia-Blanchard; Aaron and Lesley Cervantes, Aarons Hobby & RC; and Chamber Ambassadors Jack Wood, Gail Symons and Stella Montano.

SHERIDAN COLLEGE INNOVATION CENTER

The Chamber celebrated the grand opening of Sheridan College’s new Innovation Center with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The 28,000 sq. ft. space will support students and community members who are pursuing career opportunities in manufacturing or construction trades and also includes a new Manufacturing Incubator. The original facility was gifted to the college by the Seven Pillars Foundation in 2019, and Whitney Benefits provided assistance with completion of the facility. The Innovation Center is located on the eastern side of Interstate 90 at 1600 Solutions Way in Sheridan. For more information about the Sheridan College Innovation Center, call (307) 675-0725 or visit www.sheridan.edu.

Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Stephanie Ellis and Gail Symons; Wyoming State Senator Dave Kinskey; Chamber Ambassador Yvonne Swanson; Erin Kilbride, executive director of Whitney Benefits; Heidi Richins, Pam Peldo and Roy Garber, Whitney Benefits Board of Directors; Casey Osborn, Seven Pillars Foundation; Tom Belus, Whitney Benefits Board of Directors; Deb Wendtland, Sheridan College Board of Trustees; Dr. Walt Tribley, president of Sheridan College; Chamber Ambassador Stella Montano; Bob Berger, Sheridan College Foundation Board; Elaine Olafson Henry, Cindy Kremers and Tracy Swanson, Sheridan College Board of Trustees; Chamber Ambassadors Ginny Rieger and Nick Cordingly; and Kim Love, Whitney Benefits Board of Directors.

ALLURE BOUTIQUE

The Chamber welcomed new member and new Sheridan business, Allure Boutique, with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. Located at 35 N. Main St., Allure Boutique offers a premier shopping experience featuring quality clothing and gifts for women and children. The Sheridan store is the second for owner Megan Tillard, who also owns Allure Boutique in Douglas, Wyoming. For more information about the store, call (307) 358-8075 or visit allurewyoming.com

Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Johnna Rogers, Amy Blumenstock and Ginny Rieger; Krissy Jowett, Allure Boutique; Chamber Ambassador Ellie Martin; Faith Zsdiarski, Angela Moore, Ty and Megan Tillard, Dacie Haberman, Dakota Lafond, Aubrey Boynton and Holly Legerski, Allure Boutique; and Chamber Ambassadors Jaidyn Hale, Brianne Martin, Stephanie Ellis, Amity Almond and Gail Symons.

THE XO AGENCY LLC

The Chamber welcomed new member and new Sheridan business, The XO Agency LLC, with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. The XO Agency provides real estate services, high-scale luxury rentals and heavy and residential construction. Rhonda Bicknell is the broker and managing member. For more information about The XO Agency, call (888) 597-7778, stop by their location at 955 N. Main St. in Sheridan or visit them online at www.thexoagencyllc.com.

Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Thomas Snooks and Jim Schellinger; Jacob Lund, The XO Agency; Chamber Ambassadors Jaidyn Hale and Nick Cordingly; Elizabeth Taliento, Rhonda Bicknell, Kenzi Wyant and Ronald Richmond, The XO Agency; and Chamber Ambassadors Ginny Rieger, Jack Wood, Larson Patty, Kathleen Wood and Gail Symons.

KNIGHTVISION BODYWORKS

The Chamber celebrated the opening of the new location for KnightVision BodyWorks at 1137 Broadway St. in Sheridan with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. KnightVision BodyWorks is a 24/7 veteran-owned, fully functional health club that offers an array of services and ISSA and NASM certified personal trainers. Brant and Ashley Knight are the owners. For more information about KnightVision BodyWorks, call (307) 394-9543 or visit https://www.facebook.com/sheridanhealthclub/.

Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Gail Symons, Jack Wood, Stella Montano and Brianne Martin; Kimberly Berrettini, Ashley and Brant Knight, Trey Staff and Dave Thompson, KnightVision BodyWorks; and Chamber Ambassadors Yvonne Swanson, Stacie Wells, Ellie Martin and Kathleen Wood.

HOLY NAME CATHOLIC SCHOOL STREAM DESIGNATION

The Chamber celebrated Holy Name Catholic School’s recent STREAM designation with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. A STREAM school uses STREAM education, an approach to teaching that integrates science, technology, reading, engineering, art and math. STREAM is an expansion of the traditional STEM curriculum, which includes science, technology, engineering and math. STREAM adds reading and writing to STEM, and some schools, such as Holy Name, also incorporate religion into their STREAM curriculum. Holy Name Catholic School is a private Catholic school, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. It is located at 121 S. Connor St. in Sheridan. For more information about Holy Name or its STREAM status, call (307) 672-2021 or visit holynamesheridan.org/school.

Holy Name Catholic School students, staff, board members and supporters joined Chamber Ambassadors (in red jackets) Ginny Rieger, Jim Schellinger and Nick Cordingly and (center) Father Glenn Whewell, pastor of Holy Name Parish, and Dr. Katy Worman, principal of Holy Name Catholic School, to celebrate the school’s recent STREAM designation.

D.B. SMART HOMES & SECURITY

The Chamber celebrated the opening of the new office location at 722 S. Sheridan Ave. for D.B. Smart Homes & Security, LLC, with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. D.B. Smart Homes is a low voltage company specializing in residential and commercial alarms, video surveillance, data networking and audio in both new and existing construction. Daniel Baker is the owner. For more information about D.B. Smart Homes & Security, call (307) 763-9090 or visit www.dbsmarthomes.com.
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Amy Blumenstock, Stacie Wells and Nick Cordingly; Christine Baker and Jesse Hinkhouse, D.B. Smart Homes & Security, LLC; Darrion Meckle, Sheridan Lock & Key; Daniel Baker and Landon Brester, D.B. Smart Homes & Security, LLC; and Chamber Ambassadors Ginny Rieger, Gail Symons and Judy Ford.

SCREENCYCLE CELL PHONE AND DEVICE REPAIR

The Chamber welcomed new member, ScreenCycle Cell Phone and Device Repair, with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. Located at 1230 N. Main St., Ste. 1, in Sheridan, ScreenCycle performs certified repairs on cellphones, tablets and computers and has the only Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) in the state of Wyoming. Cody Cook and Patrick McFarland are the owners. For more information about ScreenCycle Cell Phone and Device Repair, call (307) 337-3777 or visit their website at www.screencyclewyoming.com. 
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassador Nick Cordingly; Patrick McFarland and Cody Cook, ScreenCycle Cell Phone and Device Repair; and Chamber Ambassadors Christine Dieterich and Gail Symons.

RAMADA PLAZA

The Chamber welcomed the new owners of the Ramada Plaza in Sheridan with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Tara and Shinyoung Gautam purchased the Ramada earlier this year. Since that time, the couple has been making improvements and remodeling the 14,000 square foot hotel and convention center that includes several meeting and event spaces to accommodate a variety of needs. They also plan to reopen the hotel’s restaurant. For more information about the Ramada Plaza, call (307) 672-8931.
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Member Relations Director Bobbi Mitzel; Chamber Ambassadors Amy Blumenstock, Jim Schellinger, Yvonne Swanson, Larson Patty and Debi Kaul; Tara and Shinyoung Gautam, Ramada Plaza; and Chamber Ambassadors Judy Ford, Jack Wood, Nick Cordingly, Kathleen Wood and Stacie Wells.

MOUNTAIN MATTRESS COMPANY

The Chamber celebrated the opening of the new location for Mountain Mattress Company at 226 N. Main St. in Sheridan with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Mountain Mattress Company is a family-owned and operated Beautyrest and Serta mattress retailer. The company, owned by Greg and Meaghan Simonich, also carries Helix Sleep, The Plank, My Pillow pillows and Big Barker dog beds. For more information about Mountain Mattress Company, call (307) 655-5596 or visit www.mtnmattress.com.

Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Ginny Rieger and Stacie Wells; Meaghan, Malcolm and Greg Simonich, Mountain Mattress Company; and Chamber Ambassadors Yvonne Swanson, Jim Schellinger and Gail Symons.

MC2 ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, MC2 REAL ESTATE + LAND

The Chamber celebrated the new office location for MC2 Engineering and Construction, P.C., and MC2 Real Estate + Land with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 850 N. Main St. MC2 Engineering and Construction connects businesses to the engineering resources needed, including natural resources development, land planning services, environmental engineering, land development and construction management. MC2 Real Estate + Land provides real estate services including residential, commercial, lots, farm and ranch, lake properties, businesses and subdivisions. Megan and Chris Crow are the owners. For more information about the businesses, call (307) 673-7350 or visit www.mc2engineering.com and mc2land.com.
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Debi Kaul, Gail Symons and Scott Brooke; Theresa Bonnet-Nelson, MC2; Isaiah Maes, MC2; Chamber Ambassador Ty Fauber; Taylor Enger, Lisa Smith, Michelle Drago, Stacey Staben, Lisa Mueller, Lisa Hansen, Kyla Allen, Kelly Blea, Becky Sanders, Megan Crow, Michelle Keller, Christopher Wenn, Candace Bart and Brooke Welch, MC2; and Chamber Ambassadors Johnna Rogers and Stella Montano.

J HOME DESIGN

The Chamber welcomed new Chamber member and Sheridan business, J Home Design, with an Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Friday, July 19, 2024. Located at 841 Broadway St. in Sheridan, J Home Design is a lifestyle brand offering fine furnishings and design for commercial and residential spaces. Jennifer Scott is the owner and both Scott and Jaeger Stander are the company’s principal designers. For more information about J Home Design, call (307) 690-9115 or visit their website at jhomedesigns.com.
 
Pictured are (left to right) Chamber Ambassadors Gail Symons and Jaidyn Hale; Harper Grace and Holland Scott, J Home Design; Chamber Ambassador Jack Wood; Jennifer Scott and Jeff Hendrickson, J Home Design; Chamber Ambassador Kathleen Wood; Jaeger Stander, J Home Design; and Chamber Ambassadors Stacie Wells, Rose Leonard and Scott Brooke.

MAIN STREET REOPENING

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Sheridan Association celebrated the reopening of Sheridan’s Main Street with a special ceremony and Ambassadors’ ribbon cutting on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at the intersection of South Main Street and Works Street.

The celebration signals the completion of the Sheridan Main Street Resurfacing and Utility Upgrade Project that began in April 2023.

Speakers at the ceremony included Sheridan Mayor Rich Bridger; Laura Dalles, senior public relations specialist for Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) District 4; Scott Taylor, district engineer for WYDOT District 4; Zoila Perry, executive director of the Downtown Sheridan Association; and Teresa Detimore, program development director for the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce.

Each expressed their appreciation to the community and the Main Street businesses for their patience and support throughout the project, as well as to Oftedal Construction for completing the project ahead of schedule.

Main Street business owners and representatives joined the Ambassadors and city and WYDOT officials for the ribbon cutting.

Each week throughout the project, the Chamber Ambassadors have been out rewarding community members who are “caught supporting” the businesses within the project zone. Each week, one person “caught” received $100 in Chamber Bucks, provided by the City of Sheridan. Every week in June and July this year, First Federal Bank & Trust added an additional $400 in Chamber Bucks, allowing the Ambassadors to reward five people each week. The campaign will conclude July 31.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday to celebrate the reopening of Main Street,” said Detimore. “We are grateful to the community and businesses for their patience and understanding throughout this process, and to the City, WYDOT, and Oftedal Construction for completing the project ahead of schedule. Special recognition goes to the City, First Federal Bank and Trust and the Chamber Ambassadors for making the ‘Get Your Paws on Some Chamber Bucks’ campaign so successful and for their continuous efforts to support our local businesses.”

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Board kicked off Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week with the annual Boot Kick-Off and Stick Horse Barrel Races on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at Whitney Commons Park.

The Stick Horse Barrel Races started the event for children 8 and younger. Participants had to run as fast as possible on their stick horses around barrels and back to the start. The top three winners in each category were:

Ages 4 and Under:

First place – Wyatt Reed

Second place – Kason Canfield

Third place – Kacey Dalton

Ages 5 & 6:

First place – Kashton Adsit

Second place – Rowan Cummings

Third place – Jack Parker

Ages 7 & 8:

First place – Addy Bishop

Second place – Houston Holden

Third place – Brexton Newman

The Boot Kick-Off was held following the Stick Horse Barrel Races. Participants competed to see who could “kick off” their boot the farthest. The top three winners in each category were:

Ages 9-12 Girls & Boys:

First place – Brody Connors

Second place – Alejandra Trocha

Third place – Lois Johnson

Ages 13-17 Girls:

First place – Camryn Cooper

Second place – Aubrey Hartley

Third place – Paige Kuntz

Ages 13-17 Boys:

First place – Finn Stalick

Second place – Cole Connors

Third place – Derek Kuntz

Ages 18 & Up Women:

First place – Megan Sessions

Second place – Taylor Townsend

Third place – Kaycen Townsend

Ages 18 & Up Men:

First place – Brayden Thomas

Second place – Zach Heid

Third place – Riley Sessions

A total of $1,330 in Chamber Bucks was awarded to the winners. The 2024 Boot Kick Off was sponsored by Barney & Graham, LLC.

For more information about the Boot Kick-Off event, call the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce at (307) 672-2485.

The recording of the 2024 Primary Candidate Forum hosted by the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee is now available on the Chamber’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcFLANtRSfNxKhfvirdzyog

The recording is provided in four parts.

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee is hosting a Candidate Forum for primary election candidates in contested races on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 6 p.m. at the WYO Theater. All voters are encouraged to attend.

The forums provide an opportunity for those running in contested races for elected office in the Aug. 20, 2024, primary election to share information about themselves and their platforms. Each candidate will give a brief introduction, followed by a Q&A period and a closing statement.

The forum will host candidates for United States Senator, United States Representative, State Senator District 22, State Representative Districts 30 and 40, County Commissioners, City of Sheridan Mayor and Sheridan Councilmember.

Candidates confirming attendance and the order of appearance at the forum are as follows: United States Senator – Reid Rasner (Republican); United States Representative – Steven R. Helling (Republican); State Senator District 22 – Mark Jennings (Republican); State Representative District 30 – Tom Kelly (Republican) and Gail Symons (Republican); State Representative District 40 – Marilyn Connolly (Republican) and Mark Jones (Republican); County Commissioners (four-year term) – Michael R. Arzy (Republican), Lynn Custis (Republican), Nicholas George (Republican), Harley Shuck (Republican) and Lonnie Wright (Republican); County Commissioners (unexpired two-year term) – John Heyneman (Republican) and Holly Jennings (Republican); City of Sheridan Mayor – Rich Bridger; and Sheridan Councilmember – Steve Brantz, Bev Leichtnam and Scott Van Dorsten.

Questions for the candidates may be submitted in advance to the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee for the committee’s consideration. The deadline to submit questions is 5 p.m. on Monday, June 24, 2024 . Questions should be emailed to kmyers@sheridanwyomingchamber.org or delivered to the Chamber office at 54 S. Main St. in Sheridan.

All questions will be asked by the moderator. Due to time limitations, no direct questions from the audience will be allowed.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. The forum will be recorded and available on the Chamber’s YouTube channel and website within 48 hours.

For more information, contact the Chamber at (307) 672-2485.