Greater Gallup EDC Roundtable Showcases Innovative Finance Tools for Development

Gallup, NM - In Santa Fe on Friday, February 6th, the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC) hosted
its 2026 Economic Roundtable with the theme “What’s in the Financial Toolbox for Building our Economy?” The event
featured presentations and discussion by eight experts in the field of economic finance, organized into two panels
addressing “Tools of the Trade” and “Getting It Done.” Attended by 70 participants from Gallup and McKinley County and
the community’s partners and supporters from New Mexico and around the country, this was the 17th Roundtable GGEDC
has hosted since 2013.

Opening the Roundtable was GGEDC Board President Tommy Haws, who also served as a panel interviewer later in the
program. Tommy explained that this year’s Roundtable was focused on the need to finance and implement the excellent
plans that have been developed for the Gallup-McKinley TradePort and other economic development initiatives in the
area. GGEDC Executive Director Patty Lundstrom presented an overview which included an updated “virtual tour” video
of the vision for the TradePort. Local consultant and Roundtable moderator Jeff Kiely then explained the panel format of
this year’s event and introduced the expert presenters.

Tim Gourley of Gutami USA, an international company with US headquarters in Atlanta, specializing in solar installations
and other sustainable energy solutions presented the morning’s keynote. Tim provided a practical and detailed outline of
the kinds of things private companies are looking for when considering a location for new business installations. Among
the critical criteria for considering local communities were clear lines of authority and decision-making, supportive and
predictable regulation, and civic commitment to economic development on behalf of the citizens being served.
The first panel featured long-time legal experts David Buchholtz (now Senior Counsel with Taft Law) and Harry Relkin
(owner/principal of Sage Land Solutions), along with New Mexico Partnership CEO Melinda Allen and New Mexico
Economic Development Department (NMEDD) Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero. Following brief presentations by each
panelist, the panel responded to questions from the audience. This panel provided a broad summary of the history of
economic finance in New Mexico and an introduction to many of the financial “tools” that have been developed to facilitate
economic development in communities throughout the State. Melinda Allen of the New Mexico Partnership explained the
multiple factors and considerations that go into business recruitment on behalf of communities, noting that “site
readiness” was a predominant requirement for companies wanting to locate new business facilities. Deputy Secretary
Romero surveyed the range of programs administered by the NMEDD – including new initiatives and funding under the
Trade Ports Development Act and the Strategic Economic Development Site Readiness Act and affirmed the State’s support
for the efforts being undertaken in Gallup and McKinley County.

The second panel featured Marquita Russel, CEO of the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA), Mark Valenzuela, principal
of Bosque Advisors, Ryan Mast of Sustainability Partners, and Tim Gourley of Gutami USA. These experts outlined specific
models and programs that can be combined and “stacked” to accelerate development projects.
Following the Roundtable, a dozen participants joined the GGEDC team in discussing ways in which the Greater Gallup
community can best make use of the many tools and approaches described by the expert panelists.
Commenting on the overall content of the Roundtable, GGEDC Executive Director Patty Lundstrom noted, “This roundtable
was the strongest program-based meeting we have ever had. The presentations, program and agenda were excellent!”
This sentiment was echoed by many of the participants, who were impressed by the knowledge and experience of the
expert panelists and the range and depth of the material presented.

As an out-of-state visitor with strong interest in economic projects in New Mexico, Tim Gourley of Gutami USA commented
that, “One of the main reasons we have been keeping an eye on Gallup as a place of economic opportunity is the level of
work and commitment that has been led by the GGEDC and that has been supported by the community’s civic leadership.”
The Roundtable demonstrated the potential for the innovative use of financing tools such as public-private partnerships
(“P3s”), the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA), the Opportunity Enterprise Fund and Industrial Revenue Bonds
(IRBs). Mastery of these tools will help the community balance the risks and benefits of various approaches to project
development. The expert panelists emphasized the fact that there is no “one size fits all” template for using the various
financial tools for economic growth and development, as each project and situation has a different set of factors to
consider. The panelists also cautioned that, if the parties to a deal do not share a common vision and willingness to pull
together for the common benefit, they should not even attempt to pursue the use of financial tools like P3s. The key to
success, they emphasized, lies in cooperation and the pursuit of common goals and mutual interests.

About Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation:

GGEDC is a traditional economic development organization focusing on Business Retention & Expansion and Business
Attraction & Recruitment as its two core areas that support economic-base employers and job creation in Gallup and
McKinley County. The GGEDC’s mission is “to drive economic growth through building on local assets and strategic
partnering to target attraction, retention & expansion of industrial employers that provide economic-base jobs in the
Gallup-McKinley County area, and to support & promote a business-friendly environment.” See www.ggedc.com for more
Information.

Caption for Group Photo Accompanying this Press Release:

Several Roundtable participants gathered for this photo during Friday’s GGEDC Economic Roundtable. They are: (Back row,
from left to right): Rick Murphy, VP of the GGEDC Board of Directors, Tony Tanner, Member, GGEDC Board of Directors,
Tim Gourley, Roundtable Keynote Speaker, with Gutami USA, Tommy Haws, President of the GGEDC Board of Directors,
Frank Chiapetti, City Manager, City of Gallup, Maksim Yashirin, Regional Manager of Economic Development, BNSF
Railway, Sierra Yazzie Asamoa-Tutu, District 2 City Councilor, City of Gallup, Jeff Kiely, Consultant to GGEDC and Roundtable
facilitator, Bobby Baca, President, McKinley County Board of Commissioners, (Front row, left to right): Bruce Armstrong,
Economic Development Manager, GGEDC, John Peña, Board Member, Gallup McKinley TradePort Authority, Sarah Piano,
District 3 Councilor, City of Gallup, Lindsay Mullins, Executive Director of Public Affairs, BNSF Railway, Patty Lundstrom,
GGEDC Executive Director and NM District 9 State Representative, Marc DePauli, Mayor, City of Gallup, Isaac Romero,
Deputy Cabinet Secretary, NM Economic Development Department, Ron Molina, District 4 Councilor, City of Gallup, and
Clemente Sanchez, Senator, District 30, NM State Senate (retired).

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