WESST PRESS RELEASES

Today, WESST held an official ribbon cutting ceremony to name the WESST eco-friendly parking lot in honor of Don Chalmers Ford. Mayor Richard J. Berry spoke at the event and emphasized that combining economic development with environmentally-friendly practices is good for the community and a real focus of the City, recognizing WESST’s role in small business development and eco-friendly initiatives. The mayor also took the opportunity to praise small business as an economic driver in New Mexico, noting that small firms make up over 85% of the businesses in New Mexico.

The WESST parking lot is an unpaved, gravel surface that allows rainwater to seep down and recharge the water table. This parking lot contributed to the LEED Silver certification for the WESST Enterprise Center.

Don Chalmers remarked that he has never been more proud of the Ford Company and is excited about their green initiatives, including using at least 25% recycled-content in the interior of their vehicles and offering a wide range of electric vehicles. As a member of the WESST Board of Directors, Chalmers said he is very proud of what WESST is accomplishing in terms of economic impact and eco-friendly practices.

WESST, www.wesst.org, is a non-profit small business development organization with offices in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Farmington, Roswell and Las Cruces. The organization provides training, consulting and loans to entrepreneurs across New Mexico as well as business incubation services to members of the WESST Enterprise Center in Albuquerque. To learn more about WESST, please visit www.wesst.org or call 1.800.GoWESST