Gus Westerman, the Dolores County CSU Extension director and chairman of the Dolores County Development Corporation, has received one of the Economic Development Council of Colorado’s Excellence in Economic Development (EDIE) awards.

Westerman was recognized Oct. 2 in Vail with the EDIE Volunteer of the Year award.

This award goes to an outstanding, non-practicing economic development professional volunteer who has demonstrated a multi-year commitment to the vitality, growth and sustainability of the Colorado economy.

Westerman serves as Chairman of the all-volunteer Dolores County Development Corporation (DCDC) and puts in numerous hours, leading the county-level economic development organization.

“With Gus at the helm, the DCDC is one of Region 9’s thriving economic development groups. This amazing group meets monthly, oversees a business park and runs a micro-loan program for local businesses,” said Laura Lewis Marchino, Region 9’s Executive Director.

Most recently, Westerman played a key role to revitalize the Dove Creek Chamber of Commerce by applying and overseeing matching marketing funds from the Colorado Tourism Office to encourage marketing, website work and signage for this rural community of 735 members.

This assistance led to the Chamber hiring a part-time Director. He also advocated for Dolores County to be approved as a Rural Jumpstart County.