GGEDC honors Gallup businesses and community leaders during Economic Development Week

GGEDC used Economic Development Week to spotlight the companies and leaders it says are helping keep Gallup’s economy moving, honoring local business and civic figures at a May 13 luncheon at the Sala of Rocket Café. The event brought together 32 business leaders, industry representatives and public officials, but the message was less about celebration than retention: in Gallup, keeping employers, services and infrastructure anchored here can matter as much as attracting new ones.

The Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation said its BRE Outreach Program has been a cornerstone of its mission since 2013, built around attraction, retention and expansion of industrial employers that provide economic-base jobs in Gallup-McKinley County. That focus reflects a long-running local reality. Gallup’s economic health affects downtown storefronts, service jobs, tax revenue and the stability of the broader county economy, where one major closure or expansion can ripple far beyond a single business.

The annual BRE Outreach Program Partner Excellence in Business Award went to David Martin, general manager of McKinley Paper & Packaging Company. GGEDC tied the recognition to the company’s resilience after the 2020 closure of the Escalante Generating Station, a major shock to the local economy that left businesses and public leaders scrambling to replace lost industrial activity. Martin said the company is working toward recycling 100% of the water used in plant operations, a goal that points to both operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

GGEDC also recognized Wayne Gillis, chief executive of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, for restoring the hospital’s fiscal health and strengthening long-term stability. In a community where health care employment and access to services are central to daily life, that kind of turnaround carries economic weight well beyond the hospital campus. Advanced Air CEO Levi Stockton and human resources director Barbara Hunt were recognized as well for supporting TradePort development and efforts to establish a Foreign Trade Zone in Gallup-McKinley County, moves that could strengthen the region’s logistics and industrial pitch.

The luncheon fit into a broader pattern of GGEDC using public recognition to reinforce its economic strategy. The New Mexico Economic Development Department awarded the organization a $25,000 LEADS grant in July 2025 to continue building business relationships through its BRE Outreach Program, and Gallup City Council minutes from September 14, 2021, show GGEDC presenting an annual report centered on retention, recruitment, workforce development and finances. The luncheon’s praise was real, but so was the underlying test: whether those honored can keep converting recognition into jobs, investment and staying power for Gallup.