Country roads

Business owners in rural counties can get up close and personal with experts on an array of disciplines when the Nevada Commission on Economic Development sends forth the Nevada Business Express bus.

An annual conference was reaching only a small segment, says Kimberly Elliott, director of marketing at the commission. So next month the commission is staging eight mini-expos in eight rural cities. And the timing 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. respects the typical work day of attendees.

"The towns all have different assets," says Joe Locurto, rural economic development coordinator, "Their common problem is financial resources."

Adds Elliott, "Experts booked for the trip from agencies such as the USDA, SCORE and NCET can answer questions on everything from business licenses to articles of incorporation."

On June 4 the bus leaves Carson City to visit Ely, Battle Mountain, Winnemucca and Lovelock

On June 18 it again launches for Parumph, Tonopah, Hawthorne and Fallon.

Local economic development agencies in the towns helped with lodging and logistics.

The overarching goal is to heighten awareness, says Locurto. "We've done resource workshops on a small scale. They have no idea these resources are available."

And, he adds, while outright grants get gobbled up, low-cost business loans often go begging.

Many of the grants are not available to private business. Rather, they are for municipal health, education, safety, transportation and infrastructure.

But in the rural areas, says Locurto, business and community success go hand in hand.

"Schools and telecom connections are the things business looks at when deciding where to locate. A community will be bypassed if they don't have those connections. It's the chicken - egg thing."

He points to an influx of California residents, which particularly affects Fernley and Fallon, towns just over an hour drive from a major airport. "Californians want to leave behind congestion, but not health care and culture."

The Nevada Business Express budget of $44,400 covers promotion.

GW Designs in Reno designed the logo. Grafics Unlimited in Sparks designed the promotional bus wrap. Tanglewood Productions of Reno produced the radio spots, slated to air in rural markets.

Noble Studios of Carson City is building the website (expected to be nevadabizmobile.com) while Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology provided Web site design and hosting.