Josh Dorrell

CHEYENNE — Josh Dorrell is stepping down as CEO of the Wyoming Business Council (WBC). The WBC Board of Directors accepted his resignation at a special meeting on Oct. 14.

Dorrell took the helm in 2020, bringing private-sector leadership and a results-driven approach to the WBC. He guided the agency through the Covid pandemic — including delivering CARES Act relief to Wyoming businesses — turned the Building Resilient Communities (BRC) program into a tool that delivers a positive return on investment for the state, led efforts to expand broadband access across Wyoming and championed new programs such as Wyoming Venture Capital (WYVC) and Assessment to Action (A2A).

But Dorrell’s most ambitious work reached beyond any single program. He pushed Wyoming to confront a defining challenge — young people leaving the state for opportunities elsewhere — and helped shift the goal from funding projects to building an economy worth staying for.

Dorrell and the council also came under fire in the last year by mainly Freedom Caucus aligned legislators and candidates who pushed plans to defund or drastically reduce the size of the organization, claiming it was not benefiting the state as it should.

Those measures were largely defeated in the 2026 legislative session.

“Over nearly seven years, Josh has demonstrated a genuine passion for Wyoming and a steadfast commitment to the businesses and communities that make our state special,” said Derek Smith, co-chair of the WBC Board of Directors. “His leadership has made a meaningful and lasting impact, and we are grateful for the energy, dedication and heart Josh has brought to the Wyoming Business Council and its mission. On behalf of the board, I want to thank him for his service sincerely and wish him nothing but success and happiness in what comes next.”

The board has begun the search for an interim CEO, with the goal of an appointment as soon as practical. The board will then conduct a broad search for a permanent CEO, aiming to have the agency’s next leader in place by summer 2027. The WBC’s leadership team will continue to guide the agency’s divisions throughout the transition.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built over these past few years, and proud that Wyoming has a solid foundation to build on,” Dorrell said. “But what I’m most proud of is the strength, resilience and devotion of the team at the Business Council, and the committed coalition of thousands of people across Wyoming who have partnered with us in making real progress toward a bright future. The future of the organization and of Wyoming is very bright, and I know this team will continue to play a key role moving forward. I’m grateful I got to be a small part of it.”

The Wyoming Business Council’s work continues without interruption.