Douglas County leaders and state aerospace industry representatives discussed Wednesday what draws aerospace companies to Colorado, notably to the county with more than 27,000 aerospace workers.

The panel, a part of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s Site Selection Conference, comes on the heels of President Donald Trump last month announcing Space Command is moving from Colorado to Alabama.

Douglas County officials told industry representatives how it became an aerospace hub in Colorado, noting the county prioritizes safety, education and quality of living.

Douglas County is home to 728 aerospace “establishments,” according to the county.

Wednesday’s panel, moderated by Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon, included representatives from Astro Digital, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Comcast Business and Mobile TV.

“We work together well as municipalities, as governments, as business professionals, to make sure that this is a location where anybody can try,” Laydon said introducing the panel.

Douglas County is home to 27,183 employees who work in the aerospace industry, according to Douglas County’s most recent employer reports. More than 400,000 residents live there.

“Colorado and Douglas County are a destination for the aerospace workforce,” Ellie Reynolds, the Douglas County Economic Development Corporation CEO, told The Denver Gazette.

“We know that companies choose to locate and expand in places where their employees choose to live,” she said. “The aerospace workforce in Colorado continues to choose Douglas County for our high ranking schools, our commitment to parks in open space and our investment in public safety.”

Lockheed Martin is Douglas County’s third largest employer with roughly 2,300 employees at its Waterton Canyon campus near Roxborough Park and Sterling Ranch.

Stacey DeFore, Lockheed Martin’s stakeholder engagement & government relations representative, said the company is focusing on “employment retention” in Douglas County.

“I think one of the very unique things about Colorado and Douglas County is that commitment to retention and to make sure that Douglas County remains the right spot for growth,” DeFore said.

A major theme emerged on the collaboration between aerospace competitors.

“It is very important to think of it as an industry collaboration around really developing that talent for many industries, so that we can utilize a workforce when programs contract and expand.” DeFore said.

Astro Digital Executive Vice President of Operations and Finance Michael Wilson agreed, saying local aerospace industries are “collaborating on our workforce.” 

Wilson added Colorado has a “strong space infrastructure” and that “there’s talent that is naturally coming here.”

One site selector (company representative) asked panelists how artificial intelligence plays a role in today’s space industry.

Northrop Director of the Mission Exploitation Operating Unit Brent Swift said the company is exploring AI to help software developers.

“We’re investing in the expertise and utility of AI, and they can now be more effective leveraging that technology,” Swift said.

“What brings Northrop Grumman presence here to Denver,” he said, “is natural care, and its partnerships with the panel and the members of folks in the room here to deliver the mission to our customers.”