WEST END ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
PRIVACY POLICY
West End Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC) values and respects the privacy of our partners, members, prospects and visitors. We recognize the importance of protecting personally identifiable information or sensitive business information you may share with us.
This Privacy Policy (Policy) details how WEEDC collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected form users (User/s) of the choosewestend.org website and affiliated subdomains, including, but not limited to, www.westendcolorado.com. It also includes information about the opt-out policy for our newsletters.
How Does WEEDC Collect Information?
WEEDC may collect personal identification information from Users in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, when Users visit our Sites, contact us through the Sites, subscribe to our newsletters, respond to a survey, fill out a form, engage with us on social media and in connection with other activities, services, features or resources we make available on our Sites.
WEEDC also uses Google Analytics, as well as other third-party data collection and analytics tools and services, to help us measure traffic and usage trends for the Sites. These tools collect information sent by your browser or mobile device, including pages you visit, general location information, company data and other information that assists us in improving the User experience and our services. We collect and use this analytics information in aggregate form such that is cannot be reasonably manipulated to identify any particular individual user.
What Information Does WEEDC Collect?
In most cases, WEEDC collects basic information needed to answer a User query or provide a service. This information may include your name, title, address, telephone number, fax number and email address, as well as company information such as business description, number of employees or other ranking that might indicate the size of your business, names and similar information about other key executives and the extent of your operations.
WEEDC may also collect non-personal identification information about Users whenever they interact with our Sites. Non-personal identification information may include the browser name, the type of computer and technical information about Users means of connection to our Sites, such as the operating system and the Internet service providers utilized, and other similar information as described in the previous section.
On occasion, WEEDC may collect financial information, such as banking or credit card information, for example when you make a pledge or register for an event. This information is provided at the User’s discretion. If you are concerned about providing information electronically, please contact us at (970) 865-2499.
How Does WEEDC Use Your Information?
WEEDC uses the information provided by you and your company to better understand User needs; to improve our Sites and services to broaden our relationship with you and your company; to develop and market services that may be of interest to you; to collect data needed to analyze local economic trends; to publish and distribute our newsletters and other communications; to promote the West End region by providing accurate data on industries and resources; to respond to inquiries from the news media; and to assist other agencies and organizations in economic development efforts for Montrose and San Miguel Counties, CO.
When you participate in WEEDC as an investor, business partner, board member or committee member, or you sponsor or attend a WEEDC event, we may ask for information such as your email, phone number and mailing address in order to share relevant communications (including, but not limited to, agendas and meeting information, WEEDC activities and results, events and special opportunities). We may also share limited information about you or your company publicly, such as your name, title and company name or description. If you do not wish WEEDC to use information you or your company may provide, you should withhold that information.
Web Browser Cookies
WEEDC may use a computer application called a “cookie” — a small text file containing a string of alphanumeric characters placed on the User’s hard drive through the User’s web browser — to better understand how to improve the User experience of visiting our Sites. A cookie may also convey information to us about how you use the Sites (e.g. the pages you view, the links you click and other actions you take on the Sites), and allow us and our business partners to track your usage of the Sites over time. This allows WEEDC to analyze the success and outreach of our programs and services. A User may choose to set their web browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If they do so, note that some parts of the Sites may not function properly.
Sharing your Personal Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent Users’ personal identification information to others. We may share generic aggregated demographic information not linked to any personal identification information regarding visitors and users with our business partners, investors, trusted affiliates, and advertisers for the purpose of improving our marketing efforts, programs and services. We may use third party service providers to help us operate our business and the Sites or administer activities on our behalf, such as sending out newsletters or surveys. We may share your information with these third parties for those limited purposes provided that you have given us your permission through the actions described under “How Does WEEDC Collect Information?”.
What is WEEDC’s “opt-out” policy?
WEEDC works hard to ensure that we do not over-communicate with Users, but rather share useful and insightful information about the local market, business developments, economic development efforts and related events in our community. Because you will miss so many opportunities, we hope you will choose not to opt out of receiving information from WEEDC by email. However, you may choose to opt out of any or all communications at any time.
WEEDC utilizes MailChimp, a third-party vendor, for most of our email communications, including our newsletters. You can adjust your subscription preferences for these emails through Mailchimp via the “Unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the email.
Please be aware that if you opt out of any or all emails sent via MailChimp, you may still receive emails directly from WEEDC staff via Microsoft Outlook. These emails tend to be less frequent and directly related to you or a select number of people. If you do not wish to receive any future communications from WEEDC via email, phone or otherwise, please contact us at (970) 865-2499 to relay your preferences.
Please be aware that WEEDC has no means of preventing other parties that may have legitimately obtained your information previously from continuing its use in faxes, emails, telephone solicitations or other publications. We cannot be responsible for continued use by other parties. You should contact those parties directly to request that they discontinue use of your information.
How Does WEEDC Protect Your Information?
WEEDC adopts appropriate data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal information, transaction information and other data stored on our Sites. Sensitive and private data exchange between the Sites and Users happens over an SSL secured communication channel.
Please be aware that while WEEDC does its utmost to protect your personally identifiable information, email, faxes, mail, the Internet, and other means of communication are never 100 percent secure by nature. We cannot guarantee that your private communications or other personally identifiable information will never be disclosed to third parties. For example, we may be forced to disclose information to the government under certain circumstances. Or, a third party might unlawfully intercept or access transmissions or private communications. Additionally, we may (and you authorize us to) disclose your personally identifiable information to private entities, courts of law, law enforcement or other government officials as necessary or appropriate. We do not promise, and you should not expect, that your personally identifiable information or private communications will always remain private under all circumstances.
Links and Embedded Content
Users may find articles and information on our Sites that link to our partners, investors and other third parties. Additionally, embedded content, such as videos and data tools on our Sites, may link to other websites. For added security, the Sites may ask permission of Users to open embedded content. Your permission settings are saved, utilizing a cookie, for 90 days.
WEEDC does not control the content or links that appear on these sites and are not responsible for the practices employed by websites linked to or from our Sites. These sites and services may have their own privacy policies and customer service policies. Browsing and interaction on any other website, including websites which have a link to or from our Sites, is subject to that website’s own terms and policies.
Changes to WEEDC’s Privacy Policy
WEEDC has the discretion to update this Policy at any time. When we do, we will revise the updated date at the bottom of this page. We encourage Users to frequently check this page for any changes to stay informed about how we are helping to protect the personal information we collect. You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to review this Policy and stay abreast of modifications.
Contacting us
If you have any questions about this Policy, the practices of WEEDC Sites or your dealings with our Sites, please contact us at:
West End Economic Development Corporation
PO Box 645 / 217 W. Main Street
Naturita, CO 81422
Phone: (970) 865-2499
Email: weedc@choosewestend.org