2011 Top Company winners

ColoradoBiz Staff //September 19, 2011//

2011 Top Company winners

ColoradoBiz Staff //September 19, 2011//

Here are the 2011 Top Company winners. Go here to read about all the finalists:

CONSUMER BUSINESS

CorePower Yoga
www.corepoweryoga.com
Years in business: 10
Location: Denver
CEO: Trevor Tice
Employees: 800
Company snapshot: CorePower Yoga operates 55 yoga studios in Colorado, California, Oregon, Minnesota and Illinois. CorePower runs the largest network of yoga studios in the world and plans to open 10 to 15 studios a year, with the goal of growing to 100 in five years. Since its founding in 2002, CorePower has offered an athletic brand of yoga designed to appeal to mass markets.
Notable practices: CorePower studios are operated by professional business managers who monitor their profitability closely. Instructors are expected to be at the studio to meet with students 30 minutes before and after class. The company offers teacher training, yogi training and weight management and a line of retail yoga and lifestyle products.
Community involvement: Founder and CEO Trevor Tice started the Karma Yoga Project, based on the Eastern philosophical belief that all good deeds positively shape our future experience. Every CorePower Yoga studio participates at least monthly. In 2010, CorePower partnered with Michael Franti for his annual Harvest Ball. It held a benefit yoga class and concert in Broomfield, donating all proceeds to The Gathering Place – a daytime drop-in center for women and children experiencing homelessness and poverty. The company also partnered with the Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross and raised more than $25,000 for Haiti relief efforts and more than $32,000 for aid in Japan.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

FirstBank Holding Co.
www.efirstbank.com  
Years in business: 48
Location: Lakewood
CEO: John Ikard
Employees: 2,000
Company snapshot: FirstBank Holding Co. provides banking services such as checking, savings, certificates of deposit, health savings and individual retirement accounts and loans, including mortgage and home equity, auto and home construction loans. The company also provides such services to businesses. FirstBank is Colorado’s largest locally owned bank and one of the best performing banks in the country.
Notable practices: The employee-owned bank reported that the past three years were the most successful since its inception 48 years ago, which it attributes to conservative management, a focus on credit quality and a long-term approach to customer service and growth. The bank prides itself on its high employee satisfaction and retention. Of the company’s 2,000-plus employees, nearly half (more than 100 officers and 710 employees) have worked for FirstBank for 10 years or longer.
Community involvement: FirstBank donated more than $4.2 million in cash to Colorado charities last year, an increase of 24 percent from its 2009 contributions. The bank was the presenting sponsor for the inaugural Colorado Gives Day, which raised $8.7 million for 523 nonprofit organizations in Colorado.

HEALTH CARE

DaVita
www.davita.com
Years in business: 11
Location: Denver
CEO: Kent Thiry
Employees: 34,000
Company snapshot: DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita operates or provides administrative services at 1,642 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 128,000 patients. DaVita, Italian for “giving life,” employs more than 34,000 people around the country.
Noteworthy achievement: DaVita’s $101 million 14-story headquarters building will occupy close to 900 workers when it is completed in fall 2012. Approximately 600 people will work on the construction of the headquarters building throughout the duration of the project. Since announcing the move, DaVita has created more
than 300 good-paying jobs with benefits in Denver, paid nearly $2.1 million in payroll taxes in Denver, and generated $1 million in revenue
for downtown Denver hotels.
Community involvement: DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and the environment. The company’s leadership development initiatives and corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized by such publications as Fortune, Modern Healthcare and Newsweek.

MANUFACTURING

OtterBox
www.otterbox.com
Years in business: 13
Location: Fort Collins
CEO: Curt Richardson
Employees: 300
Company snapshot: OtterBox makes protective cases for handheld devices such as cell phones, iPods and iPads. The company has evolved from a maker of waterproof boxes geared toward outdoor enthusiasts to a developer of device-specific cases for electronic products.
Notable practices: OtterBox’s revenue has grown more than 250 percent from 2009 to 2010; and its local employee base has increased from 140 last year to more than 300. It has expanded globally, with offices in Ireland and Hong Kong. To make this happen, OtterBox constantly innovates its business systems. It employs an aggressive strategic planning process that occurs bimonthly.
Community involvement: Last fall, the company launched the OtterCares Foundation, the charitable giving arm of OtterBox. The foundation has three separate grant programs. The Impact Fund provides quarterly program-specific grants to projects directly advancing the foundation’s mission of educating and empowering youth toward positive growth in Larimer and Weld counties. The Commuter Fund offers sponsorship and funding for charitable events in Northern Colorado. The Armor Fund supports youth athletics teams and clubs.

MEDIA/ADVERTISING

Linhart Public Relations
www.linhartpr.com
Years in business: 15
Location: Denver
CEO: Sharon Linhart, managing partner
Employees: 24
Company snapshot: Linhart Public Relations tackles everything from media relations to
employee engagement to corporate reputation and brand-building. Its clients consist of top
national and international companies, including such brands such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Crocs, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Tiffany & Co. and Southwest Airlines.
Outstanding achievement: In the past two years, Linhart has hired nine employees and had zero turnover. It was just named one of only 50 winners nationwide of the 2011 Top Small Company Workplace award sponsored by Inc. magazine and Winning Workplaces. The award recognizes the best of the best among small- to mid-sized businesses when it comes to exemplary people, practices and outstanding workplace cultures. Linhart PR was named the 2011 Small Business of the Year by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, which recognized the firm for its outstanding business practices, community involvement, entrepreneurship, sustainability and productivity.
Community involvement: In 2010, Linhart PR provided $121,500 in pro-bono public relations services. Its work promoting the Boulder International Film Festival and director Oliver Stone’s appearance this year helped attract 17,000 attendees and increased ticket sales by 9 percent. The firm also landed local and national coverage for the Colorado-based Wings Over The Rockies air museum.

NONPROFIT

Denver Rescue Mission
www.denverrescuemission.org
Years in business: 119
Location: Denver
CEO: Brad Meuli
Employees: 150
Company snapshot: The Denver Rescue Mission is the oldest, full-service Christian charity in the Rocky Mountain region. “Our chief goal is to restore the poor and homeless to society as self-sufficient community members. Through the provision of food, shelter and health services, as well as clothing, household goods and furniture, Denver Rescue Mission first addresses the intense physical needs of the disadvantaged.”
Notable practices: The Denver Rescue Mission has five facilities through which it offers the following programs: New Life Rehabilitation Program, Transitional Housing Program, Family Refugee Services, Family and Senior Homeless Initiative, Emergency Shelter, Food Services – meals and food boxes, and Client Services – including a health clinic. Through the Global Ministry Outreach, DRM offers consultation, resources and support to city/rescue missions around the world and has partnerships with missions in Glasgow, Berlin and Cape Town.
Community involvement: The Denver Rescue Mission’s Community Outreach Programs include the Easter Banquet. More than 550 men, women and children are served an Easter meal, receive a foot washing and medical examination, new socks and shoes, and Easter baskets. Fall
community outreach events include the distribution of food boxes to families and banquets at the shelter at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION

PCL Construction
www.pcl.com
Years in business: 36 (U.S.),
105 (global)
Location: Denver
President and COO: Peter Beaupré
Employees: 3,300
Company snapshot: PCL builds in three main sectors: buildings, civil infrastructure and heavy industrial. PCL’s family of companies has an
annual construction volume of more than $5
billion, making it the largest contracting organization in Canada and one of the largest in the United States.
Notable practice: PCL believes you must have all three elements – people, profits and philanthropy – to truly be a construction leader and employer of choice. It is a 100 percent employee owned company. In 2009, PCL launched a Quality Management Enhancement Initiative for its U.S. operations. This began with a review of existing operations and procedures across all U.S. operations to gather the “best of the best” quality practices.
Community involvement: As a construction company, PCL builds buildings, roads and bridges. As individuals, PCL employees build communities. One of many examples: President and COO Peter Beaupré, a board member of Mile High United Way since 2005, implemented the PCL “Million Dollar Club” for MHUW’s Lights On After School program. He creatively challenged PCL employee/owners to raise $1 million for the cause in four years. The goal was achieved in three years.

SERVICES

JG Management Systems Inc.
www.jgmsinc.com
Years in business: 10
Location: Grand Junction
CEO: Jerome Gonzales
Employees: 81
Company snapshot: JG Management Systems is a professional-services firm offering program and project management, facility assessments and operations support, engineering design and analysis, environmental management and support, and technical services to government and private-sector clients nationwide.
Notable practices: Operational efficiency has allowed the company to achieve triple-digit growth, maximize profits, build the company benefits infrastructure and provide community service. Exceeding the EEO quota for minority and female employment, JGMS boasts 24 percent minority employees and 39 percent female. JGMS is an active member of Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an affiliate organization of the Department of Defense that helps civilian companies protect the rights of the employee should they be called into service to defend the country. ESGR has recognized JGMS twice by presenting JGMS with the Above and Beyond award in 2010 and the Patriotic Employer award in 2011.
Community involvement: The corporate goal of JGMS is to provide 4 percent of net income to charitable organizations; Last year’s contributions equated to 12.2 percent of net income. Additional contributions are made by providing resources, or in-kind services. In addition, all JGMS employees are provided 40 hours of company paid time off each year to support the charitable organization of their choice, whether in their local communities or across the world.

TECHNOLOGY

IQNavigator
www.Iqnavigator.com
Years in business: 12
Location: Centennial
President and CEO: Lou Andreozzi
Employees: 380
Company snapshot: IQNavigator provides software and services that help companies manage their extended work force and procured services in a smarter way – putting the emphasis on “IQ” by giving companies powerful insight into and control over the way they source services and utilize their extensive nonemployee workforce.
Notable practices: IQNavigator’s first patent – the only patent in the industry – was issued in December 2008 for its match engine, which matches candidates with open opportunities based on a comprehensive set of criteria. With the release of IQNavigator’s cross-client benchmarking capabilities last October, client programs are able to compare their results against aggregate data from IQNavigator’s customer base, the largest source of aggregate data in the industry.
Community involvement: IQNavigator is an annual sponsor of The John Lynch Foundation, which provides encouragement and positive alternatives for young people. The company is also a primary sponsor of Taste of Greenwood Village supporting The Beacon Center, a nonprofit service agency in Englewood that helps youth struggling with substance abuse or mental-health issues. IQNavigator also rallies behind individual employees pursuing their cause. Examples include the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Walk MS and the Steps-n-Strides 5K Family Run/Walk. As a sponsor at the Steps-n-Strides Walk, IQNavigator helps in benefiting the Kyle O’Connell Foundation that sheds light on pediatric brain tumors.

TELECOM

tw telecom
www.twtelecom.com
Years in business: 18
Location: Littleton
President and CEO: Larissa Herda
Employees: 1,110+
Company snapshot: tw telecom is a leading provider of managed networking solutions to businesses and organizations in 75 markets spanning 30 states and Washington, D.C. tw telecom integrates data, dedicated Internet access, and local and long distance voice services for long distance carriers, wireless communications companies, incumbent local exchange carriers and enterprise organizations.
Notable practices: tw telecom was one of the first companies to deploy a national ethernet network with local reach. Today, tw telecom is the third-largest service provider in business ethernet ports, second only to giants Verizon and AT&T.
Community involvement: tw telecom sponsors a number of charities, including SungateKids, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of children. For the past seven years tw telecom has hosted a charity golf tournament to raise a significant portion of SungateKids’ operating budget. tw telecom also has supported Denver Race for the Cure, 9Cares Colorado Shares Food Drive, Denver Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry and collected 372 pounds of non-perishables for the troops in Iraq.

TOURISM/HOSPITALITY

Xanterra Parks &
Resorts Inc.
www.xanterra.com
Years in business: 135
Location: Greenwood Village
CEO: Andrew Todd
Employees: 190
Company snapshot: Xanterra operates lodges, restaurants, tours and activities at national parks, state parks and resorts. It is the country’s largest park concessioner, with operations at: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley, Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., and eight Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra also operates Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz.
Notable practices: The company has earned 71 national and international environmental awards in the past 11 years. Most recently, in May 2011 the National Park Service gave Xanterra the Top Award for Xanterra’s environmental achievements at Grand Canyon National Park and another Top Award for the greening of the Grand Canyon Railway operations.
Community involvement: In addition to the numerous charitable activities that Xanterra employees undertake to benefit Colorado programs and individuals, Xanterra also donates substantial funding and support to the following national organizations: American Red Cross, World Wildlife Fund, National Park Conservation Association, and the National Park Foundation.

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