Congrats to our Top Company 2016 winner: The Broadmoor

This year’s Top Company winners and finalists represent large and small, old and new, high-tech and high-touch businesses and organizations in 11 industry categories. Like Colorado itself, these enterprises have undergone changes, endured tumultuous economic times, and overcome various hurdles to achieve distinction in their respective fields.

To be eligible for Top Company consideration, companies must be based in Colorado or have a significant presence in the state. Deloitte, a longtime program sponsor, selects up to three finalists per industry category from applications submitted online at cobizmag.com. A panel made up of ColoradoBiz magazine’s editorial board and representatives from the business community then selects the winners based on financial performance or other relevant metric, achievement in one or more operational aspect of their business, and community involvement.

Read on to learn about our 29th annual Top Company Awards winners and finalists in the "Tourism" category.

TOURISM

Winner

The Broadmoor

www.broadmoor.com

In 1918, Spencer Penrose, who was responsible for building the highway up Pikes Peak, established The Broadmoor. The resort in Colorado Springs has 779 rooms and suites and an additional 44 suites in six Grand Cottages that border the 18th fairway of The Broadmoor’s famed East golf course. There are also 19 restaurants, cafés and lounges on-site. During the summer season The Broadmoor has an international staff that represents more than 23 countries.

Over the years, the resort has created new reasons for people to visit. There are three championship golf courses on site, a Forbes Five Star Spa and Fitness Center, tennis, swimming, paddle boating and bike rentals available.

“One of the things we have done since we opened our doors in 1918 is always look at our guests’ needs,” says Jack Damioli, president and CEO of The Broadmoor. “Unique experiences have always been a theme, from Spencer Penrose’s time through today.” The Wilderness Experience properties of The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp and Fishing Camp are for guests who seek experiential and adventure travel. Guests can enjoy horseback riding, hiking, fly-fishing, and other outdoor adventures. There are also two zip-line courses, Woods and Fins, which span some of the most remote and scenic areas in the region. The last two zip lines of the Fins course travel up to 1,800 feet and are nearly 700 feet above South Cheyenne Canyon.

For guests who want less zipping and more luxury, in September, the resort will open The Broadmoor Estate House. The 1930s mansion located on The Broadmoor’s campus offers a 12,000-square-foot accommodation with five bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen, expansive grounds with two croquet lawns and multiple function spaces for small destination weddings, board meetings, parties and family reunions.

“We feel our strength and longevity comes from always offering the best, no matter what it is,” Damioli says.

Finalists

Punch Bowl Social

www.punchbowlsocial.com

Punch Bowl Social offers classic games like bowling, skeeball, ping-pong and 1980s video games combined with a food-forward scratch kitchen and high-end craft beverage program. The kitchen eliminated “big soda” last year, and now buys from local purveyors such as Colorado-based Elevation Ketchup, which has no corn syrup. Robert Thompson started the company in Denver in 2012 and has grown the "eatertainment" business with locations in Austin, Cleveland, Detroit, Portland and Schaumburg, Ill. New locations are slated for Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood this year. Sales are projected to reach $35 million in 2016 and nearly double to $65 million in 2017.

Christopherson Business Travel

www.cbtravel.com

Anyone can go online and buy a plane ticket, but the independently owned Christopherson Business Travel offers intelligent business travel management, online travel tools, and business travel resources. Christopherson launched two new products, Travel Approval and Hotel Attachment, to help clients achieve cost savings through higher travel policy compliance, better duty of care fulfillment, and simplified travel management processes. Also, Christopherson’s in-house development team developed AirPortal 360 Mobile, a comprehensive mobile app that provides corporate travel managers the ability to manage their company’s travel program from their smartphones. In 2015, Christopherson Business Travel reported an 11 percent year-over-year increase, hitting $552 million in annual sales.