Posted 09.01.2010
Top Company Finalists: Colorado’s most competitive business award
These 36 companies are making the grade in the toughest of times
By the staff of ColoradoBizNow more than ever, being selected a Top Company finalist exemplifies tenacity and innovation. With businesses continuing to face a tough economy and an overabundance of uncertainty, there's little room for error, and making the right decisions is essential.
Top Company is Colorado's most competitive business awards program, judged on the basis of sustained financial performance, operational excellence and community involvement.
Companies submit or are nominated to the program. Long-time sponsor Deloitte selects finalists after rigorous evaluations. Then a panel of business professionals and leading policy officials convenes to determine winners in each category.
Now in its 23rd consecutive year, Top Company and its roster of winners represent the best of Colorado business. The 36 finalists profiled on the following pages represent the class of 2010's highest achievers.
Winners in each category will be announced Sept. 16 at an awards celebration 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Contact Kelly Ness at kness@cobizmag.com or (303) 662-5222 for registration information. You can also visit the "events" tab at www.cobizmag.com.
CONSUMER BUSINESS
Kazoo & Co.
www.kazootoys.com
Years in business: 31
Location: Denver
President: Diana Nelson
Employees: 60
Company snapshot: Kazoo & Co. is a full-service toy store that provides parents, teachers and kids with one of the country's largest selections of quality toys, games, puzzles and creative playthings.
Notable practice: Kazoo has won multiple awards, including those from the Toy Industry Association, 5280 magazine, Westword, Colorado Parent Magazine and Nickelodeon.
Community involvement: Kazoo is an active participant in The Children's Hospital Angel Book Project, which brings books to the homeless children of Denver. The company founded and continues to support the Clothesline art show as a way for children of all ages to show their art talents.
Odell Brewing Co.
www.odells.com
Years in business: 20
Location: Fort Collins
CEO: Wynne Odell
Employees: 56
Company snapshot: Odell Brewery makes a variety of craft beers, including 90 Shilling Ale.
Notable practice: Hop-process technology, wood-barrel aging and non-ale yeast use are three areas in which Odell has excelled in expanding the boundaries of American craft beer. All of its beer experimentation begins on a five-barrel pilot R&D system, first installed in 1997.
Community involvement: Odell's charity of the month program selects two charities each month, one in the company's hometown of Fort Collins and a second in another community in which the beer is sold. The company provides space in its Tap Room, as well as on its website, for each charity to share its purpose and programs. On the first Tuesday of each month, the charities receive 100 percent of all proceeds from its tasting trays.
Oskar Blues Brewery
www.oskarblues.com
Location: Longmont
Years in business: 8
Location: Fort Collins
Founder: Dale Katechis
Employees: 40
Company snapshot: Oskar Blues Brewery is the first U.S. microbrewer to brew and can its own beer. The brewery's "Canned Beer Apocalypse" (launched in 2002) has changed the status quo regarding the perception of canned beer. Oskar Blues runs two restaurants, one in Lyons and one in Longmont.
Notable practice: Oskar Blues uses lighter-weight cans to reduce its carbon footprint.
Community involvement: Imagine! offers innovative support to people of all ages with cognitive, developmental, physical and health-related needs so they may live fulfilling lives of independence and quality in their homes and communities.
ENERGY/NATURAL RESOURCES
Ascent Solar
www.ascentsolar.com
Years in business: 5
Location: Thornton
CEO: Farhad Moghadam
Employees: 113
Company snapshot: Ascent Solar's technology delivers the highest efficiency rates available. The company manufactures the only thin-film copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) on plastic substrate, which provides flexibility and lightweight advantages. The technology applies to a wide range of products, including roofing surfaces for buildings, portable electronic products, defense applications, space solutions and vehicles.
Notable practice: Countries around the world are under increased pressure and global mandates to lower carbon dioxide emissions. Ascent Solar offers solutions to meet the world's most stringent guidelines by delivering products that provide a clean, renewable source of energy.
Community involvement: The company teamed up with U.S. Rep. Jared Polis and the Adams County Workforce and Business Center in an outreach effort aimed at helping fellow community members who are struggling in a harsh job market. Ascent Solar staff, along with other north Denver-based businesses and employers, took part in an effort to help unemployed job seekers in the Denver community overcome obstacles.
Infinite Power
Solutions
www.infinitepowersolutions.com
Years in business: 5
Location: Littleton
CEO: Raymond R. Johnson
Employees: 46
Company snapshot: Infinite Power Solutions Inc. is the recognized global leader in developing and manufacturing solid-state, thin film, micro-energy storage devices and micro-power modules that are infinitely rechargeable.
Notable practice: In 2009, the company entered into strategic business relationships with Lockheed Martin and Arrow Electronics as it took its line of products to full global commercialization. The company has won multiple awards from such groups as FlexTech Alliance, Sensors Magazine and IDTechEx.
Community involvement: The company develops and maintains strong relationships with Colorado's educational communities, such as University of Colorado at Boulder, the Colorado School of Mines and Red Rocks Community College.
Newmont Mining
www.newmont.com
Years in business: 89
Location: Greenwood Village
CEO: Richard O'Brien
Employees: 14,500
Company snapshot: Newmont Mining Corp. is primarily a gold producer with significant assets or operations in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico. Newmont is also engaged in the production of copper, principally through its Batu Hijau operation in Indonesia and Boddington operation in Australia.
Notable practice: In 2007, Newmont became the first gold company selected to join Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and has maintained participation in this index for the past three years. The company also completed the Community Relationships Review, which has been instrumental in improving and implementing global standards and policies to further more sustainable relationships with host communities.
Community involvement: In 2009, Newmont contributed $977,410 to local nonprofit organizations and $132,034 in matching donations. Its employees also contributed their time to support those causes.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
CoBank
www.cobank.com
Years in business: 94
Location: Greenwood Village
CEO: Robert B. Engel
Employees: 700
Company snapshot: CoBank is a cooperative owned by its customers that provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.
Notable practice: Despite difficulties in the global economy, the bank has experienced back-to-back years of record financial growth. In 2009, CoBank was successful in serving as a dependable source of credit for the agribusiness, power, water and communications borrowers across rural America.
Community involvement: In 2009, CoBank gave more than $1.2 million to charitable causes throughout the nation. CoBank executives serve in active leadership positions for Mile High United Way, Denver Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Food Bank of the Rockies, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, Girls Inc. and ACDI/VOCA. CoBank provides more than $50,000 annually in scholarships to selected universities to help students working toward degrees in finance, agribusiness and cooperatives.
Readers Respond
Can I get information about how to sign up for this? I'd like to apply next year. Thank you!
By Jenay Sellers on 2010 09 09I'm not sure what that means, but I'll suggest that most of the truely small business in the eastern plains don't have the time. My business is 83 years old and has survived ALL depressions, recessions or whatever, but I hardly have 5 minutes to "blow my own horn.' It just seems a shame that you have NO recognition of the truely rural businesses
By John Wray on 2010 09 08John, the Top Company finalist list is comprised primarily of businesses who've self-submitted to the program. If you know a company that should be recognized, encourage them to participate.
By Publisher on 2010 09 08Your "award" becomes irrelevant when you don't have any businesses from the eastern plains. Of course, we're used to being ignored in almost every category, even though we supply a lot of the food for everyone else
By John Wray on 2010 09 08Leave a comment
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