Playmakers
IMA, Inc., the nation's 13th largest independently owned retail insurance broker, has added Laurie Hoag Winkler to the Denver office as Employee Benefits Account Executive.
In her position at IMA, Winkler is responsible for developing employee benefits programs for her clients. As part of the employee benefits practice, she builds strong client relationships through benefits consulting, strategic planning, and health risk management programming.
Winkler comes to IMA with more than 20 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. Prior to joining IMA, Winkler worked for an insurance corporation that specialized in large self funded and fully insured accounts where she focused on business development as well as managed the account staff. Winkler earned her degree in business administration from SUNY Alfred in western New York and currently serves on the board of directors for Colorado Group Insurance Association.
About IMA
Founded in 1974, The IMA Financial Group, Inc. (IMA) is a diversified financial services company specializing in insurance, asset and risk management with 450 employees and offices in seven markets across the nation. The IMA Financial Group is comprised of IMA, Inc. -- (http://www.imacorp.com) - the 13th largest independently owned retail insurance broker in the U.S. with offices in Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita; Signature Select LLC - (http://www.signatureselect.com) - a retail insurance broker subsidiary providing personal and business insurance services for small- to mid-sized organizations; Towerstone, Inc. - (http://www.towerstonecorp.com) - a wholesale insurance broker and managing general agency with expertise in a broad spectrum of industries, specializing in energy and construction. Towerstone is based in Dallas, Texas with an office in San Antonio; and TrueNorth, Inc. - (TNI, http://www.truenorthcorp.com) -- a SEC registered investment advisory firm that provides professional asset management and investment consulting services.
Gary Silverman has joined Boulder-based Pedal to Properties, a full-service real estate firm, as a broker associate. Silverman has worked as a licensed broker in Boulder and recently earned his GRI. He is also a manager at one of Boulder's oldest and most respected restaurants, the Boulder Cork, where he has worked for 27 years.
Silverman grew up in Idaho before attending and graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in economics in 1989. Silverman said his longstanding experience at the Cork has taught him much of what is valuable in real estate where customer service is key and hard work for the client gets results.
A Pedal to Properties Realtor is a full-service real estate agent that uses unique marketing tools, know-how and services tailored to health-conscious buyers and sellers. Use of the Pedal to Properties cruiser bikes is completely optional but allows agents to highlight neighborhood features such as parks, schools, shops, trails, masstransit and more.
About Pedal to Properties (www.pedaltoproperties.com)
Located at 1949 Pearl St. in Boulder, Pedal to Properties' flagship office was founded by Matt Kolb as a full-service realty firm that provides a unique experience for home buyers. Pedal to Properties realtors allow buyers the option of viewing properties and homes from cruiser bikes. The firm caters to clients seeking an active, healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
Scott Burg
General Capital Partners (GCP), a turnaround management and investment banking firm, announces the addition of Kevin Blair, Esq. and Scott Burg as principals.
Blair's focus at General Capital Partners is on the execution and overall supervision of the firm's distressed M&A engagements, including evaluating strategic options and formulating capital and transaction structure. Prior to GCP, Blair was a managing director of 1031 ExChange Advisors, LLC where he was responsible for the firm's private equity and tenant in common (TIC) practice. He also co-founded MBA Investments, LLC, a Colorado M&A advisory firm and merchant bank. Blair has a bachelor's degree from the Colorado School of Mines and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law, where he is also currently completing a Masters of Taxation (LLM). He holds several real estate brokerage licenses and a series 7 securities license. He is a member of the International Business Brokerage Association and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Burg is responsible for the execution of mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations and capital investments for distressed companies. Prior to joining General Capital Partners, he held the position of senior vice president at Pursuit Partners LLC - a Stamford, Connecticut fixed income hedge fund, which managed $500 million. At Pursuit Partners LLC, Burg directed purchase analysis, security negotiation, team management and valuation of the portfolio. He is also the founder of Clayton IPS, a world-wide leader of valuation for difficult to price assets. Burg received his MBA from the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver and a B.S. in finance from the University of Colorado. He holds both a series 7 and 63.
General Capital Partners (GCP) is a leading turnaround management and investment banking firm serving distressed middle market companies nationwide. With offices in Denver and New York, GCP offers specialized services including M&A, financial advisory and financial and operational restructuring services. For more information, please visit http://www.GeneralCapitalPartners.com.
DGS associate Elizabeth Titus has been elected president of the Colorado Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Bar Association for 2010. Formerly Colorado GLBT Bar Association's secretary, Ms. Titus will continue to promote the group's mission of providing support and a collective voice for Colorado GLBT legal professions through community involvement, activism and education.
Ms. Titus specializes in litigating cases for natural resources clients, including oil and gas, mining, and other companies and organizations. Her matters often involve permitting on public lands, cultural resources, federal Indian Law, OSHA, MSHA, land use, contract, tort and other commercial issues. Her noteworthy cases include successfully defending a NYSE company against
deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, and conspiracy claims, obtaining a full defense verdict in a six-day jury trial, and assisting in a successful appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court.
With Ms. Titus' recent appointment, Davis Graham & Stubbs attorneys now serve as presidents of three specialty bar associations in Colorado. She joins DGS partner Victoria V. Johnson, who is the president of the Colorado Women's Bar Association, and DGS associate Damian J. Arguello, who is the president of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association. They continue a DGS tradition of leadership roles in our community and in organizations that seek to promote diversity in the legal profession.
About the Firm
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, one of the Rocky Mountain region's most prominent law firms, enjoys a strong national reputation for its corporate finance, natural resources and energy law practices, with emphasis on securities and M&A transactions, regulatory guidance and complex commercial litigation. For more information about the firm, its practices and lawyers, please visit http://www.dgslaw.com.
mix1® Beverage Company, an emerging leader in the functional beverage and performance nutrition category, today announced the appointment of Doug Rauch to its board of directors.
Rauch brings more than 30 years of experience in the grocery business, having helped grow Trader Joe's® Company from a small nine-store chain in Southern California to a nationally acclaimed retail success story with more than 330 stores in 27 states. In addition to overseeing this growth, Rauch developed the Trader Joe's® buying philosophy and product development system, created its unique private label food program and championed the company's successful leadership program - Trader Joe's University. Rauch serves on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations and is a Fellow at Harvard University.
Rauch joins a board of directors which also includes Pinkerton; Greg Stroh, co-founder of mix1 and co-founder of IZZE Beverage Company; John Burns and Ted Philip of Highland Consumer Fund; Tom DeRosa, a private investor; and Philip B. Weymouth of FBR Capital Markets. Last fall, mix1 announced it had closed its first round of institutional funding with a $6 million investment from the Highland Consumer Fund. This board appointment is a continuation of the company's use of the Highland Consumer Fund investment to accelerate mix1's ongoing national rollout, including hiring additional staff, providing more marketing support in key regions, and enabling additional investments in product development and innovation.
About mix1 Beverage Company
mix1 is a beverage company providing high quality, all-natural products that support health, wellness and performance through truly functional nutrition. mix1's current product portfolio includes an enhanced protein pre/post-workout and meal replacement shake, available in tangerine, mango, blueberry-vanilla, key lime and mix-berry; and a high-antioxidant fiber drink with the antioxidants of nine servings of fruits and vegetables, as well as eight grams of fiber, available in dark-berry and orange twist. All mix1 products are offered in 11-ounce bottles. Wes Brasher, Dr. James Rouse, N.D., and Greg Stroh co-founded the company in Boulder, Colo., in 2006 based on inspiration from the active, healthy lifestyles they enjoy in their home state. mix1 products are sold at Kroger, Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods Market, King Soopers, Meijer, Publix, HEB, Stop & Shop, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Amazon.com, Life Time Fitness, and 24 Hour Fitness, among others. For more information, visit http://www.mix1life.com.
SquareTwo Financial, a leader in the $40 billion asset recovery and management industry, has named Paul A. Larkins as its chief executive officer.
In this expanded role, Larkins will oversee all aspects of SquareTwo Financial's business of making distressed assets whole through industry-leading analytic modeling, award-winning technology and a pioneering Partners Network that works directly with individuals to remedy their outstanding debt.
A 25-year veteran of the financial services industry, Larkins will guide SquareTwo Financial's consumer, commercial, healthcare and Canadian business lines as they acquire distressed portfolios from financial institutions and return those assets back to productive use. Larkins will continue as the company's president.
Prior to SquareTwo Financial, Larkins served as president and CEO of Key National Finance, and executive vice president of KeyCorp. Key National Finance was comprised of Key Equipment Finance, Key Auto Finance, Key Education Resources, Key Recreation Lending, Key Home Improvement and Key Payroll Online. Larkins joined Key in 1993, and was a member of the Executive Council of KeyCorp (parent company). Before joining Key, Larkins worked for USL Capital and IBM in regional and national capacities.
Larkins received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration from St. Mary's College of California. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Institute of Leasing Management at Columbia University and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. Larkins serves as a member of the board of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
About SquareTwo Financial:
SquareTwo Financial is a leader in the $40 billion asset recovery and management industry. Through its award-winning technology and unique Partners Network, SquareTwo Financial creates a more effective way for companies and consumers to resolve their debt commitments. Fortune 500 companies in the health care, automotive, banking and credit card industries trust SquareTwo Financial to manage their debt portfolios. The company's national network of legal partners is dedicated to treating consumers fairly and ethically. SquareTwo Financial is based in Denver. Visit http://www.squaretwofinancial.com for more information.
SquareTwo Financial Website: http://www.squaretwofinancial.com
Ray Pittman, founder and president of Pittman Development Group, Inc., a leading commercial development and investment company headquartered in Denver, has been named chair of the board of the Aurora Economic Development Council.
He succeeds Jay Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D., former vice chancellor for external affairs of the University of Colorado Denver and currently president of Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, who served as chair for 2009. Pittman will direct the board for a one-year term. This will be Pittman's ninth year serving on the Aurora Economic Development Council board of directors. Pittman's background includes more than 24 years of experience in commercial real estate brokerage, services, acquisition and development. During this time he has managed some of Colorado's largest and most prominent commercial and mixed-use projects.
From 2002 through 2006, Pittman was instrumental in creating the vision for High Point, a 1,800-acre mixed-use community near Denver International Airport located in both the city of Aurora and Denver. He oversaw all aspects of the project's land assemblage, planning, zoning and initial development prior to its sale to LNR Property Corp in 2006. Most recently, Pittman lead the formation of the new Pittman Pathfinder Colorado Opportunity Fund I, an equity fund targeting the acquisition of distressed real estate assets throughout Colorado. The Fund completed its first acquisition of eight distressed residential real estate projects in December of 2009.
Prior to founding Pittman Development Group, Pittman served as Colorado's senior vice president and regional manager for Catellus Development Corp. in Colorado. In this role, Pittman initiated some of the company's most exciting projects and was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the development business, including acquisitions and dispositions, marketing, sales and leasing, project design, construction management, project financing and community and government relations.
Pittman graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara and has completed additional course work in real estate and finance at the University of California, Los Angeles and Stanford University.
About the Aurora Economic Development Council
The Aurora Economic Development Council is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(6) corporation comprised of the leading 100 companies in the Aurora/Denver metro area, the city of Aurora, and Adams and Arapahoe Counties. A-List, Colorado's premier business event, and Accelerate Colorado, the only statewide advocacy group that conducts an annual business mission to Washington, D.C., are produced by the Aurora Economic Development Council for the benefit of the state's leading industries and Colorado's economic development. For more information on the Aurora Economic Development Council, visit http://www.auroraedc.com.
About Pittman Development Group, Inc.
Founded in 2003, Pittman Development Group is a locally owned, community-based developer committed to the creation of high-quality mixed-use communities and workplace environments throughout Colorado. The company provides consulting, project development and asset management services and brokerage services to third party owners as well as its own portfolio of projects. For more information on Pittman Development Group, visit http://www.pittmandevelopment.com.
Attorney Ronald G. Rossi has joined Polsinelli Shughart PC as a shareholder in the firm's Denver office, where he will develop the clean technology practice and assist clients in the energy and biotechnology fields with complex financial transactions.
Rossi brings more than 30 years of experience related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and finance and project development in growing industries, including oil and gas, alternative energy, biosciences, health care and technology.
Prior to joining Polsinelli Shughart, Rossi was of counsel with Snell & Wilmer LLP in Denver. Throughout his career, Rossi has been on the leading edge of all regulatory, financial and operational aspects of alternative energy fields, including wind, solar and geothermal power. He founded one of the country's largest biodiesel companies, and he has served as lead counsel in M&A projects for more than 100 companies. A member of the Denver and Colorado Bar Associations, Rossi received his J.D. and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Michigan.
About Polsinelli Shughart
With approximately 470 attorneys, Polsinelli Shughart PC (http://www.polsinelli.com) is a national law firm that is a recognized leader in the areas of business litigation, financial services, real estate, business law, construction, life sciences and health care. Serving corporate, institutional and individual clients regionally, nationally and worldwide, Polsinelli Shughart is known for successfully applying forward-thinking strategies to both straightforward and complex legal matters. The firm has 13 offices located in Denver, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; Wilmington, Delaware; Chicago and Edwardsville, Illinois; Overland Park and Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and St. Joseph, Missouri; New York City; and Washington, D.C.
Colorado's leading construction-industry association - the Associated General Contractors of Colorado - has named Heath Construction President Randy DeMario of Fort Collins the 2010 AGC-Colorado board president.
DeMario joins an esteemed group of industry executives who have served as AGC-Colorado board president over the years, including CEOs and presidents of the state's largest general contracting firms. Business, government and construction-industry executives agree DeMario is the right person to lead the AGC-Colorado board in 2010, especially during these tough economic times.
DeMario brings a strong background to the position. Under his leadership, he has built Heath Construction into a multi-million dollar firm in Fort Collins with projects throughout the Rocky Mountain region. In 2006, he was named Business Leader of the Year by the Fort Collins Coloradoan newspaper. AGC Colorado's membership includes large and small general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and professional service providers. On average, AGC-Colorado members complete 70 percent of the commercial building in Colorado.
The 2010 AGC-Colorado board is comprised of 30 prominent, senior-level professionals who guide AGC Colorado's direction in the areas of legislative issues, education, member services and more. An eight-member staff, led by Gifford, manages the nearly 100 educational programs offered annually, provide assistance on legislative relations, publish the association's magazine, address safety issues that impact the industry and much more.
For more information on AGC-Colorado, visit http://www.agccolorado.org or call 303-388-2422 303-388-2422 .
The Denver Public Schools (DPS) Foundation is pleased to welcome two distinguished civic leaders to its board of directors: Kelly Brough, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; and Roxanne White, chief of staff to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Prior to taking over leadership at the Chamber, Kelly Brough served as chief of staff for the City and County of Denver from 2005 to 2009. Her career at the City also includes previous positions as deputy chief of staff and director of the Office of Accountability and Reform, personnel analyst and director of human resources. Brough created the first pay-for-performance program for Denver employees. Brough also spent time directing an internationally recognized leadership program at the University of Colorado at Denver. She holds bachelor's degrees in sociology and criminal justice from Montana State University and a master's of business administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.
Before her appointment as Mayor Hickenlooper's chief of staff, Roxane White served as executive director of the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation, where she was responsible for developing strategic giving in the areas of health care, education and human services. White previously worked for the City and County of Denver as manager of the Department of Human Services from 2003-2008. She is the former chair of Denver's Road Home, the City's 10-year plan to end homelessness. White also previously worked as president and CEO of Urban Peak, Urban Peak Colorado Springs, Urban Peak Housing Corporation and The Spot. White has a bachelor's degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and master's degrees in social work and divinity from San Francisco State University and San Francisco Theological Seminary.
About the Denver Public Schools Foundation
The DPS Foundation raises and manages funds in support of various programs that drive student achievement, including principal leadership development, resources for teachers and classrooms, and after-school tutoring and enrichment programs. Through strategic program investments and community leadership, we support Denver Public Schools in creating a district where outstanding educational achievements are the norm and all children have hope of a great future. For more information, visit http://www.dpsfoundation.org.
Strategic Programs, Inc., a human resources and organizational research and consulting firm, has hired Sandra (Sandy) Bainbridge as Vice President, Sales.
For more than a decade, Bainbridge taught and consulted for agencies of Wilson Learning in sales effectiveness and conducted Supervisory Leadership training. She then served as Vice President Client Services Consultant for Right Management, and focused on organizational consulting, including career transition services and performance management consulting. In 2002 she joined PDI in Denver, as an Account Executive, and progressed to Regional Sales Director of Europe for PDI (formerly Personnel Decisions International, now PDI Ninth House), where she managed Sales in nine offices with diverse cultures, and diverse economies in eleven countries.
She returned to Denver from Brussels, Belgium just before joining Strategic Programs, with the intention of becoming active in the community. She is a volunteer educator and member of the
Colorado Alzheimer's speaker's bureau, is training a service dog to work with the disabled, and in her spare time, participates in triathlons.
Strategic Programs, Inc. is headquartered in Denver, with offices in Dallas, Texas and Omaha, Nebraska. Incorporated in 1988, the firm designs client-specific Human Resources and organizational development assessments, and provides data-driven solutions for individual and organization engagement, retention, development, and performance management. Visit http://www.strategicprogramsinc.com.
Che Yi has been hired as Senior Client Consultant with Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., in Greenwood Village.
Yi has more than 16 years of employee benefits experience, working in various consulting, analytical and management positions in the employee benefits and healthcare industries. He has advised organizations in a variety of market segments and has deep technical expertise in underwriting and plan design. In addition to working in the employee benefits space, Yi has also held a chief administrative office position with a healthcare center in Pasadena, Calif.
A resident of Centennial, Yi comes to Gallagher Benefit Services after working for six years as a consultant with an international human resources and benefits consulting firm in Los Angeles and Denver. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. Yi carries a Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation and is currently pursuing a complete Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (CEBS) designation. He has also worked for several national and international employee benefits consulting firms in analytical and consulting roles.
In his role as Senior Client Consultant for Gallagher Benefit Services, Yi will help grow and enhance the capabilities and expertise of the Gallagher Benefit Services employee benefits consulting practice in Colorado.
About Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.
Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), is one of the leading employee benefits brokers and consultants in the United States. It delivers a full range of employee benefits services, including benefits strategy, plan design and management, financial planning, actuarial, data analysis and benchmarking, retirement brokerage and consulting, and human resource services. To learn more, visit http://www.gallagherbenefits.com.
Che Yi can be reached at or 800-628-5691 800-628-5691 .
OPX Biotechnologies Inc. (OPXBIO), a renewable biochemical and biofuel company, today announced the appointment of Michael J. Rosenberg as vice president of business development.
Mike brings 24 years of alternative energy and environmental business experience to OPXBIO where he is responsible for creating strategic partnerships to accelerate the commercialization of bio-based chemistry and fuel products.
Prior to OPXBIO, Mike was vice president of business development at Evergreen Energy, a cleaner coal technology company. From 1998 to 2008, he held senior management positions at the leading hydrogen fuel cell company, Ballard Power Systems, including director - corporate development and strategy, director - business development, and business director - material handling.
While at Ballard, he helped form Chrysalix Energy Limited Partnership, a leading venture capital firm in the cleantech industry. Prior to Ballard, Mike was senior treasury manager with Genentech, Inc., and held various positions in finance, environmental project management and engineering with McKesson Corporation and ExxonMobil Company USA. Mike earned an MBA degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and he holds a B.S. degree in chemical and petroleum refining engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
About OPXBIO
OPXBIO is a Colorado-based company using biotechnology to convert renewable raw materials into biochemicals and biofuels. Applying its EDGETM (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering) technology, OPXBIO will manufacture bio-based products that are more economical and sustainable than petroleum-based alternatives. OPXBIO has already demonstrated laboratory-scale production of several different biochemicals and biofuels using renewable biomass as well as carbon dioxide and hydrogen feedstock. The company currently is producing bioacrylic at pilot scale in advance of opening a demonstration plant in 2011 and a full-scale commercial plant in 2013. The company also is developing strategic partnerships and joint ventures for commercialization.
OPXBIO has raised $22.4 million with venture investors Mohr Davidow Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures, Altira Group, and X/Seed Capital.
Colorado Public Radio (CPR) has hired Sarah Hughes to be a reporter and producer for its daily local news program, Colorado Matters.
Hughes was previously a reporter for WAMU in Washington, D.C., where she covered education and immigration. She has reported for KCAW in Alaska and was a bilingual teacher for Teach for America prior to attending UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
Three years ago, Hughes moved to Colorado for a position with Aspen Public Radio as a bilingual reporter. She is fluent in Spanish and once consulted for a radio project in Peru. She is the founder and director of Colorado Youth News, which works with disadvantaged high school students to produce radio programming.
Colorado Public Radio News is heard on: 90.1 FM in Denver, 1490 AM in Boulder, 1230 AM in Pueblo, 89.5 FM in Grand Junction, 88.3 FM in Montrose, 88.3 FM in Craig, and online at cpr.org. CPR is a non-profit organization which receives more than 90 percent of its funds from its 400,000 listeners, as well as businesses and foundations.
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP has announced that natural resources partner Constance L. Rogers has been selected to serve as the Deputy Solicitor for Energy and Mineral Resources in the U.S. Department of the Interior, effective February 15, 2010.
Ms. Rogers will be relocating to Washington D.C. In her new role, Ms. Rogers will report to Hilary Tompkins, Solicitor of the Department of the Interior, and will provide advice, counsel and legal
representation on matters involving the management of energy and mineral resources on public lands and the Outer Continental Shelf. Ms. Rogers will be responsible for legal guidance on regulation, permitting and development of onshore and offshore minerals, conventional energy and renewable energy, royalties from leases on Federal lands, and coal leasing.
Ms. Rogers will assist the Solicitor in advising the Bureau of Land Management on its energy and minerals programs, the Minerals Management Service and the Office of Surface Mining. Ms. Rogers' private law practice has encompassed renewable energy, mining, federal Indian law, public lands and historic preservation matters, in transactions, litigation and permitting. She has advised companies on mineral, renewable energy and other project development and permitting, primarily on federal public lands and Indian lands, with particular emphasis on compliance with federal land management statutes, the National Environmental Policy Act, wildlife and other species protection statutes, cultural resource and religious freedom laws and federal Indian law concerns.
DGS has one of the largest energy law, public lands and natural resources practices in the Rocky Mountain West. Ms. Rogers becomes the latest DGS partner to serve at the U.S. Department of the
Interior; former DGS partners Clyde O. Martz and John M. Sayre as well as current DGS partners Zach C. Miller and Charles L. Kaiser each served former administrations in the Secretary's and Solicitor's offices.
About the Firm
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, one of the Rocky Mountain region's most prominent law firms, enjoys a strong national reputation for its natural resources, energy law and corporate finance practices, with emphasis on securities and M&A transactions, regulatory guidance and complex commercial litigation. For more information about the firm, its practices and lawyers, please visit www.dgslaw.com.
Mocapay, a mobile experience platform, today announced the appointment of Will White as Chief Information Officer. In this position, White will support the growing demand for Mocapay's mobile Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology that provides merchants an integrated marketing and sales solution to enhance the lifetime value of their customers.
Will joins Mocapay with more than 25 years of experience with Fortune 100 companies across several industries during his career. Will previously served as vice president of software engineering at Raymond James and has held senior technology positions, including CIO/EVP of Citigroup's Diners Club International, CTO at US West and engineering management positions at NCR, Teradata, and Boeing. His experience and leadership has helped lead to technology innovations, higher customer adoption of solutions and organizational transformations to improve quality and delivery.
About Mocapay
Mocapay is a mobile experience platform for innovative merchants that offers an integrated marketing and sales solution to enhance the lifetime value of a customer. The platform addresses these merchants' need for a new channel that will broaden their gift and loyalty programs by mobilizing sales and marketing to reach customers anytime, not just at the point of sale, encourage purchases and build a stronger brand affinity. Based in Denver, Mocapay is a privately held, venture funded company founded in 2006. For more information visit mocapay.com.
Linhart Public Relations, a Denver-based national public relations and corporate communications counseling firm, today announced that recognized digital and social media expert Paula Berg has joined the firm to build on Linhart PR's digital and social media capabilities.
Berg joins Linhart PR after working as the manager of emerging media for Southwest Airlines, a position she held for three years. As emerging media manager, Berg led Southwest Airline's acclaimed online communication strategy, developing the company's award-winning blog "Nuts About Southwest" (named Best Blog by PRNews in 2007, 2008 and 2009), while also leveraging a variety of popular social media channels to improve the company's communications, increase customers and generate revenue.
Due to her leadership in developing and implementing a highly effective emerging media strategy for Southwest, Berg was recognized with the airline's President's Award in 2009. PR Week named Southwest one of five U.S. companies that "get social media." Brandweek and Adweek have named Southwest as a brand successfully gaining traction on Facebook, and the Associated Press and PC Magazine have identified the airline as a company using Twitter successfully to gain customers.
Before heading Southwest's emerging media program, Berg held a variety of communications roles at the company. She served as a spokesperson for local and national media in a 26-city region, internal media trainer and executive speechwriter. She also supervised on-location production of Airline!, Southwest's reality series for the A&E Television Network. Prior to joining Southwest, Berg was a legislative aide in the Colorado State Senate and an intern in the U.S. Senate, working in the office of former Senator Wayne Allard. She also worked as an event planner for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
At Linhart PR, Berg will be responsible for building on the firm's digital and social media capabilities to deliver results for clients, while also creating sustainable capacity in this area among members of the Linhart PR client service team.
About Linhart Public Relations
Linhart Public Relations, a Denver-based public relations and corporate communications counseling firm, serves national, international and regional clients in a variety of industries, including restaurants, building products, natural and organic products manufacturing and retailing, energy and renewable energy, financial services and investments, footwear, engineering and construction, and health care.
PRWeek, a highly respected PR industry trade publication, selected Linhart PR as a finalist for its 2009 Boutique Agency of the Year award, and as an honorable mention winner for its 2008 Small Agency of the Year award. Linhart PR also has earned national honors from The Holmes Report, another respected PR industry publication, which recognized Linhart PR as the Boutique Agency of the Year in 2007, and as one of the best PR firms to work for in the U.S.
Founded in 1996, Linhart PR is headquartered in a restored 19th century candy factory in the downtown Denver Theatre District. For more information, visit Linhart PR online at www.linhartpr.com.
Frost Mortgage Lending Group is pleased to announce that Tim Ray and Ronnie Ray have joined the company as branch partners of the Denver branch, bringing six mortgage planners with them. Frost Mortgage Lending Group, led by longtime mortgage banker Greg Frost, has successfully redefined its business model and is thriving in a market that has seen the closing of many mortgage lenders around the country.
Tim Ray and Ronnie Ray previously owned Apollo Financial Services, LLC. Tim is a Certified Mortgage Lender and Licensed Mortgage Broker with 10 years experience in the mortgage industry. He has originated over $160 million in mortgages. Ronnie is a Certified Residential Mortgage Specialist and Licensed Mortgage Broker with 10 years experience. In 2009, the Colorado Association of Mortgage Brokers named her Broker of the Year.
Tim Ray is a member of the Colorado Association of Mortgage Brokers, and volunteers as an assistant varsity basketball coach at Denver South High School, of which he is an alumnus. A scholar athlete, he attended DenverUniversity on basketball and baseball scholarships and graduated in 1991. Ronnie Ray is a board member of the Colorado Association of Mortgage Brokers, and co-chair of the education committee. She is also a member of the Alliance for Professional Women, serves as president of the Trailblazers Chapter of Business Networking International and is an affiliate member of the South Metro Denver Realtor Association.
Frost Mortgage Lending Group was founded in 1991. The company and its branches operate in 13 states, and funded over $40,000,000 in residential mortgages in April 2009. The company forecasts funding $100,000,000 per month by the end of 2009.
Hogan & Hartson LLP is pleased to announce the appointment of Anastasia G. Khokhryakova to Counsel, effective January 1, 2010. Khokhryakova concentrates in the areas of municipal and corporate finance, securities, and general corporate law.
Khokhryakova received her J.D., cum laude, in 1998 from the University of Colorado School of Law. She earned her B.A. in 1994 from Moscow State Law Academy.
About Hogan & Hartson
Hogan & Hartson is one of the largest law firms in the Rocky Mountain region, with offices in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. The Colorado offices represent local, national, and international clients, principally in the areas of corporate, securities and finance; intellectual property, including patent law and licensing; public and project finance; energy; real estate; sports and sports facilities; telecommunications and television programming; criminal and civil litigation; environmental law; government relations; and labor and employment. In addition to the firm's Colorado offices, Hogan & Hartson has offices in Abu Dhabi, Baltimore, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Caracas, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Munich, New York, Northern Virginia, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Warsaw, and Washington, D.C.
For additional information about Hogan & Hartson, please visit www.hhlaw.com.
Hogan & Hartson LLP is pleased to announce the election of Keith A. Trammell to the partnership, effective January 1, 2010. Trammell concentrates in the areas of securities and corporate law, as well as international transactions.
Prior to joining Hogan & Hartson, Trammell was an associate in the Denver office of another international law firm.
Trammell received his J.D. in 2000 from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He earned his B.A. in 1995 from the University of Colorado.
About Hogan & Hartson
Hogan & Hartson is one of the largest law firms in the Rocky Mountain region, with offices in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. The Colorado offices represent local, national, and international clients, principally in the areas of corporate, securities and finance; intellectual property, including patent law and licensing; public and project finance; energy; real estate; sports and sports facilities; telecommunications and television programming; criminal and civil litigation; environmental law; government relations; and labor and employment. In addition to the firm's Colorado offices, Hogan & Hartson has offices in Abu Dhabi, Baltimore, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Caracas, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Munich, New York, Northern Virginia, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Warsaw, and Washington, D.C.
For additional information about Hogan & Hartson, please visit www.hhlaw.com.
Longtime communications and marketing executive Michele Wells will rejoin JohnstonWells, a leading Denver public relations and marketing firm, as a senior consultant starting in January.
JohnstonWells recently celebrated its 38th year in business and was ranked 26th among best U.S. public relations agencies to work for in the U.S. by The Holmes Report in October 2009.
The firm acquired Wells Communications in 1993, and Wells worked at the firm until 1996, but continued consulting with JohnstonWells periodically during the subsequent years. JohnstonWells has expertise in strategic communications for energy, environment, real estate, specialty foods, consumer products and services, healthcare, biosciences, technology and telecommunications organizations.
The Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce welcomes its newest staff member, Meghan Stinton, as the Marketing and Communications Manager.
Stinton brings a diverse range of experience to her new position. Prior to joining the CWCC, Stinton has worked as the Fundraising and Events Coordinator for Breast Cancer Network of Strength Rocky Mountain, Public Relations Account Executive with JKD & Company, Inc., and a Station Assistant at KMGH Channel 7.
She holds a Bachelors degree in journalism and public relations from Metropolitan State College of Denver and. Her passion for non-profits, communication, and writing, has led her to serve on numerous committees including; the Women's Bean Project communications committee and the National Hazing Prevention Organization marketing and public relations committee. She also serves on the board of directors for the Outdoor Lab Foundation and assists them with their marketing and fundraising efforts.
About Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce:
The Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest women's chambers in the nation. CWCC provides its members with the environment and resources conducive to business success, skills and knowledge about business issues and trends, visibility in the community and opportunities for community involvement and business partnerships. For more information on the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, call 303-458-0220, e-mail or visit http://www.cwcc.org.
In his first major administrative move, incoming museum director Christoph Heinrich has announced the appointment of Cathey McClain Finlon as museum president. Finlon will oversee the Museum's business operations including finance, development, marketing and human resources, while Heinrich will maintain direct oversight of the curatorial and programmatic functions.
Finlon was named interim president by board Chairman Frederic C. Hamilton in April 2009 with the charge of developing a strategic leadership transition process.
Finlon, most widely known in Colorado as a business and non-profit leader, has a substantial history with the Denver Art Museum. As a member of the museum's Board of Trustees from 1994 through 2009, Finlon worked closely with the board and museum leadership to establish the vision for and realize the new Frederic C. Hamilton Building.
Finlon also acted as the museum's first development director prior to her career with McClain Finlon Advertising. The addition of Finlon heightens the museum's ongoing commitment to prudent fiscal management and efficient operation, but also enables Heinrich to commit time and energy to program development including collections and exhibitions
As owner and CEO of McClain Finlon Advertising, Finlon ran one of the top 50 agencies in the country and one of the few woman-owned advertising agencies in the Unities States. She built the business from a small, 5-person shop into a team of more than 200. In its 26 years as a leading agency, McClain Finlon won numerous industry awards and served prestigious clients, including Dell, Sun Microsystems, Qwest Communications and top Colorado resorts. In addition to building her own successful company, she spent ten years in development with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and the Denver Art Museum.
Finlon's commitment to community is as evident in her personal as her professional life. She serves on many leadership boards in Denver, including the Denver Public Schools Foundation and The Children's Hospital, where she is the incoming chairperson. She also has served in the past as chair of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, the Alliance for Contemporary Art and Junior Achievement, and on the board of the Colorado Outward Bound School and the National Repertory Orchestra.
In 2009, Finlon was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and also received the prestigious Leader Award from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts.
Sunflower Farmers Market announced the appointment of Chris Sherrell to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer. Since joining the company in 2003, Sherrell has held a number of executive positions at Sunflower, including Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.
Chris Sherrell joined Sunflower Farmers Market in 2003, during the inception of Mike Gilliland's new business venture and has played an integral role in the company's growth and success over the past seven years. As Sherrell takes the reins as president, he brings expertise, experience and focus to lead Sunflower's growth strategy across the Western United States. Sherrell's well-rounded approach comes from the wide array of positions he has held in the food retail industry, including: Store Director, New Store Operations, Meat and Seafood Director, Information Technology Director, Director of Operations, and most recently Chief Operating Officer.
Chris Sherrell began his career in the grocery industry at the young age of 17, in the Food Service Department of an independent grocery retailer in 1993. Sherrell progressed rapidly; at the young age of 24, Sherrell held the title of Store Director. His keen interest in the natural food industry quickly advanced him through many management and executive positions.
In 2005, Mike Gilliland named Sherrell Chief Operating Officer for Sunflower Farmers Markets. Today, Sherrell continues to hold the title of COO, while being given the added responsibilities associated with the role of President of Sunflower Farmers Markets.
For more information on Sunflower Farmers Market, visit www.sfmarkets.com.
About Sunflower Farmers Markets
Sunflower Farmers Markets (www.sfmarkets.com) is a rapidly growing chain of full-service grocery stores offering consumers the highest quality natural and organic products at the lowest possible price. The company, founded in 2002, is a pioneer in developing the emerging value segment of the natural and organic foods retailing industry. They have remained true to their motto "Serious Food...Silly Prices®" since the market's inception. The company has 27 retail stores located throughout Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Texas (operated as Newflower Farmers Markets).
Lonnie Knob was recently promoted to Assistant Branch Manager of the Freedom Financial Services office in Grand Junction.
A Grand Junction native, Knob attended Fruita Monument High School and graduated from Colorado State University. He has worked as a loan originator since 2002 and has been a Top Producer for the last few years. Lonnie and his family enjoy being a part of the Grand Junction community and taking advantage of the active lifestyle available in the surrounding area.
About the Company
Freedom Financial Services is a Mortgage Lender providing purchase, refinance, and debt consolidation loans secured by real estate. Freedom is an FHA Direct Endorsement Lender, which means they are authorized to underwrite and fund FHA loans. The company is also a VA Automatic Lender. Freedom Financial Services has served the mortgage needs of Colorado's Front Range since 1995. For more information about Freedom Financial Services go to http://www.freedomfs.com/ or call 1-888-873-7282.
The University of Colorado's Real Estate Center (CUREC) at the Leeds School of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Gripne, Ph.D., as director of the Initiative for Sustainable Development.
The Initiative for Sustainable Development (ISD) educates, activates, and unites stakeholders from across the university, the West, and the nation in pursuit of the best ideas, practices, and policies in the growing field of sustainable land use and real estate development. Gripne has more than 15 years of experience working in the field of applied conservation with sustainability issues across private and public sectors throughout the Rocky Mountain West.
She is the founder of the Compatible Ventures, LLC, an organization that develops for-profit conservation and sustainable agriculture projects bringing together exceptional conservation, agriculture, real estate development, and investment expertise to protect and restore ecologically important ranches while generating competitive financial returns.
During her career, Gripne gleaned expertise in real estate and emerging markets of carbon, wetland, water and biodiversity working with the Nature Conservancy, as well as for Eco Products Fund LP, a $100 million private equity fund jointly managed by New Forests and Equator. Additional experience in the natural resources field comes from her service with the U.S. Forest Service, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Journal of Wildlife Management, the Bureau of Land Management and several universities. Gripne was also a visiting professor at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources teaching courses in ecosystem services and global environmental issues.
University of Colorado Real Estate Center is a private-public partnership offering a high-caliber academic real estate program for graduate and undergraduate students attending CU-Boulder's Leeds School of Business.
Gripne received her Ph.D. in Forestry from the Boone and Crockett Wildlife Conservation Program at the University of Montana. She holds a master's of science degree in Ecology from Utah State University and a bachelor's of science degree in Biology and Wildlife Management from University of Wisconsin Stevens Pont.
Her research interests include conservation finance, conservation real estate, and ecosystem services. Raised in Hailey, Idaho, she has strong ties to Colorado including great-great-grandparents who homesteaded near Haxtun and a great-grandmother who attended University of Colorado in the early 1900s.
Banking professional Bryan Parises joins Vectra Bank Colorado as vice president and commercial banker for its downtown Denver branch, located at 1001 17th St. Ste. R300.
An accomplished commercial banker, Parises will generate new depository and loan relationships. He also will manage loan portfolios to ensure minimum risk of loss, and serve as a financial consultant to customers and prospects.
Parises brings to Vectra more than nine years of experience in commercial and retail banking, financial analysis and wealth management. He is adept at financial statement analysis, business development and commercial lending.
Previously, Parises worked with other Colorado banks. He is involved with the Downtown Denver Partnership, Colorado Renewable Energy Society and the Denver Chamber of Commerce. He is currently enrolled in the University of Colorado's Graduate School of Banking. He earned a bachelor's degree in management from Metropolitan State College of Denver.
Jeff Pelletier has joined IP5280 Communications, specializing in business VoIP and data communications delivered via state-of-the-art unified Internet Protocol (IP) technologies, as Chief Technology Officer. Pelletier will help IP5280 to continue to deliver high-quality, IP communication services for the small-to-medium and enterprise business markets.
The addition of Pelletier furthers IP5280's goal to hire executives that have unique expertise and have achieved success in both product development and IP engineering, giving IP5280 the ability to continually innovate in the highly dynamic VoIP industry. His primary responsibilities will include oversight to the company's engineering, technical support and product development teams. Pelletier has over 17 years of experience in voice network engineering, VoIP product development and IP networking, along with a proven track record for leadership and results in the telecommunications industry.
Until July 2009, Pelletier was the Chief Technology Officer at Simple Signal, a leading provider of Broadsoft-based VoIP solutions. One of the pioneers of the unification of VoIP capabilities, Pelletier has led numerous development and engineering breakthroughs related to new VoIP products and technology used to connect the worldwide web of networks that make up VoIP communications today.
In his new role, Pelletier will spearhead IP5280's corporate technology strategy and roadmap, support client delivery and execution, and collaborate on business development efforts for IP5280's commercial, wholesale and agent business units.
Earlier in his career, Pelletier was involved in the design, implementation and operation of large-scale data and telecommunications networks for Level3 Communications, WorldCom Communications and Nortel Networks Corporation. Pelletier also held positions with Net2phone, Masergy Communications, and Eze Castle in his career. Pelletier has several telecommunications-related patents pending, and was responsible for implementing one of the first Broadsoft-Microsoft OCS (Office Communications Server) solutions.
Pelletier is a 1992 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Sciences.
About IP5280
IP5280 Communications is a next-generation global unified IP communications provider specializing in VoIP and converged IP voice and data services for business customers. Trusted by thousands of business enterprise users, communication agents, partners and wholesalers of IP managed services throughout the world, IP5280 delivers carrier-class communications for businesses large and small, with significant savings over traditional phone company business services.
Selected by ColoradoBiz magazine among the Top 3 Best Companies to Work For in Colorado, and proud to be ranked by the magazine as a part of the elite Colorado TOP250, IP5280 provides businesses the most advanced IP solutions to meet a variety of voice, data and IP networking needs. For more information, visit www.IP5280.com or call (303) 800-0000.
Paul Suggett has joined Amélie Company, a Denver-based advertising, public relations and marketing firm, as creative director. With over 13 years of international advertising and marketing experience at some of the top and most sought-after agencies, Suggett brings a wealth of creative ability to the agency.
Suggett has spent the past five years as a leader in the creative department of Starz Entertainment Group, producing work across every discipline for multi-million dollar branding campaigns, film festivals, affiliate communications and on-air promotions. Suggett was on the team responsible for the rebranding of the entire Starz Entertainment Group and produced a variety of work that is helping Starz become America's biggest movie channel.
Suggett started his career in London, England, at TBWA Direct and Tequila working on blue-chip accounts like Nissan, Weight Watchers, the Automobile Association and British Telecom. Several years later, his contributions at HPT Brand Response for clients including Virgin, Vodafone, Royal & SunAlliance and BetFair garnered the company Direct Agency of The Year, a prestigious U.K. advertising award from Campaign magazine.
While at HPT, he honed his craft under the creative direction of Steve Harrison, a creative legend often described as “The Bill Bernbach of British Direct Marketing. Trained in both advertising and graphic design, Suggett holds a B.A. in visual communications from De Montfort University, England.
About Amélie Company
Amélie Company is a full-service advertising, public relations, marketing and interactive agency based in Denver, Colorado. The agency helps local, national and international companies to communicate effectively with their audiences, create presence, generate opportunities and produce positive, quantifiable results. Amélie employs a full suite of cutting edge design services that simplifies the complexity of interactive marketing. Amélie’s client roster is diverse, consisting of companies in financial services, broadcast media, technology, higher education, restaurant and entertainment industries and the sports manufacturers field. More information can be found on http://www.ameliecompany.com.
General Capital Partners (GCP), a turnaround management and investment banking firm, announces the addition of Kevin Betz, principal, and Sean Donlin, associate.
Betz will focus on business development efforts for the firm's Management Services division, which provides corporate turnaround and crisis management services to distressed companies nationwide. He has more than 20 years of expertise in accounting, valuation, tax and financial issues. Prior to joining GCP, Betz worked for Clifton Gunderson, a national, full-service accounting firm and RGL Forensics, an international litigation support firm.
In addition, he has held regional business development positions with Deloitte's Financial Advisory Services group and American Appraisal Associates. Betz holds a master's degree from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Wellesley, MA and has a certificate in M&A from the Anderson School of Business at University of California, Los Angeles.
Donlin will advise GCP clients in the energy, real estate and financial sectors with a background in corporate finance, private equity sourcing and operations management, including operations restructuring and reorganization. Prior to joining GCP, Donlin worked for a private equity company as an asset manager for a diversified portfolio of real estate and energy field investments. He has a bachelor's degree from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO and a Masters of Science in Engineering and Technology Management.
General Capital Partners (GCP) is a leading turnaround management and investment banking firm that serves distressed middle market companies nationwide. With offices in Denver and New York, GCP offers specialized services including M&A, private placement of capital, financial advisory and financial and operational restructuring services. For more information, please visit http://www.GeneralCapitalPartners.com.
Veteran financial wholesaler and Denver-area resident Mick Manning, a pivotal member of the KBS sales team since 2005, has been named executive vice president and divisional sales manager of KBS Capital Markets Group (KBS-CMG). Formerly KBS-CMG regional vice president, Manning will now oversee the company's national wholesale efforts for its KBS Real Estate Investment Trusts and report directly to Mike Crimmins, KBS-CMG managing director and chief executive officer, who made the announcement today.
A Colorado native, Manning will continue to be based in Littleton.
KBS Capital Markets Group is an affiliate of KBS Capital Advisors and KBS Realty Advisors, and the dealer-manager for KBS Real Estate Investment Trusts. The promotion is the latest in Manning's 22-year wholesaling management career, much of it centered in the U.S. Mountain states. As KBS-CMG regional vice president responsible for Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, he continually ranked as one of the top wholesalers in the company.
Prior to KBS, Manning was vice president, wholesaler and Western divisional manager of Travelers Life and Annuity in Denver, where he directed a 10-member sales team to maximize broker/dealer relationships in Colorado and New Mexico. He also served as vice president and wholesaler of MFS/SunLife Financial, and general agent and regional vice president of Mass Mutual Financial Group, both also in Denver.
He also previously established and operated a Northwestern Mutual Life District Office in Littleton for 12 years. Manning received his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has completed extensive underwriting coursework at American College in Bryn Mawr, Penn.
About KBS Companies
Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., KBS Capital Markets Group (http://www.kbs-cmg.com) is the dealer manager for KBS Real Estate Investment Trusts. KBS Capital Advisors is the advisor for KBS Real Estate Investment Trusts. Both companies are affiliates of KBS Realty Advisors, a private equity real estate company and SEC-registered investment advisor founded in 1992 by Peter Bren and Chuck Schreiber. Since 1992, KBS has completed transactional activity exceeding $16.5 billion via 19 separate accounts, six commingled funds and two private equity REITs. KBS has offices in Newport Beach, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, New York, Washington, D.C, Atlanta and Los Angeles. For information, visit http://www.kbsrealty.com.
Goodwill Industries of Denver has added Tracy Baumgartner, Vice President of Public Relations for Comcast Cable West Division, and Michael Ebedes, Partner at Grant Thornton, to its board of directors.
Both members bring a wealth of professional experience in their industries as well as a passion for the Goodwill mission and community programs that serve more than 30,000 individuals in our community each year.
Baumgartner has 17 years of experience in public relations and communications for cable and telecommunications companies in Colorado. Additionally, she serves as president of the Rocky Mountain chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT RM) and is a member of the Cable Television Association of Marketers (CTAM), and the Association of Cable Communicators (ACC). She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration with a dual emphasis in marketing and international business from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Baumgartner will serve on Goodwill's Marketing Committee.
Ebedes has more than 16 years of public accounting experience, serving public and privately held companies here and abroad. He has significant experience in the areas of SEC companies, manufacturing, hospitality and international business. Ebedes earned his bachelor's degree in commerce, accounting science from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Ebedes will serve on Goodwill's Finance and Administration Committee.
Ebedes and his wife, Michelle, have been long-time supporters of human services initiatives, including starting their own foundation to support an orphanage and school in South Africa. Locally, Ebedes has been actively involved with the Mile High United Way and was named as 2008-09 Bronze Level Leadership Donors.
For more information about Goodwill Industries and its Board of Directors, contact Meaghan Carabello at 303.650.7734 or
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Goodwill Industries of Denver
Goodwill Industries of Denver seeks to reverse the cycle of poverty for at-risk youth, struggling families and individuals with disabilities. When you shop or donate at Goodwill thrift stores, you help create opportunities for over 30,000 individuals each year to change their lives, while building a strong, sustainable community.
John Curtis has joined MWH Constructors, Inc. in Broomfield as director of health and safety of US operations.
Curtis has 29 years experience in environmental, health and safety with broad-base experience in private, public and government sector projects for companies such as Walter Energy, CB&I, North American Oil Sands Corporation, WorleyParsons (formerly Parsons E&C), M+W Zander and Industrial Design Corporation, Inc.
Curtis has managed the EH&S elements of projects valued from $660 million to $8 billion in domestic and international arenas. He holds a master's degree in occupational safety and health engineering and is a certified safety professional and registered professional engineer with experience in large construction, mining and oil & gas projects.
Sarah M. Schmitz, CEBS, RPA and FLMI, has been named vice president and retirement plan specialist for TrueNorth, Inc., a SEC registered investment advisory firm that provides professional asset management and investment consulting services.
Schmitz will advise employers on matters pertaining to their company retirement plans. She brings more than 14 years of experience as a financial services professional working exclusively with corporate and institutional retirement plans. Her professional background includes experience in client services, business development and creation of business development tools for advisors, marketing, consulting, plan provider due diligence, investment and plan reviews, and client relationship management.
Schmitz is a graduate of Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, with a degree in business administration. She holds the FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 and Series 63 examinations for Registered Representatives, as well as Colorado Life and Variable Contracts licenses.
About TrueNorth, Inc.
An investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, TrueNorth (TNI, www.truenorthcorp.com http://www.truenorthcorp.com) provides professional asset management for individuals, corporations, foundations and retirement plans. . The company's subsidiary, TrueNorth Securities, Inc., Member FINRA, is a broker-dealer that provides retirement plan services to businesses as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance. TrueNorth Securities is headquartered in Wichita, with offices in Wichita and Denver. TrueNorth is a wholly owned subsidiary of The IMA Financial Group, Inc.- (http://www.imacorp.com <http://www.imacorp.com>) - a diversified financial services company with offices in Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, San Antonio, Topeka and Wichita.
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Marty Jones has joined Wynkoop Brewing Company to lead the charge for its hand-canning effort for Railyard Ale, Wynkoop's longtime flagship and hybrid amber ale.
Jones has worked with Wynkoop for years as organizer of their annual Beerdrinker of the Year search.
"The company's increasing commitment to its beer, a new canning endeavor, and the immense appeal of rocking with a revered brewery just down the street from my house in Denver makes the 'Koop a perfect beer home for me," Jones said.
Jones said Wynkoop is also launching a project to place kegs of Railyard and head brewer Andy Brown's other acclaimed creations in select bars, music joints and restaurants in the Denver area.
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Project WISE, a provider of mental health services, mentoring, leadership and advocacy skills development for women, today announced that Laura Gabbay, a seasoned professional in Denver's nonprofit community, will join the organization as its executive director.
As executive director, Gabbay will be responsible for leadership of the nonprofit's five full time and part time employees and more than 40 volunteers. She will oversee fundraising and marketing efforts as well as community relations and will also be responsible for the management of Project WISE's programs, ensuring the organization's mission of empowerment for women to meet personal, family and economic goals and attain a positive involvement with their community is fulfilled.
Gabbay has more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit field, with an extensive background in all aspects of resource development, as well as several years working as a program officer at two major national foundations. Most recently, Gabbay was the director of development for Mi Casa Resource Center. As a member of the senior management team, she was responsible for the organization's prospect and donor portfolio that generates annual private revenues of more than $850,000. Previously she served as the director of development for the Center for Work, Education and Employment (CWEE) where she handled fundraising efforts for the organization and helped generated awareness of its programs among target audiences. Gabbay's vast experience also includes positions with the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado, the Daniels Fund, Child Health Advocates, NAIOT Technological Center, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Boys & Girls Club of Chicago and the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation.
Gabbay is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In addition, she is an active volunteer with Southmoor Elementary School.
She earned her MBA in Marketing and Management of Organizations from Columbia University in New York and her BA in Telecommunications with a concentration in advertising from Indiana University in Bloomington.
Project WISE will be hosting a welcome event for Gabbay at its offices on Dec. 10 at 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact .
About Project WISE:
Founded in 1995, Project WISE is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that works to address and overcome the personal and economic barriers to self-sufficiency among women with low incomes. Through coaching, mentoring, counseling and community involvement, Project WISE helps participants build the skills needed for personal and economic advancement. For more information, visit denverprojectwise.org.
Mountain States Employers Council (MSEC) has appointed Sandy Alexander to Member Relations Manager. This is a new position created within the MSEC organization to help drive strategic initiatives and programs that demonstrate the value of MSEC membership. Ms. Alexander's responsibilities will include expanding relationships between MSEC and their member base by auditing their current and perceived needs and assisting MSEC staff in providing the appropriate services/resources.
Ms. Alexander was born and raised in Longmont, Colorado. She attended Colorado State University and earned her Bachelor of Administration degree from the University of Phoenix in Management. She received her Professional Human Resource certification (PHR) in 2007. She is involved in the Highland United Neighborhood, Inc. (HUNI) and is a member of the Social Committee.
About Mountain States Employers Council
Mountain States Employers Council (MSEC) is a non-profit membership organization, founded in 1939, designed to create successful effective employers. MSEC is:
- A "one-stop shopping" resource for members in the areas of human resource management, employment law, surveys and training.
- A service organization with a staff of over 130, whose mission it is to help build effective, successful employers.
- A clearinghouse of information and services where members receive consultation, direct assistance and representation in the complex human resource and employment law issues facing their businesses.
- An organization of more than 2,700 members that includes a wide cross-section of industries and both large and small employers, public and private.
- A community resource governed by a 30-member board of top business leaders.
Heartland Bank has named Margherita Scarpello Branch Sales Manager for the bank's Denver office.
Ms. Scarpello joins Heartland with more than 20 years of banking and financial industry experience, including 10 years in Retail Bank Management. She has completed several courses at the Institute of Financial Education.
A resident of Broomfield, CO, Ms. Scarpello is a member of the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Chamber of Commerce.
About Heartland Bank
Founded in 1887, Heartland Bank is a full-service, independent bank with assets totaling more than $1 billion. Heartland offers products and services for personal banking, business banking, home mortgage loans and commercial lending services. Heartland also owns Heartland Bank Mortgage, Heartland Bank Financial Securities Group and Heartland Bank Business Credit. The Bank's corporate office is located in Clayton, MO. and operates a regional headquarters in Denver, Co. For more information, visit http://www.heartland-bank.com
George Harvey Jr.
The Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) installed its 2009-2010 Leadership Council during the organization's 89th annual State Convention. George Harvey Jr., (Telluride Properties) of Telluride, Colo. was installed as president.
Harvey has served CAR and the Telluride Association of REALTORS® in numerous volunteer capacities since 1984. Among Harvey's many accomplishments, he is especially proud of having twice been voted "Telluride REALTOR® of the Year" (1993 & 2007) and served as president of the Telluride Association of REALTORS®. Additionally, he is on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Resort & Second Home Committee and NAR Board of Directors.
Harvey, who specializes in customized services for affluent sellers and buyers, is also a member of the Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance, an affiliation of more than 5,000 brokers in 12 ski areas throughout the Rocky Mountains; The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing; Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate; The Board of Regents; Leading Estates of the World; as well as FIABCI, the only international real estate organization endorsed by the United Nations.
Other top officers who will serve with Harvey are:
o Randy Reynolds (Herman Group Real Estate) - president-elect
o Scott Matthias(Prestige Real Estate Group, LLC) - treasurer
o Amy Dorsey (Slifer, Smith & Frampton)- immediate past president
o Kay Watson (Metro Brokers-Kay Watson Properties) - appointed past president
The board's main responsibilities include leading and coordinating volunteer efforts of the association aimed at maintaining stability in Colorado's real estate industry, protecting private property rights, supporting efforts for affordable housing opportunities and providing resources and services designed to help Colorado REALTORS® succeed in their business.
Others serving on CAR's 2009 leadership team are:
o Jolon Ruch (Infinity Real Estate Services), Metro District V.P.
o Matthew Hintermeister (Peaks Real Estate Sotheby's), Mountain District V.P.
o Keith Kanemoto ( Prudential Rocky Mountain), Northeast District V.P.
o Sari Cobb (Cornerstone Realty LTD.), Northwest District V.P.
o Wynne Palermo (WYNNE Realty, Ltd.), Southeast District V.P.
o Leila Hanson (C21 - West Slope Realty), Southwest District V.P.
o Jill Limberg (Colorado Group Realty, Inc.), Education Division V.P.
o Jack Fox (Fox Company Commercial Real Estate and Development), Governmental Affairs Division V.P.
o Gary Glenn (Prudential Winter Park Realtor), Law and Policy Division V.P.
The Colorado Association of REALTORS® is the state's largest real estate trade association that represents more than 23,500 members statewide. The association supports private property rights, equal housing opportunities and is the "Voice of Real Estate" in Colorado. For more information, visit http://www.ColoradoRealtors.com.
Lifeloc Technologies, Inc. has named Yolanda Gonzales as international business development manager. Gonzales is responsible for developing and executing Lifeloc's international sales and marketing strategies. She will also work closely with product management in the global launch of Lifeloc's new personal breath tester.
Gonzales previously worked as a consultant at A&A Global Technologies in Denver and as a manager in the international sales department at Sandhill Scientific Inc.
About Lifeloc Technologies, Inc.:
Lifeloc Technologies, Inc., is a leading global designer and manufacturer of personal and professional portable breath alcohol testers commonly known as "breathalyzers." More than 35 countries currently utilize Lifeloc's breath alcohol testing equipment for workplace, law enforcement, education and corrections testing. Lifeloc products are recognized worldwide for their ease-of-use, accuracy and reliability. For more information on Lifeloc, please visit http://www.lifeloc.com, http://www.lifeguardbreathtester.com or call 1-800-722-4872.
Winter Park Resort, one of Colorado's premier resort destinations less than two hours from Denver, has appointed Mistalynn Lee as communications manager.
Mistalynn will be responsible for handling all on-property media relations, including press release development, image and b-roll distribution and on-site media hosting. Prior to being named communications manager, Mistalynn was the marketing coordinator at Winter Park Resort.
"Mistalynn's growth and success in our marketing department made her an ideal candidate for this position," said Mary Woolwine, Winter Park marketing director. "Her strong relationships both internally and in the local community provide her with the skills to help promote Winter Park Resort as we begin or 70th season."
Before joining Winter Park Resort, Mistalynn was the marketing manager for Terra Firma Custom Homes, Inc. in Winter Park. While studying business marketing at the University of Phoenix, she was the marketing coordinator at Arizona newspaper The Sun.
Mistalynn can be reached at 970.726.1573 or .
About Winter Park Resort
Located just 67 miles from Denver, Winter Park Resort has been Colorado's Favorite® resort for generations of skiers and snowboarders seeking a big mountain experience at a great value. The resort has invested more than $40 million in on-mountain improvements in the last five years, not including the new Village at Winter Park just completed this past winter. For more information, http://www.winterparkresort.com.
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Vanessa Giacoman
Certified Mortgage Banker Vanessa Giacoman has been named chief operating officer and managing member for Englewood-based Assurity Financial Services LLC, a premier provider of suitable home mortgage lending solutions.
Giacoman is known as a strong advocate for fair lending practices in the mortgage banking industry and brings more than 14 years of industry experience to her new position. As part owner, Giacoman plans to build upon Assurity's reputation as a trusted lender by streamlining operations and investing in human capital.
Giacoman spent 10 years as a managing partner of a mortgage bank specializing in retail/wholesale mortgage originations, overseeing more than 300 employees. In addition to her corporate work, Giacoman lends her expertise to a number of community organizations, including the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Berkeley and the CMB designation from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Assurity Financial Services has been serving borrowers across its multi-state footprint since 2002. It is the premier provider of suitable home mortgage loans and continues to offer financial stability for its customers by providing an extensive mix of well-accepted, safe conventional and government loan types. For more information, visit http://www.assurityfinancial.com/.
Nolte Associates, Inc. has named John Radcliffe a Principal.
Principals are partial owners of the firm who foster the technical and managerial abilities of the firm's staff and assist in managing firm-wide operations and planning. Selection is based on the individual's dedication to the company's philosophy, performance and effectiveness in serving our clients and working with other team members.
John Radcliffe has 17 years of professional experience in the design and engineering of residential land development, commercial development, industrial development, transportation improvements and flood control measures. As director of the Colorado Springs office, Radcliffe manages and mentors a multi-disciplined staff, ensures client needs are met and deliverables are of the highest quality, and manages business operations.
Radcliffe is one of six employees firm-wide who were recently appointed to Associate or Principal.
About Nolte Associates, Inc.
Established in 1949, Nolte is a full-service civil engineering firm delivering sustainable solutions for civil infrastructure. With more than 400 professionals in offices throughout the Western United States and Mexico, their staff includes engineers, planners and surveyors. Nolte is committed to implementing sustainable design practices in all specialties, including: flood control and drainage; land planning and development; structural engineering; surveying and mapping; traffic and transportation; water supply, distribution, conservation and treatment; wastewater engineering and water recycling; and construction and program management.
For more information, visit http://www.Nolte.com
Curtis Wolff has been named president of Handyman Matters Franchise Corporation.
Mr. Wolff was a Handyman Matters franchise owner from 2003 to 2009 for the Boulder/North Metro Denver territory. He served on the National Franchisee Advisory Council as Western Regional Advisor and Chairman.
Prior to owning and operating his Handyman Matters franchise, Mr. Wolff was employed by Intertape Polymer Corporation. As Corporate Manager of Logistics, his duties focused on regional distribution operations and management of start-up operations for manufacturing plants. Mr. Wolff attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and has multiple certifications, including CPIM through APICS.
Lakewood-based Handyman Matters is a nationally recognized franchise concept that serves the repair, restoration and maintenance needs of both residential and business customers. It has 120 franchisees in the U.S., Canada and Ireland. Eleven franchisees were added in 2008 and Handyman Matters expects to reach 200 franchises by the end of 2010. For more information, visit http://www.handymanmatters.com.
John Seaburg
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, Inc. welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors: John Seaberg, the Vice President of Investor Relations at Newmont Mining Inc.; and Michael Strugar, an attorney at law and Director of the Conservation Resource Center.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, Inc. (BBBSC) is the state's leading youth mentoring organization, helping children reach their full potential through professionally supported one-to-one volunteer mentoring relationships with measurable impact. BBBSC has been serving Colorado youth since 1918. To learn more about BBBSC, to donate or to volunteer, please visit us on the web http://www.BigLittleColorado.org or call 303.433.6002.
Carrie Chaille Eckstein
The Harris Law Firm has added three new associate attorneys: J. Ryann Peyton, Carrie Chaille Eckstein and Christina Apostoli.
In addition to their experience in Colorado family law, Ms. Peyton holds an LLM in taxation, and Ms. Eckstein holds a certificate in mediation and is a Child Family Investigator (CFI ). Ms. Apostoli spent 6 years as a Deputy District Attorney in the 18th Judicial District assigned to the Special Victims Unit (SVU) and brings to the firm her experience as a skilled litigator.
Allonhill, a Denver-based national mortgage due diligence and credit risk management firm, has hired Mike Hartman to serve as director of sales.
Hartman, who most recently served as a vice president for JP Morgan Chase, will oversee the sales department, in addition to developing and building client relationships for the company's due diligence and credit risk management services. He has 10 years of residential mortgage experience, primarily in collateral analysis spanning the credit spectrum from prime to nonperforming loans.
Prior to joining Allonhill, Hartman was responsible for the development and management of residential mortgage collateral teams at JP Morgan. Before JP Morgan, Hartman worked at Lehman Brothers during the peak of the secondary mortgage market, managing the risk on Lehman's Prime and Alt-A ARM residential loan positions.
Hartman holds a bachelor of science in business administration from Towson University in Maryland.
About Allonhill
Allonhill (http://www.allonhill.com), based in Denver, is a leading financial services firm that provides transparent, efficient and analytical mortgage due diligence and credit risk management to help clients understand, manage and reduce risk through informed loan and bond buying decisions.
Steve Miller has been named associate director of sales at The Silvertree Hotel.
As The Silvertree Hotel's associate director of sales, Miller is responsible for national accounts along the east coast and Midwest, including Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York. His primary focus will be contracting groups for The Silvertree Hotel and Snowmass Conference Center through 2013 and beyond.
Miller brings to his new position a healthy resume of experience covering all aspects of operations and sales, including increased sales initiatives and training, strategic alliances, marketing, budgeting and forecasting, event planning, and catering and restaurant management.
Specific sales experience has included all major group market segments, such as corporate, financial, medical, education, social, government and Fortune 500 companies. Prior to returning to The Silvertree Hotel, Steve held positions with 39 Degrees in Aspen, Vero Beach Hotel & Club in Florida, House of Blues in Los Angeles, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Starwood.
Kevin Brunklow
Kevin Brunkow has joined UMB Bank Colorado as senior vice president of Commercial Banking. He will be responsible for business development, commercial lending and relationship management in Denver.
"Kevin brings an extensive commercial lending career to UMB," said UMB Bank Colorado CEO and Chief Lending Officer Jon Robinson. "His vast experience in servicing the commercial marketplace in Colorado will be a benefit to both our customers and the company."
Brunkow brings more than 28 years of financial services experience to his role at UMB. Most recently, he was a vice president of commercial lending at Colorado Business Bank in Greenwood Village, Colo. Brunkow graduated from the University of Denver with a bachelor's degree in finance.
John Gore
Attorney John M. Gore has joined Jacobs Chase Frick Kleinkopf & Kelley, LLC (Jacobs Chase) as an associate in the litigation practice group. Prior to joining the firm, he served as an associate with the prestigious Jones Day law firm in Washington, D.C.
Gore's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, both trial and appellate work. He also has substantial experience in class action defense, products liability law, RICO, aviation law and constitutional law. A Colorado native, Gore earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado and is a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, where he was associate editor of the Texas Law Review.
KBS Capital Markets Group has hired Michael Malloy as a regional VP responsible for Colorado to help it accommodate anticipated new product and sales growth in the state.
Malloy comes to KBS from AXA Equitable in New York.
KBS Capital Markets Group is the dealer-manager for KBS Real Estate Investment Trusts, and an affiliate of KBS Realty Advisors, a private equity real estate company and SEC-registered investment advisor based in Newport Beach, Calif.
Matthew M. Riegner
Matthew M. Riegner has been named chief financial officer for mix1® Beverage Company, an emerging leader in the functional beverage and performance nutrition category.
Riegner joins mix1 after five years as director of corporate development, treasury and M&A at Englewood, Colo.-based CSG Systems International Inc., where he led the financial-related aspects of the corporate development function. At CSG, Riegner was responsible for building and maintaining CSG's long range financial model, transaction due diligence, financial modeling and ROI/valuation analysis.
Riegner also helped lead a variety of corporate treasury functions, including management of CSG's various capital structure elements, cash management program, credit facilities and equity repurchase program. In addition, Riegner helped lead the closure of five acquisitions representing an investment of approximately $200 million.
Before helping successfully grow CSG's business, Riegner was a research analyst for Greenwood Village-based Janco Partners Inc., and held various research and analyst positions at UBS Pain Webber - Schneider Securities Inc., Nordby International and the Boulder Financial Group.
Riegner's financial industry leadership experience also includes holding the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation since 2005, as well as being an active member of the Association for Investment Management and Research and the Denver Society of Security Analysts. Riegner is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder.
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Rafael Gutierrez is the new Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Thornton-based Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a developer of state of the art flexible thin-film solar modules.
Mr. Gutierrez brings over 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, business development, product development, general management, and corporate strategy.
Before joining Ascent Solar, Mr. Gutierrez was General Manager of Consumer Electronics in Seagate Technology's Consumer Solutions Division. Prior to that role, he was responsible for Seagate's Business Development and Strategy for Consumer Electronics and Storage Services.
Mr. Gutierrez worked at Seagate Technology for over 18 years, where he held executive positions in Corporate Strategy, Strategic Marketing, Advanced Concepts, and Product Development.
Before joining Seagate, Mr. Gutierrez held several engineering development positions with Digital Equipment Corp. Mr. Gutierrez holds a M.S. in Operations Research and Applied Statistics from the University of Northern Colorado, and a B.A. in Mathematics from Bellevue University.
R.L. "Bob" Hough, Ph.D., has accepted the position of executive vice president (EVP) for the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF).
In NALF's primary leadership position, Hough is responsible for executing policies and programs regarding the Limousin herdbook, animal performance, member and industry relations, breed marketing and promotion, finances, staffing, strategic planning, and various member services.
Hough most recently was a senior principal and the livestock-industry practice leader at the Haines Centre for Strategic Management. He previously served for three years as the marketing coordinator then 10 years as the chief executive at the Red Angus Association of America (RAAA). His other professional experiences include working as an Extension specialist in Arizona and Maine.
Stuart Pattison
Stuart Pattison has joined Commerce Bank as its executive vice president and manager of commercial banking.
Pattison brings 20 years of banking and executive management experience to his new role. Prior to joining Commerce, Pattison was president of Key Bank's Colorado District. In his role, Pattison oversaw Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Business Banking, and Key Private Bank. In addition to increasing profitability in all franchise lines of business, Pattison was accountable for the Colorado District's revenue, expense management, profitability and credit quality.
Prior to joining Key Bank, Pattison held positions with Compass Bank and U.S. Bank in Colorado and Presidential Savings Bank in Washington, DC.
Pattison received a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Old Dominion University in 1987 and his MBA from Colorado State University in 1995. He is active in civic endeavors and served as a board member of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, Metro Denver Economic Council, Aurora Economic Development Council, Boys and Girls Club of America, Metro Denver Sports Commission and the Colorado Bankers Association. Stuart also spends time volunteering for local charities and coaching his children's athletic teams.
Invision Sally Jobe, a network of 11 medical imaging centers in the Denver metro, recently announced the appointment of Lora D. Barke, D.O., as medical director of the Invision Sally Jobe Breast Network.
Barke joined Invision Sally Jobe in 2007 from Northwestern University in Chicago after completing a Breast & Women's Imaging Fellowship and working as an associate professor for several years. She has been involved in several clinical trials at Invision Sally Jobe and is the principal investigator for an upcoming trial involving a new 3-D imaging technology called digital breast tomosynthesis.
Barke succeeds previous medical director Terese Kaske, M.D. For more information call 303-761-9190 or visit http://www.riainvision.com/index.asp.
Dale Harris has been named chairman of the board of directors for the Arthritis Foundation, Rocky Mountain Chapter. The all-volunteer board, comprised of key stakeholders from the Rocky Mountain region, acts as the governing body of the chapter, which includes Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
Harris, a volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation for many years, has served on the board of directors for five years. He is expected to serve as the chairman through 2011.
Harris, senior of counsel to the law firm Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, is a past president of the Colorado Bar Association and the Denver Bar Association. He has served as Chairman of the board of trustees for Mile High United Way, and is a member of the Colorado Supreme Court Judicial Advisory Council.
A member of the Denver Rotary Club, Harris has also served on the boards of numerous legal organizations that include the Legal Aid Foundation, the Colorado Judicial Institute and the Colorado Bar Association Board of Governors.
Kenzo Kawanabe
Kenzo Kawanabe, a partner with Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, received the 2009 Monte Pascoe Civic Leadership Award from Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce's "State of the City” event.
The award, established in 2006 in memory of longtime Denver attorney and civic leader Monte Pascoe, recognizes extraordinary leadership and service toward family success, community improvement, international understanding and dedication to justice and equal educational opportunities for all people.
About the Firm
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, one of the Rocky Mountain region’s most prominent law firms, enjoys a strong national reputation for its corporate finance, natural resources and energy law practices, with emphasis on securities and M&A transactions, regulatory guidance and complex commercial litigation. For more information about the firm, its practices and lawyers, please visit http://www.dgslaw.com.
Jason B. Robinson
Jason B. Robinson joined the litigation department of Fairfield and Woods, P.C., as an associate attorney with a focus on complex commercial and environmental litigation.
Prior to being in private practice, Robinson clerked for the Honorable Edward W. Nottingham, former United States District Court Judge for the District of Colorado.
Robinson’s experience as a federal law clerk exposed him to a wide variety of cases and legal issues, including multiple–party, complex environmental litigation arising under federal environmental laws. Robinson’s clerkship also provided him with a unique perspective of the adversarial process unavailable to most lawyers.
Robinson received his J.D. from Washington University in May 2000. He graduated summa cum laude from Truman State University in May 1997. Robinson is admitted to practice before the Courts of Colorado and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado as well as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
In his spare time, Robinson enjoys playing guitar, camping, hiking, snowboarding, running, traveling, diving, playing golf, and spending time with his family.
Rob Johnson has joined Sport Dimensions, Inc., the motorsports marketing firm headquartered in Englewood, Colo. As the former general manager of the Grand Prix of Denver and president of Pikes Peak International Raceway, Johnson brings extensive insider motorsports knowledge to Sport Dimensions' elite team of experienced racing and sponsorship experts.
Johnson will provide strategy and council to existing Sport Dimensions' clients including Shell Oil, Pennzoil, Quaker State and Best Western as Sport Dimensions' Business Development Strategist. Johnson will also engage in new business development with companies interested in utilizing motorsports as part of their business and brand building strategy and facilitate opportunities for the firm to provide management services to existing and new motorsports facilities.
Johnson also serves as chairman of the Colorado Motor Sports Hall of Fame, race director of the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas and is a past board member of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
About Sport Dimensions
Sport Dimensions was founded in 1995 to manage the business side of Shell's American motorsports portfolio. In that time, the company has grown extensively and now manages racing sponsorships for several of the countryÕs biggest brands, including Best Western and Johns Manville. With a focus on activation and brand building, rather than sponsorship sales, Sport Dimensions is committed to driving business results for its clients through the excitement of motorsports. More information about the company can be found at http://www.sportdimensionsinc.com.
Bill Owens
Bill Owens was retained by PCL Construction as senior advisor for the company’s U.S. operations in Denver. The former Colorado governor will advise PCL and its clients in the areas of infrastructure-related development and ways to encourage the private and public sector to work together to finance, develop and build both private and public sector projects.
Owens has vast experience in public-private partnerships in Colorado. As governor, Owens brought transportation-funding initiatives to the ballot called TRANS, which accelerated federal funding on 28 projects across the state including T-REX (TRansportation EXpansion). T-REX was the first design-build concept of its kind in Colorado that greatly reduced construction time, allowing the project to be finished in less than five years and under budget. Owens served two terms as Governor, from 1999 to 2007. Prior to his election, he served as state Treasurer for four years and was in the Colorado Legislature for 12 years.
About the PCL family of companies
The PCL family of companies is the seventh-largest contracting organization in the United States and the largest in Canada. The PCL family has major offices in 29 locations across continental North America, the Hawaiian Islands and the Caribbean. The group’s U.S. headquarters is in Denver, http://www.pcl.com.
Mike Pierce
Mike Pierce will join Burns Marketing Communications as business development director on Aug. 3. Burns brings over 25 years experience helping businesses grow by protecting their assets from catastrophic events and marketing their services and products.
About Burns Marketing Communications
Established in 1972 and based in northern Colorado, Burns Marketing Communications is a full-service marketing communications firm providing strategic marketing, comprehensive public relations programs, complete creative services and interactive development.
Wallace Hankwitz has been appointed as the executive director of Lutheran Health Partners, a new company launched by Exempla Lutheran Medical Center to improve the quality of health care through collaboration with physicians and health plans.
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a developer of flexible, thin-film solar modules, his named Dr. Farhad Moghadam as the company’s new president and CEO, effective Aug. 3. Dr. Moghadam brings to Ascent Solar extensive senior executive experience in global operations, business development and commercialization of complex, state-of-the-art technologies.
Dr. Moghadam was formerly the senior vice president and general manager at Applied Materials, Inc., where he led the thin films product group and was responsible for over 1,000 employees in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
About Ascent Solar Technologies
Headquartered in Thornton, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules with substrate materials that can be more flexible and affordable than most traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into standard building materials, space applications, consumer electronics for portable power or configured as stand alone modules for large scale terrestrial deployment: http://www.ascentsolar.com.
Dick Reeve
Attorney Dick Reeve has been elected to his third term as chairman of the Colorado Lottery Commission, and Robin Wise, president and CEO of Junior Achievement – Rocky Mountain Inc., has been elected vice-chair. Commissioners Reeve and Wise will serve in these leadership positions until July 2010.
Reeve, who was appointed to the commission in June 2005, serves as general counsel and chief deputy district attorney for the Denver District Attorney’s Office. He is the legal advisor to the Rocky Mountain Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory and a graduate of Colorado College and the University of Southern California Law Center. Reeve also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver College of Law.
Wise has served as president and CEO of Junior Achievement for 18 years. A member of the Dean’s Leadership Council for the University of Northern Colorado Monfort College of Business, Wise has been honored for her work by the Denver Business Journal and the Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council. She also serves on the Workforce Development. Wise earned a BS in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Proceeds from the Colorado Lottery’s games - Scratch, Lotto, Powerball and Cash 5 - stay in Colorado to improve the quality of life in the state. The Lottery has retuned more than $2 billion to the state since its creation in 1983, providing funding for parks, recreation, open space acquisition, trails, wildlife protection and conservation education.
Simon Hill
SpireMedia, a Denver-based Web consulting firm, has promoted Simon Hill to vice president of web business innovation and Stephen Lloyd to vice
president of finance.
About SpireMedia
SpireMedia is a Denver-based Web consulting firm providing programming, strategy and user experience services for mid-sized to large organizations requiring integrated technology initiatives. SpireMedia has produced award-winning work for clients.
Griff Sickendick
The Stratford at FlatIrons, a new Sunrise Senior Living community in Broomfield, Colo., appointed Griff Sickendick to the position of executive chef.
The newly opened Stratford is a full-service, amenity-rich senior living community. It offers services and amenities, on-site assisted living, memory care programs, rehabilitation and in-home health care coordination.
Sickendick joined The Stratford after serving as chef de cuisine at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood. Sickendick supervised three kitchens that produced food for six outlets within the property. Sickendick also spent about 15 years working in various restaurants, hotels and country clubs across the metro-Denver area. He also was a sous chef at Country Club at Castle Pines.
Jackson Pope
COMPA Ministries has promoted Jackson E. Pope to CEO and president.
Pope will be responsible for leading a day-to-day team that oversees operations, financial stewardship, programming, marketing and development. Pope most recently served as COO and vice president, having joined the company in 2004.
Pope brings more than 25 years of experience in leading for-profit and non-profit organizations ranging from small firms to Fortune 50 companies with more than $12 billion in annual revenues.
Before joining COMPA, Pope spent 14 years in operational development and strategic planning with Anheuser-Busch Companies and four years in operational management and program development with the Boston Rescue Mission. He has also spent several years leading and managing businesses in the financial, manufacturing and wholesale distribution industries and is a certified financial planner. Pope is a former police officer and currently serves as a chaplain with the Denver Police Department. He is a licensed ordained minister and holds a master’s in finance and a doctorate in ministry with a focus on urban programs.
About COMPA Ministries
COMPA Ministries works to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness by helping individuals reach a given level of self-sufficiency. COMPA partners with vocational assistance organizations to provide on-the-job training and development at its Food Processing Center to homeless and low-income individuals. By providing the training, COMPA helps individuals acquire marketable skills transferable to full-time employment. In addition, COMPA continues to assist hunger relief agencies in the community through its innovative Farm Market program.
Cliff Stricklin
Holme Roberts & Owen LLP appointed new partners Cliff Stricklin and Michael R. MacPhail, both formerly of Holland & Hart, and announced the expansion of HRO’s White Collar and Securities Litigation practice. Cliff Stricklin will chair the practice. The expanded White Collar and Securities Litigation practice will form part of HRO’s wider Complex Commercial Litigation Practice Group and will result in Stricklin and MacPhail working alongside HRO’s existing team of trial lawyers.
Stricklin is a trial lawyer who has successfully tried some of the nation's largest, most complex cases. Stricklin led the prosecution team in the insider trading case against Joseph P. Nacchio. He was Special Assistant U.S. Attorney with the Enron Task Force, where he was a member of the prosecution team that tried and convicted Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay. He has also held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. District of Colorado and State District Judge in Dallas.
MacPhail is a former deputy assistant director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Denver regional office and has previously served as an attorney and senior counsel for the Division of Enforcement in Washington, D.C. Before joining the SEC, MacPhail was a staff attorney with the Office of Chief Staff Counsel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. MacPhail has recently been elected to serve as the 2009-2011 co-chair of the Colorado Bar Association Securities Law subsection of the business law section.
About HRO
Holme Roberts & Owen LLP is an international law firm that was established in 1898 and has approximately 250 lawyers practicing in nine offices throughout the world, including Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and San Francisco. The firm's lawyers provide a broad spectrum of legal services.
Trish Beck
BPI group has opened a Denver office. Chicago-based BPI group is part of BPI, one of the world’s largest management and human resources consultancies with headquarters in Paris, France.
To lead the Denver office, BPI group named Trish Beck as vice president. For more than 28 years, Beck has served as a human resources executive and member of global leadership teams at Fortune 500 firms. She has led human resources aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures both nationally and internationally.
In the Denver community, Beck serves as president of the Cherry Creek East Village Association and as vice chair for the Cherry Creek Steering Committee. In 2008, she served as a director for the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Beck has been an adjunct graduate school faculty member at Loyola Chicago, Benedictine University and University of Denver ’s Daniels School of Business. Beck is also on the advisory board for the University of Colorado ’s Bard Center graduate school for entrepreneurship.
About BPI group
BPI group is North American human resources management and coaching firm providing services that drive organizational performance and support individual success. The company, which is among the top career management firms in the U.S., offers career consulting services including: leadership development, individualized career success strategies, executive coaching, executive advisory services, workforce transition, and career planning and orientation. BPI provides consulting services for companies experiencing major changes, with specialties including corporate restructuring, business performance management and human capital development. For more information, visit: http://www.bpi-group.com.
Marci Maxwell has been appointed Parker Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer and president. Maxwell was the runner-up in the Chamber's recent search for its top spot, and joins the Chamber after four years as membership director for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.
As membership director for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Maxwell was responsible for growing and maintaining the Chamber membership. Previously, Marci was a senior sales manager for Embassy Suites in Denver.
As CEO and president, Marci will work in partnership with the board of directors and staff to support and promote members. She will also maintain the Chamber's role in serving the Parker community, presenting its annual signature events including the Parker Country Festival, Parker Chamber Picture Show, Taste of Parker and Parker Community Expo.
About Parker Chamber of Commerce
The Parker Chamber of Commerce aims to support and promote the success of its members through networking, professional development, advocacy, leadership and community development. To learn more about the Parker Chamber of visit www.ParkerChamber.com.
Julie Daniel
Julie Daniel, director of business development for Farnsworth Group, Inc., is the recipient of the Society of American Military Engineers President’s Medal. The SAME President’s Medal is presented annually for outstanding leadership and accomplishments in support of the SAME mission during the president’s tenure.
Currently, Julie is serving a three-year term as an SAME elected board director. She recently completed a two-year term as the SAME Rocky Mountain regional vice president.
Farnsworth Group, Inc., an employee-owned company, is a full-service engineering, architecture and survey firm, offering clients more than 325 professionals located throughout a nationwide network of offices.
Dr. Andrew Jones and Kathryn Seitz
Dr. Andrew Jones has been appointed as program director of the family medicine program at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital. Kathryn Seitz has been appointed as the family medicine program’s associate program director.
Diane Sieg, Denver-based professional speaker and author of "STOP Living Life Like an EMERGENCY!," based on her years as an emergency room nurse, recieved the Certified Speaking Professional award, to be presented in a ceremony at the 2009 National Speaker’s Association convention in July.
The CSP is the speaking profession’s international measure of speaking experience and skill. Fewer than 10 percent of professional speakers worldwide hold the designation. Sieg is one of two Colorado members of the international class of 30 new CSPs to be honored.
Peter Chapman
Peter Chapman, vice president of the Denver office of Seedco Financial Services, has been named deputy chief administrative officer for economic and community development with Mayor Dwight C. Jones of Richmond, Va.
Under Chapman's leadership, Seedco Financial-Denver has laid the foundation for place-based community economic development in Denver, providing more than $17 million in loans over two years to Colorado small business owners in underserved neighborhoods. Lending activity in Denver has been targeted in the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Sun Valley, Villa Park, West Colfax, Five Points, Clayton and Montbello.
A new executive director for Seedco Financial-Denver will be identified soon. Tom Seessel, former president of Seedco, will serve as interim head of the Denver Office until a replacement is found.
About Seedco Financial Services
Seedco Financial Services is a CDFI subsidiary of Structured Employment Economic Development Corporation (Seedco), a national nonprofit intermediary that administers programs through a community organization network to help low-income people and communities. Seedco Financial is based in New York City with operations in Louisiana, Colorado, Tennessee and Alabama and provides financing and technical assistance to small businesses, nonprofit organizations and large commercial projects in low-income and economically distressed communities.
MWH has named Meg VanderLaan vice president of corporate communications and as part of the MWH executive management team.
She brings 20 years of experience in marketing, communications and public affairs.
VanderLaan joins MWH from Gates Corporation, where she served as vice president of corporate communications and public affairs. VanderLaan served for three years as a member of the board of directors for the Gates Winhere Automotive Pump Products Joint Venture in China .
Currently, VanderLaan serves as a member of the board of directors for the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Denver Civic Ventures, Inc., the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Downtown Denver Events, Inc. and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
VanderLaan received her bachelor of arts degree in communication arts with a proficiency certificate in German from Gannon University in Erie , Penn.
About MWH
MWH, provides management services, technical engineering and construction services. The wet infrastructure sector we serve encompasses a full range of water-related projects ranging from water supply, treatment and storage, dams and water management to renewable power and environmental services. MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with over 190 offices on six continents. For more information about MWH, see http://www.mwhglobal.com.
Patrick Walsh
eSoft, Inc. has appointed Patrick Walsh chief technology officer. Walsh has previously held product management, marketing and threat prevention team positions during his tenure with eSoft.
Walsh holds a bachelor of science degree in information and computer science from the University of California Irvine .
About eSoft, Inc.
eSoft, Inc. (http://www.esoft.com) is a company that provides comprehensive protection against Internet-based email and web threats. eSoft's SiteFilter® technology provides secure web filtering, real-time categorization and exploit detection of new websites and protection from Web 2.0 threats, phishing attacks and infected websites.
Jim Miller has joined TerraLUX as CEO and president. He brings expertise in building high technology companies from early stage to marketplace leadership.
TerraLUX was founded five years ago to focus strictly on the application of Solid-State Lighting devices for the lighting markets. It had initial successes with LED replacements for portable and low-voltage applications. Over a year ago TerraLUX began building upon this expertise to enter the general lighting market with AC lighting products.
About TerraLUX Inc.
TerraLUX Inc. invents, designs, patents, manufactures and distributes high power LED OEM solutions for general lighting plus industrial, commercial, medical and retail markets. TerraLUX LED light engines are used in architectural lighting to replace MR-16, MR-11, PAR, T10 and compact fluorescent lamps. TerraLUX makes LED light engines to replace incandescent bulbs. TerraLUX WorkStar series of rechargeable work lights are sold to professionals, technicians and serious Do-It-Yourself enthusiasts and also makes portable LED headlamps and UV lighting for surgeons. TerraLUX does design and testing in Boulder and utilizes Asian manufacturing for high volume production work.
Employer Solutions Group has named Jessica Hergenreter to vice president. She has long served as the company’s human resource consultant in the Loveland office. She replaced Mark Weaver.
Prior to joining ESG, Hergenreter served as branch manager for Robert Half International. She is a graduate of Colorado State University and is a certified professional in human resources through the Human Resource Certification Institute.
About Employer Solutions Group
Employer Solutions Group enables its clients to cost effectively outsource the management of human resources, employee benefits, payroll and related tax compliance and workers' compensation. The company's Loveland-based professional staff serves companies that range in size from a handful of employees to hundreds. ESG is a member of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations. For more information, see http://www.esghr.com/.
The Eating Recovery Center has named Julie D. Holland as its chief marketing officer. Holland is responsible for the nationwide expansion of the Denver treatment center’s outreach, digital and traditional media presence and overall brand awareness. She will report to the Eating Recovery Center ’s executive director.
Holland is recognized in the industry as both a clinician and public speaker. A certified eating disorders specialist, she has directed marketing and customer relationship management programs at several leading eating disorder treatment programs across the country. She was vice president for Eating Disorders Programs for CRC Health Group. Holland was the executive director of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. She has also served as director, professional relations and education at the Renfrew Centers of Philadelphia and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and as director of the Eating Disorders Program at the Clark Center at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, Ga.
Holland has specialized in the treatment of self-esteem, eating and body-image issues for adults and adolescents for more than 23 years in the U.S. and Bermuda. She is an approved supervisor for the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals. She is also the director of certification for IAEDP. Holland received her master’s degree in health science with an emphasis in counseling from Georgia State University and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Armstrong State College.
About the Eating Recovery Center
Located in Denver, the Eating Recovery Center offers adults eating recovery treatment options. Services offered include inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization and outpatient programs. For more information, see http://www.eatingrecoveryinfo.com/.
Scott Barker
Scott Barker, past chair of Holland & Hart LLP's management committee, has been named chair of the firm's 200-lawyer trial/litigation department.
Barker practiced law at Holland & Hart for 28 years and has tried more than 70 cases. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. In 2003, he was selected in a poll of his peers as the Best Business Litigator in Denver. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, as a top Colorado commercial litigator, in Chambers USA and in Colorado Super Lawyers.
About Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart LLP is the largest law firm based in the Mountain West. With a team of more than 900, Holland & Hart has more than 400 attorneys in offices in Denver, Denver Tech Center, Boulder, Aspen, and Colorado Springs, CO; Boise, ID; Billings, MT; Carson City, Las Vegas, and Reno, NV; Santa Fe, NM; Salt Lake City, UT; Jackson Hole and Cheyenne, WY; and Washington, DC. For more information, see http://www.hollandhart.com.
Matt Taylor
Mercury Payment Systems' founder and chief executive officer Marc Katz has stepped down from daily operations and has assumed the position of chairman of the board. He also remains involved in a consultative role.
The Mercury Board of Directors named Matt Taylor, currently chief operating officer, as the company’s CEO. Taylor joined Mercury in 2003, and has since held numerous key roles at Mercury.
As COO, Taylor has overseen the daily business operations and managed all sales and marketing functions. His success in leveraging emerging trends in the integrated payments technology space fuels ongoing development of new partner and merchant advantages.
Founded in 2001 by Katz and his brother, Jeffrey, Mercury sustained triple digit growth between 2004 and 2007, and this year became the 26th largest payment processor, according to the March, 2009 Nilson Report ranking by Visa and MasterCard volume.
Mercury is now integrated with hundreds of POS systems serving the restaurant, retail, grocery and pharmacy markets, and serves merchants in the U.S. and Canada. The company is known for adding value to the payment processing experience with free 24/7 live customer service and technical support, unlimited free gift card transactions, and in-depth online data to streamline partner and merchant operations.
Privately held Mercury has more than 300 employees with locations in Durango, Denver, and across the U.S. and Canada. In 2008, the company was named a Best Company to Work For in Colorado by the Society for Human Resource Management and was a ColoradoBiz magazine “Top Company” financial category finalist.
Sam Gonsalves
Millennium Hotels and Resorts has named Sam Gonsalves as controller for Millennium Harvest House Boulder.
Gonsalves has nearly 20 years accounting experience within the hospitality industry and most recently was assistant controller for the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago. As controller for Millennium Harvest House Boulder, Gonsalves will oversee all accounting, audit and IT functions. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Gonsalves has spent his entire career working for hotels and resorts in the Chicago area.
About Millennium Harvest House Boulder
Millennium Harvest House Boulder is a 269-room hotel adjacent to the University of Colorado. The hotel hosts numerous on-site functions, meetings and events with 18,000 square-feet of space.
Tom O'Donnell has joined UMB Bank Colorado's board of directors.
O’Donnell is a partner at Holland & Hart, LLP and currently serves as the firm’s managing partner. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Colorado Board Association and Denver Bar Association. O’Donnell received a law degree from the Vermont Law School in 1985 and a bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University in 1980.
O’Donnell is an active member of the community and currently holds several positions with local organizations, including serving on the boards of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and the Colorado Energy Assistance Foundation. He also serves on the board of litigation for the Mountains States Legal Foundation.
About UMB:
UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: UMBF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., offering complete banking, asset management, health spending solutions and related financial services to both individual and business customers nationwide. Its banking subsidiaries own and operate 138 banking centers throughout Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona. Subsidiaries of the holding company and the lead bank, UMB Bank, n.a., include a fund services group based in Milwaukee, Wis., single-purpose companies that deal with brokerage services and insurance, and a registered investment advisor that manages the company’s proprietary mutual funds. Visit umb.com for more company information.
Bob Blodgett
Clifton Gunderson has named Bob Blodgett principal and Paul Niedermuller, CPA, partner of the firm. Blodgett and Niedermuller join 16 new partners recently admitted to the firm.
Blodgett joined R.S. Wells L.L.C. - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clifton Gunderson management and consulting services to special districts and other governmental entities in the Rocky Mountain region - in 1995 and has nearly 35 years of experience in managing the planning, development and general government function for diverse and progressive communities. Blodgett has worked in city management and planning for the cities of Dallas and Grand Prairie in Texas and the cities of Lakewood and Aurora in Colorado. Most recently, he has overseen the construction and financial planning of approximately $200 million in public improvements for residential, industrial and commercial special districts. Blodgett holds a bachelor’s degree of business administration from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Michigan State University.
Niedermuller joined Clifton Gunderson in 2006. As a certified public accountant in Colorado, he has worked with numerous state and local government and nonprofit audit clients. Niedermuller holds a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration with emphasis in accounting from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants.
About Clifton Gunderson
Clifton Gunderson, ranked as one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and consulting firms, provides a wide range of assurance, accounting, tax and consulting services to clients in a variety of industries. Founded in 1960, Clifton Gunderson has a staff of more than 2,000 professionals serving clients from 45 offices across the country. The firm has been recognized as one of the country’s best places to work.
Tiffany Lachnidt
Tiffany Lachnidt, proprietor, Betsy Wernet and Paul Jensen, known as The Distinctive Group, have joined RE/MAX Properties, Inc. as broker associates in their north office at 1730 Chapel Hills Dr.
Tiffany Lachnidt, team leader, is a Colorado Springs native. In less than four years in the real estate profession she has received silver, double gold and triple gold sales achievement awards. She has become a national speaker and coach teaching Realtors and related professionals on the subject of distressed properties.
Betsy Wernet was asked to join The Distinctive Group once she became a licensed Realtor. Originally from Menlo Park, Calif., Wernet, also certified in distressed properties, emphasizes the importance of relationship building and playing an advocacy role when representing her clients.
Paul Jensen has been an active member of The Distinctive Group for the last 4 years. He assists Lachnidt with listings as well as residential and investment properties.
TWIST, a Boulder-based natural and eco-friendly household cleaning tools company, has hired Lara Coleman as business development manager. At TWIST, Coleman will oversee daily and developmental operations for the company.
Most recently, Coleman served as the central region business manager at Touch Agency, where she worked with a team to strategically grow natural product companies through brand development, trade marketing and sales management. Prior to her time at the Touch Agency, she was a business development analyst at White Wave Foods, where she served as a liaison between the senior grocery sales leadership team and the business development team.
Originally from Rochester, N.Y., Coleman has resided in Boulder for seven years. Prior to moving to Colorado, she received a business degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.
About TWIST:
TWIST offers natural and eco-friendly household cleaning products made with simple and smart designs. From sponges to dust cloths, all TWIST products are 100 percent biodegradable, free of dyes and top-rack dishwasher safe. To encourage reusing and recycling, many of TWIST packages can be converted into bird feeders and mobiles. TWIST products are currently available at Whole Foods Markets, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, King Soopers and in many local grocery and specialty stores across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.TwistClean.com.
Kirby Kuklenski
The North American Retail Hardware Association named brothers Kirby and Nick Kuklenski, owners of Mile High Ace Hardware in Federal Heights, Colo., and Ace Hardware Uintah Gardens in Colorado Springs, Colo., as Young Retailers of the Year in the multiple-store retailers category. The 2009 Young Retailer of the Year program recognizes outstanding achievement by hardware retailers age 35 and younger.
After attending college, the brothers decided to pursue a business opportunity in hardware retailing and became the youngest Ace Hardware retailers to ever own and operate an Ace Hardware store. Nick was 23 and Kirby was 26, and each was completely involved in the process of acquiring and setting up their first store in Colorado Springs. Seven months after opening that store, the brothers received the Best of the Best Award for Colorado Springs in the hardware class by the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Less than a year later, in January of 2008, the brothers began building a second store in Federal Heights.
Kirby and his wife Whitney live in Denver. Nick, his wife Ashley, son Brady and daughter Riley live in Castle Rock, Colo.
Chris Richardson
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, which features Denver's largest corporate law practice, was named as the top Denver firm in Corporate Board Member magazine’s 9th annual Legal Industry Research Study. The results will be featured in the magazine’s second-quarter issue, “America's Best Law Firms.”
Davis Graham and Stubbs has the largest corporate finance and acquisitions practice in the region, with more than 60 lawyers with expertise in complex M&A transactions, securities law, taxation, private equity, asset management and real estate. Chris Richardson is the firm's managing partner.
Corporate Board Member reports on corporate governance and leadership issues faced by directors and officers of publicly traded companies, large private companies and others.
About Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP enjoys a strong national reputation for its corporate finance, natural resources and energy law practices, with emphasis on securities and M&A transactions, regulatory guidance and complex commercial litigation. For more information, visit www.dgslaw.com.
Jean Herman, former CEO of the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, has joined TranStrata LLC.
During her tenure as CEO of BBB Denver she doubled the revenue and membership growth. She is a graduate of Leadership Denver and her experience in leadership growth is a welcome addition to the TranStrata Team.
TranStrata is a consulting firm that serves privately held businesses, accelerating business value and preparing for business transition.
DW Mail, LLC has named Mary Cox as its sales account representative. Cox comes to DW Mail with over seven years of advertising and sales experience. As one of the most recent additions to the staff, Cox will emphasize the company’s growth in areas of mailing services, printing services and data processing. The latest programs offered free to the public are the DW Mail seminars and workshops, which are designed to train and inform business owners on marketing topics such as cutting mailing costs and increasing e-commerce success.
About DW MAIL, LLC
DW Mail, LLC operates in a 32,000-square-foot facility near the Denver Post Office and is a women-owned company. Among the services offered include: data processing, print services, mailing services, fulfillment and data security. Typically, orders and estimates can be discussed, sent online or printed on paper, which can be viewed at the facility or delivered in person. DW Mail is committed to the environment and adheres to a strict reuse and recycle program. Through this self-directed program there is a goal to reuse and/or recycle boxes, skids, packaging materials, shrink wrap, strapping, cardboard, paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, electronics, toner cartridges, batteries and more. DW Mail is 100 percent wind-powered through Xcel Energy’s Windsource program and is in the process of converting all lighting to high-efficiency lights.
Turner Public Relations, Inc., a full-service, national public relations firm specializing in consumer products, travel and real estate has hired Aliza Rothman as vice president of the travel/hospitality and real estate team in Denver.
Rothman has spearheaded PR programs and media strategies in a variety of consumer sectors – including product launches, online programming franchises, publicity events, holiday shopping campaigns, book tours and grassroots publicity programs. She will provide leadership and strategic counsel for Turner PR’s travel and real estate practice and will also be responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the Denver office.
Rothman comes to Turner PR after holding several high-profile agency positions, including, most recently, as vice president of Ogilvy Public Relations in Denver and vice president at Robinson Lerer & Montgomery in New York City. Prior to that position, Rothman was with Ruder Finn New York. Rothman graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in journalism/public relations.
Ron Patrick
Citizen Pictures hired Ron Patrick for new business development in corporate and commercial production. He will be responsible for connecting Colorado businesses with Citizen Pictures’ top-shelp productions in corporate, commercial and Web-based programming.
Patrick brings more than 15 years in business-to-business sales and marketing to his new position with a diverse background in entertainment marketing and production. He most recently produced and hosted a 30-minute TV program covering the arts and entertainment scene in Colorado.
For more information about Denver-based Citizen Pictures, visit http://www.citizenpictures.com.
Benjamin Snow
The Parker Chamber of Commerce named Benjamin Snow chief executive officer and president. Snow as appointed by the Chamber’s recruiting and selection committee after an extensive search and interview process.
Snow will manage the Chamber’s more than 600 business members and professional staff. Snow will work in partnership with the board of directors and staff to support and promote members through networking, professional development, advocacy, leadership and community development opportunities.
He joins the Chamber after four years as executive director for the Parker Economic Development Council (PEDC). Snow brings significant experience with the Parker business community and nonprofit sector to the Chamber. While with the PEDC, he increased investor revenue, fostered positive ties between Parker’s private and public sectors and spearheaded communication with all stakeholders.
Roy Blythe
The American Institute of Architects Colorado West Chapter named Roy Blythe as Architect of the Year. Blythe and his partner, Pamela Blythe, formed Blythe Design + co. in Grand Junction in 1996. The firm changed it’s name in 2006 to Blythe Group + co. with the additions of a project management department.
Under Roy Blythe’s direction, Blythe Group + co. has lead the advancement of professional architecture in Western Colorado. He has led the work on some of Mesa County’s largest projects including the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Detention Center and Justice Center complex, over 246,000 square feet of facilities completed in 2001.
Blythe has dedicated the past 25 years of his life to his architecture career and is an active member in his community. For more information, visit http://www.theblythegroup.com.
Sorrento Networks, a global provider of metro optical access solutions, announced Kevin Antill as the company’s new vice president of sales for the Americas and Pacific. Antill will oversee Sorrento’s sales organization across North America, South America and the Pacific Rim.
Antill brings more than 20 years of sales experience in the telecommunications equipment industry, working with both carriers and customers, to his new position. Prior to joining Sorrento, Antill served as vice president of strategic accounts for Sycamore Networks. In this role, he developed and executed a channel program that successfully targeted tier II carriers and utilities in North America.
John J. Mathieson was named general sales manager of Kuni Honda to help drive future growth. Mathieson comes to Kuni Honda from Burt Toyota where he spent the last two years a general manager. He was responsible for every facet of the dealership’s operations, including the management of over 150 employees.
Mathieson brings over 15 years of car-industry experience to Kuni Honda including work at McDonald Auto Group’s Hyundai division in Littleton, Kuni Lexus in Littleton and McDonald Auto Group’s Volkswagen/Audi division in Littleton. Mathieson began his professional career by serving in the U.S. Army for nearly seven years.
For more information about Kuni Honda, please visit http://www.Kuni-Honda.com.
Phil Chipouras was named director of What’s Next Career Transition Services, a division of The Boomer Group. What’s Next provides training, coaching and career resources for baby boomers facing a change in job or career status.
Chipouras will oversee business development and direct curriculum and coaching services.
With over 35 years of human resources experience, Chipouras was formally a certified career coach and consultant at Denver-based Lee Heckt and Harrison, a large workforce solutions firm. He received his Master’s in Education from Colorado State University.
To learn more about What’s Next Career Transition Services, visit http://www.whatsnextconsulting.net.
Megan M. Ferland
The Girl Scouts of Colorado Board of Directors has named Megan M. Ferland as their new president and CEO. Ferland brings her extensive experience in creating awareness and advocating for children’s needs as the CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign to Girl Scouts of Colorado -- the premiere leadership development organization for girls in the state.
Ferland was CEO at the Colorado Children’s Campaign since 2006, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that uses research and policy to create hope and opportunities for all of Colorado’s 1.2 million kids. The core focus areas for the Children’s Campaign are early care and education, K-12 education and children’s health.
Prior to joining the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Ferland was chief executive officer at Texas CASA, Inc., a statewide non-profit agency that advocates for abused and neglected children in the court system through the development, growth and support of local Court Appointed Special Advocate programs. Prior to this, she served as chief of the Texas Attorney General's Juvenile Crime Intervention Division. Her professional history also includes working as legislative director for a Texas state senator and clerking for the Texas House Committee on Urban Affairs. She has a master’s degree in communication from the University of Texas at Austin and an undergraduate degree in economics and communication from Texas A&M University.
Ferland will officially begin her position as Girl Scouts of Colorado president and CEO on June 22. The Girl Scouts of Colorado CEO position has been vacant since October 2008. In October, 2007, Girl Scouts of Colorado became the statewide face for local Girl Scouting, uniting the five previous Colorado councils and the eight Colorado counties previously served by councils in other states.
About Girl Scouts of Colorado
Girl Scouts of Colorado is where girls throughout the state gain courage, confidence and character alongside a group of girls who will be their friends for life. It’s a safe place for girls to explore their world, develop an understanding and empathy for others and take action to make the world a better place. Girls are guided by committed, caring adults who make learning fun.
Kelly Womer
Linhart Public Relations, a Denver-based national public relations and corporate communications counseling firm, has announced the addition of Chicago corporate communications and public relations veteran Kelly Womer, as a vice president.
Womer joins Linhart PR after working as an independent public relations consultant for nearly two years. Before leading her successful independent practice, Womer served as a principal and acting manager for the Chicago office of Carmichael Lynch Spong, a mid-size PR firm. Prior to CLS, Womer was a senior communications manager at McDonald's Corp. Womer's public relations industry leadership experience includes serving as president of the 500-member Chicago chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, as well as chair of the national PRSA Honors & Awards Committee, which oversees the Silver and Bronze Anvil award programs.
Womer's responsibilities at Linhart PR will include client service, strategic counsel and staff development, with an emphasis on the firm's corporate clients. Womer also will help expand Linhart PR's capabilities in employee engagement and organizational communications.
About Linhart Public Relations
Linhart Public Relations, a Denver-based public relations and corporate communications counseling firm, serves national, international and regional clients in a variety of industries, including restaurants, building products, natural and organic products manufacturing and retailing, energy and renewable energy, financial services and investments, footwear, engineering and construction, and health care.
