Top Company 2020: Tourism & Hospitality

In its 33rd year, ColoradoBiz‘s Top Company honors the Colorado companies that have drive, determination, a vision and a plan and are ultimately making the state a better place to live and work. These three companies – one winner and two finalists –represent the 2020 Top Companies in Tourism & Hospitality.

Winner

SummitCove Lodging

Keystone

When COVID-19 closed Summit County to travelers, SummitCove had guests in-house and hundreds more arriving. It had to close all rentals and cancel future reservations.

That’s when the company culture kicked in.

“Our employees came together and built an extensive list of ideas to bring in additional revenues and cut operational costs without compromising employee benefits,” owner and CEO Peter Reeburgh says. “We were able to generate more revenue in May than ever before by implementing these ideas. We have created brand-new revenue streams that we never had before.”

The company credits Jack Stack’s “The Great Game of Business” system with helping spur growth, make smart decisions and engage its team of 40. SummitCove offers profit-sharing bonus opportunities to employees, along with such perks as ski pass reimbursement, health insurance plans, 401(k) matching program and discounted recreation passes.

“Our secret sauce is doing everything we can to take care of our employees and treat them like family,” Reeburgh says. “We take the stance that if you pay someone a fair wage, add in tons of benefits for everyone — including seasonal employees — that person feels comfortable and like they belong in a family that cares.”

Because of the pandemic, SummitCove launched a new campaign, “Clean It For A Cause,” which donates half of its retail cleaning services booked to the local food bank, the Family Intercultural Resource Center of Summit County, which also benefits from an annual food and clothing drive at the holidays.

Finalists

Imprint Events Group

Denver 

What do you do when your business is shut down by a global pandemic?

Imprint Events Group, which annually produces more than 1,100 events for clients in Colorado, Nevada and Florida, turned on a dime. Within weeks, it had developed a full spectrum of digital and virtual services, established a twice-weekly webinar series for its community, helped found a nonprofit organization to assist frontline workers in need and retained 30 of its 46 employees.

Business is taking a hit, but the 51-year-old company is seeing future opportunities on the rise. In 2019, Imprint produced events in 12 states and five countries, and the addition of virtual services means it can now host events anywhere. It is currently working with a client in Saudi Arabia on a proposed virtual event to take place this fall.

Rocky Mountain Connections (RMC)

Aspen

Since 1989, Rocky Mountain Connections (RMC), North America’s largest privately owned destination management company, has grown from a single location in Aspen to more than 30 destinations across the U.S. and Mexico.

RMC provides premier event-management services to a sophisticated and eclectic clientele of corporate and incentive groups, associations and travel and meeting planners. It is the preferred destination services provider for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Four Seasons, Marriott Luxury Properties and Montage Resorts and is exclusive Colorado hotel partners with a wide range of luxury resorts.

RMC supports Challenge Aspen, which creates adaptive experiences for people with cognitive or physical disabilities; Jazz Aspen Snowmass, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving jazz and supporting musical performances and education in the Roaring Fork Valley; and Trashmasters Aspen Scholarship Fund, which grants college scholarships to area students.