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Tag: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

CEO of the Year 2023 Finalist: Rich Benenson

Colorado is full of devoted entrepreneurs, business leaders and tech-savvy visionaries who are constantly taking the business world to new heights. It’s no secret that here, at ColoradoBiz, we love the Colorado business community. That’s why, every year, we spotlight the most impressive CEOs throughout our Centennial state and give credit where credit is due — to the forward-thinking minds constantly chasing the next great idea and upholding their business practices to the most purposeful ideals. We’re proud to introduce our finalists for CoBiz’s prestigious 2022 CEO of the Year award.

Rich Benenson

Managing Partner

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Denver, Colorado

Website: www.bhfs.com

Under Rich Benenson’s leadership in 2022, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck saw an increase in revenue, growth in attorney and policy professional hiring, new comprehensive wellness and leadership development programs, and expansion of the firm’s DEI program. 

One of Benenson’s most notable challenges was moving the firm to Block 162, a new 30-story office tower in downtown Denver. The move was the culmination of three years of strategic planning that began in mid-2020. Benenson foresaw that Brownstein’s employees needed a fresh, hybrid office space, one that offered space for in-person collaboration, because a fully remote-working environment wasn’t a long-term solution for a firm that thrives on relationships in a team-oriented environment. 

Benenson joined Brownstein in 2002 as an associate in the litigation department and has had experience at almost every level of the firm and chaired almost every firm committee. This provides him with unique insight into the many perspectives of employees, allowing him to make informed decisions that serve everyone at Brownstein. 

In 2022, Brownstein posted the highest revenue in the firm’s history, and it was the No. 1 lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., for all of 2022 and the first two quarters of 2023. One of Benenson’s biggest challenges has been fully incorporating the thriving lobbying practice into a legal framework. As a lobbying practice headquartered outside of D.C. that only established a presence there 30 years ago, there is no other firm that is on the same trajectory to learn from.

Benenson has successfully articulated a vision that aligns the firm’s legal and lobbying efforts to offer expanded services to clients. From strategic hires to expand Brownstein’s state government relations capabilities to encouraging a cross-selling mindset among all attorneys and policy advisors, there has never been more synergy between the law and lobbying practices. Attorneys and policy advisers are collaborating to better serve clients and provide innovative solutions. What started as an immense challenge when Benenson took on the role as managing partner has been harnessed into his greatest opportunity. 

 

Mike TaylorMike Taylor is the editor of ColoradoBiz.

GenXYZ 2023 — Avi Loewenstein

They’re uncommon achievers, whether as entrepreneurs, CEOs, nonprofit leaders, visionaries critical to their companies’ success or, in some cases, all of those roles. This year’s Top 25 Young Professionals figure to continue making a difference professionally and in their communities for years to come.

Read on to learn about the 2023 Top 25 Young Professionals and to see the list of this year’s top 50 finalists.

READ: GenXYZ 2023 — Top 25

Avi Loewenstein, 39

Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck | Denver

Sought-after corporate attorney Avi Loewenstein has extensive experience with a variety of complex, high-profile transactions. As a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, he provides practical, business-minded advice to his clients and is recognized for his leadership in the mergers and acquisitions space. 

Loewenstein represents private equity funds, entrepreneurs, family offices and private companies in a variety of complex transactions including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, growth equity and minority investments, corporate reorganizations and general corporate matters. He has crafted complex joint ventures and helped to form, finance and advise emerging businesses in a variety of industries. 

His notable clients and transactions included a consortium of developers in connection with the redevelopment of Denver’s Union Station. He represented the financial, economic and management consulting firm The Claro Group in its sale to Stout, an Audax Private Equity portfolio company, and represented luxury optical retailer Luxury Optical Holdings in its sale to New Look Vision Group.

Loewenstein is an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School, where he teaches courses on mergers and acquisitions and advises the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. He is one of the youngest shareholders in Brownstein’s history, and is a board member with Young Americans Center for Financial Education. He has also served on the boards of Lucky to Ride, which serves underserved and at-risk youth through experiential cycling programs; Water for Waslala, which builds water projects in remote Nicaragua; and Roots & Branches Foundation, Rose Community Foundation, which uses strategic philanthropy to award grants.

5 Steps to Launch Work Volunteer Efforts

In addition to the many benefits of volunteering for the nonprofit sector, there are many benefits to individuals who volunteer, including boosting your health and well-being. With April approaching in National Volunteer Month, it’s a great time to start.

Volunteerism is a not only a great way to help underserved communities, it’s also good for your overall health, boosts employee morale and office culture, and promotes teamwork.

According to a study by United Health Care: 88 percent of people who volunteered in the past 12 months noted an increase in self-esteem, with 93 percent noting an improvement in mood, 78 percent felt they have greater control over their health and well-being, and 7 percent experienced lower stress levels.

Additionally, according to Volunteer Hub, volunteerism has a financial value of over $184 billion.

Here are five tips I have found helpful to motivate my colleagues to get involved and give back to the nonprofits in the communities where one works and lives:

1. Start a volunteer committee or employee resource group.

Creating a committee among employees helps to identify causes that are important to the group. A committee will ensure that multiple voices are heard and a variety of causes will be represented, ultimately leading to higher participation rates. Have each committee member be responsible for recruiting and promoting the opportunity within their department.

2. Consider launching a matching gift program.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brownstein launched its “Karma Bucks Program,” providing employee-directed charitable donations on behalf of those who volunteered for firm-sponsored volunteer events. Creating a matching gift program incentivizes participation, increases collective impact, and can also provide educational opportunities around philanthropy and charitable giving.

3. Schedule a variety of different volunteer opportunities.

Create a monthly or quarterly volunteer event where employees can easily sign up to volunteer. Consider including a variety of dates, times, and locations to accommodate varying schedules. Virtual opportunities are an additional way to diversify options. Select multiple nonprofits and causes to appeal to employees with differing interests.

Encourage employees to bring family, including children! We have found that causes that cater to animals, food relief, and children are especially engaging and can provide impactful volunteer opportunities.

4. Don’t reinvent the wheel — consider skills-based volunteering.

Skills-based volunteering is when an individual or company uses their professional skills to assist a nonprofit organization free of charge. For example, those in finance or accounting can help a nonprofit with a review of their accounting system; an attorney can help with a variety of legal issues, such as reviewing a nonprofit’s bylaws or anti-discrimination practices; and those in marketing can assist with a marketing or branding plan.

Skills-based volunteering is a great way to leverage employees’ skill sets to create social impact. Importantly, skills-based volunteering relieves a nonprofit’s limited assets and helps to keep their overhead costs down. To get started, I encourage you to visit Catchafire for this type of volunteer effort.

5. Start or launch a board service program.

Help employees identify a nonprofit board to join. This is a great opportunity for employees to share their expertise with nonprofits, expand their networks, and gain leadership skills. Nonprofits are often looking for board members with different backgrounds and talents to help oversee the nonprofit and ensure a sustainable future.

Goldrick Playground Group
Brownstein Team Volunteering with Goldrick Playground Group.

At Brownstein, we share board opportunities in a monthly newsletter, and offer individual consulting to our employees to find a board opportunity that meets their needs while providing annual board service trainings. Spark the Change Colorado is a great resource to help guide board service programs.

Volunteerism is a not only a great way to help underserved communities, it’s also good for your overall health, boosts employee morale and office culture, and promotes teamwork. When working with colleagues on something for the greater good, employees feel more connected as a team, which also benefits the work being done day-to-day in the office. If your company is open to starting or expanding their volunteerism efforts, these are some easy steps to get the program started and inspire others you work with to give back.

 

Jayme Ritchie BrownsteinJayme Ritchie is the Director of Community Relations for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.