Top Company 2019: Financial Services

These four financial companies are each doing things their own way

Lisa Ryckman //September 4, 2019//

Top Company 2019: Financial Services

These four financial companies are each doing things their own way

Lisa Ryckman //September 4, 2019//

In its 32nd 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 four companies – one winner and three finalists – represent the 2019 Top Companies in Financial Services.

WINNER

KeyBank

Denver

As the 12th largest bank in the U.S. and fifth-largest bank in Colorado, KeyBank offers the best of both worlds – all the benefits of a large bank, with the personal touch, relationships and advice of a community bank. “Giving back to the communities where we live and work is such a defining characteristic of our culture at KeyBank,” says Doug Dell, senior vice president and manager of commercial banking.

KeyBank has invested in and has relationships with more than 100 community partnerships in Colorado, with $405 million in community investments in 2017 and 2018 as part of its National Community Benefits Plan. The plan includes community investment targets for affordable housing and development, growing small businesses and jobs, mortgages for underserved communities and transformative philanthropy.

Dell says people might be surprised by KeyBank’s ability to support clients through all phases of their business and personal lifecycle. “From our system of retail banking centers, to commercial banking and wealth management, to equipment leasing through Key Equipment Finance, our local management structure is set up to enable collaboration across the entire scope of our product and service offerings,” he says.

KeyBank’s culture is established from the top by CEO Beth Mooney, the first female CEO of a top 20 bank.  KeyBank uses the phrase “Client Centricity” to guide all decisions and actions – every strategic decision is framed around simplifying the business while also transforming it to continually meet the needs of clients. 

“It sounds simple, but the thing that makes us stand out from the competition is that it’s easy to bank with us,” Dell says. “What sets us apart is our holistic approach that allows the different areas of the bank to function as one team.”

FINALISTS

Transworld Business Advisors-Rocky Mountain

Lakewood

Business brokerage Transworld Business Advisors-Rocky Mountain helps entrepreneurs buy and sell businesses in Colorado, with a focus on helping family-owned and closely held businesses with their strategic plans for the future. In its six years of existence, Transworld has overseen $65 million in deal volume — $25 million of which happened in 2018. Transworld has worked directly with more than 700 business owners and mentored more than 1,900 business owners to give guidance about buying and selling businesses. Its culture is built around core values of learn and grow, professionalism, tenacity and small business advocacy. The company values constant communication and feedback among all team members, with regular opportunities to share goals, projects and performance.

Alpine Bank

Glenwood Springs

Chartered in Colorado in 1973, employee-owned Alpine Bank has more than $3.8 billion in assets and 40 banking offices across the state. Its 720 Colorado-based employees serve more than 140,000 customers with retail, business, wealth management, mortgage and electronic banking services. While Alpine Bank has a five-star rating from BauerFinancial Inc., it is also recognized as a community bank committed to giving back, donating $4.2 million and volunteering more than 14,000 employee hours in 2018 to hundreds of nonprofits in the 29 Colorado communities the bank serves. In 2018, Alpine’s innovative Loyalty Debit Card program grew to generate $1.2 million in bank donations to Colorado nonprofits and community organizations on behalf of its customers. The bank’s culture is summed up in a book, “The Alpine Way,” that contains insights from employees about the bank’s unique, community-centered approach.

Courtesy for Colorado Lending Source.

Colorado Lending Source

Denver

As a mission-based nonprofit lender, Colorado Lending Source can lend from $5,000 to $ 5.5 million for a variety of business purposes, including working capital and commercial real estate. It also facilitates entrepreneur development training, called the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program, which helps established and aspiring entrepreneurs develop or refine their entrepreneurial mindset. Colorado Lending Source has been named Colorado’s SBA 504 Large Certified Development Company of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s District Office for the last six years and is ranked within the top 15 nationally of more than 200 lenders in its category. In 2018, Colorado Lending Source approved 221 small business loans expected to create 1,747 jobs with a total economic impact $331 million. More than 83% of loans approved went to underserved communities.

This article is part of the 2019 ColoradoBiz Top Company Awards. Read more about all the winners & finalists: 
ADVERTISING & MARKETING DIGITAL MARKETING ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING CONSUMER BUSINESS ENERGY | HEALTH CARE MANUFACTURING NONPROFIT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REAL ESTATE SOFTWARE STARTUP TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TOURISM & HOSPITALITY