ColoradoBiz articles from April 2009

ColoradoBiz archives from April 2009

'Government class' is self-serving.(READERS [respond])(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2009... The flip side of the people who will work hard for themselves is not so appealing ("We can get it done here," Pat Wiesner, February). We now have a "government class" consisting of people who have learned that they can provide for themselves...

Attitude trumps ability.(READERS [respond])(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2009... You (Pat Wiesner) write good articles about life, success and attitude. Being in sales for 45 years of my life, I particularly like "Attitude," by Charles Swindoll: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life....

Coming soon (maybe) to a website near you: "Rocky II".(COTE'S [colorado])(cobizmag.com)(Website overview)
April 1, 2009... Welcome to the printed page, the place where black meets white, where inks meets paper, the format ColoradoBiz uses for bragging rights to a circulation that tops 20,000. We're reaching thousands more readers every month online at cobizmag.com,...

Kindle vs. the post (or the Rocky): do we really want to read everything off a computer device?([on] MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2009... Just last week a friend told me, by e-mail of course, that "the use of technologies as an alternative delivery/ viewing mechanism is mostly a generational consideration, though the lines are blurring. "I saw a gentleman who was at least in...

Redefining 'disability': ADA amendments expand the universe of people businesses will need to accommodate.(GUEST [column])(Americans with Disabilities Act)
April 1, 2009... Long ago, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. My seizures were infrequent, brief and mild but disruptive. Thankfully, they have become fully controlled with the help of neurologists and medication. My treated epilepsy didn't keep me from graduating...

What's the definition of a depression?([the] ECONOMIST)(Column)
April 1, 2009... "What's the probability that the U.S. economy will never recover?" the reporter asked. There aren't many questions about the likelihood of an economic event occurring that I can answer with a great deal of confidence, but that one was...

Ski-lift builder opens larger plant in Grand Junction.([MANUFACTURING])(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... A ski-lift manufacturer that is diversifying into wind-power generation equipment celebrated the opening of a larger factory in Grand Junction in January. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Leitner-Poma of America, owned by Italy-based Leitner...

Economic stimulus package car washes available here.([ON THE RECORD])(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... "ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE CAR WASHES AVAILABLE HERE" -sign at Finish Line Car Wash & Detail on Colorado Boulevard on Feb. 17, the day President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus package just up the road at the Denver Museum of...

[By the numbers].(STATE [OF THE STATE])(Home based businesses)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... 6,701--Home-based businesses operating in Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties combined. The three counties have a total of 523,732 households. 1,786--New businesses started in Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties combined in 2008....

CSU grad founds LaidOffCamp for job seekers.([EMPLOYMENT])(Colorado State University)(Conference news)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... In the midst of soaring unemployment, some job seekers are finding unconventional forms of assistance of support. Consider LaidOffCamp--a primarily Interest--promoted support group--which may be just about as unconventional as it gets. ...

DMC and ESM honored at ACG Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference.([CORPORATIONS])(Conference news)
April 1, 2009... Going "boom" is a big part of Dynamic Materials Corp. business, quite literally. The Boulder-based company specializes in explosion-welded clad metal plates-and besides detonations being a big part of its manufacturing process, the company has...

Boulder company premieres film featuring Jesse Ventura.([THE ARTS])(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Boulder-based 42 Productions celebrated a series of first in February as it rolled out the red carpet for the world premier of its feature film "Woodshop," starting former Minnesota governor and pro wrestler Jesse Ventura, at the University of...

Coloradobiz [Real Estate Roundup].(Statistical table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... TOTAL PROPERTIES SOLD 2008 VS. 2009 JAN 2,987 -17.3% 2,469 FEB 3,001 -17.2% 2,484 MAR 3,709 APR 4,265 MAY 4,664 JUNE 4,845 JULY 5,123 AUG 4,542 SEPT 4,265 OCT 4,282 NOV 2,920...

Single-family units sold Jan. 2008 vs. Jan. 2009.(Statistical table)
April 1, 2009... SINGLE-FAMILY UNITS SOLD JAN. 2008 VS. JAN. 2009 COLORADO 2008 2009 PERCENT LOCATION UNITS UNITS CHANGE SOLD SOLD Metro 644 531 [down arrow] -17.8% District Glenwood ...

Steamboat Springs still has plenty of snow but could use another head of steam: after real estate sales topped $1 billion in 2007, the resort town weathered a 56 percent decline.([WHO OWNS COLORADO])
April 1, 2009... If what you live for is white and fluffy and falls from the sky like manna, you might like Steamboat Springs. In an average winter, perhaps 250 inches to 300 inches of snow fall on the Colorado mountains. And you will remember how...

Sheila Gutterman & Suzanne Griffiths: family-law firm thrives in good times and bad.(EXECUTIVE EDGE)
April 1, 2009... As the economy began sinking last fall, phone calls to the Littleton law offices of Gutterman Griffiths PC began rising. "People who had wide assets were saying,". This is a good time to get a divorce because I'd get it cheaper," recalls...

Vacation squeeze: industry braces for a slowdown as low gas prices fail to trump the recession, but travelers can expect to find bargains and grateful hosts.([FEATURE])
April 1, 2009... The 2-acre back lot of Adventure Bound River Expeditions is quiet and still in February's frosty air. Life jackets, camping equipment, outboard motors and inflatable rafts are stored away, and vans and buses used to transport customers to the...

West Elks: the 'other' Colorado wine region: North Fork of the Gunnison River valley growing in importance.(VINE [Arts & Entertainment])
April 1, 2009... One of the prettiest drives in Colorado is on the West Elk Scenic Byway, a gawker's paradise that loops through mountains and valleys south of Carbondale. On the western loop of the byway, just off 8,755-foot McClure Pass on Colorado 133, is an...

Battle of wounded knees: baby boomers aching to stay active are fueling a bonanza for the sports medicine business--and a strain on health-care costs.
April 1, 2009... At age 44, cyclist Scott England has endured no less than 10 surgeries on his knee, shoulder and toes. He goes to physical therapy twice a week, has weekly pain-numbing injections in his joints, and even own his own ultrasound machine. ...

Paper losses: many regard the newspaper industry's travails as a symptom of media evolution. Newsprint and subscriptions are out. The Internet and ad-supported models are in. But who will pay news gatherers of the future?([Q2] TECH REPORT)
April 1, 2009... Not everyone mourned the Rocky Mountain News' death in February that made Denver a one-daily town. Least of all newly minted U.S. Congressman Jared Polis. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Who killed the Rocky Mountain NEWS? Polis asked...

Overflow at small-business workshop a sign of the times.(SMALL [biz])(Conference news)
April 1, 2009... Marcia McGilley called it a "sign of the times" when 37 people crowded into the Castle Rock library on March 4 for her two-hour "Business Startup Basics" workshop. Twenty-three had signed up in advanced for the night session, so extra seats had...

Lightning Hybrids Inc.(COMPANY)(Company overview)
April 1, 2009... INITIAL LIGHT BULB: Brothers Dan and Sam Johnson, formerly chief executive officer/founder and chief technical officer of Loveland's SA Robotics, teamed with Colorado State. University's Tim Reeser to launch a hybrid car company. Dan sold...

The Buffalo Collection.([small biz] COLORADO COOL STUFF)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Julie Littlefield's family started commercially herding buffalo on their 8,000-acre Scenic Mesa Ranch in the early 1990s, and then they got into the recreation business by opening the ranch to hunters and anglers. Overnight lodges followed...

Peppods.([small biz] COLORADO COOL STUFF)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The minds behind the PepPod, Zach Zeldner and skip Meador--whose business cards sport the respective titles of "Zookeeper" and "Head Cattle Brander"--met playing soccer in Boulder and discovered tablet-based effervescent drinks on trips...

Vedante pop bands, collars, and leashes.([small biz] COLORADO COOL STUFF)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... After a long career as a fashion designer and owner of Los Angeles apparel companies, Barbara Kantor "semi-retired" to Boulder in 1997. The avid walker often to the Boulder Creek Path after nightfall, but thought most reflective clothing lacked...

Vez Sandals.([small biz] COLORADO COOL STUFF)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... After designing and developing sandals for Chaco, Steve Chavez wanted to do his own thing. "I found myself going in a different direction artistically," he says, noting that he's "addicted to leather and women's footwear." After Chavez...

Skin game.(SPORTS [biz])(Lingerie Football League)
April 1, 2009... Attention, stupid people: You're invited to a football game Sept. 18 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. You'll love it. The players are all women, and they're nearly naked. Seriously. Can you dig it? Women, panties and full-contact...

The I-70 mountain corridor mess.(RUNDLES [wrap-up])(Editorial)
April 1, 2009... Lord knows why I even decided to look into what's being done to fix the 1-70 corridor through the mountains. The traffic problems from Floyd Hill, through the Eisenhower Tunnels, into Summit County and on into Vail have been vexing for...