A CEO’s Insights

The latest detailed Monthly Economic Indicators report from the Metro Denver EDC mentions (p. 6) a recent study showing that Colorado could receive a multi-billion dollar economic boost if our schools became the best in the nation (https://coloradosucceeds.org/best-schools/home/). I recently co-…

I moved to Denver 25 years ago and my appreciation for the things that make this such an attractive community continues to grow each year. Yet, one doesn’t have to live here to understand just how special we are as a community. Month after month, outside reports highlight and validate all that…

One theme that consistently underlies the monthly economic forecasts is the challenge businesses of all types face in attracting and retaining the workforce they need. Whether it’s app developers, skilled construction tradespeople or insurance underwriters – virtually every type of position you can…

These monthly indicator reports provide a great real-time picture of what’s shaping business in Metro Denver, and are a useful early warning system of the trends that are developing over the coming months. And in the fast-moving world of business today, we need to look at these reports in the…

For those of us who have lived in Denver for any length of time, the diversification of our economy illustrated in the Monthly Indicators Reports is striking. Take a look at the supersectors tracked in the reports: Natural resources & construction Manufacturing Wholesale & retail trade…

One of the great things about these monthly reports is the snapshot of what’s happening in specific industry clusters. And one of the pictures that pops out to me this month is the IT cluster. Pages 5-6 of the report highlight six IT or software businesses that are starting or expanding their…

As CEO of a Colorado business, I look to these Monthly Economic Indicator reports from the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. (Metro Denver EDC) for early insights into the trends that will shape Colorado’s economy and the businesses we serve. Every month, I’ll be sharing some thoughts about…

I’ll be leaving my post at the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation on Friday, March 31, completing 35 years on the Front Range of Colorado in a variety of economic development roles.  Doing regional economic development is easy, especially if you have lots of money on the table. But here…

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As my time as CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Corp. dwindles down to a March 31retirement date, I’m finding myself reflecting on 35 years on the Front Range; and mostly responding to civic and business leaders about the great things that changed our lives since the 1980’s “Oil Bust Recession.”…

Nobody wants to pay “retail,” least of all a company that pays great wages and like “a gorilla in the room”–sits wherever it wants. That axiom hasn’t changed in all the years we’ve been recruiting or retaining companies here in Metro Denver. Today, thanks to the efforts of Governors Bill Owens,…

In the midst of strong economic growth along Colorado’s Front Range, it’s easy to complain about increased congestion, longer waits in-line at concerts, and having to call ahead to get a table at our favorite restaurant. There is some truth to that. But as humans, our memory of economic downturns…