A CEO’s Insights

Recently, Forbes magazine ranked Metro Denver No. 1 in its annual “Best Places for Businesses and Careers” list. Four other cities landed in the top 40. Fort Collins ranked 10th along with Boulder, Greeley, and Colorado Springs at 26, 33, and 37 respectively.  We often call Colorado “a place where…

On Wednesday, June 3, Adams County, Commerce City, Aurora, and Denver concluded two years of negotiations, resulting in a new development agreement for land on and off Denver International Airport. The agreement lays out how revenues will be shared and how the Airport environs will be marketed.…

By 2022, China is expected to have over 630 million middle class citizens, spending $3.4 trillion annually according to Dominic Martin for The Diplomat. This new demographic already buys more flat panel TVs than most of the other prominent Asian economies combined. As China increasingly opens its…

The Metro Denver EDC’s Annual Meeting was a celebration of economic success.  For those present, the parody of yours truly as “Metro Denver’s Most Interesting Man” was a clearly a spoof of the Dos Equis Man, all designed to bring humor and fun to an event that can be leaden. Subsequent media…

Colorado’s renowned quality of life long has offered its residents almost limitless possibilities. Now, for many of us, one very important thing is missing — the American dream of owning a home. You’ve seen the disturbing headlines: A growing number of Coloradans are being priced out of…

Metro Denver is the epicenter of the "fly-over zone" – beautiful mountains, verdant plains, and few people. As the editor of the Times of London once wrote in the late 1990s, "Denver has no reason to exist. Perhaps that's why its inhabitants engage in such superlatives." He had flown here, non-…

Routes Americas, now in its 8th year, took place in Denver last week, marking the first time the event has been held in the United States. The event brought together leading airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy-makers and other aviation stakeholders to develop new air services to, from…

Colorado hosts one of the most vibrant life-science sectors in America. Already, more than 600 pharmaceutical innovators call the Centennial State home. Combined, they add an estimated $11 billion to the state economy every year. International trade negotiators are now considering a major new deal…

When Governor Bill Owens left office at the end of 2005, I asked him, “What was the best time of your governorship?” His answer was quick - and short. “When Andrew Romanoff was Speaker of the House.”  Andrew Romanoff, for those who missed his television ads, is a Democrat. During a portion of…

As a country it seems we’re all mad at those above us. A respected commentator on the topic of metropolitan regions opined that the federal government has become nothing more “than an insurance company with an Army.” In response to the gridlock in D.C., state governments have taken issues into…

For many companies seeking a new location, a right-to-work state is often in the top ten criteria, while union shop states can be less attractive. This is increasingly common amongst foreign companies. Right-to-work laws do not require an employee to join a unionized company or to pay dues for…

By the year 2020, 74 percent of Colorado jobs will require post-secondary training, certificate courses, or other degrees. For Colorado to compete globally, we must either attract these skilled workers or train them ourselves. Colorado’s lifestyle attracts some of the country’s brightest young…