A CEO’s Insights

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…

Colorado’s diverse and balanced energy industry is the envy of the nation. Our energy sector supports nearly 264,000 workers, providing an annual economic impact of $17.2 billion. Nearly 4,500 energy companies in oil, coal, gas, wind, solar, energy efficiency, and sustainable technology contribute…

On Sunday, July 24, about 400 hundred business leaders and transit supporters celebrated the opening of the FasTracks’ Northwest B Line at the Westminster Station at 71st Ave and Hooker Street. This event marked the second opening of four rail lines this year and accompanied the inauguration of the…

On July 14, a partnership of economic development organizations issued a report on the economic impact of 2,500-foot oil and gas drilling setbacks, an initiative likely headed to the November ballot. The partnership commissioned the study from the Business Research Division (BRD) of the Leeds…

The Lufthansa A330-300 lifted off from the Munich Airport runway on May 11, heading to its newest destination – Denver, Colorado. The two airports have been “sisters” for 25 years, exchanging staff, learning from one another, copying one another’s best practices and, most importantly, working to…