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March 16-22, 2012

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B2 | March 16-22, 2012 denver business journal

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We congratulate

this year’s Forty Under 40

award winners on their outstanding

accomplishments, business leadership,

and commitment to the Denver community.

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Contact: John Husband, Chair303.295.8000 [email protected] 555 17th Street, Suite 3200, Denver, CO 80202

Holland & Hart is a proud sponsor of Denver Business Journal’sForty Under 40 program and luncheon.

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL MARCH 1622, 2012 | B3

Forty under 40

CREDITSPortraits of the Denver Business Journal Forty under 40 winners were taken by Kathleen Lavine. Cover design by Ashley Davis. Publication design and layout by Boots Giff ord.

The Denver Business Journal is pleased to introduce its 16th annual “Forty Under 40” special

section, featuring a diverse group of young, dynamic business leaders

whose efforts in the offi ce and in the community are shaping the future of the Denver area.

The 40 rising stars profi led in this section — each under the age of 40 as of March 15 — were chosen based on three criteria: business leader-ship, recognition of accomplish-ments and community

involvement. Each criterion held equal importance in the judging, so those who have found success in their profession were not selected if they have not devoted a signifi cant amount of time serving their com-munity. Similarly, a prolifi c civic activist who was unable to show true professional accomplishment also fared poorly.

The winners were chosen strictly by the judges’ numbers — no favorites were snuck in or others dropped unceremoniously.

The easiest part was compiling a collection of qualifi ed nominees. Names were submitted to us online by colleagues and friends. More than 471 nominations were sent in for 307 individuals — a more than 100 increase in individuals over last year. Previous winners were ineligible to win again.

This year’s winners were honored at a public event at the Hyatt Re-gency Convention Center Hotel on Thursday, March 15.

SCOTT BEMIS is publisher of the Denver Business Journal.

From the Publisher

Scott Bemis

471 nods for DBJ honors

2013 NOMINATIONSNomination forms for the Forty

under 40 class of 2013 will be avail-able online at denverbusinessjournal.com beginning in mid-October 2012.

Every accomplished entrepreneur and business person has a favorite movie that has moved them — whether to achieve great things or just enjoy the moment. The 2012 winners of the Denver Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 were asked, what was their

favorite movie and why? At a photo shoot with DBJ photographer Kathleen Lavine at the historical Paramount Theatre in Denver, the winners shared their movie memories — which are included in this section. And they spoke about their movie infl uences in a video you can see on our website at denverbusinessjournal.com.

Barnett, Jonathan, Oxi Fresh Franchising Co. .....B4Barry, Damon, CSG International .........................B4Bloom, Jeremy, Integrate .................................... B5Davies, Josh, The Center for Work Ethic

Development ........................................................B6Eichenbaum Lent, Lindy, Civic Center

Conservancy .........................................................B6Erixon, Jennifer, Mercy Housing Inc. ................... B7Frazier, Keo, Keos Marketing Group .....................B8Gangji, Arif, Neon Rain Interactive .......................B8Gutknecht, Eric, Continental Sausage ................. B9Hipp, Brooke, Anton Collins Mitchell LLP ........... B10Jones, Tasha, Forest City Stapleton Inc............... B10Jumel, Elizabeth, Jumel Public Relations ......... B12Karpinski, Peter, Sage Restaurant Group .......... B12Keithley, R. Livingston, Kelly, Stacy & Rita LLC B14

Kelin, Shebon, Colorado Technical University .... B14Koch, Lenee, LEI Companies Inc. ........................ B15Lampley, Ramona, Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell

LLP ...................................................................... B15Maxfi eld, John-Paul, Waste Farmers ................ B16McClure, Jill, Colorado Oil & Gas Association ...... B16McNulty, Frank, Colorado House of

Representatives .................................................. B17Mendoza, Myles, Democrats for Education

Reform ................................................................ B18Moore, Sean, North Highland............................. B18Ondre, Brian, Cummins Rocky Mountain ........... B19Owens, Monica, Owens Public Aff airs LLC .......... B19Palani, Murugan, Xcel Energy .......................... B20Pytel, Michael, NIMBL ....................................... B20Reilly, Katie, Husch Blackwell LLP ...................... B21

Rhoades, Meshach, Kutak Rock LLP/Century Link ..................................................................... B22

Rodriguez, Kelly, Grant Thornton ...................... B22Rodriguez, Rafael, Heinrich Marketing/

Hispanidad .......................................................... B23Rosas, Melissa, Apex Design .............................. B23Sherman, Amy, Northwest Douglas County

Economic Development Corp. ............................. B24Smyth, Patrick, Denver Broncos ........................ B24Soto, Julissa, American Diabetes Association ..... B25Walker, Jeremy, Colorado Technical University.. B26Wildman Toltz, Deirdre, Catering by Design .... B26Wingfi eld, Edward, Wingfi eld Realty ............... B27Wright, Erin, BonaUS ......................................... B27Yuran, Jesse, SmashBurger LLC .......................... B28Zeppelin, Kyle, Zeppelin Development/Taxi ...... B28

2012 FORTY UNDER 40 WINNERS

What is your favorite movie?

HEATHER DRAPER | BUSINESS JOURNAL

Kyle Zeppelin of Zeppelin Development awaits his photo shoot at the Paramount Theatre. The Denver Business Journal wishes a special thank you to Paramount Theatre, KSE for use of the theater for the photo shoot. See more on the theater on B29.

B4 | MARCH 1622, 2012 DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL


Jonathan BarnettTitle: Founder and CEO Company: Oxi Fresh Carpet CleaningAge: 32 Key civic affi liations: Crossover International

Jonathan Barnett’s favorite movie is “Hoosiers” — and the former Oral Roberts University point guard said he relates to the story of the small-town high school boys basketball team winning the Indiana state tourna-ment, in his opening of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning in August 2006.

It hit home when at 26, he was the youngest franchisor at an Interna-tional Franchise Association convention held in San Diego in 2007.

“I defi nitely felt like the underdog being the youngest franchisor,” Barnett said. “All I’ve done since I was young was play basketball, and I always felt like an underdog, being a short guy. But all the things I’ve learned in basketball, I’ve used in business, with the values of teamwork and never giving up.”

The company now has more than 250 franchisees in 47 states. Barnett strives to have the greenest carpet-cleaning franchise company. His ma-chines use two gallons of water; he said competitors use 40. With so little water, Barnett said there is not much waste to dispose of.

Franchisees can operate out of their own homes. The cleaning machines are small enough to fi t inside standard vehicles.

Franchise Times magazine named Oxi Fresh to its list of the Top 20 Franchises to Watch in 2011.

One of Barnett’s inspirations was his entrepreneur grandfather. He said he watched and admired his grandfather building businesses, including church camps and an online Bible college.

Barnett founded Crossover International in 2001, which is a nonprofi t organization that focuses on ministry through basketball.

— Ben Macaluso

My favorite movie is “Hoosiers.”

Damon Barry Title: Vice president of business aff airsCompany: CSG InternationalAge: 39Key civic affi liations: Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity

Damon Barry’s dream was to play in the National Football League. His father played for the Denver Broncos and his older brother, with whom he played college ball, played for the Los Angeles Rams.

He received a scholarship to the University of Washington to play wide receiver for the Huskies and won a national championship with the team in 1991. But that dream ended with a back injury, which doctors said might leave him paralyzed if he ever played again.

“It was the biggest obstacle I’ve ever had to overcome in my life, knowing I would never play football again,” Barry said. “It took me two or three years to get out of that funk, but after my injury I changed my [mind] on how I could make society a better place.”

Barry started a nonprofi t organization that created a curriculum to help improve race relations among junior high and high school students. He also earned a law degree from the University of Ne-braska College of Law.

In 1999, he interned for CSG Systems, now called CSG Interna-tional, where he now serves as vice president of business aff airs and assistant general counsel. CSG is involved with customer care and the billing industry for cable, satellite and telecommunications companies. For example, it prints the bills for Comcast and creates software to help technicians provide better customer service.

Outside the offi ce, Barry spends time with his wife and 19-month-old daughter, and volunteers with the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, which teaches young men skills such as etiquette and interview techniques.

— Ben Macaluso

Barnett played basketball growing up and in college and says, “I love the values you get out of game — teamwork, discipline” and to never be satisfi ed with what you’ve achieved and always strive to do better.

My favorite movie is “The Shawshank Redemption.”Barry says the reason the movie speaks to him is in the title — redemption. In the end, he says, all the characters fi nd some form of redemption.

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL MARCH 1622, 2012 | B5on twitter: denbizjournal online: denverbusinessjournal.com on facebook: denverbusiness

Jeremy BloomTitle: Co-founderCompany: IntegrateAge: 29Key civic affi liations: Wish of a Life-

time Foundation

Jeremy Bloom is a two-time Olympian and three-time world champion free-style snow skier. He has played football both in college and the National Foot-ball League.

He co-founded Integrate, an online advertising company. And he’s also a college football analyst.

But to him, none of these accomplish-ments compares to his Wish of a Life-time Foundation, which grants wishes for senior citizens.

“The foundation is the most impor-tant thing I’ve done in my life and what I am most proud of,” he said. “I love my grandparents, and I wanted to do more for the greatest generation. This is the most important thing I’ve done because

it is unlocking the ability for people to live out their lifelong dreams.”

He launched the Colorado nonprofi t organization in spring 2008 in honor of his grandmother, Donna Wheeler, to grant lifelong wishes for those over 65 from throughout the United States.

As one example, Bloom will accompa-ny a World War II veteran to the beach at Normandy, France, in April, to say goodbye to friends he lost in battle.

Bloom co-founded Integrate in 2010. The multichannel ad marketplace combines online and other media advertising into a single media-buying platform.

After football, Bloom said he wanted to completely redefi ne himself and start a new chapter that didn’t revolve around sports.

So he completed a real estate and fi nance entrepreneurship degree at the Wharton Business School of Pennsylva-nia in 2006.

— Ben Macaluso

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My favorite movie is “The Social Network.”Bloom says, “I love Internet technology and am inspired by the way Zuck grew Facebook.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KATHLEEN LAVINE | BUSINESS JOURNAL



Josh DaviesTitle: CEO Company: The Center for Work Ethic DevelopmentAge: 38Key civil affi liations: Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association,

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation

Just two months after becoming CEO of The A Game, Josh Davies changed the company name.

Now, The A Game, which focuses on building the work ethic of teens and young adults by off ering instructional guides, online certi-fi cation, consulting sessions, books and DVDs, is called The Center for Work Ethic Development.

Davies said the organization is moving away from a single product and moving toward an online delivery to expand leadership and management development beyond the teenage market.

“We are not simply selling a product,” Davies said. “We are work-ing to restore America’s work ethic. With a new focus, we will be able give frontline employees, senior leaders, managers and supervisors a bottom-up approach to improve organizational performance.”

Organization and training are Davies’ specialities. He led the train-ing of more than 10,000 volunteers and service professionals for the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Davies ran for Denver City Council last yea, and although he lost, he said the support he received reaffi rmed his belief “that Denver is the best city in the United States.”

He continues his community involvement at Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation and as the president of the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association.

— Ben Macaluso

Lindy Eichenbaum LentTitle: Executive directorCompany: Civic Center ConservancyAge: 36Key civic affi liations: AMC Cancer Research Center

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent grew up in a small town in Texas and always dreamed of making a life in an urban community.

Getting her undergraduate degree in political science from Stanford University and moving to Denver in 2002 allowed her to realize her dream. In November of the same year, she joined John Hickenlooper’s mayoral campaign as communications director and stayed in that post for his fi rst four-year term as Denver mayor.

In March 2009, she became executive director of the Civic Center Conservancy, which is dedicated to enhancing Civic Center Park. There, she leads advocacy, community engagement and fundraising eff orts for the nonprofi t organization. Eichenbaum Lent likes to say her family moved to Denver for her husband’s career, but they stay for hers.

“We are fortunate to have a business community that fi nds impor-tance to invest in the public realm,” she said. “The Civic Center is a convergence of cultural and civic realms, and the potential for the future is compelling as we demonstrate how the park is a vibrant hub our community deserves.”

Eichenbaum Lent said she is most proud of a free public event she and her team created that takes place each July 3, featuring a perfor-mance by the Colorado Symphony, a light show and fi reworks display.

Eichenbaum Lent also is on the board at the AMC Cancer Fund re-search program at the University of Colorado.

— Ben Macaluso

My favorite movie is “Dead Poets Society.”Davies says the movie was important to him because it was a coming-of-age movie, but handled intellectually. His favorite scene in the movie was when Robin Williams as professor John Keating stands atop a desk and tells his students to take the time to see things from a diff erent perspective.

My favorite movie is “Grease 2.”Eichenbaum Lent says that while most people would favor the original “Grease,” she enjoyed the underrated sequel, which showed that catchy characters and an addictive soundtrack can go a long way.


Jennifer Erixon Title: Senior vice president Company: Mercy Housing Inc. Age: 36 Key civic affi liations: Colorado Housing Investment Fund, Housing

Colorado board of directors

Jennifer Erixon landed a job at Mercy Housing Inc. right out of col-lege.

Mercy Housing, a national organization based in Denver, provides housing for low-income and homeless people.

Erixon’s fi rst tour of duty was from 1997 to 1999. She moved out of state to jobs in fi nance and banking. But she lacked the passion for banking that she had in her fi rst job.

“My interest in bettering the community is what fuels me,” Erixon said. “I elected to leave the corporate world and money of banking be-cause it wasn’t getting me up in the morning. My No. 1 motivator to get up is to give hope and opportunity for those living in poverty.”

Erixon moved back to Colorado in 2003, worked at GMAC Commercial Mortgage Capital Corp. for 3½ years, then joined Mercy Housing. There, she oversees 246 low-income houses, construction management and real estate development.

She studied political science at the University of Colorado Denver, but said her interest in redeveloping the Lower Downtown area led her to Mercy Housing.

The community involvement she’s most proud of is helping to provide apartments to refugee families in east Denver. Erixon worked with the Denver Police Department to improve safety around the area. She also was involved with building a park for the tenants.

Erixon is married and has a daughter, 9.— Ben Macaluso

We congratulate Katie Reilly for being named a member of the Denver Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2012. Katie’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, real estate litigation, antitrust litigation and healthcare litigation. She also serves on the board of directors for Denver Kids, Inc. Well done, Katie!

Katie A. Reilly, Senior Counsel [email protected] • 303.389.4678

A Real Asset

Katie A. Reilly

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DAMON BARRYand all the 2012 Forty Under 40 winners. We applaud your accomplishments – your potential for success has no limits.

My favorite movie is “Amélie.”Erixon says the French fi lm is “quirky and warm” with great characters who trying to fi nd their way in life.



My favorite movie is “300.”

My favorite movie is “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off .”As a character, Ferris Bueller just goes out and lives his life, says Gangji, and he helps his friends to live bigger lives, too.

Frazier says she usually goes into a movie looking for something thought provoking, but there was none of that in “300.” It was just fun and energizing, she says, and allowed her to just suspend her disbelief and enjoy it.

Keo Frazier Title: President Company: Keos Marketing Group Age: 33 Key civic affi liations: The Kempe Foundation for the Prevention

and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect

Keo Frazier studied psychology at Cornell University, with the goal of becoming a child therapist.

But after starting out in the fi eld, she realized she “didn’t have stomach for child therapy,” she said.

Still, her education played a large role in Frazier starting Keos Mar-keting Group in 2008. The company fi rst focused mostly on market-ing for real estate businesses. It since has begun marketing to other fi elds, such as holistic health, fantasy football and higher education. The company also added services in digital media, online marketing and interactive marketing tactics.

Frazier said her psychology and social sciences background relates to marketing because of the dynamics of infl uencing behavior of buy-ers and the way they think about things.

“The advice I would give to someone who is starting their own company is have a plan, but don’t be afraid to veer from that plan,” Frazier said. “Success does not mean the path is completely straight. The most challenging thing about being an entrepreneur is having the vision and executing the business plan without getting bogged down in details of day-to-day operations.”

Regarding community involvement, Frazier said she is most pas-sionate about her time spent with the Kempe Foundation in Aurora, because the center allows her to stay connected to children without being “in the trenches of the psychology fi eld.”

— Ben Macaluso

Arif GangjiTitle: PresidentCompany: Neon Rain InteractiveAge: 33Key civic affi liations: Habitat for Humanity, Alliance for

Choice in Education

For 10 years, Arif Gangji hasn’t gotten much sleep. In 2002, while working at a quickly downsizing network

security company, he also started Neon Rain Interactive, a web-development company.

“There were so many late nights working both jobs,” Gangji said. “As we’re laying people off in my department, we were hiring them at Neon Rain. I think we have seen a return on our investment through our dedicated help to our clients enough for us to grow 30 to 50 percent each year since we’ve started.”

From 2002 to 2010, the company grew revenue 30 to 50 percent annually. Gangji believes Neon Rain has succeeded in a tough economy because it seeks to educate clients before the sale.

His company focuses on building mobile applications for cli-ents as well as designing websites, custom web-based software and search-engine optimization.

Outside the offi ce, Gangji is involved in the Alliance for Choice in Education, which helps low-income children get a better education by placing them in high schools for which they’re better suited, regardless of their parents’ income.

When Gangji isn’t working, he said he doesn’t mind missing a little sleep to be with his family.

— Ben Macaluso


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Forest City Stapleton congratulates this year’s “Forty under 40” honorees. Including our own Director of Marketing, Tasha Jones. Cheers!

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Eric GutknechtTitle: OwnerCompany: Continental SausageAge: 39Key civic affi liations: Denver Kids

Sausage runs in the Gutknecht family.

Eric Gutknecht’s parents took over the Continental Sausage factory in 1982. Gutknecht since has bought the company and made some changes.

A nine-month post-college trip to Europe, where Gutknecht worked in several sausage factories, inspired him to change the direction of the mass-production factory to more handcrafted natural products.

The sausage factory started out catering to Swiss, German and Austrian immigrants. Gutknecht still honors the European way of making sausages.

Gutknecht buys his mixing, cooking, smoking and drying equipment from Europe, which he said supplies more

precise machinery. He said going to a natural product

is the most diffi cult change he’s made. But he’s willing to pay a premium for a natural product, bought from sustain-able local family farms that raise their meat without the use of hormones.

“We are trying to show that we care about our local farmers, and our goal is to make something that is going to taste way better than anything out in the market,” he said.

A sampling of company products includes jalapeño cheddar brats, beer sausages from local breweries, wild boar breakfast sausage made with cranberries and apricots, and gourmet pheasant sausage.

His wife, Jessica, manages the com-pany’s stores.

Through Gutknecht’s eff orts, Continental has partnered with Whole Foods so that for every sausage sold, Whole Foods will donate 5 cents to Denver Kids.

—Ben Macaluso

My favorite movie is “Breaking Away.”Gutknecht says he thinks the cycling movie is the “most inspiring out there,” and not just because he’s an avid cyclist himself. It’s the underdog story showing you don’t have to have the best equipment and such to win — just the inner drive.



My favorite movie is “Crash.”The movie is a good reminder that every thing we do has a ripple eff ect, says Hipp, and that everything — whether it’s positive or negative — aff ects someone else.

My favorite movie is “Moneyball.”“What I love is the classic story of the underdog,” says Jones. She says the movie resonates with her because it demonstrates that when a person or a group feels valued by their leadership, what they can accomplish is exponential. “Never underestimate the perceived underdog.”

Brooke Hipp Title: Marketing and communications manager Company: Anton Collins Mitchell LLP Age: 38 Key civic affi liations: Junior Achievement, Wish of a Lifetime

Brooke Hipp has been hands-on when it comes to commu-nity involvement for her employer, Denver accounting fi rm Anton Collins Mitchell LLP (ACM). She coordinates numerous professional events and philanthropic programs for ACM, and donates her own time as well.

She serves as marketing and communications manager for the fi rm, which has offi ces in Denver, Boulder and Greeley.

All this while being a single mom to her daughter, 15. “It’s not always easy balancing work life with raising my

daughter, but my work gives the fl exibility I need to be there for her,” she said. “We have great teamwork… It is incredibly rewarding, and hopefully she is as proud of me as I am of her.”

Hipp volunteered at her daughter’s school, working with the Junior Achievement Be Entrepreneurial program. There, Hipp taught students about fi nancial literacy and what it means to be an entrepreneur, and helped them write a business plan in an eight-week program.

She’s also involved with Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime Foundation, raising money and completing a donor mapping project after doing a market analysis for the Denver nonprofi t, which grants wishes for the elderly. She has a great respect for the elderly, inspired by her grandmother, who retired one year ago at age 78.

— Ben Macaluso

Tasha JonesTitle: Director of marketingCompany: Forest City Stapleton Inc. Age: 37Key civil affi liations: The Challenge Foundation, Big Brothers

Big Sisters of Colorado

Tasha Jones loves working at Forest City Stapleton. As director of marketing, Jones coordinates the company’s strategies for promoting Stapleton’s 4,700-acre community to the public.

“What I love about Forest City is that it fosters an entrepre-neurial spirit,” Jones said. “You can be creative about how you want to evolve in your career with this company.”

Jones, 37, led the team that created the Global Coolness home marketing campaign for the 2011 HGTV Green Home promotion. The campaign sold nearly 3,000 tickets, resulting in $54,600 donated to Urban Peak, a charity that helps homeless youth.

Jones is a mentor for the Challenge Foundation, a nonprofi t organization that provides students with scholarships to attend private college prep schools. Jones has committed to supporting her mentee, Shayna, for a seven-year period.

As a member of the Leadership Denver Class of 2012, Jones was inspired to start a 2012 initiative called “Thoughtful Thursdays.” On the third Thursday of each month, she sends a list of charities to those in her network and encourages them to volunteer.

“I think it’s good energy, helping for the betterment of the community,” Jones says.

— Brooke Way

denver business journal March 16-22, 2012 | B11on twitter: denbizjournal online: denverbusinessjournal.com on facebook: denverbusiness

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My favorite movie is “Before Sunset.”In the movie, the characters travel through Europe, says Jumel. “I love to travel,” she says, and is especially fond of Paris. In this movie, as well as in its predecessor, “Before Sunrise,” the characters embody living in the moment and taking risks, she says, showing the benefi ts such actions can bring.

My favorite movie is “Jeremiah Johnson.”The 1970s movie starring Robert Redford is about a mountain man, an outdoorsman, says Karpinski, who loves the outdoors. “The Colorado outdoors keeps me balanced and sane.”

Elizabeth JumelTitle: President Company: Jumel Public RelationsAge: 36Key civic affi liations: Mile High Million Tree Initiative, Institute of

Classical Architecture & Art, Metro Volunteers

Elizabeth Jumel is a busy woman. She started her own PR fi rm, Jumel Public Relations, in October

2010. She recently was appointed to the board of directors of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. And she’s expecting her second child any day now.

Jumel moved to Denver in 2002 and likes the community’s encour-aging environment. She says she loves working with diff erent organi-zations and a great network of people.

Jumel graduated with a bachelor of science degree in communica-tion studies and international relations from Northwestern University in 1997, and has been working in public relations ever since.

She said owning her own company has exceeded her expectations. “It has been a challenging exercise to show that I can be self-mo-tivated and take responsibility for the business aspect of having a company,” Jumel said. “I have learned a whole new skill set, and I’m still learning; it’s exciting.”

Jumel said volunteering also is important to her. She started work-ing with Metro Volunteers shortly after moving to Denver, and has volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House, Urban Peak, Warren Village and the Denver Rescue Mission.

The Chicago native also is involved with the Mile High Million, which seeks to plant 1 million trees in Denver and the metro area by 2025.

— Brooke Way

Peter KarpinksiTitle: Co-founder and COOCompany: Sage Restaurant GroupAge: 37Key civic affi liations: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, Denver Kids

Inc., Denver Active 20/30 Children’s Foundation

Peter Karpinksi is a New Yorker at heart, but has enjoyed becoming involved in the Denver community.

He moved to Denver in 2005, and is co-founder and chief operating of-fi cer of Sage Restaurant Group, the Denver-based restaurant management company. He also oversees Sage Hospitality’s Premier & Lifestyle Hotel Division, which includes the Curtis — A Doubletree Hotel in Denver. Sage owns and runs nine restaurants nationwide, two of them in Denver.

“I’ve completely fallen in love with Colorado,” said Karpinski, 37. Being a husband and father of two, he likes Colorado’s quality of life and thinks it’s a great place to raise a family.

He’s helped Sage make a mark on Denver. The company started in 2005, and has launched two restaurants in Denver: The Corner Offi ce and Second Home Kitchen + Bar.

“As I’ve grown the company, I’ve really been able to build an awesome team of people that I work with,” Karpinski said. Those employees have helped the company succeed both in restaurant and hotel management — which Karpinski said other companies often struggle to do.

He travels a lot for work. But since committing to reduce his travel by 50 percent, Karpinski has been able to spend more time with his family and get involved with area charities.

Karpinski graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Adminis-tration in 1999.

— Brooke Way


Vince AbrueWells Fargo

Scott AdamsLockton Investment Advisors

Kyle AdamsonDHR Architecture

Bill AiryPoo Free ParksNicole Ament

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLPJustin Anthony

BrightNest, The MatchBox, GoodSparkSarah Archibald

Mile High Community Loan Fund, Inc.Cassie Augustine-Jones

O’Brien AdvertisingDavid Bacon

BWBacon GroupMeredith Bagnulo

Bagnulo Communications, Inc.Brie BaneBOX Studios

Rustin BanksBlogFrog, Inc.

Ali BarghelameBarghelame Wealth Advisors

Jill BarkinJPMorgan Chase & Co.

Neysa BarlageKaiser Permanente Colorado

Jonathan BarnettOxi Fresh Franchising Company

Damon BarryCSG Systems

Brad BaumgartnerIMA, Inc.

Scott BeckettInsigniam Performance

Katie BehnkeKristin and Katie - Starboard Group

Buck BeltzerHolland & Hart Seth Belzley

TransMontaigneTodd Benge

TrackViaJoAnne Bennett

BKD CPAs & AdvisorsJacqueline Benson

Moye White LLPPaula Berg

Linhart Public RelationsDana Berry

Four Seasons HotelGillian Bidgood

Polsinelli ShughartNaomi Binkley

Fireside ProductionTimothy Bishop

Wells Fargo Healthcare Financial ServicesElbert Bivins

Bivins & Bunyak CPAs PLLCStephanie Blake

Blake CommunicationsBryan Blakely

Accelerate ColoradoAndrew Blaustein

Newmark Knight Frank Frederick RossJeremy Bloom

IntegrateJustin Borus

Lazarus Investment Partners LLLPJason Brenkert

Dorsey & Whitney LLPLindsay Brown

Jones Lang LaSalleLoren Brown

Donelson Ciancio & GoodwinStephen Burg

Burg Simpson Eldridge Hersh Jardine PCKerri Butler

A Touch of BlissChad Caby

Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLPBrian Callahan

Eide Bailly LLPCatherine Carretero-Ferrufi no

Lower Highlands DermatologyMadison Carter

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLCWard Cerny

Bernstein Global Wealth ManagementBridget Cessar

Autism Society of ColoradoLeslee ChurchillWire to Wire, IncCasie CollignonBaker Hostetler

Tyler CoombeGreenberg Traurig, LLP

Brian CorbettInspirato

Keiven Cosgriff Encana Oil & Gas ( USA) Inc.

David CraigMolson Coors

Marc CrawfordEducational Measures

Justin CulverBurrtech Corporation

Maddy D’AmatoLove Grown Foods

Anastasia DarwishAmerican Transplant Foundation

Mindy DavidsonProject Angel Heart

Brian Davidson, M.D.University of Colorado Anschutz Medical

CampusJosh DaviesThe A GameJason Day

Perkins Coie LLPFrank Debick

The Debick Law FirmMatthew Derrington

Private ConsultingLee Diamond

CBRE, Inc.Shadana Dickerson

KDEN Telemundo ColoradoBrett Dolan

PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc.Jeff Dolan

ComcastKatayoun DonnellyBaker and Hostetler

Claire DossierSnell & Wilmer LLP

Betsy DoughtySpectra Logic

Andrew DoyleThe Doyle GroupShannon Duff y

Tender BellyJeremy Duhon

Denver InvestmentsCiaran Dwyer

3t SystemsRob Edwards

Altitude HoldingsLindy Eichenbaum LentCivic Center Conservancy

Laura EnglishUnitedHealthcareKevin Erickson

Summit Bank and TrustMatt Erickson

Zayo GroupJennifer Erixon

Mercy Housing, Inc.Ryan Evans

Advantage Security, Inc.Patrick Fairfi eld

UMB Bank Colorado, n.a.Ashleigh Farrell

Bella Bambino formerly Bella B MaternityAmanda Fein

Centennial BankAndrew Ferguson

The Davey Tree Expert Co.Michelle Ferguson

Ireland Stapleton Pryor & PascoeMark Ferrandino

Colorado State LegislatureAnthony Ferrufi no

KBNO RadioBritta Fisher

Wheatridge 2020Joshua Fine

Focus Property GroupJennifer Finke

Red Jeweled MediaTatiana Finkelsteyn

IQ WiredBetsy Fordyce

Children’s Law CenterRebecca Franciscus

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Denver Regional Offi ce

Christopher FrankColorado Lighting, Inc.

Keo FrazierKeos Marketing

Andrew FreedmanState of Colorado-LT. Governor Offi ce

Michelle FriendsFairfi eld and Woods, PC

Stewart GallagherColorado Vault & Safe Deposit Box

CompanyArif Gangji

Neon Rain InteractiveNicole Garneau

Denver Museum of Nature & ScienceJulie E. Giff ord

Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti

Ryan GoodCBRE

Andrew GrahamClinic Service Corporation

Anthony E. GravesVISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors

BureauMatt Gray

Sherman & Howard LLCKelly Green

BirkoAaron Grey CFP

Denver Money Manager LLCStephanie Gripne

University of Colorado Leeds School of BusinessAmy Grossman

REMAX Southeast, Inc.Joe Guerriero

ViaWestKatina Gundersen Hamann

Point B Inc.Eric Gutknecht

Continental SausageJim Guttau

Guttau PRChris HaeckCollegeInvest

Erica HagemanRe/Max MomentumMarianne HallinanHogan Lovells US LLPAdam Hasemeyer

SpireMediaChristine Hayes

Ryley Carlock & ApplewhiteCorey Hayes

The1stMovementJohn Herrera

Adolfson & Peterson ConstructionKip Hertzenberg

Morgan Stanley Smith BarneyBrian Higgins

Raw ArchitectureStephanie Hinkle - Geller

JW Marriott Denver Cherry CreekBrooke Hipp

Anton Collins Mitchell LLPDenise Hoff man

Mastin Hoff man & Crews PCJayson Holland

RE/MAX SoutheastErnest House

Lt. Governor’s Offi ceShara Hubert

Acumen ContractingStephan HumeBand DynamicsAlex Hasulak

Love Grown FoodsRachel Hymbaugh

ViaWest, Inc.James Iacino

Seattle Fish CompanyMark Isakson

Pinnacol AssuranceJennifer Jaskolka-Brown

White and Steele PCBrandon Johnson

Johnson Financial GroupStefanie Jones

Stefanie Jones Public Relations, Inc.Tasha Jones

Forest City Stapleton, Inc.Kris Jordan

Garvin’s Sewer ServiceElizabeth Jumel

Jumel PR Brian Jumps

Lathrop & Gage LLPScott KaplanOmni Financial

Peter KarpinskiSage Restaurant Group

Matt KaspariKaspo

Brian KaytonEnt Federal Credit Union

Pam KeilyPK Strategies

R. Livingston KeithleyKelly, Stacy & Rita, LLC

Jehromee (Shebon) KelinColorado Technical University

Koree Khongphand-BuckmanHogan Lovells US LLP

Pam Kielypkstrategies, llcMichael King

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLPTaylor KirkpatrickBabson Farms Inc.

Tamara Kleinbergimaginibbles

Robert Knisely Jr.Cassidy Turley Fuller Real Estate

Justin KnollThe Knoll/Meier Realty Group

Lenee KochLEI Companies, Inc.

Katie KramerBoettcher Foundation

Peter LacisAmadeus ConsultingHeather Laff erty

Habitat for Humanity Metro DenverJerry Lafl en

BKD CPAs & AdvisorsApril LambatosFooters Catering

Ramona LampleyWheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP

Marian “Mimi” LarsenMoye White LLPGenia Larson

University of Colorado at DenverJohn (Jack) LarsonLarson Financial, Inc.

Matt LarsonConfi o SoftwarePamela LarsonBank of The West

Paul LaurieWalking Tree TravelEmily Lawrence

Sympoz, Inc.Chuong Le

The Le Law Group, PCChris Leebelt

Precis E-business SystemsChris Leiser

Pinnacle Real Estate / Wyndham Hotel Group

Jennifer LeitschPrologis

Peter LemireLeyendecker & Lemire, LLC

Kristin LentzDavis Graham & Stubbs LLP

Patricia LepianiThe Idea Marketing

Seth LevineFoundry GroupZackary LewisLiquid Compass

Todd LindenbaumSports Shares

Annelise LoevlieIcelantic

Cathy LoftusBOX Studios

Sarah LoranceWellPoint ‚ parent of Anthem Blue Cross

and Blue Shield in ColoradoMonica Loseman

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPJoseph LubinskiBallard Spahr LLP

Brett LundGevo, Inc.

Travis LutherLaw Father

Michelle LyngHenley Public Aff airs

Melissa Mabe-SabanoshDHR ArchitectureAngie MacPhee

RGL ForensicsMatt Mahoney

BuildMark Project ManagementBrian MankwitzMantucket Capital

Chris ManskeUS Bank

Jennifer Margoles34 Degrees

Kathryn MarshallMarch of Dimes

Everett MartinezPeck, Shaff er & Williams LLP

Tanner MasonRare Space

John-Paul Maxfi eldWaste FarmersChris McCall

NexGen StorageNed McClainAppliedTrustJill McClure

Colorado Oil & Gas AssociationAshley McCurrach

American Heart AssociationChip McKeever

Denver Agency CompanyDavid McLain

Higgins Hopkins McLain & RoswellJill McLain

J2T Recruiting Consultants Inc.Michael McLin

Maxim Consulting GroupFrank McNulty

Grimshaw & Harring, PCBrad McQueen

EKS&HSusan MeeskeHastings College

Elizabeth MeierBryan Cave HRO

Myles MendozaDFER

Kevin MenzieSlice of Lime

Jose Mercado Historic Elitch Theatre

Jonathan MillerParsonex

Matt MillerAcumen Contracting Group

Jay MitchellMotum, LLC

Erik MitisekNext Great PlaceCarl Mittleman

ARAMARKSean Moore

North HighlandJeff Morain

Zarlengo Raub LLPDavid Morgan

Morgan Stanley Smith BarneyAlana Morris

VOCA PRGeorge Morris

ImulusJames Muchmore

Messner & Reeves, LLCRyan Nataluk

Stantec ConsultingJennifer Nealson

Trust Company of AmericaJim Nottingham

Berenbaum Weinshienk PC Wendy O’Donovan Philips

Big Buzz BrandsJohn Olenberger

Colorado Independent Consultants Network

Chris OlsonOE Construction Corporation

Brian OndreCummins Rocky Mountain

Monica OwensOwens Public Aff airs, LLC

Monica OwensStarboard Group

Marcus PachnerThe Pachner Company

Lucia PadillaCenturyLink (formerly Qwest)

Reid PageLong+Page LLP

Murugan PalaniXcel Energy

Bethany S. Parker SquareTwo Financial

Brian ParksDistinguished Programs Group

Shannon ParsonsFitzmartin Consulting

Regan PetersenFitzgerald Petersen Communications, Inc.

Eric PetersonColorado State Bank and Trust

Wendy PhillipsBig Buzz BrandsMatthew Pluss

Ryley Carlock & ApplewhiteBrian Pontarelli

Inversoft Inc.Theresa Preston

Plato’s Closet and MyHandleBarManny Puentes

Lijit NetworksMichael Pytel

NIMBLKelly Quann

Colorado Innovation Network and Deloitte Consulting

Josh Radoff YR&G

Cyrus RajabiJones & Keller, PCTeju Ravilochan

The Unreasonable InstituteJeremy Records

Central DevelopmentMolly RectorSpectra Logic

Kris ReedKilpatrick Townsend & Stockton

Aileen ReillyEncore on ColfaxKathryn Reilly

Husch Blackwell LLPJohn Reinsma

Weston Solutions, Inc.Meshach Rhoades

Kutak Rock LLP / Century LinkMikaela Rivera

Waas Campbell Rivera Johnson & Velasquez LLP

Randy RobertsKendall, Koenig & Oelsner PC

Judson RobertsonNewmark Knight Frank Frederick Ross

Kelly RodriguezGrant Thornton

Rafael RodriguezHeinrich Marketing/Hispanidad

Andrew RonchettiLiquid CompassMelissa Rosas

Apex DesignEvan Rothstein

Dorsey & Whitney LLPDoug Sawyer

Perkins Coie LLPCollin Schaafsma

Quick Left, Inc.Samuel Schimek

I HEART Denver StoreAdam Schlegel

SnoozeJon Schlegel

SnoozeTimothy Schmieding

DeloitteMark Schumacher

Roxborough Capital ManagementJosh Scott

Sympoz, Inc.Timothy Scott

Wallace Scott, PCBecky Seidel

Leaff er Law GroupKatie Seyl

FirstBank of ColoradoMichelin Sharp

JanusVictoria ShaughnessyMy Enchanted Birthday

Amy ShermanNorthwest Douglas County Economic

Development CorpRyan ShirleyEide Bailly LLPMargie Sims

ViaWestDavid Sinkey

Boulder Creek BuildersElena Sirpolaidis

EON Offi ceLem Smith

Encana Oil and Gas (USA), Inc.Tyler Smith

Cassidy Turley Fuller Real EstatePatrick SmythDenver Broncos

Julissa SotoAmerican Diabetes Association

Krista SprengerLend Lease

Aynsley StephensonTennyson Center

Tim StreebLinhart Public Relations

Kristin StrohmKristin and Katie - Starboard Group

Kris SwansonMarquam Group

Robert SwansonRAS & AssociatesKristen SweatBaker HostetlerJosh Swihart

Aspenware Internet Solutions, Inc.Amanda Thompson

Belcorp, USAJay Tiftickjian

Tiftickjian Law Firm, PCSarah Tomicich

AlloSourceDavid Toy

Hogan LovellsRhett Trees

PGA TOUR CLUBChase TurnerDaniels Fund

Matthew TurnerMorningStar Senior Living

Vince Van HeukelemColorado Hardscapes, Inc.

Matt Van SistineManagement & Training Resources, LLC

Spenser VillwockIndependent Electrical Contractors

– Rocky MountainBrian Wagner

Bradley Consulting Group, PCJeremy Walker

Colorado Technical UniversityAaron Wallace

Schomp AutomotiveTodd Walsh

The Colorado Group, Inc.Cashin White

JPMorganChaseKristin White

Jackson Kelly PLLCJanice Whittleton

CORHIOScott Wickberg

Wick CreativeDeirdre Wildman Toltz

Catering by DesignMarie Williams

Faegre Baker Daniels LLPShawna Williams

Innovative Career Consulting, Inc.Eric Wilson

The CPI GroupScott Wilson

Lucky Dog Advertising, LLCWade Wilson

Longmont MachiningEdward Wingfi eld

Wingfi eld RealtyJohn Winslow

Gill Capital PartnersPaul Wisor

Sherman & Howard, LLCMark Witkiewicz

Corporex Colorado, LLCMatthew Wolf

Allen & Vellone, PCHeather Woodward

Porter Adventist HospitalAndy WorkcomCables

Dave WrightSolidFire

Erin WrightBonaUS

Russell WurthVerecloud, Inc.Jesse Yuran

SmashBurger, LLCKyle Zeppelin

Zeppelin Development/TaxiRobyn Zolman

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Congratulations to our 2012 nominees!

Platinum sponsors:



R. Livingston KeithleyTitle: Trial attorney Company: Kelly, Stacy & Rita LLCAge: 36Key civic affi liations: Boy Scouts of America, Regis Jesuit High School

Do you know a Boy Scout? “Chances are, you’re probably connected to Boy Scouts in some way or another,” R. Livingston Keithley said.

Keithley, 36, is a trial attorney by day — but an Eagle Scout at heart, serving as Frontier District chairman for Denver. He earned his rank before turning 18, and still lives true to the ideals of Boy Scout law: Be trust-worthy, loyal, courteous and cheerful, among other things. Keithley said being a Boy Scout taught him how to be a more rounded and complete individual.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for boys at any age from any socioeconomic level to be responsible citizens and adults,” said Keithley. “As a volunteer, I can see so much progress in the boys.”

At work, Keithley handles business litigation, with clients that include area businesses and Fortune 500 companies. He’s been practicing law for eight years, and was just made partner at Kelly, Stacy & Rita LLC in January.

The law comes naturally to Keithley. Both of his parents are retired Colo-rado judges, and his grandfather was a Colorado attorney general.

A husband and father of two, Keithley has performed pro bono work every year since fi nishing his clerkship at the Colorado Court of Appeals for Judge John Daniel Dailey.

“I like being able to assist folks who couldn’t otherwise aff ord legal representation,” Keithley says.

— Brooke Way

My favorite movie is “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Keithley says he loved the Star Wars Episode V as a kid and even did a minor thesison it in college, just because it was such a fun movie.

Shebon KelinTitle: Director of admissionsCompany: Colorado Technical UniversityAge: 37Key civic affi liations: Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of

Commerce, Native Link

Shebon Kelin’s plan was to get his real estate license after college. But after taking a turn as an admissions adviser upon graduation, he found his true niche.

Kelin is director of admissions for Colorado Technical Uni-versity’s Westminster and Aurora campuses. He oversees 20 employees, serving a combined student population of 1,200.

He graduated from Fort Lewis College with a bachelor’s degree in English and communications. He moved to Chicago to sell real estate after college, but moved back to Denver in 2003. Kelin has been with Colorado Technical University for three years.

Kelin, a Native American (Caddo Nation tribe), is on the board of directors of the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce (RMICC), and is also a member of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Impact Denver Class.

A husband and father of two, Kelin founded Native Link in 2011, a program that will provide internship opportunities for Native American high school and college students at Denver-area Native American-owned businesses through RMICC starting this year.

Kelin said the high school graduation rate for Colorado Native American students was around 50 percent in 2011. He wants to raise that percentage through Native Link, by giving Native American students real-world work experience to keep them motivated through graduation.

— Brooke Way

My favorite movie is “The Shawshank Redemption.”Kelin says he loves the story line of the movie and the high level of integrity shown by some of the characters.


Lenee KochTitle: Vice president and co-founderCompany: LEI Companies Inc.Age: 37Key civic affi liations: Construction

Empowerment Initiative, Hispanic Contractors of Colorado

Owning a business with her brother has been a fun and rewarding experi-ence for Lenee Koch.

They own Denver-based LEI Compa-nies Inc., a Denver-based construction business. Koch started LEI in 2002 with her brother, Brandon Berumen. The business has grown every year since, and now has 75 employees.

LEI’s revenues increased by more than 35 percent in 2010, and by another 15 percent in 2011.

The Denver native grew up around the construction business. Koch’s parents owned Laser Electric Inc., a con-struction company, for 25 years. That’s what LEI Companies is named after.

Koch, 37, is co-chair of the Construc-tion Empowerment Initiative (CEI) advi-sory committee, a program that focuses on improving and monitoring minority and women-owned construction busi-nesses in Denver. Former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper appointed her to the committee in 2003.

She helps CEI because she saw the impact it had on her parents, and she’s passionate about advancing the role of both women and minorities in business.

Koch said women are still a minority in the construction industry.

She believes it’s important to follow your passion.

“Have the confi dence to walk into a room and exude that professionalism and desire, “ Koch said. “Once you are convinced, it’s really not that hard to convince others.”

Koch, who’s married and has three children, graduated from the University of Denver in 1996 with a degree in real estate and construction management.

— Brooke Way

My favorite movie is “Titanic.”For Koch, the movie was more than a love story. She said the strength shown by the character Rose was not common for a woman in that day and age. “It gives me inspiration to be strong,” she says.

My favorite movie is “What Dreams May Come.”

Lampley says she was impressed by the movie’s moving cinematography depicting perceptions of heaven and hell, and the story line about love and perseverance.

Ramona LampleyTitle: Trial attorneyCompany: Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell

LLPAge: 34Key civic affi liations: The Gather-

ing Place, Denver Kids Inc., Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Ramona Lampley is passionate about her involvement with The Gathering Place, Denver’s only daytime shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Lampley chairs its board of directors. She also helps there in the kitchen, and works on planning and fundraising campaigns.

“It is so important to maintain a healthy perspective in life,” Lampley said. “I see women and children who are struggling to meet their daily needs, and it reminds me that I need to be grateful.”

The North Carolina native moved

to Denver in 2005, after earning her degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2004.

She returned to Wake Forest to teach classes in evidence and capital punish-ment as an associate professor from 2007-2008.

“It was a really nice opportunity to combine teaching with my practice,” Lampley said. “It made me a stronger lawyer.”

She’s been a trial attorney at Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP since 2005, and handles business litigation, medical malpractice and other cases.

She gave more than 300 hours of pro bono time to challenge the state’s use of direct record electronic voting machines in 2007. She was able to show that voting machines hadn’t been tested properly, and there was no guar-antee votes would be counted properly.

Lampley, married, has a daughter who’s almost 2.

— Brooke Way



John-Paul Maxfi eldTitle: FounderCompany: Waste Farmers Age: 31 Key civic affi liations: Denver Seeds, Rocky Mountain MS

Center, Impact Denver

John-Paul Maxfi eld believes that sustainable agriculture can help meet growing food demand while also decreasing environmental damage.

He founded Waste Farmers, a Denver-based craft manu-facturer of organic soil and fertilizers for urban and organic farmers, as well as organic gardening enthusiasts, in 2009.

Maxfi eld calls Waste Farmers a “microbe brewery” that creates healthier soils, which in turn produces healthier plants and communities.

“There’s a fundamental connection that we have to the soil, and we need to start replenishing it,” Maxfi eld said.

Maxfi eld always has been passionate about the land. He said his grandfather, a Wyoming rancher, was an innovator in agriculture and is his personal hero.

The Colorado native graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2003. Then he traveled to Botswana to study wildlife and conservation.

Maxfi eld said Waste Farmers’ profi t has grown an average of 310 percent for three consecutive years.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock appointed Maxfi eld to work with Denver Seeds, which supports local food produc-tion and small-business growth, with the goal of raising awareness about sustainable food practices in Denver.

— Brooke Way

Jill McClureTitle: Chief operating offi cerCompany: Colorado Oil & Gas AssociationAge: 38Key civic affi liations: Park Hill Parents, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Dress for

Success Denver, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

Jill McClure’s job has plenty of variety.The chief operating offi cer for the Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA)

oversees the organization’s communications, marketing and membership, fi nance, human resources and outreach activities. She also helps develop education campaigns and social-media strategies.

McClure welcomes the challenge. “I love the variety of my job, it’s my favorite part,” she said. “Every day is diff erent, and things are always chang-ing.” She’s been with COGA for fi ve years.

The Mississippi native moved to Denver in 2007, after working as a consul-tant for Fortune 500 companies, such as Dell Inc. in Texas.

McClure and her husband moved to Denver when she was pregnant with her fi rst child, and started Park Hill Parents in 2008, a social group dedicated to helping new parents form friendships and relationships in the Park Hill area. More than 180 families are involved.

McClure helped launch the Energy Generation Leadership Program at COGA in 2012, which is designed to help young professionals develop as industry leaders.

She graduated with a master’s degree in advertising and public relations from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002.

The Mississippi Business Journal named McClure to its Forty under 40 list when she was 25. That newspaper also named her to its Mississippi’s 50 Lead-ing Business Women list both in 1999 and 2000, when she owned her own advertising agency.

— Brooke Way

My favorite movie is “Stop Making Sense.”“I’m a musician at heart,” says Maxfi eld about his movie choice, a fi lm based on a Talking Heads concert which opens with a solitary guitar player on stage, building to the whole band by the end. The progression of the movie is how he sees his business’s growth.

My favorite movie is “The Descendants.”The movie, set in Hawaii, has a beautiful setting, says McClure, who liked the themes of forgiveness, redemp-tion and family. And it was a movie with humor, as well, she says.


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Frank McNultyTitle: Speaker of the House, attorney Company: Colorado General Assembly, and Grimshaw & Harring

PC Age: 39Key civic affi liations: Colorado State Bar Association, Highland’s

Ranch Community Association, Saint Mark’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus

Frank McNulty, a Republican, was unanimously elected as Colo-rado’s Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2010. He also serves as vice chair of both the Legislative Council and Executive Committee, and represents District 43, based in Highlands Ranch.

McNulty grew up in Jeff erson County and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in political science. After working with Colorado’s Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard in Washington, D.C., he returned to Denver and graduated with a de-gree from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law in 2001.

In 2000, McNulty served as assistant director for water for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources in Gov. Bill Owens’ ad-ministration. There, he helped pass a key piece of legislation that facilitates the fair distribution of water in Colorado.

“Water is such a rare commodity here in Colorado,” said McNulty, 39. He’s passionate about the environment, education and promot-ing small-business growth.

McNulty is an attorney at Grimshaw & Harring PC in Denver, where he advises clients about water and natural-resources poli-cies in Colorado.

The legislator is involved in community organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization dedicated to public and community service.

— Brooke Way

My favorite movie is “Tombstone.”There’s nothing better than a new Western fi lmed like an old Western, says McNulty.



Myles MendozaTitle: Senior partnerCompany: Democrats for Education Reform (DFER)Age: 39Key civic affi liations: Denver Health Foundation, Level One Society, Latinos

for Education Reform

Myles Mendoza has been a philanthropic leader in metro Denver since moving here from Chicago in 2002 to be the pediatric HIV program director at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

He’s worked especially to improve education and children’s health, serving on the boards of groups such as the Denver Health Foundation and ColoradoAssociation for School-Based Health Care. He assisted in the creation of the Level One Society, an affi liate of the foundation, “because of a heartfelt con-nection to providing care to the underprivileged in Denver,” according to the society. Mendoza helped develop the Latinos for Education Reform advocacy group as well.

During his tenure as development director for the Denver Scholarship Foun-dation, Mendoza helped raise more than $62 million for college scholarships for Denver Public Schools graduates and attract 80 volunteers to work on projects. His current position with DFER “merges his love of politics with his love of edu-cation, both of which are deeply about community. … He has had a big impact on the Denver community,” according to his Forty Under 40 nomination.

Away from work, Mendoza is married to an emergency-room doctor and is the father of three sons. He’s been involved with the Laboratory of Art and Ideas think tank, which now is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Den-ver, and supported several charter schools. Mendoza has been on the boards of the West Denver and Rocky Mountain preparatory charter schools.

— Paula Moore

Sean MooreTitle: Senior managerCompany: The North Highland Co.Age: 35Key civic affi liations: The Ryan Gibson Foundation, Love Hope Strength,

Colorado Scholarship Coalition, Habitat for Humanity

An interest in world cultures and education has spilled over into both Sean Moore’s work and volunteer lives. Family members’ struggles with cancer and the loss of a good friend to leukemia prompted his involvement in cancer-fi ghting eff orts.

As senior manager at the Denver offi ce of Atlanta-based global consulting fi rm The North Highland Co., Moore advises clients on eff orts such as customer relationship management, merger integration and business intelligence. He helped Samsonite International S.A.’s Latin American region implement the SAP business management software solution, and assisted Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) with a pricing strategy for its $15 billion merger with Wachovia Corp.

“Sean is one of our brightest up-and-comers. … His unique combination of strategic insight and executive presence makes him invaluable to our opera-tion,” said Greg Marchese, vice president of North Highland’s Denver offi ce.

Moore previously held senior positions at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCooper LLP, and earned a B.B.A. degree in fi nance and man-agement information systems from Southern Methodist University. He has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and South America, and is fl uent in Spanish.

Moore helped launch The Ryan Gibson Foundation of Dallas, named for a college friend who died of leukemia, to raise money to fi nd a cure for the dis-ease. In 2007, he helped start Love Hope Strength, a global charity that orga-nizes musical concerts to raise funds for cancer care. The group’s Everest Rocks II event will be held Nov. 25-Dec. 13 at Mount Everest base camp in Nepal.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Waiting for Superman.”The documentary focused on inequities in the public education system was personal for Mendoza, who says he’s spent his career working on behalf of disadvantaged kids. Currently, he says, he’s working in 12 states to reform policies so the “kids come fi rst.”

My favorite movie is “Pulp Fiction.”The fi lm is “super-cerebral,” says Moore, with great plot twists, character development “like I’ve never seen before,” incredible dialogue and, of course, lots of action.


Monica OwensTitle: FounderCompany: Owens Public Aff airsAge: 29Key civic affi liations: Alzheimer’s Aware, Volunteers of America,

Developmental Pathways, Association for Retarded Citizens, YMCA

As the daughter of former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, Monica Owens has public service in her blood. Before launching her own company, Owens Public Aff airs of Denver, at the start of 2012, Owens was with local political consulting fi rms Phase Line Strategies LLC and Starboard Group.

She also spent time in the political trenches, working as fi nance assistant to Colorado Republican Pete Coors during his 2004 U.S. Senate run and as scheduler for U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Washington, D.C., from 2005-07. Owens was the youngest Colorado delegate, at 25, at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

“Monica Owens rises to the top of exemplary leadership and commit-ment to her profession and community. … She comes to her pursuits with a natural ease, but then brings her own charm and intellect to achieve success,” said her Forty Under 40 nomination.

Owens’ volunteer eff orts include currently serving as one of the young-est members of the Colorado Ballet board of trustees. Her other com-munity involvement includes Young Professional Chair of Developmental Pathways Inc. and board member for the Cancer League. She has helped organize events such as Volunteers of America’s Red Wine & Seafood fund-raiser and the Association for Retarded Citizens’ Angels Gala, and done missionary work at an orphanage in Nicaragua.

Owens holds a master’s degree in public aff airs from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a bachelor of science degree in psychology and criminology from Colorado State University.

— Paula Moore

Brian OndreTitle: Vice president of operationsCompany: Cummins Rocky Mountain LLCAge: 38Key civic affi liations: Goodwill Industries of Denver, Tennyson Center for

Children

Brian Ondre has racked up quite a few accomplishments in his relatively short career. At 27, he was the youngest executive at General Motors Corp.’s (NYSE: GM) former assembly plant in Pontiac, Mich., where he was a produc-tion superintendent. “GM taught me leadership,” Ondre said.

Ondre is the youngest North American vice president of operations for engine manufacturer Cummins Inc., holding that job at Broomfi eld-based Cummins Rocky Mountain LLC. He also was the fi rst Cummins Rocky Moun-tain exec to win the parent company’s Chairman’s Award for strategic proj-ects and Six Sigma excellence in 2004. The same year, Ondre earned an MBA in entrepreneurship and fi nance from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Goodwill Industries of Denver named Ondre to its board of directors in 2011, saying it’s happy to have his “extensive operations experience” and “business acumen” helping it create a new mission, vision and objectives.

Ondre attributes his Midwestern roots, and his parents’ strong values and work ethic, for much of his success. “My parents set the groundwork for what is truly important in life. … Nothing is given to you; you make your own luck,” Ondre said.

He has volunteered with Goodwill’s youth services programs the last few years, working on career panels, portfolio reviews and mock interviews at Denver-area high schools. He also has been a mentor at the Tennyson Center for Children.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “The Big Lebowski.”The fi lm is “hysterically written,” says Ondre, and every time he watches it he gets something diff erent out of it. It’s a good way to take a break, he says, and taking a break can help keep you in balance. “It’s hard to be a good husband or do good at work if you don’t have balance.”

My favorite movie is “The American President.”While it’s true women love a good love story, says Owens, the fi lm is political in nature, and she grew up in a political family and now is a political consultant. “It touches my heart and my business side as well.”



Murugan PalaniTitle: Manager, supplier diversityCompany: Xcel Energy Inc. Age: 35Key civic affi liations: Colorado Heri-

tage Camps, Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council, Asian Chamber of Commerce

Murugan Palani’s corporate and volunteer work both revolve around diversity.

As manager of supplier diversity for Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE: XEL) in Denver, Palani helped small and minority-owned businesses do $250 million in business with the Minneapolis-based utility in 2011. “I am a strong believer that the best way to grow our local economy is to grow and support our lo-cal small businesses,” Palani said.

The Denver native chairs the board of the Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council in Denver, after serving as the council’s vice chairman for the past two years. He’s the young-

est person to hold both positions.Palani also is involved with several

Denver-area minority chambers of commerce, sitting on the boards of the Colorado Women’s, Asian and Hispanic chambers. The Asian Chamber named Xcel Energy its Corporation of the Year for 2011, partly because of Palani’s involvement with the organization.

His other volunteer eff orts include being a counselor for Colorado Heritage Camps and a contestant in the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Foundation’s Denver Dancing With the Stars compe-tition. “The best way to be part of the community is to serve the community,” Palani said of such activities.

Palani’s background includes serving as a U.S. Army offi cer in the Iraq War. During his time in the military, as a tank platoon leader and civil aff airs offi cer, Palani was awarded two Bronze Star medals. He holds a business degree from the University of Colorado Denver and an MBA from Webster University.

— Paula Moore

Michael PytelTitle: Co-founder, principalCompany: NIMBL LLCAge: 33Key civic affi liations: Center for

Immigrants and Immigration Services, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Michael Pytel’s passion for comput-ers prompted him to become a guru of the SAP business management soft-ware system and to provide college students with real-world computer experience. It even led him to help victims of abuse in war-torn Africa.

Pytel leads NIMBL LLC’s eff orts with the Denver-based Center for Immi-grants and Immigration Services (CIIS), which provides rehabilitation services to victims of human traffi cking and other abuse, mostly from Africa.

Those eff orts include helping to create and maintain the nonprofi t’s computer infrastructure for keeping client data, and teaching a “Computer 101” course to CIIS clients wanting to learn basic computing skills.

“NIMBL is an incredible resource for

us, and they have dedicated them-selves to helping others succeed,” said Frederick Jayweh, CIIS’ executive director.

Pytel and business partner Yosh Eisbart came up with the idea for their company on a fl ight from Salt Lake City to Denver in late 2008, and were in business the next year.

NIMBL now is a leasing SAP con-sultant to clients that include Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) and Janus Capital Group Inc. (NYSE: JNS). In 2011, the Denver company had more than $5 million in revenue.

Pytel and NIMBL have even taken their “SAP evangelism” to campuses such as Metropolitan State College of Denver. At MSCD, Pytel does guest lecturing, supports the develop-ment of SAP courses and advises the school’s business department about SAP topics.

“Michael sets a powerful leadership example to both his staff and other young business professionals,” said his Forty Under 40 nomination.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Forrest Gump.”It’s a feel-good movie, says Palani, and the character — Forrest Gump — is always trying to do the right thing. He just happens to be at the right place, at the right time, and good things hap-pen to him, Palani says, “And he was in the Army, so that makes it even better.”

My favorite movie is “Rocky.”Rocky is a self-made man, says Pytel, who likens the story line to his profession in the ITprofessional services industry. “Every day my business partner and I go into battle” with larger companies such as IBM, he says. The story of the movie itself — a low-budge fi lm that goes on to gross $225 million worldwide — shows the little guy can succeed, he says.


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Katie ReillyTitle: Senior counselCompany: Husch Blackwell LLPAge: 35Key civic affi liations: Denver Kids Inc., Colorado Bar Association

As an attorney, Katie Reilly has helped diff erent types of business clients — from a manufacturer who received a favorable settlement against a breach of warranty claim to a real estate developer who got a judgment against a title insurance company.

Her philanthropic eff orts are broad as well, from serving on the board of the Denver Kids Inc. to working on pro bono matters and committee work for the Colorado Bar Association and the Colorado Lawyers Committee, which repre-sents indigent individuals and helps to defend their Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Through Denver Kids Inc., she has been mentoring student Henry for the past six years. He is now a 17-year-old junior at Denver West High School.

“With in-the-trenches experience as a mentor, Katie provides great insight into how to continue to build this program and expand the number of mentors … Put simply, she is fi erce in her commitment to kids and Denver Kids, bold in her approach and has the heart to match her commitment,” said Glenna Norvelle, president/CEO of Denver Kids Inc.

Reilly was an honor graduate with both her bachelor of arts degree in English/classics from the University of Virginia and her law degree from New York University School of Law. After law school, she served as a clerk for federal Judge Julia Gibbons of Tennessee. Reilly’s fi rst job as an attorney was at the Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLC law fi rm in Washington, D.C.

“Her combination of intellect, personality, charisma and intensity creates a force, which, in my opinion, will propel her to success as a lawyer and as a val-ued community asset,” said Paul Jacobs, who’s of counsel at Husch Blackwell.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Rocky.”Another “Rocky” fan, Reilly says the main character was the ultimate underdog. As a litigator, she says she’s often fi ghting for the underdog in court. Also, outside of her work, she says she’s drawn to causes that support the disadvantaged whom no one else is fi ghting for. “That’s what I like to do.”



Meshach RhoadesTitle: Of counsel, litigation groupCompany: Kutak Rock LLPAge: 32Key civic affi liations: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Go For It! Educational

Foundation, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, Colorado Center on Law & Policy

For someone only in her early 30s, attorney Meshach Rhoades already has an impressive list of accomplishments.

She graduated at the top of her class for both her undergraduate degree from Regis University and her law degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Rhoades was appointed to Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Department of Regulatory Agencies transition committee and serves on the Denver Latino Commission.

She’s also involved with the Denver, Colorado, National Hispanic and Colorado Hispanic bar associations; Go For It! Educational Foundation; and Colorado Coali-tion for the Homeless.

“Meshach works tirelessly to promote diversity in the legal profession,” said Barbara Brohl, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, who has known Rhoades for several years.

At Kutak Rock LLP, where she started in late 2011, Rhoades specializes in regula-tory, franchise and utilities law, as well as commercial litigation. She previously was with what’s now CenturyLink Inc.’s (NYSE: CTL) legal department and the Denver-based Holland & Hart LLP law fi rm.

At CenturyLink, Rhoades took on a challenging caseload and saved the com-pany hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside legal expenses, according to Andy Crain, vice president of CenturyLink’s legal department. “And she obtained uniformly favorable results. … She is one of the best lawyers I have ever worked with, and one of the best people I know,” Crain said.

— Paula Moore

Kelly RodriguezTitle: Audit partnerCompany: Grant Thornton LLPAge: 39Key civic affi liations: Mile High United Way, Colorado Restaurant

Association, Dolphins Baseball

When Kelly Rodriguez was named audit partner at Denver’s Grant Thornton LLP offi ce in 2010, she became the location’s fi rst female partner. Rodriguez also is one of the fi rm’s top women, as leader of the Women at Grant Thornton mentoring program in Denver.

Started in 2004, Women at Grant Thornton aims to recruit, keep and advance women at the Chicago-based fi rm, and has helped increase the number of female partners by 197 percent since its founding. The women’s program has earned national recognition, as well, from groups such as the American Society of Women Accountants and National Association for Female Executives.

Rodriguez is the hospitality industry practice leader for Grant Thornton in Denver, and has helped make that branch Colorado’s dominant account-ing fi rm for hospitality clients. The CPA also is the national practice leader for the restaurant segment of the fi rm’s entire hospitality practice spread around more than 50 U.S. Grant Thornton offi ces.

One of Rodriguez’s clients is American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC (ABRH), the Denver-based owner of Village Inn, Bakers Square and Max & Erma’s restaurants nationwide. “Our company has experienced the challenge of a restructuring to transition into acquisition mode,” said Anita Adams, ABRH’s CFO. “I have a great amount of respect for her industry knowledge, as well as her work ethic and business perspective. ”

Away from work, Rodriguez serves as board treasurer of Dolphins Base-ball, part of the Douglas County Dolphins Youth Athletic Club Inc.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Rudy.”Rhoades says the fi lm appeals to her because it’s about perseverance and athleticism.

My favorite movie is “Seabiscuit.”“Who doesn’t like a good horse movie?” Rodriguez says, adding she likes the story of the underdog, and in this movie everyone is an underdog in one way or another. They’re “good people trying to get through hard times, and it ended up working out fabulously for everyone.”


Melissa RosasTitle: PartnerCompany: Apex Design PCAge: 34Key civic affi liations: Circle of Latina Leadership, Academia Ana

Marie Sandoval Montessori school

Melissa Rosas’ road to professional success has taken her to a career dominated by men and to one of Colorado’s largest transportation eff orts, the $2.1 billion Eagle P3 commuter-rail project. The new rail system is part of metro Denver’s huge, $8 billion FasTracks transporta-tion expansion program.

A partner at Denver transportation engineering fi rm Apex Design PC, Rosas is lead traffi c engineer for the Eagle P3, now under construc-tion and scheduled for completion in 2016. The project is especially important because it fi nally will link downtown Denver to Denver International Airport by rail.

In only three years, Rosas has helped build Apex’s traffi c engineering and planning practice to half the fi rm’s business.

Rosas also fi nds time to be active in the Colorado/Wyoming Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, currently chairing the group’s scholarship and career guidance committee. The professional organization named her its Transportation Professional of the Year for 2010.

The engineer’s other educational involvement includes leading the fundraising committee at the Academia Ana Marie Sandoval Spanish-English Montessori school in Denver and volunteering for the Her-manitas (Little Sisters) mentoring program for high-risk Latina girls in middle school. She also graduated from the Institute for Mestiza Leadership’s year-long Circle of Latina Leadership Program.

— Paula Moore

Rafael RodriguezTitle: Account services supervisorCompany: HispanidadAge: 38Key civic affi liations: Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver, Boy

Scouts of America, Aurora Youth League, Arapahoe Little League

Rafael Rodriguez has hit a home run with his life in more ways than one. He coaches baseball for two kids’ sports groups — the Aurora Youth League and Arapahoe Little League — and has risen to account services supervisor at Denver’s Hispanidad marketing fi rm.

Rodriguez’s leadership has helped build Hispanidad, a division of Denver-based Heinrich Marketing Inc., into a national force in Hispanic marketing, according to the company. He has led account teams for clients such as Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), FirstBank, Colorado Department of Transportation and INOBTR (I Know Better), a public-private partnership that works to prevent children from being victims of Internet crime.

The ad man, who’s of Dominican and Colombian heritage, has served on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver’s marketing and communica-tions committee since 2007, and helped with the chamber’s recent rebranding eff ort. Rodriguez also is involved with a chamber mentoring committee called Today’s Emerging Latino Leaders. The chamber named him Young Professional of the Year in 2011, citing his business success and involvement with groups that promote Hispanic business development as reasons for the award.

Rodriguez also is active at his alma mater, Metropolitan State College of Denver, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in marketing. Rodriguez was appointed to the college’s business advisory committee in 2010, where he often gives the Hispanic business-perspective on issues.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Gladiator.”The main character was a man who fell from the top, says Rodrigues, and they tried to break his spirit, but in the end he gave himself up for the greater good.

My favorite movie is “Amélie.”“The main character is very whimsical, fun, good spirited,” says Rosas, adding Amélie liked doing good-natured things for people behind the scenes without getting recognized for them.



Patrick SmythTitle: Executive director of media relationsCompany: Denver BroncosAge: 29Key civic affi liations: Tim Tebow Foundation, Dreams Come True, Boys

& Girls Clubs of Metro Denver

Scores of Denver Bronco fans would love to have Patrick Smyth’s job. As the highest-ranking member of the football team’s media and

public relations department, Smyth spends a lot of time with players, including Tim Tebow. He works closely with the quarterback’s Tim Tebow Foundation as well as the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Dreams Come True nonprofi t, which partners with the foundation to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

Smyth also is in charge of promoting all National Football League and team community initiatives, including working with the NFL Man of the Year award program, local player appearances and the Broncos’ involvement with groups such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. “The respect he has earned from his peers, the people in the organiza-tion and those he works with in the media is unprecedented,” said his nomination.

Smyth’s job involves tasks as varied as producing the team’s media guide to communicating with Broncos execs such as owner/CEO Pat Bowlen, President Joe Ellis and John Elway, executive vice president of football operations. He directs a staff involved in local as well as national media coverage of the team, and leads its social-media eff orts.

Smyth joined the Broncos after graduating from the University of Florida, where he spent three years in the Gators’ sports information department. He was promoted to be the Broncos’ executive director of media relations in early 2010.

— Paula Moore

Amy ShermanTitle: PresidentCompany: Northwest Douglas County Economic Development Corp.Age: 38Key civic affi liations: St. Anthony’s Health Foundation, Roxborough

Women’s Network, Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry

Amy Sherman has managed in recent years to be a mom to twins, help launch the Northwest Douglas County Economic Development Corp. (NDCEDC) and participate in community groups such as the Roxborough Women’s Network.

Sherman’s Forty Under 40 nomination describes her as having Meryl Streep’s beauty, Diane Keaton’s sense of humor and Eleanor Roosevelt’s diplomacy.

As the NDCEDC’s fi rst president, Sherman is helping to get the new 3,400-acre, $4.4 billion Sterling Ranch master-planned community built by mobilizing business, government and community leaders to get behind it. She did similar work as CEO of the West Chamber Serving Jef-ferson County, where she helped re-energize the business community in that area.

“Amy Sherman exemplifi es the ingenuity and passion of an emerging young leader,” said Tom Clark, CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Devel-opment Corp. and executive vice president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. “Her work in economic development — to create jobs and a sustainable community — impacts the region’s economic health and vitality.”

Sherman’s community involvement has included serving on the boards of the Wheat Ridge Rotary, Denver West Kiwanis Club, St. Anthony Health Foundation and the Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry (CACI).

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Titanic.”Sherman says the fi lm is not only a great love story, but tells a lot about the history of the era, and she was intrigued by all the connections to Denver with the Molly Brown character.

My favorite movie is “Miracle.”The fi lm based on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and its medal-round victory over thefavored Soviet Union team is about overcoming extraordinary odds, says Smyth, and “celebrates the way that sports can bring people together.”


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Julissa SotoTitle: Director of Latino initiativesCompany: American Diabetes Associa-

tionAge: 39Key civic affi liations: Denver Founda-

tion, Inner City Health Center, Colorado Minority Health Forum

Soto’s boosters call her “one of Colo-rado’s great treasures” for her contribu-tions to minority health care.

As director of Latino initiatives for the local branch of the American Diabe-tes Association, Soto has developed programs aimed at preventing prob-lems that can lead to heart disease and diabetes. Those initiatives include Por Tu Familia (For Your Family’s Sake) and Ven-tanillas de Salud (Windows to Health).

Soto emigrated to the United States nearly 20 years ago from the state of Michoacan in central Mexico, so she un-derstands the health needs of Colorado Latinos and the importance of reaching out to them.

Her outreach eff orts have included

hosting a radio show, leading exercise groups and teaching nutrition to young soccer players.

Before joining the diabetes asso-ciation, Soto did community work for groups such as the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Hep (Hepa-titis) C Connection of Denver, Hospice of Metro Denver Inc. and CollegeInvest. She created the Alzheimer’s Association Latino Family Dementia program.

Soto’s other community involvement includes serving on the board of the Inner City Health Center and being a member of the Denver Foundation’s Health Advisory Committee. She’s a past vice president of the Colorado Minority Health Forum.

For her eff orts, Soto has won honors such as the Latino Research and Policy Center (of the University of Colorado Denver) Dia de la Mujer Latino Cour-age and Valor Award for 2005 and the Colorado Public Health Association’s Dr. Virgilio Licona Award for outstanding contributions to minority health care in 2003.

—Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “In the Time of Butterfl ies.”

The fi lm is about three, strong Latina women who wanted to live for freedom, says Soto, “and that’s what I stand for. I stand for fairness, justice and family.”



Jeremy WalkerTitle: Regional director of operationsCompany: Colorado Technical Uni-

versityAge: 38Key civic affi liations: Student Veter-

ans Organization, Cherry Creek School District, Greenwood Village Chamber of Commerce

Jeremy Walker knows a lot about hard work.

As a kid growing up on his family’s Michigan dairy farm, he got up at 4:30 a.m. to milk cows before going to school. He was an all-state wrestler in high school and later served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he made the All-Marine Wrestling Team.

As regional director of operations for Colorado Technical University, Walker oversees all processes, manages the technology infrastructure and identi-fi es areas of opportunities at CTU’s four campuses in the state. Those campuses are located in Aurora, Westminster, Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

“After 12 years at Colorado Technical University … Jeremy has built a reputa-tion as a motivational and energetic leader, and demonstrates a skill set ranging from accounting to project management,” his nomination said.

Walker’s other CTU eff orts include leading the relocation of the Denver South campus to Aurora from the Den-ver Tech Center. In 2010, he launched a Student Success Center in metro Denver to better support both online students and those who attend campus classes.

Because of his military service, Walker works closely with students who are military veterans by acting as faculty adviser to the CTU Student Veterans Organization (SVO) chapter. In that capacity, he makes vets aware of benefi ts and resources available to help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

Walker also has been involved with the Greenwood Village Chamber of Commerce and the Cherry Creek School District.

— Paula Moore

Deirdre Wildman ToltzTitle: Event designerCompany: Catering by DesignAge: 36Key civic affi liations: Denver’s Road

Home, Children’s Hospital Foundation, Downtown Denver Partnership Inc.

Those who know Deirdre Wildman Toltz say she has the mind of a Fortune 500 CEO, but the creative nature that makes her perfect for a career in event planning.

As director of Denver-based Cater-ing by Design’s byDesign Global event production arm, Wildman Toltz designs and executes elaborate events held by corporations, nonprofi t groups and individuals. Her job requires varied skills, from creating tantalizing menus to managing multiple vendors.

Wildman Toltz describes herself as a hospitalitarian — “someone who sup-ports, advocates and practices the hos-pitality doctrine through philanthropy, culinary arts and event sciences.”

Her civic affi liations include work-ing with Denver’s Road Home, acting

as chief fundraiser for Freedom for a Firefi ghter, and serving on the hospi-tality and community development committees for the 2010 Biennial of the Americas international event held in Denver. She also has done fundraising for the Children’s Hospital Foundation and been a board member at Green-wood Elementary School.

She’s a longtime member of the Downtown Denver Partnership Inc. and a participant in the DDP’s 2012 Leader-ship Denver class. She serves on the partnership’s economic development committee as well.

Also an entrepreneur, Wildman Toltz owns and operates an Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta restaurant in Denver’s West High-land neighborhood, and is an active member of the Highlands Merchants Association.

“Her dedication and passion for her work, family and community genuinely mean something to the people around her, and make a diff erence in the way her peers look at what their businesses are doing,” Wildman Toltz’s nomination said.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Vision Quest.”“I was an athlete in high school and college,” says Walker. This wrestling movie, he says, is about a guy who had a vision about what he wanted to obtain and who went for it.

My favorite movie is “Breakfast at Tiff any’s.”Wildman Toltz says she loves the character of Holly Golightly. “I like that she lives to the beat of her own drum, fl ies by the seat of her pants and drinks champagne before breakfast.”


Erin WrightTitle: Vice president of human resourcesCompany: Bona USAge: 35Key civic affi liations: March of Dimes, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Mountain

States Employers Council Inc.

Bona US attributes its growth in recent years partly to Erin Wright’s leadership. The American company, whose headquarters is in Aurora, is part of Bona AB, a Swedish hardwood fl oor-care and maintenance company.

As vice president of human resources for Bona US, Wright directs, coordinates and manages the company’s HR teams in the United States and Latin America. She has instituted best practices that have allowed the company to expand from a small to midsized business. She created two leadership programs to strengthen employee engagement and team building, as well as a pay-for-performance compensation program to encourage employees to perform better and be more accountable for their work.

“Erin’s ability to put the right processes in place at the right time has enabled Bona to grow and nurture its staff without overstaffi ng or growing too fast,” said her nomination. “She also cares about the health of the employees at Bona so much that she initiated a dedicated wellness program.”

Wright’s community eff orts include working with the March of Dimes to improve the health of babies and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure nonprofi t, the country’s largest breast-cancer charity. She’s been involved with the Parker Food Bank, rais-ing money and reviewing résumés of people trying to get back into the workforce. The exec regularly participates in programs at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial.

Wright also is the treasurer of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, helping the girls develop leadership and communications skills as well as give back to the com-munity.

— Paula Moore

Edward Wingfi eldTitle: Broker/ownerCompany: Wingfi eld RealtyAge: 32Key civic affi liations: Urban League, Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce

A high school girlfriend’s father introduced Ed Wingfi eld to the real estate busi-ness as a career option, and now he has his own residential brokerage fi rm, Wingfi eld Realty of Aurora.

The Aurora native’s path to entrepreneurship was long, starting with getting away from his broken home and going into foster care as a child. In school, Wingfi eld became involved in helping other kids, including special education students. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Wyoming on a football scholarship for a few years and later earned a fi nance degree with honors from Regis University in Denver.

Wingfi eld obtained his real estate license at age 20 and went to work for Keller Williams Realty Inc. as an agent. Ten years ago, he became broker/owner of his own company.

“Ed understands that leadership is a marathon, not a sprint,” said his nomination. “Not only has he been successful in business, community service and political service, but more importantly, he has helped many others along the way and has taken the time to make a diff erence.”

The businessman got involved in politics at an early age, and has worked on the campaigns of Colorado Rep. Angela Williams, D-Denver, and Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. He was appointed to Gov. John Hickenlooper’s transition team in 2010, and recently was asked to lead the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Con-nect leadership program. Wingfi eld also belongs to the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, which promotes economic and social self-reliance among disadvantaged African-Americans.

—Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “The Five Heartbeats.”

My favorite movie is “Grease.”

The fi lm tells the story of fi ve musicians over a 30-year period who are looking to make it big, says Wingfi eld. They go through a number of trials and tribulations, and in the end they come out on the “right side,” he says. “My dad is also a musician from that era,” and so it always reminds him of his dad.

“I’m a sucker for musicals,” says Wright . This fi lm has a happy ending and is a lot of fun along the way, she says.



Kyle ZeppelinTitle: PrincipalCompany: Zeppelin Development Inc.Age: 39Key civic affi liations: RiNo Neighbors,

RiNo Yacht Club, Colorado Creative Industries Council, Create Denver

Developer Kyle Zeppelin is a major force behind his company’s 18-acre Taxi project, located in Denver’s River North neighborhood on the former site of Yel-low Cab’s local headquarters. Through his eff orts, the mixed-use development is virtually 100 percent occupied.

Zeppelin is the next generation of developer and a real estate visionary, according to his nomination — some-one committed to creating sustainable, urban environments that emphasize a live-work experience, education and art.

“He is personally committed not only to sustainable development, but to a sustainable lifestyle,” Zeppelin’s nomination said.

The developer, for example, adopted a pioneering drainage approach at Taxi

that includes bioswales, and uses re-cycled materials such as steel, concrete and wheat sheet. He created an early-child education center, community gar-den and bike-sharing program at the project. Taxi’s culture of “collaboration and community is a refl ection of Kyle’s style and values,” his nomination said.

Taxi regularly hosts events such as the national First Friday art walk and the Doors Open Denver architectural tour. Kyle helped create the RiNo Yacht Club, a group of area businesses that wants to beautify the portion of the Platte River that runs through their neighborhood with landscape improve-ments.

Zeppelin also is committed to Denver beyond Taxi. Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed him to the Colorado Creative Industries Council, and he’s a member of the Denver Offi ce of Cultural Aff airs’ Creative Denver Advisory Committee. In 2009, he participated in the Transit Alli-ance Citizens Academy and became an advocate for improving transportation connections in the metro area.

— Paula Moore

Jesse YuranTitle: Vice president of real estateCompany: Smashburger Master LLCAge: 39Key civic affi liations: Brokers

Benefi tting Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Arapahoe Youth League, Cherry Creek Youth Sports

A veteran retail real estate broker, Jes-se Yuran hit the ground running when he joined the rapidly growing Smash-burger restaurant chain in mid-2011 as vice president of real estate. By the end of last year, the company had 55 percent growth in new restaurants, with a total of 143 locations nationwide.

The company topped the Forbes America’s Most Promising Companies list for 2011 because of its “sizzling growth,” according to the magazine. It ranked No. 99 on last year’s Inc. 500 ranking of fastest-growing private companies with three-year sales growth of 2,673 percent and aggregate revenue of $10.5 billion. Inc. magazine called Smashburger the nation’s “fastest-growing better burger concept.”

“Jesse has proven an invaluable, knowledgeable and team-oriented member of our leadership since joining the team,” according to his nomination by Smashburger.

Before going with the restaurant franchise, Yuran was with the Legend Retail Group LLC commercial real estate brokerage fi rm of Denver for nearly 10 years, leaving as a vice president. The broker won clients for Legend such as Smashburger and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) — both based in Denver — and national retailer Payless ShoeSource. He was Legend’s top pro-ducer of the year three times.

Away from work, Yuran coaches and mentors kids involved in sports orga-nizations such as the Arapahoe Youth League and Cherry Creek Youth Sports. (He played football and lacrosse while attending Colorado College.) He also has volunteered with Brokers Benefi tting Kids and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Yuran is an active advocate for JDRF, formerly called the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

— Paula Moore

My favorite movie is “Cinderella Man.”It’s a great family story of courage and fi ght and love, says Yuran.

My favorite movie is “The Godfather.”The fi lm is sort of a metaphor for a family business, says Zeppelin, for the diff erent person-alities, relationships and characters. He says he also subscribes to the character Michael Corleone’s theory of taking the business to the next level — minus the gangster element, of course.


Built by Temple Buell for Publix Theatres in 1930, the Paramount Theatre remains the only theater of its time that lined the streets of Denver and has maintained its original dignity and glamour. It is significant not only as an excellent illustration of art deco de-sign and craftsmanship, but as a unique reflection of a social and cultural phenomenon that prevailed in the early decades of the 20th century in Denver and the entire nation.

Originally designed for the silent movies of the time, the Paramount houses a one-of-a-kind Wurlitzer twin-console organ designed to produce varied sound effects in accompa-niment with the picture show. More than 1,600 pipes generate sounds of orchestral and percussion instruments, as well as special effects such as train whistles, horses’ hooves and pounding surf. Despite the fact that sound pictures quickly eliminated the need for musical accompaniment, the organ remains one of the largest ever installed in the Rocky Mountain area and is joined by its sister in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall as one of only two remaining in the United States.

Today, the Paramount features a variety of entertainment including rock ‘n’ roll con-certs, comedy, dance, lectures and films. The venue also is rented for celebrations and private events, such as weddings or bar mitzvahs, and used for seminars and business presentations.

Source: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

At the Paramount

The Denver Business Journal wishes to thank the Paramount Theatre and KSE for allowing us to photograph the winners of the 2012 Forty under 40 at the theater.

Kathleen lavine | Business JournalJosh Davies, CeO of the Center for Work ethic Development, took to the Paramount theatre stage to reenact the Robin Williams scene from “Dead Poet’s Society.” (See B6) Forty under 40 winners were invited to bring props to the photo shoot to signify their favorite films.

BOOtS GiFFORD | Business Journalthe chandelier that hangs in the stairwell is both elegant and eclectic.

heatheR DRaPeR | Business Journalthe refreshment stand is reminiscent of days gone by — except maybe for the tvs.

Kathleen lavine | Business Journalevent posters outside demonstrate the wide variety of entertainment.

BOOtS GiFFORD | Business Journalintricate artwork adorns nearly every inch of the walls and ceilings throughout the theater.

Kathleen lavine | Business Journalthe theater’s art deco design is evident from the neon lights outside to the lighting and artwork inside.

Documents

CPAPhotoEssay1Fortyunder40