THE 2017 BUSINESS D E V E LO P M E N T A N D R E LO C AT I O N G U I D E Published by:
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E N G A G E C O L O R A D O S P R I N G S • T H E 2 0 1 7 B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T A N D R E L O C AT I O N G U I D E
ENGAGE Colorado Springs
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INTRODUCTION
719-634-5905 Editor & COO Amy G. Sweet........................................ amy.sweet@csbj.com Advertising Director
Jeff Moore................................................jeff.moore@csbj.com
INTRODUCTION
GOVERNMENT
A word from Gov. John Hickenlooper.... 4 Welcome from Mayor John Suthers....... 5 From the desk of Darryl Glenn Board of El Paso County Commissioners............................................ 6
Fountain...................................................... 20 Security-Widefield.................................... 21 Manitou Springs........................................ 21 Tri-Lakes area............................................ 22 Town of Monument................................... 23 Town of Palmer Lake................................ 23 City of Woodland Park............................. 23 Towns of Cascade, Chipita Park & Green Mountain Falls............................... 24
EDITORIAL Managing Editor
Bryan Grossman......................... bryan.grossman@csbj.com Staff Reporters
John Hazlehurst, Sr. Reporter.....john.hazlehurst@csbj.com Cameron Moix..................................cameron.moix@csbj.com Researcher & Staff Reporter Helen Robinson............................. helen.robinson@csbj.com Copy Editor Mary Jo Meade....................................... maryjo@csindy.com
ADVERTISING Account Executives
Richard Flanders.........................richard.flanders@csbj.com Tammy Fogall................................. tammy.fogall@csmng.com Royce Gomez...................................... royce.gomez@csbj.com Advertising/Event Coordinator
Heather McPeak......................... heather.mcpeak@csbj.com
ART AND PRODUCTION Production Director
Ryan Hannigan................................ ryan.hannigan@csbj.com Graphic Designers
Melissa Edwards....................... melissa.edwards@csbj.com Rowdy Tompkins.........................rowdy.tompkins@csbj.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS Circulation Coordinator
Tim Kranz................................................... tim.kranz@csbj.com Subscription Sales
Mike Makinney.........................michael.makinney@csbj.com
COLORADO PUBLISHING HOUSE Chairman of the Board
John Weiss Executive Editor Ralph Routon..................................... ralph.routon@csbj.com Accounts Payable
Kathy MacLeish.........................................kathy@csindy.com Accounts Receivable
Jamie Romero-Agrusa...........................jamie@csindy.com Reception
Cathy Reilly...........................................frontdesk@csindy.com Interns
Andrew Busovsky, Hannah Harvey and Lindsey Morrow Subscriptions are $89.00 for 53 issues and include monthly supplements, and the Book of Lists. Serving The City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County The Colorado Springs Business Journal (ISSN 1062-810X)(013-838) is published weekly, with two additional issues each year, by:
Publication Corporation of Colorado Springs dba Colorado Publishing Company (719) 634-5905, Fax: (719) 577-4107 235 S. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-1246. PERIODICAL postage paid at Colorado Springs, Colorado 80910-9651. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Colorado Springs Business Journal 235 S. Nevada Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Colorado Publishing Company. Reproduction or use of content in any manner is prohibited without prior written consent.
2 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
SOCIOECONOMIC Population.................................................... 8 Education..................................................... 9 Housing and real estate.......................... 10 Cost of living.............................................. 10 Construction...............................................11 Home ownership....................................... 12 Commercial real estate............................ 13 Economy..................................................... 14 Top jobs by employees............................ 14 Unemployment.......................................... 15 Top jobs by income.................................. 15 Largest employers.................................... 15 Business..................................................... 15 Colorado Springs sales tax.................... 16 General fund income............................... 17 General fund positions............................ 17 All funds...................................................... 17 Mountain Metropolitan Transit Fixed-Route Bus Service......................... 18
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC Top 100 primary employers.................... 26 Top 10 public employers......................... 27 Fortune 500 companies.......................... 28 Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC...... 29 Manufacturing........................................... 30 Aerospace & Defense.............................. 31 Sports economy........................................ 32 Cybersecurity............................................ 33
INTRODUCTION
MEET THE CEO
ARTS AND CULTURE
Oraida Roman........................................... 36 Joel Yuhas.................................................. 37 Mark Hatchell............................................ 38 Col. Jeffrey Collins................................... 39 Ed Rios....................................................... 40 Michelle Parvinrouh.................................. 41 Andy Vick................................................... 42
City is mecca for arts, culture................ 68 Benefit of arts............................................ 69 Eight elite experiences............................ 70 Athletics: A way of life along Front Range............. 72 Colorado Springs nonprofits.................. 74 Colorado Springs city parks.................. 75 Assisting others: The goal of Springs’ nonprofits................................... 76 Higher education is a hallmark of Colorado Springs................ 78 Education attainment............................... 80 Fall 2016 enrollment................................. 80 2016 ACT scores...................................... 81 Student/teacher ratios............................. 81 Tourism highlights Springs’ roots.......... 82 Hotels & resorts........................................ 86 Colorado Springs Airport........................ 88 Denver International Airport................... 90
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION Jessica McMullen..................................... 44 David Welker.............................................. 45 Lacie Richardson...................................... 46 Danielle Summerville............................... 47 Erin Miller................................................... 48 Sean Fitzgerald......................................... 49 Daniel Ratcliff............................................ 50
MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY National cyber center takes shape....... 52 Mt. Carmel musters military services... 54 Catalyst Campus vision: To grow community.................................................. 56 How to build a skilled cybersecurity workforce................................................... 58 Real estate forecast: 2017 is all blue skies............................................................ 60 Health care one of region’s largest industries.................................................... 62 El Paso County veterans......................... 64 Defense presence remains strong in Colorado Springs................................. 65
BUSINESS RESOURCES Hispanic Business Council..................... 92 Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber................................... 94 Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC...... 97 Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center................................. 97 Pikes Peak Association of Realtors...... 98 Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments.......................................100 Better Business Bureau........................ 101 United States Olympic Committee and national governing bodies............102 Contacts...................................................103
Dirk D. Draper President and Chief Executive Officer ddraper@cscedc.com Andy Merritt Chief Defense Development Officer amerritt@cscedc.com Hannah Parsons Chief Economic Development Officer hparsons@cscedc.com Tammy Fields Senior Vice President, Economic Development tfields@cscedc.com Nora Hardin Senior Vice President, Membership and Events nhardin@cscedc.com Eddie Quinn Member Development Executive equinn@cscedc.com 102 South Tejon Street, Suite 430 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (719) 471-8183 (719) 471-9733 (fax) www.cscedc.com
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 3
INTRODUCTION
A WORD FROM OUR GOVERNOR Dear Business Leader, On behalf of the state of Colorado, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Centennial State and to Colorado Springs, one of our most vibrant cities that is home to a diverse and thriving marketplace of human capital, innovation and stunning natural beauty. Colorado provides a collaborative, business-friendly climate, which allows compaNovember 6, 2015 nies to grow and to flourish. Low business costs, a highly educated workforce, numerous recreation opportunities and national leadership in innovation across a wide variDear Business Leader: ety of industries are only a few reasons why Colorado is the ideal place to start, grow or move a business. On behalf of the State of Colorado, is my pleasure to welcome you to the With aitgrowing and diverse business sector, Colorado Springs is Centennial State and to Colorado one Colorado's most goal vibrant inplace to poisedSprings, to continue as of a leader in our state’s to becities the best engage in commerce. its assets numerous military instalwhich to live, work, and play. Colorado Springs Among is a diverse andarethriving marketplace lations that ensure a steady stream of hardworking, skilled Ameriof human capital, innovation, and stunning natural beauty. cans, many of whom remain in Colorado following the completion of their service. as With a growing and diverse business sector, Colorado Springs is poised to continue c Thank you to the Colorado Springs Business Journal and the Coloa leader in our state's goal torado be Springs the best place to do business. Among its assets are Chamber of Commerce & EDC for compiling this guide. numerous military installationsThe that ensure a steady stream ofand hardworking, skilled western spirit of individualism entrepreneurship is alive Americans, many of whom stay following the completion of their service. and well — Experience Colorado Springs and begin to consider the possibilities that await you.
Colorado provides a collaborative business business-friendly friendly climate, which allows companies Sincerely, costs, a highly educated workforce, numerous to grow, and to flourish. Low business recreation opportunities, and national leadership in innovation across a wide variety of industries are only a few reasons why Colorado is the ideal place to start, grow, or Gov. John Hickenlooper move a business. Thank you to the Colorado Springs Business Journal and Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance for compiling this guide to doing business in Colora Colorado do Springs. The western spirit of individualism and entrepreneurship is alive and well - Engage Colorado Springs and begin to consider the possibilities that await you. Sincerely,
John W. Hickenlooper Governor
No.
5
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4 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME
from MAYOR SUTHERS
Welcome to Olympic City USA! Colorado Springs is a city where a timeless culture of Welcome to Olympic City USA! Colorado Springs is a city where a timeless culture of achievement, achievement, national pride and dedication sits comfortably alongside awe-inspiring beauty and national pride and dedication sits comfortably alongside awe-inspiring beauty and unparalleled unparalleled natural training grounds. natural training grounds. We are home to the United States Olympic Committee Headquarters, 23 National Olympic We are home to the United States Olympic Committee headquarters, 23 National Olympic GovGoverning Bodies, more than 50 National Sport Organizations, the Colorado Springs Olympic erning Bodies, more than 50 National Sports Organizations, the Colorado Springs Olympic TrainTraining Center and the future U.S. Olympic Museum. ing Center and the future U.S. Olympic Museum. Founded in 1871, the City of Colorado Springs has grown from a frontier town to becoming the Founded in city 1871, the city ofRecently Coloradoranked Springs grown fromPlaces a frontier town 40th in America. in has the Top 5 Best to Live by to USthe News &largest World 40th largest city in America. Recently ranked in the Top 5 Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report, Report, we offer a vibrant downtown district, a thriving business environment, exceptional we offer a vibrant downtown district, a thriving business environment, exceptional educational educational opportunities, and an enriched quality of life. Today there are more than 40,000 college opportunities and an enriched quality of life. Today there are more than 40,000 college students students in Colorado Springs. We are a leader in the cybersecurity, aerospace and defense industries in Colorado Springs. We are a leader in the cybersecurity, aerospace and defense industries — and - and we are home to various Fortune 500 companies. we are home to various Fortune 500 companies. We are a community that values the courage and dedication of those that serve our Country. As We arewe a community values theStates courage dedication of those whoand serve our country. We such, are the site that of the United Airand Force Academy, Peterson Shriever Air Force are home to the United States Air Force Academy, Peterson and Schriever Air Force bases, Fort Bases, Fort Carson Army Post, Air Force Space Command, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Carson Army post, AirAir Force Space Command, NORAD Cheyenne Cheyenne Mountain Force Station, as well as theand USUSNORTHCOM, Army Space and MissileMountain Defense Air Force Station, as well as the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Forces Command, and Army Forces Strategic Command. Strategic Command. As a lifelong resident of Colorado, I am proud to call this my home. Colorado Springs is full of As a lifelong resident of Colorado, I am proud call all this my home. Springs is full of talented people in business, government, the arts,toand endeavors of Colorado life and we hope that you talented people in business, government, the arts and all endeavors of life, and we hope that you discover all our beautiful city has to offer as a place to live, work and play. We are truly vibrant, discover all exceptional. our beautifulWelcome city has to to Colorado offer as aSprings! place to live, work and play. We are truly vibrant, rugged and rugged and exceptional. Welcome to Colorado Springs! Sincerely, Sincerely, John Suthers John Suthers Mayor of Colorado Springs Mayor of Colorado Springs
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 5
INTRODUCTION
From the Desk of President Darryl Glenn Board of El Paso County Commissioners 200 South Cascade Ave. Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-520-6412 DarrylGlenn@ElPasoCo.com
Welcome to El ElPaso PasoCounty, County, naturalbeauty beautyofof Pikes Pikes Peak, Peak, the the Garden Garden of the thespectacular spectacular The breathtaking breathtaking natural the Gods and and the the Front front Range, range, the setting patriotic mission mission of of the theAir AirForce ForceAcademy Academy and dozens of other attractions highly visible setting and patriotic and dozens of other attractions areare highly visible reareasons why a great place and work. there many othersnot notquite quitesosovisible visiblethat thatmake makethis thisa sons why thisthis is aisgreat place to to livelive and work. ButBut there areare many others agreat greatplace placefor forbusiness. business.
El Paso County County is is the the only only Colorado Colorado county County to to eliminate eliminate its its share share of of the the business it El Paso business personal personalproperty propertytax. tax. So, So it’s is less expensive for businesses to invest in new equipment. Plus, we offer citizens and businesses alike the less expensive for businesses to invest in new equipment. Plus, we offer citizens and businesses alike the lowest lowest property taxes the lowest taxpayer for services any of Colorado’s tencounties. largest counties. property taxes and theand lowest taxpayer cost forcosts services of any ofofColorado’s 10 largest El Paso County El Paso County Economic Development works effectively with businesses throughout the region to gain tax Economic Development Office works effectively with businesses throughout the region to gain tax incentives incentives through the administration of the state approved Enterprise Zone. This program provides state throughtax thecredits administration of the state-approved Enterprise Zone. This program provides state tax credincome to qualified businesses investing in in new equipment, rehabilitating olderincome buildings and its to qualified businesses investing in new equipment, rehabilitating older buildings and workforce training. workforce training. The El is launching new software to make it easier than everever to access public data The ElPaso PasoCounty CountyAssessor’s Assessor’sOffice Office is launching new software to make it easier than to access public on zoning, real estate and realand values. Planning andPlanning Community Department is data on zoning, real transactions estate transactions real Our values. Our and Development Community Development collaboratingiswith the Pikes with Peakthe Regional Building Department to Department make land use applications and records, as Department collaborating Pikes Peak Regional Building to make land use applications wellrecords as building permits and records, online for easyonline and efficient and as well as building permitsavailable and records available for easyaccess. and efficient access. The El El Paso Paso County County Housing Housing Authority Authority has has facilitated the construction construction of of nearly nearly400 400new newunits unitsofofworkforce workforce housing renovation of more than than 300 300 older units. Also, Also,the theauthority Authority has cooperated with private housing and and the the renovation of more older units. has cooperated with private ininvestors providingdown downpayment paymentassistance assistanceresulting resulting in in making making home vestors ininproviding home ownership ownershipaffordable affordablefor for more morethan than two thousand residents. 2,000 residents.
The PikesPeak PeakWorkforce WorkforceCenter, Center, Small Business Development Center andColorado the Colorado Procurement The Pikes thethe Small Business Development Center and the Procurement TechTechnical Assistance Center are all El Paso County affiliated agencies working in collaboration the nical Assistance Center are all El Paso County-affiliated agencies working in collaboration with the with Colorado Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development to ensure that local businesses have the resources they Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corp. to ensure that local businesses have the resources they need need for success. for success. We promise responsive, responsible and business-friendly local government. We are proud to offer you and We promise responsive, responsible and business-friendly local government. We are proud to offer you and your your employees miles of beautiful trails, award-winning El Paso County Regional Parks and, you probably employees beautiful award-winning El Paso County regional parks and you probably noticed we noticed, wemiles offer of a setting liketrails, no other. offer a setting like no other. Sincerely, Sincerely, ____________________________________ Darryl Glenn, President Darrylof Glenn, President Board El Paso County Commissioners Board of El Paso County Commissioners 200 South Cascade Colorado Springs, CO 80903 200 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
6 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
The El Paso County Housing Authority has facilitated the construction of nearly 400 new units of workforce housing and the renovation of 300 older units.
SOCIOECONOMIC Population 8 Education 9 Housing and real estate
10
Cost of living
10
Construction 11 Home ownership
12
Commercial real estate
13
Economy 14 Top jobs by employees
14
Unemployment 15 Top jobs by income
15
Largest employers
15
Business 15 Colorado Springs sales tax
16
General fund income
17
General fund positions
17
All funds
17
Mountain Metropolitan Transit Fixed-Route Bus Service
18
SOCIOECONOMIC
POPULATION POPULATION NUMBERS for Colorado Springs and El Paso County
700K
500K
300K
519,802 361,901
569,322 384,409
627,232 420,716
677,022
451,585
100K
2000
2005
2010
2015
Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs, January 2017
Hispanic or Latino: 16.6% Two or more races: 4.7% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander: 0.4% Asian: 3% American Indian: 1.3%
Male: 50.5%
Female: 49.5%
African-American: 7% Caucasian: 69.9% 65+ 72,372
11%
Under 15 138,423
21.1%
45 – 64 162,082
15 – 24 101,877
24.7%
15.6% 25 – 44 180,270
27.5%
Median Age: 34.2 Foreign-born Persons: 47,887 Veterans: 84,696 Active Duty Military: 41,315
(includes 4,000 cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy) Source: American Factfinder, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
8 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Department of Defense)
SOCIOECONOMIC
EDUCATION Colorado Springs School District 11 Student population: 28,541 62 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
Academy District 20
Annual budget of $273 million 7 percent are English Language Learners 59 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
Student population: 24,807 78 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading. 74% 1
52.2% 1 29% 2 7.3% 3 4 7.6% 5 1.6% 6 0.4%
2 3 4
1 2
3 6.9% 4 5.3% 5 2%
2
3 6.1% 4 3%
51% 2 49% 1
5 3.7%
5 6
3
1
4
2
5
6 0.4%
6
7 0.4%
7
Student population: 11,179 62 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading. 26.3% 1
1
1
48% 2
2 3
1
4
2
2
3 6.5%
51% 2 49%
5
3
4 15%
1
5
6
6 0.9%
6
7
7 1%
7
Annual budget of $65 million 4 percent are English Language Learners 46 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
Student population: 6,275 80 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
5 1.3%
1
1
9.6% 2
2 3
1
4
2
5
2
3 4.3% 4 1%
52% 2 48% 1
5 2.2%
3
1
4
2
5
6
6 0.7%
6
7 1.5%
7
7 0.1%
7
Annual budget of $38 million 2 percent are English Language Learners 16 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
Student population: 955 51 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
4 3% 5 4% 6 0.4% 7 0.2%
Annual budget of $8 million 10 percent are English Language Learners 68 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
1
3
1
4
2
5
1
29.5% 2
2
2
3 1.9% 4 4.9%
51% 2 49% 1
5 2.9%
3
1
4
2
5
6
6 0.2%
6
7
7 0.2%
7
Peyton School District 23 Student population: 606 65 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
Annual budget of $5.4 million 1 percent are English Language Learners 33 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
79% 1
1
12% 2
2
3 3.2%
3
4 2.7%
4
5 1.8%
5
6 1%
2
61.9% 1
71.8% 1 3 6%
53% 47%
1
Ellicott School District 22
Cheyenne Mountain School District 12
14% 2
2
Annual budget of $54 million 3 percent are English Language Learners 10 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
6 0.9%
Student population: 5,127 84 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
51% 49%
1
81.4% 1
48.8% 1
4 12%
2
Lewis-Palmer School District 38
Fountain Fort Carson School District
3 9.1%
1
4
5 2.1%
7 0.4%
26.6% 2
2
Annual budget of $97 million 16 percent are English Language Learners 71 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
6 0.7%
Student population: 8,089 64 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
51% 49%
1
Harrison District 2
Annual budget of $111 million 2 percent are English Language Learners 5 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
59.7% 1 24.9% 2
1
12.5% 2
1
District 49 Student population: 18,880 68 percent of students in this district are considered proficient in math and/or reading.
Annual budget of $207 million 2 percent are English Language Learners 13 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs
Caucasian Hispanic
Multiracial African American
High school graduate or higher: 93.8% 59% 41%
1 2
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 35.9%
55% 45%
1 2
Asian Native American Pacific Islander
According to bizjournals.com,
Colorado Springs ranked No. 5 in the country for the most educated population.
6 7
Graduate degree: 17%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; point2pointhomes.com
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 9
SOCIOECONOMIC
HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE Average Median Home Price Home Price
Banning Lewis (80927) Black Forest (80908) Briargate (80920) Broadmoor (80906) Manitou Springs (80829)
$287,674 $601,863 $375,748 $467,893 $392,249
$245,000 $479,900 $339,900 $285,000 $359,900
Average Median Home Price Home Price
Monument (80132) Northgate (80921) Norwood (80918) Palmer Park (80909) Pinecliff (80919)
$507,986 $469,423 $315,198 $236,938 $404,962
$449,900 $419,900 $304,000 $197,000 $350,000
Source: referenceUSA; Pikes Peak Association of Realtors 2016 Year Home Sales
HOME VALUES - El Paso County median home value: $294,987
Less than $50,000 to $50,000 $99,000
Housing
$100,000 to $149,999
Los Angeles, CA Seattle, WA Portland, OR Denver, CO Las Vegas, NV National Average Albuquerque, NM Reno, NV Spokane, WA Phoenix, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Colorado Springs, CO Dallas, TX Boise, ID Raleigh, NC
$150,000 to $199,999
$686,082 563,432 466,921 413,831 360,554 328,999 313,411 309,801 308,221 308,054 306,902 294,987 276,604 267,833 216,165
Source: The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) – 2016 Annual Average
10 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
6%
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
% 23.2 13.9% % 3.7 4.8%
27.4%
20%
1%
$200,000 to $299,999
$300,000 to $499,999
$500,000 to $999,999
$1 million or more
Cost of Living (available before February 1, 2017): Composite
Seattle, WA Los Angeles, CA Portland, OR Denver, CO Reno, NV Las Vegas, NV Dallas, TX NATIONAL AVERAGE Spokane, WA Phoenix, AZ Albuquerque (Rio Rancho), NM Raleigh, NC COLORADO SPRINGS, CO Salt Lake City, UT Boise, ID
145.1 142.3 128.5 110.4 104.6 104.3 100.4 100.0 98.0 97.0 94.9 94.4 94.0 93.8 91.5
Misc. Utilities
Goods
122.9 1063 77.8 92.6 91.3 91.2 98.7 100.0 89.7 94.7 85.1 96.2 72.5 78.4 83.8
135.6 106.8 120.5 102.4 111.2 101.5 106.6 100.0 101.1 96.5 95.8 106.0 94.5 94.6 95.1
Source: C2ER-COLI 2016 Annual Average
SOCIOECONOMIC
CONSTRUCTION (building permits) 2014
2015
2016
Single family housing (detached):
2,433
2,739
3,237
Town Houses (attached):
151
196
277
Duplexes:
1
1
10
Condominiums:
1
8
6
Three and four family buildings:
0
0
0
Hotels:
8
1
1
Banks, offices, professional buildings:
76
85
123
Schools, education buildings:
2
2
4
Stores, retail buildings:
54
80
124
Residential alterations: 18,442 15,431 39,975 Source: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, 2014 - 2016
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ENGAGE Colorado Springs 11
SOCIOECONOMIC
COLORADO SPRINGS HOUSING OWNERSHIP (Source: city-data.com)
Owner-occupied homes with a mortgage:
123,013 Percentage of renters:
35 percent
Units: 268,961 Owner-occupied: 62.5%
Percentage of renters in the State of Colorado: 34 percent
Median value: $218,300 Households: 245,287 Median gross rent, 2011-2015: $976 Median selected monthly owner costs: with a mortgage, 2011-2015: $1,489 without a mortgage, 2011-2015: $397
Renter-occupied apartments:
83,666 Owner-occupied homes with no mortgage:
29,280
Apartment rental rates are reasonable, when compared to approximately 950-square foot apartments with two bedrooms and 1 ½ or 2 full baths in other cities. The average price for 2016 was $1,104.
Your Essential Connection in The Rental Housing Industry
Helping Multi-family Builders, Property Managers & Industry Suppliers since 1970. 719-264-9195 www.AASCHQ.org Apartment Association of Southern Colorado I 545 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Ste. 105 I Colorado Springs, CO 80903 12 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
SOCIOECONOMIC
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE (Source: Quantum Commercial Group Inc, 4th Quarter 2016 Market Reports)
Overall Office
Vacancy rates: 11.1% Average lease rates: $16.64 per square foot, NNN
Class A Office
Vacancy rates: 8.2% Average lease rates: $22.32 per square foot, NNN
Industrial
Vacancy rates: 9.3% Average lease rates: $6.40 per square foot, NNN
Retail
Vacancy rates: 5.2% Average lease rates: $12.21 per square foot, NNN
Better Business Bureau
BBB IMPACT As part of a larger nationwide network, BBB of Southern Colorado provides businesses, residents, and visitors confidence in their buying decisions. Whether you are searching for a restaurant, mechanic, or contractor, visit bbbsc.org.
400,000
Accredited Businesses
249.5 MILLION
Instances of Services for Businesses, Charities and the General Public Examples: Business Review Inquiries, Charity Report Requests, Customer Reviews, Investigations, Advertising Reviews, BBB Auto Line Cases, Complaint Handling, Mediation, Arbitration, Dispute Resolution
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ENGAGE Colorado Springs 13
SOCIOECONOMIC
ECONOMY
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Colorado Department of Labor and Employment; UCCS Economic Forum)
Labor participation rate: 62.6% Women in labor force (over age 16): 59.3% Active Duty Military in labor force: 17.3%
Restaurant and hospitality sales:
$1.4 billion
Retail sales:
$7.9 billion Per capita retail sales:
$12,294
Manufacturers shipments:
$3.3 billion
Mean travel time to work:
22.2 minutes
INCOME
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
Per capita income:
$29,659
Median household income:
$58,206
People in poverty:
11%
Total personal income in El Paso County:
$27.8 billion
TOP JOBS BY EMPLOYEES (Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, 2nd Quarter 2015)
Health Care and Social Assistance
Retail Trade
Accommodation and Food Services
Educational Services
Professional and Technical Services
36,723 31,596 28,946 26,768 22,738 14 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
SOCIOECONOMIC
UNEMPLOYMENT (Source: United States Department of Labor, 2015/2016)
United States
5%
4.6%
4%
Colorado Springs
3.2% 3%
Dec. 2015
Jan. 2016
Feb. 2016
March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
Aug. 2016
Sept. 2016
Oct. 2016
Nov. 2016
TOP JOBS BY INCOME
$266, 812
(Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, second quarter 2016)
$228,834
$214,274
$200,000
$169,409
$166,285
$161,242
$149,795
$143,143
$136,456
$100,000
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LARGEST EMPLOYERS
BUSINESS
UCHealth Memorial
Employer establishments: 16,292 Annual payroll: $9.7 million Non-employer establishments: 47,068 All firms: 54,247 Men-owned: 26,903 Women-owned: 20,043 Minority-owned: 8,463 Veteran-owned: 6,593
(Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment)
Verizon Wireless Penrose-St. Francis Health System Children’s Hospital of Colorado Colorado Springs School District 11 Compassion International
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 15
SOCIOECONOMIC
4M Sales tax up 9% from 2015 Use Tax is down 5.58% from 2015
Colorado Springs
Sales Tax
3M
January 2016 - Tax Collected
2M
Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax up 20% from 2015
1M
$37,497 $10.4 mil ion
$3.03 mil ion
$2.9 mil ion
$524,526
$226,382
Sales & Use Tax
2C Road Tax
Public Safety Tax
Lodgers Tax
Auto Rental Tax
2%
0.62 %
4%
Trails, Open Space & Parks Tax
2%
1%
Business Climate Taxes:
Minnesota................................ 9.80% California................................. 8.84% Oregon..................................... 7.60% Idaho........................................ 7.40% New York................................... 7.10% New Mexico............................. 6.60% Arizona.....................................5.50% Utah.........................................5.00% Colorado................... 4.63% Source: Federal Tax Administrators Internet, January 2017
16 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
0.1%
Retail Sales Tax:
State......................................................... 2.90% County........................................................1.23% City............................................................. 3.12% Pikes Peak Rural . Transportation Authority............................ 1.00% Total...................................... 8.25%
Information Technology 66 Positions $6,809,394
Fire & OEM
SOCIOECONOMIC 391 Positions $47,203,699
GENERAL FUND INCOME: $272,443,409
Police 812 Positions $84,088,359
Miscellaneous Revenue 1.2% $3,316,324
Other Financing Sources 14.9% $40,4777,016
Licenses & Permits 0.7% $1,825,876
Fines 1.9% $5,051,801
Sales & Use Tax 59.5% $162,146,245
RE VE
Charges for Services 5.3% $14,336,766 Other Taxes 1.2% $3,197,050
NUE
Intergovt’l 8.1% $22,072,272
Property Taxes 7.3% $20,020,059
General Fund CIP & Projects:
$15,343,087 Public Works 217 Positions $16,319,733
Information Technology 66 Positions $6,809,394
Miscellaneous Revenue 1.2% $3,316,324
Fire & OEM 391 Positions $47,203,699
Police 812 Positions $84,088,359
General Fund 54.9% $272,443,409
ES
City Attorney, City Clerk, Municipal Court 85.5 Positions $8,343,346
Special Revenue Fund 24.4% $120,968,211
NS
All Other 103 Positions $10,634,859
Grant Fund 8.5% $40,809,059
PE
Mayor & Parks, Support Recreation Services & Cultural 44.25 Positions Services $4,359,082 75.75 Positions $7,498,243
Permanent Fund 0.1% $325,000 Enterprise Fund 12.1% $59,256,293
EX
GENERAL FUND POSITIONS & SALARY/BENEFITS: 1796.25 POSITIONS $185,256,715
ALL FUNDS: $493,801,972
Other TheLicenses general & fund is only one piece of the city’s total Financing services: Permits budget. The general fund supports traditional Sources Fire 0.7% 14.9% $1,825,876 Police $40,4777,016 Streets Intergovt’l Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services 8.1% Planning $22,072,272 Public Works
The Fines city also owns and operates self-supporting 1.9% enterprise $5,051,801activities that include: Airport Cemeteries (Fairview and Evergreen) Charges for Review Enterprise Development Services Parking System (downtown and Old Colorado City) Golf5.3% Courses (Patty Jewett and Valley Hi) $14,336,766 Pikes Peak - America’s Mountain Other Taxes 1.2% $3,197,050
Property Taxes 7.3% $20,020,059
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 17
Sales & Use 59.5% $162,146,2
SOCIOECONOMIC
Mountain Metropolitan Transit Fixed-Route Bus Service Ridership 10,600 trips per day on average Ridership in 2016 was 3,120,334 Mountain Metro covers 59% of the urbanized area with fixed-route bus service provided
as far north as Research Parkway; East along the Powers corridor to Tutt Blvd.;
Mountain Metro has increased service hours
South into Security and Widefield
by since 2010
West into Manitou Springs;
Every 60
minutes 14
27
Every 30
10 minutes
routes
21 routes operate
1 2 Every 15
minutes
Every 20
minutes
$ 1.75 re: a f d r a d Stan outh Seniors, ybled fare: $ 0.85 and disa
59%
on Saturdays 11 routes operate on Sundays & holidays
Operate 362 days/year
924 bus stops 48 fixed-route buses Bike-n-Bus trips in 2016 - 78,483
10 new buses coming in July of 2017 Average cost of a bus is $450,000 Average cost to run one bus, on one route, for one year $250,000 Source: City of Colorado Springs
18 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
GOVERNMENT Fountain 20 Security-Widefield 21 Manitou Springs
21
Tri-Lakes area
22
Town of Monument
23
Town of Palmer Lake
23
City of Woodland Park
23
Towns of Cascade, Chipita Park & Green Mountain Falls
24
GOVERNMENT
Fountain is keen on coupling its Old West roots with responsible planning and measured growth and development.
Fountain
Fountain combines the best of city living with a small-town charm held over from its agricultural beginnings. A burgeoning bedroom community, Fountain is growing. The city embodies Colorado living and is a great place to raise a family and build a business. Named one of the best places in Colorado for young families and an American city on the rise by Nerd Wallet, Fountain is the national Civic League’s 2002 All-American City and was named a Millennium City in 2000 by the New York Times. With its Front Range vistas, Fountain is optimally located in southern Colorado. Interstate 25 and three state highways make getting around the region convenient, with Colorado Springs Airport right next door. Fountain boasts an enviable climate with long stretches of sunny days, semi-arid mild temperatures with low humidity and an abundance of quality-of-life amenities. The views are stunning, and schools are academically sound. Fountain offers a variety of housing opportunities, from distinctive and charming planned neighborhoods to rural acres that allow for expansive living and custom homes. The city continues to maintain a 20 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
cost of living slightly below the national average. On a daily basis, residents can choose to enjoy a leisurely or adventurous lifestyle, take a historical walking tour or spend a starry night at the Fountain Creek Nature Center. Or one could attend an annual festival in town. There is wealth of recreation at one’s doorstep everyday. Fountain is keen on coupling its Old West roots with responsible planning and measured growth and development. Our mission is to build a sustainable community that is not only focused on the future, but also on the preservation of its beautiful historical landscape. Find out more when you visit “Pure Colorado” Fountain. Economic Base: A diversified economy that includes specialized manufacturing, homeland security, renewable energy, trade and transportation logistics, motor sports tourism, agricultural, composite mining, entrepreneurialism and government sector jobs. Workforce: Fountain’s workforce includes commuters from the north and south, pulling from Colorado Springs and Pueblo, plus Woodland Park to the west. This solid employment base is enhanced by active and retired military personnel, contractors and spouses from neighboring
Army posts and Air Force bases. Employers report dependable workers, including those wishing to work up to the ranks of management. With Colorado Springs known for its high tech workforce and Pueblo known for its solid trade skills, Fountain pulls the best of both worlds. Protection: Fountain Police, Fountain Fire Department, El Paso County Sheriff and neighborhood and business watch programs. Schools: Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 Tax Rate: 7.88 percent — Fountain, 3.75 percent; El Paso County,1.23 percent; State, 2.9 percent Utilities: Fountain is a self-supplier of its electricity and water with the implementation of renewable energy standards starting in 2016; Black Hills Energy or Colorado Springs Utilities provide natural gas. Location: 10 miles south of Colorado Springs; 84 miles south of Denver; 30 miles north of Pueblo
Fountain Valley Quick Facts City of Fountain Founded:............. 1859 City Incorporated:.......................... 1900 City Only Population:..... 28,295 (2016)
GOVERNMENT Valley Area Population:.... 98,961 (2015) American City on the Rise:...............2014 Best Places for Young Families:........2014 All-America City Award:..................2002 Millennium City:..............................2000 Area:................................ 24 Square Miles Elevation:.................................. 5,545 feet Median Home Price 2016:........................................ $220,000
Weather Stats: • Average Low Temperature:............... 28º • Average High Temperature:............. 78º • Annual Avg. Days of Sunshine:.......248 • Annual Avg. Snowfall:.............. 5 inches • Annual Avg. Precipitation:.................15 inches of rain
Parks & Recreation: • 50 miles of trails and bike paths more than 1,000 acres of parks including: • Fountain Creek Regional Park and Nature Center with more than 200 miles of trails • Metcalf Park riding arena, skate park, dog park, ball park • Splash Pad at Aga Park
Demographics: • Mirrors the ethnic diversity of the USA • 29.2 median age • $58,922 median household income
Health Care: • UCHealth Emergency Room Center • Memorial and Penrose Hospitals within 20 minutes • 24/7 local ambulance service from the Fountain Fire Department • Peak Vista Community Health Center • Private practice medical offices, dentists, pediatricians, rehab, dialysis services For additional information: City of Fountain 116 South Main Street Fountain, CO 80817 719-322-2000 fountaincolorado.org
Widefield comprise the largest unincorporated area in Colorado.
Highlights Population: Security-Widefield: 34,836 Area: Security-Widefield: 59 square miles Average Housing: $174,900 Median Household Income: $57,357 Parks & Recreation: Widefield Community Education and Recreation Services, public library and more than 50 miles of trails, more than 1,000 acres of parks Protection: Security Village Fire Department, El Paso County Sheriff and neighborhood and business watch programs Schools: Widefield School District #3 Tax Rate: 5.13 percent — Security-Widefield, 0 percent; El Paso County, 1.23 percent; State,2.9 percent; Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, 1 percent Utilities: Security-Widefield is supplied electricity by the city of Fountain, Colorado Springs Utilities or Mountain View Electric. Gas is provided by Black Hills Energy or Colorado Springs Utilities
Manitou Springs
Between Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, America’s most famous mountain, lies the magical town of Manitou
Springs. “Manitou,” a Native American word for spirit, describes this beautiful mountain community. There are 11 named mineral springs throughout town that are fed by the snows of Pikes Peak. Long before settlers traveled here, the Ute, Cheyenne and many other natives considered this area sacred. The city of Manitou Springs is 3.5 square miles with a population of approximately 5,671. Rich in character and individual style, Manitou Springs has welcomed and intrigued visitors for more than a 100 years.
Area Attractions The Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway will take you to the top of Pikes Peak, elevation 14,115. At the Cave of the Winds, you will descend into the colorful depths of Colorado. Miramont Castle and the Cliff Dwellings Museum will take you back in time. The Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama will tickle your funny bone and delight your senses. The Garden of the Gods and Helen Hunt Falls will lift your spirits. The Ghost Town Museum will bring you back 100 years to an 1800s Old West town. Families have all of this to enjoy and more in Manitou Springs! The North Pole & Santa’s Workshop, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Seven Falls, Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Colorado Wolf &
The Manitou and Pikes Pe ak Railway w you to the to ill t p of Pikes Pe ak, elevation ake 14,115.
Security-Widefield
Located just north of the city of Fountain, Security was founded in 1953 and named to make prospective residents feel safe. Widefield was founded in the mid1960s when Widefield Homes built the community from scratch. Security and ENGAGE Colorado Springs 21
GOVERNMENT Wildlife Center and the Air Force Academy are all a short drive away. Manitou Springs is surrounded by hiking and biking trails, including the famous Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon. Manitou Springs’ twisting, winding streets and the Fountain Creek Path create a great walking experience. Ten minutes away, in Green Mountain Falls, is Catamount Trail, which goes up past waterfalls. Manitou Springs boasts nearly two dozen privately owned galleries and studios which offer exhibitions year round. Mountain Living Studio represents Colorado artists and features paintings, pottery, sculpture, wood and crafts. The Commonwheel Artist Co-op began in 1974 and is one of the longest-running art co-ops in the county. In 1986, the Business Art Center was initiated as a business incubator for artists.
Highlights Average Housing: $321,800 Median Household Income: $51,499 Economic Base: Bedroom community with heavy retail and tourist activity Location: Five miles west of Colorado Springs
Parks & Recreation: Numerous hiking trails, nature center, parks, mineral springs and arts commission Protection: Manitou Springs Police and Fire departments, El Paso County Sheriff and neighborhood and business watch programs Schools: Manitou Springs District 14 Tax Rate: 9 percent — City of Manitou Springs, 3.9 percent; Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, 1 percent; El Paso County, 2.23 percent; State, 2.9 percent Utilities: Colorado Springs Utilities supplies electricity and natural gas. Manitou Springs provides water and wastewater For additional information: Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau 354 Manitou Ave. Manitou Springs, CO 80829 719-685-5089 manitousprings.org
Tri-Lakes Area
Located along the Rocky Mountains and occupying the northern most part
No.
22 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
7
of El Paso County, the Tri-Lakes region is made up of the communities of Woodmoor, Monument and Palmer Lake. The area offers a blend of recreational activities, breathtaking views, abundant art galleries and shopping choices.
The Beauty of Tri-Lakes The three cities are the center of the Tri-Lakes region, which is bordered by the primarily unincorporated areas of Black Forest, Gleneagle and Larkspur, which are representative of popular and developing residential areas. Businesses that have discovered the beauty of Tri-Lakes see more than a wide expanse of land covered with pine forests and mountain lakes set against the majestic backdrop of the Rockies. Companies that could have located in larger Colorado urban areas, instead chose Tri-Lakes, a superb location that provides access to all of the amenities of both Colorado Springs and Denver while offering some advantages all its own: a superior, yet affordable lifestyle; a highly educated, technically skilled and experienced workforce; a school system ranked as one of the state’s best; and building sites with quick interstate access. Several hundred businesses serve this
Best city for veterans WalletHub evaluated cities for employability, economy, quality of life and health, along with the most favorable conditions for veterans.
No.
9
GOVERNMENT
Best City for
Families
WalletHub ranked 150 cities according to family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability and socioeconomic environment.
growing region of more than 35,000 residences. Technology, education, software products and services, advanced communication, and electronic technologies are supported by the Pikes Peak Community College system and a large professional technical workforce. FedEx Services Corporation, Biblica, LexisNexis, Navsys Corporation, Oracle America Inc., Ramtron International Corp. and DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson are all located in or near the Tri-Lakes region. The advantages of living and working in the Tri-Lakes have contributed to the area’s steady growth.
Town of Monument Monument fulfills the role of commercial center for the Tri-Lakes Area. It is the de-facto hub for northern El Paso County. It currently is focusing on quality-of-life issues that are essential to the long-term success of the community.
Town of Palmer Lake Palmer Lake is nestled against the foothills 3 miles west of Interstate 25, where the lake reflects Colorado’s mountains and blue sky. Incorporated in 1879 as a health and
resort town, it still attracts those searching for a quiet, serene lifestyle. Its mostly middle-income families include many retirees and artisans. The small town is also a natural stop for tourists. Annexation of an additional 2,000 acres has facilitated the establishment of new executive offices and high-tech industrial facilities.
Highlights Population: 35,000 Area: 60 square miles Average Housing: Monument $438,000; Palmer Lake $262,600; Gleneagle $326,004; Woodmoor $429,000 Median Household Income: Monument $90,130; Palmer Lake $60,538; Gleneagle $100,893; Woodmoor $107,534 Economic Base: Rural with light industry, research and development Location: 20 miles north of Colorado Springs Parks & Recreation: Numerous hiking trails, biking, horseback riding, golf courses, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts and numerous community events Protection: Monument and Palmer Lake Police departments, Tri-Lakes, Monu-
ment and Palmer Lake Fire districts, El Paso County Sheriff Schools: Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Tax Rate: 7.13 percent — Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake, 3 percent; El Paso County, 1.23 percent; State, 2.9 percent Utilities: Mountain View Electric, Intermountain Rural Electric, Black Hills Energy, Monument Water & Sanitation, Woodmoor Water & Sanitation, Donala Water & Sanitation, Palmer Lake Water, Palmer Lake Sanitation For additional information: Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce Post Office Box 147 Monument, CO 80132 719-481-3282 tri-lakeschamber.com
City of Woodland Park Pikes Peak is a prime asset to the city, as is the mountain lifestyle. Mountain living in a beautiful and affordable environment has attracted entrepreneurs, second-career adventurers and retirees from corporate worlds who are bringing new energy to Woodland Park. Education levels are
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 23
GOVERNMENT
Three Ute Pass communities — Cascade, Chipita Park and Green Mountain Falls — stretch through the pass between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park.
high (42 percent hold four-year degrees or higher) and income levels have risen: Households earning $100,000 or more increased 87 percent and those earning more than $150,000 doubled in the last decade. Close to a myriad trails and some of Colorado’s most stunning scenery, Woodland Park is adjacent to Pike National Forest, Rampart Reservoir, Mueller State Park, Cripple Creek and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. The town was incorporated Jan. 26, 1891. While the economy was primarily dependent on lumber and mining in the early years, Woodland Park also served as a resort community. Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 1980s and 1990s, thoughtful planning and creative developments enriched housing options and commercial offerings. Knowledge-based businesses have grown new job opportunities: At least a half dozen innovative technology businesses are located in Woodland Park and dozens more businesses thrive from home-based offices. The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine is the largest private employer in Teller County. Limited-stakes gaming in Cripple Creek is also adding new jobs to the area.
Cascade, Chipita Park & Green Mountain Falls Three Ute Pass communities — Cascade, Chipita Park and Green Moun24 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
tain Falls — stretch through the pass between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. Once served by the Midland Rail and other rail systems, resorts are part of the history. For those desiring cool weather, grand vistas and tranquil beauty with mountain settings, these communities still offer those qualities. Second homes and family cabins dot the landscape, along with working ranches and retreat centers.Sleek, contemporary homes share space with rustic homesteads in breathtaking mountain settings. Today these communities have access to all the goods and services anyone would desire.
Highlights Population: 9,492 Area: Woodland Park: 6.51 square miles; Cascade & Chipita Park: 13.5 square miles; Green Mountain Falls: 1.14 square miles Average Housing: Woodland Park $276,750; Cascade & Chipita Park $250,200; Green Mountain Falls $210,500 Median Household Income: Woodland Park $64,945; Cascade & Chipita Park $62,891; Green Mountain Falls $52,500 Economic Base: regional finance, medical, other service/ retail center, knowledge-based businesses, tourism, retreat center and camps
Location: 12-18 miles west of Colorado Springs Parks & Recreation: Pike National Forest and Rampart Range Reservoir, with numerous hiking trails, fishing, biking, horseback riding, golf course, sports complex, neighborhood parks, teen and senior centers Protection: Woodland Park Police & Teller Fire District, Green Mountain Falls Marshall, Green Mountain Falls/Chipita Park Volunteer Fire Department, Cascade Volunteer Fire Department, Teller and El Paso County Sheriff Schools: Woodland Park School District RE2; Manitou Springs School District 14 Tax Rate: Woodland Park, 3 percent; Teller County, 1 percent; State, 2.9 percent; Green Mountain Falls, 3 percent; El Paso County, 1.23 percent; State, 2.9 percent; Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, 1 percent Utilities: Intermountain Rural Electric, Woodland Park City Water and Sewer, Black Hills Energy, Colorado Springs Utilities For additional information: The Office of Economic and Downtown Development City of Woodland Park Post Office Box 9007 Woodland Park, CO 80866 719-687-6954 www.city-woodlandpark.org
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC Top 100 primary employers
26
Top 10 public employers
27
Fortune 500 companies
28
Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
29
Manufacturing 30 Aerospace & Defense
31
Sports economy
32
Cybersecurity 33
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
Top 100
Primary Employers
ACE Hardware Retail Support Center
FedEx Services Corp.
Progressive Insurance Co.
Advantage Logistics
Focus On The Family
Quantum Corp.
The Aerospace Corp.
Ford Motor Credit, Colorado Springs Business Center
Raytheon Co.
Akima LLC
Harris Corporation
Rocky Mountain Materials & Asphalt Inc.
Aleut Management Services
Harris IT Services
RT Logic
Allegion PLC
Heating & Plumbing Engineers Inc.
Alorica
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Science Applications International Corp.
Andrew Wommack Ministries
HomeAdvisor
Bal Seal Engineering Inc.
Honeywell
Boecore Inc.
Infinity Systems Engineering LLC
Boeing Co.
Infor Global Solutions
Booz Allen Hamilton
Insurance Technologies
Braxton Technologies
Keysight Technologies Inc.
Broadcom Limited
Kinder Morgan Inc.
California Casualty Group
Kratos ISI
CaptionCall LLC
L-3 Communications, National Security Solutions - E & TS
CenturyLink Cherwell Software The Christian & Missionary Alliance Cobham Semiconductor Solutions
LexisNexis Liberty AV Solutions LinQuest Corp. Lockheed Martin Corp.
Serco Skating Inline Hockey Association Skyline Products Inc. The Spectranetics Corp. StarTek Stresscon Corp. Summit Technical Solutions LLC SYNQ3 Restaurant Solutions (SRS) T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Time Warner Cable T-Mobile USA Inc. Transit Mix Aggregates / Castle Concrete U.S. Olympic Committee
Luce Research
United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
Microchip Technology Inc.
UnitedHealth Group
Mitre Corp.
UTC Aerospace Systems
The Navigators
Vectrus
NEK Advanced Securities Group
Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Newmont Mining
Viavi Solutions Inc.
Nexgen Pharma
VM Ware
Direct Checks Unlimited / Deluxe Corp.
Olson Plumbing & Heating Co. Inc
Wells Fargo
Oracle America Inc.
Western Forge Corp.
dpiX LLC
Outreach Inc.
Westone Laboratories Inc.
E-9 Enterprises Inc.
Pepsi Bottling Group
Wide Open West
Ent Federal Credit Union
PGi
Xerox
Entegris
Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care
Young Life
EviCore
Polaris Alpha
Zurich Insurance Services
Comcast Compassion International Credit Union of Colorado CSAA Insurance Group Current USA Inc. David C Cook DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson
26 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
TOP 10 PUBLIC EMPLOYERS
FORT CARSON
28,200
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE
10,206
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY
8,410
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE
6,925
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO HEALTH
6,200
SCHOOL DISTRICT # 11
3,931
SCHOOL DISTRICT # 20
3,356
PENROSE-ST. FRANCIS HEALTH SERVICES
2,833
CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS
2,231
COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES
1,774
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COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
FORTUNE 500 C O M P A N I E S with a presence in El Paso County AT&T Government Solutions Inc. Boeing Co. CenturyLink CH2M HILL Comcast DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson EMC Corp. FedEx Services Corp. Ford Motor Credit, CS Business Center Hewlett Packard Enterprises Honeywell Jabil Circuit Inc. Kinder Morgan Inc. L-3 Communications, E&TS Lockheed Martin Corp. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Oracle America Inc. Progressive Insurance Co. Quest Diagnostics Raytheon Co. Sanmina-SCI The Travelers Companies Inc. Thermo MF Physics LLC Time Warner Cable United Services Automobile Association UnitedHealth Group Verizon Enterprise Solutions Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Wells Fargo Xerox
28 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 29
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
MANUFACTURING in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region
TOUCH SENSORS Since the 1960’s, Colorado Springs has become known as an excellent site for manufacturing. No single industry type dominates locally manufactured products. Electronics, mechanical devices, textiles and computer components constitute high-profile segments of locally manufactured products, but metal products, industrial equipment, plastics and printing are also strongly represented.
CNC MACHINES ELECTRO-MECHANICAL DEVICES
High quality non-union labor, inexpensive utilities, moderate weather and reasonable construction and labor costs are principal reasons for the strong growth in local manufacturing TEXTILES during the past several decades. Colorado’s location near the geographic center of the continent, plus excellent transportation links, make distribution timely and efficient. Many local vendors are available to provide services and supplies for the sophisticated manufacturing concerns in the Pikes Peak region.
ENGINEERED METAL MACHINE
X-RAY IMAGING
IT PACKAGING
home to hundreds 11,510 employed of manufacturers
More than 120 years of economic development leadership. A founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on growing your business in the Colorado Springs region, please contact: Tammy Fields | 719.884.2836 | tfields@cscedc.com
30 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
AEROSPACE & DEFENSE in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region
HISTORY OF PIONEERING SPACE With a history of pioneering space, a unique concentration of military bases and commands, and a vision to become the nation’s command and control epicenter, Colorado Springs has attracted many of the world’s largest defense and commercial aerospace companies while being a catalyst for home-grown businesses. The Pikes Peak region, encompassing a diverse and vibrant military presence, is home to five military installations and the operations of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command, Air Force Space Command, U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command, Missile Defense Integration & Operations Center, U.S. Air Force Academy, Joint Functional Component Command/ Integrated Missile Defense, and the National Security Space Institute. Their missions range from training and educating tomorrow’s Air Force leaders and space professionals to fighting the global war on terrorism and maintaining vigilance for homeland defense and security. The aerospace, aviation, and defense industry is the region’s leading economic engine, accounting for 44% of the Colorado Springs economy with over 105,000 employed in the industry and an annual economic impact of over $12 billion. As the military presence in Colorado Springs has grown, so too has the number of aerospace, defense, information technology, cybersecurity, data networking/storage and software companies. With a dedicated and skilled workforce, university engineering and research support, a vibrant innovation culture, and a community that truly embraces the military, aerospace, and defense, Colorado Springs is the ideal location to expand your business.
$12 billion economic impact
44% of local economy
home to five military installations
105,000 employed
DIVERSE AND VIBRANT MILITARY PRESENCE
COMMAND CYBERSECURITY & CONTROL
COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE
MANUFACTURING
More than 120 years of economic development leadership. A founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on growing your business in Colorado Springs, Colorado, please contact: Andy Merritt | 719.575.4325 | amerritt@cscedc.com
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 31
Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region Manufacturing Companies COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
SPORTS ECONOMY in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region
Colorado Springs has earned the title of “Olympic City USA!” Often referred to as the “Amateur Sports Capital” of the United States, the crown jewel of the sports economy in Colorado Springs is unquestionably the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC). Along with the USOC headquarters and the Olympic Training Center, over 20 National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) are headquartered in Colorado Springs including: USA Cycling, USA Hockey, USA Swimming, USA Synchro, USA Triathlon, USA Volleyball, and U.S. Figure Skating among many others. Including the USOC and NGBs, Colorado Springs is home to more than 59 national or international sports organizations. The U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) is located in Colorado Springs. Some 15,000 athletes train at the OTC on a short-term basis each year with another 130 training on a full-time status through a NGB “resident athlete” program. Resident programs exist through several NGBs including: USA Modern Pentathlon, USA Shooting, USA Triathlon, USA Weightlifting, USA Wrestling, etc. with others specific to Paralympic training (USA Fencing, USA Judo, USA Swimming). Highlights: • USOC National Headquarters operations. • Olympic Training Center operations and facilities, including a $13 million aquatic center, gymnasium and velodrome. • Headquarters of National and International Sports Governing Bodies and other sports organizations. • The “goodwill” and image that comes with hosting national and world-class sports events such as the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open, the World Cycling Championships, World Junior Cycling Championships, World Record Events in Track and Field, World Police and Fire Games, National Sports Festival, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Assemblies, U.S. National Boxing Championships and many others. • The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, USA. The track measures 12.42 miles over 156 turns, climbing 4,720 ft from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway, to the finish at 14,115 foot, on grades averaging 7.2%. • Facilities, including the U.S. Air Force Academy, 7-11 Velodrome, and a planned U.S. Olympic Museum, a sports and event center, and a sports medicine and performance center. • UCCS - Sports and Leisure Studies (recognized leaders in sports sociology) • Education programs and resources (UCCS, Pikes Peak Community College and Colorado College). • The Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, organized to strengthen Colorado Springs’ position as a leader in youth and amateur sports in the United States. • The community is focused on the sports industry as a target industry. • Nearly 260 miles of trails, 209 parks and 14,349 acres of parks and open space.
More than 120 years of economic development leadership. A founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on growing your business in Colorado Springs, Colorado, please contact: Tammy Fields | 719.884.2836 | tfields@cscedc.com
32 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region Manufacturing COLORADO Companies SPRINGS CHAMBER & EDC
CYBER
in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region HISTORY OF PIONEERING SPACE With a history of pioneering space, a unique concentration of military bases and commands, and a vision to become the cybersecurity capital of the United States, Colorado Springs has attracted many of the world’s largest cyber companies while being a catalyst for home-grown cyber businesses. • Cybersecurity has a long history in Colorado Springs, initiated by the military commands that have historically depended upon information security. • The cyber infrastructure is in place, supported by an IT and telecommunications infrastructure second to none. • The strong presence of data and customer support centers rely on safe, secure data storage and transmission. From data centers like FedEx to financial services like T. Rowe Price to insurance carriers like USAA and Progressive, cybersecurity is paramount and has led to the creation of a robust commercial cyber industry. COMMAND • Colorado Springs is the headquarters for the #1 company in the world on the CyberSecurity 500 List: root9B, & CONTROL as well as the home to the Western Cyber Exchange and the Cyber Security Institute for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses. • Colorado Springs is regularly identified as one of the top five cities for cybersecurity jobs and is attracting a large cybersecurity workforce, including individuals separating from the military with extensive security credentials. Extraordinary Cybersecurity Military Presence 81 Air Force Space Command: provides resilient space and cyberspace capabilities for the Joint Force and the nation. U.S. Northern Command/NORAD Joint Cyber Center: provides cyber consequence, response, and recovery support. Academic Involvement 107 United States Air Force Academy: Academy Center for Cyberspace Research; Cyber Innovation Center. 108 University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS): strong cyber research programs sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, IARPA, and NSF that cover a variety of topics including secure cyber infrastructure, resilient cloud, risk analysis for critical infrastructure protection, and cyber degree programs. Cyber P3i Program with U.S. Army Reserve. • Colorado Technical University (CTU) offers master’s degree programs in cyber science with concentrations in computer systems security, database systems, and software engineering. • Regis University offers a NSA certified Information Assurance program with a cybersecurity specialization. • Webster University offers a master’s degree in cybersecurity and graduate certificates in cybersecurity and threat protection.
CYBERSECURITY
DIVERSE AND VIBRANT MILITARY PRESENCE
More than 120 years of economic development leadership. A founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on growing your business in Colorado Springs, Colorado, please contact: Andy Merritt | 719.575.4325 | amerritt@cscedc.com ENGAGE Colorado Springs 33
2017 Events Book of Lists Classes
January 26
March 16
June 22
July 20
CSBJ & Book of Lists 101 February 23: 7:30 - 9:00 May 25: 11:30 - 1:00
August 31: 7:30 - 9:00 November 30: 11:30 - 1:00
April 13
Power Lunch
Mayor’s Panel
Captains of
INDUSTRY August 17
Power Lunch
September 21 CO LO R A D O S P R I N G S B U S I N E SS J O U R N A L
Sports Lunch November 16
October 19
FASTEST
GROWING
COMPANIES December TBD
For sponsorship opportunities or more information, please call
719-634-5905 All dates subject to change
for up-to-date information, go to www.csbj.com/events 34 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
MEET THE CEO Oraida Roman
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Joel Yuhas
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Mark Hatchell
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Col. Jeffrey Collins
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Ed Rios
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Michelle Parvinrouh
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Andy Vick
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MEET THE CEO
CSHP’s Roman views West as home By Bryan Grossman
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Photo by Bryan Grossman
hen Oraida Roman’s daughter began telling everyone in Florida real skiing is done on snow, she knew it was time to pick up and head back to the hills. Roman is the latest CEO to take over at Colorado Springs Health Partners, the city’s largest physician group. For the past two years, she was the chief operating officer at JSA Healthcare Corp. in Tampa, Fla., a DaVita Medical Group company. DaVita acquired CSHP in 2014 and absorbed its largest competitor, Mountain View Medical Group. How did you get involved in health care? I went to grad school in Florida, and then was working in Nashville for a behavioral health care company. I had just finished my master’s degree [in health administration] and got an opportunity to do a graduate internship program at Humana. I went in thinking I’d be there a few years, but I moved back to Florida and was with Humana for about 18 years. I moved with them to Las Vegas and then Utah, running Humana’s Medicare markets. I was in Utah when I got the opportunity to be [chief operating officer] for DaVita in Florida. Working in insurance, you help people finance health care, but you’re removed from the care they’re receiving. One thing for me that was neat about this opportunity was being closer to the patient.
ORAIDA ROMAN We are expending a lot of energy in creating physician leaders.” Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one 36 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
What are the strengths of this market? One strength is that this is a very tight-knit community, and all the providers know each other in a way that I didn’t see in Tampa. Tampa is a much bigger city with lots of hospitals. Here, I believe it is easier to transition care from one provider to the other when they all know each other. But there’s also difficulty in a smaller community to provide access to everyone and ensure we have everything we need. What’s your opinion of health care growth in the region? It’s growing at the right rate. But now we need a crystal ball to determine how we’ll grow, and what services we’ll need more of. It can be a costly mistake if we hire a specialty that’s not really needed and we’re under-employing a physician. And it could be a costly mistake if we don’t employ a specialty we need. One of the biggest reasons for dissatisfaction for patients is when they call to see a doc, and we tell them we can see them in six months. When we look at growth and where we need to increase capacity, it would be nice if we had a magic formula and got it right all the time. But it’s a little more difficult. Has recruiting been a concern? Recruiting physicians is always a concern, especially for primary care. We all know about the shortages. They’re real. So providing a place where physicians want to work is very important. How will so many health care unknowns in 2017 affect CSHP? This will be year of a lot of volatility and noise. At end of the day, as the leader of this group, we will still have patients who need good medical care. That need isn’t going away, so we’ll focus on that. But how we get there might change. CSBJ n
MEET THE CEO
Memorial begins new year with new CEO By Bryan Grossman
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emorial Hospital’s north and central campuses started the new year with a new chief executive officer. Joel Yuhas, 46, began leading the system Jan. 9, taking over from George Hayes, who stepped down in November. Yuhas brings with him 20 years of health care leadership experience, most recently as president and CEO of Dignity Health’s St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. His background also includes leadership positions at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. During his tenure at UPMC, he served as senior vice president of operations for its international division, overseeing hospital and cancer center operations in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Italy. Photo by Bryan Grossman
Why did you pursue the Memorial CEO position? I’ve vacationed in Colorado Springs many times over the years. We love the area. It’s beautiful in the winter and the summer. This is an amazing town and an amazing system to work with. What do you see as Memorial’s strengths? In my very limited exposure to Memorial, I was really impressed with the growth plans. The central campus is well-positioned as a market leader for tertiary [specialized] and quaternary [highly specialized] care, and that’s going to continue to evolve as the north campus expands. … That [expansion] creates more room at central campus to continue to expand tertiary care and surgical services. Both campuses have a really interesting and exciting future to them as they collaborate to improve health care in the Springs. Was expected growth and your experience with larger markets one reason you took the position? The growth trajectory of the Pikes Peak region, when you look at the market — it’s growing at a pace that’s outgrowing a lot of other metropolitan areas. That spurs further investments by health systems in trying to meet the ongoing demand for more services. What’s interesting about this system is the concept UCHealth has of bringing specialized care closer to the people who want to receive it. That business philosophy … says a lot about a community that’s thriving and growing. As CEO, do uncertainties in health care affect what you do? We knew the Affordable Care Act took us in a direction to make health care more accessible to people who needed it. I think we should be proud that more people today have more access to care than they did before. That’s a social justice issue. We also knew the first step of the ACA wasn’t perfect. Hospitals suffered a bit from the initial phase. … There’s no free lunch. You have to subsidize care at a cost from somewhere. But that’s going to change, and it would have had to change no matter who became president. … But I don’t see how you can completely unravel a trajectory of change that’s happened over the last eight years. We’re stewards. That’s what a CEO is, stewards of resources. We know consumers demand services closer to home. A hospital is highcost environment to receive care. So as a health system, we have to continue to look for opportunities to give consumers what they want — at lower costs for greater value. That won’t change. CSBJ n
JOEL YUHAS I pride myself in being approachable and accessible.”
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one ENGAGE Colorado Springs 37
MEET THE CEO
Hatchell talks turning out tomorrow’s leaders By Bryan Grossman
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hen it came to career choices outside education, Mark Hatchell didn’t stand a chance. The Academy District 20 superintendent comes from a long line of teachers, including both parents, his brother and even a great-grandfather. After bouncing around the state, Hatchell, in his 10th year with D-20, oversees operations at the city’s second-largest school district, which employs about 2,800 faculty and staff charged with educating more than 25,000 students at 35 schools.
Photo by Bryan Grossman
Talk about the district. Well, Academy 20 is the best school district in the state. I’m very proud. It’s an outstanding school district with great parents and community support. That’s why [our most recent] bond issue passed 60 [percent] to 40 [percent]. We think that’s the largest margin in district history and one of the biggest in the state. The bond means $240 million to build two new elementary schools, a new middle school and an innovation learning center. We’ll renovate and expand a number of schools, and there’s money going to all schools for what we’re calling building fund dollars. What will the innovation learning center involve? That will bring together a lot of programs that currently don’t have a home, such as the Academy Online High School and the Home School Academy. We want to move our Challenger Learning Center, which is a great program, to that site as an anchor. We also want to add classes like coding and cybersecurity.
MARK HATCHELL Colorado Springs is a place people strive to live, and that’s a great recruiting tool for us.” Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one 38 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
How has the district changed in the last decade? We’ve grown by about 7,000 students. We’ve added a number of new innovative programs like the Home School Academy, Academy Online High School and [Academy Calvert Online]. I see us continuing to grow and creating new choices for parents and students. How does Colorado’s federal education funding affect the district? We are one of the lowest-funded states, and it is a challenge. We most feel that when we go to job fairs and look at the starting salaries of other places compared to Colorado, and that’s difficult. We do believe, if someone is looking to come to Colorado, Colorado Springs is a place people strive to live, and that’s a great recruiting tool for us — the Colorado Springs metro area with the mountains right there. How has District 20 addressed workforce development? We’re starting to make that shift. As part of an initiative this year, by 2018 we want to expand our career and tech offerings in the district, and we look to start homebuilding and automotive programs in the district by the fall of 2018. Those [programs] would be placed in existing high schools. What do you enjoy about this position? One thing I really enjoy doing is being in schools. I strive to be in two schools every day. I like being in classrooms and having lunch with students in the cafeteria when I can. Just staying connected with the schools is something I really value, and besides enjoying it, I think it helps me do a better job. CSBJ n
MEET THE CEO
Collins leads AFA’s CyberWorx program By Amber Baillie
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What is CyberWorx’s vision? It’s to deliver capability to the Air Force and to make sure we’re educating the next generation of officers so that they understand problem-solving methodology. Some big benefits of approaching cyber this way [through partnerships and design thinking] is we increase the diversity of people attacking the problem. Cyberspace, unlike the other domains in which we fight, is one where we can change the space. We can create sort of virtual mountains that the enemy has to fight through to get to us. We can create mountains that make the enemy aircraft have more difficulty doing what they’re trying to do. And we’re not really limited like other domains by physics so much as just by imagination. So to increase that amount of imagination, we need a broader range of people who are willing to come in and help us solve these problems. That cross-pollination is important because we get that diversity of thought in solving real-world Air Force problems. And that makes our solutions better. What has been your biggest challenge? I’d say one of the biggest challenges has been that fear of failure — it’s safe to just follow the rule. I’m not advocating breaking the rules, but the learning lesson is to be forthright about limitations and opportunities up the chain. In terms of giving the truth up the chain, that goes back to one of our core values which is integrity first. It takes people willing to think and question, and then deliver the good and bad news. What is your next goal? My goal is to lead the Air Force toward small solutions — we start on wicked problems so that we find out faster what works and what doesn’t, and then evolve in more of an agile way than we have in the past. Our goals next semester are to do at least two more design sprints, but also figure out ways to include cadets in those, such as develop an innovation club where we have cadets interested in solving these problems. CSBJ n
Photo by Amber Baillie
fter working in the cyber field for 25 years in the Air Force, Col. Jeffrey Collins knows the ins and outs of the evolving domain: solving multi-level network security issues downrange, commanding air traffic control, developing future cyberspace strategies at the Pentagon and now heading the CyberWorx unit at the Air Force Academy. As director, Collins said the keys to staying ahead of the enemy are imagination, agility and the right mix of people and perspectives. “Me thinking about a problem is going to be much slower than me explaining what I think the problem is to 15 people and then asking them to give 15 different ideas on how to solve the problem,” he said. “Just the speed with which you can find bad and good ideas is increased.” The 48-year-old from Indiana arrived for his third assignment at the Academy in August to set up CyberWorx, where cadets and faculty have been collaborating with industry this semester through a design thinking course.
COL. JEFFREY COLLINS We need a broader range of people who are willing to come in and help us solve these problems.” Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one ENGAGE Colorado Springs 39
MEET THE CEO
Rios brings cyber, military experience to state center By Amy Gillentine Sweet
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d Rios discovered Colorado Springs thanks to the Air Force. Years after moving here to work at U.S. Space Command, he retired and started a local firm, CyberSpace Operations Consulting. Rios is now CEO of the National Cybersecurity Center. Rios spoke to the Business Journal about the difference between cyber and cybersecurity, starting CSOC, and what he thinks of Colorado Springs.
Photo by Amy G. Sweet
How did you get to Colorado Springs? I joined the Air Force after college and had a very diverse career. I started off in missiles and was an [intercontinental ballistic missile] launch officer. I commanded a ship for two years and was deployed for three combat tours. I have more than 2,000 hours of flying for special mission support. I received a fellowship to MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] and I went to work at U.S. Space Command at Peterson. They wanted someone to bring an operational flavor to space command. When did you launch your company, CSOC? After I retired, I went to work for a company that was launching an IPO [Initial Public Offering]. I helped raise money and worked in a technical capacity. When it went public, I cashed out and started my own company.
ED RIOS There’s so much potential here, so much talent.” Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one 40 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
What does CSOC do? We’re a high-level, intellectual company. We focus on that critical-thinking aspect. Most companies focus on the tactical level — finding a product or a solution to a problem, whether it’s a hardware or software solution. We are focused on more than that — we address not only the problem, but also a strategy to avoid the problem. We’re more strategic, intellectual. We focus on three areas: cyber, drone technology and satellite communications. We hold several patents for drone technology and we work to integrate drones into national security. We started working with electric drones that can be hand-launched, but we also work with high-altitude drones. We have patents on sensors on high-flying drones — and we think that our sensors provide the resilience should anything happen to our space-based assets. We are also the Colorado representative with the Air Force for Space X, and we work with other satellite companies to communicate and maintain orbital satellites. How is cyber different from cybersecurity? Cybersecurity is an IT function to provide protection against a threat. It ranges from encrypted software to specialized hardware, training and best practices. Cyber is what happens should a cyber attack happen — how do we respond? ... If they get through a firewall, how do you reconstitute your cyber capability? ... For instance, if there’s an attack, and an individual’s private information is stolen — you have to respond to that. But it can get more complicated than that, when you consider that cyber touches everything. So we help develop policy, strategy and operational planning. Our job is to help companies determine not only how to respond, but what the second- and third-echelon effects might be. CSBJ n
MEET THE CEO
Parvinrouh leads local startups By Cameron Moix
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ichelle Parvinrouh’s blood runs thick with the kind of risk-taking it takes to be an entrepreneur in the 21st century. During the ramp-up to the 1979 revolution, her parents fled Iran to pursue the American dream and settled in Alabama, where they raised their children and started a successful gymnastics business. Parvinrouh, 33, moved to Colorado in 2006 for graduate school at University of Colorado Denver and developed a dream of her own — to make an impact in the exciting world of startups. She has since moved to Colorado Springs and become the executive director of Peak Startup, a nonprofit devoted to bolstering the local entrepreneurial community. Photo by Cameron Moix
Can you tell us how you got introduced to the startup scene? I was born and raised in Mobile, Ala. I went out to Denver a little over 10 years ago for grad school, and I stayed in Denver for about eight years. While I was there — through the program I was in for school — I got really involved in the entrepreneurship program at CU Denver and started working for them part-time. Once I graduated, I started working at the university in the business school and remained involved with the entrepreneurship program. Eventually, after about three years, I took over that program and managed it. That’s how I got introduced to the startup scene. … Even when I went off to the corporate world, I still kept my ties to that network and continued to be involved with their events and programs. How did you get involved with Peak Startup? When I moved down to the Springs [in November 2014], I was in sales with a company that really valued volunteer work and community involvement … so I did a lot of research and I discovered Peak Startup and Epicentral and I reached out to both. At that time I had five-plus years of experience in the sector and didn’t know how I could be helpful, but I knew that I could be. So Hannah [Parsons] and Lisa [Tessarowicz] took me under their wing and I helped them with the first “Go Code” and some other events, and then I got plugged in with the board of Peak Startup. How did that evolve into your current position as executive director? A few years down the road ... they were looking to hire their first contractor, and I applied for the position of program coordinator. So I started by working a lot with events, and we started to look for an executive director. At that time, I had accepted a position with a local startup that is now FoodMaven. As that organization evolved, I made some career changes and came back to Peak Startup as a board member. At that point, it made sense to come in as executive director. So I started as interim director in September and then signed on as the executive director in December. Why did you move from Denver to the Springs? The simplest reason why I left is probably the population boom. It got to a point where I didn’t feel very connected to the city. Traffic got worse, prices for everything went up … and I didn’t find that there was a real sense of community there. CSBJ n
MICHELLE PARVINROUH I’m the face of the organization and the one tasked with keeping the bus moving in the right direction.” Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one ENGAGE Colorado Springs 41
MEET THE CEO
Vick promotes art as economic vitality By Amber Baillie
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ndy Vick, executive director of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, never had a master plan for life — but he’s developed one for the nonprofit he runs. Following his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania, he took on roles in government contracting, human resources and marketing. After meeting his wife, visual artist Beth Piver, Vick turned in his suit and tie to travel with her across the country selling art at local fairs and galleries. “We had a very successful career in business, and it was exciting to be entrepreneurial and have that kind of opportunity,” he said. “I have a genuine passion for the arts and when you marry that with my business and administrative experience, I think it’s a perfect blend.” For 10 years Vick served as executive director for the Allegany Arts Council in Maryland, and in 2014 moved to Colorado Springs to lead COPPeR. He spoke with the Business Journal about opportunities in the arts sector, and why the arts industry plays an important role in economic development. How does COPPeR give arts a voice? Through important tools and programs such as PeakRadar.com, having a centralized calendar resource so that people know what’s going on in the community. You can’t engage in things if you don’t know they exist. The Arts Month initiative is also important. It’s an opportunity every October to stand on the table and yell out, ‘The arts are here, we have a vibrant and important community, so get involved.’
ANDY VICK Art enriches your soul; it’s a link to memories and your story.”
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/one-on-one 42 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
Is there enough local support for arts? I think it’s growing, but there can always be more. I look at peer communities where there is great support from the public sector for arts and culture from corporate headquarters and great private-sector philanthropy. We don’t have the benefit of some of the big, major corporation headquarters in the Springs so that puts us at a bit of a disadvantage. I think it’s our job to demonstrate why we’re important as a sector and why an investment in arts and culture is going to pay dividends for the business and tourism communities, and support businesses trying to do their thing in the Springs and the region. What are the biggest needs in the sector? More dollars is the biggest one. The more investment that is made in the creative sector, the more we can create new programming that will attract locals and visitors to attend. What is your next goal? To find a way to find some increase in public sector support for the work we’re doing. In most of my peer organizations across the country, instead of being nonprofits, they’re part of city or county government. There is usually a line item in the budget that would support the work of a particular cultural office. We don’t have that luxury. We get a little support from the LART tax, but in other communities, there are more dollars designated for those kinds of taxes to support the arts and cultural sector. I would love to get to a place where we could find more resources not only for our office, but be able to pass on to other art organizations in the community. CSBJ n
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION Jessica McMullen
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David Welker
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Lacie Richardson
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Danielle Summerville
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Erin Miller
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Sean Fitzgerald
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Daniel Ratcliff
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MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
McMullen brings enthusiasm to new role By Amy G. Sweet
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Photo by Amy G. Sweet
essica McMullen has a penchant for helping agencies run more smoothly. A Colorado native, she lived in several places around the state before settling in Colorado Springs — and has worked for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, for El Paso County and became the policy and communications manager for the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments late last year. How did you get to Colorado Springs? I grew up in Larkspur, but I’ve lived all over — Palmer Lake, Boulder, Estes Park. I’ve been in the Springs about 14 years. I went to UCCS and have a degree in communications. I’m nearly finished with a master’s degree in public administration. And you started off working for the chamber? I worked at the chamber for about five-and-a-half years, in their government affairs office. I dealt with legislation all those years — tracking it, helping explain the chamber’s stance on bills. It all relates back to basic communications — but I was lucky to have that experience. It really allowed me to stretch my wings and learn what I can do. After that, I worked as the executive assistant to the county administrator, the chairman of the El Paso County commissioners and the vice chairman. There, I learned about the region, and I learned that everyone here really wants to help move the community forward. I have not met a single executive-level person who hasn’t gone out of their way to help. We live in a very, very giving community. What are your goals at PPACG? I want to better communicate all we do here. We’re known for our work in transportation — but we do so much more than that. We’re responsible for air and water quality; we’re just gearing up for a major area of concern for us: aging. And we’re involved in so many other things as well, those are just a few. My goal is for the community to know us better — and to find ways to connect with us. What’s your strategy for that? I’m working on building relationships with all the member governments; we’re making sure that we’re working with all the local nonprofits who contribute to the Pikes Peak region. We’re figuring out how to be better communicators with the community. One thing I’m focused on is boosting our social media. My personal goal is 1,000 likes on Facebook, so people know what we’re doing day-to-day. We want to be as transparent as possible. Do you have advice for other young professionals? Ask around you, find people you like, join groups like the Colorado Springs Rising Professionals. If you find people who live here and want to stay here — those are the people you should connect with.
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection 44 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
What do you like best about your job? I love that it’s different every day. I love that it’s a challenge. I love the overarching belief that what we do every day is important; that my input will make a difference. It’s fascinating and wonderful to see all these governments working together. CSBJ n
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Welker works to increase downtown growth, vibrancy By Amber Baillie
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What drew you to the military? It was something that had always appealed to me. I didn’t have any immediate family in the military and didn’t reach out to anyone to hear what it was like. I just enlisted in infantry and went through basic training. About a week before graduation I received new orders that said: duty station, Afghanistan. We were getting ready to deploy, so when I arrived at Fort Carson, they said, ‘Don’t unpack your bags, we’re getting ready to leave.’ It was a nerve-wracking experience because during basic they told us when we arrived at our unit, we would be trained up and here we were being immediately deployed, not knowing if we were prepared. Throughout my five years in the military, I deployed twice to Afghanistan.
Photo by Amber Baillie
hroughout David Welker’s life, he’s been open to different possibilities and has frequently ventured off course to explore new opportunities. After living in multiple cities during his youth, Welker craved new challenges and experiences, visiting different countries, serving in the military and crafting drinks at Ivywild. He now works in commercial real estate for Hoff & Leigh and said the job has been a natural transition after becoming connected in the community and interested in the city’s potential and its latest developments. Welker said he sells real estate downtown and in urban renewal areas because it’s where he spends most of his time. “The amount of new restaurants and housing being developed downtown will be shocking by this time next year,” he said. “It’s going to feel like it happened overnight and change the energy downtown. A lot of people are predicting a boom for Colorado Springs and I don’t think that optimism is unfounded. There are a lot of properties moving forward that have been stagnant for years.”
How did you get in the real estate business? I met Chris Myers who is a broker at Hoff & Leigh. He sort of recruited me from behind the bar at the Principal’s Office. During my last semester at UCCS, I interned at Hoff & Leigh, and as soon I graduated got my license and came on board. What are your responsibilities? I list, lease and sell commercial buildings; I do landlord and tenant rent, and focus on the downtown and urban renewal areas. I work with a lot of restaurants, breweries and retail-oriented businesses. What are your biggest challenges? I think the first year for any broker is challenging. You have to do the daily work that builds the foundation for future success. There is some financial insecurity, anxiety working on commission without outside support. I’ve sought out mentors in the industry to meet with regularly and get advice and [find out] what has worked for them. What is your next goal? Vacancy rates are pretty much staying the same downtown. One of my goals is to promote downtown as an attractive place to work and live to the people who aren’t already down here. CSBJ n
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection ENGAGE Colorado Springs 45
Photo by Bryan Grossman
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection
Wild woman starts seafood distribution company By Bryan Grossman
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acie Richardson’s Colorado lineage runs deep. Going back four generations, she is one of the first of her kin to ever leave the state. While speaking with the Business Journal, Richardson recalls her first trip to Alaska as a college student, reciting the names of the exotic-sounding ports — Togiak, Egegik, Sitka — from which she would one day earn her keep. “I flew into nowhere Alaska and chartered a bush plane,” she said. “I had no cell phone service, I didn’t know who I’d meet.” Richardson would eventually take jobs that, to the landlubber, sound as foreign as the ports — tendering, long-lining, gill-netting, seining. Growing up in a landlocked state, Richardson was inexplicably, as if by Siren, called to the sea. She would spend her early adult life tracing the coast of the nation’s 49th state, only to be led back home where she would start her own seafood distribution business, Wild Woman Fish Co., in 2014. The distribution and wholesale operation not only specializes in troll-caught salmon, halibut and other wild-caught Alaskan seafood, it also serves to edu-
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cate restaurateurs and consumers — and make a better life for fishermen at the top of the world. Tell us about yourself. I’m a fourth-generation Colorado Springs native on both sides of my family. I went to high school in Falcon and, when I graduated I went to Western State in Gunnison. Ever since I was real young I’d been interested in fly and sport fishing. My junior year of college I just got it into my head that I wanted to go to Alaska … but I couldn’t afford to just move there and live, so I arranged an exchange program through college that allowed me to continue my education and experience Alaska while having a place to stay. … I had no reason to go except everything in me told me I had to. I didn’t question it. I just went. I bought a one-way ticket in the middle of January and gave the exchange program two weeks’ notice. Talk about your company. So, my last two years in Alaska I invested in a troller [vessel], a hook-andline fishery out of Sitka. It was an investment with another person. I had never trolled before. It was the only fishery I’d never deck-handed or crewed.
Trawling is the demon of fisheries. It uses a big net and has a lot of by-catch. Trolling is a quality-based fishery, not a quantity-based fishery. It’s all hook and line. We are really fishing — using bait and hooks and judging depth and tricking fish into taking lures. I went into trolling because the industry was a cheaper fishery to get into. … But reality hit, and we realized we didn’t know what we were doing. The first season, we didn’t make any money. We were so broke. But I had been coming back [to Colorado] and would bring big boxes of fish for friends and family. ... I realized I had this amazing product and would come home to Colorado, where there wasn’t any good fish. The first season I brought back 300 pounds and it was gone like that. I was onto something. … We’re selling about 3,000 pounds a month now. What’s your process? I work with a trollers cooperative out of Sitka, which is the cooperative I used to belong to. … They clean the fish the second they’re on the boat, fillet them and pack them on ice and cryogenically freeze them the day of catch. There’s never more than 24 hours before a fish is locked in time. CSBJ n
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Summerville leads with gratitude
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t’s obvious that Danielle Summerville has a heart for serving the community — it’s what she spends the majority of her time doing. The executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters-Pikes Peak empowers young girls and women to aim high in their careers and in life. She mentors other women through her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc., through the women-led organization The Links Inc. and as a Big Sister in the nonprofit she oversees. This is the 37-year-old’s sixth year heading the youth mentoring chapter.
Photo by Amber Baillie
By Amber Baillie
What brought you to Colorado Springs? I attended high school here [Fountain Valley School] and went to college at Lake Forest College in Illinois because I was born in Chicago. After that, I moved back to Colorado Springs and got a job at Community Outreach Inc., an organization that helps individuals with developmental disabilities find employment. My next job was at Big Brothers Big Sisters. What made you want to lead the nonprofit? I like to see the big picture and vision; I’m the type of person who likes to drive toward that vision. It may take me some time, but I’m not afraid to make a decision and when a decision is made, I stick to it. Why are for-profit and nonprofit partnerships important? We need our for-profit partners to help us sustain our mission at BBBS. Nonprofits such as BBBS are 100 percent donor-supported. Without donations from individuals, foundations and companies we would not be able to exist. Thankfully, our for-profit partners are able to find alignment with the mission of their companies and the mission of BBBS to say, ‘We want to support the financial donation because we believe in the work you do’ and oftentimes it closely aligns with the work they’re trying to do. It’s pretty magnificent because those dollars could be going to someone’s bonus or something else, but these companies see the importance of philanthropy. What do you appreciate most about Colorado Springs? You have access to different aspects from government to nonprofit leadership. You have access to your city leadership and if there is an issue, you can bring it to someone’s attention pretty quickly and be a part of the solution. I appreciate that about this city and don’t think you can get that everywhere. What advice do you have for other young professionals about getting involved? Get out there and see what the community has to offer. You can serve on a board — there are boards at the nonprofit, city and county levels. Find what you’re passionate about, pursue it and make sure you get a seat at the table. And don’t see it as people trying to keep you away from the table. Be a part of the solution for this community. Colorado Springs is growing, so let’s grow with it and shape what the future of this city looks like. What is your biggest challenge? If I could solve any issue at BBBS, it would be finding enough men to become Big Brothers and volunteers. CSBJ n
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection ENGAGE Colorado Springs 47
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Miller leads tech transfer at Catalyst Campus By Bryan Grossman
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rin Miller was born in California and moved with her parents to Colorado when she was a child. She grew up in the Denver area and, after high school, decided she wanted to do something different from her classmates — so she moved to Colorado Springs. Today, the 31-year-old is the managing director and technology transfer program manager at the Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization. Miller spoke about her job and the importance of empathy.
What kept you here? Getting a job at the Air Force Academy. I worked there for six years before I came to CTRAC. I got an internship at the Air Force Academy about the time I was finishing grad school; I was working in the research office for two or three months. From there I was picked up to work a full-time, real job. I supported technology transfer … which is primarily partnerships with industry — collaborating between government and industry. The Air Force Academy is a federal lab; it’s not just a university or an academic center. They have 19 research centers and two institutes and do research and development. They have an active tech-transfer program. I spent six years working that effort. From there I started to learn about Catalyst Campus and the movement toward getting small businesses and companies headquartered in Colorado Springs. In talking with the folks building this enterprise, I learned they wanted a technology transfer function to exist here. My role now isn’t in the laboratory environment, but I’ve taken everything I learned in the laboratory environment and all the opportunities I saw, and I’m essentially educating small businesses and industry on how they can get involved in collaborating with any type of government entity.
Photo by Bryan Grossman
How did you end up in the community? I grew up in Aurora and went to high school at Smoky Hill. When I graduated I went to UCCS and got my undergraduate degrees in political science and communication. I was putting myself through college and I worked at Starbucks a long time — seven years.
What is tech transfer? To me, it’s collaboration. I know that’s such a simple way to put it, but that’s what it is. A lot of people know there are defense contractors out there who get paid by the government to perform services or develop products. Tech transfer is outside of that acquisition cycle and it’s in a more collaborative environment. Will this affect Colorado Springs? Tech transfer has been a thing since 1980, but a thing in Colorado Springs much more recently. There was federal tech transfer law in 1980; that’s when the first legislation was passed. The whole idea was whatever taxpayers had paid for, they should be able to take advantage of those developments. At the time, they had thousands of patents sitting on shelves that were paid for by taxpayers. [The government] wanted to make those available to private industry and individuals. Making that information well known, and the process behind it available to companies in Colorado Springs, will allow them to become more sustainable. CSBJ n
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Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Fitzgerald’s Wobbly Olive: A successful dare By Helen Robinson
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How did The Wobbly Olive start? My wife and I went to a restaurant up north and we had a bad night. They were just not on their game. And I [complained] the whole way through. Now, I’d never waited a table; I’d never served a drink; I don’t know what I’m doing. My wife has 15 years’ experience in restaurants — her mother owned restaurants when she was a kid, so she grew up in restaurants. She said, ‘Well if you’re so good, why don’t you go start a restaurant?’ And I said, ‘Well, maybe I will.’ A few weeks later I noticed that Nawlins, the restaurant that was here before, lost their liquor license. I called Nor’wood and told them [Nawlins] was going to go out of business and I wanted to sign a lease. They said, ‘Personally guarantee the lease for five years, we’ll put you in.’ They said, ‘What’s your concept?’ ‘I don’t know, I don’t have a concept.’ ‘What’s the name of it?’ ‘I don’t have a name either — I don’t know what I’m doing, but my wife dared me to open a restaurant so I’m going to.’ I signed the lease, came home and said, ‘I own a restaurant now.’
Photo by Helen Robinson
ho opens a restaurant on a dare? Sean Fitzgerald can answer that one. After a disappointing night out, Fitzgerald, 35, was running down a laundry list of complaints about the restaurant they’d just left, when his wife dared him to open his own. Forty days later, he signed a lease — and The Wobbly Olive is thriving three years after that dare. It’s the first in a string of boutique bars and restaurants the couple plans to open around Colorado Springs, and the latest in a series of off-the-wall twists Fitzgerald’s career has taken. Vacuum cleaner salesman, electrician, construction company owner, oil and gas company owner — Fitzgerald has done it all.
Do you have a history of taking up crazy dares? Not that crazy, not that big, not personally guaranteed for five years and a half-million dollars — but yeah, I’m not opposed to taking a risk. The worst thing that can happen is I just fail, and I learn something new. That’s how I view things. I’ve failed more than I’ve won anyway, I feel like that’s life. What was your idea for this place? My whole idea was I wanted a place I could come drink at, and I wanted to prove [my wife] wrong. I did a Google search of bars in this ZIP code and I noticed there’s 10 million sports bars and a bunch of corporate places — where’s the gap in the market? I realized it was women 28 to 45 that were making their own money. That’s my market. Once I decided the market, I needed the name. I was in my hot tub, drunk, and I was Googling gastropubs in London and there were two across the street from each other, The Wobbly Monk and The Tilted Olive, and I smashed the names together. What’s down the track? [We want] a location downtown. We love downtown … but it’s slim pickings and what is available so far isn’t right for us. The Wobbly Olive is structured with the idea of being able to franchise or expand upon it. Past that, we want to continue opening up these very niche, small boutique locations. … There are so many ideas for cool bars. CSBJ n
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection ENGAGE Colorado Springs 49
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Ratcliff’s role is education, advocacy By Hannah Harvey
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olorado Springs appealed to Daniel Ratcliff because of its career opportunities, but he stays because of the city’s intertwined country and urban lifestyles. And now he’s afraid the small city is disappearing. “The city is growing tremendously,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to see the more rural vibe go away, [but] it looks like it’s going in that direction, and I would want to keep it to a minimum to where we keep that ‘Colorado Springs’ feel.” Ratcliff has spent much of his career advocating for those with disabilities. A benefits specialist at the Independence Center since March 2016, he says he is passionate about not only advocating on behalf of the disabled, but also educating people who don’t understand what it’s like to live with a disability. How did you end up in Colorado Springs? When I first came to Colorado Springs, I was in peer support. I’ve only lived here for maybe two years. I moved here from Northern Virginia for this job specifically. Throughout the Springs, what I do is educate people. I guess the benefits role would be the bigger part, but more or less [it’s also] advocating and providing resources. In my position, I help individuals apply to state and federal benefits, and manage those benefits, where our government tends to word things that are a little above people’s understanding. Whom do you advocate for? Truthfully, individuals with disabilities that want to lead more independent lives, but run into roadblocks. I’m there to be that voice when they can’t speak. In Northern Virginia, I was an advocate for the blind. I’m legally blind. Every individual with a disability deserves an opportunity to work. Most individuals that receive Social Security or federal benefits don’t want to have to rely on the government. Is there a need to advocate for the disabled? I think that the Independence Center is doing a really great job of getting the word out, but there can definitely be more done to educate business owners about [Americans with Disabilities Act] rules and making their places of business comfortable for individuals with disabilities, as well as the school system. What attracted you to Colorado Springs? I was a single father forever, so the school system is very important to me. I think Colorado ranks in the top 10 as far as education, so that was pretty awesome. The air quality is No. 1 in America. The diversity due to the military bases is really cool. The public transportation was another big thing for me. It was important for me to be able to navigate on my own. The youth kind of run the town here. I like that; it was attractive to me.
Read the full interview at csbj.com/category/people/yp-connection 50 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
How do you reach other young people? I more or less interact with the youth when I’m out and about with my son. I introduce them to a disability that they may not be familiar with, with me being blind, so I’m able to teach them about individuals with a disability, proper etiquette, and it helps. I think that’s my nickel in the barrel for the world. CSBJ n
MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY National cyber center takes shape
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Mt. Carmel musters military services
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Catalyst Campus vision: To grow community
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How to build a skilled cybersecurity workforce 58 Real estate forecast: 2017 is all blue skies
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Health care one of region’s largest industries 62 El Paso County Veterans
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Defense presence remains strong in Colorado Springs
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National cyber center takes shape By Amber Baillie
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he National Cybersecurity Center has gotten off to a great start — and in 2017, the center will solidify its place as a nonprofit dedicated to solving the nation’s most perplexing cybersecurity issues. Rennovations begin on the center’s permanent home at 3650 N. Nevada Ave. this summer, said CEO Ed Rios. But,the nonprofit still needs more data, partners, subject matter experts and donations to maintain its progress. “There is a lot of expectation and the problem is: We’re a startup,” Rios said. “We need your help in identifying resources. We’re trying to pull together different entities, for-profit and nonprofit, to bring immediate and viable capability to the NCC.” Initial capability for the NCC was reached in November. The center is making progress on a business plan for the center’s three pillars: the Cyber Institute, Rapid Response Center and the Cyber Research, Education and Training Center. Professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers is helping the NCC develop its plans. So far, the NCC has raised nearly $25.9 million from government and private sector donations and grants. It received $7.8 million from the Colorado Legislature to renovate the former TRW building to house the NCC; $6 million from Congress through UCCS to train
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Army reservists; $300,000 from philanthropic charitable organizations; $215,000 from private individuals; $35,000 from corporate entities; and $11 million from in-kind contributions, including the UCCS facility. In addition, they’ve requested $550,000 in grants. The center will be ready to move in once renovations are complete, Rios said. “But the nearly $8 million doesn’t include any build out, [it’s] just for renovations,” Rios said.
NEXT STEPS
To develop capabilities for training, education and research, the NCC is seeking experienced cyber experts and companies in government and the private sector to collaborate — not compete — with, said UCCS faculty member Ed Anderson, who served as NCC interim director until Rios was hired last year. “We intend to be a collaborative organization and are very specific and sensitive to that,” he said. “We want to make sure public and private partners are a part of the solution.” Since March 2016, the NCC Board of Directors and staff have been building the foundation for the organization, speaking to hundreds of professionals and local, state, federal and private organizations to understand the scope of cybersecurity and gaps needing to be addressed.
MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
“We’ve made an aggressive effort to learn what’s going on,” Anderson said. The Cyber Institute is the most established partner; 50 governors from across the country, as well as state legislatures and county commissioners, were invited to the center’s debut event in November. “These are leaders responsible for making decisions on key resources and policy, and they don’t know enough about cybersecurity,” Anderson said. The Rapid Response Center will serve as a 911 center for smaller companies that experience a cyber attack or breach; it will be staffed by volunteers, leading experts in information technology, software and cybersecurity. “Generally, Fortune 500 companies have all of the resources available to either have their own cybersecurity capability or resources to bring in experts to help if they have a problem,” Anderson said. “The ones who don’t have that capability are the unfortunate 50,000 small- to medium-sized businesses and that is the gap that’s not being adequately addressed. Our intent is to address that issue and work together.”
CHANGING CYBER
Cybersecurity is cultural, generational and always changing, said Rios, and those characteristics will be considered as part of the NCC’s Cyber Research, Education and Training Center. “We tend to think of cybersecurity in terms of computer engineering, software engineering and computer science, and those are all necessary things,” he said. “But let’s take it a step further and think about including higher education programs in cyber anthropology, sociology and cyber economics, those types of consequences that happen as a result of cyber around the nation.” And every generation has its own perspective of cyber, Rios said. “I don’t think most or anybody else my age thinks of cyber the same way as my nieces who are both under 10, and already coding concepts with toys,” he said. “I think all of us need to have a better cognizance of what cyber needs and what cybersecurity could mean to you, and we need people who can help us with that.” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said the city has potential to be a leader in cyber, with its critical military missions and 105 cybersecurity firms. “We’re not the only ones trying to get in this business and take advantage of the capabilities we have here,” Suthers said. “We’ve reached a point where we’ve started to make an incredible amount of progress.” CSBJ
National Cybersecurity Center: Timeline • January 2016 – Gov. John Hickenlooper announced plans for the NCC. • March 2016 – Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ed Anderson from UCCS is named interim director. • April 2016 – Bylaws established. • May 2016 – The State Legislature contributed $7.8 million for the renovation of UCCS’s former TRW building to house the NCC. • July 2016 – The name is changed from the National Cyber Intelligence Center to National Cybersecurity Center. • August 2016 – Official website created: nationalcybersecuritycenter.org • October 2016 – Ed Rios is selected as CEO and the logo is developed. • November 2016 – Initial capability reached. • January 2017 — The NCC hires COO Jenifer Furda to help create a steady revenue stream for the nonprofit. • March 2017 — The center holds its first meeting to train boards of directors in both nonprofit and for-profit companies.
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Mt. Carmel musters military services By Amber Baillie
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hen Jay Cimino, CEO and president of Phil Long Dealerships, purchased the former KOAA facility at 530 Communication Circle in 2014, his intent was to fill an important gap in local military and veteran communities. The goal: to provide a “one-stop center” for transition and wellness services for the area’s 84,000 military veterans and their families. Construction on what’s now called the Mt. Carmel Center of Excellence of Colorado started in January 2015 — crews redesigned and expanded the facility to about 18,000 square feet. The renovations cost Cimino about $2 million, according to (Ret.) Col. Bob McLaughlin, former garrison commander at Fort Carson, who is now COO of Mt. Carmel. Agencies with a mission to assist military and veterans opened offices at the center in September 2015 and on March 3, the nonprofit officially opened its doors. During its first three months, more than 2,000 people have walked through the
door for service or collaborations, and the center has additional space for more partners, McLaughlin said. “The center is in a good location for military communities, being close to downtown and Fort Carson,” he said. But they didn’t stop with the first building. Construction is underway for a health and wellness center across the street. “We want to foster a healthy community, providing a center of excellence that makes a positive impact, with collaborative partnerships that support veterans and allow them to be strong and contribute to the community,” McLaughlin said. The new health and wellness center will include fitness coaches, yoga classes and Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans for veterans. “We’re trying to partner with organizations like the YMCA, Penrose-St. Francis and the Veterans Administration to provide more specialty care in Colorado Springs that veterans are having a hard time getting,” McLaughlin said.
Childhood connection
Cimino and his wife, Emily, grew up near Trinidad, Colo. and in 2007 rebuilt Mt. Carmel, the church Cimino attended as a child. The couple worked to transform it into a health and wellness center to provide high-quality integrated health care in Las Animas County. Recognizing the need for more health resources in Colorado Springs — specifically for military veterans and their families — Cimino connected with McLaughlin after making a donation to Fort Carson’s Resiliency Center. With the two of them on board, the plans for a new center grew, McLaughlin said.
Beacon of support
Mt. Carmel’s functions are to connect veterans to the resources they need, provide a family resource center for legal, financial and behavioral assistance, and provide spaces for an employment center, counseling center and nonprofit partners working with veterans. “We’ve partnered with El Paso County
Photo by Amber Baillie
Bob McLaughlin, a retired Army colonel and former Fort Carson garrison commander, helps lead efforts at Mt. Carmel Center of Excellence.
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Photo by Amber Baillie
and have a veterans service officer and with resumés, mock interviews and netDepartment of Human Services repre- working. sentative here to help veterans with ben“Networking is the most crucial piece,” efits,” McLaughlin said. “The county also said Jen Medved, one of the consultants. leases a space to provide a workforce cen- “We have our own networking events ter for veterans, with personnel assisting at Red Leg Brewing Company. We bring them at the center.” in community partners — from LockMt. Carmel houses full-time-occupancy heed Martin and financial institutions to partners, as well as those who just keep nonprofits and mom-and-pop businessoffice hours and others who only deliver es — that wear red nametags and veterclasses and programs. Sometimes, they’ll ans wear blue nametags. The goal of the direct veterans to partners in the commu- night is to allow veterans the opportunity nity, McLaughlin said. to interact with community partners and About 10 agencies have offices in the learn how to sell themselves while lookbuilding — including ing for a job.” the El Pomar FoundaPeer navigators also tion, Discover Goodwill, help veterans find scholUSO and UCCS’ Veteran arships to go to college and Military Student Afand provide resources fairs. to help them start their “Our core pillars are to own businesses. build and develop part“What I love about nerships, implement this program is that we wellness and transition spend one-on-one time programs, inform and with them,” Medved — Bob McLaughlin motivate the communisaid. “I think the best ty, and develop the facilanalogy is that they ity,” he said. have their own personal coach through their entire transition. Even after they get Veteran Integration Program a job, I talk to them every few months, beThe center has about 80 volunteers. cause three months down the road they Thanks to a grant from The Adolph Coors might say, ‘I really thought this was what Foundation, four peer navigators work I wanted to do and now I’m miserable.’ at the center full-time to assist post-Sept. Our purpose isn’t just about finding them 11, 2001 transitioning service members employment, it’s about finding them with finding employment, helping them meaningful employment.”
“I’m proud to be a part of Mt. Carmel because people are partnering and bringing together resources.”
Finding a home McLaughlin said no one who walks through the center’s doors is turned away. “Even if we can’t help them with an asset we have at the center, we will at least make veterans and their families feel welcome,” he said. “We want this to be their home. That’s key to the principles we operate on.” McLaughlin said a café and Warrior Garden will be added. The garden will honor former and current military members and allow community members to purchase bricks and plaques engraved with the names of loved ones. “It’s going to cost about $500,000, and we plan to create a capital campaign to get it done,” McLaughlin said. As a nonprofit, funding is its biggest challenge. “Our annual budget is about a million, and we’ve probably raised about $400,000, with about $500,000 left to raise,” McLaughlin said. But the Mt. Carmel team is “in it for the long haul” and wants the center to become a pillar of the community, McLaughlin said. “I’m proud to be a part of Mt. Carmel because of the simple fact that people are partnering and bringing together resources to help veterans. This facility is a catalyst helping them to do it,” he said. “I believe in this wholeheartedly.” CSBJ n
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Catalyst Campus vision: To grow community By Amber Baillie
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reation of collaborative space, labs for research and development, a cyber and space operations center and a classified facility are just a few plans in motion at the privately funded Catalyst Campus, which was designed to increase community collaboration and local business and job growth while also putting Colorado Springs on the aerospace and defense maps. The O’Neil Group hopes its developments at the campus increase industry and military partnerships to advance technology, and form public-private partnerships to attract new businesses, contracts and grants to Colorado Springs. “We like to call it economic gardening,” said Ingrid Richter, economic development director for The O’Neil Group. “We’re
not going out and attracting the largest to come here — we’re either buying and moving companies here or starting new ones and growing them organically.” The group plans to use its open office area as a platform for small aerospace and defense industry startups, allowing them to collaborate and learn how to effectively grow their business. With industry competition becoming international, local companies need to collaborate and develop a mindset of “co-opetition,” Richter said, creating industry clusters by getting like-minded people together in a specific location. “It used to be called innovation clusters,” she said. “The government is very interested in helping finance industry-cluster development [that is] specific to [the Department of Defense].” Kevin O’Neil, founder of The O’Neil
Group, has invested more than $30 million downtown since 2008, including the purchase of Braxton Technologies. Now The O’Neil Group owns about five aerospace and defense businesses, and roughly 30 other companies, including lighting, maintenance supply and medical waste firms. In October 2014, O’Neil bought the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad depot, specifically with the vision of creating Catalyst Campus. “We think by benefiting the community with what we’re doing here, it will significantly grow [the economy in] southern Colorado,” Richter said. The O’Neil Group plans to renovate an area for accounting and legal support services and is considering investing about $750,000 of private money to open a bistro-style restaurant at the campus, along with a patio and outside fire pits. “We’ve had an overwhelming demand for private offices, so we might just add more of those,” said Jeremy Shirley, community manager for Catalyst Campus. “It’s still being decided.” The campus currently includes more than 100,000 square feet of office space and about 450 parking spaces, with dentists, doctors and acupuncturists on-site.
Careers Pathway program
Photo by Amber Baillie
A career placement office is also being developed at Catalyst Campus to assist companies in finding staff for contracts, filling positions and allowing job seekers to submit their resumés. The O’Neil Group also has a Catalyst Careers Pathway program in mind to expose people to different industries. “The idea is to put together a program that encompasses a career pathway alignment for people,” Richter said. “The intent would be to give them the opportunity to discover different sectors, such as advanced manufacturing in cybersecurity and software programming in satellite operations. We’ve already started putting curriculum together for the discovery phase.” The campus will provide industry certificate training, run by two business partners of The O’Neil Group, beginning with cybersecurity and programming languages training, according to Richter.
Nonprofit work Ingrid Richter guides a group of interested residents on a tour of Catalyst Campus.
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Two nonprofits operated by The O’Neil
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“This organization has the potential to manage over $100 million of contracts within probably the first 12 months.” – Ingrid Richter
Photo by Bryan Grossman
Group from the campus are the Southern Colorado Technology Alliance and Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization. SCTA is a 501(c)6 catering to aerospace and defense, homeland security, advanced manufacturing, electronics and information technology. About 15 companies are currently a part of the organization and four are working on a combined proposal to the Air Force Research Laboratory, Richter said. “That’s the whole point of what we’re trying to do — give them networking and business growth opportunities,” she said. “We want to help small companies team, forming teaming opportunities and arrangements, and business development.” CTRAC is a research-and-development nonprofit, targeting cybersecurity, satellite operations and command and control. Former CEO of Braxton Technologies, Frank Backes is now president of CTRAC. The organization is working with the
Air Force Academy to help stand up its Cyber Innovation Center and move military technologies from the lab to the commercial sector. “This organization has the potential to manage over $100 million of contracts within probably the first 12 months of the campus being open,” Richter said. “That’s real economic development for Colorado Springs because all those companies are Colorado Springs-based.” Braxton holds the contract that flies the GPS satellite constellation for the Air Force Satellite Control Network, Richter noted. “With the technology they’ve developed, what other industries can that be diversified into?” she asked. “It started with basic research and contracts that grew out of that. In the research lab, we have about $90- to $100-million in contracts, involving about 14 to 15 companies working on these projects. Let’s replicate this and have real startups and real money coming into this town.” CSBJ
Services at Catalyst Campus • Southern Colorado Technology Alliance • Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization • Cyber and Space Operations Center • Data center • R&D labs • Private offices, executive suites, high-tech conference rooms • A bistro (tentative) • FourFront Fuse Impact Center • Support services
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Closing the talent gap: How to build a skilled cybersecurity workforce By Amber Baillie
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s technology continues to evolve and reel in consumers, threats to cybersecurity increase exponentially — continuing to fuel the game of good versus evil and increasing the need for more skilled professionals to secure and defend valuable information systems for the government and private sector. Currently there are 209,000 cybersecurity positions across the U.S. that are unfilled. What makes workforce requirements for cybersecurity so difficult to match? What is deterring professionals from entering the field? And what specific skills are needed to combat these ever-changing virtual attacks in real time? Local cybersecurity experts and businesses weighed in on the needs and solutions for the national workforce shortage.
STUMBLING BLOCKS Nationwide, postings for cybersecurity positions have gone up 74 percent since 2011, according to a Peninsula Press analysis of numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nation needs more cybersecurity 58 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
threat analysts, people who are experienced in understanding the who, why, where — and to some degree — the how of cyber, said Ed Rios, CEO of the National Cybersecurity Center. “A sophisticated cybersecurity workforce must include training and experience for combating attacks beyond the IT firewall,” he said. “We have a shortage of security professionals who fully understand how to mitigate threats across the cyber spectrum, including understanding the root source of the threat combined with an in-depth comprehension of their own vulnerabilities and potential consequences.” – Ed Rios There’s also a lack of entry-level talent trained to get to work immediately, using available tools and tactics to defend systems, said Alex Kreilein, managing partner and CTO of SecureSet, a cybersecurity firm and training academy. “Attackers change their tactics every day, so it makes sense for our national response to change as well,” he said. “The
traditional method of long-form education is not yielding the types of results that offset attackers.”
EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY For two weeks, STEM Education for Southern Colorado hosted a cybersecurity camp at Sand Creek High School, contracting with SecureSet to instruct educators and students in hands-on activities. Nearly 30 students and 26 teachers from across the region attended Generation Cyber through a $100,000 grant from the National Security Association and the National Science Foundation. They participated in interactive challenges such as hacking a web camera to infiltrate an unsecured computer or network. “I feel it’s important for students and educators to learn about cybersecurity because it’s not only an industry on fire, with stability and high-paying jobs, but a science that affects our everyday lives,” said Michelle Wallace, STEMsCO program manager. “From password
“Cybersecurity is fascinating science combined with art.”
MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY Photo by Amber Baillie
university level where cybersecurity is examined from not only a technical standpoint, but also sociological and anthropological perspectives, Rios said. “Cybersecurity is fascinating science combined with art,” he said. “It’s constantly changing, culturally oriented and generationally based. Our training and education should approach it from that perspective.”
UNFILLED POSITIONS
About 30 high school students from the region participated in a camera-hacking challenge at GenCyber last summer at Sand Creek High School.
protection, Internet of Things hacking and social engineering — cybersecurity is involved in our 21st century lives on a daily basis. It’s not just cybersecurity; it’s personal security.” Matt Klausch, a senior at Widefield High School, competes on a CyberPatriot team at his school, a program developed by the Air Force Association to motivate youths to seek STEM careers. He said he learned how easy it is to access and hack into household items, including by way of a smart refrigerator that allows buyers to connect their phone to the appliance to view the food inside. “Because it's easy for hackers to tap into your Wi-Fi,” he said, “I think it’s important for everyone to take a basic computer science class so they can protect their information and not randomly click on or download a link that is malicious.” Owl Cybersecurity, a Denver-based startup founded in 2015, presented information to students and teachers. The company specializes in the Darknet and works with governments and private businesses to improve their security. “As a company, we’re looking for qualified applicants — and not finding them,” said Katie Toren, director of marketing.
“We’re trying to find ways to help get people excited about cybersecurity, explain to them what it is, what they can do with it and why it’s a fun career.” Some students just aren’t aware that the industry exists, she said. “Kids are not exposed to it in elementary, middle and high school,” Toren said, “This is why this camp is so great, because these are elementary, middle and high school teachers.”
CERTIFICATIONS, DEGREES Cybersecurity personnel frequently lack the right mix of technical skills, said Patrick Laverty, senior cybersecurity engineer at TASC Inc. “Many of our established workforce members have liberal [arts] degrees and do not have the technical hands-on experience required to conduct any in-depth testing of vulnerabilities and exploitation methodologies,” he said. “I’ve been happy to see more graduate-level programs, but I think there are too many certification programs and companies only interested in preparing people to pass a certification test. We need more hands-on experience.” Also lacking: Formal education at the
What specific jobs in cybersecurity need more skilled professionals? Cybersecurity engineers, architects, analysts and penetration testers, experts say. “Cybersecurity has to defend against a global threat that knows no borders,” Rios said. “Most of the world that is presenting that threat, especially the segment in the Darknet, does not organize around job titles or certifications or degrees, yet we do.” Methods of hiring should be based more on demonstrated capability and talent, and less on resumés with job titles in the industry, he said. “Skills in cyber forensics, ethical hacking, threat analysis, cyber anthropology, cyber psychology and cyber sociology are all very underdeveloped skills in cybersecurity,” Rios said. “They require very sophisticated technical skills combined with critical intellect.”
MISCONCEPTIONS Hunching over a keyboard in a windowless room, looking at monitors with cryptic green text and living on junk food are not hallmarks of the average cybersecurity professional, said Frank Gearhart, IT analyst for COLSO Corp. “In reality, cybersecurity professionals have to understand people and business as well as technology,” he said. “We work as a team — with experts in physical security, business, regulations, finance and other areas.” People tend to assume that the cybersecurity field is too difficult, Kreilein said. “It’s true that it is challenging, but all of this can be learned and everything can be achieved with the right education and professional mentorship,” he said. “Everyone knows cybersecurity is important, but they don’t often know that they can be part of the solution and part of the fight. "We’ve partnered with local schools to provide young people choices in their career and get them interested in a field that they can go right to work in.” CSBJ n
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 59
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Real estate forecast:
2017 is all blue skies
Colorado Springs real estate experts say continued population growth and job opportunities will bolster residential and commercial markets in 2017. By Cameron Moix
T
he Colorado Springs-based real estate firm Quantum Commercial Group expects 2016’s strong economic trends to continue during the new year — across both the commercial and residential markets. “We all believe that 2017 is staged for continued expansion and growth in both new and existing companies and employees for our city,” according to Quantum’s annual report, which cites population growth and a strong jobs market as two of the top predictors for the year ahead. According to the report, the local of60 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
fice market continued to strengthen in 2016 and is expected to maintain that trend throughout 2017; the industrial market “may shine even brighter in 2017,” with the construction of new space; and retail growth is expected to remain strong, driven by developments at Interquest Parkway, Powers Boulevard and along the I-25 corridor. A portion of this growth — namely in the retail and multifamily segments of the marketplace — will continue to be driven by local, regional and out-of-state investment activity, Quantum predicts. “Investors see Colorado Springs as a great market for real estate acquisitions with opportunities for acquiring properties significantly below replacement
cost with the potential for increased value as properties are stabilized,” according to the report. Along with population growth and a strong jobs market, the Colorado Springs real estate industry is also reaping the benefits of peak consumer confidence throughout the country, said Quantum President Dale Stamp. “The most exciting part is that the overall consumer confidence — which relates directly to commercial real estate — is very high,” Stamp said. “Everybody seems to be feeling that the economy is heading in the right direction; that there aren’t many negatives taking place right now.” The strength of U.S. consumer con-
MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ically close, but offers more reasonably priced real estate options. “We’re starting to see a ripple effect where people are starting to buy homes down here because the market is so expensive in Denver,” he said. That was one reason Quantum decided last year to enter the residential market. Stamp said the company began to see a rise in demand for residential services among its commercial clients and that Quantum is “happy to fill that niche.”
Areas of strength
continue to look south for more affordable and accessible options. Investment activity will continue to embolden the Colorado Springs market, he said, as it did in 2016 with record-breaking purchases of hotels and apartments by a variety of buyers. “It’s so hard to find reasonably priced investments in the Denver market,” Stamp said. “They’re always looking down here, but it’s very hard to find those properties down here because we just don’t have the numbers. When they go on the market, they get snapped right up.”
In terms of strong geographic commercial and residential markets this Agreeable reports In concert with Quantum and its opyear, Stamp said the northeast quadrant of the city continues to be prom- timistic 2017 forecast is Chicago-based ising thanks in part to investor activity real estate company Cushman & Wakeand development at Interquest Parkway, field — which has a large presence in Powers Boulevard and along the I-25 Colorado Springs and recently published its 2017 U.S. Macro Forecast. The forecorridor. Stamp also expects to see substantial cast said the U.S. economy generally, market growth in the Jackson Creek area and the real estate market specifically, should perform well in in Monument and the 2017, surpassing the southwest part of Colsuccesses of the past 12 orado Springs, which months. is beginning revital“Even before the ization projects along election, the U.S. ecothe South Nevada and nomic fundamentals South Tejon corridors were showing signs of that many are brandheating up,” said Kevin ing as a new gateway – Quantum Real Estate Thorpe, the company’s to the city. global chief economist. “Those should com“We observed a big pletely change that part of town in the coming year,” he [gross domestic product] number in Q3, said. “I think those developments will re- accelerating wage growth, surging consumer confidence — a string of really roally fill those niches down there.” Infill development will continue to be a bust trends were already forming. Now necessary and growing share of the local when you layer in the expected tax cuts and spending multipliers from the new real estate market, he said. Construction should also increase to administration, it creates an even stronlevels not seen in 20 years, he said, and ger economic backdrop for the property will be led by demand for speculative markets heading into 2017.” Cushman & Wakefield anticipates GDP building in the industrial market around the Colorado Springs Airport and along growth to reach 2.3 percent in 2017 and 3 percent in 2018, which could generate the I-25 corridor. Retail growth throughout the city up to 3 million new jobs and work wonwill also continue to do very well and ders for the real estate market — espepromote residential development in the cially in already-strong local economies such as Denver and Colorado Springs. neighborhoods surrounding it. “By and large, the outlook for the U.S. “They’re all marching forward very economy over the next few years remains fast,” he said. positive,” according to the report. “Although headwinds have come and gone Office space He added the caveat that rent prices ar- and come again, the major force driving en’t quite high enough to promote build- growth — the consumer — is still gaining new office space — partly because ing momentum. … We believe there will the city already offers more supply than be a net positive impact on economic demand — but he expects that to change growth as well as the property markets in the coming year, as Denver companies in 2017 and 2018.” CSBJ
“Investors see Colorado Springs as a great market for real estate acquisitions.”
Photo by Cameron Moix
fidence is underscored by campaign promises made by President Donald J. Trump to invest in the Department of Defense, which translates to support of Colorado Springs — a community that has long relied on defense spending and its large military presence for economic and community support, Stamp said. “That hopefully will bode well for our economy in the coming years,” he said. “That creates a ripple effect in the local real estate market.” Stamp also said that although the Denver real estate market has started to level off, it still remains hot. In coming years, he sees this as a strength for Colorado Springs, which is geograph-
n
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Health care one of region’s LARGEST industries By Bryan Grossman
H
ealth care is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Pikes Peak region, as the area lays claim to two large health care systems — Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and its two hospitals, as well as UCHealth, including the Memorial North and Central campuses. Additionally, Children’s Hospital Colorado will open its first free-standing in-patient hospital in Colorado Springs, with a groundbreaking expected this year.
Growing Children’s The wheels are in motion as Children’s Hospital Colorado plans to construct a $154 million inpatient hospital on Memorial North’s campus. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place in November. Greg Raymond, southern Colorado’s regional vice president at Children’s Hospital, said Memorial will provide a pad-ready site in the first
“The growth trajectory of the Pikes Peak region, when you look at the market — it’s growing at a pace that’s outgrowing a lot of other metropolitan areas.” — Joel Yuhas quarter of 2017, and the project is anticipated to be complete in 2018. The agreement calls for Children’s to lease 2.5 acres from Memorial. The new hospital will include the region’s first pediatric-only emergency department, nearly 100 inpatient pediatric beds, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, eight pediatric operating rooms and a sleep study lab. The system currently employs 550 in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, with Children’s Hospital providing pediatric expertise at Memorial Central. That employee base is expected to grow by at least 50 upon the hospital’s opening. 62 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
Penrose-St. Francis Health Services
Penrose-St. Francis Health Services provides full-service care in its 522bed acute care facilities in Colorado Springs, which includes Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center. Penrose-St. Francis has been named one of “America’s 50 Best Hospitals” for 10 years in a row (2008-2017) by Healthgrades, and the system is southern Colorado’s only Magnet Recognized hospital. The system is part of Centura Health — Colorado and western Kansas’ largest hospital and health care network. Centura’s interests include 17 hospitals, two senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life Colorado. “The pursuit of excellence is relentless at Penrose-St. Francis and the distinction of being placed in the top 5 percent by Healthgrades is further proof to consumers that we set the standard for world-class health care,” said Margaret Sabin, president and CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. “Consumers demand improved health outcomes, increased service and convenience, in addition to lower health care costs. As we continue to move upstream to manage health, we will strategize to reduce health care costs, while optimizing health care value, for the communities we serve.” St. Francis Medical Center, a $207-million full-service hospital, opened in August 2008. Services include a birth center, emergency department, Level III neonatal intensive care unit, inpatient/outpatient surgery, pediatric unit and a Level III trauma center. The system includes 978 affiliated physicians and 3,295 associates and is responsible for approximately 104,827 annual emergency visits and approximately 23,102 annual admissions. About $50 million in uncompensated and charity care is provided annually.
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UCHealth
There are two Memorial Hospital campuses in the Pikes Peak region. The UCHealth-affiliated system has a hospital downtown and a campus to the city’s northeast. Memorial began 2017 with a new CEO, Joel Yuhas, and a system-wide rebranding effort. “The growth trajectory of the Pikes Peak region, when you look at the market — it’s growing at a pace that’s outgrowing a lot of other metropolitan areas,” Yuhas said. “That spurs further investments by health systems in trying to meet the ongoing demand for more services. “What’s interesting about this system is the concept UCHealth has of bringing specialized care closer to the people who want to receive it,” Yuhas added. “That business philosophy … says a lot about a community that’s thriving and growing.” Both Memorial hospitals make up 488 beds and employ 3,951. The hospitals saw 140,642 emergency department visits last year and posted 494,826 outpatient visits. Memorial has also expanded its capabilities in stroke care. The system now
has capabilities to provide 24/7 coverage for stroke patients who previously would have been transferred to metro Denver for care. UCHealth also began operating a Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit last year. Recent developments for the system include beginning an $85 million, 130,000-square-foot expansion at Memorial Hospital North; the acquisition of three Integrity Urgent Care locations; the remodeling and opening of privatized patient rooms at Memorial Hospital Central; as well as the recent opening of Grandview Hospital, a 58,000-square-foot facility on the city’s north end. That project is a collaboration with Adeptus Health. A new hybrid operating room is being built at Memorial Hospital Central with an anticipated February opening. The city of Colorado Springs, through its lease agreement with UCHealth, has received about $2 million from Memorial over the past two years. Higher numbers of patient visits, surgeries and admissions helped lead to the payments.
Smaller players
Kaiser Permanente also has a health care presence in the region. Kaiser provid-
ers see about 60,000 patients in Southern Colorado annually via its three medical office buildings. Kaiser employs about 100 between its administrative and medical offices. Colorado Springs Health Partners also began 2017 with a new CEO in Oraida Roman. CSHP is the city’s largest physician group and Roman, for the past two years, was chief operating officer at JSA Healthcare Corp. in Tampa, Fla., a DaVita Medical Group company. DaVita is the parent company of CSHP, and is in talks to acquire CSHP’s largest regional competitor, Mountain View Medical. That acquisition is expected to take place in 2017. CSHP includes 10 offices in the Colorado Springs area and a staff of more than 145 doctors, physician assistants and other providers. Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a regional nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing medical, dental and behavioral health care in a collaborative setting for people of all ages. Peak Vista serves nearly 84,000 patients through 27 outpatient centers in Colorado’s Pikes Peak and East Central regions. CSBJ n
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El Paso County Veterans 83,461
Number of veterans in El Paso County
$509 million
Local economic impact of veterans and their families
2,000
Veteran claims for benefits at the El Paso County Veterans Service Office in 2016
37,000
Phone calls for assistance at the El Paso County Veterans Service Office in 2016
714
Veterans and family members seen each month at the office
$36 million
Department of Veterans Affairs funds for new Pikes Peak National Cemetery
37 acres
at Marksheffel Road, site of new cemetery
192
Number of people assisted at the El Paso County Homeless Coalition Stand Down
5850 Championship View (East of Costco on North Powers)
530 Communications Circle in the Mt. Carmel Center of Excellence
Locations for El Paso County Veterans Services offices. Information provided by El Paso County
64 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
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Defense presence remains
STRONG in Colorado Springs
By Amber Baillie
C
olorado Springs lays claim to five military installations, all with critical missions and a total economic impact of $5.7 billion — a defense presence incomparable to that of most other cities. Defense is the third-largest industry in Colorado, noted by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper last year. “When you look at the defense industry as a whole, including aerospace, it’s a little over 5 percent of the state’s employment and almost 7.5 percent of the state’s labor income,” Hickenlooper said. Colorado Springs’ military workforce consists of 53,741 personnel and the sector remains robust as installations contract with local defense companies. Colorado Springs includes military assets found nowhere else in the world
— U.S. Space Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. And as the military’s cybersecurity focus continues to grow, bases in Colorado Springs are responding.
United States Air Force Academy
The Air Force Academy came to Colorado Springs in 1955 and serves to educate, train and inspire cadets to become officers in the Air Force. It’s considered one of the top military institutions in the nation and draws millions of visitors to Colorado Springs every year. During their four years at the Academy, cadets are put through rigorous academics and military training before receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and being commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force. Recently the Academy expanded its cybersecurity efforts — last year’s graduating class including the first cadets to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in computer and network security. It’s also partnered with industry through its CyberWorx program and the Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization at Catalyst Campus. Collaborative design projects and classes have allowed cadets, business professionals and Air Force personnel to develop cybersecurity solutions through design thinking — brainstorming out-of-the-box ideas for the military. In the next few years, the Academy will have a secure facility and new space for the CyberWorx program in its cadet area. The Academy’s economic impact is estimated at $981 million, and it employs roughly 8,400 people. See DEFENSE page 66
Fort Carson was named for the renowned Army scout General Christopher “Kit” Carson, who explored much of the West in the 1800s.
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MEET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Defense: Military has major impact on region’s economy From page 65
Peterson Air Force Base
The 21st Space Wing, a major unit at the base, covers an array of the nation’s space defense capabilities — consisting of 38 units that operate nine weapon systems from 25 locations in seven countries. Last year, it enhanced its radar systems, advanced training for space operators and formed new partnerships to build the next generation of space defense. “Our space capabilities provide the nation with the means to meet the Air Force’s unique mission sets of global vigilance, power and reach,” said commander Col. Douglas Schiess. “Our mission continues to be global because we are the defenders and protectors of space.” The wing has 53 mission partners at Peterson and carries out real-time space control, missile warning and defense, airfield and weather operations, and worldwide intelligence support. The base is home to Air Force Space Command, NORAD and U.S. Northern Command; it also consists of the 302nd Airlift Wing, 544th Information Operations Group and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station
Cheyenne Mountain remains a critical asset in the Pikes Peak region and it celebrated its 50th year of operation in 2016. The 5-acre underground command center is of strategic importance to North American defense, in the past covering threats from early Soviet-manned bombers to short-range ballistic missiles that threaten deployed service members. The station supports 13 mission partners, including Air Force Space Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Strategic Command, the National Security Agency and Missile Defense Agency. The Peterson AFB/Cheyenne Mountain Complex com-
Recently the Academy expanded its cybersecurity efforts — last year’s graduating class including the first cadets to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in computer and network security. It’s also partnered with industry through its CyberWorx program and the Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization at Catalyst Campus.
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bined have an economic impact of $1.26 million and employ 10,206 people.
Schriever Air Force Base
Home to the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center and the 50th Space Wing, the base is also the prime-control point for the Global Positioning System. The 3,840-acre installation is the largest restricted area in the entire Air Force. Last year, it gained seven new satellites and has shifted its culture and operations toward staying ahead of cybersecurity enemies. “We fight from this installation, and our infrastructure is critical to what we do,” said 50th Space Wing commander Col. DeAnna Burt. “We have to stay ahead of anyone who wants to contest the domain so we can continue to operate and provide combat effectiveness.” It also houses the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center, a classified center composed of members from U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Air Force Space Command and the intelligence community to facilitate information-sharing across the national security space enterprise. Schriever also includes the 310th Space Wing and began qualification training last April to certify space operators. Schriever’s economic impact is $1.26 million and it employs 6,925 people.
Fort Carson Army Post
Also known as The Mountain Post, Fort Carson is the largest military installation in the state and is home to significant units such as the 4th Infantry Division and 10th Special Forces Group. The installation consists of approximately 24,000 soldiers, 44,700 family members, 8,000 veterans and 3,300 civilians, according to its Public Affairs Office. Units of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve and the Colorado Army National Guard are also on post. The post employs 28,200 people.
ARTS AND CULTURE City is mecca for arts, culture
68
Benefit of arts
69
Eight elite experiences
70
Athletics: A way of life along Front Range
72
Colorado Springs nonprofits
74
Colorado Springs city parks
75
Assisting others: The goal of Springs’ nonprofits
76
Higher education is a hallmark of Colorado Springs
78
Education attainment
80
Fall 2016 enrollment
80
2016 ACT scores
81
Student/Teacher ratios
81
Tourism highlights Springs’ roots
82
Hotels & resorts
86
Colorado Springs Airport
88
Denver International Airport
90
ARTS AND CULTURE
City is mecca for arts, culture By John Hazlehurst
M
ost cities are created as centers of commerce and industry, first settled by traders, merchants and manufacturers. Of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, only Colorado Springs was founded as a center for arts, culture and gracious living. “The thing to bear in mind,” wrote Marshall Sprague in ‘Newport in the Rockies,’ a rollicking history of the city, “is that Colorado Springs began in 1871 as a new way of living in the crude and untamed West — a brash idea conceived by Gen. William Jackson Palmer, aged 35.” A Quaker and Medal of Honor recipient, Palmer was repelled by the bawdy, lawless towns and mining camps that had sprung up throughout the West. His new city would have schools, colleges, parks, churches and opera houses — not saloons, brew-
eries and houses of ill repute. To that end, the sale or manufacture of alcoholic beverages was forbidden and smoky industries were banned from the city. It would be a peaceful, healthful little city, one created as “a space where men and women could enjoy the gift of life, not just any sort of men and women but those peculiar souls who wanted to be happy first and successful later on.” About 146 years after Palmer’s men drove the first surveyor’s stake at what is now the intersection of Cascade and Pikes Peak avenues, that spirit still animates the region. It has long been a vibrant center of visual and performing arts, but the last 10 years have seen a virtual arts explosion.
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
John Gaw Meem designed the FAC’s iconic 1936 building, an acknowledged masterpiece of American architecture. Ten years ago, a sensitively designed addition added nine permanent collection galleries, two traveling exhibition galleries and a unique tactile gallery. The 132,286-square-foot facility hosts major international traveling and changing exhibitions and features works from the institution’s permanent collection. The Fine Arts Center Theatre Company produces an annual season of musicals, comedies and dramas in a 400-seat art deco theater. Productions in 2017 will include “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Man of La Mancha” and “Junie B. Jones: The Musical.” The popular venue also hosts concerts, film festivals and dance performances. In 2016, the privately funded arts center agreed to merge with its next-door neighbor, Colorado College.
Colorado College
Founded in 1874, Colorado College is one of America’s leading liberal arts colleges. Located a few blocks north of downtown Colorado Springs, the CC campus is said to be “nestled at the intersection of nature’s call and urban sprawl.” The campus includes three performance/auditorium spaces that often house events open to visitors. Situated across Cascade Avenue from the Fine Arts Center is the 2008 Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center. Designed by AlbuquerMarshall Sprague que architect Antoine Predock, the soaring, angular building was meant to create a space that allows for innovative, experimental and collaborative projects. It includes a 450-seat theater, a black box theatre and the I.D.E.A. Space (InterDisciplinary Experimental Arts), a venue for innovative collaboration, visual art exhibitions and performances.
“Colorado Springs began in 1871 as a new way of living in the crude and untamed West.” —
Performing arts
Photo by Cameron Moix
68 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
In addition to plays and theater groups associated with Colorado College and the Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs is home to multiple event and performance venues. The 11,000seat Broadmoor World Arena often features national touring acts, while the 2,000-seat downtown Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts offers scores of events and concerts annually.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Arts & Culture in the Pikes Peak Region
(Source: Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region)
Famous for its extraordinary acoustics, the Pikes Peak Center is also home to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic orchestra. The Pikes Peak Center will soon have a partner. A few miles north of downtown, UCCS will open the Ent Center for the Arts. When completed, the $60 million facility will include a 750-seat theater, a 245-seat recital hall, the Gallery of Contemporary Art and a new home for TheatreWorks, the city’s nationally renowned professional theater company.
Visual arts
The FAC and the downtown Pioneers Museum have extensive collections of art and artifacts on display in their galleries, luring visitors and locals alike. Just north of the Pioneers Museum is the downtown branch of the UCCS Gallery of Contem-
porary Art. It’s a must-see, especially in downtown Colorado Springs or Old Colorado City on the first Friday of any month. About 20 galleries participate in downtown’s monthly Art Walk, ranging from tiny and adventurous venues such as Modbo and SPQR to the large and equally adventurous spaces at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts. You can sign up with a guided tour (check out downtowncs.com for info) or just choose a gallery, walk in and ask directions to the next one. Old Colorado City, a beautifully restored 19th century commercial district two miles west of downtown on Colorado Avenue is even more compact than downtown. Fifteen galleries participate in the OCC artwalk, parking is abundant (and free) so consider doing both.
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ARTS AND CULTURE
EIGHT
elite experiences available in or near Colorado Springs
C Fame.
olorado Springs is home to the U.S. Olympic Committee, Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center, national governing bodies for more than 20 sports and the future home of the U.S. Olympic Museum and Hall of
1. See where Olympic dreams are born at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. The flagship training center offers year-round tours of the 35acre complex where Olympic champions and Team USA hopefuls live and train. The interactive exhibits at the newly renovated visitor center provide information and inspiration on what it takes to go for the gold. 2. Get your heart pumping on the Manitou Incline.
The Incline climbs 2,000 vertical feet along 2,800 steps in just under a mile. With the rails of an old train line removed, the remaining railroad ties create a staircase that draws people from all over the world, from Olympic athletes to those seeking a challenging trek with stunning views.
3. Discover beauty and geological history at Garden of the Gods. This award-winning park is a National Natural Landmark, and was also rated the No. 1 park in the U.S. in 2014 by TripAdvisor. Towering red sandstone rock formations such as Kissing Camels, Balanced Rock and Siamese Twins create an otherworldly setting for a low-key hike or high-intensity training. 4. Soak in the inspiration for “America the Beautiful” on Pikes Peak. Whether you choose to drive the scenic 19-mile Pikes Peak Highway, hike up Barr Trail or hitch a ride on The Broadmoor’s Pikes Peak Cog Railway to reach the 14,115-foot summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the majestic Rocky Mountains and far across the “fruited plain.”
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ARTS AND CULTURE
5. Explore the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s multidisciplinary culture. There aren’t many places where you’ll find a nationally accredited art museum, Broadway-worthy theater, gourmet dining, retail shops and an art school all under one roof, but the Fine Arts Center encompasses just that. Traveling exhibitions, events, musicals, dramatic plays and concerts are a few of the reasons to plan a visit. 6. Find thrills in the Royal Gorge
region. Cross North America’s highest suspension bridge 956 feet above the Arkansas River and enjoy special attractions such as aerial gondola rides, the Royal Rush Skycoaster and Cloudscraper ZipRider. Navigate the rapids below with a rafting outfitter and hop aboard the Royal Gorge
Route Railroad for a 24-mile train ride winding through the gorge.
7. Go wild at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Experience America’s only mountain zoo, home to more than 900 animals and 200 species. Hand-feed the giraffes or elephants, visit zebra and warthogs in the Encounter Africa exhibit, and check out the new Australia Walkabout — home to alligators, wallabies and even a tree kangaroo. 8. Bask in the scenery of The Broadmoor Seven Falls. The waterfalls are a sight to behold. Climb the 224 steps nearby to reach the stream that feeds the falls as well as on-site hiking trails. For more exploration, the park’s Broadmoor Soaring Adventure course lifts you above the scenery on two thrilling zip line courses and a rope bridge high above the canyon.
4th Infantry Division Museum Our museum tells the story of the 4th ID and pays tribute to its Soldiers – past present and future – who served there. We are located outside of Fort Carson’s main gate on CO SH-115, across from Cheyenne Mountain State Park.
Hours of Operation: Monday – Saturday 0900 to 1700 Phone: 719-524-0915
*This ad was funded by the Mountain Post Historical Association which is a non-profit corporation which was founded to build the Mountain Post Historical Center.
www.MountainPostHistoricalCenter.org ENGAGE Colorado Springs 71
ARTS AND CULTURE
Athletics
U.S. Air Force photo/ Bill Evans
A WAY OF LIFE ALONG FRONT RANGE By Bryan Grossman
L
ike much of the Centennial State, the Pikes Peak region is considered a sports lover’s paradise. Individuals can venture out on a mountain bike ride just miles from their doorstep or take advantage of the bountiful acreage of public and private lands to fish, hike, climb, ski, board or otherwise commune with nature. But the opportunity to relax, sit back and watch other athletes do their thing is nearly as unlimited. With Denver but 60 miles to the north, all the major sports are present and accounted for — the Avalanche for hockey, Rapids for soccer, Broncos on the gridiron, a diamond filled with Rockies, or Nuggets on the hardwood. But Colorado Springs is also home to a number of high-level, and even professional athletes, thanks to its Division I collegiate sports programs — including the Colorado College hockey team and Air Force Academy football — as well as the Milwaukee Brewers-affiliated Triple-A Sky Sox and the United Soccer League’s Colo72 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
rado Springs Switchbacks. Combined with the region’s affinity for healthy lifestyles, spectator sports contribute heavily to the culture that makes up Colorado.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC The new kid on the block, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC arrived in the Springs in 2015. The team is owned by Ragain Sports, a company owned by Martin Ragain, a founder of Denver-based ME Engineers. The Switchbacks play in the Western Conference of the United Soccer Leagues or USL PRO. The league is made up of 24 teams, and the Western Conference includes clubs in Oklahoma City; Austin, Texas; Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle, Phoenix and elsewhere. The club plays at Sand Creek Stadium, which is adjacent to Security Service Field, home of the Sky Sox.
Colorado College Tigers While hockey is the biggest draw for Colorado College, the institution also boasts a Division I women’s soccer team. Its athletic department has programs that range
from Division III to the most competitive in college sports. “This year more than 100,000 fans will watch the Tigers play hockey at the World Arena over the course of 17 home games,” said CC Athletic Director Ken Ralph. “Teams will travel from Alberta [Canada], Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota and Michigan to compete in Colorado Springs.” The Division I women’s soccer program will host schools from the East and West coasts and everywhere in between, he said. Most of the Division III teams draw schools from outside the region. “Since Colorado College is the only Division III institution in the Mountain Time Zone, all the teams we compete against must fly into Colorado and secure hotels, meals and transportation,” Ralph said, adding, “For a small school we are very unique in the number of teams that travel long distances to play here. I’m not sure you could find a school with our enrollment which would have more trips to the campus from visiting teams and their fans.”
ARTS AND CULTURE
Colorado Springs Sky Sox In 2017, the Sky Sox will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in Colorado Springs, having been a staple in the community since 1988. During that time, the team has had three Major League affiliates, including the Cleveland Indians (1988-1992), the Colorado Rockies (1993-2014) and the Milwaukee Brewers (2015-present) and has won two Pacific Coast League titles (1992, 1995). Throughout the 30 years, residents in Colorado Springs have had the chance to see hundreds of top prospects and future All-Stars, including Jim Thome, Todd Helton, Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Nolen Arenado and Orlando Arcia.
“Baseball is only a small part of what our organization does.” — Nick Dobreff “However, baseball is only a small part of what our organization does,” said Nick Dobreff, spokesperson for the team. “During the 2016 calendar year, the Sky Sox community relations department made over 100 appearances in the Southern Colorado and greater Colorado Springs community. Some of these events include the Sky Sox Reading Program, player appearances, fundraising and mascot events. In addition, through donations, letters and correspondence, the Sky Sox are part of over 300 more events.” Additionally, the Domino’s Charity Spotlight showcases nonprofits in the community. Twenty-six selected charities were showcased at the ballpark throughout last season, receiving free exposure during the ballgame, as well as a customized interview on live radio. The spotlight is expected to grow to 50 charities. “The Sky Sox continue to provide the most affordable family entertainment in Colorado Springs while striving to make an impact in the community through charitable outreach,” Dobreff said.
1 23 59
United States Olympic Committee headquarters
National Governing Bodies of Sport
National or International Sports Organizations
EN LLED T
(Source: Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC)
EN RO
Drawing crowds of more 150,000 per season, the Air Force Academy Falcons lay claim to the area’s only Division I NCAA Football team. Members of the Mountain West Conference since 1999, some of the biggest draws at Falcon Stadium include inter-academy games against Army’s U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy, who compete with the Falcons for the annual Commander in Chief ’s Trophy. “Air Force football is an important part of the Colorado Springs community,” said Troy Garnhart, Academy athletic department spokesman. “There are several thousand visitors for each home game for all 27 sports, but particularly in football. The Colorado Springs community is also very important for the Academy. Our fans help make our venues tough places to play for all incoming opponents. We think the relationship is win-win for the community and the Academy.” Check out the Falcons, and be sure to look to the sky following the “Star-Spangled Banner” for the occasional (but always-impressive) flyovers.
AG
Air Force Academy Falcon Football
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Colorado Springs
Nonprofits
(Source: Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance)
2000
nonprofits in Colorado Springs
80 percent of revenue comes from outside the region
$1.7
billion
Total net economic benefit
Nationally
1.9 million
5.5 percent
nonprofits in the nation
of national gross domestic product
10 percent of total workforce
74 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
63.4 million Americans volunteered at nonprofits
ARTS AND CULTURE
COLORADO SPRINGS CITY PARKS Total park acreage (owned and controlled by the City):
9,079 acres
2016 PARKS BUDGET: $42,492,597 General Fund Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services: Other Funds* $15,958,760 Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Enterprises (i.e. TOPS): (Golf, Cemeteries, Pikes Peak; all entities $17,646,864 that function without taxpayer support):
$8,886,973
2015 total for watering parks and medians:
$2,602,689
2015 Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain attendance:
415,092 2015 Garden of the Gods visitors:
2.5 million Number of neighborhood parks:
145 Pieces of public art maintained: 90
Total trail mileage:
146 miles of urban trail
2015 volunteer hours:
158,000
2015 youth served in department programs: Number of outdoor sport courts: 148
* What are “Other Funds”? Other funds includes funds such as the Trails, Open Space, and Parks sales tax (0.1% sales and use tax), the Conservation Trust fund (the State lottery of which the City receives a portion of the revenue), and Special Improvement Maintenance Districts.
456,033
Information provided by the City of Colorado Springs ENGAGE Colorado Springs 75
ARTS AND CULTURE
ASSISTING OTHERS
The goal of Springs’ nonprofits By Amber Baillie
2,404 registered nonprofits in El Paso County, 867 have filed Form 990s with the IRS. (Center for Charitable Statistics, April 2016)
Those reporting have a combined annual revenue $4.05 billion. The majority of nonprofits are small — 84 percent have annual budgets under $1 million. 76 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
C
olorado Springs’ nonprofit sector is diverse and robust in size, mission and demographics served. From animal shelters and food banks, to health care and support for Olympic athletes, the city’s nearly 2,500 nonprofit organizations stretch far and wide across the Pikes Peak region. Someone looking to serve in the social impact sector, either as a donor or volunteer, is 99 percent likely to find an organization they connect with or are passionate about in Colorado Springs, said Abby Sienkiewicz, executive director at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. “I love that about our community,” she said. “You have this opportunity to connect with organizations that are meaningful to you because of the wide variety of services that are provided.” The CNE supports the sector through leadership and resource development, advocacy and collaboration. Other Colorado Springs organizations focused
on assisting local nonprofits include The Empty Stocking Fund, Indy Give!, The El Pomar Foundation and the Pikes Peak Community Foundation. “We’re behind the scenes, helping nonprofits be better so they can go out and save, change and impact lives,” Sienkiewicz said. “The CNE and organizations in the sector need to be good at telling their story. If we’re not communicating the good that we’re doing, then I think we’re doing a disservice to ourselves.” There are large 501(c)3s in the area, including Compassion International, the United States Olympic Committee and Junior Achievement — all headquartered in Colorado Springs — and small, locally focused nonprofits including the Citizen’s Project that promotes equality and diversity, as well as Inside/Out Services that provides services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning youth in the community. About 50 percent of local nonprofits have budgets under $100,000, with a few that have budgets of more than
ARTS AND CULTURE $10 million, Sienkiewicz said.“There is Social enterprises in Colorado Springs charitable competition, but at the same include Blue Star Recyclers, Common time, [there are] an abundance of people Cause Catering and Seeds Community who want to give back, an abundance of Café. wealth and an abundance of volunteers “I think we have a unique opportuniin this city,” she said. ty in Colorado Springs to be leaders in The CNE has been working closely with talking about the fourth sector, social the Better Business Bureau of Southern impact and social change perspective,” Colorado on the Colorado Coalition for Sienkiewicz said. Social Impact, a partnership established And with the spread of technology and to promote the fourth uncertainty amid the sector of the local current political clieconomy. It provides mate, nonprofits have support to entrepreto think differently. neurs with a social, “Nonprofits need as well as financial, to be a little less riskmission. averse and collabThere is a profit orate,” Sienkiewicz and nonprofit side to said. “We’re all in this social impact, Sientogether. We’re all in — Abby Sienkiewicz kiewicz said. it to make our com“We’ve been workmunities better — so ing with them in saying ‘Hey, how do how can we continue to build on that? our programs complement each oth- We’re only going to be able to accomer?’” she said. “We’re coming from the plish more if we’re working together and nonprofit side; they’re coming from the not letting our differences divide us.” business side. But we’re looking at, ‘How Trends in the sector include looking at is there some crossover in services [and] ways to diversify funding, Sienkiewicz programs and how can we elevate the said. conversation?”’ “They’re saying ‘Hey, those pools of
“[There are] an abundance of people who want to give back, an abundance of wealth and an abundance of volunteers in this city.”
funding are changing, the demographics of our individual donors are changing, so what are things we can do that are a little outside of the traditional way of earning revenue?’” The CNE conducted a regional economic impact report in 2012 and found more than 16,800 were employed in the sector. The nonprofit share of total employment in 2011 was 7 percent, slightly lower than national average of 8.4 percent [at the time] but higher than the Colorado average of 6.4 percent. Funders these days aren’t just concerned about overhead, Sienkiewicz said. Instead, they’re asking questions: “How is the nonprofit having actual impact and what are the results?” “How is the organization changing the community?” “I think it’s good we’re looking at the traditional grantor and grantee relationship, and that it’s about results, impact and outcomes,” Sienkiewicz said. “I think if that’s what we can start to focus on — and I think that’s been the trend — then I think we’re going to set our organizations up for success to serve their constituents.”
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ARTS AND CULTURE
HIGHER A EDUCATION
By Cameron Moix
is a hallmark of Colorado Springs
lthough Colorado Springs is seldom marketed as a “college town,” the city offers four respected and unique secondary education options that would tend to categorize it as one. Colorado Springs pretty much has any college a potential student (and/or parents) would look to attend: Colorado College, a historic liberal arts school; UCCS, a successful and rapidly growing state school; Pikes Peak Community College, a small but respected part of the Colorado Community College System; the U.S. Air Force Academy, which is one of only a couple such schools in the country; as well as others, including Regis University and Colorado Christian University.
Colorado College
Perhaps the most well known of these institutions is Colorado College. The school was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell and, in its 143-year history, has become one of the most prestigious private colleges in the country. One thing that attracts students to CC from across the globe is the school’s intensive learning by way of block programming. Through the block program, the college’s 2,000 students are able to focus on one course at a time (blocks are 3.5 weeks and there are four each semester) and enjoy fourday “block breaks.” As the oldest college campus in the region, CC is home to historic architecture and is close to downtown Colorado Springs and beautiful natural surroundings. Colorado College’s recent alliance with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center also bodes well for students and visitors to the school.
UCCS
Although in a different category than CC, UCCS has proven time and again that it is a school to be taken seriously. Since the school was established in 1965, it has transformed from a modest campus with 1,670 students to a full-fledged university with 12,000 undergraduate students and more than 70 different degree offerings. The centrally located UCCS campus — on 55 acres that once was home to the Cragmoor Sanitarium for tuberculosis patients — boasts 15 full-service residence halls, a LEED-certified recreation and wellness center, access to trails, astounding views of the Front Range and is currently constructing the $70 million Ent Center for the Arts. The college saw much of this growth under the leadership of retired Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and consistently receives high rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
The city offers four respected and unique secondary education options.
78 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
ARTS AND CULTURE
U.S. Air Force Academy
The U.S. Air Force Academy is one of only three service academies in the country, and the only one not located on the Eastern Seaboard. Since the institution was established in 1954, the mission of the Academy has been to “educate, train, and inspire men and women to become leaders of character, motivated to lead the United State Air Force in service to our nation.” The school also offers unique and majestic views of the Pikes Peak region, a first-class football program and some of the region’s most recognizable architecture. The interfaith Cadet Chapel — although controversial at the time of its erection in 1962 — has stood the test of time and is now widely regarded as a classic and impressive example of modernist architecture. Even for visitors to the region who aren’t looking for a college, the U.S. Air Force is a hotspot for tourists who are interested in the history and unique, military-centric culture of Colorado Springs. The undergraduate institution is famed for its research program and top-notch centers that focus on bringing innovation to the fields of aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, math and physics. It’s rigorous program means every student — regardless of major – earns a bachelor’s of science degree.
Pikes Peak Community College
Pikes Peak Community College has, over many years, proven itself to be a truly great force on the Colorado Springs scene. Since it began as the small, rural El Paso County Community College in 1968, the school has grown tremendously and offers 158 associate degrees and certifications for its 20,000 students. PPCC’s specialties include helping veterans transition from the military to the civilian workforce, creating an avenue for traditional students to transfer to four-year institutions and empowering non-traditional students through online degree programs. The school’s downtown campus is currently undergoing a series of improvements that is expected to add state-of-the-art facilities for its faculty and students, and President Lance Bolton is active in community partnerships that will help to launch the college into the future of higher education.
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Regis University
The Colorado Springs campus of Regis University is yet another viable option for those looking to further their careers in the Pikes Peak region. According to its website, “the campus embraces local adult students, including the military population, and enables their educational goals to be successfully reached.” The school currently offers 131 in-class and online degree programs.
Webster University
Webster University’s small Colorado Springs campus also offers a secondary education option for mostly non-traditional students. According to its website, the college “offers unique degrees in space systems operations and cybersecurity” and has other STEM-centric programs. The school was also named the school for research for the Denver-based Spaceport Colorado program. ENGAGE Colorado Springs 79
ARTS AND CULTURE
Education Attainment
Percent Completed College
Percent Completed High School
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
37.2% National Average — 29.8%
93.1% National Average — 86.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Fall 2016 Enrollment Post-Secondary School
Total
Colorado Christian University
1,979
Colorado College
2,361
Colorado State University – Pueblo Colorado Technical University
2,015
DeVry University
280
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
150
Everest College
95
Fuller Theological Seminary
248
Intellitec College
299
Intellitec Medical Institute
380
National American University
386
Nazarene Bible College
771
Pikes Peak Community College Regis University
10,018 420
United States Air Force Academy
4,389
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
11,463
University of Northern Colorado
63
University of Phoenix
727
Webster University
176
Totals Source: School Offices of Admissions and Records
80 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
150
36,370
ARTS AND CULTURE
2016 ACT Scores The State of Colorado requires all high school juniors to take the ACT test. Math
English
Reading
Science
Average
District 11
18.9
18.2
19.8
19.5
19.2
District 12
25.1
24.3
25.0
24.1
24.7
District 20
21.9
22.3
23.5
22.5
22.7
District 38
22.9
23.8
24.3
23.4
23.7
District 49
18.0
17.6
19.4
19.2
18.7
Source: Colorado Department of Education
Student/Teacher Ratios Students
Teachers
Class Size
Harrison Dist. 2
11,746
740
16:1
Widefield/Security Dist. 3
9,634
533
18:1
Fountain/Ft. Carson Dist. 8
8,185
511
16:1
Colorado Springs Dist. 11
27,911
1,685
17:1
Cheyenne Mountain Dist. 12
5,224
351
15:1
Manitou Springs Dist. 14
1,488
102
15:1
Academy Dist. 20
25,591
1,566
16:1
Lewis-Palmer Dist. 38
6,577
376
17:1
Falcon Dist. 49
20,834
930
22:1
Woodland Park Dist. RE-2
2,480
146
17:1
Source: State of Colorado Department of Education, October 1, 2016 Student Count
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 81
ARTS AND CULTURE
Tourism highlights Springs’ roots
Story and photos by Cameron Moix
F
rom the time of its incorporation as a city by founder Gen. William Jackson Palmer in 1886 — and even prior that — Colorado Springs has been a unique and interesting destination for those in search of natural beauty, healthy living and new experiences. More than 130 years later, many local parks, museums and other attractions showcase the city Palmer loved in ways both new and old.
Garden of the Gods The top attraction in the city for tourists and locals alike is, hands down, Garden of the Gods, a city-owned park. The park offers miles of trail for hiking, running and biking through more than 300 towering sandstone formations, which guests are allowed to climb with the proper gear and permits. The park, which was given to the city in 1909 by Charles Elliott Perkins, boasts some of the most picturesque vistas of both downtown Colorado Springs and the Rocky Mountains and was named a U.S. National Natural Landmark in 1971. These astounding trademarks were recognized by online travel company TripAdvisor, which in 2014 ranked Garden of the Gods No. 1 on its list of “Top 10 U.S. Parks” and No. 2 on its list of “Top 10 World Parks.”
Pikes Peak Although Pikes Peak — known by many as “America’s Mountain” — is not actually located in Colorado Springs, it has long been a major draw for visitors to the region. One can access the 14,115-foot summit of the mountain by automobile via a 19-mile toll road called the Pikes Peak Highway. Those in search of a more authentic Coloradan experience can hike the 13-mile Barr Trail from Manitou Springs, while those who prefer a more leisurely jaunt to the peak can board the Pikes Peak Cog Railway from Manitou Springs. No matter the mode of transit, Pikes Peak is a must-do for anyone visiting Colorado Springs and offers breathtaking, 360-degree views of the state. 82 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
ARTS AND CULTURE
Red Rock Canyon
Helen Hunt Falls
Although lesser known by tourists than Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon Open Space on the city’s Westside is a favorite among locals and offers comparable scenery, as well as world-class trails. Convenient to both Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, the park offers some of the best hiking, trail running and biking in the region — and it’s also pet-friendly.
Scenic Trails As far as metropolitan areas go, Colorado Springs is packed with a high number of trails for running, hiking and biking. Whether it be Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon, Palmer Park, Cheyenne Cañon, Manitou Springs or another of the many naturalist entry points, Colorado Springs has something for nearly every nature lover.
are we
THERE yet?
welcome to
THERE.
Colorado Springs is Olympic City USA. It’s a city where the Olympic and Paralympic Values of friendship, respect, excellence, determination, inspiration, courage and equality are woven into the daily fabric of our lives.
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 83
ARTS AND CULTURE
Tourism continued Cave of the Winds
Pioneers Museum
Caves are another rarity for the region — and Colorado as a whole — which is why Cave of the Winds is such a draw. Located along Highway 24 in Manitou Springs (just down from the Cliff Dwellings), Cave of the Winds offers cave tours as well as non-traditional amusement-park rides such as the recently constructed Bat-A-Pult and Terrordactyl.
Perhaps the most comprehensive regional history can be found at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. Located in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, the museum plays host to several exhibits and events each year that invite both visitors and locals into the city’s vibrant and multi-faceted past. The museum features a permanent collection of more than 60,000 artifacts — from gold baron Spencer Penrose’s glass eye to rare Van Briggle pottery, antique firearms and an Abraham Lincoln signature — and offers a variety of public programming to engage every segment of the community. The highlight of the building itself, which was constructed in 1901 as the first El Paso County Courthouse, is a fully restored second-floor courtroom that allows visitors to imagine what the legal process was like more than a century ago. The building was used for that purpose until 1973, and the museum was instituted at the site in 1979.
Cliff Dwellings Near the Manitou Springs exit, just off of Colorado Highway 24, lies an attraction like none other in the region: the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. The structures were originally constructed near Four Corners (at the border of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona) more than 700 years ago by the Anasazi Indians and were transported and rebuilt locally during the early 20th century. Now, the Cliff Dwellings serve as a roadside attraction — something unique and off the beaten path. Visitors are able to walk through the historic dwellings and get a feel for the culture of the Southwest native tribe.
Manitou Springs Incline If you want to do what the locals do, the Manitou Springs Incline is the only way to go. For years before opening to the public, fitness freaks would run the old railroad ties up and down Red Mountain (although it was illegal) as a way to stay in shape and take advantage of the phenomenal views. In recent years, the attraction has undergone a series of improvement projects to maintain its quality. Many hikers also use the steps as a route to Barr Trail, which leads to the top of Pikes Peak.
Seven Falls The Pikes Peak region isn’t exactly known for its bodies of water, which is why the ones it does have are of particular note. Perhaps the most visited among these is Seven Falls, a seven-tiered waterfall that pours into Cheyenne Cañon in southwest Colorado Springs. The falls were long a popular spot for visitors and were recently purchased by Broadmoor hotel owner Philip Anschutz, who has since updated the site’s facilities and built a fine-dining restaurant at the attraction’s base. 84 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Hotels & Resorts C
olorado Springs, with its natural beauty and vibrant culture, has long been a destination for travelers from across the globe. Naturally, lodging has always been a demand for those looking to stay the night in the Pikes Peak region — and the Springs has become home to some of the finest hotels and resorts in the country.
The Broadmoor
Perhaps the most picturesque and amenable resort in Colorado Springs is The Broadmoor, and that has been the case since founder Spencer Penrose opened the hotel in 1918. On what was once farmland, Penrose built a grand Italianate resort with its own small lake, its own zoo (now the Cheyenne Mountain zoo), golf courses, tennis courts and world-class dining options. Although the hotel has changed much in its 99-year history, The Broadmoor continues to hold true to its original mission to attract and pamper visitors from across the globe — it has played host to U.S. presidents and foreign diplomats, world-famous musicians and movie stars, as well as notable athletes and other icons. The hotel offers 779 well-appointed guest rooms with views of the historic grounds and Cheyenne Mountain. In recent years, the hotel has also acquired attractions such as Seven Falls, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway and has constructed new properties throughout the Front Range. The combination of all these things makes The Broadmoor a one-of-a-kind destination for travelers the world over.
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ARTS AND CULTURE
The Antlers
ic nature. The building was originally built in 1902 and served as the city’s first stock exchange before later becoming a bank — large safes and historic photographs adorn the hotel as evidence of the structure’s past lives. Guest rooms feature exposed brick, one-of-a-kind paintings, luxury bedding and homages to New Orleans, all of which have earned the hotel a 4-Diamond rating.
The oldest name in Colorado Springs accommodations is The Antlers. The hotel, which is located in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, was originally built and run by wealthy railroad magnate and Colorado Springs founder William Jackson Palmer. Although the historic hotel property has changed hands and is on its third building (the first hotel burned down and another was demolished to build a new one in the 1970s), The Antlers — under the ownership of local lawyer and hotelier Perry Sanders — continues to be one of a few of the most popular options for folks looking to stay over in the Springs. Many of the Antlers’ 273 guest rooms and seven suites feature panoramic views of either downtown Colorado Springs or the Front Range.
Great Wolf Lodge
The Mining Exchange
Cliff House
The Mining Exchange Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs became the second option for tourists looking for lodging in the city’s core. The hotel features a lobby bar, its own Cajun restaurant (Springs Orleans), space for large events and weddings, and has also added a spa and fitness club. Local lawyer and businessman Perry Sanders opened the boutique, 117-room hotel in 2014 after spending around $30 million to ensure its prestige as a local lodging option, but the building still has retained much of its histor-
After purchasing the long-vacant and half-completed Renaissance Hotel in north Colorado Springs, Wisconsin-based Great Wolf Lodge Resorts finished the construction project and created a 311-room hotel with an adjacent indoor waterpark. The resort, which opened for business in 2016, was the company’s first hotel in Colorado. For those looking to stay in Manitou Springs, the most centrally located and historic option is the Cliff House at Pikes Peak. The hotel features 54 well-appointed guest rooms and suites decorated in the building’s authentic Victorian style. Some rooms feature fireplaces, hot tubs and steam showers; while they all feature the relaxing and naturalistic atmosphere of a mountain town.
Other Hotels
Other popular area hotels include Hotel
Eleganté and Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Each offer a variety of amenities and are located within easy driving distance to downtown as well as trails and scenic destinations among the Front Range.
Current Trends
From a real estate perspective, 2016 saw the rise of Colorado Springs as a mecca for investors looking to spend big on hospitality properties. Last year proved to be a strong one for the local hotel real estate market, as investors purchased preexisting properties and planned new ones — banking on upticks in tourism and a growing demand for the southern Colorado hospitality industry. “We’ve been seeing such great things in lodging,” said Chelsy Offutt, communications director for the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau. “All the investment that is taking place here in the community … makes it much easier for us to talk to people about visiting or coming back.” Offutt said that with a strengthening U.S. economy and more growth in the local tourism and hospitality arenas, “all indicators are pretty positive” that 2017 will be a great year for local hotels and resorts. “We’ve seen really great increases over Denver,” she said. “We just want to continue riding that wave.” ENGAGE Colorado Springs 87
ARTS AND CULTURE
COS Airport:
T
he Colorado Springs Airport is the second-largest commercial service airport in Colorado, servicing about 128,000 aircraft operations and 1.3 million passengers annually. It is the primary airport for the Pikes Peak region and southern Colorado. COS is a major economic catalyst for the area, providing $3.7 billion in total economic output, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Economic Impact Study for Colorado Airports. The airport also plays a significant role in bringing new businesses, conventions and tourism to the area. The airport is composed of four distinct business centers that span nearly 7,200 acres of land. These business centers include commercial aviation, corporate and general aviation, military aviation, and a 900acre business park that together make up one of the most innovative airports of its kind.
Commercial aviation COS has scheduled air service on six carriers to 12 nonstop destinations with several more beginning this year. Of those destinations, most are international airline hubs, offering easy accessibility to worldwide destinations. In 2016, COS welcomed a new carrier to 88 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
COS is a major economic catalyst for the region, providing $3.7 billion in total economic output. the market with nonstop service to Las Vegas, Orlando and Phoenix. Compared to 2015, passenger traffic increased by 10.6 percent, which was the largest annual increase at the airport in more than 20 years. Air travelers receive tremendous benefits when flying through COS, including unmatched customer service, low-fare options and an overall convenient and ease-of-travel experience.
Corporate and general aviation A thriving corporate and general aviation economy is located on what is known as the airport’s west side. In recent years, several new businesses have relocated to Colorado Springs, along with a number of operating tenants upgrading or expanding facilities, thereby leasing all available office and hangar space. Within the last year, COS welcomed further expansion on its west side with the completion of three new hangars, the ongoing construction of a corporate terminal campus and a recently announced 60,000-square-foot hangar planned for completion in September.
Photo by Cameron Moix
Second largest . in the state
Military aviation
The airport’s largest tenant, Peterson Air Force Base, is located on the north end of the airfield. COS is also home to a military rapid-deployment ramp known as the ADACG which the Army’s Fort Carson uses to transport troops and military cargo.
Business park
Located on the airport’s southern end is an innovative business center intended to provide land for the development of a mixed-use, high-quality business environment serving the city of Colorado Springs. The 900-acre park currently has three tenants within its eastern portion and the remainder of the land is being planned for new sites to fit prospective tenants. Within the last three years, COS has developed and implemented various strategic initiatives to boost economic growth in its four business centers. These ongoing initiatives include promoting the airport’s air service incentive program as well as its economic development zones and associated economic incentives, reducing airport costs and debt while increasing revenue streams, promoting job creation and further enhancing the airport’s marketing program. For more information, go to flycos.com or call 719-550-1900.
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Denver International Airport is one of the few major U.S. airports with room to expand its current facilities to accommodate future growth.
DIA Denver International Airport
Since opening on Feb. 28, 1995, Denver International Airport (DIA) has become the world’s 15th-busiest airport and the fifth-busiest airport in the United States. With more than 54 million passengers in 2014, DIA is one of the busiest hubs in the world’s largest aviation market. It is Colorado’s primary economic engine, generating more than $26.3 annually for the state, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. DIA is the largest airport in North 90 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
America and one of the largest in the world. Size is its biggest asset, with room to grow and adapt to the ever-changing aviation market. Encompassing 53 square miles (137.8 square kilometers), Denver International Airport is twice the size of Manhattan Island and larger than the city boundaries of Boston, Miami or San Francisco. DIA is the second-largest airport site in the world. The efficient layout of six non-intersecting runways allows for multiple simultaneous aircraft movements. DIA has capacity for 12 more runways, another terminal and two additional concourses. One runway running north-south is 16,000 feet long and is the longest commercial runway in the U.S. It is one reason DIA received ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) certification to handle Airbus 380 operations. The airport is owned by the city and county of Denver and is operated by the Denver Department of Aviation. The $4.9 billion city investment in the design and construction of DIA was financed by a combination of airport bonds, federal aviation grants and mon-
ies generated by Denver’s former airport, Stapleton International. Through early and steadfast planning, DIA has gained significant recognition for financial stability, and has been profitable every year since opening. DIA’s award-winning architecture and views of the Rocky Mountains create a unique atmosphere. Jeppesen Terminal’s internationally recognized peaked roof, designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, is reflective of snowcapped mountains.
Passenger Traffic DIA’s passenger traffic has recovered strongly since declining in 2001 and 2002. Today, approximately 58 percent of travelers at DIA are origination and destination (O&D) passengers, and 42 percent are connecting. O&D passengers are those beginning or ending their trip in Denver. More than 28 million annual domestic passengers begin or end their trip in Denver, ranking Denver third among domestic O&D hub in the U.S. International traffic at DIA accounts for approximately 2 million passengers annually — approximately 4 percent of the airport’s total passenger traffic.
BUSINESS RESOURCES Hispanic Business Council
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Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber
94
Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
97
Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center
97
Pikes Peak Association of Realtors
98
Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments 100 Better Business Bureau
101
United States Olympic Committee and national governing bodies
102
Contacts 103
BUSINESS RESOURCES
Our Mission
Growing Together, Growing Business, Growing Community 92 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
To promote and serve our community’s Hispanic-owned and minority-owned business community throughout the Front Range region and our serve our members by creating, developing and improving business growth and sustainability through partnerships that will provide resources and education.
Why join? We know that in an ever-changing world, as a small business owner you need support and access to resources that help you with those changes. Our focus is to provide these resources to you through workshops, community events, networking, mentoring and collaboration with local, state and federal agencies. We are prepared to bring in experts to their knowl-
edge and expertise to take you and your business to the next level. We are looking for members that have something to share, and for people with a genuine interest in personal and professional growth and a passion for creating change in their community.
Become a member There all plenty of opportunities for our members to get involved and help the Concilio grow and support our Hispanic-owned and minorityowned businesses throughout the Front Range region. Whether your interest level is in gaining resources to grow your business or becoming a committee chair or to attend some networking events, we have the opportunity and support for you.
Special events and programs The Concilio offers programs for
BUSINESS RESOURCES our young professionals, great community events that support our small business and the families of Colorado Springs and of course an annual Gala. We offer a legislative division that makes sure our members our informed of decision and opportunities, locally, regionally and nationally. We are definitely on the move and ready to support a increasingly diverse community and welcome your interest and partnership.
Build your business The Colorado Springs Hispanic Business Council is at work for you every day. Our mission - to lead and support economic growth and development in Colorado Springs and throughout our Region - means that we continuously strive to support your business. Every program and initiative we offer is developed to help your business grow and prosper.
What does that mean for you? • Leveraging our Contacts to Con-
tracts Program to connect to businesses and corporations to DOD contracts. • Participating in our Attract & Retain Talent initiative designed to build and maintain a workforce in our Region that meets business needs and retain our young professionals in Colorado Springs • Leveraging the Chamber’s advertising and event sponsorship opportunities to increase the visibility of your business • Networking events designed to provide your business the opportunity to meet your next customer or supplier • Connecting with public sector officials to voice your opinion and concerns while CHECS advocates on behalf of all members for a business friendly environment
Market your company Your membership with the Colorado Springs Hispanic Business Council provides opportunities to increase your visibility, establish credibility in the community, and forge business connections. Advertise with the Chamber. Get
your organization’s message out to other Concilio members by advertising in the Resource Guide & Membership Directory, in CHECS e-newsletters Sponsor an event. Each year, popular Concilio events bring together Colorado Springs business and community leaders. Let’s explore creative sponsorship opportunities that promote your company before a receptive audience. Options include Business After Hours, Business2Business EXPO, Member Receptions, Small Business Forum and Leadership Awards, and annual meetings and future Gala’s. Concilio Partnership. For one calendar year, our partners receive comprehensive visibility through CHECS events. Recognition on items such as the CHECS Web site, invitations and tickets to events, radio advertisements, the CHECS monthly member newsletter, and more gives our partners the premier community awareness they deserve. Interested in learning more? Contact Bea Aguirre-Strong at BeaStrong@comcast.net.
ENGAGE Colorado Springs 93
BUSINESS RESOURCES
OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER OUR MEMBERS THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC VITALITY.
Women’s Chamber provides
LOCAL connections
94 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
S
outhern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce is an integral part of the Colorado Springs business community. We are committed to serving our members and our community, and we welcome you to become involved in our organization. With our strategic business and political relationships, we offer vital connections to support your business and others in southern Colorado. The SCWCC is unique because our culture and energy come from diverse, professional women supporting and partnering with one another. In addition, we are an inclusive organization — and men are not only members but also part of our leadership team, serving on the board. Our mission is to empower our members through education, advocacy and collaborative partner-
ships, focusing on economic vitality. We create an environment for your business success by providing connections, resources and educational opportunities, building business relationships, and advocating for our members and the community we serve. We specifically focus on positive impact and making a difference for our members. Women influence 85 percent of the purchasing decisions and women-owned businesses generate $4.7 billion in revenue — therefore a partnership with the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce uniquely positions you and your business for success. The number of women-owned businesses in El Paso County grew 45 percent between 2002-2012, according to U.S. Census data, outpacing overall business growth. Colorado Springs ranked No. 1 in
BUSINESS RESOURCES
the nation with the highest percentage of women-owned businesses. (Data from U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Small Business Administration and WalletHub.) In some ways, our state is ahead of others, as Colorado continues to lead the country with the highest percentage of women in the legislature (42 percent). On the other hand, there is opportunity for improvement as the state still lags behind the national average of women appointed to boards. Currently, only 10 percent of publicly traded companies have women on boards, up from 7 percent in 2011, as published in the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Magazine. We celebrate these improvements while knowing there is still much to be accomplished in elevating women in business. Locally, our membership base represents a wide range — from presidents and CEOs to business owners, from large
corporations to small nonprofit organizations, varying widely by size, revenue and industry, including entrepreneurs, start-ups and franchise owners.
Women influence 85 percent of the purchasing decisions and women-owned businesses generate $4.7 billion in revenue When you engage with the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce through membership and sponsorship, your organization will receive special recognition that provides exposure to business owners, local executives, community leaders and the media. Your membership sends a powerful message that your brand is aligned with
The
the SCWCC’s mission to support our members’ business success and women in the community. We offer a variety of events, including monthly luncheons with speakers and community panels; workshops and meet-and-greets; First Friday Coffee Networking; and the Accolades Annual Awards Luncheon. Additionally, we take an active role in reviewing public policy issues that affect business, we give back to the community through the SCWCC Foundation, we provide programs for professional development and we offer exclusive member-only Affinity Program rates and discounts on business and insurance services. To learn more about SCWCC, become a member, sign up for events, subscribe to our newsletter or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit scwcc.com. We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your connections and opportunities in the business community!
Voice
Real Estate in the Pikes Peak Region of
www.ppar.com ENGAGE Colorado Springs 95
17IN SIDER
Here’s the insider’s scoop on life in the
Pikes Peak Region
If you’re a stranger in a strange land and want to hit the headlines or you’re hoping for the back alley, back door tour of cool stuff, pick up the Independent’s Indy Insider for details on food & drink, recreation, music, arts & culture, tourist attractions, shopping, marijuana and so much more. Find it all over town at high- traffic locations throughout the year while it lasts and new every April! Get your hands on the most authoritative guide for locals and newcomers.
Your must have annual guide to the Pikes Peak Region
NSIDER
Read our weekly issue at csindy.com & pick up at over 900 locations around the region.
BUSINESS RESOURCES
Our Goal: . Strengthen and grow current and future local businesses
The Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC (Chamber & EDC) is committed to being the primary advocate for the Colorado Springs business community, dedicated to serving businesses of all sizes to build the Pikes Peak region’s economy. The Chamber & EDC is the connection between business and government, business and business, and business and the workforce. The Colorado Springs region is home to several key industries that have reached critical mass due to the exceptional workforce, quality of life and vibrant business climate the region has to offer. This diverse group of industries provides excellent job opportunities to people of various skill levels, including many jobs that require highly technical skills: • Aerospace/Defense • Cybersecurity • Customer Support/Back Office Financial Services • Health & Wellness • Information Technology • Manufacturing • Sports Economy • Outdoor Recreation Joining as a member with the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC establishes a durable and meaningful relationship tailored to meet your specific business needs. As a member, we welcome your engagement with our organization as we focus our program of work on business, defense and economic development. We invite you to get to know the Chamber & EDC. Think of us as your business accelerator!
719.471.8183 | cscedc.com
Pikes Peak SBDC: A small-business resource
Are you interested in starting a small business in the Pikes Peak region? Or do you want to relocate your existing business? The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center is dedicated to helping existing and new businesses maximize their economic potential by providing free and confidential consulting and affordable training programs. We are part of a large network of offices across the state with a team of business experts ready to help you create and retain jobs, secure loans, increase sales, win government contracts and obtain certifications. The SBDC combines information and resources from federal, state and local governments with those of the education system and private sector to meet the specialized and complex needs of the small business community. Consulting experts work in partnership to provide entrepreneurs with crucial information that can mean the difference between success and failure. The Pikes Peak SBDC is a nationally accredited program with a designation in technology. It is also the recipient of the 2014 Small Business Administration Regional VIII Innovation & Excellence Award. In the past three years, the Pikes Peak SBDC has: • Increased small business capital by $29.5 million; • Helped small businesses obtain loans in the amount of $7.4 million; • Helped increase other sources of capital by $15.4 million; • Helped start 178 new businesses; • Created 405 jobs; • Retained 747 jobs; and • Increased small business sales by $16.05 million. It is important to us that you reach your small business goals, and we love to talk about our success stories. You can read about our latest success stories covering all industries of business at pikespeaksbdc.org/ about-us/success-stories. ENGAGE Colorado Springs 97
BUSINESS RESOURCES
Pikes Peak Association of Realtors make home ownership possible
H
omeownership is an important pursuit for most Americans, one that benefits families and creates communities. While the rate of homeownership has dropped in recent years, it continues to be a treasured part of the American dream. The decline in homeownership could be attributed to tight credit conditions and the fact that many young households are saddled with student debt and low wage growth. The situation could be made worse if the Mortgage Interest Deduction is weakened or the housing finance system is reformed in such a way to make debt financing even more difficult to obtain for a firsttime homebuyer. The National Association of Realtors, the Colorado Association of Realtors and the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors work together to protect and promote homeownership and private property rights at all levels of government. One of the most recent efforts by Realtors to advocate for homeownership is by promoting changes to the construction defects law. In 2001, the Construction Defect Action Reform Act was enacted in the state to distinguish construction defects lawsuits related to real property from common lawsuits, such as negligence. In subsequent years, additional legislation has been enacted in an effort to
98 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
clarify policies and define terms. However, a number of contradictory Colorado Court of Appeals rulings over the years has muddied the waters to the point that condo and townhome construction has been brought to a virtual standstill across the state. This lack of diverse owner-occupied, multi-family housing has blocked many
One of the most recent efforts by Realtors to advocate for homeownership is by promoting changes to the construction defects law. first-time homeowners, seniors and young professionals from homeownership. This has become a topic of major concern for Colorado’s housing industry, including the Pikes Peak region. Realtors have worked tirelessly to help find opportunities for attainably-priced condos to be built. In 2015, the Colorado Springs City Council joined 17 other cities and counties in enacting a local construction defects ordinance. The Colorado Springs ordinance applies to “common interest communities” (townhomes/condos) that were constructed after the effective date of the ordinance. In part, the ordinance
requires the construction defect to affect five or more units. Notice must go to all homeowners and they must be informed of the nature of the action and the relief being sought, including fees and other expenses, the expected recovery and how sales or refinancing of the unit during the lawsuit might be problematic, among other information. The consent of the majority of the homeowners is required before the homeowners association can file suit. In 2017, new leadership in the Colorado General Assembly recognized the need for statewide construction defects reform. The Homeowners’ Association Construction Defect Lawsuit Approval Timelines was introduced this session. This bill preserves a homeowner’s right to sue for faulty condominium construction while protecting homeowners from actions taken by their association boards. In part, the bill requires homeowners associations that are considering litigation on construction defect issues to disclose costs, duration and the financial impact of the claim, obtain written consent from a majority of homeowners and enter into mediation or arbitration by a neutral third party. Every day, Realtors are working behind the scenes to advocate and protect homeowner interests as well as promote a sound and dynamic real estate market and successful communities.
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BUSINESS RESOURCES
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utine o R Da ily kfa st Brea t ee a Coff XE ffice p of u t he o C n b eting i a r t me x e n X G i to everyone y email your s Da il ay h om at ness new o S z r i B e i h s X J t u b B n i S al ad C n lo c erson ! email X Re e smartest pup-to-date o dition Daily int e nities. r z p h i e t r e B a in th ss opportu SBJ find X Bbeecause you on ’t & bu sine t he C w r o u f o s y y p u
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Local governments collaborate for
GREATER IMPACT By Jessica McMullen, PPACG
P
PACG is a voluntary organization of local governments serving the Pikes Peak region’s cities, towns and counties. The governing body of PPACG, the board of directors, is composed of elected officials appointed by the member governments. Current membership includes: Counties: El Paso, Park, Teller Cities: Colorado Springs, Cripple Creek, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Victor, Woodland Park Towns: Alma, Calhan, Fairplay, Green Mountain Falls, Monument, Palmer Lake and Ramah. PPACG provides a forum for local officials to identify regional problems and opportunities, develop solutions and make recommendations to local governments on area-wide strategies
100 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
to deal with those issues. PPACG can be a vehicle for cooperative action in matters that cross local political boundaries. Such bodies have the advantage of being able to cover a wider range of area-wide issues and coordinate programs to avoid duplication and conflict. The regional approach offered by PPACG serves to facilitate state and federal funding for local programs and projects. One of PPACG’s primary responsibilities is regional planning and project programming to assist local elected officials in making coordinated decisions affecting regional development. Plans encompass all geographical areas of the region and include transportation, air and water quality, watershed management, military planning, and services for senior citizens.
PPACG has the following designations: • State-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area; • Older Americans Act Area Agency on Aging for the Pikes Peak region; • Lead air-quality planning agency for the Pikes Peak region; • Lead water-quality planning agency for the Pikes Peak region. PPACG leverages hundreds of millions of dollars in federal, state and local programs. In 2017, proposed member dues of $458,000 will help to fund the organization. • The PPACG board of directors allocated $91 million of federal and state transportation grants to projects in the region through the transportation planning program and the transportation improvement program. • Through the PPACG AAA programs, the PPACG Board is expected to allocate $4.4 million for senior services in the three-county region. • PPRTA will administer the $205 million budget for capital, maintenance and transit projects and programs in the region.
Photo by Cameron Moix
BUSINESS RESOURCES
BUSINESS RESOURCES
BBB of Southern Colorado sets standards for marketplace trust — to create a community of trustworthy businesses and charities — by encouraging and supporting best practices, educating consumers and businesses, celebrating business role models, and addressing substandard marketplace behavior.
Start with Trust
Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado serves public interests BBB of Southern Colorado plays an important role in the Pikes Peak region. Dedicated to serving the public at large, the BBB is the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB establishes standards for businesses and monitors adherence to them, as well as provides easily accessible information so that consumers have confidence in their buying decisions. Established in 1980, we cover the 25 counties of southern Colorado and provide nearly 40,000 business profiles on companies in our geographic footprint. Our vision is a marketplace where buyers and sellers trust each other. When compared to other BBBs across the country, BBB of Southern Colorado ranks in the top 16 percent for highest market penetration of accredited businesses with nearly 3,000 accredited businesses. For the Pikes Peak region, this means that there is a strong presence and understanding of the importance of trustworthy businesses. When a community has trust in its businesses, the local economy is strengthened and residents have a higher quality of life. BBB of Southern Colorado is registered in the state of Colorado as a nonprofit business membership organization. BBB of Southern Colorado focuses on the business interactions currently taking place in the Pikes Peak region and helps shape conversations affecting our community. We work to create, support and maintain a safe, fair, thriving marketplace for consumers and businesses alike.
To be BBB Accredited, a business or charity must meet eight standards: Build Trust; Advertise Honestly; Tell the Truth; Be Transparent; Honor Promises; Be Responsive; Safeguard Privacy; and Embody Integrity. Once a business becomes BBB Accredited, they are vetted yearly.
BBB Accredited Businesses range from small to large. Regardless of the size or years in operation, we provide our Accredited Businesses marketing resources to help drive more online visibility through our Google AdWords grant (where we purchase key words on behalf of our Accredited Businesses), generate business leads with our E-Quote service, and facilitate business connections through our educational and networking opportunities.
Through focused public relations, advertising and promotional efforts, we bring forward our Accredited Businesses to consumers.
In conjunction with the recent designation of the city of Colorado Springs as an Age-Friendly City in 2016, BBB of Southern Colorado offers an Age-Friendly Business Certification that promotes business practices and certifies Colorado Springs businesses as age-friendly through a review process on their physical environment, staff and personnel, marketing and customer experience. BBB of Southern Colorado is currently the only BBB in the nation to provide this certification.
BBB of Southern Colorado’s newly restructured foundation, the National Institute for Social Impact, seeks to educate businesses on the power of the emerging fourth sector of the economy and uses entrepreneurial strategies to improve the health and welfare of our community.
In 2016, upwards of 600,000 unique users came to our website looking for information. These users are residents and business owners as well as visitors looking for a trustworthy business while in our region.
BBBs exist because local businesses are willing to invest in our mission. These businesses do so because they believe that the local marketplace becomes a better place to live, work, raise a family, start a business and attract visitors. Welcome to the Pikes Peak region! For more information on Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado and trustworthy businesses in the area, visit us at bbbsc.org.
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BUSINESS RESOURCES
USOC and Partial List of National Governing Bodies USOC Headquarters
USA Cycling
27 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-632-5551
www.usacycling.org 210 USA Cycling Point, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Tel: 719-434-4200 Fax: 719-434-4372 E-mail: membership@usacycling.org Derek Bouchard-Hall, CEO
United States Anti-Doping Agency www.usada.org 5555 Tech Center Drive, Ste. 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Tel: 719-785-2000 Fax: 719-785-2001 E-mail: usada@usada.org Drug Reference Line™: 1-800-233-0393 (in the U.S.); 719-785-2020 (outside the U.S.) Drug Reference Online™: www.usada.org/dro
Olympic Training Center 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Tel: 719-632-5551 Tel: 719-866-4444 (OTC registration desk) Fax: (719) 632-1035 (operations) Fax: 719-866-4645 (director) Aron McGuire, Director
USA Archery www.USArchery.org 4065 Sinton Road, Ste. 110 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Tel: 719-866-4576 Fax: 719-632-4733 E-mail: info@usarchery.org Denise Parker, CEO
USA Badminton www.usabadminton.org 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Tel: 719-866-4808 Fax: 719-866-4507 E-mail: info@usabadminton.org Dan Cloppas, CEO
USA Bobsled and Skeleton www.usbsf.com 1631 Mesa Avenue, Copper Building, Suite A Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Tel: 719-634-5186 Fax: 719-520-3212 Darrin Steele, CEO
USA Boxing www.usaboxing.org 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5776 Tel: 719-866-2300 Fax: 719-632-3426 Mike Martino, Interim Executive Director
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USA Fencing www.usfencing.org 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 140 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Tel: 719-866-4511 Fax: 719-632-5737 E-mail: information@USFencing.org Kris Ekeren, Executive Director
USA Field Hockey www.usafieldhockey.com 5540 North Academy Boulevard, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Tel: 719-866-4567 Fax: 719-632-0979 E-mail: information@usafieldhockey.com Simon Hoskins, Executive Director
U.S. Figure Skating www.usfigureskating.org 20 First Street Colorado Springs, CO 80906-3697 Tel: 719-635-5200 Fax: 719-635-9548 E-mail: info@usfigureskating.org David Raith, Executive Director
U.S. Paralympics www.usparalympics.org 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Tel: 719-866-2088 Fax: 719-866-2029 E-mail: paralympicinfor@usoc.org Rick Adams, Chief, Paralympic Sports & NGB Organizational Development
USA Pentathlon www.teamusa.org/USA-Modern-Pentathlon.aspx 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Tel: 303-677-1509 Rob Stull, Managing Director
USA Shooting www.usashooting.org 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5762 Tel: 719-866-4670 Fax: 719-866-4884 E-mail: media@usashooting.org Robert Mitchell, Executive Director
USA Swimming www.usaswimming.org 1 Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5770 Tel: 719-866-4578 Fax: 719-866-4049 Chuck Wielgus, Executive Director
USA Table Tennis USA Hockey www.usahockey.com 1775 Bob Johnson Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Tel: 719-576-8724 Fax: 719-538-1160 E-mail: usah@usahockey.org Dave Ogrean, Executive Director
www.usatt.org 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 120 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Tel: 719-866-4583 Fax: 719-632-6071 E-mail: ed@usatt.org Gordon Kaye, CEO
USA Triathlon USA Judo www.usjudo.org 1 Olympic Plaza, Suite 505 Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Tel: 719-866-4730 Fax: 719-866-4733 Jose Rodriguez, CEO
www.usatriathalon.org 5825 Delmonico Drive, Suite 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Tel: 719-597-9090 Fax: 719-597-2121 E-Mail: info@usatriathlon.org Rob Urbach, CEO
BUSINESS RESOURCES
CONTACTS GENERAL Apartment Association of Southern Colorado, 45 E Pikes Peak Ave., Ste 105 Web: aacshq.org Phone: 719-264-9195 Better Business Bureau Web: bbb.org/southern-colorado Phone: 719-636-1155 City of Colorado Springs Web: coloradosprings.gov Phone: 719-385-2489 Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership Web: downtowncs.com Phone: 719-886-0088 Colorado Springs Fire Department Web: csfd.coloradosprings.gov Phone: 719-385-5950 Colorado Springs Police Department Web: cspd.coloradosprings.gov Phone: 719-444-7000 Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC Web: coloradospringschamberedc.com Phone: 719-471-8183
Colorado Springs Utilities Web: csu.org Phone: 719-448-4800
KOAA (NBC) Web: koaa.com Phone: 719-630-3930
Experience Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau Web: Visitcos.com Phone: 719-635-7506
KRDO (ABC) Web: krdo.com Phone: 719-632-1515
Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs Web: cshba.com Phone: 719-592-1800 Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region Web: hsppr.org Phone: 719-473-1741 Pikes Peak Regional Building Department Web: pprbd.org Phone: 719-327-2880 Pikes Peak Library District Web: ppld.org Phone: 719-531-6333
MEDIA TELEVISION STATIONS KKTV (CBS) Web: kktv.com Phone: 719-634-2844
KTSC (PBS) Web: rmpbs.org Phone: 719-543-8800 KXRM (FOX) Web: fox21news.com Phone: 719-596-2100
NEWSPAPERS Colorado Springs Business Journal (weekly) Web: csbj.com Phone: 719-634-5905 Colorado Springs Gazette (daily) Web: gazette.com Phone: 719-632-5511 Colorado Springs Independent (weekly) Web: csindy.com Phone: 719-577-4545 Pikes Peak Bulletin (weekly) Web: pikespeakbulletin.com Phone: 719-685-9690 For a full listing of media companies call 719-634-5905. ENGAGE Colorado Springs 103
BUSINESS RESOURCES
ELECTED OFFICIALS EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 27 E. Vermijo Ave. Colorado Springs, 80903-2208 Phone: 719-520-7276 Fax: 719-520-6397 Web: elpasoco.com DISTRICT 1 Darryl Glenn, President Email: darrylglenn@elpasoco.com DISTRICT 2 Mark Waller, President Pro Tempore Email: markwaller@elpasoco.com
Jill Gaebler, President Pro Tempore, District 5 Phone: 719-385-5483 Email: jgaebler@springsgov.com Don Knight, District 1 Phone: 719-385-5487 Email: dknight@springsgov.com Larry Bagley, District 2 Phone: 719-385-5493 Email: lbagley@springsgov.com Keith King, District 3 Phone: 719-385-5470 Email: kcking@springsgov.com Helen Collins, District 4 Phone: 719-385-5492 Email: hcollins@springsgov.com
DISTRICT 3 Stan VanderWerf Email: stanvanderwerf@elpasoco.com
Bill Murray, At-Large Phone: 719-385-5485 Email: bmurray@springsgov.com
DISTRICT 4 Longinos Gonzalez Email: longinosgonzalez@elpasoco.com
Andy Pico, District 6 Phone: 719-385-5491 Email: apico@springsgov.com
DISTRICT 5 Peggy Littleton Email: peggylittleton@elpasoco.com
Tom Strand, At-Large Phone: 719-385-5486 Email: tstrand@springsgov.com
COLORADO SPRINGS MAYOR John Suthers Phone: 719-385-5900 Fax: 719-385-5495 Email: jsuthers@springsgov.com
COLORADO SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL 107 N. Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-385-5986 Fax: 719-385-5495 Web: coloradosprings.gov Email: allcouncil@springsgov.com Merv Bennett, President, At-Large Member Phone: 719-385-5469 Email: mbennett@springsgov.com
104 ENGAGE Colorado Springs
PUEBLO 1 City Hall Pl. P.O. Box 1460 Pueblo, CO 81003 Phone: 719-553-CITY Web: pueblo.us
CRIPPLE CREEK 337 E. Bennett Ave. P.O. Box 430 Cripple Creek, CO 80813 Phone: 719-689-2502 Fax: 719-689-2774 Web: cityofcripplecreek.com
FOUNTAIN 116 S. Main St. Fountain, CO 80817 Phone: 719-322-2000 Fax: 719-322-2001 Web: fountaincolorado.org
MANITOU SPRINGS 606 Manitou Ave. Manitou Springs, CO 80829 Phone 719-685-5481 Fax: 719-685-5233 Web: manitouspringsgov.com
VICTOR 500 Victor Ave. Victor, CO 80860 Phone 719-689-2284 Fax: 719-689-2703 Web: victorcolorado.com
WOODLAND PARK 220 W. South Ave. Woodland Park, CO 80866 Phone: 719-687-9246 Fax: 719-687-5232 Web: city-woodlandpark.org
CALHAN 556 Colorado Ave. Calhan, CO 80808 Phone: 719-347-2586 Fax: 719-347-2581 Web: calhan.co
GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS 10615 Green Mountain Falls Road Green Mountain Falls, CO 80819 Phone: 719-684-9414 Web: gmfco.elpasoco.com
MONUMENT 645 Beacon Light Road Monument, CO 80132 Phone: 719-481-2954 Fax: 719-884-8011 Web: townofmonument.org
PALMER LAKE 42 Valley Crescent Palmer Lake, CO 80133 Phone: 719-481-2953 Web: townofpalmerlake.com
see poss ee you.
~Francis Bacon
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The space rooms. er a e ation d part Fund stude percent l Distric average Wood la in Col debt new loc and conferenc en a goal an its or n an of bor t 5 st nt lo for st d of ad s be Pa rk o part plans office space ans Th an udent ro s alway to be a lem that nd stude at’s goo — abou wers in ding at loaat n woauld rooms, do Springs ha . “We want prob t d $ th itdebt he the states inr “Colora ” said Fund is massive job with colleges, elsew nt loan news fo one-thisl ,97— ondis ic 21se 9. rat rthth Just r story, re to fill th rking rt in taking r thofe nthetroff e eleg irdati ten ou wo no de nan here — debt ag e of of u mi e e’r fa he su of loca ationresultult r pa ci ticle oallyes a no m. W tem bugu e al on ne t coll ess ec w th are n al ad Thveislan ecosys immune fro ations to do ouground and pr as ean fore a fi s ege fi fimne is or beer er e busin as is noonomcty it av ee l back e. no city ties and corp te nan, s m them up — lo ag d etothoss same encie giv Carol de dia technica cial toorcoe rre cashwh at sets ich ag keep im y ca udtion Bre an an ers fines & universi duals with a education th 30 adays aca to wses idses th of fiin —atan lorAadssoociatethglio en d grigo Blue loainc cers tospas ion e Cola ix ca nts in ludnin in indivi em a premier onal.” ivsate(not lat, pr n de vio s, sa ingya and d era ron Mo roulslaw of appli the prirough th ulaytor ssi th fed e me bt w th ofe deve Dot Pla g ing sed Ca ng id or ea pr fi do lot impoma ra reg vin By vid pla a lot w h te curity s onals in ny g byltsta ax the 00“T ntly mo en to a hall nin sm ey a ofisdecireq Nick loper D ce erge are visor n. ess,nth raducead a cyberseogra m is op s and professi ent of Veterann si uired bill curreure aims to rel an 500,0ca a n ge ere is atbu sin at).es all s” be te.t th re ar plian reea ll on Bre th anno lasson rsey om times th w to The pr lita ry veteran the Depa rtm ools that ca e sta “T nc “a gl th me sm ca Legislat for the more no y ei h so a io ut bs l h d delnay er, eyneera r fi nfor mi sch ol ugho ti o Ge n ew u n c e d a s …uan yoinu’ruese ofto nge and ho y of tely , Lo anci he ar cluding tor. 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Ab be Be’sck er puettChamth w rin chilel ng’re os Bil e ap y agslo thge the ing eitti dth th ing m boeira tentia e Pike tired Navy such in proje es iead r tiv el nc at on th po Sph r u s Senate o Springs businto us,” said Ra k e o ay na in h lor fi th id too lla re c ea t of M She sad. in “co oney well as Acc loror w in h s is , who m to life e Co Deve as Nor’ ts as Colorad t makes sense ger for thab ille cause of thgethe co owners ding ith a la progra its new hi re rfare veteran about a mont ou liancme, in nia der rge gSB-1nbe business to 169 lopmen wood unth “It jus ector s mana One of , a cyber wa smitall stilylcomp s for m delayette75Fepb. -u edCon roreg up ulalstor er1 nt affair emy’s dir on cen) live ate apart nit 333 t Group agenphase d bu ttleto nt an e Sena thei ernme r & EDC. ress ofvin witho Springs. 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