2008-04 Lydia's Style Magazine

Five dollars

City

Managers

looking to the future

Living

and Working in Harmony

Brannen Homes:

Hand-crafted Perfection Ap r i l 2 0 0 8 : : b u s i n e s s : : w w w. s t y l e m a g a z i n e c o l o r a d o . c o m : : e s t 1 9 8 4

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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

In a crisis, you want to know that you and your family have quick access to emergency care. That's why people look to the power of the only Level II Trauma Center with an on-site flight program in northern Colorado - North Colorado Medical Center. We are uniquely positioned to deliver a higher level of emergency care, with board certified Emergency Physicians and Trauma Surgeons, a highly competent nursing staff and state-of-the-art burn treatment through our Western States Burn Center.

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styl e medi a and design, inc. | 970.226.6400 |

w w w. s t y l e m a g a z i n e c o l o r a d o . c o m Publisher Lydia J. Dody Editor Corey Radman

creative director Scott Prosser Senior Designer Austin Lamb

Advertising Sales EXECUTIVES Jon Ainslie (970) 219-9226 Abby Bloedorn (970) 222-8406 Karen Christensen (970) 679-7593 Lydia Dody (970) 227-6400 Saundra Skrove (970) 217-9932 Office Manager Ina Szwec Accounting Manager Karla Vigil Data Entry Betty Frye Contributing Writers Allie Comeau, Lynn M. Dean, Caitlin Kelly, Laura Lee Carter, Ed Goodman, Corey Radman, Barbara Read, Jim Sprout, Ina Szwec, Jason Webb Copy editor Laura Lee Carter Contributing photographers Shaun Hudson, Todd Newcomer, Dana Milner, Joey Ungerer Affiliations Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Loveland Chamber of Commerce Greeley Chamber of Commerce Windsor Chamber of Commerce 2008 Style Magazines January-Loveland/Greeley Medical & Wellness Magazine and Directory February-Building & Remodeling March-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness March-Family, Community & Philanthropy April-Business of Northern Colorado May-Building & Remodeling - Home & Garden May-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness June-Business to Business June-Building & Remodeling July-Fort Collins Medical & Wellness Magazine and Directories August-Women In Business September-Building & Remodeling Home Interiors & Entertainment October-Women’s Lifestyle Health & Beauty October-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness November-Holiday December-Winter/Wedding Style Media and Design, Inc. magazines are free monthly publications direct-mailed to homes and businesses in Northern Colorado. Elsewhere, subscriptions for 16 issues cost $24/ year. Free magazines are available in stands at 100 locations throughout Northern Colorado.

For ad rates, subscription information, change of address, or correspondence, contact: Style Media and Design Inc., 211 W. Myrtle St., Ste 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. Phone (970) 226-6400. E-Mail: ina@StyleMedia.com ©2008 Style Media and Design Inc. All rights reserved. The entire contents of Style Magazine is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Style Media and Design Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography must be accompanied by a SASE. The views and opinions of any contributing writers are not necessarily those of Style Media & Design Inc.

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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Miho Toi Scott MA,MD

Paolo Romero

Regina Brown

MD

Matthew Sorensen

MD

MD

at the POUDRE VALLEY HOSPITAL HARMONY CAMPUS 2121 E. Harmony Rd. Suite 150, Fort Collins • www.cancercenteroftherockies.com

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7

Publisher’s Letter Be Not Afraid of Change

I

t used to be that living in our Northern Colorado region was the best kept secret around. Well, no longer. National media has extolled all our virtues; Fort Collins is the best city to start a business, raise a family, and retire. And, just today, Richard Florida in his recent book, Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life was quoted as saying, “…empty nesters, people whose children have grown but who aren’t yet at retirement age like the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, because it offers access to great healthcare, substantial amenities and diverse intellectually stimulating communities.”

We have to be proud of the many people over the years who have done such a great job of planning and building our Northern Colorado communities. I hate to admit that I remember Fort Collins when the McDonald’s Restaurant in front of King Soopers on College was the South fringe of the city. Foothills Fashion Mall didn’t exist, the city was dry, and the area around Warren Lake was trees, trails, and a great place for a nature run. I have seen so many changes and I sure like what I see.

We have all probably noticed the amazing development going on these past few years on Harmony Road. Living on the south end of town has me traveling that road quite often and I have marveled at the exceptional quality development going on. What a great introduction to our city!

Since development and building is such a driving force in our regional economy, we chose to emphasize Harmony in this annual Businessfocused issue of Style Magazine. Enjoy our insight into how we grew up so suddenly to be able to support million dollar homes in Real Estate: Evolution of the Custom Home and a spotlight on one of our area’s premier builders, Jay Brannen.

Change is inevitable, and we all can be so proud that we have directed change thoughtfully and well. As an old Chinese proverb says, “Be not afraid of changing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.”

Enjoy this great spring weather,

lydia@stylemedia.com

8

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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Excellent Local Periodical We were recently published in Style Magazine for our Burr Oak Office building. The coverage, writing, and photography were excellent. After publication we received extensive comments on the article demonstrating the wide readership of the periodical. We also had a delightful relationship with the staff. Abby Bloedorn, our sales representative and Corey Radman, the editor who wrote our article, both were wonderful to work with and assisted our firm throughout the process. I would definitely recommend –Style as an excellent local periodical. ~ Bruce A. Hendee President and Partner BHA Design, Inc.

It’s a Hit! Congratulations for the BEAUTIFUL Medical & Wellness Guide in March. It is gorgeous, and very well done. Everyone here, of course, loves it because Dr. Quaid is the cover model! Just wanted you to know that it is a big hit. Thank you again! ~Pam Brock Vice President, Marketing & Strategic Planning Poudre Valley Health System

Dear Lydia, On behalf of the entire Habitat staff and many Women Build volunteers, I would like to thank you and your amazing staff for portraying the new “homemaker” in your March Style issue.

The photo shoot was an absolute ball and it is truly an honor to receive the exposure we have for Women Build and the much anticipated Jewels in June fundraising event, taking place, June 5th.

Editor, Corey Radman and photographer, Shaun Hudson embraced our theme and just let us have a great time. I hope the photo shoot and article inspires women in our community to get involved and build a house made entirely by women!

Thank you for supporting Habitat, the Women Build program and Jewels in June as we strive to empower so many women.

Shannon Hein Fundraising Events & PR Coordinator Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity

We welcome your comments By phone: 970.226.6400 By fax: 970.226.6427 By email: info@stylemedia.com www.stylemagazinecolorado.com

10

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

How do you measure the value of a few minutes of friendly conversation with someone who knows you? What's the value of a loan decision made fast and locally?

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Home State Bank has grown to be the largest locally owned bank in Larimer County.''

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April 2008 :: Business

14 18

features

Villa Al Diciotto 14 La Hand-crafted To Perfection Estate 18 Real Evolution of the Custom Home

24 Development Living and Working in Harmony State 28 Colorado University

CSU Golf: At Home at Harmony Club

32 Finance Northern Colorado: A Future

28 32

You Can Bank On

Fort Collins 36 Downtown UniverCity Connections Innovation 38 Designing Experiences for an Experience Society

44 Government City Managers: Looking to the Future

38 50

47 Business Better Business Bureau 48 Employment Green Energy Keeps Growing in Northern Colorado

52

54

ON THE COVER

Jay and Melissa Brannen of Brannen Homes have just built the home of a lifetime.

Cover Photography by Joey Ungerer and Lightsource Creative Communications.

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w w w.stylemagaz ine c olor ado.c om

50 Environment Recycling at Colorado Iron & Metal columns

8 Publisher’s Letter 10 From The Readers Pillars 52 Community Bob Powell Town 54 About Mardis Gras

Bridesmaid Bowling Project Smile A Night At The Oscars Empty Bowls

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Dellenbach CADILLAC

125 W. Swallow (Just west of Dellenbach Subaru) 970-226-2438 www.dellenbach.com

GARRETT MILLS

LaVilla Al Diciotto Masterpiece by Brannen Homes Handcrafted To Perfection

By Corey Radman

In a world of automation and mass production, handcrafted work has come to signify superior quality. Hand carved, hand hewn, hand painted are all techniques saved for occasions when only the very best will do

– occasions like the building of one’s custom home.

J

ay and Melissa Brannen of Brannen Homes employ craftsmen who create this kind of perfection. They use the same hands-on philosophy as they personally assist clients in building custom homes. The Brannens hold their clients’ hands through what can sometimes be a difficult affair (as is expected with what is arguably the largest purchase of one’s life). This process ensures that every detail is indeed, superior.

The home they have just finished at Harmony, redefines luxury. Majestic soaring towers on the home’s exterior create interior space for the six, castle-like trusses in the enormous Grand Hall.

The scale of this home is intended for entertaining vast crowds, but is finessed in a way that feels inti-

mate. There are outcroppings in the walls, private corners, and cozy nooks nestled among the grand living spaces. Each activity space is designed with a view. And the views deserve homage – there are uninterrupted vistas from Long’s Peak to Cheyenne Mountain and a lush championship golf course right in the backyard.

Every unimaginable detail in this home is hand-crafted: from the hammered iron brackets on the hand hewn fir trusses, to the heirloom finish on the kitchen cabinetry, which is accented by hand glazed porcelain tile in the backsplash. All through the home, the work of craftsmen is worthy of admiration.

In the last ten years, Brannen Homes has earned a reputation for building quality custom

homes in Northern Colorado. But this home may be their best yet. Located on the 18th green of Harmony’s Jim Engh-designed course, Jay and Melissa, have dubbed this masterpiece La Villa Al Diciotto. Meaning “the home at 18” in Italian, the name signifies not only an address but also a connection to its inspiration, a meandering Tuscan farmhouse nestled into the hills of Northern Italy.

The exterior is faced with natural stone that rises to the top of the majestic turret. That tower draws visitors from the cozy private front patio into the house. Once you pass through the arched nine foot door, your eyes rest first on the handpainted tile medallion at your feet and then rise upward to take in the spanning height, and you

Photos courtesy Joey Ungerer and Lightsource Creative Communications.

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This Tuscan Masterpiece, La Villa Al Diciotto, features 270 degree views overlooking the 9th and 18th greens.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Professional grade Wolf range nestles against hand made Ann Sacks and red onyx tile backsplash.

Jay and Melissa Brannen bring a synergy and sophistication to custom building. are immediately drawn toward what Jay calls his “Roman aqueducts.”

The aqueducts visually divide the foyer and gathering spaces, which easily flow into the kitchen and Grand Hall. As you stand just inside the front of the house and slowly rotate, you notice breathtaking views on every side. Views of mountains, the 18th green and bunker, the tee box on the 9th par 3, and more sky than anyone in Fort Collins proper can hope for.

Jay notes, “It was a challenge to position this house with its 270 degree views. How do you capture all that without building a round glass house?

We built towers and outcroppings of rooms.”

And all of those views are intended to pull those on the inside to the outside. “We have al-

Business 2008

Outdoor Living Room sits just beyond a 30 ft. folding glass curtain wall. Tuscan, 14 ft. stone fireplace warms the spacious sitting area.

most 100 feet of doors for indoor/outdoor living,” says Jay. Thirty of those feet are devoted to an amazing disappearing, glass curtain wall off the foyer that leads to a partly sheltered patio. The door folds up in segments, that can all be pushed like a curtain to the side to expose a yawning upper deck. The “outdoor living room” is appointed with an infrared heater and a motorized pull screen so guests can enjoy the breeze, but not the bugs. When open, the indoor/outdoor space is large enough to accommodate dozens of people (and a small musical group!). Jay continues, “With almost as much outdoor living as indoor space on the main floor, it is certainly resort style living on a golf course.”

Continue to the master bedroom and bath-

room suite where Melissa’s interior design expertise shines through. “We wanted it to be really comfortable and sophisticated,” she says. The cabinets are hand distressed and hand glazed.

The countertops are travertine and the floors are a smoky mederra marble. Cast iron vessel sinks make even brushing your teeth a moment of Zen. And the travertine shower with two massage heads and a rain shower will become an oasis in your day… or you could choose the sunken air tub instead… Jay’s vision is clear. “We want the master to feel like the Four Seasons resort. You shouldn’t have to travel and find a bathroom that’s nicer than yours at home.”

The suite also includes a coffee bar, an under counter fridge, and a gas fireplace.

Flowing Tuscan architecture invites the visitor inward through an arched entryway into the courtyard, through the castle door, and into the turret entry tower.

15

11 foot Roman aqueduct style archway visually separates the gallery walk between the master suite and the living area.

Brick paved courtyard is designed for outdoor living with gas fireplace and space for entertaining.

Melissa ensured that, in addition to the resort quality amenities, the daily concerns are attended to as well by including a washer and dryer and a roomy granite-topped island in the master walk in closet. “The majority of your laundry comes from the bedroom. Why not just wash it in there?” she reasons. And, like all the appliances in this Green Built home, it is an Energy Star approved model.

Asked, “What is the best feature of the house?” The Brannen’s have to think (there really are so many) but eventually offer, “The basement bar.” Many homes have a bar, a game room, or a theater, but not many can boast all three plus

guest rooms. This is a great combination of all of them. Jay explains, “The orientation of the room allows for a large front projection screen. So you can have an enormous movie theater experience but the screen is still open to bar experience.” Between the theater seating and the 12 slots at the granite slab, there is more space here than at an average sports bar. It’s unavoidable; the basement at 18 is destined to become the unofficial Harmony 19th hole.

a home at this level. “It was smart money coming out here. The homeowners’ investment will be protected because of all that is available here [at Harmony]. The one thing people say is, ‘Can you imagine this place in five to ten years - how beautiful it will be?’”

The hands at Brannen Homes have ensured that life on Harmony’s “Diciotto” will be absolutely breathtaking.

Location, location, location Jay comments on the investment strategy of

Corey Radman is the Editor for Style Magazine.

The height of luxury: air soaker tub with hand tiled corner shelf and views of the 9th and 18th green.

Furniture quality walnut tops 12 inch wood turnings on the kitchen island and bar, overlooking the Grand Hall. With hand hewn fir trusses, six candelabra style chandeliers, and impressive 16 ft. ceilings, the room is truly magnificent.

Alder bead board with heirloom finish is topped with a chiseled granite vanity and a hand hammered copper sink. Handmade Mexican tiles on the arched wall complete the jewel box look.

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Diciotto’s majestic rounded archways give golfers on the green amazing views.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

COME BY TO SEE OUR ESTATE LOT COLLECTION IN HARMONY CLUB

Post Office Box 270578 | Fort Collins, Colorado 80527 | 970 988 0238 | www.brannenhomes.com

Evolution o f

t h e B y

C u s to m

C o r e y

H o m e

R a d m a n

Driving around the open spaces of Northern Colorado it’s hard not to notice the number of unbelievable houses that are springing up in places that were formerly home only to cows and coyotes.

T

hese are homes with wow factor. Homes whose multiple jaw dropping details meld into magnificent mansions with personality and flair to match their owners.

Custom homes in the region have come a long way in the last ten years. They are now designed with thought to four-sided architecture. A Tudor front will no longer suffice. Pop outs, turrets, towers, and serious articulation are just as common on the sides and back of the structure as they are on the front. Thanks to the internet, buyers now can access exquisite materials from all over the world. These homes include a level of detail heretofore unheard of: from scrolled cornices to the hinges on the cabinets, the floor tile (and grout) to the roofing tile (and the insulation underneath). Everything is up for consideration and the standard of excellence for all of those details has risen to an impressive level with the increased skills of local craftsmen and the availability of exotic materials.

When you hear that homes in this price range now average between one to three million dollars and can run as high as seven or eight million, it’s hard not to look back at the region’s last twenty years of provincial, middle-class living and be amazed. When did Northern Colorado start looking like a resort community?

For the views and the amenities, the lots [at Harmony] are inexpensive when you compare anywhere else in the state. You’re really getting a lot for your money.

Harry Poehlmann, President, Poehlmann Construction Company 18

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Building your dreams into Reality.

“For your home in Harmony Contact Poehlmann Construction�

Award Winning Design Highest Quality Construction Friendly, Professional Team Personal Attention to Every Detail 579 West 66th St. | Loveland, CO 80538 | 970.278.1930 www.poehlmannconstruction.com

Change Happens There are many theories about the driving influences for changes in prices and quality. Most discussion ultimately boils down to the market.

Residents of Northern Colorado have become more sophisticated as their families and businesses have grown. Harry Poehlmann, President of Poehlmann Construction Company, points to the Forbes study in February 2008 that ranked the Fort Collins/Loveland metro area twelfth out of 200 of the highest educated cities in the U.S. “With education, other things follow… more high paying jobs... people are better at investing their money. It just kind of snowballs.”

In the last five years, the number of high-end homes being built has risen dramatically. It is difficult to quantify exactly how many more homes there are now than there were even five years ago because most homes are financed by the buyers and are therefore never officially listed in the MLS database. However, according to Brian Grauberger, Broker Associate/Partner at The Group, Inc., “The number of developments catering to the custom home market has increased dramatically.”

Frank Vaught, partner at Vaught Frye Architects & VF Ripley Associates, marvels at the changes he has seen in 20 years of architecture here. “It’s kind of amazing even to me. Not only the cost of housing but the diversity of architecture from 10 to 20 years ago. We’ve matured as a community. As people began to travel more they began to see more styles and lifestyles. The old line Fort Collins people who grew up here are now in their 50s and 60s and are able to afford the luxury.”

Poehlmann agrees that now more than ever people are coming in with photos from vacations asking for tile like their brother’s vacation house in Santa Fe or a paint technique like in their friend’s home in Greece. And, he adds, “That’s the best way to do it because we’re not trying to imagine what clients are trying to say. A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Sheri Jensen, Communications Director at Harmony, has noticed the high-end trend as well.

“We’re all luxury junkies. People see a level of home on TV and see no reason why they can’t have what has been featured in places like Boca Raton or Aspen.”

Exponential Opulence And the level of luxury just gets better all the time. What was once only a dream, is now completely available to buyers. Take kitchens for example; lustrous granite is standard on double islands (continents, really) replete with prep sinks, warming drawers, second dishwashers, and even microwave drawers. Gourmet home cooks enjoy Wolf commercial-grade gas ranges, stainless steel Sub-Zero fridges and freezers, dual ovens, walk in pantries – and sometimes a duplicate set of all of these amenities in the caterer’s kitchen.

People are entertaining at home more than ever, and kitchens have become the gathering place for everyone. 20x20 foot kitchens flow into soaring great rooms reminiscent of English castles with arching ceilings, complimented by wood beams and natural stone on the wall.

All of this grandeur can’t touch the sumptuous master suites. Worthy of any Four Seasons resort, these breathtaking bedrooms and bathrooms

20

We’ve matured as a community.

As people began to travel more they began to see more styles and lifestyles. The old line Fort Collins people who grew up here are now in their 50s and 60s and are able to afford the luxury.

Frank Vaught, Partner, Vaught Frye Architects & VF Ripley Associates

Exotic materials, exquisite finish details, and excellent craftsmanship are the hallmarks of Poehlmann Construction Company custom homes.

We’re all luxury junkies.

People see a level of home on TV and see no reason why they can’t have what has been featured in places like Boca Raton or Aspen.

Sheri Jensen, Communications Director at Harmony

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Business 2008

21

Views are the number one priority. Homes are being designed around the view corridor. The view commands the layout and the design.

Robin Strong, The Group, Inc. Broker Associate/Partner

Brian Grauberger, The Group, Inc. Broker Associate/ Partner.

beautifully accentuate the mountain views in the heated windows. Intricate bathroom tile work becomes art inset into walls and floors, often made with imported Italian travertine or marble. The scale of the showers is grandiose. Multiple showerheads beckon. But the serenity of a hot soak is not neglected; deep air tubs often nestle next to beautiful views.

The Group, Inc. Broker Associate/ Partner, Robin Strong says that the entire design process has really changed. “Views are the number one priority. Homes are being designed around the view corridor. The view commands the layout and the design, more so than traditional room schematics or traditional boxed layouts.” Homes are now designed with unique and incomparable architectural elements, he says. For instance garages (that can accommodate up to 10 cars) are now tucked behind or below the front of the house.

Architects are moving away from the sprawling

22

Robin Strong, The Group, Inc. Broker Associate/Partner.

ranch and coming back to multi-level houses, thanks, in part, to the improvements in residential elevators.

While kitchens and master suites are still the mainstays of luxury, the entertaining and play spaces for guests are not neglected. Strong tells of houses that have indoor slides for the grandkids as well as play stages complete with custommade red crushed velvet curtains.

Technology is the other area in custom homes that just keeps getting better and better. Poehlmann, a self-confessed technology freak, frequently installs whole house systems that can be controlled remotely by the homeowner’s Blackberry. “So,” he says, “if the owner is off on a trip and suddenly remembers at DIA that the lights are still on, he can turn them off. Or he can turn the heat back on a few days in advance of returning home.” Technology friendly houses like these often come complete with a command center

that houses all the entertainment and electronics systems in one room. Touchscreen panels control stereo, lighting, and entertainment in one integrated system.

Who are the buyers?

At one point people might have guessed that most of the buyers in this market came from out of state. However, that’s not necessarily so. Most of the buyers at Harmony, one of the region’s true resort communities, are families from Fort Collins and Greeley who have been here for decades.

“These are savvy customers,” says Poehlmann. “Clients at this level are leaving behind previous custom homes.” Because this is not their first home, (it could even be their sixth or seventh) they’re very in tune to quality and have an eye for the high end details like granite, cabinetry, and woodwork.

Jay Brannen, President of Brannen Design &

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Construction, Inc., is also finding a healthy market with people who have roots in Colorado. People who lived here once or whose families live here, are looking hard at Northern Colorado for their second homes. He says, “They may realize that they don’t need to live in Steamboat, six months of the year. You can golf more months of the year here. The views at Harmony are amazing. You are 45 minutes from DIA, and you never have to drive I-70.”

Poehlmann seconds that recommendation of Harmony. “For the views and the amenities, the lots are inexpensive when you compare anywhere else in the state. You’re really getting a lot for your money. People moving in now and in the next few years are going to make so much money it’s going to be laughable.”

However, it shouldn’t be assumed that all buyers of high-end custom homes are close to or in retirement. At Harmony, the open spaces, the carefully thought out neighborhoods, and yes, the golf course is attracting young professional families as well.

Custom on a Budget?

Asked, “Can you do custom for less than a million?” Brannen answers, “Without question – it’s the biggest well kept secret.” Jensen elaborates, “The million dollar plus homes get all the attention but certainly, of the 40+ homes under construction at Harmony, roughly a third are under one million. Our second phase offers more calculated opportunities for that. That $600-900,000 part of the market is flat lined right now because there’s nothing in the market to address those buyers. They demand the same kind of attention to detail and craftsmanship.”

Frank Vaught, the architect responsible for numerous homes at Harmony agrees that lower costs and custom detail are not mutually exclusive. “I tell my clients there are three components on each custom job: size, quality, and cost – and they can only really control two of the three.” His suggestion for keeping costs down? “Control the size.”

The club homes at Harmony are a good example. The 5000-6000 square foot patio homes are the highest quality, just on a smaller lot. They don’t have four car garages, but still have carefully crafted, top-of-the-line kitchens. Jensen elaborates, “It’s a much more human scale lifestyle with more functional space.”

Moving Forward As other segments of the residential real estate market slow, this audience (at $1.3 million and above) hasn’t been affected much by economic changes, according to Grauberger. Brannen has experienced the same, “Boomers are a lot more powerful than anyone thought. They are still buying.”

It would seem that enticingly low interest rates coupled with amazing product at lower prices than they’ll see any time in the near future, now is the time to get started on a new home.

Perhaps, Sheri Jensen sums up the optimism that developers and builders are feeling the best when she says, “Nothing sets my heart a pitter patter like a crane and there’s a lot of that.”

Corey Radman is the Editor at Style Magazine.

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Business 2008

23

Living and Working in

By Lynn M. Dean

In the late 1890s, the Harmony corridor was booming with families and businesses moving to the area to respond to the promise of growth... agricultural growth.

New ‘Harmony Gateway’ anchor – the 85-acre Presidio mixed use development, rendered here in a perspective from above I-25 and Harmony Road will be built by Brinkman Partners. Courtesy Vaught-Frye Architects.

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“

he agricultural boom of the late nineties and early 1900s led families to build new, more substantial residences,” writes Rheba Massey, who prepared a historical background of the area for City Planners in 1995. “The Prestons, Zieglers, and other farmers erected architecturally significant homes during that time. Barns and outbuildings were also constructed to improve the function and efficiency of their farm complexes.”

By 1910, the Harmony community, so named because “the farmers got along so harmoniously,” was a well-established economic center.

Today, over a hundred years later, the Harmony corridor is once again experiencing significant growth, as new families and businesses are drawn to the area. The land once owned by the Prestons, the Zieglers, and the Nelsons is now being transformed from an agricultural center to an

24

economic one.

Unfortunately, such growth is often accompanied by growing pains. So just how does a small town grow and still honor its history, keep its character, and preserve that warm, welcoming feeling people expect of our Choice City?

Our modern city fathers and mothers took time to consider this question. These city planners wanted to ensure that the industrial, commercial, and retail businesses that would inhabit the corridor could live harmoniously with each other and the families that chose the area as their new home. In 1991, the Harmony Corridor plan was adopted.

“The vision has definitely been for the corridor to be a landscaped employment corridor, with green edges along Harmony itself, and green edges around individual developments,” says Clark Mapes, a City Planner with the City of Fort

Collins. “We wanted to avoid it becoming a commercial highway strip like the Mulberry corridor.

We wanted the emphasis to be on employers in a business park environment.”

“The foundation has been set for preserving quality areas (in the corridor),” adds Joe Frank, City of Fort Collins Director of Advance Planning.

“If you just drive through at 40 miles per hour, you might not look deep enough to see what’s behind that 90 foot landscaping and green belt corridor.”

Indeed, behind all that beautiful landscaping lies an intricate network of new developments that mesh commercial, retail, and residential elements into a seamless community. And increasingly, these developments offer more metropolitan, high-end amenities to cater to the new, more affluent, more worldly employees who are calling Fort Collins home, if only for part of the year.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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Life in Harmony comes with a backdrop courtesy of the Rocky Mountains, full scale club amenities, and a Jim Engh-signature golf course woven together with the unique aesthetic only a masterfully planned community provides. Enjoy the serenity and sanctuary of the lifestyle awaiting you at Harmony.

Discover life in Harmony: • Custom homes from the $800's • Cared for club homes from the $600's

Harmony Corridor facing East taken atop the Harmony One Building.

I think it [The Harmony One building] is unique because it is more of an urban market type building,” Brinkman explains. “You’d expect to see it more in LoDo rather than right here on Harmony.

Kevin Brinkman, co-founder and Partner, Brinkman Partners

It’s the most ideal location. The corridor has developed, and is developing very nicely. It’s becoming a magnet, in my opinion, with new restaurant and retail choices.

Claudine Zachara, Harmony resident

Claudine Zachara has been traveling to the area on Heska business for the past eight years.

When she accepted a transfer here to work at the Heska headquarters in Loveland, she began scoping out the area for just the right place to live.

She finally settled on Harmony, a resort community on Harmony Road, just east of the Interstate in Timnath. “One of the most appealing aspects about Harmony was the lifestyle opportunities it offered– the social aspect in particular,” she explains. “It allowed an opportunity to get to know your neighbors in a way that was very appealing.”

“The vision for Harmony was to bring worldclass, resort-style living to the northern Front Range,” says Sheri Jensen of Harmony. “But you

26

have to redefine what resort-style means. It’s more than a golf course and a couple of lakes.

We’re creating a lifestyle for people who want to be in the community. The people who call this place home travel extensively and have homes in other markets. They’re very demanding. They’re looking for perfection.”

Jensen believes that Harmony, and Harmony Club, the golf course located at Harmony, offer that perfection. “There’s the community, and there’s the golf,” adds Jensen. “But they are very separate visions.” Golf research shows that of the people that live here, only a third will be golfing members. We have this beautiful golf course interwoven into this incredible community, but the golf experience and the residential experience are

greatly separated physically.

Even here, at Harmony, the vision of the original settlers was respected. “This development was the result of the developer’s relationship with a pioneering family, and tending that relationship in a very caring way,” says Jensen referring to the Nelson Family. “We are always working to honor that.”

Beautiful land and the lifestyle Harmony offered weren’t the only reasons Claudine Zachara chose to build her new home there. She also chose it because of the Harmony Corridor and the amenities it offered. “It’s the most ideal location. The corridor has developed, and is developing very nicely,” she explains. “It’s becoming a magnet, in my opinion, with new restaurant and

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

retail choices. There’s a Starbucks next to the dry cleaners and Austin’s next to the bank.

You want to have those needs met, but all in a localized area.”

It’s a trend that will continue, says Kevin Brinkman, co-founder and Partner of Brinkman Partners. He explains that the land around Intel, once owned by Hewlett-Packard (HP), is now in the hands of a developer and ready for development. “There are 200 acres where businesses can move to. I think this is great for Fort Collins. These businesses are likely going to be high tech companies with high-end jobs. That’s going to help everybody in the city.”

“It’s such an important part of the tax base,” adds Zachara who explains that these new developments will add the needed tax dollars to make the infrastructure improvements time and growth bring. “I love the quaintness and the charm (of Fort Collins), but it (the improvements) can’t be on the back of the taxpayer all of the time. Those new businesses are going to be important for the community, and relieve the tax burden.”

According to Brinkman, these businesses will likely be primary employers like HP and Intel. “Primary employers create a product and sell it outside the marketplace so it imports money and that’s good for the whole economy.”

The boom in employers will also create the need for places where these new employees, people like Claudine Zachara, can live, eat, and shop. Developments like The Presidio (Spanish for The Fort), a new 85 acre project planned for the corridor just off Lady Moon Drive, that will offer professional, urban living in a thriving, new mixed-used community.

“What we’re trying to create here is a lifestyle development,” explains Brinkman.

“It will include a hotel, convention center, and retail components. What we’re really looking for are the local restaurants and retailers who want to stay in Fort Collins and have a Harmony Road presence. I’m a Fort Collins guy born and raised. I want to see the tax dollars stay in the city.”

Brinkman Partners also built the new Harmony One building at the corner of Ziegler and Harmony. The company will move its offices there upon completion. “I think it is unique because it is more of an urban market type building,” Brinkman explains. “You’d expect to see it more in LoDo rather than right here on Harmony.”

And while the founding fathers of the Choice City may not have been able to foresee the development along the Harmony Corridor one hundred years ago, they certainly built the firm foundation on which the corridor and current development are set.

With the guidance of our current leaders, we will continue to honor their legacies and move forward into the next hundred years.

Lynn M. Dean is a freelance writer living in Northern Colorado.

Business 2008

27

CSU GOLF

At Home at

Harmony Club

By Lynn M. Dean

Finally! After years of carting golf clubs, uniforms, and other equipment around in the trunks of the coaches’ cars, the CSU Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams have a place they can call home. Coaches Jamie Bermel and Angie Hopkins are pleased to have traded in their locker-rooms-on-wheels for newly donated digs at the Harmony Club Golf Course in Timnath.

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“

asically, it’s like a home for our kids,” says Men’s Coach Jamie Bermel.

“Most sports have locker rooms and meeting rooms. We didn’t before.”

“The idea of a year-round facility has been floating around the University as long as I can remember,” says Byron Collins, Developer of Harmony Club, a CSU alum, and a key player in bringing Rams Golf home to Harmony Club. “I knew the Ram Masters and the Birdies, the two booster organizations, would be very interested in getting any kind of permanent facility in addition to what the team already had. I knew they needed a year-round facility where golfers could train.”

So when Collins got ownership of the property from the Nelson family and began planning his world-class golf course and resort-style living community in Timnath, the wheels in his head began to turn. What if Harmony Club could be the Rams’ home?

Collins approached boosters Jim Smith, Steve Stolz, and Mike Sanders. “Those guys were very eager to pursue the vision,” Collins says.

And so they began to plan and design. “We toured college campuses and facilities throughout the United States,” says Collins.

Jamie Bermel explains that they brought the best features they saw back to Fort Collins and

28

incorporated them into the plans for the new facility at Harmony Club. “I remember being at the University of Oklahoma and sitting in their team lounge,” he recalls. “We had just gone through the facility and Byron asked, ‘What do you like?’”

Bermel wondered how they would ever be able to design a lounge that would accommodate both the members of the Harmony Club as well as the team. But shared space was not what Collins had in mind. “Byron made it clear that this would be our space,” Bermel says, pointing out the attributes of the team lounge that includes couches, tables and chairs, a small refrigerator and internet access. “It’s a place where (the kids) can come and study before practice, eat lunch, even nap. They can keep all of their stuff here in the locker rooms.”

“The CSU side is exclusive to the team for their golf training,” says Collins. “I, along with the booster clubs, donated the facilities to them for their use. Having a facility this nice also gives our teams an added bonus when it comes to recruiting.”

In addition to the spacious lounge, the 3000 square foot complex includes three indoor hitting bays so the team can practice driving even in inclement weather, an indoor putting green, coaches’ offices, and locker rooms. Outside is a

Byron Collins, Harmony Developer and CSU Alumni, looks on as CSU Men’s Golfer, Zen Brown, cranks one.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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It’s a place we know will always be available. A place to practice on Saturday mornings and holidays. We’re very thankful to have this place.

Angie Hopkins, CSU Women’s Golf Coach

private short-game practice area complete with two greens, bunkers, and plenty of chipping and pitching areas.

Members of the team also have full access to the golf course, which Collins describes as a “link style with a country flavor.” Designed by awardwinning architect and CSU alum Jim Engh, the course features land massing, swails, and berms.

“He calls them trap doors and hidden staircases,” explains Collins. “This is a real fun course.”

But it’s the year-round aspect of the practice facility that the team and coaches appreciate the most. “It’s a place where we can practice 365 days a year,” says Women’s Coach Angie Hopkins. “It’s a place we know will always be available. A place to practice on Saturday mornings and holidays.

We’re very thankful to have this place. I know our student athletes appreciate it and I know our alumni are very proud of it.

“The kids have ownership in this place too,”

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It’s time:

Harmony is ready

for you.

harmonyclub.info 970.224.4622

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

The kids have ownership in this place too. This is their home. This is their facility.

Jamie Bermel CSU Men’s Golf Coach

Harmony Club, Hole 3, par 5

adds Bermel. “This is their home. This is their facility.”

But, according to Collins, having the CSU Golf teams at Harmony Club is a win-win. “It’s synergistic,” he says. “It’s a wonderful thing seeing young people playing golf at such a high level.

Everybody wins. As the owner, sharing the facility with them is an added bonus. It’s just fun seeing the guys and gals having the same goals and sharing their accomplishments. I can just stand and watch them work on their game and laugh and joke. The benefits are not what you’d typically think of, but they’re big and they’re real.”

Clearly the teams feel likewise and they’re glad to call Harmony Club home.

Lynn M. Dean is a freelance writer living in Northern Colorado.

Business 2008

31

Northern Colorado A Future You Can Bank On

By Caitlin Kelly

It doesn’t take a financial expert to understand that the banking industry is expanding in Northern Colorado at an extremely rapid pace. Everywhere you look, new establishments are being constructed, from small, local companies to large national corporations. Forget Starbucks—it’s banks that seem to be popping up on every street corner now.

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here has been a noticeable increase of banks in Fort Collins.

When you’re driving down Harmony toward I-25, instead of your kids counting the number of VW Beetles, have them count the number of banks!” jokes Harry Devereaux, President of Home State Bank. “It’s the same situation in Greeley, Windsor, and Loveland. They’re popping up everywhere.”

Why the sudden focus on Northern Colorado? Thanks to a steady economy, growing population, and diverse demographics, Northern Colorado has become an enticing location for banks to set up shop. “Northern Colorado is definitely an attractive place for banks,” explains Mark Driscoll, President of First National Bank. “People come here to go to school, raise families, and retire. That creates a wide variety of financial needs and good opportunities for banks.” Paul Taylor, CEO of Guaranty Bank and Trust, agrees: “Banks are drawn to Northern Colorado’s atmosphere of stability. The universities, good job market, and expanding population are very appealing.” The state of Colorado as a whole is expected to see continued population growth in the coming years, and banks of all sizes are poised to take advantage of this.

The influx of banks is accompanied by changes in the names and sizes of banks as a result of mergers and buy-outs. Joe Tennesson, Senior Vice President, Culture

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We have established solid relationships with our community, which is extremely important to us.

Harry Devereaux, President, Home State Bank

Enhancement of New Frontier Bank explains that national banks purchase multiple branches of smaller banks in order to set up their “footprint” in a community; this is an excellent opportunity for them to expand and promote their business.

Modifications like this can raise questions among citizens of Northern Colorado, and with good reason—changes regarding one’s finances can be extremely unnerving for a person. However, customers need not worry. These mergers and buy-outs are approved by the bank’s regulating bodies, and customer assets will remain safe throughout the process. Even so, it is a smart idea for customers to stay up to date on any changes that may be occurring, and to communicate their concerns to the bank. Education and communication are key factors for ensuring trust and peace of mind in bank customers.

The increasing number of local and national banks raises the inevitable question for customers—which is better? “Since 1950, we have kept within our own backyard,” says Harry Devereaux of Home State Bank’s longtime presence in Northern Colorado. “We have established solid relationships with our community, which is extremely important to us.” Customers can expect faster turnaround time and increased flexibility if they choose a locally-owned bank.

“While larger banks tend to have strict rules to which they must adhere, locally owned banks can enjoy more flexibility when help-

People come here to go to school, raise families, and retire.

That creates a wide variety of financial needs and good opportunities for banks.

Mark Driscoll, President, First National Bank

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Regional Banks ranked in order of assets.

Key Bank

Banks are drawn to Northern Colorado’s atmosphere of stability.

The universities, good job market, and expanding population are very appealing.

Paul Taylor, CEO, Guaranty Bank and Trust

1675 Broadway, Suite 500 • Denver, CO 80202 1-800-KEY2YOU • www.key.com Employees: 750 Assets: $100 Billion Key Perks: • Checking/savings/money market accounts for people at all stages of life • Loans for education • Mortgage and home equity loans; • Key Investment Services: helping KeyBank clients save and invest in their future Service Areas: 48 branches in CO, including: Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland Ownership: Owned by KeyCorp in Cleveland, OH

First National Bank

205 West Oak • Fort Collins, CO 80521 (970) 419-5750 • www.1stnationalbank.com Employees: 800 • Assets: $2.4 Billion Key Perks: • Free Checking • Free Visa Check Card • Free Online Banking • Free BillPay • Free eStatements • 26 offices and more than 65 ATMs along the Front Range Service Areas: Branches across the Front Range and Southern Wyoming Ownership: Owned by First National of Nebraska in Omaha since 1993

Guaranty Bank and Trust

1331 Seventeenth Street • Denver, CO 80202 (303) 296-9600 • www.guarantybankco.com Employees: 476 • Assets: $2.4 Billion Key Perks: • High-touch customer service • Quick response time • Competetive products Service Areas: 36 locations on Colorado’s Front Range Ownership: Company headquartered in Denver since 1955

While larger banks tend to have strict rules to which they must adhere, locally owned banks can enjoy more flexibility when helping customers...

Joe Tennesson, Sr. VP of Cultural Enhancement, New Frontier Bank

Business 2008

a small-bank feel • Free checking • Home State Visa Check/Credit Cards Service Areas: Fort Collins • Berthoud • Windsor • Loveland Ownership: Locally owned since 1950

First Western Trust

318 Canyon Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Collins, CO 80521 970-484-9222 • www.fwtb.com Employees: 103 • Assets: $198 Million Key Perks: • WealthView 360º SM: Process we take clients through to get to know them and understand their goals and objectives Service Areas: Fort Collins • Boulder • Cherry Creek Denver • Scottsdale Ownership: Holding company: First Western Financial in Denver; roots of FWTB of Northern Colorado go back to James Sprout and Associates

Signature Bank

355 Eastman Park Drive • Windsor, CO 80550 (970) 674-3600 • www.signaturebanks.com Employees: 17 • Assets: $60 Million Key Perks: • Fee-free checking with free checks and no annual fees for overdraft protection • Remote deposit for commercial customers • Local decision-making means quick turnaround on loan requests Service Areas: Signature Bank is the only locally owned and chartered bank in Windsor since December 2004

Advantage Bank

New Frontier Bank

1475 N. Denver Ave • Loveland, CO 80538 (970) 613-1982 • www.advantagebanks.com Employees: 85 • Assets: $354,549.00 Key Perks: • Flexible personal and business checking accounts • Non-deposit investment options, Customized business and personal loans, Worldwide ATM access with Star System Service Areas: Loveland • Greeley • Fort Collins • Boulder Ownership: Locally owned since 2000

Home State Bank

401 South College Ave • Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 482-1100 • www.wellsfargo.com Employees: 162 Key Perks: • Full-range financial services, 86 product lines • Multiple delivery channels: customers can do business where when, and how they want • Local decision-making Service Areas: Branches across Colorado and the United States Corporate headquarters in San Francisco

2425 35th Avenue • Greeley, CO 80634 (970) 339-5100 • www.newfrontierbank.com Employees: 230 • Assets: $2.043 Billion Key Perks: • Competetive Deposit Rates on CDs and Checking Accounts • Free Checking for Life • Free ATMs Worldwide • 5 cent rebate each time a customer swipes a debit card Service Areas: Greeley • Windsor • Longmont Ownership: Locally owned & managed since December 1998

303 E. Mountain Ave • Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 203-6100 • www.homestatebank.com Employees: 180 • Assets: $540 Million Key Perks: • World class banking services while maintaining

Wells Fargo

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Providing internet banking services as well as personal, faceto-face interaction, we can meet the needs of our younger and older generations with ease.

ing customers with their individual needs,” explains Joe Tennesson, whose bank serves Greeley, Loveland, and Longmont. Local banks also have the ability to customize their services to meet the needs of the surrounding community. Tom Chinnock, President of Loveland’s Advantage Bank explains: “It’s important for banks to understand the needs of the community. By providing internet banking services as well as personal, face-to-face interaction, we can meet the needs of our younger and older generations with ease.”

Local banks are appealing to many customers because of their close ties to the community, but larger banks are able to achieve this as well, and they strive to make it a top priority. First National Bank’s Mark Driscoll explains that even though the company is owned and operated out of Omaha, Nebraska, the company works hard to connect with the community: “as a larger bank, we can provide a wider variety of services to a wider range of clients, but we still strive to create a community-bank feel. Our employees really know the clients and under-

stand their needs.” Larger banks are learning to strike a balance between “big-bank” services and “little-bank” community ties, which is very appealing to many individuals and businesses. When choosing between locally- or nationally-owned banks, there is no easy way to tell which is better—it is largely dependent on individual needs. Researching a bank’s ownership, philosophy, and community ties in relation to your personal beliefs and needs can make the decision much easier.

Whether you are a long-standing customer or just thinking about signing on with a new bank, education and communication are key. Understanding your own individual needs as well as the capabilities and philosophies of your bank can ensure the best possible experience, and help you make the most in this era of growth and opportunity.

Caitlin Kelly is Editorial Intern for Style Magazine and a senior at Colorado State Universtiy.

Tom Chinnock, President, Advantage Bank

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A Fabulous Fort Collins Future:

UniverCity Connections

By Laura Lee Carter

It all started with a leisurely bike ride through downtown. CSU President Dr. Larry Penley and Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry met to discuss the best way to create personal connections between the City and the University.

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ithin months, this conversation had sparked the creation of UniverCity Connections, a collaboration convened by the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, and driven by the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University (CSU), the Downtown Development Authority, and over 100 Fort Collins citizens.

These four key Fort Collins institutions, and a broad cross-section of citizens with diverse private, public, profit, and non-profit interests, have been hard at work over the past few years identifying and implementing a vision for their shared future. The purpose of UniverCity Connections is to bring CSU and the Fort Collins downtown area together in harmony with its natural environment.

It is a unique public-private initiative designed to improve the community, and to create lasting, sustainable and meaningful connections between CSU, downtown Fort Collins, and the Poudre River.

Dave Edwards, one of the four co-chairs of this initiative and a driving force from its inception, remembers a call to action from Darin Atteberry during the 2007 budget planning process.

“It was a call to strengthen connections between the city and CSU, to get stakeholders in the community involved on multiple levels in an inclusive effort to vision a brighter future for Old Town, CSU, and the river nearby. This facilitated, collaborative effort grew quickly, to involve 120 work sessions and a number of task groups, all working closely together to resolve turf and ownership issues while visioning the best possible future for the community.”

Meeting since 2006, the City of Fort Collins, CSU, the Community Foundation, and the Downtown Development Authority have created a collaborative community-building process with local citizens, to develop and implement a vision

36

for the geographical study area bordered by Colorado State University campus on the south, the Poudre River on the north, and encompassing most of Old Town Fort Collins.

Convened by the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, UniverCity Connections received initial input from nearly 200 community stakeholders at its kick-off event in November 2006. Phase I resulted in the creation of nine volunteer task groups: Arts and Culture, CSU/City Joint Projects, Economic Development, Mixed Use Development, River Protection, Development and Enhancement, Housing, Sustainable Energy Technology, Transit and Mobility, with one additional task group, the Homelessness Initiative, added later.

Phase I of the project lasted from November 2006 to May 2007, with task force members working in a visionary process to strengthen community connections. At the May stakeholder meeting, task groups identified their goals, objectives and recommendations. Then, task force members spent over four months researching ways to bring the community closer together.

Sometimes the research efforts included some very up close and personal experiences. For example, the river task force rode bikes along the Poudre River, exploring her banks to assist in creating maps for protection, development, and enhancements like areas to provide disabled accessibility.

The Sustainable Energy Technology Task Group took their job very seriously. They developed the Fort ZED concept, a complex and challenging plan to turn the Fort Collins region into one of the largest net zero energy districts in the world through a grant from the Department of Energy. Net zero energy is achieved when all energy consumed is generated locally from renewable resources.

Fort Collins would then become a living example of residences, businesses, and educational institutions all living off wind energy, solar, bio-

mass, and other renewable sources. The Colorado State University Research Foundation became involved by signing up to develop a minimum of twenty-five wind turbines with the potential of 200 megawatts on the University’s 11,000-acre Maxwell Ranch near the Wyoming border.

Ryan Keiffer, a co-convener of the Sustainable Energy Technology Task Group says, “Fort ZED collected the required $500,000 of local matching funds from local entities and individuals over the past summer so that we could compete for $9 million in Department of Energy funding to achieve Net Zero Energy. The group will find out in April or May 2008 whether they will be granted these funds, but regardless of that outcome, Fort Collins will continue to forge ahead and create a prototype and demonstration zone for communities wishing to learn more about net zero energy consumption practices. “.

Phase II, or the implementation phase of UniverCity Connections, kicked off officially with the October 2007 meeting, but many volunteers had been meeting informally throughout the summer to complete preliminary implementation tasks.

In January of this year, Doug Johnson, Vice President of First Western Trust Bank, accepted the position as the new Director of Implementation for UniverCity Connections.

Born and raised in Fort Collins, Johnson is a graduate of CSU and lives in the UniverCity Connections area of focus. Johnson is a strong advocate of collaboration, and sees his new role as the Director as the ideal opportunity to give back to his community. He has been involved with UniverCity Connections as a stakeholder since its inception.

The task groups have been active in implementing their separate goals since October 2007.

For example, the River Protection, Development and Enhancement Task Group have acquired a $2,000 grant to hire a graphic artist and designer

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

It was a call to strengthen connections between the city and CSU, to get stakeholders in the community involved on multiple levels in an inclusive effort to vision a brighter future for Old Town, CSU, and the river nearby.

Dave Edwards, UniverCity Co-chair

to produce detailed maps of the Poudre River corridor between Shields Street and Lemay Avenue.

Peggy Reeves, a retired state senator, is active in this group of approximately ten members.

Reeves said, “These maps we are creating will assist both new visitors and local residents alike, in familiarizing themselves with the amenities of having a natural, free flowing river running through our downtown area.” She sees lots of fu-

ture recreation opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and relaxation when a pedestrian bridge, a kayak park, seating, information kiosks, and shelters are added to this downtown river corridor.

Chip Steiner, convener of the CSU/City Joint Projects task group, identified a Lifelong Learning Center as their group’s main goal. This center would provide continuing education to the citizens of Fort Collins, but its specific focus will be

determined by community outreach efforts.

All task groups are currently engaged in implementing some or all of the goals identified in the stakeholder report last May. “We are looking to act first on the low-hanging fruit” says Doug Johnson, Director of UniverCity Connections, “however, the task groups are also tackling some of the larger, more long term projects that will take time to evolve and develop within the com-

These maps we are creating will assist both new visitors and local residents alike, in familiarizing themselves with the amenities of having a natural, free flowing river running through our downtown area.

Peggy Reeves, Retired Colorado State Senator

munity. Phase I identified what people wanted and now Phase II is making these things happen.

I do want to stress however that any project will be subject to public review and discussion just as any other project would be. Nothing is pre-determined. This is a community vision, and the devil is in the details.”

When asked about his own overall participa-

tion in UniverCity Connections, Dave Edwards summarized with these two important points.

First, the visioning process creates a certain type of energy, but to follow through with implementation is the real challenge. He’s optimistic that Phase II will produce some valuable changes in the ways the University and the City interact. Edwards says, “The most intangible outcomes have

been improved people to people relationships forged through working together. These don’t end when the project is done.”

For much more detail on the goals and implementation processes of UniverCity Connections, please see “The Report from the Stakeholders, May 2007” at: http://www.univercityconnections.org/docs/stakeholder-report.pdf

[UniverCity] projects will be subject to public review and discussion just as any other project would be. Nothing is pre-determined. This is a community vision, and the devil is in the details.

Doug Johnson, Director of Implementation for UniverCity Connections

Business 2008

37

Designing Experiences for an Experience Society

By Ed Goodman, Chief Experience Officer, TST, Inc. Consulting Engineers

In today’s complex world, it may well be time to look at cities not as skylines but as brandscapes; at buildings not as objects but as destinations, communities not as neighborhoods but as special places.

I

t is time to design a world of experiences into the cultures of our companies, schools and organizations. And, it is also time to design experiences into the communities where we live, work, play, learn, shop, dine, entertain, and refresh. At TST, Inc. Consulting Engineers, a civil design and consulting firm in Fort Collins, experience design is part of everything we do.

The Experience Economy, coined in a bestselling book by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore, is the latest economic progression. Just as the agrarian economy was supplanted by the industrial economy, the service and information economy of today is being commoditized and a new economy based on delivering experiences is emerging. In the Experience Economy, services are rendered and experiences are created on a personalized, memorable, even transformational basis. Experience Economy companies create a series of engaging, staged events that speak to clients in an inherently personal way.

Many of today’s leading companies have embraced the world of experiences. Beginning with The Walt Disney Company, today you find the experience economy evident in all business sectors and industries from Harley Davidson to the Ritz Carlton Hotels; Cabellas to the Geek Squad; Apple Stores to Cirque du Soleil. All these companies have discovered the economic benefits associated with creating personalized, memorable experiences for their customers. Harley Davidson says they are in the lifestyle business not the motorcycle business. Geek Squad creates a computer-

38

Christopher Erickson, LEED AP and the slide he designed.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

tst inc

1 2 3

4

1) Conference room adds whimsy to meetings with kites on the ceiling and adaptable multi-media screens in the table and on the wall.

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2) Heather McDowell, P.E., Jesse Bergdolt, Engineer, and Audry Mendelsberg, P.E., use the shared work spaces for a quick conference.

3) Thinking Lounge allows Joel Paass, P.E., Linda Riley, Engineer, and Matthew Walker, P.E. space to get outside their normal working and thinking space.

4) Water represents the essence of life and the beginning of the client or company dream.

5) The TST story reminds visitors and employees alike of their vision.

6) Ed Goodman, Chief Experience Officer, TST, Inc. Consulting Engineers.

7) Don Taranto, President & CEO, TST, Inc. Consulting Engineers.

6 7

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repair experience so entertaining that customers can’t wait for the next time their computer breaks down. Cirque du Soleil may be the ultimate entertainment experience...it is not a circus, not really theater, not a concert...it is uniquely the Cirque Experience.

Experience Design for Company Cultures So, how has TST ventured into the experience economy? We began with an empowered corporate culture and proceeded to create a new concept in workplace environments. From our MindPlay Room where technical brainstorming occurs, to the Sky Room where we craft client Dreamscaping sessions, TST is deep into experiences. Instead of a receptionist, TST has created a professional position known as Experience Concierge... designed to serve as client and staff advocate and experience stager. Our facility features a fire pit lounge, salt-water fish tank bar, full kitchen, gym, patios, even a slide from the second floor to the first level. All these areas and more come into play in the TST Experience.

The workplace is designed to promote and enhance creativity, collaboration, teamwork, and inventiveness. Colorful walls and nature photography remind us of our goals to be imaginative, have fun, and design sustainable, restorative environments for new communities.

The entire facility, known as The Engineerium, is themed to the four elements of our logo…water, earth, stone and plants. The corporate ecology group lives in the water zone, where water represents the essence of life and the beginning of the client or company dream. The earth zone houses the design teams (engineers and master planners) that are in charge of shaping, sculpting and molding the dream into a design that we can see. Our surveyors and construction services group live in the stone zone, where the design becomes constructed reality and the dream becomes tangible.

Lastly, we have the plant zone or celebration zone where the dream is fulfilled as it becomes a living reality, growing into the future.

But, it is more than just a themed building environment. The experiences we create for our clients and staff are as authentic as any of our design services. By encouraging an experiencebased corporate culture, we are creating a spirit of positive energy, of enthusiasm for personal growth and innovation by our staff. TST was honored to receive the worldwide 2007 EXPY Award, as “Experience Stagers of the Year,” from Pine and Gilmore at the ThinkAbout Conference in Nashville.

How many companies, organizations and schools could benefit from crafting experiencebased facilities for staff, customers, and students alike? What advantages could be derived through thoughtful incorporation and staging of experiences that are personal, engaging, meaningful, and memorable?

Designing Experience-Based Communities The Institute for the Future in Copenhagen has labeled this the Dream Society… a culture where businesses and individuals thrive based on the stories they create for themselves about who they are, where they come from, and what they stand for. This statement seems aligned with predictions of an Experience Society that desires

Business 2008

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Reade Roselles, P.L.S.. on left, and John Von Nieda, P.L.S. on right in the fire pit lounge.

strong personal connections to experience-based environments. These environments have a true sense of place, not just space. Space is amorphous; place is specific. Space is generic; place is personally engaging. Space is context; place is encounter. The art of placemaking where people have genuine, wonderful, rich experiences is the new frontier for our communities.

Experience-based communities will bring together ecology, economics, diversity, integration of live/work/play, and social well-being. How do people truly want to live…where and how can they connect….what about convenience…how is regional context factored into the design…how do we preserve and celebrate cultures, nature, and beauty in the process…how do we sustain the community from an economic and ecologic perspective? These are some of the many questions that come into play in experience design.

Yet, aren’t these the very things we all desire in our communities? Isn’t it time for a new framework that can make our lives richer in so many areas? Haven’t we all witnessed poor community design that resulted in a culture of copy… a metoo neighborhood, commercial center or business park that lacked character, heart and soul? There is a reason that experience-based companies are thriving and commodity-driven companies that focused on price alone often fail.

The Next Expedition Today, TST is embarking on its’ next adven-

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ture in the world of experiences. As a firm that provides services for land development and municipal infrastructure, we are now focusing on designing experiences into the planning and engineering of new communities. We are incorporating new ideas for “Living Experiences” that can create more sustainable, livable neighborhoods and mixed-use environments. Crafting better Living Experiences will create differentiation for our development clients in a world that demands new concepts to be successful. If we can create new-to-the-world or at least new-to-the-region community experiences, we believe we will fulfill a mission to provide lasting value as an interface between science and society.

Maybe part of the housing slump is tied to communities that are void of engaging experiences…that don’t really provide the living experience people truly seek. We applaud those that have created visionary communities, preserved and enhanced heritage as in Old Town Fort Collins, or who seek new frontiers. Here’s to the dreammakers and experience-designers who create memorable and transformational experiences…to the next Walt Disney or Apple Computer!

Ed Goodman is the CXO (Chief eXperience Officer) of TST, Inc. Consulting Engineers. He can be reached via e-mail at egoodman@tstinc.com or at (970) 226-0557.

Business 2008

43

Looking to the Future POV from the City Managers’ Seats

By Jason Webb

To live in Northern Colorado is to have more than 300 days of sunshine a year, living in one of the fastest growing regions in the state. It means living in an area where the four major cities – Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, and Windsor – work together to keep the quality of life exceptional.

W

hile it may not be utopia, the four major cities of Northern Colorado do not constantly battle over annexation lines and tax revenues as is commonly portrayed in the media. With the country’s recent economic woes, one would expect to see our cities struggling, but are they? Not as much as one might think.

Windsor, a bedroom community that offers quick access to Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, has more than 18,000 residents. Managing the town they call home is Kelly Arnold. He has been the Town Manager since January 2007 and has a good working relationship with the other city managers. “Windsor has always been of the opinion to work with our neighbors. The point is not to be competitive, but cooperative,” says Arnold.

Arnold, who wants to stay in Windsor and help them maintain it as the place to live in Northern Colorado, sees their comprehensive plan: Windsor Vision 2025, as a major part of that goal. “It was nine months of work, planning what Windsor will be like in 2025,” says Arnold. One goal is to keep Windsor’s small-town feel, while improving transportation, housing and communication.

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Some people may worry that Windsor suffered with the economic slow-down the country has weathered, but Arnold and his staff have kept a close eye on the situation. While Arnold has noticed some impact, he strongly believes it is only short term, allowing the town to resume its steady growth. “The slowed growth has been good in that it has allowed us to examine things more closely. It’s an assessment period,” says Arnold.

While the economic problems are a definite watch point, there are other issues about which Windsor residents need to be aware. Key among those is the fact that the state cannot help municipalities as much with repairs to roads, meaning transportation issues can become a concern. “The question is how do we keep doing what we’re doing and take on more, while maintaining the high quality of life Windsor citizens enjoy,” says Arnold, who was born and raised in Colorado and attended Colorado State University.

However, Windsor isn’t alone in weathering the economic difficulties. Greeley City Manager Roy Otto, who has been in the role since August 2005, says, “Our economy is struggling right now, but we’ve been fortunate to have a diversified economy.” Greeley has capitalized with agri-

culture but diversified with the other industries.

“Greeley’s agriculture and minerals could help Colorado’s economy,” adds Otto, “because they remain constant and aren’t as prone to decreases in spending as luxury items or services.”

Otto considers himself a Northern Colorado guy. He graduated from Greeley West High School and earned his degree at CSU. He’s very proud of Greeley’s agricultural roots and can foresee great things in the city’s future. “We’ve been given a work plan from City Council that we’re attacking,” says Otto. Maintaining the city’s infrastructure and improving communication issues are at the top of his list.

The same can-do attitude was in place last year as Greeley set out to make major strides in improving the key areas affecting its more than 90,000 residents. One of the biggest accomplishments Otto has seen is the dramatic drop in crime – down 18% – from the previous year. “We set up standards for response times for all emergency personnel, and the new police station is now online,” says Otto. The reduction in crime is just one of the major accomplishments the City of Greeley can boast. “We did an organizational review to find what we could be doing better,” says Otto.

That organizational review allowed the city to

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The slowed growth has been good in that it has allowed us to examine things more closely. It’s an assessment period.

Kelly Arnold, Windsor Town Manager

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Our economy is struggling right now, but we’ve been fortunate to have a diversified economy.

Roy Otto, Greeley City Manager

Business 2008

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Greeley was recently named one of the fastest growing cities in the state. With that kind of expansion and the number of surrounding towns, one could easily anticipate competition for land and tax revenue. However, Otto notes that Greeley has always been interested in partnering with other communities and mentions that Windsor and Greeley already have an annexation boundary defined. That sentiment is echoed by Loveland’s City Manager, Don Williams.

“Really, the cities don’t compete as much as the media would have you think. We cooperate and work well together in many areas of service delivery,” says Williams. Although, he notes that most of the competition comes over annex-

ing prime land for sales tax revenues. Loveland, which has more than 60,000 residents, has probably been among the most noticeable in terms of annexation in recent years, with the addition of the Centerra and Promenade Shops.

That addition was just in the planning stages when Williams took over as city manager five years ago and has certainly been an integral part of his job. “I have been very fortunate to see most of our economic development activities play out well,” says Williams. “In the beginning it was the rapid rate of retail revenue growth. Now some of the job attraction and incentives are beginning to show results.”

With the major addition of retail areas, Loveland is also fairly confident the country’s economic

slow-down won’t have as much of an impact in their city as in other parts of the United States.

With well-funded reserves and stable retail sales in the city, Williams believes Loveland will fare well through the slow-down. “Good financial planning over the last few years and a conservative policy of avoiding debt is paying off,” says Williams. In fact, he also notes that the city is getting record numbers of relocation inquiries from companies, and some local companies are considering expansion.

Even with a relatively healthy outlook on the economy, Williams isn’t willing to ignore the possibility of financial difficulty. “Loveland residents should also know that changes at the state and federal levels could push us further behind in important infrastructure needs,” says Williams.

“Transportation funding is by far the largest demand on revenue at the moment.”

Williams, who believes doing business with the city should never be difficult, looks forward to the city’s future. Chief among the goals is forging new cooperative efforts. “The City of Loveland, by direction of the City Council at their annual retreat, is going to focus on ways to act more regionally. As commerce pushes the cities closer together in a physical sense, cooperation and directed revenue sources will be the best strategy for solving problems,” says Williams.

In Fort Collins, City Manager Darin Atteberry believes that while healthy competition can make communities better, “In many instances, it’s not about competition at all, but rather about working together as a region.”

Like Greeley, Fort Collins has been careful to diversify the economy. “We are very cognizant of the national economy and continue to watch that with a close eye, yet things are holding steady in Fort Collins,” says Atteberry. Also, he notes that the strength of the city economy continues to grow with impressive retail sales and some existing businesses considering expansion.

Even with a healthy economy, Atteberry believes the residents need to be aware that maintaining the quality services they expect is proving more difficult as the Colorado economy as a whole is slowing. He also believes the city of more than 125,000 people should not lose sight of other issues. “We need to remain focused on retaining and attracting primary jobs. We have a significant number of people in this community who are underemployed,” says Atteberry. He notes that the City is working in collaboration with Colorado State University and others to grow those jobs in the area of clean energy and bioscience.

On the horizon for Fort Collins one can see many positive changes. When driving east on Harmony, one can easily see the drastic changes occurring, but those changes are just some of the many coming to Fort Collins. “Looking ahead, the Mason Corridor will be another unique community project,” says Atteberry. Downtown continues to be Fort Collins’ crown jewel. He states that projects such as a downtown hotel and new amphitheater will keep it a vibrant community center, while still retaining the Old Town charm.

Jason Webb is a freelance writer who lives in Johnstown.

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BBB Celebrates 10 Years of Torch Awards Businesses from Colorado and Wyoming will be honored at the 10th annual Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Business Ethics on April 24 at the Marriott Hotel in Fort Collins.

Really, the cities don’t compete as much as the media would have you think. We cooperate and work well together in many areas of service delivery.

Don Williams, Loveland City Manager

We need to remain focused on retaining and attracting primary jobs.

We have a significant number of people in this community who are underemployed.

Business ethics was a relatively new concept when the awards began a decade ago, according to Pam King, president and CEO of BBB serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming. But Enron and other high-profile business scandals provided heightened awareness of the importance of doing the right thing.

“The old adage, ‘There is nothing constant but change’ has never been more prevalent, and operating in a quickly changing environment can create reactive decision-making,” King said. “Today’s business environment is more difficult than it ever has been. There are challenging situations that every business owner comes up against, be it illegal immigration and hiring practices or how to get your customers off the Internet and engaged with your company.”

The Torch Awards demonstrate what today’s Better Business Bureau is all about. This program provides future business leaders firsthand experience in the importance of trust in the marketplace, King said. Each year, business college students from Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming prepare the nominations as part of classroom study. The BBB received a national BBB award in 2004 for its partnership with the universities.

“This gives students hands-on experience with business leaders,” King said. “They’re talking about business ethics and studying appropriate business behavior.”

In preparing nominations, students meet with company representatives, tour the businesses and prepare in-depth reports that show how the companies are trustworthy, reliable and ethical.

Although winning businesses do not have to be BBB Accredited Businesses, they still must exemplify the BBB Principles for Trust.

Build Trust Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.

Advertise Honestly Adhere to established standards of advertising and selling.

Tell the Truth Honestly represent products and services, including clear and adequate disclosures of all material terms.

Be Transparent Openly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the business, and clearly disclose all policies, guarantees and procedures that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.

Honor Promises Abide by all written and verbal agreements.

Be Responsive Address marketplace disputes quickly, professionally and in good faith.

Safeguard Privacy Protect any data collected against mishandling and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information.

Embody Integrity Approach all business dealings, marketplace transactions and commitments with integrity.

An impartial panel of community leaders judge the nominations. To date, 46 businesses have been honored, 36 from Colorado.

For more information contact the Better Business Bureau at 970-488-2036 or visit www.wynco.bbb.org.

Darin Atteberry, Fort Collins City Manager

Business 2008

Barbara Read is VP/Communications Director for the Better Business Bureau.

Pam King, president and CEO of BBB

47

Green Energy Keeps Growing in Northern Colorado

By Laura Lee Carter

All over the world, people must prepare to use new forms of energy. A sharp worldwide rise in energy consumption has created an increasing demand for sustainable resources that do not create more greenhouse gases, pollution, or waste for future generations.

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orthern Colorado has recently gained an exciting and well deserved reputation for growing new forms of sustainable energy and supporting green industries.

Through the efforts of Governor Bill Ritter, the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, and an initiative proposed through UniverCity Connections, clean energy companies have begun flowing into our state, and then heading north to find the resources they need to set up shop.

Fueled by a surge in clean energy projects and Colorado State University (CSU) research groups, the Northern Colorado economy has recently attracted more than forty new businesses involved in clean or renewable energy. Clean energy businesses employed more than 1,300 workers in Fort Collins in 2006, and these were mostly high paying professional level positions. Other, older local businesses, like Woodward Governor Company, which make components for power-generation equipment, have also added new jobs.

What’s luring new environmentally aware companies to Northern Colorado? There are a number of factors which have attracted more green companies to the region. One important player has been the Northern Colorado Clean

48

Energy Cluster (CEC), a business-led, project-oriented group of regional partners seeking to have a global impact.

The cluster was established in May 2006, with the primary goal of positioning Northern Colorado as the ‘go to’ region for smart grid technologies, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and cleaner more efficient engines.

According to Judy Dorsey, Executive Director, “Through a mass collaborative effort, a strong cluster has developed including Fort Collins utilities, world class clean energy research programs at CSU, end users employing leading edge clean energy technologies, a highly trained workforce, and national recognition for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our goal is to grow primary jobs in this sector by attracting a critical mass of like minded companies that will provide the new ‘green collar jobs’ the region needs.”

A kind of synchronistic energy then emerged from the UniverCity Connections project, begun in 2006. Phase I resulted in the creation of task groups like the one focused on sustainable energy. This task group was co-convened by Ryan Keiffer, Co-Owner and CEO of A-Train Marketing, and local activist/philanthropist, Mark Wanger.

They then went on to create FortZED, an initia-

tive to convert downtown Fort Collins into one of the largest net zero energy use districts in the world. A net zero energy district would generate all the district’s energy locally, from renewable resources.

FortZED leaders are awaiting the results of a bid for major grant support that would catalyze a 5 megawatt jump-start zone of FortZED. The grant award will not be known until May 2008, but regardless, Keiffer says, “We are going forward with technology analysis, garnering national attention, and attracting like-minded businesses to our area. Projects like Fort ZED living laboratory are putting Fort Collins on the map as a community with grass roots support for green energy development and implementation.”

Colorado is rich in sunshine, wind, and the crops to create ethanol, all key renewable energy resources. Our close proximity to the National Renewable Energy Laboratories, located in Golden is also a plus, and our central location expedites shipping to customers throughout the United States.

In addition, Governor Ritter campaigned on the development of renewable energy and the state legislature has since increased the amount of electricity from renewable sources that utilities must utilize, evidence of Colorado’s political support of green industries. Our region also boasts an abundance of highly skilled engineers and technicians, some displaced from high tech jobs lost in the past few years.

One new start-up in the alternative energy sector was born and raised here in Northern Colorado. Based on the pioneering solar panel technology developed and patented by CSU engineering professor W.S. Samprath, AVA Solar is beginning to manufacture thin film photovoltaic modules which significantly reduce the costs of generating solar electricity. Their manufacturing technology is the culmination of 15 years of scientific and engineering research. AVA Solar recently won the DOE Inventions and Innovations Award,

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

Projects like Fort ZED living laboratory are putting Fort Collins on the map as a community with grass roots support for green energy development and implementation.

Ryan Keiffer CEO, A-Train Marketing & UniverCity Connections/FortZED Co-Convener

given only once in the 25-year history of this prestigious program.

According to Russ Kanjorski, Director of Strategic Planning at AVA Solar, “This company was organized in January 2007, and we are presently in the process of small pilot line production, which limits our hiring needs to fairly specialized engineering technology. We plan to begin full production soon in our new facility, and will begin hiring for a number of manufacturing positions in the fourth quarter of 2008. By 2009, AVA Solar intends to enter large-scale production.”

Another exciting additon to the alternative and sustainable energy scene in Northern Colorado is Vestas Wind Systems, which just opened a 60 million dollar plant near Windsor in March. With a 23 per cent market share, and 35,000 wind turbines installed worldwide, the Danish company, should be adding over 600 new jobs to Northern Colorado’s green economy in the near future. When at full capacity, this new facility will be the world’s largest producer of wind turbines, a crowning achievement for Vestas, the world’s leading supplier of wind power solutions.

Business 2008

In the end, what counted most in Vestas’ decision to build their plant in Windsor, was its central location between the Midwest and California, with easy access to Burlington Northern and Union Pacific railroad lines.

Windsor beat out over 40 other sites to host the new plant because rail is the easiest way to move the massive blades, which are about 130 feet long. Colorado couldn’t match the large cash incentives other states used to lure Vestas, but it did put together the largest worker training and recruitment package in the state’s history.

With a national housing foreclosure crisis, the price of oil rising precipitously, and many major industries cutting jobs, one might mistakenly believe that bad economic times are here to stay. But in our little slice of Northern Colorado, far-sighted business leaders and entrepreneurs are planning a much greener future, by helping to harness some of the oldest power around, that of the sun and the wind.

Laura Lee Carter is a local freelance writer.

Please visit her website LauraLeeCarter.com

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49

Recycling is Good Business Cents Colorado Iron & Metal

By Allie Comeau

In this age of growing environmental concern, it’s more important than ever to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

As our natural resources dwindle, it’s up to consumers and businesses alike to get savvy about being “green.”

Kent Garvin, Owner of Colorado Iron & Metal

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o one knows this better than Colorado Iron & Metal. They pride themselves on their ability to give old scrap metal new life, and are helping businesses all over Northern Colorado lighten their loads at the landfill.

As builders and other businesses in the area strive to achieve LEED certification, Colorado Iron & Metal is making it easier for them by hauling

handle any job. All you have to do is collect the scrap… and watch your recycling “cents” grow.

You see, there’s money to be made in scrap metal recycling. Colorado Iron & Metal buys scrap metal from area businesses and then sells it for reuse. It’s a hole in one. Everybody wins… including the environment. “Instead of our customers sending excess metal building material to the landfill, we recycle it for them,” says owner Kent Garvin.

it’s used again for a multitude of purposes. “Some of the recycled metal is used domestically, but a lot of it is exported to places like China and Japan to build infrastructure,” says Garvin. “The important thing is that it’s being used again.”

The world’s supply of iron and metal is not limitless. Just like other natural non-renewable resources, it will one day be scarce. “The earth is running out of natural resources, so we need

Instead of our customers sending excess metal building material to the landfill, we recycle it for them.

Kent Garvin, Owner, Colorado Iron & Metal

off their excess building and scrap metal. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, has many requirements for certification – all aimed at increasing energy efficiency and raising environmental design standards. One of the easier LEED requirements to satisfy, recycling excess metal, is made downright simple with Colorado Iron & Metal.

All you have to do is walk in, drop off your junk metal, and get paid for it. If you have bulk scrap, Colorado Iron & Metal also provides roll-off and container services, complete with pick-up, to haul the metal for you. From 90-yard containers to open-top trailers, they’ve got what it takes to

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Garvin founded Colorado Iron & Metal in 1995. He operates the Fort Collins shop with his two nephews, Dan and Marty Garvin. Recycling scrap metal is their passion and there’s a big market for their product. “Often times the recyclable value of debris will fund the entire operation to divert recyclables out of build sites and landfills,” says Garvin. “And we have a lot of fun with it,” adds Dan Garvin.

The scrap metal they collect gets recycled, minimally processed, and repackaged at their shop. The metal is then sold to brokers in Denver, who sell it to steel mills where it gets melted down to its original form for reuse. Once that happens,

to reuse them or they’ll be gone,” Dan Garvin says. “Our goal is to conserve natural resources through metal recycling.”

That’s certainly good news for the Larimer County Landfill. Less is more when it comes to waste. And that’s precisely why Landfill Manager Robert Nielsen is a loyal customer of Colorado Iron & Metal. Nielsen tells us the 40-yard container he uses to collect recyclable “white goods” gets picked up twice a week. Appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers are thrown in the container, along with scrap metal, copper wiring, and other metal waste. “You’d be surprised how many refrigerators and washers we get up here,”

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A Colorado Iron & Metal employee sorts copper scrap. he says. “Now, instead of throwing them in the landfill, we can recycle them.”

Nielsen used to contract with Denver recycling companies for this kind of work, but was happy to give the business to a local company. “We like to deal locally whenever possible,” says Nielsen.

“Plus, they give us a better price for the metal.

The price of steel has gone up quite a bit recently, so everybody wins.”

While the main business of Colorado Iron & Metal is recycling, the most important resource they deal with is their people. Garvin says the success of Colorado Iron & Metal is due to his employees. “Our business is borne on the backs of our employees,” he says. “Without them, we couldn’t have enjoyed such success.”

Their success has come in many forms. Besides being one of Northern Colorado’s largest recycling centers, Colorado Iron & Metal is also a new steel distributor and a metal fabrication shop. “We can do pretty much anything with metal,” says Garvin. “You name it and we can fabricate it.” What sets them apart from other metal fabricators is a high-tech water jet cutting system that allows them to do precision work and high-definition cutting. Structural work, architectural accents, and even small jobs – if it’s metal, they can handle it.

And if it’s scrap metal, they can recycle it.

Allie Comeau is a freelance writer and copywriter living in Fort Collins. See her blog on active lifestyles at http://blog.sierratradingpost.com

Business 2008

51

Community Pillars Bob Powell

by Jim Sprout

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms. To choose one’s attitude in any given circumstances is to choose one’s own way.”

Viktor Frankl, Auschwitz survivor

B

ob Powell has served the Fort Collins community for 35 years both as a local businessman and as a volunteer for nonprofits like Foothills Gateway. His journey began as a young businessman at Travelers Insurance Company. As destiny would have it, Bob located his new office across the street from his largest client, the Galyardt and Harvey Insurance Agency where he met one of his mentors and future business partners, Jack Harvey.

Bob describes Jack as a “gruff old guy with a big heart.” Bob learned many lessons from Jack not only in business but also in life. Bob recalls a sales call when Jack told him “to stop talking so much and just let them say yes.” On another occasion, Jack sternly said that if he caught him at the office after closing time he would fire him. Jack’s point was that he was to be home with his family. With some emotion, Bob said that he never really knew where he stood with Jack until he invited him to be his partner.

In 1976, Dave Parker and Ken Borrett approached Bob over lunch about joining them as part of a succession plan for the Galyardt and Harvey Insurance Agency. Although Bob remembers this as a tough choice because of the financial security of being employed by a large company, it was the best business decision of his life. After over twenty years of success, Dave and Bob sold the agency in 1994.

All during his working years Bob was involved in community leadership. Probably his most significant contribution came from his fifteen years on the Foothills Gateway Board, with three years as their President. This was a critical time for Foothills, when the Board had to make the tough financial decision to move rehabilitation services from “in house” back to the public school system. It was through this difficult period that he established a personal friendship with Dr. Joe Hendrickson who today works closely with Bob on the Character First initiative at the Poudre School District.

His most recent community project was in serving on the Inspiration Playground Committee that successfully designed, built, and funded a playground at the Spring Canyon Community Park that is 100% accessible to children of all abilities. Additionally, Bob has held a leadership position for twenty years in the Downtown Merchants Association that provides housing for the low income and elderly.

When I asked Bob how he knew it was time to retire, he said that his goal was always to have the financial choice to make a change when

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Bob Powell

he was 60. However, when the time arrived he found himself asking the question, “What am I going to do?” One day he asked a good friend and recently retired educator and coach, Lyle Moddelmog how he made the decision to retire. Lyle’s advice was “I can’t put it in words, but you will know.” Soon after that Bob begin to recognize that he was only going through the motions and that the passion and joy for the work he had loved for so many years was gone. However, Bob did not want to retire from life. He had always believed that senior citizens (which was hard for him to say), were America’s greatest untapped resource.

Not long after Bob had emotionally made the decision to retire he was asked by Ray Martinez to write a letter to the city council in support of Fort Collins becoming a “city of character.” Coincidentally, while attending a bible study six months later he viewed a tape on the International Association of Character Cities, and felt a spiritual grip that he described as a “calling” to active volunteer service.

Seven years later Bob and his team of volunteers are working as catalysts to bring the importance, awareness, and expectation of universal character qualities into the culture of schools, police departments, and businesses through Character Fort Collins. Bob has held the CEO position until recently when he decided it was time to have more balance with family and his volunteer service. He still plans to spend twenty to thirty hours per week as a certified trainer in character development. Bob applauds our community and specifically, the Poudre School District for their strong commitment to character education. When I asked Bob what character quality he most admired he said “meekness” because it is the most misunderstood and difficult to control, and yet when practiced with sincerity, is the most powerful.

Recently, Bob was the recipient of the prestigious Lamplighter Award that honors a servant leader who has worked to “build bridges” in the community. Bob feels that a positive and hopeful attitude even during life’s difficult times is an essential quality in experiencing true joy.

He believes that we have the freedom to choose our way. Bob hopes his legacy will follow Johann Bach’s inscription on each of his masterpieces, “ Soli Deo Gloria” or “To God alone the Glory.” We thank Bob for his inspiration and leadership over the years.

Jim Sprout is the Chairman of First Western Trust Bank – Northern Colorado and a regular columnist for Style Magazine.

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

57th Annual Observance

UNITE WITH US IN PRAYER A breakfast will be held: Thursday, May 1st, 2008 Hilton Fort Collins 425 W. Prospect Rd. Fort Collins, CO 6:30am - 8:30am Keynote speaker will be: Art Dillon, Brigadier General U.S. Army, Retired Emcee is the Honorable Bob Schaeffer Other community leaders will lead us in prayer for our Nation.

Admission is $14. for tickets Contact Dottie: 970.223.6676

“The Lord is my strength and shield, my heart trusts in him and I am helped.�

Psalm 28:7 Business 2008

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MARDIS GRAS Sonny & Carol JoLubick, Patti & Pete Kranske

February 4 Lincoln Center :: Fort Collins New Orleans came to Fort Collins at this 6th annual Mardis Gras Party, complete with beads, masks, costumes and plenty of excitement. Over 300 guests enjoyed themselves dining on southern cuisine from 8 local restaurants, bidding on live & silent auction items and dancing the night away to the Fort Jazz Big Band. Nearly $30,000 will benefit Bas Bleu Theater and their mission of providing excellence, diversity and vitality in the arts for Fort Collins and the Front Range region.

Bruce Hottman, Marcia Donnan, Lori Hottman

Tricia Navarre, Doug Ishii Jerry Donnan, Joe Vasos Michelle Boyle, Tasha Ballard, RC Callan

Photos courtesy of William C. Cotton.

about town

Matt Strauch, Ken & Paisley Pettine

Louise Dickinson, Samantha Blazier

BRIDESMAID BOWLING

February 14 Chippers Lanes :: College Center This lively, entertaining event had over 46 teams throwing strikes, spares and gutter balls.

Bowlers dressed in the funkiest wedding attire, competed for assorted awards including ‘best legs’ and ‘best man in a dress’. Awards were also given for top fundraising teams.

The upbeat evening raised over $8000 to help Hope Lives! Breast Cancer Support Center and their mission to support and strengthen those touched by breast cancer by providing care, guidance and education.

Jay & Jeannie Gerdes, Jody Mitts, Rob Kinkelaar

Tina Nash, Diane Sherry, Amie Fair, Kathy Andrews, Kim Shore, Carol Tenuta, Nancee Testa, Patti Piper

Photos courtesy of Dana Milner.

David Eisle, Kim Starling, Jo Ellen & Ron Walling

Josh Crill, Lydia Dody, Mary Hallauer, Heike Mannix

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Shawn & Scott Charpentier, Lydia Dody

Anthony Petrone, Kama McDonald, Jessie Beyer, Bryan Bean

Parker Boone, Mark Anderson, Kevin Marshall, Kenny Kramer

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

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about town

project smile A night at the oscars February 24 Hilton :: Fort Collins More than 300 guests graced the red carpet in an elegant evening filled with glamour, evening gowns, paparazzi and gourmet cuisine. The exciting event launched Project Smile’s endowment campaign and recognized top investors in the program thus far.

Project Smile is a community dental program developed by the North Fort Collins Business Association in partnership with other FC area businesses, Irish Elementary School, PSD Partnership Center, the Health District of Northern Larimer County, area dentists and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado that helps sponsor children in serious need of dental care. The program has helped more than 81 children at Irish Elementary and hopes to extend assistance to other Poudre Schools in the near future through the endowment efforts.

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Bill & Kathy See

Holli Milenski, Megan Greer

Alan & Kim Strope

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Mitzi Jones, NCMG

Lydia’s STYLE Magazine

n

about town

empty bowls

February 27 Hilton :: Fort Collins Guests at this popular, sold-out, signature event enjoyed 25 delicious soups from locally owned restaurants and learned about hunger issues in our community. The evening included an art auction and the presentation of the T.S. Berger Award.

Each of the 375 guests took home a one-of-akind, handcrafted pottery bowl produced by students in the Poudre School District, and local pottery studios. Proceeds from the 11th annual event help to support the collection and distribution of food to hungry residents of Larimer County.

T.S. Berger, Chris Wolff (T.S. Berger Award Winner), Diane Findley (T.S. Berger Award Winner

Mike McCarthy, Greg Gallagher

Photos courtesy of Natural Image Photography.

John Conway, Amy Pezzani

Business 2008

Carol Ann & Gary Hixon

Betty M. Brown

John & Marilyn Allen

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