Best Workplaces 2017

Focus

Opportunity

Opportunity

Positive

Growth

Integrity Purpose

Respect

Vision

Employees in the Pikes Peak region choose the best local companies.

DECEMBER 2017

Unity

Responsibility Appreciation

Rewarding

Family-Focused

Community Involvement

Caring

Passion

Trust

Motivation

Mentorship

Diversity People

Ideas

Coaching

Atmosphere

Atmosphere

Vision

Respect

Goals

Professional

Growth

Culture

LeadershipProfessional

Balance

Values

Encouragement

u o Y k n a Th

Colorado Springs Team

Integrity • Passion • People First Attitude • Customer Focus • Adaptability

At Oakwood Homes, our mission is to help families build their dreams.

It is the small acts of kindness that go above and beyond exceptional service and will be remembered. From our division president, to summer interns, the Oakwood Homes Colorado Springs team tackles obstacles with enthusiasm. Each member is challenged to make the home buying experience memorable and embody the dedication and spirit of a team.

719-380-5092 • OakwoodHomesCo.com ©2017 Oakwood Homes

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 3

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4 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

THE GAZETTE CONGRATULATES THE 2017 BEST WORKPLACES HONOREES Colorado Springs is home to thousands of innovative business leaders, passionate entrepreneurs and world-class companies.

They operate with a clear mission, strong leadership and vision for success. Even better, they genuinely care about their employees.

It is an honor to introduce you to many of these inspiring companies through this publication and our inaugural Best Workplaces awards.

The Gazette is committed to shining a spotlight on the local people and businesses that strengthen our communities.

We hope you enjoy this publication, and thank you for joining us in celebrating the Best Workplaces.

DAN STEEVER, PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER THE GAZETTE

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 5

OAKWOOD HOMES PAGE 14

BOECORE, INC. PAGE 28 LUISA GRAFF JEWELERS PAGE 32

SOLID ROCK CUSTOM HOMES PAGE 24

SURVEY RESULTS AND METHODOLOGY PAGE 6

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO WORKERS PAGE 6

THE TOP 68 COMPANIES PAGE 8

LEARNINGRX PAGE 22

Pikes Peak Library District

Colorado Springs School District 11

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Rampart Supply

Air Academy Federal Credit Union

Boecore, Inc.

PAGE 20

PAGE 28

Oakwood Homes

LearningRx

Six & Geving Insurance, Inc.

PAGE 22

PAGE 30

Terra Verde

Solid Rock Custom Homes

Luisa Graff Jewelers

PAGE 10

PAGE 12

PAGE 14

PAGE 16

PAGE 18

PAGE 24

PAGE 26

PAGE 32

6 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

How the survey was conducted

What’s important to workers

Workplace Statements

Importance in how Pike Peak region employees rate their workplace

My company operates by strong values and ethics.

91%

There is good inter-departmental cooperation at my company.

91%

My company is socially responsible.

90%

Published by The Gazette DECEMBER 3, 2017

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Dan Steever EDITOR Vince Bzdek NEWSROOM OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Pula Davis BUSINESS REPORTER Wayne Heilman CORRESPONDENTS Robin Intemann Carol McGraw Tony Peck DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL, KEY, DIGITAL AND EVENT SALES Lake Trout MANAGER OF ADVERTISING OPERATIONS, MARKETING & CLASSIFIED SALES Karen Hogan LOCAL RETAIL SALES MANAGER Traci Conrad SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR Gina Cronin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Gina Pietramale

The Gazette partnered with the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC and DataJoe LLC, a Boulder-based data collection and analysis firm, to determine the top workplaces in the Colorado Springs area. Providing a program to help businesses better serve customers and employees — and recognize excellence — is a logical step for the local business community.

The Gazette sought nominations in July and by Aug. 11 received 140 from private, public, nonprofit and government organizations in the Pikes Peak region. More than 100 rolled out online surveys to their workers through early September. Nearly 3,200 responses were completed before the end of September.

Employees were asked to answer 26 questions about organizational health, engagement and leadership plus other areas like work-life balance, training, pay, benefits and corporate social responsibility. They rated their employers with scores ranging from 1-7: a 1 represented “strongly disagree,” 4 was “neutral” and 7 was “strongly agree.” Employees also could write comments on topics such as motivation, referrals of potential employees, retention, leadership, values and ethics, direction and cooperation.

Social responsibility was included in this year’s survey because it has become an increasingly important part of work culture, ranging from community volunteer activities and charitable donations to sponsorship of local programs.

Employers were grouped into four categories by size — extra large with 299 or more employees; large with 76299 employees; midsize with 30-75 employees; and small with 10-29 employees (because smaller employers tend to score higher than larger employers).

Employers with fewer than 10 workers weren’t eligible for the program.

The 68 employers selected as Best Workplaces in Colorado Springs were honored during a Nov. 29 reception at The Antlers, a Wyndham Hotel. The Best Workplaces program is designed to be an annual free survey and workplace health analysis to identify companies that are creating strong, healthy workplace cultures.

I believe my company is going in the right direction.

90%

I have confidence in the leader of my company.

89%

I would highly recommend working at my company to others.

89%

My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful.

89%

My manager cares about my concerns.

89%

New ideas are encouraged at my company.

89%

I have the flexibility I need to balance my work and personal life.

87%

My company encourages different points of view.

87%

My company motivates me to give my very best at work.

87%

My manager helps me learn and grow.

87%

My manager makes it easier to do my job well.

87%

I feel genuinely appreciated at my company.

86%

My company enables me to work at my full potential.

86%

This job has met the expectations I had when I started.

86%

At my company, we do things efficiently and well.

83%

I get the formal training I want for my career.

83%

My benefits package is good compared to others in this industry.

83%

Senior managers understand what is really happening at my company.

83%

I feel well-informed about important decisions at my company.

80%

My pay is fair for the work I do.

77%

I have considered searching for a better job in the past month.

34%

There is a lot of negativity at my workplace.

34%

Colorado SpringS SChool diStriCt 11 iS hiring School District 11 has been recognized as one of the best workplaces in Colorado Springs!

ELL Teachers

Bus rs e Driv

Kitch Assist en ants

Spe Edu cial Tea cation che rs

Guest Staff Teachers

District 11 has a wide variety of job opportunities and great benefits.

Apply today to start an exciting career at one of the best workplaces in Colorado Springs!

Visit d11.org/jobs or contact District 11’s Human Resources at 520-2169.

Roving Kitchenrs e Manag

8 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ THE TOP 68 COMPANIES }

SMALL COMPANIES | 10 – 29 EMPLOYEES

COMPANY Action Ready Mix LLC Aerotek Amnet Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado CenterPointe Family Medicine Churchill Mortgage Elevated Insights Integrity Applications Incorporated ISSAC Corp Luisa Graff Jewelers Magnum Shooting Center Navakai Newell LedBetter Advertising NFP Corporate Services (CO) Inc. Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center Pikes Peak United Way REMAX Advantage Realty, Inc. Solid Rock Custom Homes Springs Hosting Terra Verde

FOUNDED 2017 1983 1998 1980

SECTOR Concrete Manufacturing Staffing Agency Business IT Support Business Reviews

EMPLOYEES 24 21 13 18

1993 1992 2001 1999 2006 1999 2013 2001 1996 1998 1981 1922 1997 2004 2006 1992

Health & Medical Mortgage Lender Full Service Market Research Firm Engineers Advanced Data Analytics and Knowledge Discovery Jewelry Store Indoor Range and Retail Technology Consulting Advertising Agency & PR Firm Insurance Broker/Consultant, Wealth Management Nonprofit Organization Nonprofit Organization Real Estate Custom Home Builder/Remodeler Data Center/Information Technology Retail

32 10 15 25 16 28 28 26 11 14 19 23 10 10 18 28

The Treasure Davis Team

2012

Real Estate

12

MIDSIZE COMPANIES | 30 – 75 EMPLOYEES

COMPANY Advantage Manufacturing Aspen Auto Clinic Bank of Colorado Care and Share Food Bank Catholic Charities of Central Colorado Endodontic Specialists of Colorado P.C. Fireplace Warehouse LearningRx McCloskey Motors Inc. Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. Oakwood Homes Colorado Springs Pima Medical Institute Six & Geving Insurance Space Foundation Stockman Kast Ryan + Co..

TCA, Inc.

FOUNDED 1993 2001 1908 1972 1968 1981 2015 2003 1989 1993 1991 1972 1991 1983 1995 1982

SECTOR Manufacturing Automotive Repair Banking Nonprofit Organization Nonprofit Organization Root Canal Specialist Fireplaces and HVAC Brain Training/ Cognitive Training Enhancement Car Dealership Defense Contractor New Home Construction Education Insurance Agency Aerospace Educational Nonprofit Accounting Consulting

EMPLOYEES 75 50 21 50 70 34 61 33 75 40 47 50 28 52 65 34

Winslow BMW

1961

Car Dealership

55

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 9

{ THE TOP 68 COMPANIES }

LARGE COMPANIES | 76 – 299 EMPLOYEES

COMPANY Air Academy Federal Credit Union Bible Electric Blazer Electric Supply Company Boecore Bryan Construction Classic Homes Delta Solutions & Strategies LLC Diversified Machine Systems, LLC Firm Solutions Garden of the Gods Collection Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital Colorado Springs LVW Electronics McDivitt Law Firm Outreach Inc. Peak Structural Peoples Bank Rampart Supply Red Noland Auto Group Team Select Home Care Timberline Landscaping

FOUNDED 1955 1997 1984 2000 1978 1989 2000 1996 2016 1951 1991

SECTOR Credit Union Electrical Contractor Electrical Distributors Aerospace and Defense Contractor Construction Management/General Contractor Home Builder Department of Defense Contracting Machining, Manufacturing Practice Management Professionals Resort & Private, Members Only Club Healthcare – Rehabilitation Hospital

EMPLOYEES 150 137 105 236 114 160 76 97 76 220 142

1974 1992 1996 2002 1976 1968 1974 2008 1982

Contracting Law Firm Media & Marketing Contractor Banking Plumbing & Heating Wholesale Distribution Car Dealership Home Healthcare Agency Landscaping, General Contractor

80 78 139 80 170 105 130 277 152

EXTRA LARGE COMPANIES | 299+ EMPLOYEES

COMPANY Colorado Springs School District 11 Ent Credit Union GE Johnson Construction Company Griffis/Blessing, Inc. Heating & Plumbing Engineers, Inc Nursing & Therapy Services of Colorado, Inc. (NTSOC) Pikes Peak Library District T. Rowe Price The Resource Exchange University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

FOUNDED 1873 1957 1967 1985 1947 2001

1963 1937 1964 1965

SECTOR K – 12 Public Education Credit Union Construction/General Contractor Real Estate/Property Management Mechanical Contractor Pediatric Home Care Services, Nurse Aide Training Program, Outpatient Therapy Clinic, Case Management Public Library Investment Management Human Services Higher Education

EMPLOYEES 3780 674 325 300 300 300 461 900 310 1600

10 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 1

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company

PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT

“

At the library we try to instill a love of literacy and a thirst for knowledge in people of all ages, incomes, and abilities.

— PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT EMPLOYEE

JEFF KEARNEY, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Multiple resources, experts in customer service

BY ROBIN INTEMANN

Special to The Gazette —

Thanks to the Pikes Peak Library District’s 477 full and part-time employees, the library goes far beyond being a place to simply find something to read.

The days of libraries being only about reading materials are long past, so is the need to speak in hushed tones around austere, inhospitable librarians. That once-common stereotype isn’t part of the job description.

Today, library facilities are used for community events, ranging from puppet shows to language classes, from Maker Spaces to concerts and numerous other activities.

Libraries are about people: the ones using the myriad of available resources and the individuals stacking the shelves, checking out books, ordering materials, organizing events, answering questions and more.

As noted in its 2015 Annual Report, “PPLD employees are not just very knowledgeable — many of them are experts in select subject areas — but they are also highly celebrated for their customer service skills. Based on direct feedback from library patrons, PPLD staff has an approval rating of 99.7 percent.”

PPLD has 15 branches and mobile library services that reach 616,180 people in El Paso County. The district is governed by a seven-member Board

of Trustees, appointed by Colorado Springs City Council and the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners. John Spears is executive director of PPLD. According to the PPLD website the history of libraries in Colorado Springs dates back to 1885 “when the Colorado Springs Social Union established a library on the corner of Tejon and Cucharras Streets in Downtown Colorado Springs.” In 1903, Free Public Library of Colorado Springs opened its doors. General William Jackson Palmer donated the land and Andrew Carnegie provided $60,000 for the construction of the Colorado Springs Public Library which was dedicated in 1905. It had a collection of 12,000 volumes. Today, the collection has 1.2 million items for circulation.

The Old Colorado City library, originally known as the West End Carnegie Library, was the first branch and opened at 2418 W. Pikes Peak Ave. in 1917. The first book mobile took to the road in 1954. The most recent branch added to the district is the Manitou Springs Library in 2013.

Library 21C, at 1175 Chapel Hills Drive, opened its doors in June 2014.

The facility promotes experiential learning with the most up-to-date technology. It provides resources not typically associated with libraries such as 3-D printers, sewing machines, a business and entrepreneur

center, performing arts space and among other assets, is home to the Center for Public Media. The Center includes studios for audio and video production complete with a story booth and editing stations.

In addition to the various programs previously noted, many other items attract patrons to libraries. Movies are available on DVD, music is offered on CDs, books may be checked out in paperback, hardbound and electronic versions. Magazines, newspapers and access to computers to read online editions are also accessible. Comic books and graphic novels are also part of the PPLD collection.

Book clubs, literacy classes, and even a Books and Brews Tour, a partnership with local breweries and coffee houses, offered this fall are innovative ways PPLD has developed to attract patrons.

PPLD’s Finance Department has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association for 24 consecutive years. In 2015, according to the annual report, PPLD was “the first library system in Colorado” to reach the one million digital circulation mark.

PPLD’s mission statement is “Providing resources and opportunities that impact individual lives and build community.” The 400-plus employees make this happen.

THE BEST PLACE TO WORK

Is a Fun Place to Work.

It’s not unusual to see our employees work with us for multiple decades. That’s because they love what they do to help people regain independence while working in a place that makes it fun and rewarding. Today we honor their dedication and commitment to helping others, making a difference for those we serve.

Honoring our long-term employees from left to right: Chris Carey, unit clerk (22 years), Art Vigil, director of plant operations (26 years), Linda Morrissey, housekeeping (21 years), Lawrence Seales, CNA (20 years), Patrick Quirk, director of therapy operations (16 years).

A Higher Level of Care®

325 Parkside Drive • Colorado Springs, CO 80910 • 719 630-8000 healthsouthcoloradosprings.com ©2017:HealthSouth Corporation:1364927-03

12 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 1

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company

RAMPART SUPPLY

“

The owners have been fair, flexible, and honest, earning a degree of loyalty where I would never want to let them down.

— RAMPART SUPPLY EMPLOYEE

COURTESY PHOTO

Time-tested methods make company great workplace

BY TONY PECK

Special to the Gazette —

When you step into the showroom of Rampart Supply you almost forget that their product is pipes, valves, and fittings.

The plumbing, heating, cooling, and piping (PHCP) wholesaler mixes pristine showrooms, a focus on relationships, and a comprehensive inventory to great effect.

Every branch has a showroom that provides the company a way to demonstrate the quality of product they have at their disposal.

Although most of their business comes by way of contractors, a showroom walk through is a good idea for any Colorado Springs resident thinking about a remodel.

Rampart Supply has used this business approach to survive the 2008 recession that saw industry profits drop dramatically.

Lindsay Taylor, a spokeswoman for Rampart Supply, explained their resilience, “What we attribute that to is our business model, the people who work here and the relationships we have.”

“Also, we did not cut back our inven-

tory so when others did, people came our way and we had what they needed,” she said.

Having the relationships and robust inventory helped the company avoid layoffs and come out ahead when the economy rebounded.

According to the Supply House Times’s 2017 Premier 150 Rankings of PHCP companies, Rampart Supply earned a respectable 72nd in the nation. That is a jump up from their 83rd place in 2010, further highlighting their ability to cope with down economies.

They were even named Supply House’s 2010 Wholesaler of the Year when most other companies were downsizing inventory.

Their success is achieved with only three branches and roughly 230 employees.

Rampart Supply has locations in Colorado Springs, Denver, and the Pueblo areas. It all started in Colorado Springs though.

The company was founded by World War II Army veteran Joe Perry in 1968 and is now run by son Colin Perry.

A large part of their success has been the steady work Rampart Sup-

ply does with the military installations surrounding Colorado Springs such as Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy.

Another important characteristic of Rampart Supply is the company’s history of community service.

Taylor explained that the company is a cornerstone partner with Pikes Peak United Way and that the owners match their employees’ contributions throughout the year.

Rampart Supply also has a history of supporting youth organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and the Boy Scouts of America.

The company is proud of their community interaction, stating on their website, “As a local, family owned company, philanthropy and community involvement has long been a staple of Rampart Supply’s core values.”

The old school methods of handshaking, relationship building, and having a robust inventory has allowed Rampart Supply to expand and serve their community in a meaningful way.

After an enthusiastic explanation of the company’s culture Taylor ended by saying, “This really is a great company to work for.”

14 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 1

MIDSIZE

company

OAKWOOD HOMES

COURTESY OAKWOOD HOMES

“

I find it motivational that Oakwood makes us feel like we are part of a team rather than just another employee.

— OAKWOOD HOMES EMPLOYEE

Builder emphasizes smart spaces, flexibility

BY ROBIN INTEMANN

Special to The Gazette —

Oakwood Homes established residence in Colorado Springs in 2007 and has been busy building communities ever since.

The Denver-based company has been active building in the Fountain area at Cumberland Green, where its homes are designed for families with younger children and military personnel, due to its proximity to Fort Carson and Peterson Air Force Base.

Oakwood purchased 2,600 acres at Banning Lewis Ranch in 2012. It has more than 400 lots in Banning Lewis Ranch, where it built a $2.75 million aquatic center featuring slides and a zero-entry area for small children.

The area has 50 acres of parks and trails. Oakwood’s homes are designed for first-time buyers, those seeking to move-up and retirees.

“Luxury at every level” is the developer/builder’s motto. The company’s website notes that Oakwood Homes is known for “Pioneering ideas for smart spaces and flexible layouts” in an affordable manner for the way people live. An emphasis is placed on energy efficiency.

Oakwood Homes Colorado Springs Design Center, 1290 N. Newport Rd.,

has four designers available to show prospective home buyers floor plans, designs and landscaping options.

In September, Oakwood Homes received multiple honors for its two entries in the annual Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs Parade of Homes. The Granby and the Pagosa floor plans, both in Banning Lewis Ranch, earned Industry of Excellence awards; the Granby also garnered the People’s Choice award. Oakwood Homes was among 19 builders represented and the homes were among 24 in the 63rd annual event.

Oakwood Homes has 38 employees in Colorado Springs. This includes staff for its sales, warranty, purchasing, construction, escrow, land, marketing, design and general administration/executive departments.

Last spring, Oakwood Homes provided funding to help launch the Colorado Home Building Academy, a construction school providing handson training. According to the Academy’s website, “Oakwood Homes saw a crucial gap between industry demands for a ready and able workforce and qualified candidates.”

Pat Hamill founded Oakwood Homes in 1991. He is the chairman

and CEO. Aric Jones serves as president of the Colorado Springs division. He is a member of the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs board of directors.

Oakwood Homes hosts numerous community activities, including a Summer Concert Series featuring area musicians, at Banning Lewis Ranch. It also holds fundraising events for several organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for which it has helped raise more than $7.5 million. Oakwood Homes in Denver is building the 2017 St. Jude Dream Home located in Commerce City.

The company regularly sponsors the fireworks displays for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and promotes such causes as military appreciation and breast cancer awareness. It sponsors the annual Banning Lewis Santa Sprint 5k with proceeds benefiting the Banning Lewis Preparatory Academy capital campaign.

Last July, The Gazette reported that Tennessee-based Clayton Properties Group, part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway company, acquired Oakwood Homes. In addition to Colorado Springs, Oakwood also builds in six other Colorado cities.

Leading Wholesale Distributor of Plumbing, Heating, and Industrial Pipe, Valve, & Fitting Supplies in the Pikes Peak Region.

Offering Friendly, Same Day Delivery.

Large Selection of In-stock Inventory.

Knowledgeable Staff.

50 Years of Demonstrated Service Excellence

16 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 1

SMALL

company

TERRA VERDE

“

Creativity is encouraged.

Everyone’s input is valued.

— TERRE VERDE EMPLOYEE

COURTESY PHOTO

Special place that feeds the imagination

BY CAROL MCGRAW

Special to The Gazette —

Customers sometimes have a hard time leaving Terra Verde.

Heading out the boutique door with purchases, they often see something else they want and do another walk through — maybe drawn to a necklace made of 2,000 year- old shards of roman glass, a cuddly- soft stuffed chenille elephant, the French milled soap, Thai whirly mobiles, cutting boards made of recycled Colorado stone, or an elegant jacket with cowl collar.

Employees have the same fascination with the store.

When Sam Ryan left years ago, she still shopped there regularly, and recently came back on staff. “Chris has made a wonderful work environment I haven’t experienced anyplace else. It’s flexible and the customers are nice.”

Chris Sondermann founded the store 25 years ago starting with three employees. Today, there are 17.

She had once owned another shop in her 20s, but sold it to travel around the world. Later, she realized she still loved retail.

She fashioned Terra Verde to be “rustic and sophisticated, a place that feeds the imagination through

scents, colors, textures,” she says. For that reason, Sondermann doesn’t sell online. It could not provide customers with a sense of discovery and personal service that they get when they explore her boutique, she says.

Owning an independent store without corporate support is hard work entailing everything from accounting to tracking product performance.

She likes the challenge. Even now decades later, she says, “I can’t put it on autopilot, I have to be vigilant to keep the store healthy.” She emphasizes that her employees are a vital part of that RX, and she takes input from them and from customers.

She started out with only high- end clothes. But changed course because customers wanted more moderately-priced clothes they can trade out after a couple years Furniture didn’t go over, or those funny boots that no one would buy. But they did want specialty books, baby and children’s items, more accessories, jewelry, and gift items.

Attention to detail is important, whether it is the comfy sofas to provide a respite for customers, or the non- regimented merchandise placement that promises more treasure

await at the next display.

At Christmas there are five employees who wrap gifts and are trained to create uniformly beautiful bows. Distinctive packaging helps create that Terra Verde image.

Sondermann has fostered a winning staff by honing that attention to detail, and by creating a non-hierarchical atmosphere. “They all know they are what makes it happen,” she says.

The resulting store popularity has led to expansion. She took over part of the old Chinook Bookstore next door and has purchased the entire building at 208 N. Tejon.

Employee Kathy Royce has been here nine years, a newbie, compared to one colleague who has been with Terra Verde 17 years.

“I love the uniqueness of everything and the clientele,” Royce says.

She is one of several Terra Verde employees who go with Sondermann on merchandise buying trips. The store’s financial success depends on what is chosen, and what is chosen is not only what Sondermann loves.

She places faith in her employees’ retail instincts and tells them not to just look for sure sellers.

“I tell them to scare me a little.”

Community ENRICHING People Ideas The power of ingenuity... ...the rewards of trusting relationships.

THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OF YOU, GE JOHNSON IS RECOGNIZED WITH THE BEST WORKPLACES 2017 AWARD.

Thank you to all of our great employees for making Delta Solutions & Strategies, LLC one of the best places to work…the sun never sets on our company and we are truly are honored by your support and acknowledgement.

18 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

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COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11

“

The education of our children is vital to their future and that of our city, state and country.

— COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11 EMPLOYEE

THE GAZETTE FILE

William J. Palmer High School

City’s oldest school district seeks excellence

BY ROBIN INTEMANN

Special to The Gazette —

As the tenth largest school district in the state, Colorado Springs School District 11 employees oversee the education of 28,000-plus students, which is more than many colleges.

With 3,755 employees, plus guest staff workers, it ranks as one of the largest employers in El Paso County.

Of this number, according to Devra Ashby, director of communications/ public information officer, 1,598 are educational support professionals; 247 are executive professionals; and 1,910 are teachers.

The D-11 2016 Annual Report to the Community noted that 67.5 percent of its teachers have advanced degrees and 100 percent of the teachers are rated as “highly qualified.”

Fifty-four schools fall within the district’s boundaries. This includes charter and alternative schools along with the Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus, four high schools, five charter schools, nine middle schools and 32 elementary schools.

When the district was first formed, there were several schools within the city, but they were not unified as a district until 1872.

In addition to its size, D-11 is also noted as being among the oldest in the state and the oldest in Colorado Springs. In her book “A History of the Colorado Springs School District 11”,

Harriet Seibel, wrote, “In August, 1872 (sic) School District 11 was established and the boundaries were outlined by the School Board. The District averaged three miles length from north to south and seven miles in width.”

Today, D-11 encompasses more than 70 square miles and has more than 4.2 million square feet of facilities.

Nicholas Gledich is the district’s superintendent and has served in the position since his appointment in 2009. Gledich earned a doctorate degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of Florida. A seven-member, volunteer board of directors is elected to staggered four-year terms.

The 2016 Annual Report to the Community reported the 2016-17 general fund budget of $257,913,311, which is used for salaries and benefits, utility costs, maintenance expenses, supplies, and equipment; that includes carry-forwards, Risk Management, and preschool funds.

Additionally, the report shared several district highlights including Early College High School’s Career Pathways teacher Debbie Halverson named Colorado Association of Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year.

Also, for the ninth consecutive year, West Middle School’s MATHCOUNTS team reached the Gold Level Status in The National Math Club.

Karen Shaw, principal of Columbia Elementary School, was named the 2016 National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Colorado by the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE).

Two Mitchell High School students, Sean Castillo and Jessica Perea, and one Palmer High School student, DeAnna Christensen, received Boettcher Scholarships.

Two Palmer High School students, Yadeth Veronica Estrada and Kayla Lynn McCurry, and one Coronado High School student, Evan Nicholas Torres, were awarded Daniels Scholarships.

Palmer High School student DeAnna Christensen was one of only two students to represent Colorado as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP).

Martinez Elementary School was named as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by Franklin Covey Co. to “teach 21st century leadership and life skills to students and creates a culture of empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader.”

The district has seen growth diminish. Schools have been closed and been re-purposed. The Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus, 2115 Afton Way, is one example. The former high school building now provides alternative education, early college, career pathways, online courses, night school, adult education and two day care centers.

17ENT428_Ent Diff_PrintAd_4.64x10.98.pdf

1

11/16/17

10:37 AM

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20 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 2

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AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

“

Management is innovative and really steps out of its way to offer ALL types of support to staff.

— AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION EMPLOYEE

NICHOLE EMERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Air Academy Federal Credit Union sponsors the annual Courage Classic which benefits Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation.

A commitment to outreach

BY ROBIN INTEMANN

Special to The Gazette

In October 1955, the Air Academy Federal Credit Union was initially established to serve members of the U.S. Air Force stationed at Lowry Air Force Base and its civilian employees in what was then the eastern edge of Denver.

Fast forward 60-plus years, the member-owned, federally-chartered, not-for-profit banking and financial services organization now extends beyond U.S. Air Force Academy cadets and Air Force personnel and their families. Today, according to the AAFCU website, it serves employees and students of 10 school districts and more than 180 select employee groups, including their family members in all 50 states and overseas. The 2016 annual report notes there are now 48,000 members.

With a staff of more than 140, the credit union offers checking, savings, loans, investment services, credit cards, automobile and mortgage loans; in other words, a full cadre of banking services is available.

Glenn Strebe, president and CEO, heads an eight-person leadership team. He also serves as president of the Academy School District 20 Board

of Education and several other area boards. Strebe’s community involvement, and that of AAFCU’s employees, reflects the credit union’s commitment to outreach.

AAFCU sponsors the Courage Classic and Climb which benefits the Denver Children’s Hospital. It hosts the Emily Griffith Center for Children-Chins Up holiday party, Care and Share Turkey Drive, the Wacky Bike Ride benefiting Project ReCycle and Relay for Life An art scholarship program is in place in nine school districts. AACFU also offers career fairs, literacy programs and an “adopt-a-student” holiday assistance event for area schools.

AAFCU hosted the 2017 Arts, Business, Education (ABE) Consortium which annually honors local educators, businesses and individuals who contribute to the arts in education.

Corporate headquarters are located at 9810 N. Union Blvd., with nine branches are throughout El Paso County, Parker and Highlands Ranch.

Online courses and tuition reimbursement are among the programs available to AAFCU employees.

In addition to full service banking, AAFCU has a Foundation that promotes “education and life-long

financial responsibility for people of all ages.” The Foundation partners with public education foundations, universities, libraries, Chambers of Commerce, and others to achieve this goal. A variety of activities have been designed to address different life stages. The annual Going for the Green Golf Classic, with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado benefits the educational programs.

For example, seminars and workshops are routinely offered addressing topics as diverse as early savings for children, estate planning, Social Security, first time home buying, college savings and more.

The credit union recently introduced its My Way Loan. Qualified applicants can customize personal, auto, motorcycle and recreational loans to set the length, anywhere from one to 30 years, and payment schedule that works for them.

The 2016 annual report also stated that AAFCU surpassed $550 million in total assets This represented growth of $39 million. Its loan portfolio grew to $464 million and its mortgage portfolio increased $17 million.

In all, AAFCU loaned its members $244 million in 2016.

THANK YOU

2017 BEST WORKPLACES SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PREMIER AUTO CARE SPONSOR

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22 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 2

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company

LEARNINGRX

Pioneers in field of brain training

BY TONY PECK

Special to the Gazette —

LearningRx is a company that measures its success in their clients’ improved cognitive skills rather than the company’s profit margins.

The company operates a network of 90 franchises across the country and an additional 32 centers across the world.

Their goal is simple, “Train the cognitive weaknesses behind the struggles you or your child have been experiencing.”

The company was founded by Dr. Ken Gibson in 2003.

Dr. Gibson is an optometrist by trade who started his career in Appleton, WI. He quickly became interested in vision therapy which ultimately led to

UCCS IS PROUD TO BE NAMED A TOP WORKPLACE. Thank you, to our valued employees for their hard work and dedication. Your efforts have positively impacted the lives of thousands of Southern Colorado students.

him pioneering the field of brain training techniques.

With the help of neurologists and other medical experts he developed a one-on-one cognitive training program that eventually became LearningRx. He described the company during a Q&A with The Gazette in 2014.

“LearningRx is a brain training service program where we offer exercises to strengthen seven major categories of cognitive skills; attention, short-term memory, long-term memory, processing speed, visual processing, auditory processing, and logic and reasoning.”

They achieve this by offering a variety of programs at their centers.

The company’s core program is called ThinkRx which is offered over a minimum of 12 weeks.

During that time the client is paired

up with a personal trainer.

The client begins the program by taking a cognitive skills assessment and then returning for a consultation about the results.

The training program runs from the minimum 12 weeks to a maximum of 32.

At the end the client takes a final test to measure the success of the program.

They also offer programs such as ReadRx and MathRx that target the cognitive functions critical to math and reading.

LearningRx even offers adults a Brain Booster program designed to offer mental exercises to clients requiring a more flexible schedule.

All of these programs are backed by extensive studies.

Their website explains that, “35 years

Champions change.

Good journalism doesn’t.

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 23

of research, four iterations of programs, and studies on the results of more than 90,000 clients have gone into the making of LearningRx today.”

When The Gazette asked him in 2014 how his service compared to the competition Gibson said, “We have the biggest collection of data on cognitive training in the world, and almost everyone completes our program once they start it.”

He continues to explain that client satisfaction ratings averaged around 9.5 out of 10.

Learning Rx was also able to stay stable during the recession and has since experienced an explosion in growth.

They just celebrated training their 100,000th student with their 100k Giveaway Event in October.

Dr. Gibson’s words from three years ago sums up what LearningRx is all about.

“Never be fully satisfied with what you are doing. Always be looking for ways you can improve.”

“

There is a genuine caring about employees and for our system as a whole. We want people to succeed and to change lives.

— LEARNINGRX EMPLOYEE

COURTESY PHOTO

Dr. Ken Gibson

Congratulations to the 2017 Best Workplaces nominees and winners!

Your New Career Awaits.

The Chamber & EDC is proud to partner with The Gazette to recognize the businesses that drive our region forward.

Thank you for helping create a business climate where all companies can thrive.

HiringHappyPeople.com

24 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

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company

SOLID ROCK CUSTOM HOMES

Unique approach to home building earns praise

BY TONY PECK

Special to The Gazette —

Solid Rock Custom Homes prides itself on providing the best home remodeling and building experience in Colorado Springs.

Lain Chappell founded the company in 1995, after graduating from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and settling in the area.

The company has been providing home construction services to the Pikes Peak region for 22 years.

Throughout that time Colorado Springs has become one of the nation’s top housing markets.

Earlier this year The Gazette reported that if trends continued through the rest of the year then home construction could equal that of last year, when it climbed to the highest point since before the Great

Recession.

In a market that seems to be good for everybody Solid Rock Custom Homes has a unique approach to home building.

“We believe the home building process is more than constructing a beautiful home,” says their website.

“It is establishing a collaborative relationship between our clients, our contractors and ourselves.”

This unique approach to homebuilding and remodeling has earned them several accolades.

They have been awarded the best of Houzz for the past five years.

Houzz.com is one of the leading online platforms for custom home construction and remolding in the nation.

Solid Rock Custom Homes is active on the site, leaving a thankful com-

ment on almost every review of their work.

“Thank you for your review,” the Solid Rock team says to one client.

“Your new home has a wonderful charm like no other. It was truly a pleasure working with you.”

They also received the 2015 Parade of Homes award and the Better Business Bureaus’ Excellence Award in Ethics in 2014.

In addition to working on homes, Solid Rock Custom Homes has a history of working with the community.

A recent example is their work with the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association.

The HBA reached out to local contractors to help build an access ramp at the home of Chuck and Helen Armstrong.

Their website explains that the

To the entire ISSAC Team,

THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication!

10 YEARS RUNNING

Established 2006

Your Excellence Drives Our Success!!

ISSAC Corp

www.ClassicHomes.com

6760 Corporate Drive, Suite 240 Colorado Springs, CO 80919

www.issaccorp.com

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 25

“

The leaders are very involved and passionate about what they do. It’s obvious that they care about every one and every last detail.

— SOLID ROCK CUSTOM HOMES EMPLOYEE

COURTESY SOLID ROCK CUSTOM HOMES

HBA, “makes it easy for each one of us to become a partner in improving our community and the lives of those who surround us.”

Through their support, Solid Rock Custom Homes was able to provide a

service to a couple with ties to Colorado Springs dating all the way back to 1957.

When the company expresses a desire to build relationships with their clients they are in it for the long haul.

“We are a company whose foundation was built on referrals and containing relationships,” they explain.

“We guarantee to deliver you an extraordinary home in an extraordinary way.”

YOUR COMPETITORS ARE SO JEALOUS! Congratulations to the

2017

BEST WORKPLACES

winners and nominees!

Monster and The Gazette are proud to be in your corner. gazette.com/jobs

26 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

{ { No. 3

EXTRA L A RG E

company

UCCS

“

There is meaning in seeing a blissful, eager 18 year old light up when they move in to college.

— UCCS EMPLOYEE

University has transformed itself to increase opportunities for students

BY ROBIN INTEMANN

Special to The Gazette —

The views from the windows at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs practically pale when compared to the doors that open for students through the numerous educational opportunities available.

“The initial university programs of engineering and businesses still serve as pillars of the university and are joined by a broad range of degree programs offered in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional programs in nursing, education and public affairs, to meet the needs of Colorado’s second-largest metropolitan area and beyond,” writes Andrea Cordova on the UCCS website.

UCCS offers 46 bachelor’s, 22 master’s and five doctoral programs. U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges ranks it ninth among Western regional public universities. Many of its programs also merit national recognition. The student/faculty ratio, as reported in 2016, is 17 to 1.

UCCS is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado System. Venkat Reddy is the seventh full-time chancellor of UCCS and a 25-year member of its faculty.

Cordova further writes, “As early as the 1920s, the University of Colorado offered courses at numerous Colorado Springs locations including Colorado College and various storefronts. By the mid-1960s, community leaders were pressing for a full-fledged University of Colorado presence in the community.”

The campus along Austin Bluffs Parkway, originally the site for the Cragmoor Sanitarium, a facility for tuberculosis treatment, began offering classes in 1965. It has grown from an original 80 acres to roughly 450 more and extends to North Nevada Avenue.

The Gazette reported in September 2017, that for the 11th consecutive year, UCCS set an enrollment record.

This fall, UCCS enrolled 12,422 students which is 427 more than in fall 2016. This represents a 3.6 percent increase over the previous year. Of those students, 10,437 are undergraduates and 1,822 are graduate students.

All 50 states are represented among the students and more than 2,000 are affiliated with the military. An addi-

CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE FILE

Students walk on the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus. tional 3,300 students are enrolled in online programs.

Last January, UCCS was named a Gold Level Military Friendly School

by Victory Media, a publishing company serving military veterans and their families.

More than 43,000 students have graduated since 1965. A record number of 1,532 received degrees last spring.

UCCS graduates include Olympic athletes, corporate leaders, artists, musicians, medical professionals, lawyers, philanthropists, engineers, professors, a C-Span talk show host and a Pulitzer Prize winning poet, among many others.

The growth is evident in such facilities as on-campus housing, which first opened in 1996, along with the CU School of Medicine branch within the Lane Center for Academic Health Sciences, which opened in 2014. The Ent Center for the Arts, slated to open in

January 2018, is designed as a stateof-the-art visual and performing arts complex.

UCCS is recognized as one of the largest employers in southern Colorado with 1,680 people. This includes professors, instructors, clinical faculty, research faculty, classified staff, student workers and others.

The university generates more than $450+ million in annual economic impact to El Paso County, according to the UCCS website.

UCCS is a member of the Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium, which is designed to increase higher education access and completion. The consortium is comprised of nine other Colorado universities, colleges and junior colleges.

In addition to working with other higher education entities, UCCS maintains several community partnerships to further expand opportunities for its students.

THE GAZETTE CONGRATULATES ALL OF THE 2017 BEST WORKPLACES SMALL COMPANIES Action Ready Mix LLC Aerotek Amnet Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado CenterPointe Family Medicine Churchill Mortgage Elevated Insights Integrity Applications Incorporated ISSAC Corp Luisa Graff Jewelers Magnum Shooting Center NFP Corporate Services (CO), Inc. Navakai Newell LedBetter Advertising Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center Pikes Peak United Way REMAX Advantage Realty, Inc. Solid Rock Custom Homes

Springs Hosting Terra Verde The Treasure Davis Team

Winslow BMW

LARGE COMPANIES Air Academy Federal Credit Union MIDSIZE COMPANIES Advantage Manufacturing Bible Electric Blazer Electric Aspen Auto Clinic Supply Company Bank of Colorado Boecore, Inc. Care and Share Bryan Construction Food Bank California Casualty Catholic Charities of Classic Homes Central Colorado Endodontic Specialists of Delta Solutions & Strategies, LLC Colorado P.C. Diversified Machine Fireplace Warehouse Systems, LLC LearningRx Firm Solutions McCloskey Motors Inc. Garden of the Gods Modern Technology Collection Solutions, Inc. Healthsouth Rehabilitation Oakwood Homes Hospital Colorado Colorado Springs Springs Pima Medical Institute LVW Electronics Six & Geving Insurance McDivitt Law Firm Space Foundation Stockman Kast Ryan + Co. Outreach Inc. Peoples Bank TCA, Inc.

Rampart Supply Red Noland Auto Group Team Select Home Care Timberline Landscaping EXTRA-LARGE COMPANIES Colorado Springs School District 11 Ent Credit Union GE Johnson Construction Company Griffis/Blessing, Inc. Heating & Plumbing Engineers, Inc. Nursing & Therapy Services of Colorado, Inc. (NTSOC) Pikes Peak Library District T. Rowe Price The Resource Exchange University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

28 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

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company

BOECORE, INC.

Formula combines growth, success

BY TONY PECK

Special to The Gazette —

The employee-first work culture of Boecore Inc. has helped the cybersecurity company prosper throughout its 17-year run.

Founder and CEO Kathy Boe started the company with $5,000 in a basement office.

Her goal was to create an employee-centric business that combines cybersecurity and software engineering.

Boe has since brought the company up to over 250 employees.

Most work out of the corporate headquarters in downtown Colorado Springs while several dozen are located at regional offices across the country.

To Boecore, growth and success are synonymous.

“Growth is a natural motivator — our

To our employees:

Thanks We love you, too!

for nominating us.

719-442-6683 • www.amnet.net

growth has averaged between 15 percent and 16 percent during the past five years,” Boe told The Gazette in 2015.

Part of Boecore’s early development came while participating in a mentor-protégé program with Northrop Grumman for several years.

The Department of Defense sponsored program is designed to help small businesses evolve from handling subcontracting work to acquiring prime contracts of their own.

Through relationships like the one with Northrop Grumman, Boecore worked subcontracts with the Missile Defense Agency, Department of Homeland Security, as well as several entities within the Defense Department.

Notable examples include their work on a four-way shared contract of almost $500 million where Boecore

competes with the other contractors to win orders from the Army Space and Missile Defense Command and other military units.

Their most recent success came this year as Boecore secured its largest prime contract of its 17 years.

In July the contractor won a five-year $93 million deal with the Air Force to provide U.S. and allied military commands early warning of ballistic missile launches.

This milestone proves that Boe’s vision for the company back in 2000 is not only profitable but worthy of praise.

And the company has seen no shortage of praise.

In addition to several industry accolades for excellence they received the 2013 Colorado Springs Business Alliance Company of the Year Award.

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 29

“

Boecore’s mission is one that I truly believe in, and that is plenty of motivation in itself.

— BOECORE, INC. EMPLOYEE

COURTESY BOECORE, INC.

Boecore has also received back to back nods from the Colorado Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, winning the 2016-17 awards for supporting employees and their military service.

Service is a central theme to the company. Roughly a third of active Boecore employees are either a veter-

an or still serving.

The attention to its people is not confined to the workplace either.

Every year a group of Boecore employees volunteer with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity. There are also various barbecues and company outings across Colorado Springs which

further foster Boe’s vision of employee-centric community.

The continued growth of the company is a testament to the successes of the company’s core philosophy: “The Boecore Way means that Boecore employees quickly realize they are not (and never will be) just a number.”

Thank you.

We’re proud to be among the 2017 BEST WORKPLACES in our hometown.

From the updated training facilities at the Olympic Training Center to state-of-the-art buildings for our warriors at Fort Carson, and from the expanding campus of UCCS to Bal Seal Engineering’s gleaming new manufacturing plant, we’ve been building and renovating Colorado Springs for over 39 years.

And thanks to your support, we look forward to many, many more.

Scott A. Bryan Founder and CEO

Bal Seal Engineering

2017 Best Places to Work_Thank You_110817_4.64x5.43_quarter page.indd 1

Commercial ● Multifamily Federal ● Facility Services Bryan Construction.com

11/8/2017 1:30:30 PM

30 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

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company

SIX AND GEVING INSURANCE

Unique company focused on serving the community

BY TONY PECK

Special to The Gazette —

Six and Geving Insurance is a local company with a big focus on small businesses.

Founded in 1990 under the name of Six Insurance & Management the company adopted its current name shortly after.

Almost 28 years later, co-founders Wayne Six and Randy Geving have a combined 80 years of insurance experience between them.

“Both found themselves in Colorado Springs,” said Vice President Joe Doyle.

“We started with nothing and grew into what we are today,” he explained proudly.

“They are wonderful men to work for.”

When they set out Six and Geving

had a modest client list but have since grown their company to 36 employees and 3,200 clients.

Those employees are split between two offices, with the home base here in Colorado Springs and an additional office in Lakewood.

Doyle told The Gazette that roughly 40 percent of its clients are small businesses in El Paso and Teller counties.

A focus on smaller clients is not unique to insurance companies but Six and Geving has one group of clients that sets it apart, roughly 400 religious practices throughout the region.

“It is real treat to serve that segment of the Springs,” expressed Doyle.

Providing services to the religious community is a central piece of

the company’s mission statement, “Treating all people as we wish to be treated under the guidance and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

One of the things that allows the company to pick and choose the sections of the market to focus on is that they are locally owned.

There is no corporate office on the other side of the country demanding that they adhere to a nationwide strategy.

This freedom has created a work environment that Six and Geving employees seem happy to stay with.

Doyle explained that the average length of employment across the company is over ten years, with the VP entering his 21st year.

That is a length of time that overlaps with the recession of 2008, a period that strongly affected Six and

Why is Blazer Electric Supply the BEST Place to work?

Congratulates the 2017 BEST WORKPLACES Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, EDC & Visitor Center 166 Second St./P.O. Box 147 Monument, CO 80132 719-481-3282 Office www.trilakeschamber.com

B Blazer E Electric S Service T Team!

With an emphasis on customer service, employee happiness and community service, we are the BEST! Thank you to our employees who enjoy and thrive in this workplace every day!

6125 Omaha Blvd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80915

719-596-1333

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 31

“

Helping people is the main focus and it is rewarding.

— SIX AND GEVING INSURANCE EMPLOYEE

COURTESY PHOTO

Geving’s commercial client base.

Although the period was difficult for the company they have been experiencing a slow and steady growth for the past eight years.

And recently there is plenty of new business to go around.

“On the contracts side, our guys

have plenty of work for the next couple of years,” said Doyle.

Even when the economy was struggling Six and Geving focused on giving back to the Colorado Springs community.

They have been involved with the Care and Share Food Bank and their

leadership is part of the Board of Governors. This involvement has brought them recognition in the past, winning the Colorado Springs Best in Business 2015.

But to Doyle it is not about recognition, “Really our mission comes from a desire to serve the community.”

It is an honor to be named a 2017 Best Workplace by The Gazette!

GRIFFIS

BLESSING

Thank you to all our employees!

Without you, we wouldn’t be successful in what we do!

We appreciate all your hard work & dedication! www.gbrents.com www.griffisblessing.com 719-520-1234

32 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

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company

LUISA GRAFF JEWELERS

Helping people create unforgettable magic

BY CAROL MCGRAW

Special to The Gazette —

When Jan Hemingson retired from school administration work, she knew exactly where she wanted to have a second career: Luisa Graff Jewelers.

“It was the only retailer that I considered,” she said. She’d been a customer and knew it to be a store she could trust and a place that was inviting. She has been head of human resources at the store for nine years and is as enthusiastic as ever.

“It’s fun creating magical moments for our guests. Our jewelry is one of a kind and we love finding good homes for it,” she says.

Yes, the store’s customers are called guests to emphasize the friendly atmosphere. The 27 full time employees are referred to as teammates which

FIREPLACES: We carry more than 20 of the top brands, and virtualy endless styles to choose from.

OUTDOOR LIVING: Now you can finally give your outdoor living space the makeover you’ve always dreamed of.

HEATING & COOLING: Keep your home nice and comfortable, regardless of what mother nature is up to outside.

SERVICE: When your fireplace or HVAC unit needs to be serviced, you need a team you can trust.

Colorado Springs Showroom 1722 Paonia Street Colorado Springs, CO 80915 (719) 593-0355 www.fpwhs.com Additional locations in Denver and Fort Collins.

reflects the workplace camaraderie.

The staff members don’t wear the salesman mantle so much as they are considered educators of a complex subject. Continuing education for themselves and customers is a challenge the employees enjoy.

As part of that, they hold monthly seminars for guests. A recent topic: colored diamonds.

Some of the employees are designated “diamond librarians,” who will research unusual shapes, sizes and colors of stones for the guests wanting to have their vision interpreted in the design studio.

The décor is also part of the attraction, for employees and customers. Painted murals depict inviting scenes, some from founder Luisa Graff’s Peruvian childhood. In one painting, two swans form a heart

with their long elegant necks. It’s the store’s trademark.

And of course there are the hand selected jewels: diamonds, tanzanites, rubies, blue topaz, aquamarines, alexandrites and even polished pieces of stones that fell from outer space.

All this has helped make Luisa Graff Jewelers the fastest growing business of its type in Colorado, says Andrew Graff, sales manager. He adds that much of the success of the independent store is their emphasis on ethics and trust.

Graff, 33, has been hanging around jewelry stores since he was a kid.

Sometimes he faked being sick so he could go to work with his mother and melt gold with a torch in the design studio. Luisa Graff founded the store in 1999. She fled Peru at age 14 to live with an aunt in the United States af-

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 33

ter the family gold mines were take taken during a military coupe. Luisa attended college, received a gemologist education and eventually was part owner in a store before opening her own business.

Six years ago the store fortuitously moved from Centennial Blvd. to 5901 N. Nevada as the blossoming of the North Nevada economic corridor was getting under way. It’s near the University of Colorado at Colorado and the U.S. Air Force Academy — perfectly positioned for a place with the motto “Where Colorado Gets Engaged.”

Andrew Graff coined the motto.

He left the U.S. Navy special forces in 2013 after eight years as an engineer. He made the change, he says, because of his “nerdy” passion for geology, gemology, metallurgy and astronomy (the store has some jewelry made of meteorites.

The employees share that fascination and are also inspired by the family’s history of hard work.

“

At the end of the day, if everyone on my team does well, we create something beautiful that is a part of a major life moment for our guests.

— LUISA GRAFF JEWELERS EMPLOYEE

MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE FILE

Karen Lepler, who is the store’s events coordinator, loves the atmosphere and emphasis on learning.

“It’s creative and exciting. I never go home drained. We work hard but it’s an ‘I had a great day’ feeling.”

THANK YOU! TO OUR EMPLOYEES FOR MAKING US A

TOP WORKPLACE

When Darin Bible started 20 years ago, he had a clear direction of where he wanted to take his electrical business. Slowly but surely he began to assemble a workforce of over 130 of the finest electricians the front range has ever seen. This crew has taken his vision and put it into motion by putting the customer above all else and providing a product that is second to none. While he continues to grow and improve his business, he is greatful for all of the hard work this team of dedicated employees has given and continues to give.

Cheers to another 20 years!

Commercial Industrial Government Multi-Family

www.BibleElectric.com

719-265-5066

Design-Build

The employees note that the job is also satisfying because their guests are smiling and at their happiest of times.

Andrew Graff puts it this way: “We are helping people be unforgettable.”

Building Independence for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ...and remarkable abilities!

This recognition is a testament to our commitment to staff and to creating the kind of culture we are deeply fortunate to have.

This comes neither easily nor without sacrifice. We try things. Some succeed.

Others fail. We proceed forward, learning from our mistakes and committing anew to the pure power of our aspirations.

You inspire me, and I am very lucky to work alongside you.

Congrats to you, our amazing supervisors, our Board of Directors, our army of volunteers, and our incredible staff!

Congratulations to the

2017 Colorado Springs

Best Workplaces!

David Ervin CEO

The science of recruiting.

Accelerating recruitment advertising revenue by using technology to reach the right candidates at the right time. www.recruitology.com

6385 Corporate Drive, Suite 301 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 (719) 380-1100 www.tre.org

8 8

Named a

2017 Best Workplace

by The Gazette

Join the Fun. Work with dedicated people doing great work in our community!

It’s Faith in Action.

BE ON THE

LOOKOUT! VOTING BEGINS JANUARY 5, 2018

gazette.com/bestof

Creating Revenue for Businesses Through Data.

719-900-2540 | www.datajoesoftware.com

JOIN US IN RAISING

OVER $1 MILLION for 20 nonprofits that support the people of the Pikes Peak region Individual Donation

■ American Red Cross of Southeastern Colorado

■ Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care

■ Care and Share Food Bank

■ Silver Key Senior Services

■ Catholic Charities of Central Colorado

■ TESSA

■ CPCD... giving children a head start

■ The Home Front Cares

■ Ecumenical Social Ministries

■ The Resource Exchange

■ Griffith Centers for Children Chins Up

■ The Salvation Army of El Paso County

■ Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains

■ Tri-Lakes Cares

■ Mercy’s Gate

■ Urban Peak

■ Partners in Housing

■ Westside CARES

■ Peak Vista Community Health Centers

■ YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region

DONATE TODAY AND LEARN MORE AT:

FILLANEMPTYSTOCKING.ORG or call us at 719-476-1673 between 10am – 2pm M-F to make your donation.

Corporate/Organization Donation $10,000 $5,000 $2,500 $1,000 $500 Other: $ ___________ Corporation/Organization: _______________________________________________ Contact: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: ____________________ E-mail: ___________________________________

Make Your Donation Today Telephone credit card or stock donations: 719-476-1673 Secure online donations: FillAnEmptyStocking.org Check donations: Make payable to the Empty Stocking Fund Mail-in credit card donations: Credit card number: ___________________________________ Exp. Date: ________ Security Code digits (3 on back of Visa, MasterCard or Discover and 4 on front of AMEX) ________ Signature: ___________________________________________________________ Donors will be acknowledged in The Gazette. Name(s) as you would like it to appear: ____________________________________________________________________ I wish to remain ANONYMOUS.

Please cut and fill out this donation form, place it in a stamped envelope and drop it in the mail.

PARTNER AGENCIES

$1,000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $25 Other: $ ____________ Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________State: ______ Zip: _________ Phone: ____________________ E-mail: ___________________________________

Mail completed form and payment to: P.O. Box 910942, Denver, CO 80291-0942. Tax receipts will be sent to the name and address above after the conclusion of the campaign. For income tax reporting, telephone credit card donations must be called in by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 26. El Pomar Foundation caps its donation at $200,000. Bruni Foundation caps its donation at $70,000. When submitting this form, please allow 10 days to 2 weeks to process credit cards.

WHAT DOES YOUR

DONATION

PROVIDE?

$20 prov ide s $20 0 help s $2,0 0 0 provides 150 meals to Southern two youths get their IDs 1,000 Colorado neighbors and birth certificates showers

$2 0,0 0 0 a s s ists 545 clients in case management

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A CLOSER LOOK INSIDE …

THE GAZETTE’S BEST WORKPLACES SPECIAL ADVERTORIAL GUIDE

38 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

LUISA GRAFF JEWELERS:

Where Colorado gets engaged Courtesy of Luisa Graff Jewelers

LUISA GRAFF JEWELERS is a family-owned jewelry store that focuses on quality, education and service. We are a full-service jewelry store that believes in serving Colorado Springs. We love to get involved with other organizations and want to make a difference in Colorado Springs, where our families live. We also believe that serving with love means getting very involved in our community and giving back.

That is why we donate to over 50 local organizations per year. We can do this and keep our prices low because we have kept our overhead very low.

Our team consists of 28 individuals, with a core staff of three experienced jewelers, two members who are gemologists and five gemological students. All of our new associates receive extensive mentoring, and study with our own Luisa Graff University. Luisa Graff University consists of learning the background of how Luisa Graff Jewelers originated and includes the gemological study of diamonds and natural gemstones. Our guests will speak with knowledgeable and passionate team members who love jewelry and are educated about the jewelry we sell. If we don’t know the answer to a question, we won’t guess, we’ll find out. Being honest and straightforward is how we do what we do. Because of our depth of knowledge and talent, we can cover the range of needs in the community, from jewelry repair and maintenance to custom modifications and original design.

We take what we do very seriously, while having fun doing it!

The employees at Luisa Graff Jewelers are people who are motivated and love to be educated every day. Luisa Graff Jewelers was developed with one simple thought, to serve with love. We found that serving with love begets love. For

us that means to serve you with respect, honesty and integrity.

That’s why we say we are your advocate. And our concept must be working as we have earned “The Best Jewelry Store” in Colorado Springs since 1999.

Branding our store as “Where Colorado Gets Engaged,” we handselect every diamond sold while also taking the time to educate our guests. We also buy diamonds direct from selected mines in Canada and Russia, with prices as fabulous as the gemstones they value. As an Antwerp Diamond Broker, we enjoy being able to find the finest diamonds available on the market. Our diamond buyer will sort through more than a hundred gems before finding a diamond we will be proud to show you. We have an extensive inventory with more than 12,000 items of fine jewelry to share with you. From gorgeous engagement and wedding sets in our exclusive bridal area, to a vault filled with loose diamonds of all sizes, shapes, colors and grades, we have just what you are looking for. We are unique in that we sell a full array of natural colored gemstones, in an increasingly synthetic marketplace.

To learn more, call 719-260-0100 or visit LuisaGraffJewelers.com.

Luisa Graff and son Andrew Graff

THE GAZETTE I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I 39

ASPEN AUTO CLINIC CORPORATE SERVICES: Full-service program designed to keep your company vehicles safely on the road, making you money Courtesy of Aspen Auto Clinic Corporate Services

WHEN YOU CHOOSE A DOCTOR, DENTIST, OR LAWYER, you look for experience, top qualifications and peace of mind. This provides assurance that your investment in their services will protect you and care for you. Your choice in a mechanic is equally important. A vehicle carries precious cargo with your employees and your materials — many times your fleet vehicles are the true lifeline for your business.

In designing our Corporate Services program, our goal at Aspen Auto Clinic is to offer companies such as yours a vehicle maintenance program that truly holds value. Every member of our team fully understands that your

revenue is heavily reliant upon your fleet vehicles.

Aspen Auto Clinic has been awarded BEST Mechanic 18 times and we are very proud of the service our ASE-certified and Master ASE-certified technicians provide. They are the best in the Springs and Denver, and with ongoing training and education, we ensure that our technicians are kept up-to-date to service each and every one of your vehicles.

Aspen Corporate Services members receive discounts on repairs and a customized maintenance schedule based on the miles driven for each car, truck or van. Your assigned service manager works as a resource

to your company — knowing your vehicles’ and team’s needs, and managing a service plan to eliminate down time. We will work with your schedule to provide service and repairs quickly, we even offer towing for those unexpected breakdowns.

As an Aspen Corporate Service Member your employees are eligible for discounted maintenance programs that will allow them to experience the same excellence in service as your company vehicles.

In addition to the security you have in knowing the most knowledgeable and reliable ASE-certified mechanics are maintaining your vehicles, we back up our work with a two-year,

24,000 mile corporate warranty on parts and labor (3 year, 36,000 mile warranty on personal vehicles). Aspen Corporate Service also provides special discounts on auto accessories, services, gift cards — even getaways that you can give to employees, clients or to use as incentives.

We look forward to customizing a program for your company with Aspen Corporate Services for all of your vehicles’ needs. We look forward to working with you and building a lifelong relationship with you!

For more information, call Marianne Fields at 719-3514400 or e-mail Marianne@ AspenAutoClinic.com.

OAKWOOD HOMES: The Gazette’s Best Workplaces finalist Courtesy of Oakwood Homes

WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID,

“Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.” This quote embodies the dedication and spirit of a team who is driven to succeed.

The Division President, Aric Jones, and each associate within the Oakwood Homes Colorado Springs team are determined to tackle each obstacle with enthusiasm to surpass the goals set before them.

In the past two years, the Colorado Springs team has more than doubled in associate count growing from a team of 16 to 44 associates by the end of this year. What sets this team apart? Integrity, customer focus, adaptability, passion and a people-first attitude are values

modeled by every associate.

There is an unspoken rule within the team that each person works hard, but has fun while doing it.

The mantra for this team is, “Your customer does not care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” stated by Damon Richards. Each of the Oakwood associates are charged with “delighting their customer” daily and working to build customers for life. We believe a customer will remember and resonate with the small acts of kindness.

In this past year, the Oakwood Homes Colorado Springs division has given back thousands of dollars and many labor hours to the local community through a program called “Oakwood Homes Gives Back.” A few of the beneficiaries

have been St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, CASA, Cheyenne Village, The Children’s Literacy Center and Peak Vista Behavioral Health Centers.

In addition to the philanthropic activities, the Oakwood team enjoys time spent with co-workers and loves to have fun! This year a few of these activities have included a fall tail-gate party with pumpkin carving, a corn hole tournament, the annual St. Patrick’s Day lunch event, Thanksgiving potluck and the annual family summer picnic, to name a few. The month of October was spent supporting Breast Cancer Awareness because one of Oakwood’s own is currently fighting this battle.

“Every December our office team

supports our field associates through Field Appreciation Month.

Our field team consists of our New Home Counselors, Builders and Customer Care associates,” stated Christy Selvig, Director of New Home Center and Production.

One of the key factors in building this strong Oakwood team has been seeking individuals who are driven in their pursuit of excellence.

Jones uses the following analogy, “Each of our associates comes to us with a tool belt with a variety of tools already on it. We want to utilize those tools; however, we also want to continue adding tools to further grow the individual and grow our company.”

To learn more about Oakwood Homes and our team, visit Oakwoodhomesco.com.

40 I BEST WORKPLACES 2017 I THE GAZETTE

HEALTHSOUTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF COLORADO SPRINGS:

Working miracles one patient at a time Courtesy of HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Colorado Springs

WHEN YOU HAVE THE WORD “HEALTH” IN YOUR NAME, it

permeates through everything that you do! HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital has been providing health to the community since 1991.

Our goal is to take the sickest patients, with debilitating injuries and disease processes, and through aggressive rehabilitation get them home. Patients typically enter the hospital on a stretcher and walk out of the hospital a couple weeks later. Many patients have suffered strokes and neurological conditions such as MS or Parkinson’s disease. Even the senior that has started to fail at home is a great candidate for rehabilitation, so they can continue to maintain their independence.

“We are the only freestanding

Rehabilitation Hospital in the community,” said CEO, Steve Schaefer. “It is a completely different level of care than the skilled nursing homes that offer rehab services.” Physicians’ are onsite and seeing patients daily, therapists have state-ofthe-art technology to treat all conditions, and a mix of Certified Rehabilitation Nurses along with Registered Nurses are at the bedside taking care of the patients. “We used to hire based on experience only and now we hire based on who has the biggest heart! Skills can be taught, but compassion and empathy for your fellow human being is something that you exude on a daily basis or you don’t,” said Schaefer.

A perk that was added a couple

years ago was an employee gym filled with cardio equipment, weights and room for wellness classes. Employees can use the facility 24/7 so that R.N. that is taking a lunch break at 2 a.m. can jump on a treadmill and get a quick workout. Employees can also participate in companysponsored yoga, strength and conditioning and other classes.

Employees that play together — stay together and HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital has leveraged sponsorships to keep employees active in the community without having to fundraise for a variety of events.

The MS Walk, Spartan Race, Ragnar 24 Hour Relay and the Traumatic Brain Injury’s Scale the Peak are just a few of the events

employees participated in over the past year.

Being recognized as a “Great Place to Work” really starts with the front line employees. All 140 employees understand that they are caregivers and part of the team that has been assembled to treat, nurture, and heal patients and their families. HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital is truly honored to join the other companies that are being recognized for the great work that they do. We would like to thank our patients for allowing us to do what we do every day and to participate in the miracle of health that many of our patients receive at our hospital!

To learn more, visit HealthSouthColoradoSprings.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11: One of Best Workplaces in Colorado Springs Courtesy of Colorado Springs School District D11

COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11 has

been recognized as one of the best workplaces in Colorado Springs! District 11 offers a wide variety of job opportunities with great benefits. Both full-time and part-time positions are available.

D11 is looking for qualified bus drivers, kitchen assistants, special education teachers, roving kitchen managers, guest staff teachers, English language learner teacher and food service substitutes.

District 11’s Food and Nutrition Services Department supports student achievement through quality nutritious meals, a positive and safe environment, promotion of student wellness, and a commitment to continuous improvement. The commitment

and service of our guest staff teachers and educational support professional substitutes are true gifts to our staff, students, parents, and community.

The goal of District 11’s Human Resources Department is to attract, develop and retain a diverse, skilled, and motivated high-performing team of individuals who are leaders committed to increase student achievement. Every day we are seeking highly-qualified, creative educators who are passionate about serving students.

Apply today to start an exciting career at one of the best workplaces in Colorado Springs.

For more information, visit our website at d11.org/jobs or call Human Resources at 719-520-2169.

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RAMPART PLUMBING AND HEATING SUPPLY: ‘Working Harder For You’ Courtesy of Rampart Plumbing and Heating Supply

WORKING HARDER FOR YOU … those four simple words have

embodied the customer centric mentality of Colorado-based Rampart Plumbing & Heating Supply’s company since its early days. Anyone could sell plumbing supplies, but Joe Perry’s vision for Rampart Supply focused on two key principles: relationships and inventory.

The year was 1968, when Perry, a WWII vet, set out on a quest to build his own plumbing supply house.

Identifying a gap in the market, Perry saw an opportunity to be the plumbing supply house that provided the absolute best service and offered the largest and most diversified stock in Colorado. With very little money, a lot of hard work, some great people and bit of good luck, Perry’s vision became a reality. His affinity for the

Front Range inspired the business name and Rampart Plumbing & Heating Supply was born.

Since its humble beginnings in 1968, the Rampart Supply name has been linked to integrity, passion and a strong sense of community.

As a local, family-owned company, philanthropy and community involvement have long been a staple of Rampart Supply’s core values; and they have generously supported numerous local non-profit organizations and charities.

They recognize the need for a personal touch and are committed to adding value to each and every interaction. Rampart customers restassured that they not only get the best products in the industry; they get the best products backed by passionate people who strive to go

above and beyond.

Rampart Supply’s family-owned company has progressed into a local leader in the plumbing and heating supply industry. Presently, Rampart’s business includes plumbing, hydronic heating and industrial Pipe, Valve and Fittings (PVF), spanning residential, commercial and industrial markets. From its inception as a small plumbing supply house with three employees, Rampart Supply has grown into a company with three branches, over 500,000 square feet of stocked shelves, and more than 220 employees serving the great state of Colorado.

In a time when many companies struggle with employee retention, Rampart’s family business model and their adherence to creating valuable relationships have supported a

culture where numerous employees have remained loyal for more than 20 years and those just joining the team are eager to get a decade or two under their belts.

The Rampart story has evolved over the last 50 years; however, a constant has remained at the heart of their business model: invest in what matters. They recognize their business exists, above all, because of their focus on recruiting and retaining the very best people, committing to a deep and diverse local inventory, and doing right by their customers, suppliers and their community.

Rampart Supply looks to the future with optimism and excitement!

Stop by today, 1801 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs. To learn more, call 719-471-7200 or visit RampartSupply.com.

MCDIVITT LAW FIRM: A team that goes above and beyond Courtesy of McDivitt Law Firm

AT ANY COMPANY, the employees

determine the day-to-day success.

However, the team at McDivitt Law Firm goes above and beyond with each team member embodying the core values of empathy, integrity, passion, professionalism, teamwork, dignity and respect. Every team member receives in-depth training on how to integrate these core values into every day interactions. Since team members all go through the same on-boarding process, everyone is accountable for upholding the same standards. This creates an environment of reliability. “The training department is unique and allows team members to be prepared, confident and successful in their role,” said Karen Dowling, training coordinator at McDivitt Law Firm.

With over 75 team members at the firm, clients can count on benefitting from the team approach as well. Every case is assigned to a team of paralegals and attorneys who handle specific case types, whether personal injury, workers’ compensation, or defective drugs and devices. This ensures thorough communication throughout the life of a case. “It is extremely helpful to have an entire staff of colleagues to lean on for support in our cases.

This allows us to give our clients the first-class service they deserve,” said McDivitt Law Firm Attorney Alessandra Morales. Team member TJ Bruyere said, “Everyone I work with at McDivitt has the same goal in mind, and they take pride in what they do. Being able to help people get back to their lives is rewarding

for the whole team.”

As the company name suggests, the team members at McDivitt Law Firm are led by the McDivitt family.

The McDivitts are involved in the daily operations of the firm and maintain a true open-door policy with each team member. “The leadership consistently makes a point of listening to each and every team member, getting feedback from us about what they can be doing to continuously improve our operation. It makes every team member feel invested in the organization knowing that success can only happen when we work as a team, and that we all have an important role to play helping our clients,” said Dan McCarthy, content producer. Mike and Karen McDivitt created McDivitt Law Firm to help

make legal representation attainable to anyone who needs it after being injured. From that initial goal, to the development of core values and hand-picking a team of legal and support professionals, McDivitt Law Firm has become one of the best workplaces in Colorado Springs.

Call 877-846-4878 for a free consultation, or visit McDivittLaw.com.

CONGRATULATIONS

to the 2017 Gazette Best Workplaces Award Winners EXTRA-LARGE COMPANIES: 299+ EMPLOYEES 1st: Pikes Peak Library District 2nd: Colorado Springs School District 11 3rd: University of Colorado, Colorado Springs LARGE COMPANIES: 76 – 299 EMPLOYEES 1st: Rampart Supply 2nd: Air Academy Federal Credit Union 3rd: Boecore, Inc. MIDSIZE COMPANIES: 30 – 75 EMPLOYEES 1st: Oakwood Homes 2nd: LearningRx 3rd: Six & Geving Insurance SMALL COMPANIES: 10 – 29 EMPLOYEES 1st: Terra Verde 2nd: Solid Rock Custom Homes 3rd: Luisa Graff Jewelers

Thanks to our team for making McDivitt Law Firm one of the

BEST PLACES TO WORK IN COLORADO SPRINGS!

18 YEAR 2000-2017

Thank You for Your Support (719) 260-0100 | LuisaGraffJewelers.com

Where Colorado Gets Engaged!