Last week was National Small Business Week, but every-time it happens I am afraid to speak of Denver. This time, it's different. Although not being named on the National scale, we had our own selection of Colorado Small Business Leaders. It makes me feel good when I hear these sorts of words.
Although not named on the National Stage, yet, Denver, and Colorado actually represented well. Due to thnat, Denver and Colorado decided to name their own "best."
Small Business Person of the Year- Antonio Colón, CEO of Combat Training Solutions.
Financial Services Champion Winner - Stephanie G.G. Gerringer, Preferred Lending Partners
Small Business Exporter of the Year - Teresa Lynch, Health Options, dba Animal Health Options
Women in Business Champion of the Year - Kelly Terrien, Summit Technical Solutions
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year - Jerome Gonzales, JG Management Systems, Inc.
Names can only tell you so much until you now a bit more about the company. So here is a bit more information. You may be one of those people that wants to make your own company succeed, but you have to take some insight from those that already have. Each statement to follow comes directly from the Small Business Administration, and that is the credence I can give these choices.
Small Business Person of the Year- Antonio Colón, CEO of Combat Training Solutions.
Antonio Colón founded Combat Training Solutions in 2005 and immediately began fulfilling a wartime acquisition by the U.S. Department of Defense for non-pyrotechnic Improvised Explosive Device (IED) simulators and training devices to help combat the growing use of IED’s in Iraq and Afghanistan. These were the first American-made simulators to enable direct contact training and enhance training realism for soldiers which resulted in significantly improved counter-IED reactionary skills.
Financial Services Champion Winner - Stephanie G.G. Gerringer, Preferred Lending Partners
Stephanie Gerringer is the Executive Director of Preferred Lending Partners, a Denver-based lending organization committed to local economic development. Since Stephanie joined Preferred Lending in 2000, she has repositioned preferred lending to achieve incredible levels of profitability and community service and aided in the development of new initiatives that include support for the Denver Enterprise Center.
Small Business Exporter of the Year - Teresa Lynch, Health Options, dba Animal Health Options
Health Options is a company that makes animal supplements for dogs, cats, and horses. Teresa Lynch began her business operations in 1990 from her home and since, has grown into an international company with sales in five countries in addition to the United States. Health Options has established long term distributor relationships in Japan, Canada, Korea, Taiwan and the Netherlands.
Women in Business Champion of the Year - Kelly Terrien, Summit Technical Solutions
Summit Technical Solutions, LLC (STS) is a company that offer professional technical services that assist other small businesses enhance their business practices. Kelly Terrien is the President and CEO of Summit Technical Solutions, LLC and has successfully grown her small business, established in 2001 with only one employee, to a company that employs over 350 employees.
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year - Jerome Gonzales, JG Management Systems, Inc.
JG Management Systems, Inc. (JGMS) is a company that specializes in technical management services. They utilize engineering methodologies to provide operational and technical support to their clients. Jerome founded JGMS in 2001 and started with one employee. Today, Jerome has grown his company to more than 57 full-time employees and 28 consultants.
It is not the entire spectrum of what Denver and Colorado has to offer, but if they say they are best, they have earned their place. Some of the companies, I have yet to be informed of, but apparently the SBA (Small Business Administration) has, so I will let it go with their choices. If you have different ideas about who and/or whom should be on this list... let me know, But you have to giver me a valid reason.
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Did you know the history of office buildings in Denver dates back more than 90 years? From the 1920s – 1960s the office work force sported tailored suits, ties and hats to work everyday and secretaries used typewriters to handle office correspondence. The first “air conditioning” was introduced to office buildings in 1945 when window air units were installed. Tenants would leave them on all night and the condensers blew on a regular basis. By 1947, central air systems were being installed and building windows were made inoperable to keep the air balanced and temperature constant. Early Denver building operators and managers was a “good ole boys club” with no women allowed and virtually all downtown Denver office buildings had elevator attendants.
2010 marks the 90th anniversary of Denver Metro BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association,) the oldest commercial real estate association in the Denver area, representing 80,000,000 square feet, nearly 75 percent, of Denver’s com
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