News for Young Professionals in Denver

Goodwill’s nextgen is a group of young professionals dedicated to making a difference through Goodwill’s Youth Services Program. They are currently accepting applications for the 2013/2014 leadership team.  

If you are interested, please contact Brandon Moore at brandon.moore@efirstbank.com or 720-341-4240.  Applications are due at noon on May 17.  

Connect with nextgen on Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about the group. Network with other young professionals, volunteer in your community, and support Goodwill! Email volunteer@goodwilldenver.org to learn more. 

The Colorado Department of Transportation was honored as a “White House Champion of Change for Transportation Innovation” for its smartphone mobile app at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. CDOT Mobile provides travelers with real-time information such as highway conditions, speeds and traffic information surrounding major projects, allowing them to make better decisions about travel mode and route.

On Wednesday May 29^th American Red Cross Mile High Region will launch Behind The Red - a new group which brings together active professionals in and around Denver to support the everyday work of the American Red Cross through volunteerism, advocacy and fundraising. 

Join Behind The Red for their launch event, complete with food, drinks, music, interactive learning stations, networking and more!  Suggested donation is $25.

Join the Denver Coworks alliance as they bring together independent workers, startups and city organizations to help educate people on how coworking is benefitting the 21st century workplace.

• * Visit, work for free and attend workshops at six different coworking spaces
• * Learn about coworking and network with freelancers, entrepeneurs and small businesses
• * Cowork, drink, eat and play kickball

Mile High Young Professionals congratulate MHYP board member April Lambatos on winning the 2013 Small Business of the Year award through the South Metro Chamber of Commerce. Lambatos is co-owner and chief operating officer of Footer's Catering alongside husband and co-owner Anthony Lambatos.

Each year, the Chamber presents the Small Business Leadership Awards to honor companies that continue to excel and grow. The emphasis of the recognition is on leadership in keeping with the Chamber’s principle of Leadership in Motion. 

The awards selebration, held at Comedy Works South in Greenwood Village on Wednesday May 1, announced the award winners in three categories: Small Business of the Year, Emerging Business of the Year and Community Leader of the Year.

Goodwill’s nextgen group is sponsoring a lunch hour volunteer opportunity for young professionals at Aurora Central High School (11700 E. 11th Ave, Aurora) on May 10^th.

nextgen will be providing students with career and college portfolio interviews for two class periods from 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. You do not need to prepare anything in advance. Feedback forms and interviewing questions will be provided.

Please join Goodwill nextgen for either or both classes! RSVP to Evan Lewis at elewis@goodwilldenver.org or 303.659.7714. 

Additionally, nextgen is currently accepting applications for the 2013/2014 leadership team. nextgen is a group of young professionals dedicated to making a difference through Goodwill’s Youth Services Program. If you are interested, please contact Brandon Moore at Brandon.moore@efirstbank.com or 720.341.4240. Applications are due at noon on May 17th. 

Connect with nextgen on Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about the group. Network with other young professionals, volunteer in your community, and support Goodwill. Email volunteer@goodwilldenver.org to learn more.

Colorado Youth at Risk is looking for available, enthusiastic professionals representing diverse vocations, skills, expertise and backgrounds to talk informally and share their career stories and tips at the 4th Annual Career Exploration Day.  This event will be held at the Auraria Campus, North Classroom Building in room 1200 on Saturday April 27 from 2.30pm-4.30pm.

CYAR wants to engage the youth in the endless variety of passions, goals & opportunities available to them and how they can see themselves succeeding as they start out in the professional world.

To get involved, please contact Sarah McGill or Marisol Rodriguez either via email or at 303-623-9140.

Ira Johnson has put a lot of energy into his work with Happy Llama. But his heart also lies with Mile High Young Professionals (MHYP), where he serves as events director. 

Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain has announced an opening for a Company Advisor Volunteer for their Business Week event, which runs between June 9- 14, 2013.

JA Business Week is a one-of-a-kind summer program that lets high school students experience the business world, develop leadership skills and focus on their futures. Interactive presentations and small group discussions delivered by prominent Colorado business executives become the academic backbone for the highly educational and informative

Visit the Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain website or contact Emily Milian at 303-628-7377 or EMilian@JAColorado.org for more information.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Colorado recognizes that there are many outstanding young professionals in the state who exemplify leadership qualities, are active in their volunteer roles and have excelled in their business communities.

The CFF will honor Colorado’s outstanding young professionals, chosen by our nominating committee, for their professional, charitable and influential accomplishments, at Colorado’s Finest 2013.

There are many ways to become involved with this great event.  For information on joining the event committee, sponsorship opportunities, purchasing event tickets or submitting nominations, contact Holly Bishop at 303-296-6610 or hbishop@cff.org

Colorado community banks increased their small-business lending by more than $214 million over their baselines using capital from the federal Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF), according to a government report released Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury report showed that SBLF participants nationwide have increased their small-business lending by about $8.9 billion since the depths of the recession in 2009.

Colorado added 10,800 payroll jobs in February, and the state's unemployment rate edged down to 7.2 percent, the lowest level in four years, the Colorado Department of Labor and Industry reported Friday.

It's the state's lowest unemployment rate since February 2009, and the eighth consecutive monthly decline in Colorado's unemployment rate. Unemployment stood at 7.3 percent in January.

Plans for a new upscale hotel and conference center across from the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora were announced Wednesday, a project that could jump-start development near the campus.

Waveland Venturessaid it has plans to build a $160 million mixed-use urban development called Block 21. It would be alongside East Colfax Avenue. The development, if approved by the Aurora City Council, would be home to a six-story, four-star hotel with 200 rooms and a 30,000-square-foot conference center on about 7.5 acres.

It would also feature a four-story apartment building with about 100 units, said Waveland Ventures CEO Rick Hayes.

Mile High Young Professionals congratulates The Denver Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Winners, announced today at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center.

Every accomplished entrepreneur and business person has faced a number of forks and potholes on their road to success. The 2013 winners of the Denver Business Journal’s Forty under 40 were asked about their journeys. At a photo shoot with DBJ photographer Kathleen Lavine at either the Forney Transportation Museum or at Highway Technologies, the winners shared their travel stories — which are included in the special section publishing online and in print March 22.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has released state employment information for January 13.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.3 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 6,000 to 2,753,500 and total employment increased 11,800 to 2,552,800 causing the number of unemployed to decline 5,800. The national unemployment rate increased one-tenth of one percentage point over the same period to 7.9 percent.

In an interview with reporters today at the Venture Capital In The Rockies event in Beaver Creek, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper revealed that the state will be partnering with a number of local CEOs and technology companies to create a $150 million VC fund.

The People’s Fair is an annual large-scale arts & crafts and music festival held the first weekend of June. Their goal is to provide family friendly entertainment for the community as well as showcase local musicians and artists and promote the missions of non-profit organizations. 

This year the People's Fair is working with other major events in Denver to make changes to our summer festivals with the intent of reducing our impacts on the environment. They are currently looking for volunteers interested in greening and recycling, to guide and educate fairgoers in the correct disposal of their waste. 

People's Fair will provide an educational seminar for all of our GREEN squad volunteers to better prepare you in spreading the knowledge needed to create a more sustainable world. If your organization would be interested in volunteering or getting involved, please email Staff@chundenver.org or call 303-830-1782 to discuss this opportunity further. 

Congratulations to April Lambatos for her recent coverage in the Denver Business Journal!

Many Mile High Young Professional members know April as our talented Membership Director, but she is also a well-respected leader in the culinary arts business.  April has her B.S. in Finance from the University of Florida and is the Co-Owner and COO of Footers Catering.

A report to be released today by the Denver Office of Economic Development details 2012 as the most successful year for the city’s Business Incentive Fund, which helped attract or retain 8 companies in Denver, creating 1,638 future jobs, $6 million in direct fiscal benefit over a five-year period and are projected to provide $162.1 million in capital investment.

Congratulations to the following Mile High Young Professionals Members for being nominated for the Denver Business Journal's 40 Under 40!

April Lambatos
Will McCollum
Julia Gentry
Aaron Goldhamer
Lindsey Day
Ty Dokken
Ira Johnson
Dan Kobler

From the Denver Business Journal:

More than 300 individuals vied for the Denver Business Journal’s 2012 Forty under 40 honors. That’s an increase of more than 100 over last year for this 16th annual event.

After being judged on their business leadership, recognition of accomplishments and community involvement, these are the 40 honorees selected this year.

These winners will be honored at an awards luncheon March 15 at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel. Those wishing to attend can register online here. The keynote speaker will be Robert A. Katz, the chairman of the board and CEO of Vail Resorts Inc.

These 40 rising stars — each under the age of 40 as of March 15 — will be profiled in a special section published in the DBJ’s March 16-22 edition. There were 471 nominations for 307 individuals for the 2012 awards. Take a look back at who took the honors in 2011 by clicking here.

About 2,400 nonfarm payroll jobs were lost in Colorado between November and December, but economists said Friday that the loss was just a blip in an ongoing job recovery.

The state's unemployment rate in December dipped to 7.6 percent from November's 7.7 percent. The unemployment figures have shown a steady decline since July, when unemployment hit 8.3 percent in Colorado.

Gov. John Hickenlooper gave a wide-ranging State of the State address Thursday, calling on lawmakers to implement background checks on all gun sales, pass legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples, and pass oil and gas regulations that are “fair, rational, and based on science,” among other topics.

The Denver Metro Chamber and Mile High Young Professionals will announce a new partnership and debut a combined young professionals group January 8, 2013 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Wynkoop Brewery. The announcement will be made as Mile High Professionals celebrates its second anniversary and will be commemorated with a special keg of Mile High YP Ale, brewed specially by Wynkoop Brewery.

“Denver was recently ranked number one in the country for attracting young professional talent,” said Ira Johnson, co-founder of Mile High Young Professionals. “The Denver Metro Chamber has always been a driving force in our community, and Mile High Young Professionals has quickly become a valuable resource for young professionals that are already here and for those looking to relocate to Denver. The collaboration power of our 48 events per year along with the credibility and influence of the Chamber will generate invaluable relationships for members.”

This unique partnership will pool together a full complement of programs to support the young professional demographic, ages 23-39, with a focus on three primary areas: social, access, and discounts and perks. Some of the membership highlights include: 

• Social
  • Networking (12 event series) – Monthly Socials are uniquely crafted to attract the most engaged and connected YP leaders in Denver.  
  • Sports (4 event series plus intramurals) – This series offers pro sport outings, intramural YP teams and intramural parties. 
  • Philanthropy (4 event series) – Several unique opportunities to get directly involved in the community and help create a better Denver.

• Access
  • Education (10 event series) –This series will provide providing educational and professional development through programs and distinguished speakers
  • Access (10 event series)- This series will get members into the room or a seat at a table with some of the top current and inspirational leaders in Denver.

• Discounts and Perks
  • Free professional headshot session courtesy of Blue House Photography ($100 value)
  • Free registration to the monthly “A Conversation With” Chamber program, an intimate dialogue with Denver’s seasoned entrepreneurs. ($1440 value)
  • Opportunity for discounted tickets by local organizations (with a Chamber Young Professionals discount card)

“Denver’s young professionals can now have it all with this new partnership and really position themselves for their emerging careers,” said Rob Rose, engagement manager at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. “The value for this combined program is unbeatable, and it provides many opportunities for young professionals to plug-in and connect in metro Denver.”

A full menu of member benefits can be found at: http://denverchamber.org/youngprofessionals

Media are welcome to attend.

About the Denver Metro Chamber

For nearly 150 years, the Denver Metro Chamber has been a leading voice for Colorado’s business community. With a membership that spans the state and includes 3,000 businesses and their 300,000 employees, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses at the local, state and federal levels. Chamber affiliates, the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center and the Colorado Competitive Council, play a vital role in defining the economic landscape of our state. For more information, go to www.denverchamber.org .

About Mile High Young Professionals

Mile High Young Professionals’ mission is to empower young professionals in Denver with all of the tools necessary to accomplish their professional and personal goals. This includes relationships developed through networking events, educational seminars, community awareness and volunteering, professional and intramural sporting events and good old fashioned business development. Mile High Young Professionals is a collaboration point for all young professional groups to gain exposure and get their message out, giving young professionals in Denver a progressive edge.  Young Professionals in the Denver community tend to network with a different energy and expectation and we want them to be able to capitalize on that as much as possible through our programs and events. For more information go to http://milehighyp.com/.

From the Denver Business Journal:

Forbes magazine announced Wednesday that Colorado ranks as the fifth-best state for business.

The magazine’s annual ranking of the Best States For Business had Utah at the top for the third consecutive year. Virginia was second, followed by North Dakota and North Carolina.

The rankings are derived from a series of criteria: business costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.

Denver area home prices in September reached their highest level in nearly five years, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Prices Index, released Tuesday.

Metro Denver home resale prices have not been as high since October 2007, according to data from the closely followed real estate report series from Standard & Poor's.

Tuesday's news that the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo won't seek a move from Denver may have struck many as a foregone conclusion after the collapse of a deal to relocate the complex next to a proposed Aurora hotel.

City leaders and stock show officials nevertheless gathered the news media to quell the bothersome notion that the venerable Denver tradition would leave the city where it originated 106 years ago.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s office said Monday that he and leaders of theNational Western Stock Show will “make an important announcement regarding the future of the Stock Show and Complex” Tuesday afternoon.

The stock show has been a Denver tradition for more than a century. But it’s leaders have contemplated leaving Denver in order to survive the next 100 years.

A message from Mayor Michael Hancock:

Friends,

Our thoughts and prayers are with those individuals and families affected by the storm up and down the eastern coast. As Hurricane Sandy continues to devastate the northeastern United States, we are reminded that it's times like these when we pull together to help those in need.

Our first responders, whom we owe a big thanks to, and our fellow Americans need our help. To find out how you can support the hurricane relief effort, please visit redcross.org or redcrossblood.org. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to contribute $10 right now.

It’s during these moments when the Denver Spirit shines brightest – please support the relief effort in any way you can.

Thank you,

Michael

After a controversial four-month battle, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced Tuesday it will not be part of the redevelopment project at 9th and Colorado Boulevard in Denver, the site of the former University of Colorado Health Sciences campus.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Ira Johnson (303) 818-0926

Dan Kobler (303) 725-5141

October 4^th, 2012, Denver. CO – Preparing for the future is one of the best investments a young professional can make in their self and career.  During these times of a slow economy and many candidates battling for the same position, gaining an edge is key. This is why Mile High Young Professionals, a Denver-based Young Professionals education and networking organization, will host the Second Annual Rocky Mountain Young Professionals Summit (RMYPS) on October 19-20.

Thousands of young professionals enter the work force every year; as a young professional do your skills stand out from the crowd? Join the RMYP Summit and gain the tools for leadership, motivation for success, and build camaraderie with peers. 

Young professionals from across the United States will gather to connect with like-minded individuals and learn from a powerful list of engaging speakers including two Keynotes: one by Richard Franklin, Father of Olympian Missy Franklin and Regional Director of the Clean Tech Open and another by Bill Vidal, Former Mayor of Denver, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver President and CEO.

Additionally, the two-day summit will offer unique social events, engaging speakers, enlightening breakout sessions, a professional networking event, tradeshow, awards banquet and more. It is an event young professionals can’t afford to miss.

On the fence about taking time out of your busy schedule to attend RMYPS? Consider these eye-opening facts:

15 Most Frightening Facts for Young Professionals (Careerealism.com)

• College education has gone up 23% in the last 10 years.
• Starting salaries have dropped 11% in the last 10 years.
• Less than 50% of students ever see the financial return on their investment in an advanced degree.
• 70 million baby boomers who should be retiring are staying in the job market, thus preventing new grads from entry into the workplace.
• 90% of young people feel they have to go to college in order to get a job. Most don’t know why they should go or what they should study.
• $100,000 is a reasonable fee for a top state or private university education.
• Less than 30% of students gain experience in a professional setting while they are still in school.
• 25 is the average age of a college grad before moving out of a parent’s house.
• 80% of jobs are achieved through networking.
• Less than 20% of grads had jobs when they graduated last year.
• The job seeker to job ratio is 6:1. Yikes!
• A young person will only spend an average of 18 months in a job.
• Today’s college grad can expect 9 careers with an average of 3 jobs in each one.
• It’s estimated that it will take 5 years to recoup the jobs we’ve lost from the recession.
• It’s estimated that it will take 10 years to fully recover from this recession.

Want to get involved? Mile High Young Professionals is in search of businesses to sponsor this unique event.  Benefits include recognition as an official sponsor, exposure throughout Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region, booth space at the tradeshow and access to the region’s most respected groups and top young professionals.

For more information or to get involved email info@milehighyp.com or visit rockymountainypsummit.com.

About Mile High Young Professionals      
Mile High Young Professionals was created to fit the need for a universal Young Professionals resource in the Denver metro area. MHYP's mission is to empower Young Professionals in Denver with all of the tools necessary to accomplish their professional and personal goals. This includes relationships developed through networking events, educational seminars, community awareness and volunteering, professional and intramural sporting events and good old-fashioned business development.

-MHYP-

Applications are now available for the Impact Denver Class of 2013!   Impact Denver was developed seven years ago to provide emerging leaders in the metro area with the foundational tools they need to become more civically engaged. We hope that you will consider applying to participate in this unique educational experience in foundational civic leadership!

Impact Denver is a six-month program that aims to capture metro Denver’s next generation of leaders in the early stages of their careers as they begin to assume leadership roles in their professional and volunteer lives. The program provides an introductory framework to the challenges confronting our region, and it helps to develop civic leadership skills such as cultural competency, asset-based thinking and board engagement.

Featuring a balanced combination of half-day issue seminars that feature influential community leaders as speakers, small group discussion work, and a year-end closing event, Impact Denver educates its participants on issues that affect our region, including education, health care, arts and culture, politics, and philanthropy. In addition, the class will be split into groups and participate in community action projects for the duration of the program, giving participants hands-on experience working with nonprofit organizations. 

Impact Denver benefits participants in their personal, professional, and civic lives. To begin your civic leadership journey,

For more than a decade, the Mayor of Denver has been reader-in-chief in heading up a city-wide book club.  Sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous, the book selected annually features tours by the selected author and a number of related events.  Past selections include classics like “To Kill a Mockingbird” and new classics including “The Help.” The 2012 One Book, One Denver program is presented by Arts & Venues Denver,Denver Public Library and McDonald’s. Partners include: The Seasoned Chef, The Bloomsbury Review, Universtiy of Colorado Denver, The Tattered Cover Bookstore,Denver8, Cafe Nuba and SKEW Media.
 
All activities and events are FREE and open to the public. Registration is required for some events. Otherwise, seating is on a first‐come, first‐served basis. Sign language interpreter provided upon request; three business days notice required. Contact Lorrie Kosinski at 720‐913‐8487, 720‐913-8487 TTY orlorrie.kosinski@denvergov.org.

About $10 million worth of solar power systems will be put on 387 affordable-housing buildings in Denver through a 2.5 megawatt, 20-year power purchase agreement signed by the Denver Housing Authority.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced the agreement Thursday.

It’s one of the biggest solar power installation projects in the Denver metro area ever in terms of megawatts and the number of buildings involved.

Denver will implement programs to increase capital lending for small companies and to streamline business licensing in the next six months as part of its goal to become a “21st Century city,” Mayor Michael Hancocksaid at his first State of the City address Monday.

Addressing 400 people at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Hancock said he has taken steps to improve Denver’s business climate in his first year in office, such as landing direct flights to Europe and Asia and jump-starting the renovation ofDenver Union Station.

Broadcast media across Colorado are joining forces for a live fundraiser on Wednesday, July 11, to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts in Colorado and to benefit the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation.

Rocky Mountain PBS, Colorado Public Television, Aspen Public Radio, KUVO, KUNC and KRCC will join Denver commercial television stations 9NEWS, 7NEWS, Azteca Colorado, CBS4, KDVR, KWGN and KDEN Telemundo Denver for the special broadcast.

The toll-free number to call on July 11 from 4-8pm will be 877-667-6727. 

Red Cross volunteers will be standing by at Rocky Mountain PBS’ studios to take donations over the phone, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the Colorado chapters of the American Red Cross and the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation. Callers will have the option to choose whether to give to one or both organizations.

Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced the creation of the Colorado Fire Relief Fund 2012 benefiting those affected by Colorado wildfires. The funds will assist all Colorado communities impacted by wildfires in 2012 and will complement ongoing efforts at www.helpcoloradonow.org. Individuals, foundations and corporations have already generated over $600,000 in relief support for this fund.

Our thoughts are with all of those affected by the outbreak of Colorado wildfires in recent weeks.  Below are some resources for those who would like to assist with the wildfire support efforts:

Waldo Canyon Fire (Colorado Springs Gazette) - offers myriad ways for people to support those displaced in the Pikes Peak region

This page from The Denver Post  serves as both a source of information for wildfire victims as well as a portal for those who wish to donate.

Wild Fire Tees is a collaborative project made up of Colorado designers, marketers and printers who have come together to support our state through the sale of locally designed and printed t-shirts.  100% of proceeds will be donated to relief efforts statewide.

Help Colorado Now, Managed by the Colorado Department of Colorado Affairs - Emergency Management, is maintaining an extensive database of donation options as well.

In the wake of the tragic news surrounding the loss of Denver Police Officer Celena Hollis at last week's City Park Jazz concert, we provide some information on how City Park Jazz will continue to perservere as well as opportunities for interested parties to volunteer with the healing efforts in the coming weeks.

Please visit City Park Jazz' website for details on how to donate in memory of Officer Hollis as well as information on planned memorial services.

Minneapolis-based Target is looking at downtown Denver for one of its City Target locations, The Denver Post reports.

Target isn't saying anything about plans for Denver, but the Post cites three unnamed sources who say negotiations are under way.

The company's City Target stores are smaller than its suburban locations. The first is scheduled to open in Chicago next month, with more planned for Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Ore.

Today I’m proud to announce that Denver has secured the first-ever nonstop flight from Denver to Asia!

United Airlines will begin service from Denver to Tokyo on its 787 Dreamliner in March – marking one of the most significant economic-development victories for Denver in recent memory. The City has worked for decades to secure a nonstop flight to Asia because of the monumental economic benefit this would have for metro Denver.

This nonstop flight will open a new frontier of opportunity for our state, better connecting Colorado with Asia’s growing markets. It will create new jobs, attract new companies, generate more than $130 million in annual economic benefit to Colorado, and elevate Denver as a world-class city on the global stage.

We are so excited for this new flight, but we will not stop here. I am laser-focused on creating new jobs and strengthening our economy. Next, we look to Central America, South America and Europe for new service to Denver. Additional international flights will serve as a critical component of our long-term plans for Airport City Denver and the surrounding aerotropolis.

We will not wait for economic opportunities to come to us – we will go out and get them. Now, we get back to work! 

Michael B. Hancock
Mayor

Denver Business Journal by Mark Harden, New Media Editor

Southwest Airlines, one of Denver International Airport's    top three carriers, is rated the world's most generous airline when it comes to redeeming frequent flier miles, according to a new survey by consulting firm IdeaWorks Co.

It's the second straight year that Dallas-based Southwest (NYSE: LUV) has won the top spot in the annual report.

Twenty-three airlines worldwide were rated on how often they award free tickets in response to website inquiries on redeeming frequent-flier miles.

For its third annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey, IdeaWorks evaluated the carriers by making 6,680 web requests for a standard-mileage award for travel dates from June through October 2012 on top routes.

Southwest and Air Berlin were the only airlines that awarded free seats 100 percent of the time in IdeaWorks' survey.

The only other airlines with award rates better than 90 percent were Brazil's Gol (97.1 percent), Luftansa/Swiss/Austrian (92.1 percent), Singapore Airlines (90.7 percent) and Virgin Australia (90 percent), the report said.

United Airlines, DIA's No. 1 carrier, was tied for seventh place with an award rate of 87.1 percent. IdeaWorks said United was the second most-improved airline from its 2011 award rate, up 15.7 percentage points.

Delta Airlines was rated last for the second year in a row, with an award rate of 27.1 percent, IdeaWorks said. Also scoring low among U.S. carriers were US Airways (33.6 percent) and American Airlines    (45.7 percent).

American also saw the biggest decline from last year, down 17.2 points.

Denver-based Frontier Airlines was not included in the study.

> Click here for the full report from IdeaWorks

Leadership Denver Class of 2013

Leadership Denver is now accepting applications for the Class of 2013. The Flagship 11-month program is for civic-minded individuals that emphasizes learning through experience and provides in-depth knowledge to give them the tools and a network to better serve the community. Program starts August 2012 and runs through June 2013. To nominate a person or get more information about this program, visit http://www.denverleadership.org/Page/LD_Application2013 , or contact Denise King at 303-620-8055.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MON., June 4, 2012

The new Union Station will be Denver’s centerpiece for all things transportation, and a lot more

By Stephen Titus

The redevelopment of downtown Denver has seen several landmark projects that draw crowds: Coors Field, 16th Street Mall, Larimer Square, Riverfront Park and even the new county jail. But the most significant project yet is finally under way.

The reconstruction of Union Station will bring that building and the surrounding area full circle from its original status as the heart of transportation in Denver and carry it beyond to a centerpiece of not just transportation, but business, entertainment, architecture and public spaces.

"It’s going to have an enormous impact, not only on downtown Denver and the imediate neighborhood, but the entire region," said Frank Cannon, president of The Union Station Neighborhood Association. "With FasTracks fully developed, there will be more than 200,000 transit trips a day. It becomes a new front door and gateway to our downtown."

Putting that number into perspective, Coors Field holds about 51,000 people, so expectations for Union Station are four times the pedestrian activity of a sold-out Coors Field every day. It is difficult to overstate the magnitude of the Union Station redevelopment. City officials, architects, developers and concerned citizens have been massaging plans for its rehabilitation for more than 20 years, with FasTracks and its multi-billion dollar price tag as the spark that ignited the discussion.

The master developer of the project is the Union Station Neighborhood Association. It is an evenly divided venture between uber developers East West Partners and Continuum Partners. They submitted their substantial credentials to the city in 2005 and were awarded the lucrative deal in 2006. They created the overall configuration of the transit portion of the project and how it interacts with the rest of the 19-acre site. They now coordinate the construction of the transit portion of the project, along with how this will interact with the rest of the development. They also have the right to buy several prime parcels of real estate surrounding the station, of which the proceeds go toward financing the infrastructure. More about this later.

"There are so many different projects advancing by different developers," Cannon said. "There are at least four or five projects on the undeveloped land west of the station (from 15th Street to 20th Street). "I think it goes to show the importance of this project in this community, that there are so many people directly and indirectly involved who are passionate about developing our transportation future and downtown."

In the last 25 years, the historic station has been woefully underutilized with small crowds wandering the 100,000-square-foot building waiting for a late Amtrak train or parking in the adjacent lot. The new station will have far more to offer than just unpredictable Amtrak service. Along with the obvious duty of combining a dozen different modes of transportation, plans also call for office space, public art, restaurants, and public performance and congregation areas and underground parking, all filling the 19.5-acre site. Perhaps most interesting is the disposition of the landmark train building and how the historic structure would be used. Cannon’s team had its own ideas but another group of development top-guns presented the case for a luxury boutique hotel that would encompass most, if not all, of the building.

The Union Station Alliance is headed by an impressive team of visionaries, architects and builders including Dana Crawford who, in the late 1960s, was the lever that lifted Larimer square from skid row to an upscale focal point of entertainment and shopping. She also pioneered Denver’s loft rehabilitation rage in the 1990s and has gone on to successfully tackle some of the most difficult remodeling projects in downtown Denver. She is also a founder of the Oxford Hotel.

Other members of Union Station Alliance include Walter Isenberg of Sage Hospitality, which owns 63 hotels around the country – including the Oxford – and Ferd Belz, who developed the $320 million Tabor Center. Their concept involves converting the 100,000-square-foot station into a boutique hotel with a lobby on the second floor, retail on the first floor and hotel rooms on the second and third floors that will be operated by the Oxford Hotel management team. The Oxford was recently voted the No. 1 hotel in Colorado and No. 47 in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. The group hopes to be equally successful with the Union Station hotel.

"I have been working on Union Station since 1982, so it’s a really big thrill," Dana Crawford said. "I think for the Lower Downtown district this is kind of the major piece of the puzzle that’s been waiting to be placed, and it’s going to create a lot of jobs."

Crawford said repurposing and remodeling the historic train building has a budget of $48 million and will bring 350 jobs created directly from construction and, later, hotel operations. This does not include jobs created by other businesses directly related to the hotel.

"It’s an economic engine, there’s no question about that," Crawford said.

Considering the 24-7 nature of the businesses that will operate in the compact Union Station Neighborhood, this will be the not-so-little engine that could. Along with the hotel creating a resort atmosphere, the multi-modal transportation facility will continue to grow in conjunction with FasTracks and virtually guarantee that businesses in this area of downtown grow with it.

"People think about FasTracks as a regional transportation program. Union Station is thought of as a multi-modal transportation hub. We think about Denver Union Station as a city (landmark) building. It had to be as much about downtown as the transportation needs. It has to be transportation first but not transportation only. It’s about people, it’s about the city, it’s public spaces and the city all coming together," Cannon said.

There will also be a sizable office component in the north wing of the project headed by IMA Financial Group and built by the partnership of Rob Cohen, CEO of IMA Financial, and Ed Haselden of Haselden Construction, and designed by Anderson Mason Dale Architects. The five-story, 108,000-square-foot building single-handedly doubles the size of the current building with more than 200 people working in the building for IMA alone.

Cohen said the $32 million project will be owned by himself and Haselden, along with a few key investors, then leased to his company. Cohen organized a similar situation with his current headquarters in the Millennium Financial Center. Cohen built that project in 2001, and it was fully leased almost immediately. With nearly perfect timing, he sold the building in 2008 and has leased back his space since that time. Once again, it’s hard to argue with Cohen’s timing as he breaks ground on his new office at the bottom of the market in what will easily be the hottest piece of real estate in all of Denver. In addition, it will be built to LEED Gold standards.

"It’s one of my larger personal investments and it’s a large investment for IMA," Cohen said. "There’s obviously cost associated with a new building as opposed to renting, but it’s a big part of who we are. We like to make a difference in the community. It’s a high-profile project for the company and has a lot to do with our image and morale."

Cohen’s company will occupy 65,000 square feet of the building with retail and public spaces occupying the first floor – a requirement of all developments in the Union Station neighborhood. A tenant for the rest of the building has not yet been found, but most companies won’t sign on until bricks and mortar are out of the ground.

Everyone involved with Union Station’s resurrection said it ranks high on their list of complex undertakings, but paying for the $500 million worth of public infrastructure is "a Rube Goldberg set of sources," said Diane Barrett, chief projects officer for the City and County of Denver.

An entire magazine could be filled with the intricacies of organizing all the colorful squares that generated the awesome sum needed to finance the core purpose of Union Station. But in brief, the capital needed to finance loans comes from federal and state grants totaling $180 million and another $28 million from the Obama stimulus fund. There are $27 million in proceeds from the sale of five development parcels within the 19-acre site. Master developer Union Station Alliance is under contract to buy all five of the parcels over a period of time and has already closed on three of them for $7 million, with the final two worth $20 million. Other property sales generated another $10 million, and $11.4 million came from the City of Denver. The final $300 million comes from loans to be repaid by taxes generated from increased revenue at Union Station and money pledged by RTD.

With the diverse combination of inflated personalities and egos, and equally huge amounts of money, bureaucracy and statewide importance attached to it, the Union Station rehabilitation project will be historic on many levels. History is being made as this is written with the first phase of the transportation aspect of the project under way and IMA’s office building set to break ground in April.

Denver Business Journal

Denver Business Journal by Dennis Huspeni, Reporter

Trader Joe's has signed a letter of intent to open its first Denver store on Colorado Boulevard, sources said Friday.

The store will be located on the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Eighth Avenue, three independent commercial real estate brokers who specialize in retail told the Denver Business Journal.

It would be the grocery chain’s second Colorado store, in addition to a previously announced Boulder location, scheduled to open in 2013.

Trader Joe's would not confirm or deny that it has picked a Colorado Boulevard site. Company spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki declined comment on the matter.

The land for the Colorado Boulevard location is owned by Denver hotel developer Charlie Biederman, who had planned to use the site for a hotel development in 2007. Biederman developed the Ritz Carlton downtown, which opened in 2007.

Annie’s Cafe used to be located there, but moved in 2008 to 3100 E. Colfax Ave. to make room for the hotel, which was never built.

> MORE: Dennis Huspeni’s January 2012 company profile of Trader Joe’s.

In February, Trader Joe's announced it would open its first Colorado store in Boulder's Twenty Ninth Street mall in 2013.

The new Boulder store will be located at 1906 28th St., the site of a recently-closed Applebee’s restaurant. The new building will be about 14,000 square feet, the Monrovia, Calif.-based company said.

That news caused a stir among Coloradans who have long wanted a branch of the Monrovia, Calif.-based specialty grocery chain in the state.

In an informal online survey conducted by the DBJ in April 2010, readers said Trader Joe's was far and away the out-of-state retailer they most wanted to come to Colorado.

The typical Trader Joe's store, 14,000 to 16,000 square feet, is smaller than a traditional grocer. It is known for its own brands of unique, trendy and affordable foods such as Thai lime-chili cashews, sea salt brownies and Belgium butter waffle cookies.

Trader Joe's has 365 stores in 31 states, with about half of the locations in California.

Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Colorado Chapter Launches the inaugural Colorado’s Finest Young Professionals Campaign

Sponsored by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly

Local Fundraiser Part of Nationwide Effort to Battle Life-threatening Disease

[Denver, CO] — The Colorado Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has launched a new locally branded fundraising campaign, the Inaugural Colorado’s Finest Young Professionals Campaign, sponsored by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly!

Colorado’s Finest is a group of individuals who are invaluable to making a difference in their profession, who positively impact those around them in their daily lives and who, through this campaign are committed to making a difference in the lives of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) by raising critical funds for life-saving research, education and care programs for CF.

The profile of an honoree is between 25 and 45 years of age, demonstrates professional leadership qualities, is successful in their career, a valuable employee and an asset in their community. We are seeking nominations for twenty-five honorees for this campaign through June 15.  To nominate a friend, colleague or employee who meets this criterion, please make your nominations at: colorado.cff.org/finest.

CF is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects 30,000 adults and children in the United States and 70,000 people worldwide.  It causes debilitating lung infections that lead to premature death.  More than10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the CF gene.  Fifty years ago, most children with CF did not live long enough to attend elementary school.  Today, the median predicted age of survival is 37 years old.  Funds raised through this campaign will help spur dramatic advances in CF research and care.

The Colorado’s Finest Final Celebration will be Friday, October 19^th at The Studio Loft in the Denver Performing Arts Complex in the heart of the Theatre District.  Enjoy food by Kevin Taylor, special beverages and live entertainment while we recognize twenty-five outstanding young professionals in the state for their success in business and their dedication to philanthropy.  We anticipate this to be a unique and fun networking session to honor our ‘Class of 2012’. This is an inaugural event not to be missed!

The CF Foundation is proud to have funded breakthrough research behind the development of a new drug, Kalydeco, approved by the FDA in January 2012.  Kalydeco is the first development targeting the root cause of the disease, not just the symptoms.  Kalydeco has opened exciting new doors to research and development that may eventually lead to a cure for all people living with CF.

To help fight CF and become involved in the Colorado’s Finest Young Professionals campaign, please call the Colorado Chapter at (303) 296-6610 or visit: http://colorado.cff.org/finest

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. For more information, go to www.cff.org.

Contact:

Holly Bishop, Development Director

Colorado Chapter, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

400 S. Colorado Blvd. #840 Denver, CO 80246

Phone: 303-296-6610 x12

E-mail: hbishop@cff.org

Denver Business Journal by Dennis Huspeni, Reporter

Rents at metro Denver apartments jumped 4.5 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, the biggest year-over-year increase in a decade, according to a report Tuesday from the Apartment Association of Metro Denver    .

Average rent for seven counties portion of metro Denver area stood at $952 in the first quarter, up from $911 in the first quarter of 2011, the report stated.

With vacancy rates continuing to drop, the rise in rents didn’t surprise the report authors, which include the Colorado Division of Housing.

“Rents continue to increase as demand grows faster than the production of new units,” Ron Throupe, professor of real estate at the University of Denver’s    Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management, said in a statement. “Rents often tend to moderate a bit during the first quarter, but this year the rent rose to an all-time high instead.”

The largest rent increase occurred in Denver and Boulder counties, where they grew 6.3 and 6.7 percent respectively in a year. Douglas County posted the highest average rent at $1,109.

Vacancy rates fell below 5 percent for the first time in any quarter since 2001. The overall vacancy rate stood at 4.9 percent, down year-over-year from 5.5 percent and quarter-over-quarter from 5.4 percent. Jefferson County posted the lowest vacancy rate at 3.8 percent.

“Vacancies are falling both metro-wide and in most neighborhoods we survey,” Ryan McMaken, division spokesman said in a statement. “We still find some high vacancy rates out in eastern and southeastern parts of the metro area, but everywhere else we’re looking at rates in the 3-to-4 percent range, which is low.”

Rocky Sundling, president elect of Apartment Association of Metro Denver and vice president/district manager for Camden Property real estate investment trust, said the quarter started slow for increased rents, but picked up quickly in March.

“What we saw with the weather in February pushed some pent-up demand into March,” Sundling said. “We were a little concerned for a while, but it came back with a vengeance.”

Apartment Realty Advisors (ARA) Jeff Hawks, principal, said the vacancy rate can’t get much lower.

“It’s impossible to be 100 percent occupied,” Hawks said, noting it takes time to turn over apartments after move-outs and before the new tenants move in.

“In this market, it’s been a five- to seven-day turnaround in most units,” Sundling said.

Hawks also noted there was a large number of apartment building sales last year — about $800 million worth — and in the first quarter. Most of the new owners are going to make improvements and push rents even higher.

“We are hearing from our properties that they’re starting to see a bit of a shift in residency, from one class to a (lower) class” to help avoid the higher rents, said ARA’s Terrance Hunt, principal. “They don’t want to pay that extra $50-$75 per month.”

ARA officials predict there will be 3,000 apartment from new construction added this year, and an estimated 5,000 in 2013.

“Even that just doesn’t give us enough,” Hawks said. “And most of that new construction is high-end stuff. Everyone wants rents 150 percent above average market rent.”

Here are the Q1 vacancy rates and average rents for the seven counties covered by the survey:

• Adams: 4.5 percent and $934.
• Arapahoe: 6.3 percent and $909.
• Boulder/Broomfield: 3.9 percent and $1,070.
• Denver: 4.2 percent and $973.
• Douglas: 4.9 percent and $1,109.
• Jefferson: 3.8 percent and $897.

Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog.

Colorado officials announced today the launch of a $130 million broadband project that will help provide high-speed Internet access for schools, libraries, healthcare facilities and government offices statewide.

The 4,600-mile fiber-optic network is scheduled to be completed in August 2013. Led by intergovernmental agency Eagle-Net, the network will serve as the "middle mile" connection. Last mile connections will be provided by companies such as Comcast and CenturyLink or other partners selected by participating organizations.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2012
Contacts:
Ira Johnson: (303) 818-0926
Dan Kobler: (303) 725-5141

2^ND ANNUAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SUMMIT OCTOBER 19-20
Denver-based Mile High Young Professionals to Host 2012 Summit

DENVER – Mile High Young Professionals, a Denver-based Young Professionals resource, is set to host the Second Annual Rocky Mountain Young Professionals Summit (RMYPS) on October 19-20 and is currently seeking young professional organizations and individuals to partner with and plan in the event.

Young professionals from across the Rocky Mountain Region will gather for the second-year event which will connect like-minded individuals from around the state and region by providing the opportunity for networking, learning, collaboration and fun. 

The weekend summit will offer a variety of social events, speakers, breakout sessions, a professional networking event, tradeshow, awards banquet and more.

Mile High Young Professionals is in search of committee members for the event. Benefits include discounted registration, recognition as an official partner, exposure throughout Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region, booth space at the tradeshow and access to the region’s most respected groups and top young professionals.

For more information or to get involved email info@milehighyp.com or visit rockymountainypsummit.com.

About Mile High Young Professionals

Mile High Young Professionals was created to fit the need for a universal Young Professionals resource in the Denver metro area. MHYP's mission is to empower Young Professionals in Denver with all of the tools necessary to accomplish their professional and personal goals. This includes relationships developed through networking events, educational seminars, community awareness and volunteering, professional and intramural sporting events and good old-fashioned business development.

-MHYP-

The Denver Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC) this week was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for the 2012 Small Business Development Center Excellence & Innovation Award.

Each year, about 1,100 small business development centers across the United States are eligible for the award, whichrecognizes excellence in providing value to small businesses and advancing program delivery and management through innovation. Some of the criteria for the award include meeting or exceeding the center's performance goals and helping build small businesses by creating and implementing innovative programs.

“Winning this national award is an extraordinary achievement for the Denver Metro SBDC and the Colorado SBDC Network,” said Dan Hannaher, SBA Region VIII Administrator. “It exemplifies the highest standards of service and commitment to the Denver area small business community.”

To achieve this national title, the Denver Metro SBDC was first selected at the SBA district and regional levels. Tameka Montgomery, executive director of the Denver Metro SBDC, will travel to Washington, D.C., to accept the award at a celebration during National Small Business Week on May 21-25.

A federal court has struck down Colorado’s so-called “Amazon tax” that tried to apply state use taxes to the online affiliate sales of out-of-state companies.

Colorado legislators created the tax in 2010. A trade group, the Direct Marketing Association, based in New York City, sued in U.S. District Court for Colorado to overturn it.

On Friday, the federal court in Denver declared the 2.9 percent tax on purchases unconstitutional on the ground it was tilted unfairly against out-of-state retailers, and that it put an undue burden on retailers to either collect the tax owed by consumers or report consumer purchases to the state.

Judge Robert Blackburn’s ruling noted the legal language of the tax didn’t distinguish between in-state and out-of-state businesses, but the practical effect of the tax did.

“I conclude that the veil provided by the words ... is too thin to support the conclusion that the Act and the Regulations regulate in-state and out-of-state retailers even-handedly,” Blackburn wrote.

U.S. Bancorp    — parent of U.S. Bank   , one of the Denver area's largest — considers Colorado one of its five top growth markets nationwide, president and CEORichard Davis said.

In an interview Monday with the Nashville Business Journal, a Denver Business Journal sister paper, Davis said that the other four states targeted for growth by the Minneapolis-based bank (NYSE: USB) are Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee and Utah.

Davis said U.S. Bank's ambition is mainly to deepen its presence in markets where, like Colorado, it already has a footprint, not spread to new territory. Growth could come, he said, in the form of natural growth, investment in new locations and the purchase of banks or branches in the right circumstances.

U.S. Bank is the Denver area's fourth largest by local deposits, which total $6.21 billion, amounting to a 10.73 percent market share, up from 10.14 percent last year, the FDIC says.

IMA Financial Group will break ground next month on its new $32 million headquarters, the first building to be constructed as part of the redevelopment of Denver’s historic Union Station and surrounding property as the region’s transit hub. Plans for the area include redeveloping the historic station into a boutique hotel, with restaurants and retail on the ground level.

Bloomberg Businessweek awarded higher scores to undergraduate business programs at two Colorado universities.

The magazine's measure of the best programs includes student satisfaction, academic quality and post-graduation outcomes.

This year's ranking moves the University of Denver's    Daniels College of Business up to No. 57 from No. 64 last year.

The Leeds School of Business at theUniversity of Colorado-Boulder    was ranked No. 92, up from No. 97.

Congratulations to the Forty Under 40 class of 2012! More information on the celebration luncheon is available here.

Jonathan Barnett
Oxi Fresh Franchising Company

Damon Barry
CSG Systems

Jeremy Bloom
Integrate

Josh Davies
The A Game

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent
Civic Center Conservancy

Jennifer Erixon
Mercy Housing Inc.

Keo Frazier
Keos Marketing

Arif Gangji
Neon Rain Interactive

Eric Gutknecht
Continental Sausage

Brooke Hipp
Anton Collins Mitchell LLP

Tasha Jones
Forest City Stapleton Inc.

Elizabeth Jumel
Jumel PR

Peter Karpinski
Sage Restaurant Group

R. Livingston Keithley
Kelly, Stacy & Rita LLC

Jehromee (Shebon) Kelin
Colorado Technical University

Lenee Koch
LEI Companies Inc.

Ramona Lampley
Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP

John-Paul Maxfield
Waste Farmers

Jill McClure
Colorado Oil & Gas Association

Frank McNulty
Colorado House of Representatives

Myles Mendoza
DFER

Sean Moore
North Highland

Brian Ondre
Cummins Rocky Mountain

Monica Owens
Owens Public Affairs LLC

Murugan Palani
Xcel Energy

Michael Pytel
NIMBL

Kathryn Reilly
Husch Blackwell LLP

Meshach Rhoades
Kutak Rock LLP / Century Link

Kelly Rodriguez
Grant Thornton

Rafael Rodriguez
Heinrich Marketing/Hispanidad

Melissa Rosas
Apex Design

Amy Sherman
Northwest Douglas County Economic Development Corp.

Patrick Smyth
Denver Broncos

Julissa Soto
American Diabetes Association

Jeremy Walker
Colorado Technical University

Deirdre Wildman Toltz
Catering by Design

Edward Wingfield
Wingfield Realty

Erin Wright
BonaUS

Jesse Yuran
SmashBurger LLC

Kyle Zeppelin
Zeppelin Development/Taxi

Ten women will be inducted into Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony on March 8, International Women’s Day. The new inductees include six contemporary women and four historical inductees who have significant ties to Colorado.

Fodor’s, the iconic guide for travelers, has included Denver in its Top 10 Places to Travel This Spring, along with New York City, Mallorca, Tuscany, and Prague, among others. Fodor’s Denver spring highlight is the only American showing of the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Denver Art Museum.

From the Denver Post:

Some 350 business and civic leaders were in attendance at the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Urban Leadership Symposium Wednesday to hear presentations on how a thriving downtown urban area is critical to attracting a key demographic group, professionals ages 25-34, and that group is essential to building a regional economy.

More than 300 individuals vied for the Denver Business Journal’s 2012 Forty under 40 honors.

That’s an increase of more than 100 over last year for this 16th annual event.

After being judged on their business leadership, recognition of accomplishments and community involvement, these are the 40 honorees selected this year.

These winners will be honored at an awards luncheon March 15 at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel. Those wishing to attend can register online here.

The keynote speaker will be Robert A. Katz, the chairman of the board and CEO of Vail Resorts Inc.

These 40 rising stars — each under the age of 40 as of March 15 — will be profiled in a special section published in the DBJ’s March 16-22 edition.

There were 471 nominations for 307 individuals for the 2012 awards. Take a look back at who took the honors in 2011 by clicking here.

Love Hope Strength (LHS), the world's leading Rock 'n Roll cancer foundation, has partnered with Red Rocks Amphitheatre for three years and has broken new ground in cancer care by registering concert and film goers to become marrow donors. 

To date, LHS has registered nearly 5,000 people to become marrow donors at Red Rocks concerts and Film on the Rocks. One hundred twenty six matches nationwide have been found, 37 of them from Red Rocks! Last week, two new Red Rocks donors were found from last summer's John Prine concert and "The Lost Boys" Film on the Rocks screening.

The on-site test is easy and painless, all it takes is a cheek swab. If a match is made, donors complete an outpatient procedure at Denver's Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital, the largest transplant center in the region. Stem cells are then shipped off to save someone anywhere in the world. In many cases, donors even get the chance to meet the person whose life was saved.

Look for the LHS booths again this summer at Red Rocks. Who knows, you just may save someone's life.