Chamber conducts military job fair

The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce will conduct a Military Family Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (formerly the Sheraton), 2886 S Circle Dr. on Colorado Springs' south side. The event attempts to match employer needs with the training and skills of military, reserves and guard personnel and their families. For more information, contact Brian Binn at 575-4325 or brian@cscc.org.

Cheyenne Mountain Resort recognized for catering to meetings

The Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs recently received a 2008 Paragon Award from Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine, marking the 17th time the property has received the honor. The magazine asks its readers annually to vote for the properties that best handled their meetings and incentive programs during the previous year. Hotels, resorts and conference centers are evaluated on a variety of criteria, from the quality of their meeting services to their atmosphere, facilities and recreational amenities. For 2008, 50 properties nationwide earned a Paragon Award. The Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs also was named a winner. More information: http://meetingsnet.com/corporatemeetingsincentives/mag/meetings_paragon_awards_17/

Final months of winter take toll on vehicles

More motorists need roadside assistance in February than any other month of the winter season, according to AAA Colorado, the state's largest roadside assistance provider.

The top four reasons for roadside assistance requests to AAA Colorado are:

• Tow truck service



• Locksmith for motorists locked out of their vehicles



• Battery jump starts



• Tire changes

To avoid trouble on the road, AAA Colorado recommends motorists check the car battery, tire inflation and windshield wipers and fluid. Motorists also should prepare for an emergency with a cell phone, jumper cables, phone numbers for assistance, tire chains, a blanket, non-clumping kitty litter for traction, flares or reflective triangles, a flashlight with extra batteries, water, non-perishable food, ice scraper, shovel and window washer fluid.

AAA has more than 500,000 members in Colorado and 51 million members nationwide.

Century offers nonstop poker

Can't get enough poker? Then hit the road going north for about 1,300 miles and you'll find what you're looking for at the Century Casino & Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta.
The 14-month-old gambling hall owned by Colorado Springs-based Century Casinos Inc. began offering 24-hour poker in October and will add three more tables during the first quarter to add to the six already in operation. Century said the around-the-clock play "is continuing to contribute positively to the increased revenue and visitation" at its Canadian property, which includes 26 hotel rooms, 25 roulette, baccarat, black jack and craps tables as well as 650 slot machines.
Don't look for 24-hour poker at Century's Womack's in Cripple Creek -- Colorado gaming law restricts operating hours to between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.
For more information, go to http://www.centurycasinos.com/.

Humana hires new market president for Colorado

Dan Oftedahl has been appointed market president of Humana’s Colorado operations. He will be responsible for the overall management and strategic planning for Humana’s commercial, consumer-driven health benefit products sold to employer groups in the state.
Oftedahl most recently served as regional vice president for KMG America, a subsidiary of Humana specializing in group and voluntary insurance based in Minnetonka, Minn.
He replaces Leslie Andrews, who recently accepted a regional position.

Local motorcycle titles decrease in 2007

While the number of local car titles showed a 2.3 percent increase in 2007 over 2006, motorcycle titles in El Paso County fell by 6.2 percent last year, according to figures released by the El Paso County Department of Motor Vehicles.

There were 2,155 new motorcycles registered in the county last year, compared with 2,298 in 2006. Honda and Kawasaki brands saw gains last year. Harley-Davidson, the most popular brand titled here, fell by 81 bikes last year over the previous year.

Harley-Davidson Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit tumble of 26.3 percent, with U.S. sales for the year down 6.2 percent.

"Oscars for Business" taking entries

The sixth annual American Business Awards is issuing a call for entries for its version of the "Oscars," to honor great performances in business, from top executives and organizations to sales teams and support staff.

The national, independent business awards program is for all types of organizations -- public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, and large and small.

Entries may be submitted in dozens of categories, ranging from Best Executive to Most Innovative Company to Best PR Agency to Best Management Team. New this year is the Best Environmental Responsibility Program, among others.

Entry kits are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba. The deadline to enter is March 31. The contest is for accomplishments made since Jan. 1, 2007. The awards will be presented at a gala and nationally broadcast ceremony in New York City on June 12.

Bad customer service -- what about rude customers?

Several readers commented on the article about customer service in Jan. 27's Business section, including a Wal-Mart associate, Steve, who works in the produce department at a local store.

The other side of the customer service debate, Steve says, is that customers are becoming more difficult for employees to deal with.

"They yell. They scream at the clerks. They are downright rude. And they expect to be treated like royalty," Steve says.

He gives a recent example of a bad customer experience that happened on his shift.

"A woman had opened a container of tomatoes and was picking out ones she felt were bad and was throwing them on the floor. I came over to her and said, 'Oh, I can take those bad ones for you.' She said, 'I am NOT paying $3.99 for bad tomatoes!' I replied, 'OK.' She said: 'You are being rude.' I replied, 'No, I'm not.' I was tryng to be helpful. She said, 'NOW you are talking back to me! The customer is always right!'

"I walked away. She contacted a manager and wanted to have me fired. Of course, store management knew I had done nothing wrong.

"You may think this is an isolated case," Steve continues. "However, it is becoming the norm. Customers know they can take out their aggressions on clerks in shops and be as nasty as they want and no one will do anything about it.

"I've found as time goes on, the customer is becoming more aggressive and more rude. And they wonder why they can't get good help. The customer that comes in with a smile and asks for help will get clerks falling over themselves to help. But you don't hear about that because the customer with the nice experience very seldom says anything. It's the bitter customer that yells the most."

Eleven Springs employers make Fortune list

Stock brokerage Edward Jones leads the list of 11 Colorado Springs employers listed in Fortune magazine's 2008 ranking of its 100 Best Companies to Work For, ranking fourth behind Google, Quicken Loans and Wegmans Food Markets.
Jones, which operates 35 offices in the Colorado Springs area, was joined by Starbucks, which has 33 area locations, in the top 10 in seventh place. Other area employers and their 2008 rank are:

• 16, Whole Foods Market, two area locations
• 42, Mitre Corp., a defense contractor at 1155 Academy Park Loop
• 46, CarMax, which will open a used car store at 4050 Tutt Blvd. later this year.
  
• 54, CH2M Hill, planning firm operates an office at 19 S. Tejon St.
• 58, Scotttrade, brokerage operates an office at 70 S. Cascade Ave.
• 67, Valero Energy, 30 area locations under the Diamond Shamrock name.
  
• 72, Marriott International, 10 area hotels
• 81, Booz Allen Hamilton, a defense contractor at 121 S. Tejon St.
• 97, FedEx Corp., a major employer with 900 workers at its Rocky Mountain Technology Center, various package delivery operations and FedEx Kinko's stores.

To view the entire list, go to http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2008/full_list/.
Two thirds of the weight for the ranking comes from employee survey data, which was compiled by the San Francisco-based Great Place to Work Institute, which has authored the list since 1998. To nominate a company for next year's list, go to http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best/nominations/nom-100best.php.

Vic the elk visits the west side

Vic the elk just won’t stay put. The life-size fiberglass elk, owned by Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, spent last summer and fall at the Cripple Creek Heritage Center as part of the Rocky Mountain Elk Tour. Then it was on to Experience Colorado Springs in time for the Festival of Lights. Now Vic has landed in the front yard of Holden House 1902 Bed & Breakfast on the city’s west side, 1102 W. Pikes Peak Ave. He’ll spend February there before heading to another tourist spot.

Audi returns to Super Bowl

Audi of America Inc. will air its first Super Bowl ad in 20 years with a 60-second spot on its R8, the brand's first mid-engine sports car. The ad was inspired by "The Godfather" movie and will only run twice on television, during the Super Bowl and the following day.

The automaker's return to the Super Bowl was preceded by a year of record sales in the U.S -- it sold 93,506 vehicles in the U.S. last year, a 3.8 percent increase over 2006.

Penrose-St. Francis COO takes new job

Andrea Coleman, chief operating officer at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services since April 2005, will resign Feb. 28 to become president and chief executive officer of Trinity Regional Health System in Rock Island, Ill.

Coleman has been instrumental in developing cardic and oncology services at Penrose and played a key role in estlablishing the hospital system's cardiac council, implementing the Vascular Center of Colorado and recruiting new physicians, the hospital said.

A search for her replacement is beginning, according to Johnny Rea, spokesman for Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.

Des Moines, Iowa-based Trinity Regional Health System is a three-campus, nonprofit health care system and an affiliate of Iowa Health System.

Library offers business classes

The Pikes Peak Library District is offering these business programs in Feburary:
For a complete list of programs, see www.ppld.org.

Investment Tools
Learn to research company information and follow company or mutual fund performance. Sources include Value Line and Morningstar, subscription databases on the Library’s website, and other Internet sites. Classes are held at Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Thursday, Feb. 7, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Thursday, Feb. 28, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Minding Your Business
Learn about business resources available at the library by attending a free tour. Classes are held at Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Citi analyst bullish on Spectranetics

Spectranetics is among three medical technology companies that will benefit from increasing competition in the sector this year, Citi analyst Amit Bhalla predicted in a note to clients recently.
Bhalla expects strong upcoming quarters from Spectranetics because of the rollout of its Turbo Booster catheter for treatment of blockages in upper leg arteries. He also expects strong upcoming quarters from cancer therapy system manufacturer Varian Medical Systems Inc. and strong earnings in the first quarter and all of 2oo8 from Hologic Inc. with its digital mammography system driving revenue.
Bhalla maintained his$19 price target and a "speculative buy" rating for Spectranetics.
For more information on Spectranetics, go to http://www.spectranetics.com/.

Simtek gets inventive (again)

After not seeking any patents for nearly five years, Simtek Corp. announced this month it has filed 27 new patent applications in the last two years, including a record 15 applications last year.
Simtek said it has focused its research and development spending on solidifying its intellectual property in non-volatile static random access memory, which combines speed and the ability to retain information when power is cut, as well as other emerging types of non-volatile memory.
"Simtek has enjoyed both solid revenue growth and increasing product margins over the last several years," said Ron Sartore, the company's executive vice president for research and development investments and building its patent portfolio. "We have funneled much of those proceeds into developing new technologies we believe will drive rapid growth and profitability."

For more information, go to http://www.simtek.com/.

Commercial real estate outlook

If local commercial real estate vacancy rates climb this year, the reason probably will be 1.4 million square feet of newly constructed space coming on the market and not necessarily because of a surge of businesses closing up shop.
That’s part of this year’s commercial real estate outlook as seen by Paul Turner, whose Turner Commercial Research tracks the Colorado Springs market. Turner’s comments are included in his look back at the fourth quarter of 2007 and his look ahead at 2008.
Unlike last year, when chip-maker Intel Corp. announced it would close its Springs plant, there are no “major rumors” of impending business shutdowns that might chill the commercial market, Turner said. But, he said, a national economic downturn — higher unemployment, reduced manufacturing and a slowdown in retail spending — could affect Springs commercial real estate.
Also, it’s too early to predict what will happen to commercial rents this year, Turner said.
Looking back, Turner said the combined commercial vacancy rate for offices, industrial buildings and shopping centers finished 2007 at 8.2 percent; at the end of 2006, the combined vacancy rate was 6.6 percent.
Outside investors spent about $600 million acquiring commercial real estate in the Springs in 2007 — a solid year, but still well below the $1 billion spent in 2006, Turner estimated.

Free business seminar on benefits Jan. 29

Benefit Services Group wil host a free employee benefit plan seminar Tuesday, Jan. 29, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., at 7350 Campus Drive, second floor.

Businesses of all sizes are invited to attend to hear current information on regulatory changes, employer-provided benefits programs, retirement plans and employee engagement.

A complimentary breakfast will be served.

Register online at www.rothgerber.com/newsevents/aspx by Jan. 25. To respond by phone, contact Lanice Miller, 386-3052.

The event is sponsored by Benefit Services Group, a local benefit consultant; The Principal Financial Group; and Rothgerber, Johnson & Lyons LLP.

Hooters turns 25

Hooters is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a $25,000 giveaway on the 25th of every month. Each customer will receive a scratch card with the possibility of winning an instant $25,000 or be entered into a second chance drawing in which 25 customers will win $1,000.

Six businessmen in Clearwater, Fla., opened the first Hooters in 1983. Hooters has since grown to more than 440 locations in 43 states and 25 countries, including two locations in Colorado Springs.

Whole Foods sacking its plastic bags

Whole Foods Market is ending the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Its goal is to be plastic bag-free by April 22, Earth Day. Whole Foods has two Colorado Springs stores.

For years, Whole Foods Market has encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags by offering a refund of either five or 10 cents at the checkouts, depending on the store. The company sells different types of reusable bags and will continue to offer an “environmentally sensitive” option – 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags.

“Central to Whole Foods Market’s core values is caring for our communities and the environment, and this includes adopting wise environmental practices,” said A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer for Whole Foods Market.

MosquitoNix looks to the Springs

MosquitoNix, touted as the nation’s leading mosquito-control franchise, is looking to expand into Colorado — starting with Colorado Springs. Josh Johnston, franchise development director for the Dallas-based company, said MosquitoNix hopes to have a franchise here by summer at the latest. The company has 14 franchises in five states and has plans for 100 more locations by 2010. MosquitoNix sells an automated misting system that uses a botanical insecticide to eliminate mosquitoes and other flying insects, thus limiting the spread of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.

Citadel Old Navy closing

The Old Navy store at The Citadel mall will close Saturday. The store referred questions about the reason for the closing to the corporate office and a press contact did not return calls. Old Navy opened last year at Powers Boulevard and Barnes Road. There also is an Old Navy at Chapel Hills Mall.

Safeway fleet converts to biodiesel

Safeway Inc. has converted its entire U.S. fleet of more than 1,000 trucks to cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel. The company says the decision will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 75 million pounds annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 7,500 passenger vehicles off the road each year. In Colorado, the program will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 3.6 million pounds, said Scott Grimmett, president of Safeway’s Denver division.

Changes to Gazette's Essentials listings

Starting Sunday (Jan. 20, 2008), we're moving our Essentials listing in The Gazette Business section from Sundays to Mondays. The listing includes news about business people and firms, calendar items and new incorporations.
For information on having your news included in Essentials, e-mail businessnews@
gazette.com or call 476-4887

Crowley: Hotel industry troubled

Colorado Springs needs a way to attract more visitors if the hotel industry’s flagging fortunes are to be reversed, local economist Fred Crowley said today.


What that something is — new attractions, a convention center, winter festivals — Crowley didn’t say.


“I don’t know what the answer is,” said Crowley, senior economist for the Southern Colorado Economic Forum. But he suggested a market study be done in search of that answer. “What is being done elsewhere?” he said. "What can we do here to take advantage of the success of others?”


Crowley, at a meeting of the southern Colorado chapter of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, pointed to some troubling trends in the local hotel industry. Colorado Springs’ share of the state’s hotel revenue has fallen. Occupancy rates are down. With demand soft, increases in room rates aren’t keeping up with inflation.


Crowley also discussed the national economic picture. And as he did at a recent meeting of the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors, he brought up the “R” word. “I think we are a whisker away from a recession,” he warned.

Moving up the list

Colorado Springs-based Miracle Method Surface Restoration is No. 188 in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list, published in its January issue. Miracle Method, the nation’s leading bathtub, tile and countertop restoration franchisor, jumped from the 297th spot in last year’s Franchise 500 rankings.

The Children's Playroom opens

The Children’s Playroom, a drop-in child-care facility, has opened at 8776 N. Union Blvd., in the Union Town Center. Parents can pay by the hour or buy hours in bulk at a discounted rate. The Children’s Playroom is owned and operated by two former teachers from The Classical Academy.

City's newest hotel opens soon

A Hampton Inn & Suites is set to open on the city's south side, near the World Arena, on Feb. 1. The 101-room hotel is at 2910 Geyser Drive.

Eastern Plains Chamber launches Web site

The new Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce, formerly the Falcon Business League, has launched what it calls a preliminary Web site at www.easternchamber.org. Some information, such as a business directory, is still to come, but there is contact information, details on meetings and leadership, and links to other chambers.

Top 10 fastest growing occupations in the U.S.

Thinking of changing careers? You might want to think health care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10 fastest growing occupations in the nation through 2014, ranked by percentage of growth, are:

1) Home health aides, 59 percent growth

2) Network systems and data communications analysts, 54.6 percent growth

3) Medical assistants, 52.1 percent growth

4) Physicians, 49.6 percent growth

5) Computer software engineers -- applications, 48.4 percent growth

6) Physical therapist assistants, 44.2 percent growth

7) Dentists, 43.3 percent growth

8) Computer software engineers -- systems software, 43 percent growth

9) Dental assistants, 42.7 percent growth

10) Personal and home health care workers, 41 percent growth

Two Colorado foodie companies link products

Two Colorado-based companies have created a tasty partnership.

Beginning this month, Village Inn restaurants are offering a bite of Boulder Sausage.

As part of Village Inn's Legendary Restaurants and Recipes promotion, the restaurant chain owned by VICORP Restaurants of Denver is offering Boulder Sausage skillet dishes, a Boulder Sausage platter and a Boulder Italian Sausage sandwich. Also new at Village Inn this month are two pot roast recipes from the Dorset Inn in Vermont.

The Legendary Restaurants and Recipes promotion started in the fall of 2007 with blueberry stuffed French toast from the Maples Inn in Maine and a handful of recipes made with seasonings from the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Texas. More new dishes following the theme will be added throughout this year.

BBB eye shut

The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado's "BBB Eye" monthly TV show on Comcast Channel 2 has been canceled. The show shared consumer tips and interviews with local business people. However, Comcast discontinued production of local shows effective Jan. 1, and so the BBB show was forced off the air.

Two local residents win volunteer grants

Two El Paso County residents received grants from the Prudential Foundation and Prudential Financial, in honor of their volunteer service, to pass on to their chosen charities.

Randy L. Reynolds, a broker associate with Prudential Professional Realtors, received a $1,000 grant, which he donated to Junior Achievement. Reynolds donated 200 volunteer hours to Junior Achievement in 2006, teaching students about finance and entrepreneurship.

Jacqueline Youmans, a Prudential Financial retiree from Colorado Springs, received a $1,000 grant, which she donated to Easter Seals of Southern Colorado. She volunteered 200 hours to Easter Seals, which included coordinating a minor league baseball game, wrapping gifts during the holidays and working at bi-weekly bingo games.

The program provided $461,000 volunteer grants to 444 nonprofits worldwide. Grants range from $250 to $5,000 and recognize team and individual efforts of at least 40 hours of volunteer service per person.

Hunters, anglers boost the economy

Colorado’s 593,000 hunters and anglers have a significant impact on the state’s economy, spending more than $1.2 billion a year on hunting and fishing, acording to a report released by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. The foundation also released a state-by-state ranking for various categories related to hunting and fishing. Colorado is the No. 2 destination state for hunting, topped only by Georgia. The report, “Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy,” is available at www.sportsmenslink.org.

Revisiting the chamber-EDC split

For those with long roots in the Springs business community, talk of a possible merger between the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Corp. stirs memories of the split between the two 16 years ago.

Ronald Lehmann helped spearhead the split of the EDC — then the Economic Development Council — from the chamber. The chamber’s board of directors ousted him as chairman of the chamber’s EDC division in August 1991 after he proposed the group become a separate organization. At the time, the split was portrayed as coming after years of often-bitter infighting over how much control the chamber should have over the EDC. But Lehmann says that wasn’t really the issue.

The issue, he said, was whether being part of the chamber made sense for the EDC. Did it enhance or detract from its mission? For Lehmann, the answer was clear.

“The chamber at that time was and I think still is a very process-oriented organization,” he said. The EDC, he said, is more goal-oriented, with a need to be nimble and responsive to a changing business environment.

“It isn’t really correct to think we had a real schism. We had a different mission and purpose and business plan than the chamber, and I think frankly the EDC still does.”

New city manager to address business leaders

Penelope Culbreth-Graft (right), Colorado Springs' new city manager, will discuss her impressions of the city when she speaks before a business breakfast at 7 a.m. Jan. 15 at the Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs-World Arena, 1775 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., on Colorado Springs' south side and near the Colorado Springs World Arena. Culbreth-Graft, the former city administrator in Huntington Beach, Calif., was hired by the City Council in November to succeed retiring City Manger Lorne Kramer. Culbreth-Graft's talk is being sponsored by the Quality Community Group, which is composed of the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp., the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors. Registration for the breakfast begins at 7 a.m., and the breakfast and program start at 7:30 a.m. Cost is $25 for members and $35 for non-members. To register, go to www.coloradospringschamber.org/ or call 575-4313.

Tech support outsourcing less

Technical support centers are outsourcing less this year than they did a year ago, according to an annual study by HDI, a Colorado Springs-based trade group for information technology service and support professionals.

Just 42 percent of the 1,005 information technology professionals surveyed between June and August outsource or plan to outsource part of their support operation, compared with 57 percent a year earlier.

A majority of those surveyed said they don’t outsource because they want to maintain control and have concerns about service quality and lack of customer acceptance. Hardware support and repair was the most common outsourced area of support, the survey found.

The survey also found that technical support hiring remains strong, with 45 percent planning increased hiring, 13 percent expecting to freeze hiring and 5 percent anticipating layoffs.

Simtek CEO writes open letter

Days after Simtek Corp.’s stock fell to a nearly five-year low, chief executive Harold Blomquist said the company’s performance “is the strongest it has been since (it) went public nearly 17 years ago” in a seven-page open letter to shareholders.

Simtek shares fell to $2 on Dec. 7, the lowest since early 2003 and down 50 percent since the company cut its revenue and profit forecasts Oct. 30 after missing its own and analyst forecasts for the third quarter with a small loss and lower-than-expected revenue.

Blomquist reaffirmed the company’s revised 2007 revenue forecast of $32 million to $33 million, which would be a second consecutive annual record, and said projected revenue from design wins through Sept. 30 exceeds a similar projection for all of 2006.

“Based on new products, design wins from customers, and a strong relationship with a credible partner, Cypress Semiconductor, the outlook for Simtek is very good,” Blomquist concluded in the Dec. 19 letter. Simtek stock has since recovered to $2.41 by midday Thursday.

The safety check before joining a nonprofit board

Many business people are asked to join a nonprofit organization's board of directors. Here are some key issues to consider beforehand, from Marks Paneth & Shron, a New York accounting firm with extensive nonprofit experience.

1) Do you know the nonprofit board's real mission? And are you fully aware of the duty of care, obedience and loyalty you will be subject to?

2) Did you receive and review the nonprofit board's packet that contains bylaws, descriptions of committees and functions and charter information. Review the materials before you make your decision about joining.

3) Does the organization have a whistleblower's policy? There should be a confidential way for organization employees to bring up and discuss matters regarding management indiscretion and other problems.

4) Does the organization carry a directors and officers insurance policy? This is important to protect you and other board members from unforeseen lawsuits and judgments.

5) Are there conflict of interest guidelines? You should know what constitutes a conflict of interest so you can both monitor and have input over other board members' activities and make judgments about your own.

6) What's the tone at the top of the board? Is there too much focus on connections and personal networking to fulfill the mission and make sound decisions?

7) How does paid management carry out its fiduciary responsibilities? If the executive director or other staff members have override over the board, proceed with extreme caution. Beware if management doesn't provide periodic internal audit statements.

8) By expanding the board, is the nonprofit going for quantity over quality? Since board members usually give, there's real incentive to expand a board. Is the quality of members and their insights high?

9) Is the board just a powerless group of donors, rather than a body with serious impact? It's important to decide if one wants to be part of a board if the real power and traditional board responsibility rests solely with the executive committee.

Self-Service Shredder wins UL mark

Colorado Springs-based RealTime Shredding, Inc. has received approval from Underwriters Laboratories Inc. for The Self-Service Shredder. The UL mark indicates compliance with rigorous industry safety standards throughout North America. Underwriters Laboratories granted the mark to RealTime’s self-service shredding kiosk after a 15-month process of testing and evaluation, the company said.

American Numismatic Association begins search for new director

The American Numismatic Association, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is accepting applications for a new executive director to replace its former executive director who was fired in October.
Resumes are due by Jan. 11 to the board president, Barry Stuppler, barry@stuppler.com.

The coin collecting association with 32,000 members is looking for candidates who have knowledge of and interest in coin collecting and at least five years of management experience.
The new executive director will head an organization facing several lawsuits, an operating budget deficit and a membership that in July voted out all incumbent members of its board.

Intel closing will hurt industrial real estate market

A 2008 real estate forecast by Sierra Commercial Real Estate of Colorado Springs suggests the city's industrial market will have a tough go next year. A housing slowdown means building supply companies and heating and cooling businesses, for example, won't need as much space. A loss of manufacturing jobs also will result in less demand for industrial buildings. Intel Corp.'s closing of its 1.4 million-square-foot chipmaking plant on the Springs’ northwest side won't help, either. Finding a buyer will be difficult because it will be costly to remodel the sophisticated plant, said Dave Bacon, a Sierra managing director and industrial specialist. Yet, having the plant available if a major employer comes to town is a positive for the Springs, said Sierra President Dave Delich.

Questions arise over hospital choice and shooting victims

E-mails from Penrose-St. Francis Health Services alerting media to the fact that three victims from the Dec. 9 shootings at New Life Church had been transported to Penrose Hospital near downtown Colorado Springs, included this paragraph:

“A significant amount of public and national media requests have been received asking why victims were transported downtown, bypassing the city's two new hospitals. Penrose Main Hospital on Nevada Avenue is a full-service Level II trauma hospital. The new St. Francis Medical Center on the corner of East Woodmen Road and Powers Boulevard will also be a full-service hospital able to handle trauma patients but is not scheduled to open until August 2008.”

What the paragraph omits: The new Memorial Hospital North, which opened in April and is the closest hospital to New Life Church, is operated by Penrose-St. Francis’ competitor and is not equipped to handle trauma patients.

Wildwood Casino plans April opening

Las Vegas-based American Gaming Group LLC is looking to an April 1 opening for its Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek. It will be the town’s largest single casino. At one point, the company talked of opening the casino by Christmas. Its Web site talks of an opening in “very early 2008.”

Blame the weather for the now springtime opening, said Paul “Sonny" Marshall, president and chief executive officer of American Gaming Group. “We had some delays due to the weather last winter, and now we’re getting hit with it again,” he said. “It’s always a challenge in Cripple Creek to do construction.”

Tourism comedy

Tourists say the wackiest things. Terry Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, entertained the audience at Tuesday morning’s “Breakfast With the Chamber” with a few questions passed on from visitors to the Springs:

• A visitor on the Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway: “What is the distance between mile markers?”

• A tourist at Garden of the Gods: “How often do you paint the rocks?”

• A visitor to Helen Hunt Falls: “Why would you name a waterfall after an actress?”

SEC sues Maxim in stock-options probe

Some of Maxim Integrated Products Inc. employees may think they have jumped from one stock-options scandal to another.

Maxim in October bought Vitesse Semiconductor Corp.'s Colorado Springs-based Storage Products businesses and retained 55 of the operation's 60 employees. Another 50 people work for another local Maxim division. Vitesse has not reported earnings for two years as a result of a stock-option backdating scandal and investigation that led to the departure of its chief executives and several other top managers.

The Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday sued Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Maxim; John Gifford, its former chief executive, and Carl Jasper, its former chief financial officer, for allegedly falsifying financial information by improperly backdating stock option grants to employees and directors. The company's profits were inflated by more than 10 percent between 2003 and 2005 as a result of the scheme, the agency said.

The SEC agreed to settlements in which the company agreed to cease and desist from future violations and Gifford paid at $150,000 fine and returned $652,681 in bonuses tied to the company's performance. Neither the company nor Gifford admitted or denied the allegations as part of the settlement. Jasper has not settled with the agency and his attorney, Steven Bauer, told the Associated Press that Jasper didn't receive any backdated options and didn't have any authority to issue them.

Stock options give holders the right to buy shares in the future at a preset price. In Maxim's case, the SEC alleged the company routinely granted options at below-market prices, but avoided reporting the cost by backdating paperwork to make it appear that the options had been granted at an earlier date when the stock price was lower.
To view the suit against Maxim and Gifford, go to http://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2007/comp20381-maxim.pdf. To view the suit against Jasper, go to http://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2007/comp20381-jasper.pdf.

eWomenNetwork hosts holiday lunch

eWomenNetwork will host a holiday networking and shopping lunch Friday, Dec. 14, at the Marriott Hotel, 5580 Tech Center. The cost is $35 for members and $45 for non-members. Doors open and informal networking begins at 10:30 a.m., with the program from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

eWomenNetworking offers "accelerated networking," in which women can meet numerous business contacts in a short period of time, share products and services, learn marketing strategies and make new connections. To register, call Mary at 596-1771.

No more Room at the Inn

Room at the Inn, a Victorian-style bed and breakfast at 618 N. Nevada Ave., has been sold and will no longer operate as a B&B. Owners Dorian and Linda Ciolek, who operated Room at the Inn for nine years, sold the property to a software developer who will relocate his offices there next year. They did not identify the business.

A Gazette story in 2006 said the B&B was for sale at $1.2 million. Dorian Ciolek said it sold for “close to that.” The three-story building, built in 1896, has also served as a single-family residence and an apartment building.

Home builders to look ahead to 2008 and 2009

Metrostudy, a real estate research and analysis firm, will present an overview of the Pikes Peak region's new home market during a members-only breakfast hosted by the Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs. The look at the current market, and what's ahead for 2008 and 2009, will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Dec. 12 at the Marriott hotel, 5580 Tech Center Drive, in northwest Colorado Springs. The cost is $20. More information or to register: 592-1800, ext 18, or www.cshba.com. Metrostudy, based in Houston, tracks housing data in 10 Front Range counties in Colorado, as well as several other markets around the country.

What would Capone say?

Girl of the Golden West, a women’s western wear store at The Promenade Shops at Briargate, is expecting quite a hefty package Monday. Navis Pack & Ship will deliver an 8-foot-tall, 22-foot-long antique wet bar that, according to legend, was once owned by gangster Al Capone. Phoebe Schmidt, owner of Girl of the Golden West, bought the bar from a New Hampshire couple. It will be the centerpiece of her enlarged store that opens in January. It’ll generally be used as a beauty bar, though it will be used as originally intended for occasional social events.

Keeley retires from Simtek board

Robert Keeley, a professor emeritus of finance at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, has retired after 14 years on the board of directors of Colorado Springs-based semiconductor designer Simtek Corp.
Keeley retired as the El Pomar chair of finance at UCCS in 2004. He had been chairman of Simtek's audit committee and will be replaced by John Hillyard, who joined the board last year and is chief financial officer of Boulder-based LeftHand Networks Inc.
Simtek also said Philip Black, who joined the company's board in August, was named chairman of the board's compensation committee and a member of the audit committee. Black is chief executive of California-based Nexsan Technologies Inc.
"Dr. Keeley has been a real asset to Simtek. We thank him for his long-standing service as a member of the board and wish him well as he more fully enjoys his retirement," Simtek Chairman Harold Blomquist said. The new posts for Black and Hillyard "will enable us to capitalize on the breadth of experience on public boards both bring to Simtek."
Keeley said he has been "gradually stepping away from my professional activities and am excited to pursue more personal interests. In the entire 14 years I've been a director of Simtek, the company has never been in better shape."
For more information, go to http://www.simtek.com/

A growing partnership

The Greater Colorado Springs Partnership is growing — and getting a new name in the process. The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and the black and Hispanic chambers announced the partnership in June and were quickly joined by Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak Convention and Visitors Bureau. All retained their individual identities, but embraced the alliance as a way to share resources and speak with a single, stronger voice on key issues. The partnership is becoming the Pikes Peak Regional Business Partnership as two new chambers join: the Fountain Valley Chamber and the Eastern Plains Chamber, formerly the Falcon Business League. They’ll officially sign on at the Colorado Springs Chamber’s “Breakfast With the Chamber” on Tuesday morning at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Lennar sells Colorado properties

Lennar Corp., a new home builder with five communities in Colorado Springs, has sold some of its land and homesites to Morgan Stanley Real Estate, as part of a new investment venture between the two firms.

The properties acquired by the venture consist of about 11,000 homesites in 32 communities throughout the country. A spokesman for Lennar would not confirm what communities were included but did say some were in Colorado.

Lennar has a 20 percent ownership interest in the investment venture. The venture acquired the property, with a $1.3 billion net book value as of Sept. 30, for only $525 million.

The sale helps Lennar, which is struggling like many new-home builders, by giving it an infusion of cash, said Stuart Miller, president and CEO.

In the Pikes Peak region, Lennar's communities include Four Mile Ranch in Canon City, Meridian Ranch in Peyton, Mesa Ridge in Fountain, Misty Acres Estates Collection in Monument and Morning View in Colorado Springs. They represent about a third of the company's communities in Colorado.

Al's Formal Wear buys out Mister Neat's

The three Mister Neat’s Formalwear stores in Colorado Springs are becoming Al’s Formal Wear stores. Houston-based Al’s Formal Wear announced Monday that it had acquired all the assets of Mister Neat’s, the largest formal wear company in Colorado with 17 stores across the state. Visitors to www.misterneats.com are now taken to www.alsformalwear.com and signage outside stores will change soon, a spokeswoman said.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services' electronic medical records system in place

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services is one of several Centura Health facilities in southern Colorado to implement a new electronic information system Dec. 1.

Others are: Langstaff-Brown Urgent Care Center in Woodland Park, St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo and St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City.

The system will enable hospital employees to record patients' medical information electronically, which improves care and safety, according to Mike Scialdone, chief financial officer for Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.

The health care system has purchased several million dollars worth of new equipment to support the new computer system, including mobile work stations, tablet computers, desktop computers, desktop scanners, bar code scanners, printers and wireless networks.

Xiotech lands $40 million from Seagate

Xiotech Corp. announced earlier this week it has landed $40 million in an investment round led by Seagate Technology LLC Chairman Steve Luczo that it plans to use to bring new technology acquired from Seagate to market.
Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Xiotech bought "certain assets" and a license for the technology of Seagate's Advanced Storage Architecture (ASA) group in early November and hired almost all of the research and development operation's 100 employees in Colorado Springs (see story at http://www.gazette.com/articles/seagate_30198___article.html/xiotech_operation.html). Xiotech officials declined to further identify the types of products the operation is developing.
"This is an exciting time to be part of Xiotech, as we're really well positioned to help the storage industry rethink assumptions at a truly fundamental level," Ciotech CEO Casey Powell said. "This investment round and the addition of Steve Luczo to our board are important steps to fully capitalize on the acquired ASA technology."
Xiotech, which is owned by Seagate and Oak Investment Partners, generates about $100 million in annual revenue producing information storage equipment used in data centers. For more information, go to http://www.xiotech.com/

Re/Max co-founder makes History Channel

Dave Liniger, co-founder of Denver-based Re/Max International, addressed the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce in early November. Now, he's appearing before a bigger audience. "History's Business," a weekly half-hour series on The History Channel, has completed an episode that discusses the launch and growth of Re/Max. The broadcast will air at 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Liniger, chairman of Re/Max, was interviewed in The History Channel's studios by program host Geoff Wawro. Liniger explained Re/Max's start in 1973 as a small office and how it's grown to a global real estate franchise network, with offices in more than 65 countries. In addition to telling the story of Re/Max, Liniger discusses his philanthropy efforts and his adventures as a NASCAR driver, balloonist and pilot. Liniger and his wife, Re/Max co-founder Gail, oversee day-to-day operations of the organization. Additional broadcasts of the Re/Max episode of "History's Business" will be listed on the cable channel's web site, www.history.com.

Big 5 opens at Uintah Gardens

Big 5 Sporting Goods has opened a store at 1810 W. Uintah St. in the Uintah Gardens Shopping Center. It becomes the third Big 5 store in Colorado Springs and is in a former Walgreens. Walgreen vacated the building to build a free-standing store. Big 5 Sporting Goods has 360 locations across 11 Western states.

Economic census coming

This year, the holiday season is also the census season for businesses.
More than 4 millionU.S. businesses, including about 9,700 in the Colorado Springs area, will receive economic census forms in December.
The economic census is taken every five years and provides key source data for the gross domestic product and other indicators of economic performance.
Census forms are sent to all but the smallest businesses in every industry and geographic area of the country. Most businesses with five or more paid employees, and a sample of smaller ones, will receive a census form.
Companies are asked to report information such as employment, payroll and the value of goods and services sold. Questions about franchising, outsourcing and health and pension benefit expenses were added to selected forms this year. The answers, the U.S. Census Bureau assures, are kept confidential. Only aggregate industry data are published.
Forms must be returned to the Census Bureau by Feb. 12. Companies that toss the census form or squirrel it away in a drawer and forget it could be in trouble. The law provides for penalties of up to $5,000 for failure to report and $10,000 for intentionally providing false information.
For more information, go to www.census.gov/econ/census07.

Audi of America sponsors ski competitions

Audi of America has been selected as the official automotive sponsor of the U.S. Ski Team, supplying vehicles to the U.S. Ski Team in the United States and Europe for all its teams. Those include alpine, cross country, freestyle, nordic combined and ski jumping.

Audi also will be the title sponsor of the women's World Cup in Aspen, Dec. 7-9, and the automaker will be associate sponsor of the men's World Cup races in Beaver Creek, Nov. 28-Dec. 2.

The U.S. Ski Team said it chose Audi because its vehicles with a permanent all-wheel-drive system are reliable and safe.

A player piano with an Internet twist

Jazz pianist Sue Downs, who played with the Roger Williams and Red Skelton orchestras, will show off the latest in Disklavier technology Thursday at the just-opened Piano Gallery, 7790 N. Academy Blvd. Yamaha introduced the Disklavier, a concert-quality piano that also serves as a modern-age player piano, more than 20 years ago. The latest twist is Disklavier 2.0, new technology that allows Mark IV series pianos to access and play music from Disklavier Internet radio stations. Downs will be available to answer questions about the technology at 4 p.m. and will perform at 7 p.m. RSVPs are requested for the performance; call 447-9999.

Real estate group convenes economic forecast breakfast Jan. 24

Want to know the outlook for the local economy and real estate market in 2008? The Southern Colorado chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management will hold its 17th annual economic forecast breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 24 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (formerly the Sheraton), 2886 S. Circle Drive on Colorado Springs' south side. The breakfast, usually attended by several hundred business people, will include a look at Colorado Springs' economy as well as the commercial, single-family and apartment markets. Speakers include Mike Anderson, assistant Colorado Springs city manager and a longtime local economist; Doug Carter, a commercial broker with Sperry Van Ness and who specializes in the apartment market; Brian Maecker, a real estate agent with the Maecker Team and Re/Max Advantage; and Kent Mau, a commercial broker with Sierra Commercial Real Estate. The cost is $35 before Jan. 16; afterward, the cost is $45. More information: Linda Littlefield at the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors, 633-7718, ext. 110 or http://www.irem53.org./

Actress Olivia Hussey at One World 2 U

Actress Olivia Hussey will bring a little star power to this weekend’s One World 2 U warehouse sale. One World 2 U, located at 1120 Elkton Drive, Unit E, sells furniture, artifacts and art from India and is open only on select weekends throughout this year. Hussey will be there from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday to sell items from her collection of Indian tunics and kaftans. The Golden Globe-winning actress was 15 when she gained fame as Juliet in 1968’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Bargain on snowmobile insurance

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies is expanding coverage and cutting rates up to 40 percent for snowmobile insurance in Colorado and nine other states.

The insurance covers the rider anywhere and features accessory coverage up to $3,000 of aftermarket equipment and accessories, roadside assistance and various discounts.

For more information, see http://www.progressive.com/.

Banking 'on the go'

FirstBank, Colorado's largest locally owned bank with $8.6 billion in assets, is offering what it calls a new tool to help shoppers and travelers manage their money during the holiday season.

Internet banking customers now can check account balances and transfer funds across accounts using their mobile phones, including while waiting in line at the mall or waiting for a flight at the airport.

The mobile banking feature is available to AT&T Wireless customers, and Verizon customers are expected to gain access in December. FirstBank provides the service at no charge, although connectivity and usage rates may apply.

A six-digit PIN is required to access account information, for security reasons, and the information is not stored in the phone.

The final frontier

Monday is the deadline to register for Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak’s annual dinner and silent auction. The event is 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2886 S Circle Drive. Guest speaker is Brian Duffy, a 1975 U.S. Air Force Academy graduate who commanded the 100th space shuttle mission. Cost is $60 per person; go to www.experiencecoloradosprings.com to register online or call 685-7621. Among silent auction items: a tourist trip into space, with bidding beginning at a mere $30 million.

HBA holds annual membership dinner

The annual membership dinner of the Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs will take place at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Antlers Hilton hotel, 4 s. Cascade Ave. in downtown Colorado Springs. The event will include installation of HBA officers for 2008, including board president Bobby Ingels of the Ingels Co. Ralph Braden of Nor'wood Development Group will become president-elect for 2009. The event also will include a send-off for George Hess of Vantage Homes, who served as 2007 board president. The cost for the dinner is $50. More information: 592-1800 or www.cshba.com.

Innerwall sold to Ohio firm

Frank Ricotta had to either raise more venture capital or negotiate a sale for Innerwall Inc. to get its network security software to a wider market.
Ricotta chose the latter, agreeing to sell Innerwall in May to Dayton, Ohio-based Enterprise Information Management Inc. for an undisclosed price. Enterprise retained all 11 Innerwall employees, who now operate Enterprise’s western regional office in the Springs.
Innerwall was a subcontractor on a $49.1 million, five-year Army contract Enterprise won last year to turn more than 100,000 paper forms into Web-based documents that are digitally “signed” for supply orders, personnel, medical, transportation and other matters.
“We needed a broader platform to launch our technology and since we had worked together on the Army program, we found there were a lot synergies, including a similar customer set and technology vision,” said Ricotta, who was Innerwall’s co-founder and CEO.
Innerwall had cut its staff from 35 to 11 about a year ago, when it restructured its marketing strategy and sales team to focus on a few core clients. A few months later, Enterprise began negotiations to acquire Innerwall, said Enterprise CEO Bruce Lyman.
Innerwall was started in 2002 and was funded by $7.5 million from investors that included XAware Inc. Chairman Bill Miller, Adam Aircraft Inc. Chairman Rick Adam and Vince Cook, former vice chairman of Science Applications International Corp.
“The technology is brilliant, the team is first class and it allows us to bring a complete solution to our customers” by including Innerwall’s network security software as part of Enterprise’s document automation software sold to military and government agencies, said Enterprise CEO Bruce Lyman.
Innerwall’s software allows only “healthy” computers to be connected to corporate networks and makes sure they comply with all of an organization’s computer security policies as well as helping networks recover from breaches by restoring them quickly to their previous state.

Car rentals up for holiday travel

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the nation’s largest rental car company, said it is experiencing a 20 percent increase over last year in advance reservations for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The company attributes the increase to concern over high gas prices leading people to leave their family cars at home and rent a more fuel-efficient vehicle for holiday travel.
Enterprise rents hybrids, flexible-fuel vehicles that run on E85, along with vehicles with highway fuel efficiency ratings of 28 miles per gallon or more.

Consumers lack confidence as holiday season approaches

Consumer confidence is taking a nosedive just as the holiday shopping season approaches. In a November survey, Ohio-based BIGresearch found 37.3 percent of nearly 8,000 respondents said they were very confident or confident about economic conditions, the lowest level since June 2006. “Gas price increases may be a contributing factor and 80 percent of consumers also said they expect prices to hit $3.25 by Christmas,” said Gary Drenik, BIGresearch's president and chief executive offer. Consumer concerns over the economy and gas prices are prompting them to take several measures to compensate; 41 percent said they are taking fewer shopping trips and shopping closer to home. About one-third of respondents said they are worse off than a year ago and half said there is “too much month at the end of their paycheck.” Respondents also say they intend to stick to a budget (37.1 percent), do more comparative shopping (26.7 percent) and use more coupons (27.8 percent).

Ent closer to Fort Collins?

The board of directors at Ent Federal Credit Union has sent the results of its Thursday night vote on whether to bid for Norlarco Credit Union in Fort Collins to the National Credit Union Administration. The NCUA board is scheduled to meet Dec. 13, when it is expected to approve a buyer. Although the Ent board's vote was not revealed, an action of sending the decision to the NCUA indicates Ent's interest. Ent's senior vice president Jim Moore confirmed the board's action Friday. The NCUA, which insures credit union deposits, took over Norlarco in May amid mounting losses from construction loans in Florida. The agency told Norlarco’s 43,366 members last month it was seeking buyers for the credit union.

Car dealer wants to go high tech

Although plans are still in the works for a new Liberty Toyota store in Powers Auto Park (see article in the Nov. 13 Business section), general manager Ray Reilly envisions a high-tech heaven for customers.

"I'm looking at getting the newest, most advanced technology to improve customer satisfaction and eliminate the time people spend at the dealership," he said, "because I believe the No. 1 issue people have with car dealers is the amount of time it takes to buy or service a car."

Imagine a chip being implanted in each new Toyota that would have the buyer's information on it, so that when the owner returns for service on the vehicle, employees would automatically greet the owner by name, immediately know the reason for the appointment and be familar with the history of the car.

Imagine a plasma screen behind the service counter, displaying information about your car while you're being waited on, such as when it was last serviced, its maintenance schedule, repairs that have been made and other details, so customers could quickly decide what services they wanted and know the estimated costs.

These, Reilly envisions, in addition to what he knows the new dealership will feature: wireless connection so customers can work while they wait, a free car wash every time a customer has a car serviced or buys a car from the dealership, a quick lube lane, a themed children's corral and indoor space large enough so customers can pick up and drop off their cars inside the building, not outside.

Apartment industry update scheduled Thursday

Fred Crowley, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs economist, and Springs commercial real estate broker Doug Carter of Sperry Van Ness, who specializes in multi-family properties, will present a forecast on the Pikes Peak region's apartment market from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Antlers Hilton Hotel, 4 S. Cascade Ave., in downtown Colorado Springs. The event is sponsored by the Apartment Association of Colorado Springs, ApartmentGuide.com and Arlun Floor Coverings and Design Center of Colorado Springs. Crowley and Carter will discuss where the market was a year ago, what's changed in the past year and market trends for 2008. The cost is $40 for Apartment Association members and $60 for non-members. More information: 264-9195.

VillaSport to open soon

VillaSport Athletic Club and Spa gave a hard-hat tour of its facility today to members of the media. Prospective members can take a virtual tour at www.villasport.com. The 88,000-square-foot facility will be the city’s largest fitness club. It’s expected to open at the end of this month or in early December; an opening date has not been set.

Two-day workshops planned on international trade

The Rocky Mountain World Trade Center Institute will conduct a pair of day-long workshops on "International Business Fundamentals" in late November at the offices of the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. The sessions are designed for novice and experienced exporters who want to learn more about international shipments. The workshops cover everything from contract negotiations and export controls to credit considerations and letters of credit. The cost is $175 for the two-day workshop, with a discount available for members of the World Trade Center. The sessions will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 27 and 28 at the Colorado Springs Office of International Affairs, located at the Colorado Springs Chamber offices at 2 N. Cascade Ave., Suite 110, in downtown Colorado Springs. Advance reservations are required and may be made at www.wtcdenver.com/export_biz_fundamentals.html. More information: (719) 575-4314 or internationalaffairs@cscc.org.

New resource helps small businesses create inclusion

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce released on Nov. 1 "Small Business Basics: How Small Businesses Can Create Fair Workplaces for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Employees."

The first-of-its-kind resource helps small businesses provide equal benefits, employment protection and an inclusive work environment for all employees.

To download the guide, go to http://www.hrc.org/about_us/small-business.asp.

Top 10 retailers with an environmental focus

Juice Energy Inc., an electricity supplier with a focus on renewable sources, has named the top 10 environmentally conscious retailers.

Patagonia: Recycles used fleece for use in new products; first California-based company to buy electricity from 100 percent renewable energy sources.

Kohl's: Second largest retail purchaser of green power; also building the largest rooftop solar project in U.S. history with installations at 63 of 80 California locations.

Whole Foods: Purchases green power equal to 100 percent of their electricity usage; promotes green living with in-store programs.

prAna: Purchases green power equal to electricity usage of 250 stores, the company's corporate headquarters and the homes of all their full-time employees; is purchasing wind power for 1,000 retail partners in North America.

REI: Purchases green power equal to 100 percent of its annual electricity consumption; committed to reducing CO2 emissions by one-third from last year by the end of 2009.

UPS: Operates the largest alternative fuel and low-emissions fleet in the industry, with 19,647 vehicles; purchases green power and streamlines delivery routes to eliminate 28.5 million miles of driving to date.

Timberland: Recently introduced Green Index tags on products, which rate products based on environmental factors, such as greenhouse gas emissions, the use of solvents and organic content; plans to become carbon neutral by 2010; uses recycled boxes and soy ink packaging on footwear.

Nike: Goal to be carbon neutral by 2011; purchases green power for its world headquarters; designs footwear to reduce waste, eliminate volatile organic compounds and increase use of environmentally friendly materials.

Wal-Mart: Commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over the next eight years; set goal to purchase 100 percent of energy from renewable sources; set goal to increase fuel efficiency of its fleet by 25 percent over the next three years; is the largest single purchaser of 100 percent organic cotton socks.

Target: Offers more than 500 certified organic produce products; reduces waste through food-donation programs, giving away nearly 7 million pounds of food last year; uses solar electricity in four stores, with systems in the works at 14 additional stores.

A five-diamond luncheon

The Broadmoor held a luncheon today at its Penrose Room to announce that AAA has given the restaurant a five-diamond rating for 2008 — the first five-diamond restaurant in Colorado. Here’s what was served:

• Fois Gras Ballotine with Caramelized Apple Butter
• American Kobe Beef Tartar with Harissa Relish
• Golden Beets Salad with Goat Cheese and Pistachios
• Dungeness Crab Bisque
• Ahi Tuna Carpaccio and Crispy Sweet Bread “Vitello Tonnato”
• Halibut Slowly Cooked in Black Olive Oil and Roasted Maine Lobster
• Baby Root Vegetables with Lovage
• Venezuelan Chocolate Parfait with Cocoa Nougatine
• Salted Caramel and Pear William Ice Cream

Brownfields conference set for November

Want to learn more about infill development, sustainable designs and other land-use issues? The fifth annual Colorado Brownfields Conference, co-sponsored by the Colorado Brownfields Foundation, will take place Nov. 15 and 16 at the Doubletree Hotel at Stapleton, 3203 Quebec St., in Denver. The event is a 1 1/2-day educational conference about real estate development and land recycling in today’s market. From meth-lab contaminated properties to corporate carbon footprints, the conference is designed to help professionals learn more about redevelopment and responsible land use. Keynote speakers include James Martin, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Don Mares, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment; and Greg Weaver, managing director for Catellus, a Denver-based development and construction company. Some of the sessions include: Stapleton Redevelopment, Five Years of Successes; the Role of Land Use in a Sustainable Economy; Meth Labs in the Market; and Emerging Legal Issues Impacting Development. More information and to register: www.ColoradoBrownfieldsFoundation.org or (303) 962-0940.

Retired Colorado Springs planner sets up shop as consultant

Paul Tice, Colorado Springs' longtime development review manager, has retired from city government, but isn't giving up his involvement in local land use issues. Tice has launched his own consulting firm: Land Planning & Development Services Inc. Among other services, he’ll help businesses get their land-use applications processed by local governments; coordinate the work of engineers, landscape architects and other experts hired by applicants; assist financial institutions that want to know if borrowers have obtained the proper zoning for their projects; and help project applicants obtain zoning and clear other regulatory hurdles. Tice also hopes to consult with short-staffed local governments that might want to hire him to write a land-use ordinance or review project applications. Tice is based in Cripple Creek, but expects to do most of his work in the Springs area.

Construction industry energy summit scheduled in Denver

The second annual Energy Star Summit will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4 at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 East Tufts Ave. in Denver. The event brings together home building industry experts to discuss and educate builders, contractors, architects, manufacturers, code officials, remodeling professionals, utilities officials, students and educators about cutting-edge designs and techniques for the construction of high performance, energy efficient homes. In response to homeowners' demand for energy efficiency, homebuilders, remodeling contractors and real estate agents are discovering the need to expand their skills, and the Energy Start Summit provides an opportunity to learn more. This year's event has been expanded to two days, with an optional, pre-conference trip to a "zero energy" house. More information and to register: www.e-star.com/summit.

Bombay, Mikasa closing

Comings and goings at the Promenade Shops at Briargate:

The Gloss Denim Bar, a denim jeans store, opens the day after Thanksgiving, occupying half of the former Camille La Vie space. The Ann Taylor Loft, M&H Galleries and Bath & Body Works are all expected to open in the first quarter of 2008. And Girls of The Golden West, currently a temporary store, has signed a permanent lease.

Two stores, Bombay and Mikasa, will close. Bombay Co., with about 400 stores in the U.S. and Canada, filed for bankruptcy in September and plans to close its U.S. locations after the holiday season. And ARC International, parent company of Mikasa, has announced it will close Mikasa’s 86 retail factory outlets in North America by year’s end.

Humana, Republic Bank debut health care credit card

Humana Inc. will offer a health care credit card issued by Republic Bank to employer groups customers beginning this month.

The HumanaAdvance SM Visa Card can be used only at hospitals, doctor and dentist offices, drug stores and other locations that sell and provide health-releated products and services. The credit card is meant for out-of-pocket health care-related expenses and is particularly beneficial for employees who have Health Savings Accounts, Humana said in a press release.

The card has an annual fee and a fixed zero percent annual percentage rate on all purchases, which can automatically be paid back over six months through an automatic payroll deduction option. It is available to any employee of an employer offering a consumer-directed health plan, whether the employee has a Humana HMO or PPO, or doesn't participate in the employer's benefit program at all.

Times covers Disaboom

The New York Times ran a story Tuesday on Disaboom.com, the new Web site targeting the 50 million Americans with physical or mental disabilities. The story mentioned co-founder Dr. Glen House, though it doesn’t note that he is from Colorado Springs. The Gazette profiled Disaboom earlier this year.

Marketing to people with disabilities may look great on paper, but it’s not easy, the New York Times story said. “We’re just spread out over all kinds of walks of life — from different races to different religions to different income levels and education,” said Eric Lipp, founder of the Open Doors Organization, a nonprofit group that consults with companies about the disability market.

Re/Max founder to speak at chamber's annual dinner

Dave Liniger, founder of Denver-based real estate giant Re/Max, will be the keynote speaker at the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner at 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at The Broadmoor hotel's International Center. Liniger is recognized as an expert in time management, sales training, recruiting and motivation and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., Success and other leading publications. He's also appeared on television and radio throughout North America. He is a recipient of The Warren Bennis Award for Leadership Excellence from the Global Institute for Leadership Development and has been inducted into the International Franchise Hall of Fame. A commercial pilot, golfer and Arabian horse breeder, Liniger also has been a NASCAR driver and owned Team Re/Max Racing. He's also co-owner of the Sanctuary Golf Course near Sedalia; co-founder of the Wildlife Experience, a Denver-area conservation center; and sponsors Sentinels Of Freedom, a group that provides four-year “life scholarships” to help veterans become self-sufficient. To RSVP for the dinner or for more information, contact the chamber's Jen Furda at 575-4313 or email her at jenifer@cscc.org.

FedEx Kinko center to celebrate grand opening

FedEx Kinko on Thursday will celebrate the grand opening of its new office and print center at 5854 Barnes Road. A ribbon cutting will take place at noon. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Simtek sweeps in new vp

Simtek Corp. has hired away AMI Semiconductor Inc. executive Andrew Broom as vice president of engineering.
Broom had been AMI's vice president of product development and held several other executive posts at the Idaho-based company. He has more than 20 years of experience in design and product engineering at LSI Logic Corp., Crosspoint Solutions Inc . and OM Associates Inc. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Texas A&M University and began his career at VLSI Technology Inc.
"Andy's experience as a leader of complex global engineering teams, coupled with a diverse range of engineering and management experience, will enable him to contribute immediately to Simtek's growth plans," Simtek President Harold Blomquist said. "At his former companies, Andy participated in developing hundreds of different integrated circuits, including digital and complex analog design and test engineering disciplines."
For more information, go to www.simtek.com