Across the Denver metro area, there are businesses adding another page in the history of our region’s success.
The Chamber’s annual Business Awards luncheon presented by Colorado Business Bank recognizes organizations in our community that make our region a great place to live and do business.
Get to know our Business Awards winners, in their own words.
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Syncroness
Established: 1998
What we do: Syncroness provides inspired solutions to highly complex business and technical problems in the medical device, aerospace and machine solutions industries. We offer engineering services aligned to the entire product lifecycle to accelerate product development and drive more predictability and productivity.
Best part of the day: Our favorite time of day is our 4 o’clock show ‘n tell with beer and nachos. Our teams present their projects to the company to share the exciting creative work we are doing. The beer and nachos are great, too!
We love having our business in Colorado because: Colorado has so much to offer, and in response to our employees’ feedback, we have a 9/80 work schedule to allow our teams to have a better work-life balance. The Colorado culture and creative spirit inspires us to keep providing innovative solutions.
Award sponsor: Transworld Business Advisors
START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: DispatchHealth
Established: 2013
What we do: DispatchHealth, a local Denver company, is bringing back the house call with a modern technology twist by providing patients ways to access convenient, high-quality acute care in the comfort of their home or location of need. DispatchHealth is redefining the Denver health care landscape as an extension of a patient’s care team and offering services from the common flu to minor fractures to suturing to advanced blood laboratory testing and much more. Just call, click or tap the app and you’ll be on your way to feeling better, faster.
Favorite quote: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
We love doing business in Colorado because:
1. Colorado is home to us and our families!
2. As a health care technology and delivery company, Colorado is building and embracing a digital health ecosystem that can compete with any other community in the nation with the support of government and private entities. It provides entrepreneurs with an amazing culture to work on and solve big problems to benefit our communities at large.
Award sponsor: Denver Metro SBDC
GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: RNL Design
Established: 1956
What we do: Headquartered in Denver, RNL is an international full‐service architecture, planning and design firm specializing in sustainable, integrated design. We offer a continuum of design services, including architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, lighting design, urban design and planning. For 60 years, we have focused on providing transformational design solutions that exceed our clients’ aspirations and embody their values through collaboration and understanding. RNL is also a certified B Corporation, meaning we have committed to meeting rigorous thirdparty standards of social and environmental performance and improving the quality of life in our communities through our business.
Best advice received: Aim for the stars and you might land on the mountains; if you only aim for the mountains you’ll never get past the trees.
We love doing business in Colorado because: Denver is an amazing city with great weather and progressive thinkers, and it has mountains nearby. We wouldn’t want to live and work anywhere else.
Award sponsor: White Wave
SMALL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR: Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI)
Established: 2008
What we do: RMMFI is a community creating economic and social mobility through entrepreneurship. RMMFI helps curious people transform into serious entrepreneurs through personal, entrepreneurial and business development support. Faced with personal, financial and structural barriers to success, RMMFI entrepreneurs build businesses to achieve selfsufficiency and a greater sense of self-worth.
Best advice received: An investment in yourself is an investment in others.
Fun traditions our team has: We shut down the office four times each year for “funday,” where we get out in the community to volunteer, support an RMMFI entrepreneur business and finish off the day with great food and drink. The tradition started very early in RMMFI’s history when we didn’t have enough to pay ourselves, but recognized the need to have a good time while doing great work.
Award sponsor: Families Forward Resource Center
LARGE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado
Established: 1918
What we do: We recruit, screen, train and match the very best mentors in Colorado with children who need someone, and then support that match to ensure every child achieves his or her full potential. Research proves that mentoring changes lives for the better, forever!
Greatest mentor: All of our mentors are great, though our greatest mentor of all time may be Claude Blake, the Denver attorney who founded our agency in 1918. Little did he know, his agency would go on to positively impact the lives of thousands.
Best part of the day: We love “match introductions” – the meeting when a new Little meets his or her Big for the very first time. It is a moment packed with nervous energy and hope and marks the beginning of a relationship that can last a lifetime.
Award sponsor: Fireside Production
MINORITY OR WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Gateaux Bakery
Established: 1999
What we do: Gateaux Bakery is a custom scratch bakery that creates beautiful and delicious cakes, pastries and decorative shortbread cookies for birthdays, weddings, corporate and other special events.
Best advice received: From my dad, Dennis Kenny: “Hard work will never hurt you; it can only help you throughout your career.”
Best part of the day: The end of the day! It is usually a Saturday when all of us on the Gateaux team have succeeded in making all of our clients happy and have gotten through a crazy, busy week!
Award sponsor: Xcel Energy
DAVID E. BAILEY SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Rob Smith
Executive Director, Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute
Did you know: In 2012, Rob was awarded the Livingston fellowship from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Each year, the fellowship supports five nonprofit leaders in Colorado by helping them define and support a plan from success to significance. As part of the fellowship, Rob was able to do some incredible things in his leadership pursuit, including a solo cross-country bicycle trek in 2013, being a member of the 2015 Leadership Denver class and a journey to Peru, where he was able to experience the wonders of Machu Picchu and a 10-day silent meditation retreat.
Best advice received: It’s what you do for yourself that has the biggest impact on others.
Best part of the day: The morning! At that point in the day, it is full of opportunity and it’s up to you to
define whether or not you take advantage of it.
Award sponsor: Wells Fargo
Get to know the all of the Business Awards finalists in their vignette videos here.
Maggie McEntee is the digital communications and brand manager for the Denver Metro Chamber.