The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at the University of Colorado Denver Business School announces that Gregory Anton, Chairman and CEO of Anton Collins Mitchell LLP, has been selected as the 2018 Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year. Now in its fourth year, the award will be presented to Mr. Anton at the State of Small Business Breakfast on Wednesday, November 7, 2018, hosted by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the University of Colorado Denver Business School.
“The Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year Award is presented by the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at the University of Colorado Denver Business School, and recognizes a local business leader whose accomplishments reflect Bill Daniels’ commitment to integrity, fairness and respect in all that they do,” said Business School Dean Dr. Rohan Christie-David. “We are honored to present Gregory Anton with this much deserved award.”
A student selection committee considered the largest pool of nominations to date consisting of local leaders committed to ethical business practices and evaluated each nominee based on the eight Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative (DFEI) Principles:
Integrity – Act with honesty in all situations.
Trust – Build trust in all stakeholder relationships.
Accountability – Accept responsibility for all decisions.
Transparency – Maintain open and truthful communications.
Fairness – Engage in fair competition and create equitable and just relationships.
Respect – Honor the rights, freedoms, views and property of others.
Rule of Law – Comply with the spirit and intent of laws and regulations.
Viability – Create long-term value for all relevant stakeholders.
“Trust, ethics and integrity are core values for me personally and professionally,” said Gregory Anton. “I’m very honored to be receiving the Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year Award. Ethical business practices are the foundation of a strong and sustainable community. I’m committed to continuing to serve the public interest as a practicing CPA and am humbled by this recognition.”
Mr. Anton is a founding partner of Anton Collins Mitchell LLP, a Denver based CPA firm with offices in Boulder, Denver, Northern Colorado and Laramie, WY. The 170-plus member firm has been recognized by multiple outlets for its positive workplace environment and consistent growth.
Mr. Anton has consistently earned recognition in his field. For instance, in 2015, he received the AICPA’s 2015 Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Service, the highest award granted by the AICPA and given to CPAs who have made major contributions to the profession. Mr. Anton is also the founder of the AICPA’s What’s at Stake? The CPA Profession on Federal Fiscal Responsibility initiative. This initiative offers a transparent analysis of the U.S. government’s financial statements: what’s in them, how they’re different from the budget, and how they can be utilized to manage the finances of our country.
“Much like Bill Daniels, Mr. Anton’s ethical principles guide his leadership style and business practices,” said Ira Selkowitz, Director of the DFEI at CU Denver Business School. “He knows that as a CPA, integrity and trust are integral in maintaining public confidence and he ensures that he and his partners set the necessary ‘tone from the top’. For instance, during the financial crisis, rather than laying off employees, management in Mr. Anton’s CPA firm voted to decline pay increases and bonuses, while reducing expenses with an eye toward the long term, exhibiting accountability, respect and fairness to a variety of the firm’s stakeholders.”
Past award recipients include Pat Hamill, CEO and Founder of Oakwood Homes (2017); Kate Paul, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Colorado (2016); and Evan Makovsky, Managing Partner at NAI Shames Makovsky (2015).
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About the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at the University of Colorado Denver Business School
The University of Colorado Denver Business School received a five-year grant in 2015 from the Daniels Fund to participate in the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program, aimed at strengthening ethics education for business students and extending ethical behavior beyond campus and into the community. The Business School uses the grant to instill a deep and unwavering ethical foundation into students through curriculum, events, and community collaboration.
About the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program
Reflecting Bill Daniels’ personal commitment to ethics and integrity, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program was established in 2009 to strengthen principle-based ethics education and instill a high standard of ethics in young people. The five-year pilot was launched in 2010 with eight business schools at universities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Due to its success, the initiative was renewed for another five years (2015-2019), and expanded to include two more business schools and one law school.