In this issue Moving experience pays ooff · Securities offered throughFarmers Financial Solutions,...

■ Real deals slowThe pace of realestate sales in MesaCounty continued toslow during the first quarter.

■ A good optionThere are goodreasons, many in fact, why sellerfinancing offers the bestoption for buying a business.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

GRAND JCT, COPERMIT NO. 67

MAY 1-14, 2008 ◆ VOLUME 15, ISSUE 7

A BUSINESS JOURNAL SERVING MESA COUNTY ESTABLISHED 1994

In this issue

The energy boom creates imbalanceswhen one area experiences development andanother area collects money.

3■ Record paceLodging tax revenues inGrand Junction remainon record pace with a26 percent first quarter jump.

4■ Taxing situation

■ Balancing act

Colorado fares well inthe latest comparisonof how state taxes affectbusinesses and entrepreneurs.

7■ Hiring heats upAs spring weatherheats up in MesaCounty, so does hiringactivity in seasonal industries.

16

16

20

■ Labor issuesUnderstanding key labor issues can helpemployers as wellas those looking for work.

18

THIS ISSUE OF THE BUSINESS TIMES SPONSORED BY VECTRA BANK

Almanac 21-22Business Beats 21-22Business Briefs 14-15Classifieds 23Grand Valley Green 12-13Insight 18-20News 3-11Perspective 17Trends 16

■ Departments

Read the Business Timesonline at the Web site locatedat www.thebusinesstimes.com.

Movingexperience

pays ooffQuest for efficiencyleads to creation of successfulsoftware firm

■

Business Times photo by Phil Castle

Jim Saad oversees Efficient WorkflowSolutions, a Grand Junction firm thatoffers software and consulting servicesto the moving and storage industry.Saad brings to the enterprise morethan 20 years of experience inmanaging his own moving companyand expanding a business with fiveemployees and three trucks into anoperation with a total of 300 employeesand 250 trucks in four locations.

Coverage beginson page 3

■

The Business Times MAY 1-14, 2008

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News

STORY AND PHOTO BY PHIL CASTLE

After running a moving and storage business for more than 20 years,Jim Saad launched Efficient Workflow Solutions. The Grand Junctioncompany now employs 30 people and has become one of the largestsoftware and consulting firms in the moving industry.

C ircumstances that others considerhardships Jim Saad deemsopportunities to learn things that better

prepare him to subsequently achieve success.In enduring the worst of times in business, theGrand Junction entrepreneur also has enjoyedthe best of times.

Saad ran Mesa Moving and Storage, aventure that expanded over the course of 20years from a small business with three trucksand five employees to a large operation with250 trucks and 300 employees spread outamong four locations.

Capitalizing on his experiences, Saadsubsequently started Efficient WorkflowSolutions, a company that has grown intoone of the largest software and consultingfirms in the moving industry.

Mesa State College and its EntreprenuerialBusiness Institute recently recognized thoseaccomplishments in presenting Saad with itsExcellence in Entrepreneurship Award.

Saad attributes success to a number offactors, among them teamwork with theemployees with which he maintains personalrelationships and leadership by example. But Saad also says he’s learned somevaluable lessons over the years, particularlyduring trying circumstances. “I couldn’t havehad a better journey preparing for this.”

What became a long and successfulcareer in the moving industry for Saad began35 years ago with what he thought at thetime would be a summer job movingfurniture for a company in Denver.

A star high school athlete out of Detroit,

Saad was recruited to play football atColorado State University and later playedbaseball for Eastern Michigan University. Butafter experiencing problems with his throwingarm, Saad decided to leave the program.

What initially was a summer jobextended for two years and Saad moved intoa sales position for the moving company. Hesays he learned one of his first lessons aboutbusiness when the company went broke in1979. Saad says the business was makingmoney, but grew beyond the ability of thefirm to finance that growth. Moreover, theowner had lost the trust of the banker withwhich he was working.

“It was a good experience for me,” Saadsays, adding he learned the importance ofincremental growth and maintaining an openand honest relationship with a banker.

Saad went to work as general managerof another moving company in Denver, a 100-year-old family operation he believedwould enjoy more financial stability. Twoweeks into the job, he learned the bookswere out of balance by $250,000 and theowner feared embezzlement. Saad tookcharge of a project to recreate two years offinancial records from the original sourcedocuments — invoices, receipts and checks.Saad says the experience offered yet anotherlearning opportunity that later helped him insetting up his own accounting systems andfinancial controls.

Saad says he worked with Exxon at thetime and was convinced his company should

See MOVING page 11

Development here, people there:Energy boom creates imbalance

Mike MoranBusiness Times

It’s no secret the energy boom contributes tothe growing population in Western Colorado — orthat more people create more challenges for localcommunities dealing with the effects on housingand roads.

But a new study attempts to quantify some ofthe growing gains and pains associated with energydevelopment.

The combined population of Garfield, Mesa,Moffat and Rio Blanco counties is expected toincrease to 417,000 by 2035. Of the total of213,000 people projected to work in the fourcounties by then, 11 percent — or about 23,400 —will work in the energy sector.

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs(DOLA) and organizations in Western Coloradocommissioned the study, conducted by BBC

Research and Consulting in Denver.Analyzing the growth projections is one part of

the process. Another part is more difficult in tryingto identify where newcomers will live and funnelingstate tax revenues from energy production to thosecommunities. Those involved in the process knowthat projections based on how people might behavein the future is an iffy proposition, but it’s one theysay is necessary if Western Colorado is to handlegrowth.

People who’re leery of constructing more roadsand buildings because they got burned in the oilshale bust are ignoring reality, said Aron Diaz, thenew director of the Associated Governments ofNorthwest Colorado (AGNC). “It sometimesbecomes an excuse not to plan,” he said.

“(Natural) gas is entirely different from oilshale,” Diaz said at an energy briefing hosted bythe Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.

See IMBALANCE page 10

Moving experience pays offEntrepreneur capitalizes on industry expertisein developing successful software company

Aron Diaz, the new directorof the AssociatedGovernments of NorthwestColorado, discusses financialand jurisdictionalimbalancescreated by energydevelopment inWestern Colorado.Diaz said theimbalances occurwhen energydevelopmentoccurs in onearea, but moneyis collected inanother area.

Business Times photo by Mike Moran


The Business Times of Western Colorado, asubsidiary of Western Slope Publishing Inc.,is published every other week and distributedthroughout Grand Junction, Fruita andPalisade. Advertising rates and deadlines areavailable upon request. Opinions expressedin this publication are those of the writersand do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe publisher, editor, staff or advertisers.Copyright © 2008 — All rights reserved.

The Business Times of Western Colorado2591 B 3/4 Road, Grand Junction

P.O. Box 2387,Grand Junction, CO 81502Telephone: (970) 241-0177

FAX: (970) 241-9730

Lodging tax revenueremains at record pace


Lodging tax collections in GrandJunction remain on record pace with asubstantial increase during the first threemonths of the year compared to the samespan last year.

According to the Grand JunctionVisitor & Convention Bureau, a total of$257,677 in lodging taxes was collectedduring the first quarter, 26 percent morethan the same period last year.

Collections reported in March alonetotalled $89,245 — a 31.4 percentincrease over the same month last year.

For all of 2007, a record $1.32 millionin lodging tax was collected.

People who stay in Grand Junctionhotels and motels pay a 3 percent tax on theirbills. The VCB uses the funds to promotetravel and tourism to the Grand Valley to otherparts of Colorado and around the world.

Collections in March reflect lodgingactivity in February since lodging taxes arereported to the city a month after they’recollected.

The VCB launched a Februarycampaign called Arts, Hearts and Tarts toencourage people to visit Grand Junctionarts and cultural events, Valentine’s Daycelebrations and restaurants.

The growth in lodging tax collectionsreflects growth in the population as well as

the energy industry in Western Colorado.Many energy employees stay in hotelsbecause of the transient nature of their jobs.In addition, energy industry executives travelto Western Colorado to oversee explorationand development activities.

American Airlines recently launcheddirect service between Grand JunctionRegional Airport and the Dallas-FortWorth Airport in Texas.

Members of the VCB staff were inDallas, in fact, promoting travel andtourism to the Grand Valley and wereunavailable at press time to comment aboutthe latest lodging tax figures.

Meanwhile, the number of peoplestopping by the Grand Junction VisitorCenter from other parts of Coloradodropped compared to the numbers reportedin the first quarter of last year. But thenumber of out-of-state and internationalvisitors increased.

The number of Colorado residentsstopping at the visitor center on HorizonDrive was down 7.4 percent for figuresreported in the first three months of theyear, while the number of visitors fromother states increased 16.8 percent and thenumber of visitors from other countrieswas up 46 percent to 77 visitors.

VCB officials say a weak U.S. dollarin comparison to foreign currencies hasbolstered international tourism.

✦

[email protected]

Fruita Chamber of Commerce awardedfor efforts to increase its membership

The Fruita Area Chamber of Commercehas earned statewide recognition for itsefforts to bolster membership.

The Fruita chamber received the awardfor largest proportional increase inmembership during 2007 with a 31.4 percentjump in rolls.

The Colorado Association of Commerceand Industry announced the winners of itsannual spring awards during the recentColorado Chamber of Commerce Executivesconference in Aspen.

Mary Lou Wilson, executive directorof the Fruita chamber, attributed the

increasing membership to the efforts of herstaff as well as various programs.

The Kremmling Area Chamber ofCommerce placed second with a 27 percentincrease, while the Breckenridge Chamberof Commerce was third with a 23 percentincrease.

The Rifle Area Chamber of Commercealso received recognition at the conference forincreasing dues revenue 27 percent in 2007.Annick Pruett, executive director of the Riflechamber, attributed the increase to enthusiasmand knowledge of the community.

✦


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Farm to table: Palisade event to detail culinary trainingAn event in Palisade will offer information about a

culinary training program designed to meet the growingdemand for more locally grown items on restaurant menus.

Culinary School of the Rockies will host a free openhouse for its Farm to Table Externship, a program that willinclude work on Western Colorado farms and ranches.

The open house is set for 3 to 5 p.m. May 18 at Inari’s,a Palisade Bistro, located at 336 Main St. The event willfeature appetizers prepared by Inari’s chefs and Coloradowines. To register for the event or obtain more informationabout the program, call (877) 249-0305 or visit the Website located at www.culinaryschoolrockies.com.

“We are so excited to talk with locals about thisopportunity,” said Joan Brett, owner and director of theCulinary School of the Rockies in Boulder.

“Colorado’s Western Slope offers a bounty of

ingredients and an amazing educational opportunity,” Brettsaid. “Through our externship, students will learn theessentials of cooking with seasonal ingredients and, just asimportantly, will develop great working partnerships withfarmers and producers.”

Meg Albers, owner of Inari’s and a graduate of theCulinary School of the Rockies, said the farm-to-tableconcept is no passing trend in culinary arts, but rather alasting cultural shift. “This is an amazing program wherestudents learn to respect and understand the intricacies andchallenges of sourcing and serving local food.”

Brett, chef instructors and admissions staff will be onhand at the open house in Palisade to discuss the program,the first session of which is scheduled to begin in July.Only 16 students will be accepted into the program.

The program will include a five-week immersion

experience on farms and ranches from the North ForkValley to Carbondale to Boulder County. The programalso will include two-week apprenticeships in Coloradorestaurants where chefs purchase products directly fromlocal farmers.

Other speakers will include Thomas Cameron and BilliDavis from the Cameron Place Community SupportedAgriculture operation in Palisade and Mike and MarieMcGowan from the Reverse K Bar Ranch near Collbran.

Brett said the Farm to Table Externship reflects theongoing commitment of the Culinary School of theRockies to use fresh products and ingredients from localsources when available. The program also constitutes aresponse to the growing demand from restaurantcustomers for more locally grown menu items.

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Hypnotherapist: What happens insideaffects outward behavior, relationships

Phil CastleBusiness Times

Teddi Rachlin believes that only a fraction of what happens insidethe brain occurs as conscious thinking and decision making.

The vast majority occurs in the subconscious mind, but stillshows up in dreams and in the physical manifestations of emotions,says Rachlin, a certified clinical hypnotherapist.

Moreover, what happens inside hasimportant ramifications on outward behaviorsand relationships, including those that occuron the job, she says.

Rachlin, a psychotherapist who specializesin therapeutic hypnosis, was the featured speakerat the annual Administrative Professionals Dayevent in Grand Junction hosted by the Book CliffChapter of the International Association ofAdministrative Professionals.

Rachlin covered a range of subjectsduring a luncheon presentation on relationship strategies and in a90-minute keynote address afterward that focused on primal fearresponse, dream analysis and basic body syndromes.

The most basic responses to perceived threats include fight,flight and freeze. People have an urge to react aggressively, quicklyescape from the situation or put off making a decision, she said.

On another level, though, the fight response could reflectanxiety, while the flight response signals depression and thefreeze response indicates procrastination or indecision, Rachlinsaid.

While such basic responses might be appropriate in a genuinelife-or-death situation, they can be counterproductive in othersituations, she said.

“If it’s not life or death, you need to use your other copingmechanisms,” she said.

More appropriate responses might include taking a deepbreath, reasoning through the situation, drafting a list of pros andcons or calling a friend to ask for advice, she said.

Subconscious thoughts and fears also show up in dreams,which can be analyzed to offer insights into the subconscious,Rachlin says. A number of factors are involved: the stage of sleepin which a dream occurs, the setting of a dream, its contents andassociated emotions, she says.

During what Rachlin described as the “venting” stage ofsleep, the subconscious mind often vents information.

Dreams that occur during this stage often include symboliccontent that represents subconscious thoughts and emotions. Thesymbols are different for each person, she says, but can beinterpreted.

It’s also important to consider what real life event mighttrigger certain dreams, she said.

In addition to basic responses and dreams, emotions can showup as physical manifestations and ailments, Rachlin said. Variousareas of the body are related to certain types of emotion.

Syndromes of the head can reflect indecision or a problemwith a decision, she said. Problems with the neck, shoulders andupper back can reflect feelings associated with responsibility.

Syndromes involving the arms and hands might involve thefight response or anxiety over reaching for a certain goal.

Syndromes of the hips could reflect guilt or frustration, whilesyndromes of the legs and feet might involve the flight responseor fear or depression.

Ailments involving internal organs such as the heart or livercould reflect anger and grief, respectively, she said.

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B B B O F T H E S O U T H W E S T O F F E R S T I P S

BBB Tips: Planning a Cost-Effective Move

Almost 50% of all moves take place between June 1 and September 30. If your plans this yearinclude a major move, the Better Business Bureau of the Southwest recommends that you dosome advance legwork to save yourself frustration, and possibly money.

■ Start planning your move at least six to eight weeks before your targeted moving date. Ask friends or neighbors to recommend companies they have been happy with for pastmoves, and check out the companies' record with the BBB at www.bbb.org or by calling (970) 242-2512.

■ Contact each company to ask about its charges and the types of services it offers, and compare movers to determine which one best suits your needs and budget.

■ Obtain an in-home, written estimate to help you approximate moving expenses. Ask for a copy of the estimate and know whether it’s a binding or non-binding estimate.

■ Before packing begins, the mover will make an inventory of your household goods to beshipped. Since the inventory record is one of your most important shipping documents, makesure all copies are legible, and that all items are numbered, listed and described correctly.

■ Take pictures of your furniture and possessions to document their quality before and after moving.

■ Decide if you need additional insurance. Movers generally assume liability of 60 cents perpound, per article, for the shipment. For an extra fee, you can obtain additional liabilityprotection from the mover.

■ Finally, if goods are missing or damaged in the move, make sure you report the fact promptly and in detail on the driver’s copy of the inventory sheet before you sign it.

For more information, contact your local Grand Junction Office of the BBB at 970-242-2512.

George Tracy, LUTCFInsurance and Financial Services Agent

845 Grand Ave.Grand Junction, CO 81501Phone: [email protected]

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Colorado fares well in a comparison ofhow state taxes affect small businesses andentrepreneurs.

By assessing some of the lowestpersonal income, corporate and capitalgains tax rates in the country, Coloradoimposes one of the least costly tax systemsoverall.

Colorado ranks eighth in the BusinessTax Index 2008 calculated by the SmallBusiness & Entrepreneurship Council. Anonprofit business advocacy and researchgroup based in Washington., D.C., theSBEC promotes legislation and policiesthat create a more conducive environmentfor small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The SBEC also calculates what it callsthe Small Business Survival Index, ameasure of how both taxes and governmentpolicies affect small businesses. In 2007, thelatest year for which rankings are available,Colorado dropped three spots to 11th.

Taxes are among the factors that create amore business friendly environment, saidRaymond Keating, chief economist for theSBEC.

“In the end, taxes matter,” Keating said.“They matter at the federal, state and locallevels of government. They matter toconsumers, entrepreneurs, investors andbusinesses. They matter in terms of a state’scompetitiveness. And they matter when itcomes to economic growth and job creation.”

The index takes into account 16different tax measures in calculating a taxscore. The lower the score, the lower thecost of taxes on small businesses andentrepreneurs.

South Dakota ranks first among thestates with the least costly tax systems witha score of 10.290. Nevada, Wyoming,Washington and Florida round out the topfive. States ranking highest on the list assessno taxes on personal income, corporateincome or capital gains.

New Jersey had the highest score of51.719 and therefore the most costly taxsystem. Minnesota, California, Iowa and

Maine were among the states assessing thehighest tax rates and imposing the mostcostly tax systems.

Colorado ranked eighth overall with aBusiness Tax Index score of 26.990.

Colorado ranks among the top 10 states inthree individual measures with the eighthlowest top corporate income tax rate and 10thlowest top corporate capital gains tax rate, bothat 4.63 percent. Colorado also assesses the10th lowest adjusted unemployment tax rate.

Colorado places nearly as low inseveral other measures, coming in 15th in aranking of state and local sales, grossreceipts and excise taxes as a share ofpersonal income. Colorado assesses the17th lowest top personal income tax rateand 19th lowest top capital gains tax rate,both at 4.63 percent. The state comes in at19th in a ranking of state and local propertytaxes as a share of personal income and tiedfor 21st with a state gasoline tax of 22 centsa gallon.

✦

Colorado ranks eighthin state-by-state lookat taxing conditions

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HOW STATES COMPARE

Here’s a look at the top results and scores of the 2008 BusinessTax Index as calculated by the Small Business &Entrepreneurship Council:

■ Least costly states

■ Most costly states

1. South Dakota 10.2902. Nevada 12.6563. Wyoming 14.6554. Washington 15.9495. Florida 22.5308. Colorado 26.990

1. New Jersey 51.7192. Minnesota 51.3203. California 49.5414. Iowa 49.4215. Maine 49.379

Information about health services offeredInformation about free and low-cost health care services available in Mesa

County will be offered at several locations as part of the local observance of Coverthe Uninsured Week, set for April 27 to May 3.

Information will be offered at the following times and sites:■ May 1 — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marillac Clinic, 2333 N. Sixth St., in Grand

Junction.■ May 2 — 3 to 6 p.m. at the Coronado Plaza City Market, 569 32 Road in

Clifton.■ May 3 — All day on Main Street in downtown Grand Junction as part of the

Cinco de Mayo celebration and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Goodwill Industries,630 24 1/2 Road in Grand Junction.

Cover the Uninsured Week is intended to focus attention on the needs of anestimated 47 million Americans — including 9 million children — without healthinsurance.

✦


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Amanda Gore believes there’s a goodreason the Chinese word for crisis alsomeans opportunity.

Even in the midst of a nationaldownturn in the housing market, Realtorswho maintain a positive attitude and maketime to have fun will fare better, Gore said.

Gore, an internationally knownmotivational speaker, addressed the annualWestern Slope Realtor Rally in GrandJunction. She offered plenty of tips forlooking at the bright side of life.

“There are people at this conventionwho will complain about the food, aboutthe crowd, about not getting enough stuff,”she said. “You have clothing. You have acar. You have gas for a car. Hello! There’s alot to be thankful for.”

In addition to maintaining a positiveoutlook, Gore said Americans whogenerally take themselves too seriouslyneed to lighten up. The Australian residentencourages business people in particular tothink of ways to have fun and show they’rehaving fun.

Gore wore a pair of bunny earssticking straight up to remind people toremain upbeat. She switched to a pair ofdroopy ears to show what she wears whenpeople start complaining about their lives.She said the ears send the message thatpeople are being “Wally Whiners” and to

remind them to let goof negative thoughts.

Gore said apositive outlook is animportant componentof a happy andproductive life. Butshe told the audienceof about 200 Realtorsthat Americans oftenoverlook the importanceof having fun. And thataffects not only a person’smood, but also theirbusiness.

“The leader’s moodaffects the workplace morethan anything else the leaderdoes,” she said.

An overly serious approach to life cancause physical problems, too. She said thesame afflictions that affect working mennow affect women. “Women are starting tohave heart attacks at the same rate as men,”she said

Gore said working women tend tofocus too much on using their brain andforget to show their emotions, their care forthe people with whom they do business.

Gore also said women face pressure incaring for their children and home even asthey hold down full-time jobs. Suchsituations only increase the need to maketime for fun in the workplace, she said.

✦

THREE KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL WORKPLACE

In addition to having fun at work, Amanda Goresuggests three keys to a successful workplaceand satisfying life:■ Maintain a sense of purpose: Maintain a belief in something greater than yourself.People who focus on a mission to serveothers usually enjoy success in business.■ Feel joy: Eliminate negative thoughts by

focusing on positive thoughts and havingfun. “It’s impossible to have a heart full of

misery and a heart full of gratitude at thesame time,” Gore says.■ Develop a strong sense of belonging:People need to feel like they’re part of an

organization. Make employeesfeel that they’re wanted.

Advice to Realtors: Stay positive, have fun


Amanda Gore, an internationally known motivational speaker, offered plenty oftips for maintaining a positive outlook during her address at the Western SlopeRealtor Rally in Grand Junction. Gore even wore bunny ears to illustrate a point.


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ImbalanceContinued from page 3

“We have five years of proof now,” Diaz said. “We seethe rigs.”

While most energy exploration and production occurs inGarfield and Rio Blanco counties, Grand Junction is home toa growing number of energy employees — particularly thosewho work in Garfield County. That means Grand Junctionand Mesa County benefit from sales and property taxes paidby people who live in the Grand Valley and commute to rigsin Garfield County.

Garfield County could realize a big share of energyseverance tax money because of the production there.

While the process of divvying up such taxes has beendebated in the State Legislature, both Mesa and GarfieldCounty can make a case for why they need more of thefunds distributed by DOLA.

Diaz discussed the financial and jurisdictionalimbalances that can occur when one area experiences theeffects of energy development while another area collectsthe money. “A lot of people live here. Companies buildtheir buildings here to be close to amenities,” Diaz said.“They don’t mind commuting.”

But such commutes affect roads and highways in bothcounties. Moreover, a long commute burns up more energyresources even as workers try to produce more energy tomeet increasing demand.

According to the BBC study, traffic on Mesa Countyroads has increased 25 percent in the past seven years.

One logical alternative would be to entice people tolive near where they work.

Short of forcing people to take that step, communitiescan try to increase the number of places to live. Still, that’ssometimes easier said than done.

Diaz said a recent effort to construct an apartmentbuilding in Rifle was rejected after residents complained

about the prospect of renters living near their homes.Similar protests have hindered plans for high-densityhousing in the Grand Valley.

Diaz said Western Colorado communities shouldencourage the construction of apartment complexes with200 to 300 units to accommodate the growing number ofworkers — including transient workers who aren’tinterested in buying a home in the region, but still needplaces to live.

He said organizations like AGNC are trying to get statelegislators to understand the effects of energy development asthey discuss the use of severance tax dollars. “We’re trying toget them aware of the situation. Frankly, they want to come upwith a white paper (a study and recommendations) on housingand other issues and that could delay it another three years.”Diaz said there’ve been enough studies and that additionalhousing is needed right away.

Linda Todd, a Realtor who serves on the Grand JunctionCity Council, said: “We have a lack of multi-family housing.We need a change of direction from what we’re used to.”

Some developers have criticized the Grand JunctionCity Council. The developers say they could build morehigh-density housing if the city would relax somedevelopment restrictions. The city has approved units sellingfor below average prices under the direction of the GrandJunction Housing Authority. But many of the projects, such

as the Linden Pointe development on Orchard Mesa, featuresingle-family homes and four-plexes rather than apartmentbuildings.

Diaz said government typically takes three to eightyears to respond to needs for capital construction,meaning work doesn’t begin until after the populationgrows. But he said it’s worth trying to build before growthoccurs.

Palisade Town Administrator Tim Sarmo said thelatest growth projections are “eerily similar” toprojections for Grand Valley growth prior to the oil shalebust in 1982. Sarmo said communities built infrastructureto handle a projected population of 1 million people livingbetween the Utah border and Rifle. When that didn’thappen, “We were looking at communities who couldn’tpay off debt,” he said.

“Maybe we need federal loan guarantees (to helpfinance apartment buildings),” he said, adding that suchguarantees would give communities the confidence toproceed with construction of more rental housing.

While some local communities discuss the longcommutes by energy workers, the city of Grand Junction isalready taking steps to encourage residents to reduce themiles they drive. The city has approved mixed usedevelopment with housing, retail and office space in thesame building. Such developments include the formerCheers building at Colorado Avenue and Second Street anda retail and housing complex under construction at thecorner of First Street and Patterson Road. Another mixed useproject is planned at the corner of Main and Seventh streets.

Meanwhile, leaders in other communities wrestlingwith the effects of energy development will look for theirown solutions to housing and transportation issuesassociated with a growing population.

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FOR YOUR INFORMATION

The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled free energybriefings for May 14 and 28 with presentations onethics training and man camps, respectively.The briefings are set for 7:30 a.m. at the chamberoffices at 360 Grand Ave. For reservations ormore information, call 242-3214 or log on to theWeb site at www.gjchamber.org.


MovingContinued from page 3open an office in the Grand Valley to serve what wasexpected to be a booming market driven by oil shaledevelopment. While his boss decided against the move,Saad pursued the opportunity himself. He subsequentlyquit and purchased a small moving company with threetrucks and five employees — a business he renamed MesaMoving and Storage.

Shortly after launching the new venture, the oil shaleboom went bust. As it turned out, though, the movingbusiness was one of the few ventures that experiencedgrowth in the aftermath of an exodus from the region,Saad says.

By 1984, Mesa Moving and Storage has grown into alarger operation than any of the United Van Lines agenciesin Denver. In 1985, Saad opened a moving company inSalt Lake City. The expansion continued with theacquisition of two moving companies in Boise, Idaho in1990 and 1995 and the purchase of still another companyin Denver in 2000.

By 2001, the operation had grown to 250 trucks and300 employees spread out among the four locations andtotal annual revenues of $25 million.

The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and theeconomic downturn that followed sharply curtailedcorporate moves. In turn, annual volume for the movingindustry fell by 30 percent in less than a year, Saad says.

Deregulation years before already had increasedcompetition within the moving industry, so Saad says hebegan looking for ways to recoup dollars lost toinefficiency in a complex system involving orders,dispatching, billing and a variety of contractual agreementswith national corporations.

Saad says he was frustrated not only in improvingconnections between various aspects of the business, but in

developing financial reports that would help him makeinformed decisions.

He started on a project to develop computer softwareto integrate operations, including sales, customer serviceand accounting. The effort became something of a quest,although he he soon realized the scope was beyond whatone company could support. He also realized that if hewas successful, he could sell the software to other movingcompanies.

Saad established an independent company to developMover’s Suite software. In 2005, he sold his interest inMesa Moving to three key employees to concentrate onthe software startup.

Saad says he discovered a software company is fardifferent from a moving company. With a movingcompany, growth occurs incrementally — profits can bereinvested in another truck or more employees. A softwarecompany, on the other hand, requires a large investment upfront to hire engineers to develop the product. Meanwhile,it’s not certain whether the product will work or if someonewill buy it.

Saad says the process cost more and took longer thanhe anticipated. He was able to keep going with theassistance of the Revolving Loan Fund of Mesa Countyand $750,000 raised through a private offering. It tookmore than three years to develop Mover’s Suite software tothe point it could be sold and another two years to startgenerating profits.

But the ultimate payoff in launching a successfulsoftware startup has been greater than the narrow marginsin the competitive moving business, Saad says.

Efficient Workflow Solutions has an advantage, he says,in that the company provides the only enterprise software tothe industry that integrates move management, accounting,financial services and other aspects of operations.

With the acquisition of a competing company lastyear, Efficient Workflow Solutions has become the largestsoftware and consulting firm in the moving industry.

Saad says the company has a total of about 160software installations. Between 4,000 and 5,000 peopleuse the software on a daily basis.

The company is booked through the end of this yearas well as the first quarter of next year for additionalinstallations, he adds.

The average installation represents about $160,000 inbusiness, Saad says. Individual installations have rangedfrom $30,000 to $1.5 million.

In addition to software, though, Saad says thecompany offers consulting services to help clients in themoving and storage industry assess problems and developsolutions.

Saad says the success of Mover’s Suite software andEfficient Workflow Solutions has been gratifying on anumber of levels.

When he served as chairman of the Grand JunctionEconomic Partnership, Saad says his efforts were directedtoward the creation of high-paying jobs in Mesa County.He’s helped fulfill those efforts in his role as president ofEfficient Workflow Solutions. The company employs 30people and has an annual payroll of $2 million. One newhire, a recent graduate of Mesa State College, earns astarting annual salary of $51,000.

Saad says he’s also gratified that his three sons areinvolved in the software business. Matt serves ascontroller and oversees internal information technology.Scott serves as an engineer and chief of technology. Chrisworks as an account executive managing sales.

By learning and persisting during the worst of times,Saad says he now enjoys the best of times.

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Grand ValleyHOW GREEN ISYOUR MESSAGE?SOME MARKETING THOUGHTS ON HOWYOUR CUSTOMER BASE PERCEIVESYOUR COMPANY’S COMMITMENTTO THE ENVIRONMENT.

J ust because your product or service itself is notperceived to be green, it doesn’t mean that youshould not consider a “greener message” when

trying to reach consumers and businesses that couldpotentially become clients. Some recent surveys areshowing that a larger percentage of the marketplace wantsto buy products that are green and support green-basedcompanies as well.

You’ve seen the latest commercials from the majorplayers. Home Depot, WalMart, GE, Toyota, Saturn and BPare just a few that have large campaigns that show off thegreen products they carry or provide consumers with astory about how they are working as companies to betterthe environment. Why not your company? Is there a greenmessage it has to tap into this growing base of consumers?If you haven’t looked very hard at this trend, these surveyresults may help you focus in on what your company ismissing.*

■ According to the 2008 Green Cap Survey almost four inten Americans now prefer to buy products that theyperceive to be environmentally friendly. The poll alsofound that consumers are open to a company’s greenmessage. Additionally, the poll found that almost half ofrespondents trust companies to be truthful with theirenvironmental message and believe that thosecompanies accurately relay that message in theiradvertising. Finally, nearly two thirds say they understandthe environmental terms companies use in their ads.

■ The market research firm Mintel poll shows that almost200 million Americans buy green products each year.Over one third of these consumers claim to buy greenproducts regularly. And while this poll shows more andmore people taking on a green lifestyle, it also revealsthat typical market forces such as price, perceived valueand convenience are buying keys for the group.

■ Consumer’s recall of green advertising is very high withnearly three quarters of respondents saying theyfrequently or occasionally recall a company’s greenmessage, according to Burst Media. A key component ofthis poll also shows the other side of consumer thinking;that just over on in five consumers say they seldom ornever believe a company’s green message. But the bestnews is that more than 40% of consumers frequently oroccasionally research the green claims made bycompanies in green advertisements.

■ EcoAlign polling suggests that consumers expect to seesignificant company commitments in environmentalissues as they relate to the company’s green message.Over three quarters of respondents think that energyefficiency and the use of renewable and green energyshould be forefront in a company’s commitment in beingan environmental leader. GE and Toyota dominated theresponse in this survey in terms of product and corporaterecognition.

■ According to Harris Interactive, one in ten Americanshave looked up or researched their home or personalcarbon footprint. While this poll tends to show youngerconsumers as the most active in this activity, itnonetheless spans the age spectrum. More important isthat the poll shows that consumers are indeed doingthings that are environmentally friendly like reducingtheir carbon footprint, reducing energy use in theirhomes, purchasing energy efficient appliances, shoppingfor locally-grown food and eliminating bottled water fromtheir routine.

■ Jones Lang LaSalle, a corporate real estate companythat manages 34 shopping malls took a survey that showsthat while only three percent of consumers “always” buygreen products, over two thirds say they “sometimes”purchase them. Moreover, two in five respondents saidthey would do what it takes to help the environment, halfrecycle at home and almost two thirds were interested inlearning about simple ways to save energy.


GREEN

While none of these polls give an absolute picture as tohow to address this group of consumers, they do reveal aclear trend that this sector of consumer awareness isgrowing in terms of the purchasing decisions made in both

products and companies for the dollars they have to spend.The question remains about how your company’s messagegets out to these consumers.

Are you using key phrases like sustainability,eco-friendly and green in your ads about your products andservices? Does your company have an ad campaign orliterature available that shows its commitment to beingenvironmentally friendly? If you don’t have these in yourmarketing arsenal, it may be time to address the need forthem and not miss out on this very savvy group ofconsumers. Remember that these are the kind of folks thatwill research what you have to say about your company orclaim about your product, so a clear, concise and accuratecampaign or message is needed. And since buying quality,local products is just as important to these consumers intheir buying decisions, small businesses have a greatopportunity in this playing field as the big box stores andcorporate giants.

Chances are you are already “growing green” at yourbusiness, so why not make it part of your message? Thereare even “green” marketing companies out there to help youget the word out. There are even some companies that helpyou take your product or service from concept to delivery ina green manner, but that is a subject for another article.Regardless, green is the new black—to poorly paraphrase afashion belief—and it is getting time to make sure yourcompany or product is dressed in the proper color for whatis quickly becoming a trendy buying season. You might aswell make your first impression last, leaving yourcompetitors green with envy.

*Survey results courtesy of Joel Makower at his blogJoel Makower: Two Steps Forward. For more informationgo to http://makower.typepad.com.

Surveys are beginning to show more and more that consumers are more likely to take anenvironmentally-based look at your company, product or service when making buying decisions.

Business Briefs■ FINANCIAL ADVISOR RIGHT ON THE MONEY

WITH MONTHLY COMMUNITY RADIO SHOW

J.D. Miller of Miller FinancialAdvisors in Grand Junction will hosta new monthly program broadcast onthe KAFM community radio station.

The show, titled “Miller onMoney” is set for 12:30 to 1 p.m. thefourth Tuesday of every month onKAFM, 88.1 on the FM dial. Millerwill cover a variety of financial issuesand also will talk calls during the show.Listeners may call in at 241-8801.

“I’ve been in the business for a long time and nomatter where I am, I seem to run into someone with aquestion about their finances” Miller said. “A lot of thequestions are common. But every once in a while, I’ll geta tough one, which made me think that I should share myknowledge and experiences to more folks who may bestruggling with the same questions.”

Ryan Stringfellow, executive director of KAFM, said,“We’re proud to add ‘Miller on Money‚’ to our host of otherpublic affairs programming. J.D.’s show is aligned with ourmission to provide lifelong learning for our listeners beyondthe variety of music that is aired every day.”

Miller operates offices at 743 Horizon Drive. Formore information, call 245-4678 or log on to the Web siteat www.millerfinancialgj.com.

■ GRAND JUNCTION SCHOOL TAKES FLIGHTENTERING ITS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATION

The Colorado Flight Center recently celebrated thetwo-year anniversary of opening the operation at GrandJunction Regional airport.

Collin Fay and Bradley Sullivan launched the flightschool in 2006 with one airplane. The Cessna affiliatesince has grown to an eight aircraft operation with ninestaff members. The center operates out of offices in theWest Star Aviation complex at the airport.

The Colorado Flight Center employs a staff of flightinstructors who offer everything from private throughcommercial training. They also offer training on multi-engineand technically advanced aircraft.

The center also serves as a Federal AviationAdministration testing center, administering written andpractical exams. In addition, the center sponsors freemonthly aviation safety programs.

For more information about the Colorado FlightCenter, call 254-0444 or log on to the Web site located atwww.coloradoflightcenter.com.

See BRIEFS page 15

■ CHANGING GRAND JUNCTION LANDMARKA SIGN THE OPERATION ALSO HAS CHANGED

A North Avenue landmark has changed — a sign a 50-year-oldrestaurant operation in Grand Junction also has changed.

The Far East sign has been changed to Xian Wei, the new namefor a restaurant offering a fusion of American, Korean, Japanese,Spanish and Vietnamese flavors with Chinese cuisine.

The Far East Center, located at 1530 North Ave. also includesthe Fusion Lounge as well as the Club Laff comedy club.

The new sign reflects a changing operation for the former FarEast restaurant, which opened in 1955.

Xian Wei — pronounced “shin way” — comes from the Chinesewords for the taste sensation produced by certain foods and cookingtechniques. The term describes a taste that is at once bitter, salty, sourand sweet.

The Xian Wei Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner sevendays a week.

In addition to food and drinks, the Far East Center will offer anumber of entertaining options, among them art exhibits, DJs,fashion shows, live music and theatrical presentations — all underone roof. Club Laff regularly hosts nationally touring comedians.

The facility also is available for benefit fund-raisers, corporatemeetings, private parties, reunions and other events.

For more information, call 242-8131 or log on to the Web siteat www.xianwei.us.

Business Times photo by Phil Castle

The new sign along North Avenue inGrand Junction reflects the new nameof the restaurant at the Far East Center.

■ NAME CHANGE FOR STAFFING COMPANYREFLECTS NEW BRANDING STRATEGY

Express Personnel Services haschanged its name to ExpressEmployment Professionals to betterreflect the company’s service lines.

“I’m excited about our new nameand branding strategy,” said NinaAnderson, owner of the ExpressEmployment Professionals franchisein Grand Junction. “This is a positivechange that demonstrates ourcommitment to providing our clients

and associates with full-service employment solutions.”Along with the name change, Express Employment

Professionals also has a new logo and a new web addressat www.expresspros.com.

The Grand Junction office, located in Unit G of thecomplex at 1119 N. First St., offers services to companiesseeking employees and to applicants seeking jobs. For moreinformation, call 242-4500. Worldwide, Express EmploymentProfessionals operates a total of more than 600 offices in fourcountries and employs 350,000 people each year.

■ PALISADE CHAMBER PLANS WHEEL DEALWITH FOURTH ANNUAL BICYCLE FESTIVAL

The Palisade Chamber of Commerce and Town ofPalisade once again will host a bike festival in the heart ofthe Colorado fruit and wine country. The Palisade BikeFestival is scheduled for May 10.

The Palisade Classic Mountain Bike Race will startand end at Palisade Memorial Park. The event will offer a20-mile course for beginning riders and 25-mile course forexperts. The Fruit Loop Cycling Tour will feature threedifferent routes through the orchards and vineyardsaround Palisade. The tour will include a scavenger huntwith stops at orchards, shops and wineries.

A concluding event will be held at Palisade Breweryand Peach Street Distillers offering lunch, awards, a bikeswap, vendors and live entertainment. Afterward, a bikerodeo will pit competitors in a barrel race, barrel pull andobstacle course. An optional Palisade Paddle event willgive participants a chance to paddle rafts, kayaks andcanoes along a 7-mile stretch of the Colorado River.

For more information about the Palisade BikeFestival, contact the Palisade Chamber of Commerce at464-7458 or www.palisadecoc.com.

PAGE 14 The Business Times MAY 1-14, 2008

J.D. Miller

Nina Anderson

Two organic jams produced by Colorado MountainJam in Palisade have been selected as finalists in the firstround of judging in an annual competition sponsored by theNational Association of the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT).

The company’s organic spiced plum jam is amongfour finalists in the category for outstanding USDA-approved organic products. The company’s organic applepie jam is among four finalists in the outstanding desserttopping category. The winners in 30 different categorieswill be announced July 1 at the New York City Fancy FoodShow hosted by NASFT.

“We are delighted to learn that two of our jams arefinalists this year in this international competition withinthe highly competitive food industry,” said Brian Olesen.

Olesen and his wife, Judith, founded ColoradoMountain Jam six years ago.

“It is especially an honor to again be selected as afinalist in the outstanding USDA-approved organicproduct category,” Olesen said. “Because we are bothorganic growers and organic producers, we can control thequality of the fruit and therefore the quality of the jamsthat we produce. Made from tree-ripened fruit, ourhandcrafted USDA-certified organic jams are low incarbohydrates, low in calories, minimally sweetened, highin nutrition and rich in flavor.”

Last year, the company’s organic strawberry jam wasthe very first winner in what was at the time the newoutstanding USDA-approved organic product category.

“What sets our jams apart is that we were farmersbefore becoming jam makers, and we still grow much ofthe fruit from which we make our jams,” Olesen said.“Our orchards are located in Palisade ... which, with its hot

dry days and cool nights, produces some of the highestquality, best-tasting fruit in America.”

Olesen said he hopes the company’s success in thecompetition will encourage other organic growers andproducers to market their products.

NASFT is an international organization of domesticand foreign manufacturers, importers, distributors,brokers, retailers, restaurateurs, caterers and otherproviders in the specialty foods industry. The organizationhas more than 2,100 member companies nationally andinternationally. NASFT organizes trade shows in NewYork, Chicago and San Francisco, provides scholarships tocollege students and publishes Specialty Foods Magazine.

For more information about Colorado Mountain Jam,call 464-0745 or log on to www.plumdaisy.com.

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Palisade firm really jamming with two finalists in food competition


BriefsContinued from page 14

■ STUDIO TOUR TO SHOWCASEARTISTIC ENDEAVORS

A studio tour will showcase the worksof about 30 Grand Valley artists.

The free, self-guided driving tour isset for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3 and noon to4 p.m. May 4. In addition, a reception isset for 6 to 8 p.m. May 1 at the Vectra Bankbranch office located at 2394 F Road inGrand Junction. Participating artists willattend. Artwork will be displayed andavailable for purchase.

For more information or tour maps,call 640-8177 or log on to the Web site atwww.artspacecolorado.org.

Artspace & Open Studios, a nonprofitgroup formed to market professionalartists and the arts community in the GrandValley, organized the tour.

“The open studio tours are anexcellent opportunity for the artists to puttheir business skills to work,” said LindaBrotman-Evans, director of Artspace. “It’sa great way for the public to tour the valleyand truly experience an artist’s creativeprocess.”

The tour will highlight a variety ofworks, including ceramics, jewelry, metalworks, paintings, photographs andsculptures. Original works will be availablefor purchase at each stop on the tour. Allproceeds go to the artists.

■ BROWN CYCLES BRINGS FESTBACK TO DOWNTOWN

Brown Cycles once again will host abicycle festival in downtown GrandJunction.

The fifth annual festival is set forMay 17 in the 500 block of Main Street.The free event will include bicycle games,a bicycle sculpture contest and vendorbooths. An old-fashioned bike parade andcostume contest will bring back the dayswhen such events were a summer fixture.A Silver Spoke Film Festival featuringhomemade movies about bicycles is set tobegin at dusk and will be shown on theoutside wall of Main Street Bagels. A nightgroup ride also is planned.

For more information about thefestival, call Brown Cycles at 245-7939 orlog on to www.browncycles.com.

■ NEW MESA COUNTY CENTEROFFERS MEDIATION SERVICES

The newly opened Mesa CountyMediation Center offers residents a way toresolve conflicts without legal fees andcourt costs.

The center has partnered with MesaCounty, Hilltop Community Resourcesand other agencies to offer mediationservices for free or at a low cost. Forinformation call Laurel Jones at 985-2314.

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Photo courtesy Aspen Street Coffee Co.

Amanda Richter of Boulder, center, purchased the 3,000th breakfastburrito served at Aspen Street Coffee Co. in Fruita. Richter not onlyreceived a free burrito, but also a $100 gift card as part of a promotion.Richter said she often travels to Fruita to enjoy mountain biking with herfriends. Pictured with Richter are owners Roni and Dan Welsh and theirdaughter, Dani. Roni Welsh said the sale constitutes an importantmilestone. “We’ve been selling breakfast burritos for over a year now, andare so excited about this achievement.” Aspen Street Coffee, located at136 E. Aspen Ave., is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday throughSaturday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. The shop serves Colorado LegacyCoffee as well as panini sandwiches, pastries and smoothies. That’s notto mention breakfast burritos — 3,000 of them and counting.


TrendsConsumerconfidencedecreases

A monthly measure of consumerconfidence continues to decline evenas concerns mount over business andlabor conditions.

Expectations that inflation willdrive up prices even higher adds tothe increasingly pessimistic snapshotof consumer sentiment.

The Conference Board reportedthat its Consumer Confidence Indexfell another 3.6 points in April to 62.3.While expectations for improvementedged upward, the assessment of thepresent situation dropped sharply.

The CCI is based on the resultsof a survey of 5,000 households.Economists closely monitor theindex because consumer spendingaccounts for about two-thirds of alleconomic activity.

Lynn Franco, director of theConference Board Consumer ResearchCenter, said the latest inflationexpectations match an all-time high.The proportion of people planning avacation over the next six months hasfallen to a 30-year low.

Assessments of current businessand labor conditions drove down thePresent Situation Index nearly 10points to 80.7.

The proportion of consumers whocharacterized business conditions as“good” edged down three-tenths to15.3 percent, while the share of thosewho deemed conditions as “bad” rosemore than a point to 26.7 percent.

The proportion of consumers whodescribed jobs as “plentiful” fell 2.6points to 16.6 percent, while the shareof those who said jobs are “hard to get”rose 3.4 points to 27.9 percent.

Consumers were slightly moreoptimistic in their outlook for thenext six months, pushing up theExpectations Index seven-tenths to50.1 percent.

The share of consumers whoexpect business conditions to improverose 1.5 points to 10.1 percent. Butthe proportion of those who anticipatethat conditions will worsen rose apoint to 27 percent.

The proportion of consumerswho expect more jobs to becomeavailable rose a point to 9 percent.But the share of those expectingfewer jobs to become availableincreased 3.5 points to 32.8 percent.

The proportion of consumerswho expect their incomes to increasefell a point to 15.1 percent.

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Hiring activity heating upPhil Castle

Business Times

As spring weather heats up in MesaCounty, so does hiring activity in suchseasonal industries as construction andlandscaping. In turn, the unemploymentrate goes down.

According to the latest estimates fromthe Colorado Department of Labor (CDLE),the jobless rate in Mesa County slipped another tenth to 3.9 percentin March.

After climbing for three months to what’s typically the peakof the year, the monthly unemployment rate has edged downwardby a tenth of a percent in each of the last two months.

Sue Tuffin, director of the Mesa County Workforce Center inGrand Junction, expects the monthly jobless rate to continue todecrease as seasonal hiring increases. “We’ll continue to see thisgoing down until we come around to colder weather.”

Over the long-term, Tuffin anticipates continued growth inthe work force as labor demand remains strong and the populationincreases.

Even with declines in February and March, the jobless rate inMesa County remains above the benchmarked rate of 3.3 percentat this time last year. At the same time, though, the work force hasgrown by more than 4,000.

According to CDLE estimates for March, the overall work forceedged upward 56 to 80,963. The number of people counted amongthose unsuccessfully looking for work declined 127 to 3,122.

Tuffin said the numbers reflect what’s happening at thecenter. “We’re seeing more and more activity.”

Demand remains strongest in the construction, extraction andtransportation sectors, she said.

While job losses in the East and Midwestreduced nonfarm payroll employment in theUnited States by an estimated 232,000 in thefirst quarter, Tuffin said demand remainsstrong overall in Colorado and the West.“We’re on the opposite side of the bubble.We’re trying to truck along.”

Monthly unemployment rates droppedor held steady in neighboring areas ofWestern Colorado in March. The jobless

rate edged downward a tenth in Delta County to 4.5 percent and fellthree-tenths in Montrose to 5 percent. The jobless rate remainedunchanged in Garfield County at 3.1 percent and in Rio BlancoCounty at 2.9 percent.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobless rate held steady at4.4 percent to remain at its highest level since May 2006.

“Although job growth has slowed over the past severalmonths, Colorado’s economic performance continues to outpacethe nation,” said Donald Mares, executive director of the CDLE.

According to the latest results of a monthly survey ofbusinesses, nonfarm payrolls increased 17,600 in March withgains spread among nine of 11 major industry groups. Over thepast year, nonfarm payrolls have increased 38,500 in Colorado fora job growth rate of 1.7 percent.

For March, the leisure and hospitality sector added 3,900 netnew jobs, while hiring in the construction sector continued torebound with another 3,600 jobs.

Professional and business services added 3,700 positions,while the government sector added 3,100. Employment in thebroad trade, transportation and utility sector was up 2,000. Thenatural resources and mining sector continued to expand withanother 500 net new jobs.

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a

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AREA JOBLESS RATES

March Feb.Delta County 4.5 4.6Garfield County 3.1 3.1Mesa County 3.9 4.0Montrose 5.0 5.3Rio Blanco 2.9 2.9

March dip extends the downward trend in Mesa County jobless rate

But real estate sales pace continues to slowThe pace of real estate sales continued to slow in Mesa

County during the first three months of the year with decreases inboth the number and dollar volume of sales.

According to figures compiled byAnnette Miller, senior vice president of FirstAmerican Heritage Title Co. in GrandJunction, the number of sales during the firstquarter dropped 29 percent compared to thesame period last year. The dollar volume ofthose sales was down more than 8 percent.

Miller said the downward trend also wasreported in Delta, Garfield and Montrosecounties.

There were a total of 1,055 real estate salesin Mesa County during the first quarter, substantially down from the1,485 sales reported in the same period last year. First quarter saleshave dropped since 2006, when 1,595 sales were reported.

For the first three months of this year, 368 sales were reportedin the price range of $200,000 to $300,000. According to theGrand Junction Area Realtors Association, the average sellingprice of a three-bedroom home in Mesa County rose to $234,666in the first quarter for a 6 percent appreciation from the $221,234selling price at this time last year.

Another 215 sales were reported in the $150,000 to $200,000range, while 154 sales were reported in the $300,000 to $500,000range.

At the same time, though, the number of sales over $1 millionincreased to 32 in the first quarter, helping to sustain the totaldollar volume of real estate sales.

Overall, dollar volume for the quarter totalled $314.7 million,a decreased of 8.3 percent from the $343.7 million in sales volume

reported during the same quarter last year. The 32 sales over $1 million accounted for nearly $74.2 million, more than double the$32.7 million total for 22 sales in the first quarter of last year.

The largest transactions for the first three months of 2008included the sale of 84 vacant lots in the Hawks Nest subdivisionfor a total of $6.45 million, the sale of four properties associatedwith Heritage Homes for a total of $6.25 million, the sale ofcommercial buildings and property along the Interstate 70 BusinessLoop for $4.5 million and the sale of 62 vacant lots in the SpyglassRidge subdivision for a total of $4.46 million

Residential construction activity also slowed considerably inMesa County during the first quarter. A total of 183 single-familybuilding permits were issued, a 45 percent decrease from the 328permits issued during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, commercial construction activity continues toincrease. A total of 29 permits for commercial buildings werepulled during the first quarter, a 32 percent increase from the 22permits pulled during the same span last year. The new permitspulled this year include those for 18 industrial buildings, five officebuildings and a greenhouse.

A total of 3,505 loans secured by real estate were filed in MesaCounty during the first quarter, down 8.2 percent from the 3,819such loans filed in the same quarter last year.

The number of foreclosures in Mesa County increased in thefirst quarter to 119, up from 102 in the same period last year.

The overall foreclosure rate for 2007 was low in Mesa Countycompared to other areas of Colorado, however. Mesa County hadonly one in 136 homes in foreclosure in 2007, while Adams Countyon the Front Range had a rate of one in 23 homes. Garfield Countyhad the lowest rate of all at one in 268 homes.

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Annette MIller


PerspectiveU.S. ag industry best hopefor dealing with food crisis

If there’s one thing the world doesn’t need right now, it’s another crisis. Nonetheless, the growing food crisis is front page news along with rising gasolineprices, home foreclosures and other causes of instability and widespread concern.

Prices of food commodities like wheat and rice have soared. World foodstocks are historically low. Food riots have broken out in a few hot spots aroundthe globe. Americans are experiencing higher food prices too, although not assteep as what was seen as recently as 1990 and 1991. Certainly, higher food pricesin the U.S. are nothing compared to poorer regions of the world where food is afar bigger component of the cost of living. One big factor? American agriculture.

Doomsayers and scaremongers always seem to comeforward at times like this. Take Ted Turner’s outrageouscomments in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in which hepredicted, “We’ll be 8 degrees hotter in 30 or 40 years andbasically none of the crops will grow.” The media giant and

restaurant owner continued, “Most of the people will have died and the rest of uswill be cannibals.” Veteran doomsayer Lester Brown wrote in the WashingtonPost that “food-to-fuel mandates” have contributed to a global food crisis andcaused major environmental harm.

The last time there was a food crisis in the 1970s, Agriculture DepartmentEconomist Don Paarlberg warned about what he called “the myth of immutableforces,” that humankind was helpless and doomed. His biggest worry was that itwould become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We’re not doomed, but a food crisis is a serious matter. As Josette Shereen,director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), said, “It is not anoption to not deal with hunger.” Shereen said the crisis constitutes a “wake-upcall” to the importance of agriculture and food security.

The American Farm Bureau Federation has been saying the same thing foryears. Food is a national security concern and vital to the stability of the entireworld. Much of world food aid comes from the United States.

One of the world’s best safeguards against a worsening food crisis is Americanagriculture — the productivity of our farmers and the science and technology thatequips them to be the best and share their knowledge and abundance.

In the 1970s, the food crisis didn’t last long and was eventually followed by along period of adequate supplies and price stability. There’s no reason to think thesame won’t happen this time, but the world does need to wake up to food realities.

There have been attempts to discredit the work of Norman Borlaug, who wonthe Nobel Peace Prize for his work that spawned the Green Revolution — an eraof significant increases in agricultural productivity. This is not the time fordeveloping countries to turn away from biotechnology and other science.Traditional seeds and farming methods have not kept pace with an expandingworld population.

Fortunately, there’s no reason for this food crisis to last as long as the energycrisis, especially with America as the world’s leader in agriculture.

Stewart Truelsen is a regular contributor to the Focus on Agriculture series from theAmerican Farm Bureau Federation. Reach him through the Web site at www.FB.org.

✦

Congress pondering roadblockson the information superhighway

2591 B 3/4 Road, Grand JunctionP.O. Box 2387, Grand Junction, CO 81502TEL (970) 241-0177 • FAX (970) 241-9730

Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall Editor: Phil CastleSales/Writing: Mike Moran

Member: Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, Palisade Chamber of Commerce

The Business Times of Western Colorado, a subsidiary of Western Slope Publishing Inc., is published everyother week and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines areavailable upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarilyreflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers. Copyright © 2008 — All rights reserved.

Reach advertising at: [email protected] the editor at: [email protected].

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Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com

No doubt it’s dark humor, but there’ssomething really funny about Congresspondering regulation over how the Internetis managed. After all, politicians are notexactly a group known for efficiency.

Nonetheless, the net neutralityregulation movement is pushing Congressto regulate how broadband networkproviders manage traffic online. Withoutany substantive evidence, the greatconcern is that these networks will treatcertain Web traffic in nefarious fashion,putting some content providerspurposefully at a disadvantage.

Why cable andtelephone companieswould aggravate thetwo markets they serve— that is, contentproviders andconsumers — remainsa mystery. Yet, variouspoliticians are takingsuch baseless worriesseriously. Of course,the ability of Congressto extend its regulatorypowers might havesomething to do with such willingness.

The Senate Commerce, Science andTransportation Committee recently held ahearing that focused on the net neutralityissue. Kyle McSlarrow, president and chiefexecutive officer of the National Cable &Telecommunications Association, provedsome insightful testimony. As reported onthe Los Angeles Times “Bit Player” blog,McSlarrow was right on target in noting:“The disaster scenarios voiced by networkneutrality proponents for many years havenever happened. In fact, the opposite hashappened — the Internet is boomingwithout regulation. There is, quite simply,no problem requiring a governmentsolution. ... Putting every networkmanagement strategy up for debate beforeregulators would severely hamper theability of network providers to ensurehigh-quality and reliable Internet accessfor their subscribers. Depriving networkoperators of certain bandwidthmanagement tools only makes the networkless efficient for everyone.”

A recent cover story in USA Todayprovides information regarding thechallenges broadband providers face.For example:

■ “AT&T and Verizon have spent morethan $70 billion in the past two years toexpand capacity and fortify their networkswith optical technology and other capacity-enhancing gear. ... The basic problem:Consumers are becoming enamored withapplications such as streaming high-definition video that eat up a lot ofbandwidth. It was OK so long as thoseapplications were on the fringe, with fewusers. But pressure on broadband networks

ratchets up significantly once millions ofpeople start engaging in bandwidth-intensive activities simultaneously, saysSuraj Shetty, a senior director at Cisco, thebig equipment maker.”

■ “By 2010, the average householdwill be using 1.1 terabytes (roughly equalto 1,000 copies of the EncyclopediaBritannica) of bandwidth a month,according to an estimate by the InternetInnovation Alliance in Washington, D.C.At that level, it says, 20 homes wouldgenerate more traffic than the entireInternet did in 1995.”

■ “Consumer addiction to theInternet is a double-edge sword forcarriers. They stand to reap billions fromadditional data revenue. But they mustspend heavily to add new capacity to stayahead of demand. In the rarefied world ofhigh-speed networks, nothing is eversimple or cheap. Add too much capacityin the wrong place and it will sit idle,with no hope of recovering its costs. Addtoo little and a network will surely crashat the first hint of congestion, angeringcustomers and regulators. To avoidslowdowns, carriers have to manage theirnetworks carefully, says Philippe Morin, adivision president at Nortel, the bigCanadian equipment maker. Otherwise, hesays, ‘The user experience could go backto what we had with dial-up.’”

How to deal with this tremendousgrowth in broadband demand is a criticalquestion for consumers, for smallbusinesses and for our economy ingeneral. Net neutrality regulation meansthat government regulators will question— and in effect approve or disapprove —each traffic management decision madeby broadband network providers. That is arecipe for disaster, including thedampening of innovation and investment.

Far preferable is to allow businessesto experiment with different pricing andmanagement models, with consumersdeciding what works and what doesn’t.The best undertaking for government is to remove government obstacles tocompetition in the broadband marketplace.

Government intervention doesn’tmake sense. There’s absolutely noevidence the private sector is stumblingwith respect to network management.But there’s every reason to believegovernment could seriously mess thingsup.

Raymond J. Keating is chief economist forthe Small Business & EntrepreneurshipCouncil in Washington, D.C. The groupstrives to influence legislation and publicpolicy to improve the environment forbusiness startups and growth. ReachKeating through the Web site located atwww.sbecouncil.org.

✦

StewartTruelsen

RaymondKeating


InsightBUSINESS PREVIEW

Here’s a preview ofupcoming business-relatedclasses, workshops and otherevents in the Grand Valley:

■ A free training class onstate sales and use taxes is setfor May 6 in Grand Junction.

The class is set for 1 p.m. inRoom 101 of the State ServicesBuilding, 222 S. Sixth St.No registration is required.

The class will cover anumber of topics, includingopening a business, collectingand remitting state sales anduse taxes and availableelectronic services. The classalso will offer a review of formsrelated to sales and use taxes.Continued professionaleducation credits are available.

For more information aboutseminars offered by theColorado Department ofRevenue, log on to the Web siteat www.taxseminars.state.co.us.

■ The Business IncubatorCenter in Grand Junction willhost workshops on startups,including construction firms.

A session of the “How toStart a Business” workshop isscheduled for 9 to 11:30 a.m.May 8 at the center, located at2591 B 3/4 Road. Admission is$45, which includes a businessstartup guide.

Julie Morey, director of theSmall Business DevelopmentCenter in Mesa County, will helpworkshop participants evaluatetheir business ideas. Morey alsowill cover such topics aslicensing requirements, businessplanning and applying for abusiness loan.

A workshop on starting aconstruction-related business isset for 9 to 11:30 a.m. May 22.Admission is $45. The workshopwill cover contractor andbusiness licensing requirements,planning and financing.

To register or obtain moreinformation, call 243-5242 or logon to www.gjincubator.org.

■ The Grand Junction AreaChamber of Commerce hasscheduled its annual LegislativeWrapup Breakfast for May 21.

The event is set for 7:30 a.m.in Liff Auditorium at Mesa StateCollege. Admission is $15 forchamber members, $20 forothers. State legislators willdiscuss how recently enactedmeasures affect businesses.

To register or obtain moreinformation, call 242-3214 or logon to www.gjchamber.org.

News that businesses can use:A review of key work force issues

Thinking about hiring new employees or considering a jobchange? Given current economic conditions, employment-relatedtopics are in the news. Meanwhile, major political and social debatesarise as economic and generational shifts affect businesses and theworkplace. Understanding employment issues can help employerscompete for qualified workers and help job seekers tailor their efforts.

Here’s a rundown of issues to monitor:■ Skilled worker shortage: The worker

shortage stems from the massive baby boomgeneration reaching retirement age. Analystspredict that by 2010, fully 40 percent of theU.S. work force will be eligible for retirement.One recent report by CareerBuilder.comshowed that employers are finding it moredifficult to fill open positions with qualifiedworkers. Focusing on retaining top workerswill help employers avoid this potential crisis.

■ Recruiting and retention programs: Asbaby boomers enter retirement and leavepositions open, employers could have to turn

to non-traditional recruitment methods. There’s an increased focusin recruiting retirees and stay-at-home parents to return to the workforce. According to the results of a CareerBuilder.com survey, 21 percent of employers are likely to rehire retirees who provideintellectual capital.

Many employers recognize the need to offer flexible workschedules to appeal to these groups. CareerBuilder.com reportedthat 60 percent of employers offer flexible schedules and even moreplan to provide these arrangements this year. Hiring freelance orcontract workers provides a good alternative by offering companiesthe business support they need without the costs associated withhiring full-time employees. Providing flexible work arrangementsand hiring retirees and freelance workers allows employers to findskilled employees to work for their companies when the supply ofskilled workers is low and demand is high.

■ Benefits and health care: Benefit and health care programshave become a major topic for debate as the 2008 presidentialelection nears. The rising cost of health care remains a concern forcompanies, particularly small business owners who traditionally

have financial difficulty in providing this coverage. Still, healthcare is an important recruiting factor and employers must becompetitive in offering these benefits to keep up with staffingdemands. Companies partnering with organizations to help offeror subsidize health care coverage will help companies offercompetitive benefits.

■ Education and experience: Higher education and greaterexperience will continue to pay this year, especially in top fields.Despite economic uncertainty, reports say college graduates in avariety of fields will enjoy a better job market than last year. TheNational Association of Colleges and Employers recently reportedthat college graduates will receive a starting salary 4 percenthigher on average than previous years. Top fields such astechnology and engineering continue to offer lucrative positions,with highly specialized jobs coming to the hiring forefront.Experts also say that in all fields, applicants with on-the-jobexperience will remain in demand.

■ The role of the Internet: As the Internet changes howpeople communicate, interact and learn, the role of the Web willcontinue to increase in the job world as well. Internet recruiting isup and it’s growing exponentially. More employers post jobopenings online than ever before and more applicants are going tothe Web to find them. Meanwhile, though, employers also use theInternet to research job candidates. According to the Society ofHuman Resource Management, serious job seekers face thechallenge of making sure their profiles on online socialnetworking sites won’t harm their chances of getting a job whilealso using the Web to enhance their job search.

Although no one is certain how these issues will play out, onething is certain. These trends will continue to create buzzthroughout the year. How businesses and workers respond willchange the work force for years to come.

Nina Anderson is owner of the Express Employment Professionalsfranchise located at 1119 N. First St., Unit G, in Grand Junction.The business offers services to companies seeking employees andapplicants seeking jobs. For more information, call 242-4500 orlog on to www.expresspros.com.

✦

NinaAnderson

Workers’ comp: What employers should knowThe biggest expenses for most employers are those related to

employees. Workers’ compensation insurance is one such expensethat’s important, yet seldom fully understood.

In Colorado, employers are required toprovide workers’ compensation insurance. TheColorado Workers’ Compensation Act is a “no-fault” statute, meaning injured workers areentitled to receive benefits even if an accidentoccurred because of their own fault ormistakes. There could be limits to benefits orthey could be assessed penalties if theyintentionally violate safety rules. But generally,injured workers are entitled to collect benefitseven if the accident was something that couldhave been avoided.

Consequently, it’s important for employersto develop safety and incentive programs,provide handbooks, hold meetings and make other efforts to createa safe workplace and reduce costs associated with injuries.

Coverage under a normal workers’ comp policy includesbenefits that pay for the medical treatment employees receive as aconsequence of covered injuries. There are protocols to follow inreporting work-related injuries by employees to employers and byemployers to insurers. These should be clearly explained in theinsurer’s policy forms.

How an insurer compensates an employee for injury is basedon the type of injury and how it affects his or her ability to work.These are the employer’s liability limits. There are four areas underwhich payments to an injured employee could fall: temporary totaldisability (TTD), temporary partial disability (TPD), permanenttotal disability (PTD) and permanent partial disability (PPD).

Payments made for temporary total disability are determinedby a percentage of the worker’s wage, subject to a weeklymaximum payment amount. With a TTD, an employee faces atotal wage loss following an injury, so payments continue for theduration of the disability. If an employee returns to work in anycapacity following an injury, but suffers only a partial wage loss,the benefits he or she could receive are referred to as temporarypartial disability (TPD).

Both TTD and TPD benefits are subject to offsets for benefitsreceived through Social Security or under an employer pension ordisability plan.

Payments made for permanent total disability (PTD) also arebased on a percentage of the worker’s wage, subject to a weeklymaximum payment amount. Payments for PTD, however,continue for life. Payments for permanent partial disability (PPD)are normally available for the duration of the disability and alsosubject to a Social Security benefit offset and reduction bybenefits under an employer pension or disability plan.

See COMP page 19

LaMontHess


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Mesa County

Hazardous Waste Collection ProgramThe Mesa County Household Hazardous

Waste Collection Facility provides a safeand affordable waste disposal and recyclingoption for Mesa County small businesses.

This program is fee based and will requireeach CESQG to register with the MesaCounty Household Hazardous WasteCollection Program.

Qualifying businesses can schedule a wastedisposal appointment by calling…

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CompContinued from page 18

Under employer’s liability there’s aseparate limit for occupational disease.Benefits also are available for seriousdisfigurement of the face, head or exposedbody parts. In addition, physical andvocational rehabilitation benefits couldapply and, within certain deadlines, therecould be coverage for occupational hearinglosses. Explanations of additional benefitsare explained in individual policies.

Workers’ comp policies are sold byseveral carriers in Colorado and providebasically the same coverage, which allowsmost employers the opportunity to choosea carrier based on service and price.

Choosing the employer’s liability limitof coverage is important. The minimumlimits don’t afford sufficient coveragegiven the rising costs associated withinjuries and disabilities. It’s important toremember, too, that workers’ comppremiums are based on total payroll andwill grow as the company’s payroll grows.Insurers audit at the end of policy terms

and recoup any earned premiums.To find the best deal out there, take into

consideration what discounts and benefitsan insurer offers for a specific type ofbusiness. Does membership in a safetygroup or association provide any costsavings? Does the insurer offer costcontainment clinics, loss control oreducational materials? Other availablediscounts could include multiple policydiscounts, experience discounts, deductiblesor risk management discounts.

Good coverage and efficient claimsservice constitute essential considerations.Don’t sacrifice them for price. Alwayskeep in mind the cost of a disabling injuryto even one employee can make as much ofa difference of staying in business or not.

LaMont Hess is a commercial sales agentfor the George Tracy Farmers InsuranceAgency in Grand Junction. Reach him bytelephone at 243-0280 or by e-mail [email protected].

✦

In buying company stock,avoid too much of one thing

Many companies offer employees theability to purchase company stock at adiscounted price and invest in theenterprise for which they work. Such plansusually offer a great way to invest. But asinvestors, employees still must questionwhether or not it’s good to load up toomuch on company stock — or on anysingle company stock, for that matter.

Investing in thecompany might be agood idea. Nonetheless,employees should setsome guidelines andstrategies to diversifytheir holdings not onlyamong individualstocks other than theircompany’s, but alsoamong industry sectors.Doing so could helpreduce the effects of theprice fluctuations that undoubtedly willoccur in their investment portfolios.

In deciding whether or not toparticipate in an employer stock purchaseplan, keep in mind that owning too muchof any single stock is rarely a good idea.While employees might be confident oftheir company’s prospects and want todemonstrate loyalty, they also mustrecognize that they assume additional risksif they don’t diversify their investments.It’s important to avoid concentratinginvestments within one industry. When badnews affects one stock in an industry, it canhave similar effects on other companieswithin the same sector.

One way to protect investments is todiversify them. In addition to companystock, employees should broaden equityholdings to include 20 to 30 stocks in atleast six to eight industry sectors with

different investment characteristics. Nomore than 25 percent of the total portfoliovalue should be invested in any one sector.

Another good rule of thumb is to haveno more than 15 percent of a total portfolio— including investments in 401(k)s andindividual retirement accounts — investedin a single stock.

Strive to maintain a balanced assetallocation with not only stocks in differentindustries, but also bonds and otherinvestment vehicles. Keep in mind that aninvestment in stocks will fluctuate in valueand when sold could be worth more or lessthan the original investment.

After reviewing their portfolios andinvestment objectives, investors sometimesrealize they have a “concentrated position”with too much of their holdings in a singlestock or industry sector. If this is the case,it’s a good idea to contact a financialprofessional and discuss strategies forreducing concentrated holdings. There area variety of strategies to help reduce therisk involved in having concentratedpositions in taxable and tax-deferredaccounts.

Investment objectives, risk toleranceand time horizon will dictate theappropriate asset balance for an individualfinancial situation. Because each andevery investor has different investmentneeds, seeking professional assistance isusually the best alternative to avoidkeeping all their eggs in one basket.

This article was provided by Tim Sewell, a certified financial planner with A.G. Edwards in Grand Junction. A.G. Edwards is a division of WachoviaSecurities, LLC, member SIPC. ReachSewell at 241-0600.

✦

Tim Sewell


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Seller financing offersnumerous advantages

Many entrepreneurs buying and sellingsmall businesses don’t pay much attentionto financing until late in the due diligenceprocess. For that matter, most brokers don’tthink about it, either.

This constitutes atragic mistake thatoften costs all of theparties involved timeand money. In fact, Ican’t think of a morelikely reason for a dealto fall through thanlack of financing.

There are anumber of ways tofinance the purchaseof a business:

■ Conventional bank financing:Banks often lend against a buyer’s personalassets, such as real estate and retirementaccounts. Banks also could lend against thetangible assets of the business — inventory,equipment and fixtures — assuming there’ssufficient value. Most of the time, bankslend against personal and business assets.Even then, banks usually won’t lend morethan 80 percent loan to value.

■ U.S. Small Business Administrationfinancing: The SBA is to business lending asthe FDIC is to banking. The SBA doesn’tfund loans, but does guarantee them. Buyersstill go to the local bank to apply for a loan.The bank might determine there’s too muchrisk involved or not enough tangible assetsto collateralize the loan. But if the buyermeets SBA guidelines, the bank will fundthe loan and the SBA will guarantee all orpart of the loan proceeds upon default.

■ Buyer financing: Some buyers,although not many, have sufficient cash topurchase a business without borrowing.Other buyers have personal assets that canbe sold or borrowed against.

■ Nonconventional financing: It’samazing to me how many businesses arefinanced by a blend of the following sources:family, friends, distant relatives, credit cardsand leasing/factoring companies.

■ Seller financing: This is, by far, thelargest source of financing available forthe acquisition of small and mid-sized

businesses. According to some estimates,up to 90 percent of all small businesses aresold because the sellers are willing tofinance a good portion of the sale price.My experience over 11 years as a brokerproves the same. Although most sellers arereluctant to offer financing, it’s often theonly way to get a deal done.

With seller financing comes benefitsfor both the buyer and seller. Buyers havemore confidence in the legitimacy of thefinancials and long-term viability of thebusiness if they know the seller is willing to“be the bank.” There are no loan processingfees, which can run as high as 4.5 percent ofthe loan value. Moreover, the buyer wants toknow the seller has a vested interest in theongoing success of the venture. For sellers,the chances of a business selling areusually much greater if seller financing isoffered. In addition, the seller likely willreceive a higher price.

Surprisingly, many sellers are unawareof how much loan interest can increase theselling price over time. A $100,000 loan with8 percent interest amortized over 10 yearsincreases the total amount paid to $145,000.Upon the advice of their accountant, a selleralso could realize that the tax consequencesfor an all-cash sale make it advantageous toaccept terms instead.

Sellers still have the entire business ascollateral and often negotiate additionalliens on buyers’ personal assets in muchthe same way a bank would.

Still another advantage for both partiesis that seller financing allows for a muchfaster closing with nominal paperwork. Bestof all, neither the business nor buyer has topass the rigors of a lending institution.

When possible, seller financing getsmy vote as the best and most hassle-freefinancing option for all involved in a smallbusiness acquisition.

Eric Payne is managing broker ofCompany Sellers International, a WesternColorado firm that offers a range ofservices to clients buying and sellingbusinesses. Reach him at 245-8800 [email protected].

✦

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SHARE YOUR NEWS

The Business Times welcomes submissionsfor free publication in Business Beats and theAlmanac calendar of events. Items may bemailed to P.O. Box 2387, Grand Junction, CO,81502; faxed to 241-9730; or transmitted bye-mail to [email protected].

■ HEIDEN HOMES REALTOR EARNSBUYER REPRESENTATION DESIGNATION

Mary Kruse, a Realtor withHeiden Homes Realty and Associatesin Grand Junction, has earned theAccredited Buyer Representation(ABR) designation by the Real EstateBuyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) ofthe National Association of Realtors.

Kruse joins the more than 32,000real estate professionals in NorthAmerica who have earned the ABRdesignation. She completed a coursein buyer representation and an elective course focusing ona buyer representation specialty.

REBAC is the world’s largest association of realestate professionals focusing specifically on representingreal estate buyers.

Kruse is a Colorado native who returned to the stateafter selling a business which she and her husband ownedin Arizona.

Heiden Homes Realty and Associates operates officesat 735 Rood Ave. For more information, contact Kruse at210-5026, call the main line at 245-7777 or log on to theWeb site located at www.HeidenHomes.com.

■ EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALSHONORS TOP PERFORMING ASSOCIATES

Express Employment Professionals in Grand Junctionhas honored three associates for their performance on thejob at local businesses.

Orilee Witte was named January Associate of theMonth for her assignment at Credit Union of Colorado.Brian Hart was named February Associate of the Monthfor his assignment at NATCO. Crusita Herrera was namedMarch Associate of the Month for her assignment atReliance Mortgage.

“Each associate has demonstrated an incredible workethic,” said Nina Anderson, owner of the ExpressEmployment Professionals franchise in Grand Junction.

The monthly awards are based on such criteria asattitude, punctuality, safety and teamwork, Anderson said.In addition, winning associates request additional workwhen they’re finished with tasks and refer others toExpress Employment Professionals.

The Grand Junction office, located in Unit G of thecomplex at 1119 N. First St., offers services to companiesseeking employees and to applicants seeking jobs. Formore information, call 242-4500 or log on to the Web siteat www.expresspros.com

■ WOMEN’S CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATIONWELCOMES FOUR NEW MEMBERS

Four women have joined the Western ColoradoChapter of the National Association of Women inConstruction (NAWIC).

The new members are: Bobby Sue Beck with GannonConcrete; Judy Davis with IFI Construction Corp. andWillison Plumbing; Kathleen DuHamel with Homemasters;and Shannan Mendoza, a student at Mesa State College.

The group’s next meeting is set for 6 p.m. May 5 atthe Far East Event Center, 1530 North Ave. in GrandJunction. Mark Harrington with Bighorn ConsultingEngineers will discuss Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) certification for buildings.

Admission is $20 for members, $22 for others.Reservations are due May 1 by calling Wanda at 261-0078or sending an e-mail to [email protected].

NAWIC is an international professional associationthat promotes the success of women in the constructionindustry. The group offers networking and educationalopportunities through monthly chapter meetings andregional and national conferences.

■ CENTURY 21 BROKER ASSOCIATE NAMEDTOP LISTING AGENT FOR FIRST QUARTER

Becky Quinn, a broker associatewith Century 21 Homestead Realty inGrand Junction, was the top agent forresidential listings for the first quarter.

Quinn also was the lister of theyear for 2007. In addition, shereceived the Century 21 HomesteadRealty Spirit Award.

Century 21 Homestead Realtyoperates offices at 737 Horizon Drive.

Reach Quinn by telephone at254-3940, by e-mail [email protected] or through the Web siteat www.BeckyLovesHouses.com.

See BEATS page 22

AlmanacMay 1

■ Business Network International (BNI)Kokopelli Chapter, 7 a.m. May 1 and 8, Talley’s,623 Main St., Grand Junction. 250-5162

■ Business Buddies Networking Group, 7:30 a.m.May 1 and 8, various locations. Membership $10. Call Kat Rhein for information. 248-9762

■ Grand Valley Networking Group, noonMay 1 and 8, Dale Realty, 3096 Interstate Highway 70Business Loop, Unit E, Grand Junction. 523-0303

■ Western Images Referral Network, noon May 1 and 8, Indymac Bank, 2478 Patterson Road,Suite 11, Grand Junction. 248-3704

May 2■ Mesa County Women’s Network meeting

and networking exercise, 11:30 a.m. Two RiversConvention Center, 159 Main St., Grand Junction.Admission $12. 261-3446

May 5■ Western Colorado Chapter of the National

Association of Women in Construction, 6 p.m., Far East Event Center, 1530 North Ave., GrandJunction. Admission $20 for members, $22 forothers. Reservations due May 1. 261-0078

May 6■ Free state sales and use tax class, 1 p.m.,

Room 101, State Services Building, 222 S. Sixth St.,Grand Junction. No registration required.

May 7■ Dynamic Networking Group, 7:30 a.m.

May 7 and 14, Main Street Bagels, 559 Main St.,Grand Junction. Call Brad Dickes for moreinformation. 242-5000

May 13■ Grand Junction Charter Chapter of the

American Business Women’s Association, 5:30 p.m.Call for location. 243-0108 or 263-7294

May 14■ Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

free briefing on ethics training for the energy industry,7:30 a.m., chamber offices, 360 Grand Ave. 242-3214

■ Real estate investment series presentation,6:30 p.m, Bray Education Center, 640 Belford Ave.,Grand Junction. 261-5450

Upcoming■ Creative Visions Express Network of the

American Business Women’s Association, 11:30 a.m.May 15, Two Rivers Convention Center. Lunch $15.858-9787

See ALMANAC page 22

Mary Kruse

Becky Quinn

Business Beats

What’s the big idea? Entrepreneurial students offer some winnersAmanda Sparks has an idea she believes would make

merchandising a lot easier for retail businesses: anelectronic shelf mechanism that displays productinformation and prices and can be controlled through acentral system.

Sparks earned top honors for her idea in acompetition to come up with unique new products andservices. She received a $100 prize from the BusinessIncubator Center in Grand Junction.

Sparks was the overall winner in the Idea Challenge, partof the annual Entrepreneurship Day event hosted by MesaState College and its Entrepreneurial Business Institute.

Mesa State offers a concentration in entrepreneurshipas part of its business degree program. The college willoffer a minor in entrepreneurship starting with the fallsemester.

The Idea Challenge attracted 26 entries from students

at Mesa State, Western Colorado Community College andGrand Junction High School. Participants were required tosubmit a one-page summary of a unique business ideadetailing who likely would sell the product or service andhow the venture would make money.

Thea Chase, a business professor at Mesa State,organized the challenge. “We were very pleased with thisyear’s participation and hope to double the amount ofsubmissions next year,” Chase said. “There are so manybrilliant ideas bubbling in students’ minds all over campus.We hope to encourage them to get in touch with theirentrepreneurial spirit and turn their dreams into reality.”

Mariah Zerbe, president of the Entrepreneurship Clubat Mesa State, said the Idea Challenge recognizes studentsfor their entrepreneurial efforts and provides feedback ontheir ideas from small business development experts. “TheE-Club promotes and supports entrepreneurship across

campus at Mesa State,” Zerbe said.Other winners in the Idea Challenge included:■ Best profit potential: Cody Hopkins and William

Verano, for a computer mouse decorative casing.■ Opportunity exploitation: Aaron Markham and

Danny Renneisen, for a television remote control systemthat allows for channel surfing during commercials, butreturns to a home channel when a program resumes.

■ Unmet need: Chris Heilman, for a key finder activatedby a cell phone.

■ New twist: Meagan Hennessy and Alissa Zoelle,for a computer chip installed in new automobiles thatnotifies a dealership or mechanic when a vehicle hasreached mileage milestones and requires service.

■ Most feasible: Caleb Maxson and Shawn Camp, fora Mesa State College swimsuit calendar.

■ Honorable mention: Sean Silva, for a unicycle training


Almanac

BeatsContinued from page 21

■ GRAND VALLEY FARMER SELECTEDTO SERVE ON DENVER WATER COMMITTEE

Grand Valley farmer Melvin Rettig has been selectedto represent Western Colorado on the Denver WaterCitizens Advisory Committee.

Rettig operates a fruit and vegetable on Orchard Mesanear Grand Junction. He’s a current or former member ofa number of organizations, including the Orchard MesaIrrigation District, Mesa County Farm Bureau, MesaConservation District, Colorado State Conservation

Board, Colorado and Mesa County noxious weed advisorycommittees, Colorado Farm Bureau Water Committee,Colorado Ag Water Alliance Committee, Colorado BasinRound Table and Ute Water Conservancy District.

While a member of the Orchard Mesa IrrigationDistrict, Rettig was involved in water court negotiationsinvolving Wolford Mountain Reservoir and the OrchardMesa Check Structure.

The CAC is a 10-member volunteer committee thathelps involve the public in water rates, conservation andlong-range planning. Members serve three-year terms andmay serve two successive terms.

✦

Continued from page 21Upcoming

■ Mesa County Bar Association Call-A-LawyerNight offering free legal advice, 7 to 9 p.m. May 15.256-4001

■ Culinary School of the Rockies free “farmto table” instructional program open house, 3 to 5 p.m. May 18, Inari’s, 336 Main St., Palisade.Registration required. (877) 249-0305

■ Fruita Area Chamber of Commercemembership meeting and legislative briefing, noonMay 19, Family Health West, 228 N. Cherry St.Admission $20. Reservations required. 858-3894

■ Western Slope Insurance Women, noon May 20, Johnny Carino’s, 2480 U.S Highway 6 & 50, Grand Junction. 254-0836

■ Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commercebusiness after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 20,American National Bank, 2399 F Road. Admission$9 in advance, $11 at the door. 242-3214

■ Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commercelegislative wrapup breakfast, 7:30 a.m. May 21,Liff Auditorium, Mesa State College. Admission $15for chamber members, $20 for others. 242-3214

■ Workshop on starting a construction-relatedbusiness, 9 to 11:30 a.m., May 22, BusinessIncubator Center, 2591 B 3/4 Road, Grand Junction.Admission $45. 243-5242

■ Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce businessafter hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 22, Ruby CanyonCustom Framing & Emporium, 211 E. Aspen Ave.Admission $6 in advance, $9 at the door. 858-3894

✦

Kevin VanGundy, right, is the new publisher of

the Beacon, a freemonthly newspaper

based in Grand Junctionthat serves readers age

40 and over in Delta,Mesa and Montrose

counties. Susan Capps,left, founder of the

publication, plans topursue a different career.

For more informationabout the Beacon, call

243-8829 log on towww.beaconinfo.net.


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