Westminster Business Appreciation

Founded in 1952 by Betty Jean Counce, the current owner’s mother, the West-minster business is a preschool, kinder-garten, before and after school program and day care for children ages one year to 12 years old. Hours of operation are Mon-day through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Facilities include eight classrooms, two indoor pools, oversized playgrounds, a gymnasium, music room, greenhouse/art area, baseball diamond, volleyball pit and basketball court. Activities and services in-clude hot lunches, two daily snacks, cook-ing classes, Spanish language instruction, educational fi eld trips, community service and elementary school shuttle.

“About a year ago, one mother said to me, ‘You took me on a tour about 10 years ago, and you really got down on my child’s level. You looked in my child’s face and talked to him as if it was his school tour. You not only made sure we as parents were treated with im-portance; you made my child feel so welcome, like it was all about him. You went right to him and I knew where your heart was.’”– Kimberlee Ackelson, owner

You’ve got to have heart

If I were asked to give advice to new business owners, I would say, “If your heart is in the right place you will succeed. And never, ever give up” because perseverance is the key. You have to have a passion for what you do. My mother did and I followed in her footsteps. Now my two daughters work here and my fi ve grandchildren go here. We believe the most im-portant job in the world is shaping the hearts and minds of young children.

A creative staff innovat-ing for a better experience

Innovation at Wooden Shoe has come di-rectly from my staff members who are lov-ing, enthusiastic, motivated, experienced and dedicated. I feel as a unit, collectively, we have such creative and talented people that we’re able to transition, improvise and be fl exible. Our vision has always been to make our school better.

Innovation to meet new demands

We continue to increase outdoor activities to address childhood obesity concerns, and have added a science teacher this past summer to increase our focus in that criti-cal area. Already a very multicultural envi-ronment, we are implementing a Spanish class this fall. I am thinking about creating an infant center to meet the increased de-mand from families with both parents in the workforce. I want to continue to fi nd ways to provide a fun, fulfi lling environ-ment for children so their parents can go to work and feel good about the diversity of experiences their children are having at Wooden Shoe.

Founded by James M. Bennett in 1962, this general family dentistry practice serves patients ages three to 103. Specialty services include Lumineers, the safe, pain-less porcelain veneer, and Invisalign, the invisible way to straighten teeth without braces. Other services are fi llings, crowns, bridges, extractions, root canals, dentures, deep cleaning, nitrous oxide, X-rays, di-agnostic exams, esthetic dentistry, tooth whitening, oral cancer screening and im-plants.

“I’m humbled to continue in a business my father started 50 years ago, building the same kind of trusting relationships. I had it happen with a very nice, young man who had a huge underbite. I told him, ‘You’re doing okay but you can make some changes if you want.’ We referred him to an orthodontist, and he went full bore where we reset and wired his mouth shut for months. He also had dark yellow teeth, and Kirsten just fi nished his veneers. Each time he came in, he was more confi dent. Now he smiles a lot more. Every day I can change the way someone smiles, even with day-to-day procedures, and they have renewed confi dence; that is the most gratifying thing we ever do.” – Scott Bennett, co-owner

Be open, confi dent and grow

My advice to new business owners is trust in yourself. Deal with customers’ fears

with confi dence. Don’t take them personally. Just be open and fi nd out what their concerns and questions are. When you don’t know an answer, don’t be afraid to say I’ll get back to you. It’s bet-ter to wait and be right. Be willing to stretch, but not so much that you en-danger yourself or your patients. Keep learning. Be open to new technol-ogy and new ideas. Keep your standards and know

what works, but don’t be afraid to grow as a professional.

More effi ciency and quality

My dad used to keep an appointment book, but I use a computer scheduler. Computer fi les now replace paper charts. Digital X-rays have much less radiation, better resolution, and are much quicker than fi lm X-rays. Crowns can be done digitally, too. We can scan an impres-sion into a computer and send it to the lab, which will send back a crown that fi ts like a glove. We also do implants digitally. The innovation we’ve seen in the last 10 years makes us much more effi cient and it’s much better for patients, so everybody wins.

More digitization

As our society becomes more digital, our desire for instant gratifi cation and the need for instant results will become more prevalent. Right now, we have to wait for things to come from the lab. There may be an innovation that changes that. All these procedures may become digitized, making other tools or procedures obsolete. The way we dentists do our jobs with tools and equipment may be different, but I will still be working in your mouth.

60Wooden Shoe Child Care

Owner Kimberlee Ackelson (in second row, sixth from the left) and her staff

9180 Yarrow St. | WoodenShoe-ChildCare.com

50Bennett Dental Group5130 W. 80th Ave., Suite 202 | BennettDentalGroup.com

Bennett Dental Group owners Scott S. Bennett and Kirsten West-Bennett

A S p e c i a l P u b l i c at i o n o f C o l o r a d o C o m m u n i t y M e d i aA S p e c i a l P u b l i c at i o n o f C o l o r a d o C o m m u n i t y M e d i a

Friday, October 5, 2012Westin Westminster Hotel Ballroom10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Complimentary Luncheon and Program | Business Appreciation AwardsEvent is open to all licensed Westminster businesses | RSVP 303-706-3030 or [email protected] is open to all licensed Westminster businesses | RSVP 303-706-3030 or [email protected]

The City of Westminster invited business appreciation honorees to share their wisdom garnered from The City of Westminster invited business appreciation honorees to share their wisdom garnered from decades of operating companies and serving customers. They each shared their own thoughts and advice decades of operating companies and serving customers. They each shared their own thoughts and advice on what is necessary for success in business, as well as how they have adapted to innovations in their on what is necessary for success in business, as well as how they have adapted to innovations in their industries and how they plan to handle future innovations.

e n a b l i n g I N N O V A T I O N2 0 1 2 W e s t m i n s t e r B u s i n e s s A p p r e c i at i o n E v e n t2 0 1 2 W e s t m i n s t e r B u s i n e s s A p p r e c i at i o n E v e n t

e n a b l i n g I N N O V A T I O N2

2 0 1 2 W e s t m i n s t e r B u s i n e s s A p p r e c i at i o n E v e n t

Owner Ernie Schaefer (sixth from left) and the staff

Founded in 1962 and incorporated in 1967 by Ron Rich-ards and Jerry Seeley, the company was bought and re-named in January 1995 by current owner Ernie Schaefer, who was a former regional vice present of Hartford Insur-ance. Today, this full-service insurance agency has 14 em-ployees who believe in providing professional insurance service with a personal touch. They are not just salespeo-ple, seeing how much they can sell. They truly believe in protecting their clients.

Other than thanking us for our personal service and not just being a 1-800 number, people are always saying they remember us because of our building, the hawks and our coffee. We remodeled the historic Bruchez farmhouse in the Legacy Ridge community and turned it into our offi ce. A family of red-tailed hawks lives in the 60-year-old trees on the property. The mother hawk sometimes dive bombs

45Richards, Seeley & Schaefer, Inc.3640 W. 112th Ave. | RSS-insurance.com

whomever is walking into our building. She put my wife right on the ground on her hands and knees in our park-ing lot one day. Also, I have a coffee account with Kauai Coffee Company in Hawaii. I’ve been ordering their estate brand for 10 years. Our customers remember that coffee and tell us they look forward to visiting us to get a cup.

Understand tax laws and listen to customers

Depending on whether or not they own the land where their business operates, the fi rst thing is to have a tax plan, sooner rather than later. If they have employees and they don’t fully understand the compliance mandates by the federal and state governments, hire a compliance consul-tant. We specialize in putting small businesses in touch with tax and health insurance regulations.

Second, listen to your customers. Customer service is not a forgotten thing.

Keep up with automation

Automation is the most signifi cant innovation for us. We are highly automated and as paperless as can be. We up-load and download all our documents with our insurance carriers and clients.

We will be staying with automation and its benefi ts as well as challenges. As automation changes how we interface with customers it will have to keep up with that. But, we can never let automation replace our personal relation-ships with customers.

We will also be keeping up with the changing environ-ment created by automation. For example, HIPAA laws are very clear that client details have to be protected. We work with a very sizeable health insurance company, and we would have to pay a signifi cant fi ne as well as civil liabili-ties if someone hacks into their system or burglarizes their servers. So, we now have a new type of coverage for cyber liability. Along with the old types of coverage such as for tornados and fi res, the insurance business has become a lot more sophisticated to meet emerging needs.

The City of Westminster also gratefullyacknowledges the following companies for

their years of business in Westminster:

40H&R Block

35Mizell Trains, Inc

30Octagon Systems Corp

Judy Weiss, MD

25Pioneer Trading Post

J Marc Carpenter, DDS, PCJCPenney Portrait Studio

Founded and owned by Dan and Leanne Pergola since 1972, this Westminster insurance and real estate agency is op-erated by their son, Sam Pergola, whose experience and expertise in the business helps customers avoid pitfalls and secure the right policies and contracts for their individual needs.

The Pergola Agency has been synony-mous with the community spirit of Dan and Leanne Pergola, two longtime

Westminster residents. Dan graduated from Westminster High School in 1966, and was involved in various civic and commu-nity organizations over the years. He was one of the founders of the Westminster Redevelopment Committee. His wife, Le-anne, shared her love of reading and giving to her community by volunteering with School District 50.

Work is more than 9 to 5

My advice to someone just opening a business is: Be ready to work more than 40 hours per week.

Computers caused a revolution

Of course the Internet and computers have changed every-thing.

Integrate the Internet or else

Everyone is going to have to fi gure out how the Internet can be used to help their business, so they can stay in business.

Founded in October 1971 and licensed in Westminster in 1972 by Gene and Alice Lehman, this Westminster company sells electrical and electronic products, many imported from other countries. A distributor and sup-plier in past years, RMS Sales recently opened a “store-front” operation open to the public Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hundreds of different products include appliance power cords, computer cords, exten-sion cords, cord sets, power strip outlets, range and dryer cords, receptacles, switches and related tools.

“When we started the business, we were a division of RMS Sales called RMS Electric Supply. We worked out of our garage, and my wife and high school-aged daughter delivered prod-ucts to construction sites from a beat-up, old VW van. Those contractors always got a kick out of seeing the pair show up. At the time, my son helped me put together the products for delivery. Now, my grandson, Parker Lehman, helps out at the shop.” – Gene Lehman, owner

Honesty and reliability

To people just starting businesses, I would say be hon-est and trusting. Then, have reliable products and good service.

Innovation brought cheaper communication

We are computerized and use them a lot in our business with China. If we didn’t have computers, I’m not sure if we would still be doing this. We went from sending letters by mail to the fax machine, and from the fax to email. We have a website. We’ve saved money. We can send email for free, but had to pay for time on the tele-phone and fax before. Due to our ability to import from

China, some of our products are very cost-competitive compared to big box stores.

Don’t give up, be innovative

You just have to have endurance, persistence and hard work. Just keep going and don’t give up. It’s like Hollie Cavanagh, the American Idol fi nalist. She looked like a nervous little girl in her fi rst audition, but the next year she came in dressed up and ready, and she soared into fourth place. She did that by not giving up. Over the years, if something hasn’t worked, I’ve tried something else. I don’t deviate too far with my products; I just try doing different things with them. I have represented dif-ferent companies, I was a distributor shop at one time, and now at 86 years of age, I am doing something new again with selling directly from my shop.

Melco International, founded in 1972, is owned by Mizar Holdings. The company, which has grown from 10 to 50 employees, designs and manufactures commercial embroidery machines and software.

New Balance Sneakers pro-duces a large volume of shoes in the U.S. They are able to do so with Melco technology that allows them to produce American quality and yet still be prof-itable.

Carve out your place in the market

Our advice to anyone start-ing a business: Make sure you are fi lling a need. Make sure you understand your audience and focus on that au-dience. Use the Internet and social media – not solely tra-ditional marketing like print ads – to grow your business.

Develop new designs

Being a manufacturer, we rely on our customers and mar-keting to provide feedback that results in designing prod-ucts to meet the needs of the industry.

Move with technology

Innovation is key to not only growth, but also survival. If you are not innovative, you will not be able to move with market trends and competing technology.

Visit our website for a customized and competitive auto quote through Safeco ® Insurance.

www.rss-insurance.com • [email protected]







e n a b l i n g I N N O V A T I O N 3


40D.M. Pergola Agency Inc.

Sam Pergola

7190 Julian Way | 303-429-8188

One of Melco’s state-of-the-art embroidery machines

Owners Gene and Alice Lehman and (on left) daughter Sherri Martinez

Melco International1575 W. 124th Ave. | Melco.com

RMS Sales, Inc.3200 W. 72nd Ave. | RMS1Global.qwestoffi ce.net

Founded by Dr. Elizabeth Barr on August 8, 1977, the West-minster pediatric dentistry practice has grown to 16 employees. Quality, kid-oriented services include preventative care, digital radiographs, laser dentistry, tooth-fi lling materials, and sedation and hospital dentistry.

“We are so grateful for how you have taken care of our children’s mouths for the past eight years, but even more so how you have cared about and supported our family in so many other ways. You have al-ways been so kind and trustworthy, and have been such a wonderful resource for all our questions.” – parent of former patients

Always care and improve

My advice to new business owners is to live up to the popular phrase, “Go the extra mile.” Customers respond with loyalty when they fi nd a business where the staff truly cares, is compas-sionate and listens with an open mind. Learn from your own best and worst customer experiences, visit your competition for ideas on how to improve, and ask for customer feedback. It is all about relationships.

Innovations in staying in touch

The cell phone is a remarkable tool for staying in touch with employees, customers and suppliers. In my early years of prac-tice, I had to pull off the road, fi nd a phone booth and return an emergency call, sometimes in a driving rain or snowstorm! Now a parent can text a message or send a photo of their child when they have a question about an oral problem. Wow!!

Innovate ways to educate

We are becoming more knowledgeable about how to prevent oral disease and cavities. I hope we can motivate parents to help chil-dren take advantage of our wonderful products and research, so that they can benefi t from a lifetime free of pain and enjoy the confi dence of beautiful smiles.

4


This auto repair shop on the corner of Eliot Cir-cle and 72nd Avenue – just east of Federal – was started in October 1977 by brothers Craig and Rod Hill. Always a two-man operation in the ga-rage, they were kept busy with a steady stream of cars from the neighborhood, especially in the early days. Their mother Ann Hill helped out by answering phones and keeping books for 20 years. Rod passed away in June this year, and now Craig looks forward to a chance to sell the business and retire so he can take it easy and spend time with his family.

“We’ve defi nitely had loyal customers all the way through. We’ve watched a lot of customers grow old. We’ve had lots of repeats and referrals. Now that I’m hoping to sell the business, a lot of people are asking, ‘What are we going to do without you?’ I

hear that a lot. They’re worried about whether they can fi nd another mechanic they can trust.” – Craig Hill, owner

Be honest, be your own boss

My advice to someone starting a business is to be honest with people. They’ll appreciate it and become repeat customers. That’s the best part – working with people who trust you enough to come back again and again. Being a business owner, it’s also pretty great to be able to work for yourself.

Stay up-to-date with new technology

I just try to keep up with the new technology in cars. The economy has been so bad that it’s hard to get new equipment to handle the new technology, but I have to.

Front Range Community College was founded in 1968, with the Westminster Campus opening in 1977. It is operated by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. Today, with 276 employ-ees, the college campus offers career/technical educa-tion, general education for transfer, associate degrees, workforce development, customized training, and con-tinuing education for personal development.

“I have been accepted and will attend Regis University’s School of Pharmacy. I have spent the past two years accu-mulating about 60 credits in pre-pharmacy requirements at FRCC. My experience has been outstanding. I was chal-lenged by the quality and intensity of the classroom cur-riculum, and was certainly impressed by the knowledge and dedication of the instructors. Most instructors had PhDs; all instructors had an interest in me as a student – they wanted me to succeed. The staff showed a commitment and person-al attention that is lacking at most four-year schools. Upon fi rst entering FRCC, I didn’t know what to expect from a ‘community college’ – I was pleasantly surprised.” – Gerry Cordutsky of Westminster, former student

Get advice and training

Consult the experts at the Small Business Development Center at FRCC. The SBDC offers free counseling and training on a wide range of topics, including starting a business, legal issues, fi nancial analysis, marketing strategies, management development, technology and more.

Innovative tools and methods

A key innovation has been online learning; more than 80 percent of our courses have an online version. New technology has revolutionized almost every technical education program, from human-like mannequins that can mimic diseases for nursing students, to computer-based trainers that can help automotive technology students understand complex electrical problems. For more than fi ve years, every classroom has had a smart board, Internet connectivity and LCD projectors. Be-yond technology, FRCC has been one of the national leaders in learning communities, an innovative way to strengthen student success by combining multiple courses.

How would you use innovation to keep up withincreasing technology in fi ve to 10 years from now?

We will continue to use online technology to provide more access to students, and will include more com-plex simulations and video. Our technical training pro-grams will change rapidly as new technology develops. We recently added a Medical Information Technology program, and expect to add additional programs that refl ect increasing use of technology. We will also con-tinue to innovate with instructional methods to engage and challenge students.

35Children’s Dentistry5150 W. 80th Ave. | DDSChild.com

Eliot & 72nd Auto Repair2785 W. 72nd Ave. | 303-427-9320

Front Range CommunityCollege & Book Store3645 W. 112th Ave. | FrontRange.edu

At the company founded in 1977 by Don Sederberg and Dan Wills, Gerald Rhiner began as an agent, became a managing bro-ker and then the owner. A full-service real estate fi rm, it handles commercial, industrial and residential real estate, plus property management, land and investment.

“Someone I had known 20 years before called me and needed to buy a house in a very short time. He had decent credit and didn’t want to put any money down. I was able to help him, his wife and fi ve kids get into a home in 30 days. Even in this economy, I found him the right fi nanc-ing through a contact I’d made on a previous closing. The family was so relieved. The wife had been so nervous, calling me about every trans-action and every word on the contract. As the closing got closer, issues came up as they always do. We got through them together, we closed on time, and there were smiles. I’ve done that so many times over the years, and it still makes me feel good.” – Gerald Rhiner, owner

Help people

Know who your friends are, be active and meet more people. The nature of this business is to know people and try to help them. I don’t see myself as a salesperson; I help people solve problems and attain goals. I rely on my clients to tell me what fears they have so I can make it comfortable for them.

Embrace technology

We have incorporated and embraced technology from the beginning. We were involved in the conceptual found-ing of Realtor.com. We have always been on the cutting edge of technology. I fi nd it to be an invaluable tool – almost irreplaceable. It’s freed up a lot of time but has also made us completely depen-dent on it. Instead of meeting multiple times, we can communicate via email,

text or Skype. It is very fast paced. In the past, we needed hard signatures on paper. We used to drive clients around more. Now we can show them on the Internet. It’s changed the dynamics tremendously.

As easy as the click of a button

We need to stay abreast of current trends. If you’re in the fore-front, using technology, the transition is much easier. I think buying a home will be as simple as going online to see every view and look at every corner. Already you can get aerial neighbor-hood views on Google Earth. You will be able to communicate with neighbors and schools, all with the click of a button. In the future, you will be able to click on an address and have all that at your fi ngertips in an interactive way.

Federal Real Estate6981 Federal Blvd. | 303-426-4555

The staff of Children’s Dentistry

Owner Craig Hill

Gerald Rhiner, owner

Front Range Community College Westminster Campus

e n a b l i n g I N N O V A T I O N

Larry Gayeski moved to Col-orado from Il-linois in 1973 with a national CPA fi rm and later formed a local CPA fi rm with Ron Schaefer. The fi rm’s exposure to large real estate clients provided back-ground and experience for a meaningful transition to real estate in-

vestment. Thus, Gayeski & Associates was founded in 1977 as a real estate development and investment company of a privately held portfolio. Notable projects in Westminster include: the Village at Park Centre, a mixed-use project of retail, restaurants and business service facilities located at the northwest corner of 120th Avenue and Huron Street; and the Sedona Offi ce Complex located at 124th Avenue and Huron Street, which is home to many dental specialists and the of-fi ces of the Gayeski companies. Currently, Gayeski is preparing to develop an inven-tory of commercial infi ll sites. Additionally,

inventory of larger tracts of land, all located on interstate interchanges in the metro area, are also providing some interesting and cre-ative potential.

“Though I continue to have a true passion for my work and pride in my business successes, I feel my ultimate accomplishments are my two children who have grown up to be very caring, compassionate and capable, along with being very accomplished in all their endeavors.” – Lar-ry Gayeski, founder/owner

It’s all in the details

Pay close attention to the details, fi nd cre-ative ways to add value and surround your-self with loyal and committed employees. You must be technically competent and passionate about the product or service your new business venture will provide. Most im-portantly, properly evaluate all aspects of risk and do not proceed unless you are suf-fi ciently capitalized.

Technology elevates research

The amount of data and information that is easily accessible these days is priceless. You can never do “too much” research.

Innovating a happy retirement

My innovation will be mostly in fi nding ways to provide information on current events, as I’ll be fully retired by then... or maybe not, since I love what I do!

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Founded April 27, 1977, this Westminster business has craftspeople that can upholster anything and everything – from home fur-niture to autos, boats, campers and commer-cial offi ce furniture. About 95 percent of the work takes place in the shop just north of 72nd Avenue on the west side of Lowell Bou-levard, but they also go on location. Hector and his crew artfully restore antiques and customize modern upholstery, fi nding fabric from trusted warehouses as well as special orders from new sources.

“One decorator who has been coming to us for 10 years really keeps us busy, because we provide her with consistent quality and customization. In 35 years, we haven’t spent much on advertis-ing, not even on the phone book anymore. It’s all about word of mouth. Another local decora-tor told us she keeps coming back because of our pricing and quality workmanship. One of her customers commented, ‘I’m thrilled. I can’t be-lieve it’s the same chair. It’s reassuring to know they did a complete overhaul from top to bottom and everything is brand new. The transforma-tion is beyond belief.’” – Hector Nanez, owner

Quality leads to quantity

Rely on quality work to create word-of-mouth advertising. Repeat customers and their referrals can keep you in business.

Discovering new markets

We’re trying to do things differently and be

innovative in the way we do business, too, especially in our commercial work. We’ve expanded to doing upholstery for furniture in the offi ces of dentists, doctors and chiro-practors, and even in nursing homes.

Finding innovative materials

We have to keep up with what customers see out there and when they bring their ideas to us, we have to duplicate that. We inno-vate by fi nding different fabrics like leath-ers. Customers see a fabric on furniture and want it in their cars. We research fabrics on-line and fi nd new suppliers. We’re doing a lot of work for designers so they see new fab-rics at shows before customers see them, and they let us know about it.

Kaiser Permanente, which opened its Westminster offi ces in 1977, has provided comprehensive health care services to Colorado residents for more than 40 years. Today, 300 em-ployees serve the community from the building on Huron Street, north of 112th Avenue.

Advances in patient services

At Kaiser Permanente, innovation is in our DNA. Our elec-tronic health record, KP Health Connect, transforms the way members receive care and interact with their providers, en-abling superior health outcomes. Having the ability to chart electronically and access medical records quickly is literally a lifesaver. Being able to have information at our fi ngertips assists with shared decision-making for our physicians and patients. It helps to improve care for the members and their families.

The pharmacy – with Script Pro and the Pharmacy Automatic Refi ll Center – has helped patients receive their refi lls in a more timely manner, including by mail order. It has a cost benefi t to our members and is very effi cient.

Through advances in Health IT, our physicians and care teams have more accurate, up-to-date and timely informa-tion. We’re better equipped to make the best possible deci-sions and deliver the highest quality care.

Continued program innovation

As we move toward the health care of the future, Kaiser Per-

Front Range CommunityCollege & Book Store

Gayeski & Associates, Ltd.Sedona Buliding, 905 W. 124th Ave., Suite 200 | 303-457-9700

Hector’s Custom Upholstery7283 Lowell Blvd. | 303-427-7595

Founder and owner Hector Nanez with son and co-worker Donnie Nanez

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente’s Westminster offi ces

11245 Huron St. | kp.org

manente will continue to build on our successful innovations to provide patient-centered care that is more convenient, ac-cessible and affordable. Our members already have the abil-ity to log on to kp.org and access a variety of online tools to manage their health. They can email a provider, schedule an appointment, order prescriptions and check test results on-line. Recently, these tools were made available in a new mo-bile platform. In the next few years, we’ll see more members using these convenient online tools.

We are seeing a rapid increase in obesity in this country. In Colorado, the childhood obesity rate is growing faster than any other state in the nation except for Nevada. If we don’t stop the current trend, sadly, many of our children will be battling chronic disease in the future. As a nonprofi t health plan, our mission is to improve people’s health. Through a variety of local programs and initiatives, we hope to increase access to care and build healthy communities where people can Thrive.

Larry Gayeski, founder and owner


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Gordon Shick established RE/MAX North-west in March 1977. He has achieved the distinction of being the only original broker owner of a franchise in RE/MAX’s worldwide system. The full service real es-tate fi rm, primarily handling residential real estate in addition to some commer-cial, has grown from its beginning of 20 agents to 65 today.

“Customers just appreciate that our group has such a high knowledge base. With more than 1,000 years of real estate experience in this of-fi ce, our expertise and experience is unparal-leled. Our location has remained a constant presence in Westminster for more than 35 years. While many offi ces have cut back ser-vices, our commitment has been to never out-source our staff and instead offer full service,

extended hours on weekends and evenings, and the personal touch of a live operator to assist our consumers to the fullest extent. We pride ourselves on taking care of customers needs and being available.” – Teresa Vende-gnia, managing broker

Hard Work

Real estate is hard work; it takes dedication and perseverance.

Change with the Industry

Real estate is continually evolving and an Internet presence is essential with today’s market savvy consumers. RE/MAX North-west has continually updated and changed our business model to fully service all our customers’ needs now and for the future.

Grow with Technology

Striving to remain on the cutting edge of technology requires the ability to be fast paced, solution oriented and growth minded. RE/MAX Northwest has remained steadfast in our commitment to stay knowledgeable of the times while never forgetting the real core of our industry, serving people and meeting their needs.

Founded by Ron Schaefer and Larry Gayeski October 1, 1976, the tax prepara-tion and consulting fi rm opened in West-minster October 1, 1977. Later, Schaefer took over sole ownership of the business, and after years of successfully assisting customers with their tax needs, he is now semi-retired and considering full retire-ment.

“I have helped many clients over the last 35 years get into business, build their business, successfully run their business, sell their busi-ness at retirement, and assist in fi nancial planning for life’s issues along the way – in-cluding a fi nancially healthy retirement.” – Ronald J. Schaefer, owner

Be prepared

My advice to someone starting a business is: do your homework, know more about the business than anyone else, including your competitors, research your potential customers, plan for a successful future, and be prepared for the worst case sce-nario. Budget for success, set goals, work harder than your competition, and hire experts.

Increased productivity

Computers and the Internet have created much greater productivity in the account-ing business.

Adapt to social media

Businesses will have to adapt to social me-dia so they can speak the language of the newer generation workforces.

United Fire & Casualty Company was founded by Scott McIntyre, Sr. in 1946, and is a stock company traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange today. United is an insurance company offering primarily commercial insurance including general

liability, auto, property, and inland ma-rine coverages. The company opened a re-gional offi ce with approximately eight to 10 employees in Westminster in 1977, and has grown to approximately 40 employees reporting to the Westminster offi ce.

Paul L. Zelazek, DDS founded his gen-eral and cosmetic dental practice August 15, 1977. He works alongside two other dentists in the Westminster Dental Arts Group, and shares the reception area and offi ce staff. His mission is to improve peo-ple’s smiles and get them to smile more.

“I am now seeing the children of patients I used to see when they were growing up. It is interesting to observe how heredity works. We are able to see the same dental traits being passed down from parents to their children. If we see one member of a family and they are satisfi ed with our services, we’re bound to see their children and maybe even their children’s children.” – Paul L. Zelazek, “Dr. Z”

Long-term customers

My advice to someone opening a business is to listen to people. Dentistry is a people business. Be honest, straightforward and fair with people, and it will lead to suc-cessful, long-term relationships.

Not like it used to be

The technology changes in dentistry have been amazing, everything from digital X-rays to laser cavity detectors. One of the

biggest changes has been the use of adhe-sive tooth-colored fi lling materials, which can be used to close spaces painlessly. In-novations help quite a bit. Procedures take less time, and there’s a lot less radiation. People just like the fact that it’s not like it used to be.

Keep current

People are realizing that a smile is impor-tant. Cosmetic dentistry is a big part of our business. People like to have a friendly smile. In years to come, we’ll be able to make it easier to obtain that. Keeping cur-rent with dental technologies allows us to provide dentistry that looks good, feels good, and lasts a long time.

Paul L. Zelazek, DDS7350 Lowell Blvd. | 303-428-6571

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RE/MAX Northwest, Inc.12000 Pecos St. #160 | ColoradoHomeSales.com

Ronald J. Schaefer, CPA905 W. 124th Ave., Suite 220 | 303-430-1850

Business owner Ron Schaefer, enjoyingsemi-retirement

United Fire & Casualty Company7301 Federal Blvd., Suite 200 | UnitedFireGroup.com

The home page of United Fire & Casualty Company

The RE/MAX Northwest sign on 120th Avenue

Dentist Paul L. Zelazek


7190 Julian WayWestminster CO 80030

sam [email protected]

insuranCe 303-429-8188real estate 303-358-9383

11187 Sheridan BlvdWestminster

303-439-8024www.WallysQualityMeats.com

Thank You to Our

Loyal Customers

for Your Continued Support!

Darrell Harsh started his insurance and fi nancial services agency in 1979, and moved it to Westminster in 1982. His son, Zachary Harsh, recently joined the agency to continue the tradition of dedi-cated customer service.

“During the recent wildfi re outbreak here in Colorado, we were able to cover the ad-ditional expenses incurred by one of our in-sureds who was under a mandatory evacua-tion. Fortunately, their home was missed as the fi re spread all around their neighborhood. During the week they waited anxiously to fi nd out if they had a home to go back to, we were able to provide counseling and fi nan-cial support to reduce their stress. Many other cases come to mind but this was the most recent example. It’s easy to underestimate the value of insurance until you need it!” – Dar-rell Harsh, owner

Provide the best value

When a business discovers a way to deliv-er the best product at the best price, you

have your best chance to succeed. Try to make your product or service stand out and speak for itself.

Use technology to beat the competition

For our industry, innovation is slow on the uptake but necessary to keep up. Business needs to utilize all technologies available to keep up with the worldwide competition. Getting the correct people in your system can keep the business en-gaged with your changing markets.

Choose cost-effective innovations

In the future, innovation will continue to give certain businesses an advantage. Some innovations have a long payback period, while some will repay you sooner, so be careful to use only cost-effective in-novation.

La Petite Academy, a leader in early child-hood education and childcare, opened in Westminster in 1982. Specially trained teachers and associates recognize their re-sponsibilities for growing children’s social, intellectual, emotional and physical capa-bilities from infancy to school age, and help families move smoothly through the many transitions in their young children’s lives. Following Developmentally Appropriate Practices, educational programs provide children with the foundation for learning with opportunities for choice, experimen-tation, creativity and problem solving. The curriculum focuses on cognitive, language, social and physical skills needed for success in kindergarten and beyond. Currently, RyAnn Duran is the academy director and Carrie Lehnerz is the assistant director at

the Westminster academy.

La Petite Academy’s philosophy is ‘Play. With a Purpose.’ When learning is fun, kids love to learn — it’s that simple. So, from refi ning motor skills in infants to prepar-ing kids for kindergarten, La Petite Acad-emy’s goal is to fi nd ways to make them love learning. Because when they do, they do better in school, and in life.

Value each child

La Petite Academy’s staff puts children fi rst, respecting each child as a valued and unique individual with distinct interests and opinions. They are sensitive to chil-dren’s varying abilities and learning styles, and recognize the invaluable role parents and teachers have in the developmental well being of the children.

Founded by Robert McGraw, Sr. and Robert McGraw, Jr. on July 1, 1982, the local certi-fi ed public accounting (CPA) fi rm is now owned by Robert McGraw, Jr. and his son Robert McGraw III. Specializing in small business and individual accounting and tax services, the staff prides itself on per-sonal, professional service at very reason-able rates.

“Over the 30 years that we have practiced accounting in Westminster, we have assisted

many of our clients in building their busi-nesses. We provide professional guidance to optimize their business growth and minimize their tax burden. Many of these clients have now created a nice retirement for themselves. We take pride in assisting our clients in build-ing stronger and more profi table businesses. It pains us to see new businesses hurt themselves by not properly managing their tax responsibil-ities from day one. Like they say, ‘If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur.’” – Robert McGraw, Jr., CPA

Be wise and kind

My advice to new business owners is: sur-round your business with qualifi ed people for your legal, banking and accounting needs. Keep your fi nger on the pulse of the business and take care of your customers with kind words and smiles.

Computers – necessary tools

Without today’s technology we would not be able to function. Computers in 1982 were just coming into the workforce. Now the Internet is one of our most valuable tools. (It would be great if Congress could “innovate” a simpler tax code, but that’s a discussion for a different forum.)

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Business owner Ron Schaefer, enjoyingsemi-retirement

The Harsh Insurance Agency8120 Sheridan Blvd. B-305FarmersAgent.com/DHarshFacebook.com/HarshInsurance

Founder Darrell Harsh and son Zachary Harsh

La Petite Academy #007111180 Eaton St. | LaPetite.com

McGraw & McGraw CPA, PC7260 Osceola St. | 303-427-6641

Northpark Dental Group

The offi ces of NorthPark Dental Group, and inset,Dr. Timothy Borg (left) and Dr. Jon Lewis (right)

The staff of McGraw & McGraw CPA, PC


10359 N. Federal Blvd., #110NorthparkDentalGroup.com

Tamara L. Gibbs, DDS, is the founder and owner of the Westminster dental practice that opened September 1, 1987. The staff has grown from an original two employ-ees to 11 today. Gibbs Dentistry’s primary dental care providers offer a full range of care, including periodontal-oriented hy-giene services, general dentistry, implant, restorations, oral surgery, restorative proce-dures, and pediatric dental care.

“When I fi rst opened my offi ce, I offered a package including dental cleaning, an exam and X-rays as a raffl e prize for a local school fundraiser. The ticket winner was a 67-year-young lady named Marie who came to our offi ce in October 1988. She referred her two

daughters who brought in their families. Over the years we have seen over 20 differ-ent family members from fi ve generations of Marie’s fam-ily. We feel like our patients are part of our family and we love seeing their friends and families.” – Tamara L. Gibbs, DDS

Get accounting help

My advice is: get a knowl-edgeable accountant. When I fi rst opened my dental practice, I knew dentistry but I didn’t know

how to run a business. It took me a while to fi gure out tax ID numbers, business li-censure, withholding taxes, and especially Westminster sales and use tax!

Computers organize paperwork

When I started my practice, I was using a pegboard and ledger card bookkeeping sys-tem. Now, 25 years later, I am glad I have a computer to keep the paperwork straight.

More communication options

We have recently created a website for our practice. In the next few years, I anticipate we will be using the site and email to reach more and more current and new patients.

Our beautiful 10-acre campus offersfive choices of carefree living.

Retirement Community

303.429.8857• Patio Homes• Independent Apts.• Full Service Apts.

5000 W. 75th AvenueWestminster, CO 80030

www.SanMarinoRetirement.com

303.426.9090• Assisted Living Apts.• Memory Care Apts.

Celebrating Our 25th Year Anniversary!

Our beautiful 10-acre campus offersfive choices of carefree living.

Retirement Community

303.429.8857• Patio Homes• Independent Apts.• Full Service Apts.

5000 W. 75th AvenueWestminster, CO 80030

www.SanMarinoRetirement.com

303.426.9090• Assisted Living Apts.• Memory Care Apts.

Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Celebrating Our 25th Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!Year Anniversary!

On April 14, 1902, James Cash Penney founded his company on the principle of the Golden Rule: treat others the way you’d like to be treated – Fair and Square. His legacy continues to this day, as JCPen-ney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP) boldly transforms the retail experience across 1,100 stores including its Westminster lo-cation, which was opened on March 18, 1987. Selling clothing, household goods, furniture, and many other popular items, and providing optical, salon and portrait

services, it has become a top-selling store in Colorado. Focused on making the cus-tomer experience better every day, JCPen-ney is dreaming up new ways to make customers love shopping again.

“In August, we offered free haircuts to chil-dren in K-6 grades. My stylists performed more than 4,500 haircuts. Many parents shared stories of tight fi nancial situations and thanked us for giving their children the opportunity to start school with a new fresh haircut and the added confi dence that it brings.” – Pat Miller, general manager

Advice to new business owners

Focus on the customer experience.

High-tech customer focus

Technology has improved productivity and allowed associates to focus on the customer rather than the task.

Founders and owners David T. Watt and Troy W.C. Davis opened San Marino Retire-ment Villas in October of 1987. The staff has grown from 15 employees to 95 in 2012. San Marino’s housing options for seniors have also grown, from 106 full-service inde-pendent apartments to an additional 91 assisted living apartments, 19 patio homes and 22 independent apartments. The campus is located on 10 beautifully landscaped acres with ponds, gazebos, walkways and gardens.

Our approach to business is that it should always be a ‘win-win’ situation for every-one. Our effort is to keep our costs down while providing seniors with a community that is affordable – one that we are proud of. We strive to pay our employees a fair wage along with a number of benefi ts. We look back on the past 25 years of our ac-complishments and know we took the right path of a ‘win-win’ for everyone – the residents, employees and the owners.

Supercuts, owned by Regis Corporation, opened its Westminster salon in 1987 to pro-vide haircuts, color and waxing, as well as shampoo, conditioners and styling and fi nishing products to the local community.

Welcome customers as guests

Our best advice for new business owners is: treat every one of your guests like they are special, and make sure they have a super experience with your business.

Creating superior services and products

Innovation has allowed us to be more productive and allows us to offer superior ser-vices and products to our guests.

Ensuring excellent experiences

Innovation will allow us to be even more precise in our haircuts to make sure that each of our guests has an excellent experience.

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jcp (JCPenney)5453 W. 88th Ave. | jcp.com, jcp.net

General Manager Pat Miller in the “Levis Denim Bar”

San Marino Retirement Villas, Inc.5000 W. 75th Ave. | SanMarinoRetirement.com

The entryway into San MarinoVillas Assisted Living Apartments

Supercuts #9516Brookhill Towne Center, 6975 W. 88th Ave., Suite A | SuperCuts.com

Supercuts style

Gibbs Dentistry12030 Melody Dr. | GibbsDentist.com

The staff of Gibbs Dentistry


Westminster Business Appreciation

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