Grow Together with COBRT
LEADERSHIP. REACH. RESULTS.
April 16, 2019

Colorado Business Roundtable is excited to share the latest testimonial video with Chris Schmidt, Managing Partner of Deloitte. We are honored to highlight him in this video. Thank you for all of your support and partnership with us, Chris. 

A bill to create a paid-leave program for all private-sector workers in Colorado dealing with family or medical emergencies received the support of a crucial state Senate committee Tuesday after sponsors made 24 changes to try to address business concerns - but did not do enough to win over any business groups or Republicans who have opposed what they term a costly mandate since its introduction. 

Denver - Gov. Polis today signed an executive order establishing the Commission on Employee Ownership. The Governor signed the executive order at the Save-A-Lot in Colorado Springs where he launched his campaign and promised to support employee ownership. "Increasing employee ownership will help support a strong economy and promote job security in communities across the state," said Governor Jared Polis. "Supporting employee ownership has been a top goal and now we are taking the necessary steps to make it a reality."

Our State of Higher Education event was a phenomenal success. Kevin Pitts, Publisher of the Denver Business Journal did a fireside chat with outgoing CU President Bruce Benson. Afterwards, we honored President Benson for his service. Angie Paccione, Executive Director gave an overview of higher ed in Colorado that corresponded with a report put out from CDHE, TIAA, and COBRT. Our panel which consisted of President Janine Davidson, MSU Denver; Chancellor Joe Garcia, Colorado Community College System; Angie Paccione, Executive Director for CDHE;  Karen Ferguson from CSU-Global, and moderated by Debbie Hughes, Entangled. Speakers were thought provoking, honest, forward thinking, and committed to making their institutions the best for students. We would also like to thank our sponsors for making this event happen. Thank you TIAA, Canadian Consulate, University of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado, Colorado Community College System, Deloitte, Alpine Bank, and Apple for your support. 

For nearly two months, business leaders have struggled to make any changes to a bill moving through the Colorado General Assembly that would allow local governments to raise their minimum-wage requirements above the state level. On Monday, those changes came in the form of seven amendments from the Senate sponsors of House Bill 1210 that were meant to address the concerns of businesses that have employees move between towns in one day, sectors with low-wage workers that are dependent on government reimbursements for their revenue and employers like restaurateurs concerned with the unintended consequences of the bill. All seven of the changes made their way onto the bill without objections. 

Chevron will buy Anadarko Petroleum - a major player in Colorado's oil and gas industry - for $33 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, energizing into deep water exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and in the energy-rich southwest region of Texas called the Permian Basin. The deal announced Friday comes with U.S. crude prices up 40% this year and vaults Chevron into a new league. 

Lockheed Martin Space can build the space vehicles needed to land astronauts on the moon in 2024 without big changes to its current plans, but NASA will have to choose and fund a landing craft soon. The Jefferson County-based aerospace company on Wednesday laid out how it could help NASA meet a White House-mandated accelerated return to the surface of the moon within five years. "This is a bold endeavor. It is the most ambitious thing we've ever done, but it is achievable," said Rob Chambers, Lockheed Martin Space's director of human space exploration, business development and strategy. 

Since Michael Hancock was sworn in as Denver mayor in July 2011, the city has added some 100,000 new jobs and about 8,000 new businesses. They are statistics that he wears like a name badge, pointing to the growth of the economy and the national prominence of Denver as a destination for working and living as his calling card in seeking a third term in the coming city election on May 7. 

Initiative 300, also known as the Right to Survive Initiative, has highlighted the growing unease among the city's unsheltered homeless population, some of its advocates and the Denver business community.  The initiative, which Denver residents will vote on in May, would allow people to set up camps and otherwise rest on public property. 

Listen at KDMT 1690 AM Denver's Money Talk from 
4-5 p.m. Monday through Friday or  live stream online. Podcasts are available at  http://www.cobrt.com/radio-podcast and on your favorite podcast app the day after live airing.

Stream or Download These Recent Episodes

04/24/19

04/25/19
State of the State - COBRT and CiviCO

05/17/19
Annual Members Meeting - Colorado Succeeds

COBRT partnership opportunities are now available. 

Get noticed. 
Support policy efforts. 
Invest in Colorado.

Enjoy this week's newsletter? Have ideas that can improve the newsletter's coverage in the future? 



FOLLOW #COBRT

Colorado Business Roundtable, P.O. Box 5608, Denver, CO 80216
Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with
Constant Contact