Grow Together with COBRT - Weekly News from COBRT - August 27, 2019
LEADERSHIP. REACH. RESULTS.
August 27, 2019

Please join us for breakfast on Monday, September 16th from 7:00 am to 9:00 am at Mile High Station as we hear from Adam Contos, CEO of ReMax, Audrey Robertson, Co-Founder of Franklin Mountain Energy LLC and Phil Kalin, CEO of Pinnacol as they discuss what it takes to lead their companies. 

Business Roundtable on Monday released a new Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, superseding a long-standing emphasis on shareholder primacy to express a commitment to all stakeholders: customers, employees, suppliers, communities and shareholders. One-hundred-and-eighty-one CEOs signed the statement, which was reproduced as a Wall Street Journal ad. Leading the extensive news coverage was an exclusive by Alan Murray of Fortune, "America's CEOs Seek a New Purpose for the Corporation," which will appear as the magazine's cover story in early September. "These modernized principles reflect the business community's unwavering commitment to continue to push for an economy that serves all Americans," said Chairman Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase, in a news release. Alex Gorsky, Chairman of the Board and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson and Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, added, "This new statement better reflects the way corporations can and should operate today." The release also featured support from Bill McNabb, former CEO of Vanguard; Tricia Griffith, President and CEO of Progressive; and Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation. (See also Gorsky LinkedIn post.)



Thank you to everyone who attended the Fueling Colorado's Outdoor Economy and Public Lands event. We appreciate you taking the time to discuss this important topic. Thank you to our panelists and speakers Betsy Markey, Kathleen Sgamma, Amy Roberts, Nathan Fey and Jim Ogsbury for being a part of this event. To view photos and watch the event video, please click here.
As the outdoor industry continues to grow in Colorado and across the country, it is facing new challenges and dichotomies surrounding preservation, promoting environmental stewardship, energy usage and ultimately, profit. Because, while much of outdoor recreation is about getting outside, exploring the unknown and maintaining the environment, at the end of the day the industry is driven by manufacturing processes, transportation and revenue just like any other U.S. industry. 

Google is aiming to create economic opportunities in communities across the country as part of its Grow With Google Initiative. The company hosted a Grow with Google free digital skills workshop at the Boulder Public Library, where it announced the Google.org Impact Challenge Colorado, a $1 million grant program to promote economic development by supporting innovative nonprofits in the state. Google has had a presence in Boulder since 2006. 

The latest whipsawing escalations in the United States' trade war with China prompted a wide array of business organizations to warn over the weekend that U.S. consumers and workers would soon be caught in the crossfire. It is now looking increasingly likely that few large U.S. companies will be able to sidestep the toll exacted by the new tit-for-tat tariffs that China and President Donald Trump rolled out Friday. 

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, which generated a $42.9 million economic impact during its first year in Denver in 2018, will not happen in 2019 or going forward, as it organizers announced Wednesday that they will combine the show with the already scheduled Snow Show in January and reduce the number of annual events they hold from three or two. 

The decision is likely to be cheered by a number of outdoor-recreation industry members, who had expressed concerns with having two major trade shows less than three months apart from each other that showcased a similar group of products aimed at skiers, snowboarders and other snow-sports participants. 

Reinforcing its new Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, Business Roundtable has launched a "Leadership in Action" website that details the work of companies to expand opportunities for their employees and communities. "U.S. corporations play a vital role in American society as engines of creativity, innovation and economic opportunity," the site says. "The long-term success of these companies and the U.S. economy depends on businesses investing in the economic security of their employees and the communities in which they operate." Highlights include the Business Roundtable focus on fostering a new generation of innovators and the regional Workforce Partnership Initiative.

The energy transition is underway. While this transition is occurring across many dimensions of the energy value chain having a dynamic impact on consumers and producers alike, it is often simply described as a move to a cleaner, low-or-zero-carbon system. The contours of the pathway remain unclear, but certain aspects are already visible. The dramatic rise in solar and wind power generation in electricity systems and the rise of electric vehicles are occurring in multiple economies across the globe as is an increased focus on energy efficiency. 

Denver has a reputation for being less affordable than many other metros, but it's not as bad as cities on the coasts, according to a recent cost of living analysis. Move.org recently analyzed data from the 75 largest cities in the U.S. to see which had the most affordable cost of living and which ones are San Francisco. Denver came in at No. 20 on the list, with average monthly expenses of $1,869.97. 

The two largest Denver-based oil and gas companies operating in Colorado's Denver-Julesburg Basin have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal valued at $1.7 billion. PDC Enery and SRC Energy revealed the deal Monday morning. The resulting company would be the second-largest producer in the Denver-Julseburg Basin behind Houston-based Occidental Petroleum, formerly known as a Anadarko. 

Please join Defy Colorado on September 9th to learn how we help prepare our EITs for successful reentry and reintegration into the community at a "From Incarceration to Graduation Celebration"! The event will feature a business pitch of one of our EITs as part of his graduation requirements and powerful panel discussion, including local community, city government, and correctional members about alumni services for EITs after they graduate and are released from their facility. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP. 

Are you interested in increasing your knowledge of regional issues and enhancing your civic leadership skills? DRCOG is accepting applications for its Fall 2019 Citizens' Academy that will take place from Sept. 17 to Oct. 29. You'll learn from local experts and leaders, network with other residents and act on what you've learned. Topics will include regional growth and demographics, economic vitality, transportation and mobility, and civic engagement. Participation is free and dinner will be provided. Nearly 900 residents from around the region have completed the nationally recognized Citizens' Academy since 2007. 

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

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