South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce

2008-2009 South Metro Denver Board of Directors (Click on name to see profile) Dean Murphy, American Civil Constructors - Board Chair John Brackney, South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce - President & CEO Mark Ryan, Snelling Professional Services - Chair Elect John Hughes, Clifton Gunderson, CPA - Past Chair L.G. Chavez, Burt Automotive Network - Executive Committee Member at Large Nicole Ament, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck - Vice Chair, Economic Development Group Dave DiFulvio, Farnsworth Group - Vice Chair, Membership Bill Myers, United Healthcare - Vice Chair, Public Policy Karen Newman, University of Denver Daniels College of Business - Vice Chair, Small Business Development Center Vickie Thomas, Thomas Martin & Associates - Chair, Women in Leadership, Vice Chair, Executives in Leadership Debra Piazza, Montgomery Little Soran & Murray - Legal Counsel Ken Bacon, Littleton Adventist Hospital Marty Baldwin, Qwest Communications Gary Barbosa, Lockheed Martin Jean Barker, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado Lisa D'Ambrosia, Minor & Brown Gayle Dendinger, CAP Logistics Michael Hommel, Designs by Sundown Rick Koontz, Wells Fargo Tom McDermott, City Wide Bank Paul O'Brien, Floyd's 99 Barbershop Anthony Paul, Smith Barney Pamela Schenck, Park Meadows Wendy Woods, Nexus Financial Services
	Dean Murphy, American Civil Constructors 2008-2009 Chair www.acconstructors.com Dean Murphy is the Director of Business Development for American Civil Constructors. ACC works in light and heavy civil service construction projects with a focus on rehabilitation, reconstruction and reclamation of bridges, tunnels, highways, water and utility projects, landscaping and other infrastructure services. ACC has branches in California, Colorado, Texas and Washington, and the home office is headquartered in Denver. As an active member of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, Dean serves on the Board of Directors as the chairman of the Economic Development Group. He feels that part of any person's job is to contribute to the whole and that the more dialed in to the Chamber a company is the more effective the business can become. A native of Tennessee, Dean and his wife, Kathy have two children, Madison and Jesse. Dean graduated from Lipscomb University in Nashville with a business degree and he moved to Colorado in 1990 after various stops in other parts of the country. According to Dean, the people of Colorado are an accepting community and open to others, and he enjoys the vibrant business climate as well. Before making his way to Colorado, he was a partner in a large landscaping business called Ground Effect. Dean works so he can hunt and fish, and he has fly-fished in both the ocean and in rivers. He also has a long list of hobbies, including golf.
	John Brackney, South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Following a time-honored family tradition, John was born. This event took place in what is now Centennial Colorado, and he grew up a block from where he currently resides and attended Littleton high school. John continued on to the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned a Bachelors' degree in political science. Not yet drained from years of academia he attended the University of Denver where he received a law degree. His formal education completed, he embarked on repaying student loans. John enlisted in the Colorado National Guard and later attended Officer Candidate School, attaining the rank of Captain. He served as the Company Commander of the 147th Combat Support Hospital. During his 12-year tenure he was privileged to twice receive the Meritorious Service medal. John was elected to his first term as Arapahoe County Commissioner in 1996, and was selected as Freshman Commissioner of the Year by his colleagues across the state. Re-elected to a second term, he served as chairman of the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority, and as president of the Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority. He was one of the founders of the City of Centennial, a city he is proud to call home. In his spare time he is a volunteer fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis society and serves on the Board for Littleton Public Schools Foundation. In his spare spare time he enjoys yard work (really?) and, in an attempt to keep his weight down, runs an occasional marathon. No information about John would be complete without mentioning the people most important in his life, his wife Meredith and daughters Taylor and Jordan. Meredith has provided him with endless support and years of friendship, and his girls keep him on his toes and constantly entertained.
	Mark Ryan, Snelling Professional Services Chair Elect www.snelling.com Mark Ryan and his wife own the Snelling Professional Services franchise in Littleton. Mark has an extensive background in recruiting, hiring and marketing, in addition to industry specific positions. Mark is currently the Chair-elect of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. He is also involved in other community service projects. Mark was a Senior Vice President at a Fortune 500 company prior to buying the franchise. He has won numerous performance awards over the course of his 30 year business career. His favorite quote is "Winners never quit and quitters never win". Mark and Judy have 3 teenagers. In his spare time, Mark enjoys skiing, golf and reading history.
	John Hughes, Clifton Gunderson, CPA Past Chair www.cliftoncpa.com John Hughes co-founded Levine, Hughes & Mithuen Inc., in 1976. In November 2006, LHM merged with Clifton Gunderson LLP, the 13th largest CPA and consulting firm in the country, with offices in 15 states and Washington, DC. Clifton Gunderson's size allows low staff-to-partner ratio and assures its clients a small firm feel with significant partner attention and personnel continuity. John serves as partner in the Denver Area Client Service Center, working in the Denver Tech Center office. John's professional expertise includes management advisory and tax consulting services for privately owned businesses. His areas of specialization include tax planning, accounting and financial consulting for individuals, corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies; business valuation consulting; employee benefit and retirement plans; business profitability and consulting services. John successfully completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts to earn his designation of Certified Valuation Analyst in 2002. In 1999, he also earned the Tax Planning and Advising for Closely Held Businesses Certificate of Education Achievement Program offered by the Colorado Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. John is a member of both the CSCPA and the AICPA. In addition to his work with the South Metro Chamber, John is actively involved in the community and is currently the treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Southeast Denver Rotary Club and Southeast Denver Rotary Club Foundation. He is a past board member and vice president of the Colorado Society of CPAs. He has also been a member of the board of directors of the Castlewood Water and Castlewood Sanitation Districts for over 20 years, and he is a member of the business advisory board for the Colorado State University Accounting Department. John has also been active in several other church and community organizations. He is an avid bike rider and has participated in several Ride the Rockies bike tours. Over a span of several summers, John and some of his biking buddies have ridden from Canada to Mexico and are now riding form the state of Washington to Maine. John has been married to his wife, Patti since 1972 and is a very proud father of three.
	L.G. Chavez, Jr., Burt Automotive Network Executive Committee Member-At-Large www.burt.com Lloyd G. Chavez Jr. is President and CEO of The Burt Automotive Network. The Burt Automotive Network has grown from $526 million in revenues in 1995 to $1.630 billion in combined sales in 2003 under the leadership of Lloyd. Burt ranked nationally as the 12th largest dealer group in revenues and the largest minority-owned and operated automotive dealer group. Burt ranked regionally as the second largest dealer group, second largest private business, the largest e-dealer group and the largest minority-owned business in Colorado. L. G. Chavez, Jr. has 15 years of Ph.D. level academic biological research at major national research institutions and over 12 years of industrial biological research. He has significant experience in managing the relationships with several start-up technology companies, research institutions and pharmaceutical companies. His background has also involved intellectual properties management, new product and technology acquisitions and strategic alliance formation. Currently his focus is on development of new business opportunities, strategies, technologies, acquisitions and relationships for the largest automotive group in the Rocky Mountain West with automotive manufacturers and support companies. A Colorado native, L. G. attended Arapahoe High School and the University of Colorado, and he has an extended academic background. He also attended the University of Virginia where he earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology. L. G. and his wife Linda have four children: Lia, Misha, Joshua and Mary. The Burt Automotive Network was established in 1939. L. G.'s father, Lloyd G. Chavez has been associated with Burt since 1950, first as a salesman, then manager and as an owner since 1966.
	Vickie Thomas, Thomas Martin & Associates Chair, Women in Leadership & Vice Chair, Executives in Leadership Vickie Thomas is President of Thomas-Martin & Associates, a strategic marketing firm that specializes in branding, strategic planning, marketing research, collateral development, training and program implementation. She has worked with a wide variety of industries and market segments, and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge. Vickie's passion, however, is working with fast-growth entrepreneurial organization. The value she brings is her unique perspective of the needs that businesses face in today's competitive and challenging marketplace. As a successful entrepreneur, business advocate and national speaker who has started and developed a number of successful companies, Vickie has an extraordinary understanding of the unique challenges that businesses encounter. She and her husband, Dick, have a son, Jason. They moved to Colorado in 1988 from San Jose, California.
	Dave DiFulvio, Farnsworth Group Vice Chair, Membership www.f-w.com Dave DiFulvio moved to Colorado from New York with his wife Lori in 1978. Recently married, armed with a degree in Land Surveying and dreams of success through hard work, after working for a local engineering firm for 6 years, he landed a job with Benchmark Engineering, an up-and-coming firm, managing their survey department. Over the years, he put in long hours and knew that his professional expertise and sweat equity would pay off. He was living the American dream…life was good, except for one problem. The company had become financially embroiled during the go-go Silverado days and the IRS soon came knocking. With little notice, the doors to the business were shuttered and Dave found himself without work. Dave decided to reinvent himself and within a week formed Benchmark Surveying. Although he had no cash and no place to do business, he convinced a few former staff members to join him based on his word and a handshake. He then met with former clients aware of his expertise and convinced them to transfer their business to his new venture. By the end of the second year, its revenue was close to $500,000 and he was off and running at full tilt. In 1997, Benchmark Surveying merged with Farnsworth Group, a 100-year old full-service engineering, land surveying and architectural firm. Today, Dave currently serves as Principal-In-Charge of Farnsworth’s Rocky Mountain Region surveying operations, with department revenues of over $3 million per year. He is a member and past president of Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado; a Colorado Delegate and Director of the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors; a member of the Central Chapter of the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado; a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the International Right of Way Association. Dave has been married to his wife, Lori, since 1978 and is the proud father of three daughters, Adrien, Lauren and Danielle. The DiFulvio family has lived in the South Jefferson County/Littleton area for 29 years.
	Bill Myers, United Healthcare Vice Chair, Public Policy www.uhc.com Bill Myers is Vice President for Governmental Affairs at United Healthcare, a leading national Health Care provider. Prior to joining the United Healthcare, Bill worked as Assistant Vice President - Colorado for Qwest Communications for 10 years and prior to that in campaigns and politics. Bill worked in Washington D.C. as the legislative director for a member of Congress from North Carolina in the early 1990’s. He later served as deputy campaign manager of a U.S. Senate campaign in Colorado. Bill received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University. He and his wife, Kim, have two children and live in south Denver.
	Nicole Ament, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Vice Chair, Economic Development Group www.bhfs.com Ms. Ament is a Shareholder in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Denver office and a member of the Real Estate and Land Use groups. Focusing on commercial real estate transactions and land use development, her representative transactions include real estate acquisitions and dispositions, financing, public-private partnerships, development and governmental approvals. Ms. Ament recently represented the developer of Fitzsimons Village in its negotiations with the City of Aurora and the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority, resulting in the largest urban renewal incentive package in the City of Aurora. The incentive package will facilitate the redevelopment of a 35 acre site into a mixed use development with retail, offices, residential and a hotel and conference center. Additionally, Ms. Ament has led negotiations with local governments on notable development projects, including Landmark Properties' development of 1,700 acres at Denver International Airport which involved negotiations with the City of Denver, the City of Aurora, Denver International Airport and four separate school districts. Ms. Ament has also represented multiple corporations in large real estate portfolio acquisitions, dispositions and financing. Ament shepherded KSL Capital Partners' $1.8 billion acquisition of ClubCorp. She provides ongoing representation to ClubCorp in relation to its 170 golf courses, country clubs and business clubs. Ms. Ament actively represents Vail Resorts on real estate development including acquisitions, entitlements, association formation, and all other aspects of new development. Ms. Ament is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and Trinity University. Ms. Ament serves as the chair of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Group. She was named to the 2008 Class for Leadership Denver and the 2006 "50 for Colorado."
	Karen Newman, University of Denver Daniels College of Business Vice Chair, Small Business Development Center www.daniels.du.edu Dr. Karen L. Newman assumed her position as dean of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver in May of 2005. Before that she was the dean of the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond for six years. Prior to becoming a dean, she served on the faculty of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business for 15 years where she was Associate Dean for Graduate Business Programs from 1993-1996. Dean Newman is the co-author of the book Managing Radical Organizational Change, published in 1998, and the co-editor of the book, Handbook of Cross-cultural Management, published in 2002. She is the author or co-author of about 40 scholarly articles and book chapters on topics such as organizational change, workplace commitment, cross-cultural management practices, and organizational careers. While Newman served at the University of Richmond, the Robins School of Business undertook an ambitious strategic plan to become a top choice school for students. The number of faculty increased by 20%, teaching quality improved, research quality made great strides, student-faculty research was developed, the number of students studying abroad quadrupled, class sizes declined by over 10%, and the curriculum was made more rigorous. Dean Newman led a complete overhaul of the MBA program, energized the Management Institute, and undertook a capital campaign for an addition to the Robins School Building. Dean Newman earned the Ph.D. degree in behavioral sciences and an MBA from the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business. She earned a B.S. degree with honors in economics from Purdue University.
	Debra Piazza, Montgomery Little Soran & Murray Legal Counsel www.montgomerylittle.com Debbie Piazza, a partner with the firm, works with the commercial practice group. Her practice emphasizes lending and real estate transactions. She has extensive experience in secured transactions, asset-based lending and preparation of commercial loan documents; loan workouts and restructuring; creditor's rights and bankruptcy; representation of financial institutions in lender liability actions; commercial real estate transactions; land use and development; negotiation and drafting of leases, licenses, easements, and other real estate-related documents; business planning; contract negotiation and drafting; and purchase and sale of businesses including closing preparation and facilitation. She is a member of the American, Colorado, and Denver Bar Associations. She has presented to the Colorado Court of Appeals on the topic of lender liability, has served as legal counsel for the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, and currently is a member of the Special Needs District Board of the Denver Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
	Marty Baldwin, Qwest Communications www.qwest.com Born and raised in the corn fields of Iowa, Marty graduated from the University of Iowa and was a star player for the Hawkeyes. He moved from Iowa to Colorful Colorado in 1995 and began working in the contact center for MCI Communications (now Verizon). Marty moved to Qwest Communications in 2004 and is currently a Director of Operations for the Denver small business and Denver consumer contact centers which serve consumers and small to medium sized businesses in Qwest's 14-state region. Qwest is a leading provider of award-winning broadband, video and voice solutions for residential, business and governmental agencies with annual revenues of $14 billion. Marty and his wife, Fiftwo, have two children and live in Highlands Ranch.
	Gary Barbosa, Lockheed Martin www.lockheedmartin.com Gareth “Gary” Barbosa is the Director of Human Resource (HR) Systems and Workforce Planning & Staffing for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Gary Barbosa has been with Lockheed Martin since 1999. He began in Enterprise Information Systems as the Director for HR Business Partners and previously directed Compensation, Benefits and Employee Services for Space Systems Company. He has 23 years of HR experience, including corporate and field assignments. In addition to his organizational and functional responsibilities, Gary Barbosa has participated on a number of corporate teams focused on shaping the HR profession and the Lockheed Martin workforce at large. He is also a member of the Corporate Hispanic Leadership Council charged with improving the professional pipeline of talent in the industry and company. Gary Barbosa’s previous experience includes Electric Utility and Management & Business Consulting. Mr. Barbosa is an active Board Member on the Colorado – Math, Science, Technology & Engineering Education Council (COMSTEC) and the South Metro Denver Board and STEM Committee. In addition to civic responsibilities each of these boards are focused on improving the K-16 educational pipeline. Gary Barbosa is a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Gary Barbosa also has a Masters of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.
	Jean Barker, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado www.kp.org Jean Barker is Executive Director for Sales and Account Management, Colorado Region, for Kaiser Permanente. As America's leading integrated health care organization, Kaiser Permanente is focused on delivering accessible health care to the public. Jean has been with Kaiser Permanente for 20 years, where she began her career as a financial analyst. She also worked in strategic planning, product development and marketing before earning her present position in 2002. Jean's responsibilities include accountability for all sales and account management activities, as well as representing Kaiser Permanente to the community and interfacing between the market and the company. Jean graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in medical technology and earned an M.B.A. in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. A resident of Cherry Knolls, Jean and her husband, Cliff have three children, Sam, Carrie and Alex. Jean and her family like to ski at Winter Park and enjoy getting together with their neighbors. She also spends her free time reading and cooking.
	Lisa D'Ambrosia, Minor & Brown www.minorbrown.com Lisa is an experienced transaction attorney who advises her clients in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate, private equity and financing transactions. Prior to joining the Minor & Brown team, Lisa graduated cum laude with distinction from the University of the South in 1989 with a B.A. in political sciences. She continued her education in the M.B.A. program at the University of New Orleans. Lisa graduated cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1993 and earned her Legal Masters degree in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 1994. A true believer in community involvement, Lisa is also an active member of the South Metro Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee. In addition, she is a sponsor of many community and national charitable organizations including: The Children’s Hospital, The Leukemia Foundation, The March of Dimes, The American Liver Foundation and The National Kidney Foundation. Lisa is the mother of three wonderful girls who help ensure that life never slows down. They remind her daily that everything you need to know in life you truly learn on the Kindergarten playground. Lisa is a member of both the Colorado and the Denver Bar Associations.
	Wendy Woods, Nexus Financial Services www.myhdvest.com/wendywoods Wendy Woods grew up in Ohio and received a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics from the University of Toledo. She relocated to Colorado in the mid-1980's and pursued a Master's Degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix. After 20 years in the Information Technology field, Wendy changed careers and became licensed as a Financial Advisor. Wendy currently resides in Morrison, Colorado with her husband, Tim Cousineau, and her menagerie of 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a bird. She loves skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, biking, and camping. When confined to the indoors, Wendy enjoys reading and crafts.
	Ken Bacon, Littleton Adventist Hospital www.mylittletonhospital.com Mr. Bacon has 12 years of service with Centura.Most recently he served as president and CEO of Parker Adventist Hospital since 2001.He also held positions as budget and finance manager, director of managed care for hospital contracting finance systems for Porter Adventist Hospital, Parker Adventist Hospital Centura Health from 1991 - 1996.In 1997, Mr. Bacon moved to Texas, where he served as chief financial officer and then president and CEO of Texas Medical Center until his return in 2001. Mr. Bacon holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Union College in Lincoln, Neb., an MBA from Southwest Texas State University and a CPA from the State of Colorado.
	Michael Hommel, Designs by Sundown www.designsbysundown.com In 1985 Michael Hommel started Designs by Sundown in his parents’ garage with a college buddy. More than 20 years later, his business has become one of the biggest landscape architecture firms in the state, offering a full menu of design services for the outdoor experience: waterscapes, patios, fireplaces, and outdoor kitchens. Designs by Sundown was named the South Metro Denver Chamber's Small Business of the Year for 2008.
	Pamela Schenck, Park Meadows www.parkmeadows.com Pam is a shopping center professional that is a CSM (Certified Shopping Center Manager) and CMD (Certified Marketing Director). She has 25 years experience in the retail shopping center industry in the multiple markets of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Minnesota and Colorado. Opening Park Meadows in 1996, she brought her diversified experience in shopping center marketing, leasing, development, and operations to the unique “Retail Resort” concept for Colorado’s largest enclosed super-regional shopping center. Changing the face of the shopping center industry. Integrally involved in the South Metro community, Pam sits on the Board for South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, Board of Governors for the Southeast Business Partnership, Community Advisory Board for the Wildlife Experience, is a Director for the Lone Tree Cultural Arts Foundation and is a Planning Commissioner for Douglas County. This vast experience is the foundation to the ongoing vision and operations of Park Meadows, Colorado’s Only Resort and the newest expansion, The Vistas.
	Gayle Dendinger, CAP Logistics www.caplogistics.com Gayle Dendinger is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CAP Logistics. He has been in the expedited freight services industry for over 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska and has done post-graduate work in entrepreneurship at the University of Denver. Recognizing the need for a venue for Colorado CEOs and leaders to be able to better work with each other, he founded The Colorado Business Roundtable in conjunction with the 23 roundtables of sister states and the National Business Roundtable in Washington, which advises the President. His personal motto is that, “It is good business to be a good neighbor.” As a result, he has supported the Colorado Department of Education in Lesson Study, Denver Public Schools in Distance Learning using 2-way satellite transmissions, and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce in the development of WBE Certification. Internationally, he has been involved with moving and delivering a substantial amount of text books to 40 schools in South Africa and winter coats and other supplies to U.S. allies in Eastern Europe – Romania, Poland, and Albania. A great believer in the power of collaboration, he has co-developed software to magnify the results of cooperative efforts and has co-written a graduate level course with Colorado Christian University, which was taught collaboratively with approximately thirty business and civic leaders in the Fall of 2004. As an admirer of Buckminster Fuller, Mr. Dendinger has created the ICOSA™ award, modeled after the icosahedrons, a 20-faceted polygon, which was simultaneously awarded by twenty community leaders to twenty individuals for their work in the progression of the No Child Left Behind Act. CAP Logistics is the recipient of the 2008 Denver Metro Chamber Small Business of the Year, 2008 Governor’s Export Award, 2005 US Department of Commerce Export Achievement Certificate, 2005 Colorado Ethics in Business Award and 2004 Colorado Performance Excellence Foothills Award (State Baldridge Award for Excellence in Approach).
	Anthony Paul, Smith Barney http://fa/smithbarney.com/hamilton_paul/ Anthony Paul has been offering knowledgeable financial advice and wealth management services for more than 12 years. He has worked among some of the most prestigious firms on Wall Street. He has extensive experience assisting his teams high-net-worth clients with financial and investment strategies, wealth transfer and preservation, business services, retirement strategies and solutions, estate planning strategies, private money management, and concentrated stock strategies. The clients he along with his team serve comprise affluent families and individuals, corporate executives, business owners and professional athletes who value the disciplined approach he brings to each relationship. Anthony believes that a successful wealth management strategy looks at all the aspects of your financial life. By serving as your trusted advisor, he endeavors to understand your situation, your needs and what you want to accomplish.
	Tom McDermott, City Wide Bank www.citywidebanks.com
	Rick Koontz,Wells Fargo www.wellsfargo.com Rick Koontz is Senior Vice President and Business Banking Manager for Wells Fargo's Business Banking team for the South Suburban Denver market. He is based at Wells Fargo's Highlands Ranch location and manages a team of nearly 25 financial services professionals. Koontz has more than 25 years of financial services experience and has worked for Wells Fargo and its predecessors for over 20 years, the majority of which has been spent in Business Banking in the South Denver market. A native of Kansas, Koontz has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and an M.B.A. from Wichita State University. He and his wife, LeAnn, have two sons, Kyle and Jared.
	Paul O'Brien, Floyd's 99 Barbershop www.floydsbarbershop.com Paul O’Brien is the president, CEO and co-founder of Floyd’s 99 Barbershops, the hip barbershop concept started by Paul and his two brothers, Rob and Bill, in 1999. After the inception of the company, Paul ran the daily operations of the first four barbershops in Denver, CO. As President and CEO, he is now responsible for overall company leadership for Floyd’s 99, overseeing the management of the day-to-day operations of the company and all department heads at the corporate office. Paul also oversees Floyd’s 99’s franchising program and has guided the company’s growth to over 30 locations nationwide and an international expansion in South Africa. Prior to launching the Floyd’s 99 concept, Paul was and continues to be the co-owner and president of Observ, Inc. since its inception in 1993. Observ is a concessions subcontracting company specializing in novelty foods such as fresh squeezed and frozen lemonade, cotton candy, Dippin’ Dots, sno cones and fresh rolled pretzels. The company operates mainly in baseball stadiums and other sporting venues in the Midwest and Western United States. Paul currently sits on the board of directors of the South Metro Chamber of Commerce and under his leadership, Floyd’s 99 received the 2006 Small Business of the Year award from the South Metro Chamber.

2008-2009 South Metro Denver Board of Directors