January 7, 2005

Here are some New Year?s wishes for Northern Colorado?s leaders

A new year brings opportunity to go on the record with one?s own resolutions for improvement. It?s a chance to put yourself on the spot, letting the whole world know how you?re trying to improve so that when you fail, they can jump on you.
Uh-huh. Been there, done that.
This year, I decided to make some wishes for other business and community leaders in Northern Colorado. That way, I?m off the hook, and they can disavow each of these as not their own.
So here are my New Year?s wishes for some of the region?s notables (yes, these could have been Christmas gifts, but I like to shop late):
? For new Fort Collins city manager Darin Atteberry: a harmonious tenure with a city council that understands the importance of business and a healthy economy.
? For Poudre Valley Health System CEO Rulon Stacey: a Capitol One interest-rate lock to ward off financial Vikings during construction of the new Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland.
? For St. Joseph Church in Fort Collins: successful completion of negotiations for the former Steele?s Market site on West Mountain Avenue.
? For 800 laid-off Swift & Co. workers in Greeley: a rapid return to work, right here in Northern Colorado. Ditto for hundreds more laid off by Advanced Energy Industries Inc., LSI Logic Corp., Agilent Technologies Inc., Celestica Colorado, Concepts Direct Inc., etc.
? For Intel Corp., which is acquiring a 300-person Hewlett-Packard Co. operation in Fort Collins: a rapid realization that Northern Colorado offers many highly skilled workers and a great place in which to operate.
? For the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce: another year under the outstanding stewardship of its executive, David May, and the great chamber staff.
? For Marcel Arsenault at Colorado & Santa Fe Real Estate Co.: a solid tenant (or tenants) for the vacant TriPointe building (formerly State Farm Insurance Cos.) in Evans. One selling point: one of Northern Colorado?s best buffets at the nearby Western Sizzlin?.
? For Gaye Stockman, president and CEO of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce: keep making a difference.
? For all Northern Colorado bankers: one last dream branch location that no other banker has thought of yet.
? Something else for all Northern Colorado bankers: a bank name that no other banker has thought of yet.
? For the Greeley/Weld Chamber of Commerce: Another president and CEO capable of singing at Colorado Rockies games.
? For Chad and Troy McWhinney: a development project recognized as the center of the known universe, attracting every type of office, retail, hospitality, entertainment and housing use possible ? oh, wait. They have that already. I?ll have to think of something else.
? For J.J. Johnston and the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp.: Continued success in their Leadership 2010 program to create 9,000 new jobs. Please hurry.
? For Greeley entrepreneur and downtown booster Bob Tointon: a Class A tenant for his Class A rehab of one of downtown Greeley?s Victorian treasures.
? For Ron Klaphake and the Greeley/Weld Economic Development Action Partnership: another success to rival or exceed the landing of Owens-Illinois in Windsor.
? For Colorado State University president Larry Penley and University of Northern Colorado president Kay Norton: a tourniquet to stop the bleeding brought on by state budget cuts.
? For Cheyenne?s downtown: restoration, not demolition, of several historic buildings damaged by a stubborn fire in December.
? For would-be Windsor ski mogul Martin Lind: all the hillrodders, tray racers and gearheads he can handle.
That?ll do it for now. Have some New Year?s wishes/resolutions of your own? Send ?em in at the address below, and best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous 2005.

Christopher Wood can be reached at (970) 221-5400, (970) 356-1683 or via e-mail at cwood@ncbr.com. His fax number is (970) 221-5432.

A new year brings opportunity to go on the record with one?s own resolutions for improvement. It?s a chance to put yourself on the spot, letting the whole world know how you?re trying to improve so that when you fail, they can jump on you.
Uh-huh. Been there, done that.
This year, I decided to make some wishes for other business and community leaders in Northern Colorado. That way, I?m off the hook, and they can disavow each of these as not their own.
So here are my New Year?s wishes for some of the region?s notables (yes, these could…

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Christopher Wood
Christopher Wood is editor and publisher of BizWest, a regional business journal covering Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. Wood co-founded the Northern Colorado Business Report in 1995 and served as publisher of the Boulder County Business Report until the two publications were merged to form BizWest in 2014. From 1990 to 1995, Wood served as reporter and managing editor of the Denver Business Journal. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder. He has won numerous awards from the Colorado Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Alliance of Area Business Publishers.
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