County Business Hall of Fame selects 6 inductees for 2007

LONGMONT – The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame has selected six new inductees for 2007 and will honor them at its 15th annual induction luncheon Thursday, May 3, at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Longmont.

The Business Hall of Fame is moving to a new permanent home at the Radisson this year in renovated space adjacent to the meeting and conference space there.

The Hall of Fame recognizes businessmen and women who have and continue to exemplify business, cultural and philanthropic achievements that serve as the foundation of our communities.

This year’s inductees, nominated by peers and colleagues, are:

Thomas Eldrige: Tom Eldrige has owned and operated Tom’s Tavern, a Pearl Street Mall institution in downtown Boulder since 1959. A member of the Boulder Chamber for more than 20 years, Eldrige also served as Boulder city councilman, a member of the Downtown Business Association. He supports programs such as Imagine!, Boulder Community Hospital, Boulder Sister City program and Attention Homes.

G. Lane “Earnie” Earnest: G. Lane Earnest co-founded Caplan and Earnest LLC, Attorneys at Law on Oct. 3, 1969. The firm is Boulder County’s oldest and largest locally owned and managed law firm, employing 25 attorneys and 27 support staff. The firm’s focus has been on corporate clients as well as 95-plus public and private school districts throughout Colorado as well as health-care entities, public foundations, financial institutions and real estate professionals. The company’s lawyers and staff commit significant time to philanthropic activities in the Boulder County community. Boulder’s Homeless Shelter and Boulder Valley School District are two of the 20-plus nonprofits and charitable organizations supported by Caplan and Earnest through volunteer service and pro bono legal work.

Daniel A. Pirrallo and the Harvest House Hotel: The Harvest House Hotel has served as a leading business center of Boulder since its creation in 1959, and was a founding sponsor for the Hall of Fame. In 2001, Pirallo became the general manager of the hotel, now called the Millennium Harvest House Boulder, and provided substantial leadership and support to the Hall of Fame. He has served on numerous boards and committees locally and within Colorado, impacting economic development and tourism.

John Edward “Ed” Mock: Ed Mock moved to Boulder in 1959, and he formed Mock Realty in 1965. Mock was one of the first Realtors in Boulder to actively recruit female real estate agents, and he helped to break the “color” barrier in Boulder County neighborhoods as well. Mock served on boards including Junior Achievement, Boulder Chamber, United Bank, Boulder Valley Bank and Boulder County Mental Health. He also served as an adviser and procurer of properties for the Boulder School District as well as Boulder Community Hospital. He is a member of the Boulder Rotary Club and St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church.

Richard W. Klein: Richard Klein moved to Longmont in 1960 for a business opportunity. He purchased the old “Fox” theater in downtown Longmont and, as president and chief executive officer, grew his business as the community grew. His business grew to 10 movie screens, including a drive-in theater, and employed up to 150 people. He provided “first-run” entertainment in a safe environment and free movies for kids on Christmas Eve so parents could do last-minute shopping. He facilitated the development of the Longmont Theatre Company, served on the board of the Longmont Chamber of Commerce, helped form the Heart of Longmont Merchants Association and was a member of the Rotary Club. Klein also served on the Longmont Senior Center board and Vance Brand Civic Auditorium.

Bayne Gibson: After a history of corporate leadership and management positions, Bayne moved to Colorado in 1985 and became known as “Colorado’s Turnaround Man” by leading companies such as Bradford Robinson, Vactec Systems and Staodyn, which brought him to Longmont. He was instrumental in recruiting Seagate, Amgen and Xilinx to Longmont. He also became the oldest person in Colorado history to achieve the real estate Certified Commercial Investment Member designation. Gibson has served on multiple boards and has received 50-plus awards in recognition of his community contributions.

The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame was established in 1992 to recognize and honor businesswomen and men who personify “business at its best.” Since 1992, 75-plus individuals have received this prestigious award.

Reserve your seat

Tickets for this year’s Business Hall of Fame luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 3, are $50 and $500 for a corporate table. To make reservations or purchase a table, please contact Wendy Kling at 303-682-4467.