Class of 2011 helped shape Boulder County

LONGMONT — The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame’s class of 2011 includes a janitor, engineer, lawyer, hardware store owner, chief executive and a trash man.

This eclectic group of businessmen has made a lasting and positive impression through business and community involvement, providing direction, energy and support for Boulder County.

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The Hall of Fame was established in 1993 to recognize and honor businesspeople who personify “business at its best.”

This year’s class includes Brad Emrick, John Fisher, John C. Flanders, Dan Gust, R. David Hoover and Dan Souders.

Brad Emrick

Brad Emrick founded B.E. Clean in Louisville in 1985 and has grown the janitorial and building maintenance business to a 24-hour-a-day operation, employing 18 people and serving more than 100 clients from Fort Collins to North Denver.

In 2005, B.E. Clean was recognized by the Louisville Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business of the Year.

Emrick owes his success to his parents and their Midwestern values, which taught him to work hard and share with others, and to his partner of 30 years.

The success of B.E. Clean has allowed Emrick to contribute back to the Boulder County community through several community organizations and activities. 

John Fischer

John Fischer is the president of Breakthrough Energy LLC, a capital investment and technology firm in Boulder associated with energy production.

Fischer has authored and co-authored numerous patents during his career as he and his wife, Faye, founded a pair of companies, Solid Systems Engineering Co. in 1979, offering systems for the mining and power industries, and Air Control Science Inc., in 1994 where he developed innovative pollution control systems for coal-fired power, coal mining and primary metals industries. He sold both companies in the late 2000s.

Fisher serves the National Coal Council for the Secretary of Energy and on boards for the Energy Corporation of America, University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and several humanitarian organizations.

John C. Flanders

John Flanders is a native of Longmont, graduating from Longmont High School in 1963, Stanford University in 1967 and the University of Colorado’s law school in 1970. In 1970, he joined the law firm that is now Flanders, Elsberg, Nash, Herber & Dunn. The firm was co-founded by his great-grandfather in 1871.

Flanders served as chairman of both the Longmont United Hospital and The First National Bank of Longmont (now Guaranty Bank) for many years.

His personal life has centered on his family — wife, Laurie, their five children and nine grandchildren, his faith, youth basketball, Rotary, and numerous philanthropic and civic boards in Longmont.

Dan Gust

Dan Gust moved to Boulder County in 1984 continuing an executive career in the high-tech industry. In 1990, he left high tech to start a family business and purchased his first hardware store at 17th Avenue and Main Street in Longmont. Gust Family Enterprises Inc. still owns and operates that store as Ace Hardware Longmont.

He has served on the board of Ace Hardware Corp. as well as numerous community and nonprofit boards, he is a member of the Longmont Rotary Club and is the current chairman of the Longmont United Hospital’s board of directors.

Dan and his wife, Karen, live in Longmont and have two children and two grandchildren.

R. David Hoover

R. David Hoover retired as CEO of Ball Corp. in January 2011 after a 40-plus year career with the company. He remains chairman of Ball’s board of directors.

Hoover joined Ball in 1970, when the company was headquartered in Muncie, Ind. He transferred to the Boulder area between 1980 and 1987 to oversee the finance and administration of Ball’s agricultural systems division. In 1998, when Ball relocated its corporate headquarters to Broomfield, Hoover returned to Colorado.

During Hoover’s 10 years as CEO, the company made a number of key strategic moves including greatly expanding its international presence.

Hoover’s commitment to Boulder County includes serving as a director of the Boulder Community Hospital and as a member of the Colorado Forum, a group of CEOs who address public policy issues.

Dan Souders

Dan Souders, a native of Boulder, founded Western Disposal Services Inc. in 1970 with one truck and two employees. Today, Western has 130 employees, 72 trucks, and 20,000 trash collections are made daily.

To support Western’s commitment to sustaining the environment, over the next few years natural gas trucks are being purchased to replace the current diesel trucks. To decrease miles driven to the landfill, Western operates a transfer station for public use; and Western owns and operates a compost facility to compost yard and food waste collected from customers.

In providing trash, recyclables and compostables collection, Sounders is committed to quality service and giving back to the communities with whom he works.

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