Briefcase: October 2016

CONTRACTS

ASD Inc., a Boulder company that’s been making analytical devices for a variety of industries and applications for 26 years, now has a role in the fight against the Zika virus. Researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia, are using ASD’s LabSpec device in their quest to develop a tactic to reduce the number of mosquitoes carrying both the Zika and Dengue viruses.

Students who complete the High School for Business curriculum offered through 82 high schools in 15 states can enroll in the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort School of Business with three hours of college credits under their belts. Monfort and MBA Research and Curriculum, which developed High School for Business, signed an affiliation agreement that allows participating students the chance to get a head start on accumulating college credits.

DEADLINES

Applications will open Nov. 1 and run through Dec. 1 for a new scholarship aimed at helping Fort Collins residents gain new technology skills. The city of Fort Collins’ Economic Health Office and Digital Workshop Center, a private occupational school and coworking hub, each are kicking in $5,000 toward the program. Award amounts will range from $250 to $1,000 per individual. Those interested in applying can do so online at DigitalWorkshopCenter.com/scholarship.

EARNINGS

Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced net income of $149.8 million for its fiscal year that ended July 31, up from $114.8 million the year before. The yearly figure for the Broomfield-based operator of ski resorts was tempered by a $65.3 million loss for the fourth quarter that fell short of analyst expectations. The fiscal-year profit amounted to $4.01 per share, up from $3.07 per share the year before. It came on revenue of $1.6 billion, an increase from $1.4 billion. The quarterly loss amounted to $1.80 per share and was compared with a loss of $70.1 million, or $1.92 per share, a year earlier. Quarterly revenue came in at $179.9 million.

KUDOS

Craft breweries from the Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado took home 15 medals from the Great American Beer Festival. Echo Brewing, which has locations in Frederick and Erie, and Niwot-based Bootstrap Brewing won two medals each to pace the locals on craft beer’s biggest stage. Medals were awarded in 96 categories in a ceremony at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Echo grabbed a pair of golds, while Bootstrap won a gold and a bronze. Other area gold-medal winners included 4 Noses Brewing Co. in Broomfield, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse in Loveland and The Post Brewing Co. in Lafayette. Winners of silver medals included Front Range Brewing Co. of Lafayette, Upslope Brewing Co. of Boulder, Black Bottle Brewery of Fort Collins and Left Hand Brewing Co. of Longmont. Winners of bronze medals included BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery of Boulder, Verboten Brewing of Loveland, CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing of Fort Collins and 12Degree Brewing of Louisville.

Antonio “Tony” J. Busalacchi, president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering during an Oct. 9 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Longmont United Hospital, an affiliate of the Centura Health system, received certification for its hip, knee and shoulder replacement procedures from the Joint Commission, an independent, nonprofit that accredits and certifies U.S. health-care organizations and programs.

DaVinci Sign Systems of Boulder received a first-place award in the “freestanding sign” category and a best-in-show award at the 2016 World Sign Association competition. The winning displays were designed and built to mark the corners of Pearl Street Mall in Boulder.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Vail Resorts Inc.’s $1.1 billion acquisition of the largest ski resort in North America, Whistler Blackcomb, is slated to close Monday, Oct. 17. Shareholders of Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. (TSX: WB) approved the deal Oct. 5. The transaction now remains subject only to closing conditions, including approval by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, but all other regulatory approvals have been attained. Broomfield-based Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) — which owns Colorado resorts Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone and Beaver Creek — announced the deal to buy Whistler Blackcomb, north of Vancouver, British Columbia, in August. Vail is slated to pay $513 million in cash, and shareholders of Whistler Blackcomb Holdings are to receive $543 million in Vail Resorts stock.

Denver-based WhiteWave Foods Co. (NYSE: WWAV), which bases its Americas Food and Beverage segment in Broomfield, moved one step closer toward being acquired by French dairy giant Danone SA. In a special meeting, WhiteWave stockholders approved the roughly $10 billion deal that will see those stockholders paid $56.25 per share in cash. Officials for both companies said they continue to expect the deal, which has faced opposition from industry watchdog groups, to close by the end of the year. WhiteWave was founded in Boulder in 1977 by Steve Demos, who sold the company to Dean Foods in 2004. But Dean Foods spun WhiteWave off into a publicly traded company in 2013.

Boulder-based private-equity firm Grey Mountain Partners acquired Kronos Foods Inc., a four-decade-old manufacturer of Mediterranean-inspired foods. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and officials for neither company could be reached for comment. Kronos, based in Glendale Heights, Ill., touts itself as a leader in the Mediterranean food-service market, selling gyro meat, pita, flatbread, hummus and other products in the United States and Canada. Grey Mountain Partners, which manages roughly $700 million in assets, invests in “smaller middle market companies” across a wide range of industries to help them accelerate their growth.

Boulder-based public relations and marketing firm Meld Strategy + Communications is merging with Echos Brand Communications, a similar but larger company with offices in San Francisco and Portland, Ore. The move gives Echos, which specializes in the technology, cycling and outdoors/active lifestyle sectors, a presence in downtown Boulder that is expected to grow over the next six months.

NAME CHANGES

Metzger Albee Public Relations, a Boulder firm founded a quarter century ago by John Metzger, rebranded as MAPR and forged a new partnership with Miami-based Links WorldGroup that the local company hopes will help it tap into new markets not only nationally but also abroad.

OPENINGS

Brisbane, Australia-based Simpro Software, which has had a small executive office in Boulder for about a year, has raised a $30.54 million round of funding as it gets set to open a U.S. headquarters in Broomfield that could employ up to 100 people within two to three years. The office will be at 329 Interlocken Parkway in space formerly occupied by McKesson Health Solutions.

Fort Collins-based Bank of Colorado has been on a branch-opening spree, with new sites in Greeley and Longmont among the latest to open for business. Bank of Colorado conducted a soft opening Sept. 22 at its new branch at 7017 10th St. in Greeley, with a grand opening slated for Nov. 16. The Longmont branch at 636 Coffman St., meanwhile, opened in late September and held a grand opening Oct. 4. Along with a branch opening in Colorado Springs, the new locations give Bank of Colorado 40 branches statewide, including a re-opening of a branch in a new building in Glenwood Springs.

Blue Federal Credit Union celebrated the opening of its newest branch in downtown Fort Collins on Oct. 8. The Old Town branch is located at 136 W. Mountain Ave. Blue also operates a branch at 18 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, with plans for a third branch on East Drake Road. Blue was formed in April through the merger of Cheyenne, Wyo.-based Warren Federal Credit Union and Broomfield-based Community Financial Credit Union. Blue has more than $800 million in total assets and serves nearly 70,000 members at its full-service branches in Broomfield, Boulder, Fort Collins, Wellington and Wyoming.

Nonprofit health plan Kaiser Permanente Colorado will open a second medical office in Fort Collins on Jan. 9. The new 3,000-square-foot Spring Creek office will be located at 1136 E. Stuart St., Suite 200, and offer primary care, laboratory and pharmacy services. The office will be Kaiser’s fourth in Northern Colorado, joining offices in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley.

DD’s Discounts, a department store chain and a division of Dublin, Calif.-based Ross Stores Inc. (Nasdaq: ROST), opened its first store in Colorado. The 20,000-square-foot store is at 2630 11th Ave. in the University Square Plaza in Greeley.

David Kendall, a founding partner of Boulder-based law firm Kendall, Koenig & Oelsner PC, launched a new law firm, Bold Legal LLC, which will have offices in Denver and Boulder and focus on transactional and business law for entrepreneurs. Kendall will leave KK&O, which he founded in 2002. The office in Boulder is at 4845 Pearl East Circle, Suite 101. The office in Denver is at 1624 Market St., Suite 202.

Centura Health and Longmont United Hospital held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new Centura Health Firestone Neighborhood Health Center at 6600 Firestone Trail in Firestone.

Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub & Restaurant returned after the downtown Boulder watering hole appeared to be closed forever. Conor O’Neill’s, 1922 13th St., which held a closing bash, reopened Oct. 7 after working out a new deal with landlord W.W. Reynolds Cos. on rent. Owner Colm O’Neill had closed the bar for good after a major construction project next door led to months of slow sales and a tough recovery for the establishment.

Helles Good Marketing, a public relations and marketing communications firm serving the craft beverage and related markets, opened in Boulder.

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