Bravo honorees recognized at annual event

LOVELAND — Bravo! Entrepreneur honorees took the stage Thursday at BizWest’s annual event that recognizes business excellence in Northern Colorado.

Bravo honorees are selected geographically with three of the seven awards recognizing individuals or organizations in special categories.

2018 winners are:

Emerging Entrepreneur — Ashley Colpaart, founder of The Food Corridor, a company that matches food preparation companies with kitchens that have excess capacity.

Regional Spirit Award — The Northern Water Conservancy District, represented by its general manager, Brad Wind, for its work over decades to provide Northern Colorado with water to sustain agriculture and population growth.

Lifetime Achievement Award — Steve Anderson, CEO of Forney Industries, a Fort Collins company that manufactures welders and other industrial equipment.

Fort Collins recipient — Bonnie Szidon, former owner of Ranch-Way Feeds. Ranch-Way is the oldest continuously operated company in Fort Collins. Finalists were Amy Prieto, Prieto Battery and Dr. Don Wells, Associates in Family Medicine.

Greeley recipient — Chalice Springfield, CEO of Sears Real Estate, a company she joined as a student and was assigned to the mailroom. Finalists were Ronna Rice of Rice’s Honey and Ken Whitney of Anderson & Whitney.

Loveland recipient — Terry and Diana Precht, owners of Vergent Products, a hardware manufacturer. Finalists were Robert Grieve, Heska Corp., and Brian Peterson, ECI Site Construction Management.

Outlying Areas recipient — Paul Harter, CEO of Aqua-Hot Heating Systems Inc., a Frederick company that builds mobile hot water heating systems. Finalists were Leo Hayden, Hayden Outdoors and Jon Turner of Highland Meadows, Heron Lakes Development LLC, and Timnath Ranch.

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