BizWest - June 2020

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›› K N O L L COVID makes case for adaptive organizations 4

›› C A R R I N G T O N Help solve supply chain disruption 14

›› D I E R S C H O W Rise to societal challenges 21

›› G R I G G S Triggers to stereotypes: Manage your message 23

THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF THE BOULDER VALLEY AND NORTHERN COLORADO VOLUME 39 | ISSUE 8 | JULY 2020

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EXECUTIVE PROFILE INSPIRE BANKING & FINANCE LEGAL

Yang converts New chamber Bank of America Law school grads
love of STEM leader refocuses has big plans face hurdles
to lead AE team during COVID crisis for Colorado to get on the job

Innovative atmosphere Henning had advantage Bank targets 14 Bar exam could
like working in a startup of looking with fresh markets, including be postponed; firms
environment. PAGE 3 eyes at everything. PAGE 6 several in region. PAGE 10 wary about hiring. PAGE 18

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EXECUTIVEPROFILE

Isabel Yang converts love of STEM to lead AE team

By Shelley Widhalm global technology vision and strategy, COURTESY ADVANCED ENERGY
as well as its leading-edge technolo-
[email protected] gies, particularly in state-of-the-art Isabel Yang is senior vice president and chief technology officer for Advanced Energy
connectivity. She comes up with ways Industries in Fort Collins.
FORT COLLINS — Since she was a to improve business performance and
child, Isabel Yang of Greenwood Vil- optimize the company’s profitability. spective that crosses countries, cul- in a male-dominated space — we need
lage was one of those girls who loved tures, gender and race,” Williams said. to create a culture where a diversity of
the STEM subjects before Science “I basically leveraged all of my back- “Having unique perspectives, which ideas is accepted.”
Technology Engineering and Math ground and experience from IBM into comes from diversity of thought, which
became a thing. But she also learned this role,” Yang said, adding that she comes from diversity of backgrounds, The female voice and input is
soft skills are just as important in her and her team are “always looking for is important.” important from two perspectives, that
different roles from technologist to innovation that helps build a business,” of leadership and collaboration, Yang
chief technology officer. as well as “break into new markets.” Yang noted several ways to address said.
“How do we protect innovation and her work in a male-dominated field
“That’s really important for technol- make sure it matters to business and — for her graduation year at MIT, 39 In the area of collaboration, the
ogists who eventually want to be lead- our customers?” percent of her peers were female. And female presence can alter the dynam-
ers,” said Yang, senior vice president and at AE, most of her peers are male. ics in the room to that of being more
chief technology officer for Advanced The innovative atmosphere at AE collaborative and open-minded,
Energy Industries Inc. in Fort Collins, is comparable to working in a start- “What is it like? That’s a loaded replacing “the tendency to show off and
a role she took on in July 2018. “People up environment, Yang said. She and question. It is not easy,” Yang said. “I one-upmanship,” Yang said. In leader-
don’t automatically follow you, even if her team combine their work in tech- feel like I sort of practiced a lot before I ship, that presence can add a layer of
you have the brightest ideas.” nology with business development came to AE. I survived and thrived in a empathy — leaders need to lead but
and customer service to make sure male-dominated environment.” also to get others to follow; they can do
Yang realized by second grade she their innovations effectively reach the this by trying to understand individual
was good in math and loved the sub- marketplace. She protects those inno- For women to get their voice heard, motivations and realizing that not one
ject. vations through her management of they have to be more assertive and person has all the answers, she said.
the company’s intellectual property even repetitive, Yang said. Yang, who
“It just makes sense to me,” Yang portfolio. offers mentoring for “up-and-coming” Yang likes sharing her love of tech-
said, adding that she also realized she female engineers, finds that many nology as that empathetic leader who
loved physics and mechanical engi- One innovation regards digital don’t need the technical help but engages in an open communication
neering, especially since her father transformation in the company’s instead seek advice on how to effec- style combined with a collaborative
was a mechanical engineer, and want- product lines, starting with the semi- tively deal with their coworkers. One approach. She also likes working on
ed a way to apply science to the real conductor industry, something the of the engineers she mentored said she leading-edge technologies that, at first,
world. company hadn’t been doing, Yang said. has good ideas she wants to share but might make others feel uncomfortable
finds everyone talks over her. or even fearful.
Yang went through her schooling “Essentially we are transforming
in the engineering field, earning a how we solve problems using Industri- “I said sometimes you have to — it’s “What I really like about it is, when
doctorate in electrical engineering in al IoT (Internet of Things),” Yang said. not not-being-nice — you have to be you create innovation and make it
1996 from the Massachusetts Institute assertive and put yourself out there,” essential, you put to rest doubts and
of Technology, where she also received IoT on the internet and in apps, Yang said, adding that it also helps to fears. You prove them wrong,” Yang
her bachelor and master of science where interconnected devices can be not worry about others’ perceptions, to said. “I like exploration, new technol-
degrees in engineering. mined for data and used to create ana- be thicker-skinned and to try to avoid ogies, engaging new customers and
lytics, can be applied to the industrial self-doubt. “I try to work within the sharing the technologies and innova-
Initially, Yang worked for Motorola space, Yang said. At AE, sensor data is company— this relates to being female tions with them.”
as a device engineer for two years collected, analytics applied and solu-
before spending the majority of her tions developed through self-diagnosis
career at IBM, where she worked in and troubleshooting, she said. Poten-
various roles for nearly 20 years. She tial failures can be predicted and pre-
started out as a device design lead ventive maintenance employed to help
and later became program director operations continue without a break in
of strategic partnerships at the IBM service, she said.
Semiconductor Research Center —
she worked in the center for more John M. Williams Jr. works with
than seven years and was part of the Yang in a number of capacities, includ-
microelectronics division. ing in Industrial IoT.

During her time at IBM, Yang held “She has very good vision and a very
other roles including her final position good strategic mind. She’s forward
as vice president of research strategy thinking but also has experience and
for operations and partnerships in the business acumen on how to get
Yorktown Heights, New York. She led a things to work, how to get systems
team to innovate in various technolo- in place to make that happen,” said
gies in high-performance computing, Williams, vice president and general
artificial intelligence and health-care manager of Global Service, Advanced
solutions. She also spent several years Material Processing & Photonics. “With
in IBM’s technology and intellectual a startup business like this, you need to
property licensing department and have an entrepreneurial drive, which
has four patents in her name. she does, and she has vast experience
she can draw on.”
“There are different flavors of
technology,” Yang said. “I’ve been Yang is motivated and driven to win
anchored by technology and trying and has helped bring more organiza-
different things for the companies I’m tion to the company and a strategic
working for. … All of the roles have one approach to its intellectual property,
common thread that really utilizes plus she brings that needed female
critical thinking and analysis skills.” perspective, Williams said.

Yang employs those skills and “In the fast-moving, rapidly chang-
knowledge at AE, which provides ing world we live in with too much
power solutions in the semiconductor group think, you miss out on the next
and industrial manufacturing indus- opportunity and lose to the competi-
tries. She oversees the company’s tion. We need to have a unique per-

4 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

COVID makes case for adaptive organizations

A vulnerability that’s been leader worth his or her salt has access “In the future we’ll constantly and relentlessly planning.
revealed from the global to them. What’s less abundant is the experience situations They train new members through
pandemic is the fragility of will to develop an ongoing posture of that have varying structured programs that increase
our organizations. Examples have adaptability. degrees of threats, the number of participants in their
been presented from a wide range of but the lesson is in ranks. They employ a combination
industries, businesses and individual With the marketplace now fully the preparation and of classroom style and field opera-
citizens including health care and globalized and driven by instan- response. ” tions to educate. The use of exercises
hospitals; restau- taneous communication, risk can combines classroom and field ops to
rants; travel and quickly emerge leading to new is the degree to which preparations simulate live and realistic situations
tourism; govern- threats. Take the pandemic as a case were made for the current pandemic the forces could encounter.
ment at all levels; study. In fewer than three months, threat and who was or wasn’t ready.
families and com- the consequences from a nasty virus Organizations have access to
munities. The made their way around the world Adaptive organizations employ these same fundamental training
skills, ability and resulting in decisive action taken by a wide range of tools, training and techniques and the best of the best
resources neces- governments, businesses, organiza- techniques to prepare for future situ- use them to become more resilient.
sary to withstand THOMAS KNOLL tions and citizens. This is a rational ations. Scenario planning, material The author Nassim Nicholas Talib
changes, whether INNOVATION response to a deadly bug. What stockpiling, financial reserves, con- defines this posture as “antifragility,”
abrupt or gradual, comes after the response is hugely tingency plans, redundancies are a or the opposite of fragile. Antifragile
are fundamental consequential to almost every per- few practices used to prepare for pos- means preparing for as many sce-
to adapting and adopting to rap- son on our planet. We’ve witnessed sible threats. narios as possible and maintain-
idly changing circumstances. The lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and ing a posture of readiness should a
knowledge required for organiza- in some cases more dramatic action We’ll explore scenario planning as threatening situation present itself.
tions to become more resilient is including the mandatory shutdown an illustration of increasing adapt- It’s important that we learn from the
widely available so why don’t leaders of some businesses. ability to future possibilities. The pandemic and that it’s worthwhile
invest more to develop these skills? gold-standard of scenario planning, to prepare for a wide range of future
In the future we’ll experience arguably, is the U.S. military. The possibilities if we want our organiza-
Adaptive organizations begin with situations that have varying degrees various branches of the military are tions to survive future pandemic-like
leadership. This typically comes of threats, but the lesson is in the threats.
from the CEO’s office or upper man- preparation and response. Will gov-
agement as they set the tone and ernments, businesses and citizens Thomas Knoll is the founder and
define the spaces of possibilities. exercise a different commitment to CEO of Innovators CoLab (www.inno-
The tools and knowledge are readily preparing for future threats or will it vatorsco.com). He can be reached at
available, and any human resources be business as usual? Only time will [email protected].
tell. What we’ll know soon enough

w ww.bizwest.com BizWest | July 2020 | 5

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6 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

INSPIRE

Henning refocuses Greeley chamber during crisis

By Shelley Widhalm COURTESY GREELEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE business community and to be a con-
[email protected] duit for sustainability and recovery,”
Jaime Henning, president and CEO of the Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce, has said Scott Warner, board chairman of
As a new chamber leader, Jaime almost served her first year, and it was quite a year. the Greeley Chamber and president
Henning of Greeley can personally and CEO of Connecting Point Greeley.
relate to how small businesses have to they’re thinking about redoing their guides that help them navigate the “Jaime did a great job of keeping all
pivot and adjust during the pandemic. business.” pandemic. connected parties in the loop with
what the chamber is trying to accom-
Henning took on the role of pres- The Greeley Chamber took sev- “Our goal was to make sure we plish, while also being collaborative to
ident and CEOof the Greeley Area eral steps to reach out to its more than aligned with the mission as an orga- find solutions not only for the business
Chamber of Commerce in September 700 members and other businesses nization, which was to be a conduit community but all of our connected
2019, six months before COVID-19 through virtual offerings and resource of resources and information to our communities. … She did a good job of
temporarily shut down and altered delivering relevant information to our
the operations of businesses across community and taking appropriate
the state. action where it can be taken.”

“I can relate to those businesses One such action was the Greeley
looking at things from fresh eyes Chamber leading a public-private
because a new CEO does that essen- partnership with the cities of Greeley
tially,” Henning said. “Doing what and Evans and Upstate Colorado in
they always did isn’t an option now. Weld County to create the Greeley
They have to function in a new space.” Area Recovery Fund. The partners
and private donors raised more than
Businesses often can become $600,000 in gap funding in the form
entrenched in their daily operations of grants for more than 75 Greeley
but in a crisis, they need to problem and Evans businesses impacted by
solve and be innovative, plus find new COVID-19.
ways to market their offerings and
reach their customers, Henning said. The chamber also created a new
website, greeleytogo.com, that high-
“This is a time businesses need lights local Greeley restaurants and
to double down on their marketing their carryout, curbside and delivery
efforts and lean on organizations like services, as well as a marketing cohort
the Greeley Chamber,” Henning said.
“I watched them be resilient in how

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“This is a time away. She does it in a way that pro-
businesses need to motes collaboration,” Warner said.
double down on their “She loves this community, and I think
marketing efforts and that’s what incredible. She’s a trans-
lean on organizations plant to Greeley, and she’s kind of
like the Greeley adopted it as her own, which is really
Chamber.” cool. She’s done a very good job of
identifying the needs and ideals of the
Jaime Henning, Greeley Area community, so she can be a champion
Chamber of Commerce of those.”

of local marketing professionals tell- Henning has worked inside cham-
ing Greeley’s story. bers for nearly 20 years, including as
senior director of the Lincoln Cham-
Another new offering is a digital ber of Commerce for 18 years in Lin-
chamber coffee, Greeley Common coln, Nebraska, where she worked
Grounds, that connects businesses with other leaders and helped advance
with elected officials and business important issues, she said. She also
leaders for a discussion on issues and was a founding member and direc-
happenings in the community. The tor of Lincoln’s Young Professionals
one-hour segments, which launched Group, which now has more than
in March, are posted every other week 1,800 members.
on the chamber’s Facebook page. It
gets about 20,000 views. A Nebraska native, Henning earned
a triple major in communication stud-
The chamber’s other virtual offer- ies, corporate communications and
ings include helping organize a weekly public relations from Wayne State Col-
town hall meeting with information lege in Wayne, Nebraska, in 1999. She
about business resources for North- also was one of two Certified Chamber
ern Colorado businesses and host- Executives in Nebraska and has served
ing membership get-togethers that on the boards for the Association of
include the chamber’s Leads and Chamber of Commerce Executives and
ambassador groups and the Young the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Insti-
Professionals program. tute for Organization Management.

“We’re working on businesses com- “I love being able to serve people,
ing back stronger than before,” Hen- being able to help people and being
ning said. “We’re working together able to meet new people, and all of
and collaboratively to make good that works really closely in my role
things happen.” at the chamber, so it makes it really
rewarding,” Henning said. “I deeply
To measure that strength, the care about our members, and I’ll work
chamber aligned with economic really hard for them.”
development regionally to conduct
data surveys and engage in personal Presented by MANAGING YOUR CASH
conversations with its members, ask- DURING THE CRISIS
ing how COVID-19 impacted busi-
nesses. TYRONE GANT JAMES DRYBANSKI How can businesses manage their
cash flow during the pandemic, when
“We’re taking a data approach to Senior Vice President CFA Partner Plante Moran business is down and payments might
see if we are meeting the needs of be slow in coming?
business,” Henning said. “There are Director, Treasury
lots of best practices and programs What do you do if your business
that we offer for our members. A lot of Management Vectra Bank is having trouble sustaining cash
other chambers are doing good work, flow during this massive COVID-19
and we can share in that, especially slowdown?
during COVID.”
Cash is king; learn best practices for
The chamber worked with the city navigating through this difficult period.
of Greeley and the Greeley Downtown
Development Authority to centralize Thursday, July 30, 2020 9-10 A.M.
resources and other information for
businesses, bringing together the data Sponsored by
in one place on the chamber’s website.
The list provides places where busi- REGISTER TODAY
nesses can get assistance and who to visit BizWest.com
contact.

“I’ve heard it said a lot that Greeley
has grit and a lot of businesses work
hard at what they do,” Henning said.
“Most business is very self-sustaining,
but being able to find helpers during
this time is very important.”

Henning took the leadership posi-
tion at the chamber because she wants
to help businesses succeed and to be
part of a community “on the move,”
she said.

“From a leadership perspective, I
was excited to take the helm and help
Greeley step forward,” Henning said.

Warner describes Henning as a car-
ing leader who also is a bridge builder
able to find solutions.

“She steps in and takes action right

8 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

ONE ON ONE

Lise Aangeenbrug, Outdoor Industry Association executive director

Each month, BizWest asks a busi- directly with your customers has a COURTESY OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSSOCIATION basic feeling of freedom to get out-
ness leader to respond to questions devastating effect on businesses. side. People are craving that. People
regarding his or her industry and the Sales plummeted in March and April. Lise Aangeenbrug, Outdoor Industry are craving interaction and a safe way
issues that it faces. This month, Outdoor Association executive director to do that is six feet apart outdoors.
Industry Association executive director BizWest: The outdoor industry
Lise Aangeenbrug talked about how the encompasses more than just retail demic. People are finding the fun and BizWest: We’re mid-way through
industry is grappling with the COVID- and includes some other business joy of the outdoors closer to home. Colorado’s summer recreation season
19 outbreak. This interview, conducted sectors also hit especially hard by and it seems pretty clear that this
by phone in June, has been lightly edited COVID-19, correct? The pandemic also provides an will be a season unlike any other the
for length and content. opportunity to highlight outdoor industry has seen. But as we move
Aangeenbrug: That’s right. When recreation as a safer alternative to into the winter ski season, is there any
BizWest: You’re relatively new we think about the total impact, popular indoor summer activities like chance we could get back to some-
to your position as OIA’s executive we’re not just thinking about stores. going to the movies. thing that feels more like normalcy?
director. What’s it like taking on an We’re very closely tied to the travel
important new role in the midst of so and tourism sector because what After two months inside, it is a Aangeenbrug: I think it depends
much uncertainty? makes the outdoor industry work is on how you define normal.
having places that people can get to
Aangeenbrug: I took over as and enjoy the outdoors. All parts of This winter — much like what’s
executive director on March 4. So the system have been impacted. We going on this summer — I think peo-
within two weeks of taking the posi- saw public lands shut down — and for ple may be less likely to get on a plane
tion, it became clear that the global appropriate reasons. to travel than they have been in the
pandemic was going to have a major past. The trend of people getting into
impact on our industry. BizWest: Even if they can’t get out their personal vehicles to visit nearby
to national parks, people still need public lands could continue.
When REI decided to close in mid- to get outside and recreate. Have you
March, it was one of the first indica- seen any trends to suggest people are We’re going to see a lot more
tors of just how big this was going to still enjoying the outdoors, but per- camping because you can control
be. REI quickly realized that it needed haps closer to home? your environment.
to close its stores and the rest of the
outdoor industry followed suit for the Aangeenbrug: I’ve seen more So, we’re actually still hopeful
safety of employees and customers. people outside in their neighbor- about the summer season. We’re hop-
hoods and in local parks than I think ing to bring some momentum into
This is the case for the entire retail I’ve seen before in my lifetime. We see the fall and winter. What we cannot
industry: Having to shut down your it as kind of a silver lining of the pan- predict is what happens with COVID-
business and not being able to work 19 and a possible resurgence in the
winter.

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10 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

BANKING&FINANCE

Bank of America ramps up Colorado expansion

CHRISTOPHER WOOD/BIZWEST By Christopher Wood COURTESY BANK OF AMERICA

Bank of America opened its Boulder branch in 2016. Christopher Wood/BizWest [email protected] Felicia Lewis, regional executive for
consumer banking & Merrill Edge for
COURTESY CITY OF LAFAYETTE Bank of America NA (NYSE: BAC) expansion markets. Lewis handles Bank
will open at least five new branches of America’s expansion efforts into
This rendering shows a proposed Bank of America branch in Lafayette. in the Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota,
Colorado in the next couple of years, Ohio and Utah, as well as Pittsburgh.
CHRISTOPHER WOOD/BIZWEST part of a major expansion of the bank-
ing giant into the state. we get more locations?’ So we’ve got a
Bank of America’s Longmont branch is under construction at The Village at the Peaks pretty strong client demand.”
shopping center. The Charlotte, North Carolina-
based bank ranks as the nation’s sec- Bank of A merica’s Longmont
ond-largest bank in terms of assets branch will be at The Village at the
and deposits as of March 31, 2020. Peaks shopping center at 1246 S. Hover
Deposits totaled $1.58 trillion, com- St. Lewis declined to provide an open-
pared with $1.84 trillion for JPMorgan ing date for that facility — currently
Chase & Co. Assets totaled $2.6 trillion under construction — because of
for Bank of America, compared with uncertainty around COVID-19 and
$3.14 trillion for JPMorgan Chase. other factors. She said, however, that
the branch is slated to open in 2020.
Bank of America entered the Col-
orado market in 2015 with its first Bank of America formally applied
Denver branch and now operates 25 April 29 to the Office of the Comptrol-
Colorado banking centers, concen- ler of the Currency to add The Village
trated in the Denver area. That num- at the Peaks location.
ber includes 11 branch locations, with
the rest known as “advanced centers,” “Ideally, we’ll have that site open
essentially peopleless financial cen- later this year,” she said.
ters from which customers are wel-
comed by a digital greeter who can Additionally, Bank of America
walk them through various transac- has filed documents with the city of
tions. Broomfield for a location at West 120th
Avenue and South Bradburn Boule-
Bank of America’s Colorado expan- vard, and for a Fort Collins location
sion has been concentrated in the at 1305 W. Elizabeth St. Lewis said
Denver area, but the bank also has the Broomfield branch should open
expanded outward from Denver, look- in 2021, with Fort Collins following
ing south to Colorado Springs and in 2022.
north as far as Fort Collins. It opened
a Boulder location at 1965 28th St. Documents have also been submit-
in 2016, and plans to open branches ted to the city of Lafayette for a branch
in Broomfield, Fort Collins, Greeley, at 861 N. Colorado Highway 287 in
Lafayette and Longmont. the Lafayette Promenade shopping
center.
All told, Bank of America has iden-
tified at least 14 markets for additional That branch will encompass 3,784
branches in Colorado. square feet, with two drive-through
lanes, according to an initial plan-
“We continue to be excited about ning submittal. Dates for the project
expanding into markets where we’ve to be reviewed by the Lafayette Plan-
not had a retail presence before,” said ning Commission and the Lafayette
Felicia Lewis, regional executive for City Council have not yet been deter-
consumer banking & Merrill Edge for mined.
expansion markets. Lewis handles
Bank of America’s expansion efforts “Greeley is also another area that
into Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, we’re extremely interested in, but
Minnesota, Ohio and Utah, as well as that’s further out,” she said, adding
Pittsburgh. that it might come in 2022.

“Colorado is an extremely impor-
tant market for us,” Lewis said. “We
continue to have commitment not
only to Denver, where our core branch
presence is, but we continue to expand
beyond Denver. It remains a top-prior-
ity market for us.”

Lewis said Bank of America iden-
tifies expansion markets based on
where it already has a strong client
base. Colorado fits that criterion, she
said.

“In every market we go to, the rea-
son we’re going is that we believe we
have a strong client presence there.”
she said. “We believe that clients want
us to be there … Clients are asking,
‘When are you coming? When can

www.bizwest.com announced plans to open 500 loca- the previous year. BizWest | July 2020 | 11
tions nationwide in four years. Even “We will continue to be where our
“The good news is, we with that, the bank has not been people to be working from home,
have, especially with immune from the trend of large clients are, and as our clients adjust we’re seeing our clients interface
coronavirus causing banks eliminating some locations how they interface with us, then with us much, much more via digi-
so many people to be as customers increasingly shift to we do make decisions to trim back tal. They’re choosing and finding
working from home, Internet banking. Bank of America our physical presence in a particu- ways to interface with us outside of
we’re seeing our clients nationwide maintained 4,335 offices lar community,” Lewis said. “The a physical branch.”
interface with us much, as of June 30, 2019, down from 4,474 good news is, we have, especially
much more via digital. ” with coronavirus causing so many Bank of America has a long way
to go before it can match the state’s
Felicia Lewis, largest bank in terms of deposits:
Bank of America Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo ranks as
the dominant bank in the state, with
Loveland is not yet on the sched- deposits as of June 30, 2019, of $31.98
ule for a branch. Lewis said the bank billion, or 22.42% market share. Bank
revisits its target zones, “the com- of America held deposits of $2.9 bil-
munities that we’re trying to make lion, or 2% market share.
sure we penetrate,” every six months
or so. But Lewis said that Bank of Ameri-
ca is able to achieve higher efficiency
“The fact that it’s [Loveland’s] not at its locations than many banks, gen-
here right now doesn’t mean that it erating more deposits per location.
won’t be … further out,” she said. Wells Fargo operates 150 branches
in Colorado, according to the FDIC,
Bank of America examines a series giving it average deposits of $213.2
of economic data when deciding million per location, while Bank of
whether to open a branch, including America so far operates 11 branches
population and household-income in the state, with average deposits of
growth, as well as economic growth $262.27 million per location.
overall. Another key criterion, she
said, is transaction volume at exist- “We still feel very good about
ing locations. If a location exceeds where we stand in Colorado,” she
the average transaction volume for said.
the bank’s branches, Bank of Amer-
ica might consider an additional Ba n k of A merica’s bra nches
branch. will include a full suite of services,
including its Merrill Edge brokerage
Bank of America in 2018 services, small-business lending,
consumer banking and mortgage
lending.

“Our goal is to have a full comple-
ment of specialists in our financial
centers,” Lewis said.

12 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

EXECUTIVELIFE

COURTESY RODWIN ARCHITECTURE

This home office was converted from a dark and unused loft. Walls were replaced with glass and it was given access to its own private deck. It’s only 90 square feet but has
professional lighting and acoustic privacy.

Be it fancy or humble, there’s no place like home office

DALLAS HELTZELL/FOR BIZWEST By Dallas Heltzell
[email protected]
Many workers had to make do with whatever spaces were available when work shifted from the office to home.
It used to be a storage room, an
attic, the spare bedroom in the base-
ment, or even a backyard shed. In
more upscale homes, it used to be a
parlor or a drawing room.

Now it’s an office.
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic
wanes, more professionals are finding
that home is where the work is. And
because so many realize that tele-
commuting will be the new normal,
they want that workspace to be a lot
more functional than a laptop on the
kitchen table.
Home renovation had tailed off
dramatically during the height of the
coronavirus pandemic, said Scott
Rodwin of Boulder-based Rodwin
Architecture, but his business spiked
in May.
“Because they’re spending more
time at home and there’s more inten-
sity in the home — more people doing
more things — people are noticing the
parts of the home that are not func-
tioning really well for them. Home
offices are the number-one thing peo-
ple are noticing.
“COVID has changed the nature of

www.bizwest.com BizWest | July 2020 | 13

COURTESY ALIVESTUDIOS.COM

This nook office is a space-efficient bump off of a family room. It features a custom walnut floating desk by Boulder Furniture Arts. As it’s in a fairly public space, the printer and
other office supplies are tucked into a closet.

what a home office is,” he said. “For of that, the front office, or the front “Some people say, ‘I in mind.
many people, for a long time, a home position of the office positioned near want it (home office) in “If you’ve been on a Zoom call
office was nice to have. Now it has the front door, which was the old- the middle of the house,
become a must have.” fashioned formality of the drawing right off the kitchen, recently where somebody had bad
room, has given way to people putting so that if the kids are lighting, it’s extremely unprofes-
Businesses like the idea. Since the office where they need it to be.” running around I can still sional,” Rodwin said. “We’re noticing
they’ve found that their workers can be present.’” it more than we ever have because
be just as productive from home, It doesn’t have to be up front, how- we’re essentially making a movie of
many won’t feel the need to lease ever, Rodwin said. Scott Rodwin of Boulder-based ourselves. And bad lighting” — a face
large, expensive office spaces. And Rodwin Architecture tinted blue-green from the computer
workers like it too. Long before the “How much privacy do you want? screen’s light on in silhouette from a
pandemic, a “State of the American Some people say, ‘I want it in the mid- High-tech considerations are at the bright window behind it, for instance
Workplace” report issued by Gallup dle of the house, right off the kitchen, forefront, and none may be as impor- — “really compromises the effective-
in 2016 found that 43% of Americans so that if the kids are running around I tant as cybersecurity, said Trent Hein, ness. People are installing better, more
worked remotely at least part of the can still be present. So they don’t fully co-chief executive at Boulder-based even, balanced lighting.”
time, up from 39% in 2012. detach from the activity of the house. Rule4.
His customers also are asking for
Much of that remote work was done “Then there are other people — and “We try to educate users on using lots of natural light, Rodwin said,
in makeshift space. Rodwin said pro- this is the more common one – that a secure file-sharing platform and on “which usually means lighting from
fessionals today want something more want an ‘away’ space – maybe over what data is sensitive and how it can two sides of the room whenever pos-
functional and permanent. the garage or a fully separated little be appropriately protected,” Hein said sible. Not always possible; you only
shed in the backyard or something during a June 4 BizWest webinar. “And have one wall to work with. That also
“We realize that we don’t need a like that.” if they print a document that might typically gives us good natural ventila-
large home office, but we generally do have personal information on it, or tion where you can get a cross breeze.
need a dedicated space,” he said. “We Mike Koenig’s 12-year-old, Louis- might have sensitive business infor- One of the advantages of working
still have papers. We still need privacy, ville-based Studio Shed has latched mation on it, what do you do with that from home is that many commercial
because on our Zoon calls we can’t onto that latter idea and has seen a printout? Do you leave it on the printer offices don’t have operable windows.
have our kids playing Call of Duty in surge in business from people who for your 13-year-old to grab it and say, The majority of offices are sealed.
the background. want not just artists’ retreats and “she “Hey, Mom or Dad, what’s this?” Or do When people are working from home,
sheds” but full-fledged, free-standing we grab that quickly, do we use it, and almost all windows in the house are
“So thatmeans having asmall room home offices out back. then do we have some type of shredder operable. So it’s creating a different
with a door and decent artificial light- or other destruction device we can use dynamic where you have access to the
ing — a small, dedicated area so we’re “The reason they’re asking for at home to get rid of that paper when outside.”
not overrunning the public areas and an away space is that they’re used we no longer need it?”
trying to turn them into something to having the privacy of the regular Many customers also are buying
they’re not, which is a private office.” office where they can go and focus Rodwin’s firm has been equip- their own sit-stand desks,” he said. “It
and be separated from the kids run- ping home offices with Cat5 or Cat6 doesn’t take up any more space than
In new construction, Rodwin said, ning around or just general domestic cabling that can handle high-band- a normal desk; they’re simply replac-
“we typically try to put the home office life,” Rodwin said. “The majority of our width connections, stuffing the walls ing an old-fashioned standard sitting
near the front door. The purpose of clients are finding that if their office is with acoustic insulation and install- desk with a sit-stand desk – largely
that is if you’re seeing people from not private, if it’s centered in the mid- ing lighting with a television studio because more people are used to it in
the outside coming in, which is not dle of the house and if it doesn’t have their office.”
all that common but it’s still useful a closable door, they’re not getting
to have a study near the front of the their work done properly. There isn’t And because many homes include
house, in what we would consider the the necessary social demarcation for more than one worker who needs pri-
public area. their family to know, ‘Oh, mommy’s vacy, he said, “in many homes, hav-
working now.’ It’s really helpful if their ing two dedicated work spaces will
“It’s not just about having a pretty intention is to use it as an alternative to become the norm.”
space, decorative or ornamental any a commercial office.”
more. It’s truly for function. Because

14 | BizWest | July 2020 www.bizwest.com

How to help solve supply chain disruption, nonprofits

I t happened seemingly over- supply chain breaks. “(But) decreased supply network of animal transports to send
night. When the crisis struck Colorado, coupled with increased dogs in vans to high-demand areas in
Once jam-packed with pota- demand meant the the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.
toes, mushrooms and rice, our grocery that was the unfortunate reality for nonprofit was forced to But when the pandemic hit, much
entirely too many individuals and purchase 233% extra of that transport network shut down
store shelves suddenly found them- families who rely on food pantries food for the month.” along with the rest of the economy.
and meal programs to keep food on
selves barren. And for the first time the table. On a mission to eliminate But CFS is not alone. In fact, a From food shelters to animal
hunger in Boulder and Broomfield recent report from the Charities Aid shelters and beyond, the nonprofit
in most of our lives, many of us expe- counties, Community Food Share Foundation of America revealed community is clearly hurting and in
fights hunger in the community by 96.5% of nonprofits reported negative need of help. While our company is
rienced the impact of supply chain providing access to fresh, nutritious impacts related to the virus, includ- not a restaurant with food to give, we
food through local partners and on- ing a drop in contributions; travel have a long history of participating
problems. While site and mobile pantries. restrictions disrupting contact with in Community Food Share’s Corpo-
clients, donors and recipients; issues rate Challenge — and felt compelled
some of the dearth But when local partners (read: res- with client relations; disruptions to do more in light of the difficult
taurants) were forced to close to curb to staffing or operations; increased situation. This year, Cardinal Peak
of products can the spread of the disease, the flow of costs; and disrupted supply chains. doubled its contributions from the
excess food provided to the nonprofit year prior, but we still need more
be attributed to immediately came to a halt. At the Consider our local humane soci- companies and individuals across
same time, due to the pandemic, eties as other examples. Animal the community to help this great
hoarding or indi- more people needed the organiza- shelters across the country reported cause, as well as other local charities.
tion’s assistance than ever before. an uptick in people fostering ani-
viduals seeking to mals during the pandemic, but the If your company is already work-
In March, CFS distributed 1.1 mil- empty cages might actually be a sign ing with a nonprofit organization,
take advantage of lion pounds of food, a 48% increase of a supply chain disruption. Pre- find out if disrupted supply chains
compared to the previous year — pandemic, states in the South often are negatively impacting the work
widespread fear MARK and a 39-year record for the food had way more dogs than they knew they do and ask how you can help.
and make a quick CARRINGTON bank. But decreased supply coupled what to do with. As such, shelters Or if you’re in a position to donate to
buck by reselling NONPROFITS with increased demand meant the and humane societies developed a CFS, visit https://communityfood-
in-demand goods, nonprofit was forced to purchase share.org/donations.
233% extra food for the month, and
the spread of the organization expects its annual Mark Carrington is CEO of Cardi-
purchasing costs to double what it nal Peak, an organization that helps
COVID-19 rapidly shifted the situation. planned for, further stretching the bring innovations to market.
already limited budget.
As news of the global coronavirus

pandemic spread, the crisis forced

countless organizations — even

entire industries — to rethink and

transform their operations as they

worked to respond to business dis-

ruption and supply chain challenges

at scales we’ve never seen before.

For some, however, supply chain

disruption means more than incon-

venience. Consider what can happen

when you’re food insecure and the

Join us for a
safe future

T OG
E T H Eǧ R

Leading the community with the strength of 50 years

Keep your options open for senior care.
Not everyone requires the same degree or style of care.

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