Bemis House Restored to Its Former State - Open House May 16th

The Edwin A. Bemis house, built in 1921 and located at 5820 S. Bemis Street in Littleton has a renewed life as contractors work to rennovate the historic site. The former home of the Littleton Independent publisher is now occupied by the Western Welcome Week staff who coordinates the annual series of events around Littleton.

Edwin and his wife, Katherine lived in the home through long and busy lives in their hometown, Littleton. Edwin Bemis, whose childhood home is at the Littleton Museum’s 1890s farm, was publisher of the Littleton Independent (he started work there at age 11); as well as town treasurer; deputy sheriff; founder of the Littleton Historical Society, which became the Littleton Museum; founder of Littleton Rotary.

Historic Littleton Inc. plans an open house for the community on May 16, in celebration of National Preservation Month, when in coordination with the Historic Preservation Board, awards will be given to property owners who have done outstanding work on their historic properties in 2009.

More details on the home and life of Edwin Bemis can be found at the Littleton History site.

H1N1 Information Available Through Twitter & Google

The Colorado Department of Health will be updating information on the H1N1 Influenza threat via Twitter and Google. If you wish to recieve these notices, follow the steps below to start your account or to sign up to receive them on your current account. For further assistance, contact Patrick Barnett @ 303-668-9021 or patrickbarnett011@comcast.net.

How to use Twitter to follow Influenza A (H1N1) and other emerging public health events:

For people who have a Twitter account:
1. Sign in to Twitter
2. Select “Find people” from top of page
3. Type “COHealth” in search box (case does not matter)
4. Click on “COHealth”
5. Click on “Follow”
6. To get the postings on your phone as well, select “Device updates ON” (Note: you only can do this if you have entered a cell phone number in your profile. You can go back and enter a cell number by clicking on “Profile”)

For people who do NOT have a Twitter account:
1. Go to http://twitter.com/COHealth
2. Click on “Join today”
3. Follow the instructions to create your account
4. For the next two screens, you can select “Skip this step” (at the bottom in small letters)
5. You will see the recent postings to COHealth and that you are following one “person”
6. To get the postings on your phone as well, select “Device updates ON” (Note: you only can do this if you have entered a cell phone number in your profile. You can go back and enter a cell number by clicking on “Profile”)

How to join the COHealth Google Group:

For people who have a Google account already:
1. Go to www.google.com and select “sign in” from the top right corner
2. Sign in with your user name and password
3. Select “My Account” or “Click here to manage your account profile”
4. Select “Groups”
5. Type “COHealth” in the search box (case does not matter) - it will probably be the first item that comes up
6. Click on the “COHealth” item from your search
7. Select “Join this group”
8. Select how you want to receive information from the list and the name you want to be seen.
9. Select “Join this group” again.
10. You will see the most recent postings to the list

For people who do NOT have a Google account:
1. Go to www.google.com and select “sign in” from the top right corner
2. Select “Create an account now”
3. Follow the instructions and you will receive an email that requires you to click on the link to verify your new account
4. After verifying by clicking on the link in the email, select “My Account” or “Click here to manage your account profile”
5. Select “Groups”
6. Type “COHealth” in the search box (case does not matter) - it will probably be the first item that comes up.
7. Click on the “COHealth” item from your search
8. Select “Join this group”
9. Select how you want to receive information from the list and the name you want to be seen. If you are a public health employee, it would be great to have you use your real name.
10. Select “Join this group” again
11. You will see the most recent postings to the list

ACC Auto Tech Department Gets Hybrids for Education & Training

Five hybrid vehicles from a variety of automobile manufacturers were delivered to the Automotive Technology Department at Arapahoe Community College on Monday, and a sixth hybrid vehicle arrives today. The vehicles will be used for intensive training in hybrid conversion and hybrid technology repair. The Burt Automotive Group assisted ACC in the purchase of the vehicles as a part of a grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

In August 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that Colorado State University had been selected for a $5 million grant to educate the public and train the workforce and emergency responders about the inner workings of hybrid and electric vehicles. Arapahoe Community College is partnering in this effort with CSU Ventures; the Douglas County School District; the Burt Automotive network; Georgia Institute of Technology; K Share; Ricardo, a provider of technology and product innovation for the vehicle industry; and Motion Reality Inc., a pioneer in 3-D real time engineering analysis and computer graphics.

The grant is one of 48 advanced battery and electric drive projects announced by President Barack Obama as part of the $2.4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. It will help create an innovative and integrated education program that ties community outreach with secondary school awareness, technician and first responder training, and college and post-graduate level education in electric vehicles and their support systems.

The five hybrid vehicles delivered to ACC Monday were a 2009 Yukon four-wheel drive, a 2010 Ford Escape, a 2010 Honda Insight, a 2009 Chevy Malibu and a 2010 Toyota Prius II. A Chevy Tahoe was delivered in 2009, and a 2010 Nissan Altima arrives today. In addition to assisting ACC in obtaining the vehicles, Burt Automotive will provide an off-site location for storage of the vehicles and equipment necessary for training.

The hybrid vehicles will be used to enhance awareness of automotive technology students and to train automotive technologists for hybrid conversion and hybrid technology repair. The vehicles also will be used to train first responders and to expose ACC’s Emergency Medical Services students to basic hybrid vehicle safety.

“We’re going to re-educate automotive technicians so they can safely diagnose and repair hybrid vehicles,” said Jerry Viola, director of Automotive Technology at ACC. “They will be able to convert the vehicle to a plug-in connection, and you will be able to plug the car into the house and recharge. We’re going to incorporate an advanced technology certificate into the program. We will be in the forefront and on the cutting edge of the auto tech field.”

The Auto Tech Department is located in the Annex on the ACC Main Campus at 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive. The ACC Auto Tech Department has been listed as one of the top 20 auto tech training programs in the nation for the past four years in Tomorrow’s Technician/Chicago Pneumatic School of the Year competition. For more information about the Auto Tech program at ACC call Jerry Viola at 303.797.5992 or jerry.viola@arapahoe.edu, or go to http://www.arapahoe.edu/departments-and-programs/a-z-offerings/automotive-technology.
2/16

New Board of Trustees Announced for Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens announced today that Christina Caulkins, Laura Higgins, Howard Pollack, Cynthia Scott, Shawn Simmons and Steffan Tubbs have been elected to the board of trustees as term trustees. Anita E. Cox and Kerstin Karloev have been appointed as ex-officio trustees.

Christina Caulkins is vice president, principal and a member of the board of directors of Venstar, LLC, and New Era Development, LLC. Both companies are involved in buying, selling, developing and managing commercial real estate. Caulkins is already a significant supporter of the Gardens and coordinated the funding of the new Darlene Radichel Plant Select® Garden, named after her mother. She is also the director of the William D. Radichel Foundation. Caulkins has a significant background in finance and will bring her expertise and insight to the board’s Finance Committee and Audit Committee. Her experience in commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and private funding will give the board additional expertise on which to draw for advice and counsel. Caulkins graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in finance and international management from Georgetown University, and earned her Master of Management degree from Northwestern University. She resides in Denver.

Laura Higgins is the marketing director at Bellco Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the United States. She has been one of the Gardens’ most active supporters during the past year, connecting Bellco to the “Jurassic Gardens” exhibit. Higgins’ work not only brought presenting sponsor dollars to the Gardens but also produced dynamic programming on Bellco’s part, including coloring book contests, giveaways, mailings to their customer base and staff functions. As an active member of the Chatfield community, her new perspective on marketing strategies at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield will be a vital asset to the Gardens. Higgins studied television and film production, and business administration at San Francisco State University. She was part of the B.F.A. program in advertising and commercial interior design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Higgins lives in Lone Tree.

Howard Pollack is a shareholder in Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck’s Real Estate Group, and is co-chair of the firm’s Hospitality Group. His practice focuses primarily on real estate development and finance. He represents both local and national developers of major retail, office, industrial, hotel, multifamily residential and mixed-use properties in all aspects of the development process (including due diligence, entitlement approvals, financing, site acquisition, construction and asset disposition). Pollack represents a number of major clients including Bank of America, Beacon Capital Partners and California Bank & Trust. He brings significant connections and specific skills in construction and land use issues to the Gardens; the organization will benefit from his experience and counsel.

Cynthia Scott is a landscape architect who lives in Boulder. She studied at the New York Botanical Garden’s Landscape Design Certificate Program, as well as Colorado State University’s Master Gardener Program. Scott is very involved in a variety of volunteer efforts, including leading Wildflower Walks for the University of Colorado’s Summer Programs in Rocky Mountain National Park; spearheading the $60,000 effort to transform an outdoor drainage problem into an Outdoor Classroom for experiential learning at Flatirons Elementary School in Boulder; and being a Girl Scout Leader in Boulder. She was a member of our Gardens and Conservation Committee as a volunteer last year, and will continue her work on that committee as a board member. Scott’s work in landscape design and in recreational engineering and planning in Boulder and Salida will bring new perspectives to the Gardens as the organization moves forward with several projects.

Shawn Simmons serves as a partner with Ernst & Young, LLP, in Denver and brings tremendous financial and corporate experience to the Gardens’ board of trustees. He is a certified public accountant who specializes in real estate, hospitality and construction industries, with expertise in SEC and partnership accounting and auditing. Some of Simmons’ current clents include MDC Holdings, Kroenke Sports and The Colorado Rockies. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trust. Simmons’ duties will include helping the Gardens connect to a broad corporate community, and guidance with financial oversight. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Simmons resides in Denver.

Steffan Tubbs is co-anchor of the KOA Morning News and host of Studio 12. He has already produced a radio feature and a full hour of Studio 12 focused on the Gardens’ Master Development Plan transformation. As chair of the External Communications and Enterprise Committee, Tubbs will help the Gardens expand earned media coverage throughout the Rocky Mountain West, especially related to the “Moore in the Gardens” exhibit. His international reporting expertise and impartial views will be a great asset to the Gardens’ ongoing marketing initiatives.

Anita E. Cox spent more than 20 years as an organizational development specialist focusing on communications and strategic planning for service-based businesses. She then became a small-business owner, creating nurturing living environments for families. Cox believes that gardens and indoor/outdoor living are a key component to many of these environments. Today, she works as a volunteer at the Gardens several days a week, and represents the Associates of the Gardens on the board of trustees. Cox comes to the Gardens with experience on the board of United Way and several other foundations.

Kerstin Karloev became an active member of the Gardens’ Guild in the spring of 2000; she is now the 2010 president of the Guild. Gardening has been a great interest and hobby for Karloev for many years, and her knowledge of plants helped her work with members of the Colorado Nursery Association. She has worked for several nonprofits, and for the last few years has been executive director of the Colorado Nursery Association (CNA). Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, Karloev graduated from a girls school, and then attended medical school at Karolinska Institute for a degree in medical technology, specializing in research. After working there in the Department of Pathology, she was offered a job at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed Hospital. Karloev worked in the United States for eight months and then returned to her position in Stockholm. She met her first husband in Washington, D.C., and stayed at Walter Reed until the birth of their first daughter. The family moved to Colorado in 1973 when her husband was transferred to Denver. Karloev also has a degree from Metropolitan State College in Denver.
2/16

"Green Flight Project" = Electric Motor Flight Announced by Bye Energy

Bye Energy, Inc., an integrator of alternative energy and renewable fuel technologies for business and general aviation aircraft, is launching “The Green Flight Project” (www.TheGreenFlightProject.aero) to enhance the development of an electric and electric-hybrid propulsion system (EHPS) for commercial application. The objective of the project is to design and integrate an EHPS into a full-scale proof of concept airplane.

System architecture for Bye Energy’s EHPS includes an electric motor and controller, lithium-ion battery and management system, electric energy management system, auxiliary power unit, thin film photovoltaic cells, variable pitch propeller and proprietary energy capture devices exclusive to the company.

George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, said that although all-electric propulsion systems and aircraft are being developed, they do not yet compare to the potential utility and performance of a hybrid design. “Intelligent power management technology, greater lithium-ion energy density and more efficient light-weight engines have now matured to the point where integration of these components becomes extremely compelling,” he said. “We believe the general aviation market is at the same point the U.S. auto market was about a decade ago when the first affordable automotive hybrid alternatives became commercially available.”

Charlie Johnson, COO of Bye Energy and former President of Cessna, said the time to accelerate incorporation of new hybrid technology has arrived. “General aviation is a vital market that will benefit from the environmentally friendly, lower cost, more efficient and higher-performing aircraft,” he said.

Over the past year, Bye Energy has forged relationships with multiple technical partners including UQM Technologies, Inc. (www.UQM.com) for the electric motor and controller, Vertical Power, Inc. (www.VerticalPower.com) for the energy management system, Porous Power Technologies, LLC (www.PorousPower.com) for the lithium-ion battery and separator technology, Scion Aviation, LLC (www.ScionAviation.com) for composite parts and materials, EEtrex Inc. (www.EEtrex.com) for the battery system and Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (www.AscentSolar.com) for thin film photovoltaics.   

Bye Energy is accepting support from sponsors for The Green Flight Project. Early sponsors supporting the project launch include Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum and Colorado Capital Bank.
2/23

Industry Trailblazer, Steve Pattie, joins Designs by Sundown

Award-winning landscape company, Designs By Sundown, announced the hiring of industry professional, Steve Pattie, to their management team. “Steve is truly a valued individual in the Green Industry and I am excited that he is coming on board,” states Michael Hommel, owner and founder of Designs By Sundown.

Steve Pattie founded The Pattie Group in Novelty, Ohio in 1968 and has served as their CEO and President
ever since. Under his guidance, the company has become one of the nation’s premiere landscape
design/build firms winning countless national, state and local awards for landscaping excellence. “The
Pattie Group is a company much like that of Designs By Sundown… always striving for excellence. I am
honored that Steve will be working alongside our management and design teams to propel us to even
greater success. I look forward to what the future holds for Designs By Sundown!” states Hommel.

Steve handed over the day-to-day operations of The Pattie Group to the Management Team that includes
his three children. He is now anxious to begin the next phase of his prestigious career with Designs By
Sundown as their Vice President of Design and Sales. Steve’s 40+ years of experience will be invaluable to
the company.
2/23

Marion Jenkins Named to Bye Energy Advisory Council

Bye Energy, Inc., an integrator of alternative energy and renewable fuel technologies for business and general aviation aircraft, has appointed Dr. Marion Jenkins, Founder and CEO of QSE Technologies, to its Business Advisory Council.

Jenkins is an accomplished entrepreneur and senior executive. Prior to starting QSE Technologies, he was Chief Operating at NAREX and Executive Vice President/Chief Technology Officer for Firstworld Communications/Verado Holdings. Other prior experience includes serving as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for USLD Communications, which was eventually acquired by Qwest Communications, where he served as Vice President of Sales Operations. Before transitioning to telecommunications and technology, he was a Research Engineer for Exxon Production Research Company, including synthetic fuels research. Jenkins has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Utah State University, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, and also received his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Stanford. He currently serves as an adjunct faculty and advisory board member for the University of Denver Healthcare Leadership program, and has authored over 40 presentations and publications on the role of technology in business.

George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, said Jenkins will be a significant contributor to the company’s Business Advisory Council because of his depth of knowledge about business, energy, aviation and technology. “In addition to running one of the fastest-growing companies in Colorado, Marion has a passion for aviation and renewable energy,” Bye said. “He will be a contributor to our aviation biofuels projects, plus a valuable subject matter expert on Bye Energy’s electric hybrid propulsion system.”
3/1

Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Center Awards Training Contract to BB2e/BeInventive

BB2e/BeInventiv was awarded a significant contract with the Arapahoe / Douglas Workforce Center. The program is a training and internship / employment program providing call center / customer service skills and sales roles.

BB2e will provide all training and access to all online call center tools to do the call center customer service and sales roles. The program will provide Virtual Call Center - Part Time employment and Paid internship opportunities. The Call Center will be staffed by unemployed and underemployed youth (18-24) with special needs and the program will teach Customer Service / Call Center, Internet/Technology, Professional Office and Service and Sales skills.

More information can be found on the Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce site.
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If your company has news and events to share, send them to Terry McElhaney at tmcelhaney@bestchamber.com.