Business Digest Radio

Sue Smith, Executive Director - Christian P. Anschutz Foundation

Sue Smith, originally from Pueblo, Colorado, and current Executive Director of the Christian P. Anschutz Foundation has enjoyed an illustrious career in the public service and volunteer world nearly her entire professional life. She is a champion for veterans and for the American values she sees as universal regardless of political affiliation:
Honor, Integrity, and Patriotism
She also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Center for American Values located in Pueblo.
The Center for American Values’ organizational mission is based on the need for a national initiative to identify, document, and disseminate information about individuals, groups, and organizations whose character attributes relate directly to the values this great country was founded on.
The Center for American Values purpose is to connect with individuals and organizations at all socio-economic levels through our programs including HIP Online Civics Based Education, Portraits of Valor Exhibit, On Values Speaker Series, and American Values Narratives Project.
 

Pikes Peak Region Small Business Week - April 29-May 3

Dani Bolling, Sr. Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Sales for the COS Chamber & EDC, Paul Myers-Bennett, Vice President of Marketing for the BBB of So. Colorado, and Brandon Eldridge, Executive Director for the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center are collaborating on the most exciting and edifying week for small businesses throughout the region at this year's Pikes Peak Region Small Business Week!
April 29-May 3 - Register: https://pikespeaksdbc.org 
ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
Small Business Week kicks off with the Small Business BASH and Awards Celebration on Monday, April 29 followed by three days of impactful workshops designed to educate, celebrate, and champion local small businesses. The week concludes with a networking event on Friday, May 3.
Small Business Week of the Pikes Peak Region began more than 16 years ago as a partnership between the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The event took place as a one-day award banquet “Small Business Day” highlighting small businesses within the Pikes Peak Region.
In 2012, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado and the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center took on full operations of the event and created a weeklong event called “Small Business Week.” Small Business Week in the Pikes Peak Region is the largest Small Business celebration in the State of Colorado (and the US in 2020).
Last year the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC rejoined as host and helped create an impactful with a memorable week of events.

Lonnie Cramer, President & CEO - UCHealth-Southern Colorado Region

Mr. Lonnie Cramer, President & CEO of UCHealth-Southern Colorado Region. Mr. Cramer gives us a glimpse into how region's largest civilian employer, UCHealth is navigating through the labyrinth of declining reimbursement, rising costs and in keeping with the mission of delivering world-class healthcare for southern Coloradans.
Cramer also shares insights about UCHealth's new Mobile Stroke Unit now serving southern Colorado, strategic partnerships with the region's military, the role of A.I. and virtual visits, and the systems considerable contribution for those who are un/underinsured.  
Highly respected among healthcare executives, physicians, and allied healthcare professionals alike, Lonnie Cramer leads the southern Colorado team with great compassion serving and being served, extraordinary skill, and an eye on delivering world-class care for all Coloradans. 
#UCHealth #LonnieCramer #Healthcare #Colorado

The Role of Critical Infrastructure: Underline Infrastructure CEO, Robert Thompson

Robert Thompson spent 25 years in and around Wall Street as a very successful investment banker. 
A fateful humanitarian trip to Haiti for 18 months after the devastating earthquake of 2010 gave Bob a front-row seat in the importance of critical infrastructure and how the absence of it meant life and death in this case, for members of three refugee camps totaling 4,382 people. 
This experience led Bob to give up a "perfectly good job" on Wall Street to create what is now, 5-years later, Underline Infrastructure - a technology company.
Bob recalls, when critical infrastructure (power, water, etc), breaks down, so too do society norms and the "community" aspect of daily life starts to fray. 
Learn what Bob means when he says, "Underline is a technology company committed to delivering the connectivity infrastructure that is necessary for American cities to flourish for the wellbeing and prosperity of this country."
Challenges being addressed by Underline: 
Communities must have better capacity to touch the information economy (within that: address the social inequity regarding the delivery of proper modern infrastructure to poorer neighborhoods)
American cities need newer, more cyber-secure connections from our research facilities and universities 
Need to modernize other critical infrastructures away from the internet as they are too vulnerable to nefarious players because so much of their operations now rely on internet connectivity and security.
Download and listen to this powerful entrepreneur and visionary and what research supports as our pathway forward to isolate and support critical infrastructure in a sustainable way. 
UNDERLINE INFRASTRUCTURE WEBSITE
 

How to Get the Most of your Banking Relationship-Matthew Hanson, Market President, Alpine Bank

As a business owner, do you even know your banker? 
Sure, you put money in and take money out regularly. You probably have a line of credit and the associated cards that go with it. You might have a business loan that you're working to pay down so you can own or expand your business.
You might even have some special "products" that a front-line business banker was able to put in place to advance your business in some way. 
All that is great, except you might be leaving a lot of the value of a great banking relationship on the table. 
Market President for Alpine Bank here in Colorado, Matt Hanson explains how his most successful business clients work with him not just through him, and how together they build stronger business models by leveraging the vast wealth of knowledge, visibility, and resources that Alpine Bank possesses. 
ALPINE BANK WEBSITE
 

Steve Eisenhart-Sr. Vice-President Strategic & International Affairs

Colorado Springs is once again on the international stage hosting more than 12,000 space industry experts and leaders from 40 nations around the world both in-person and via online access.
The 39th Space Symposium will begin April 8-11 at the Broadmoor Resort and Cheyenne Mountain Resort with guests staying in 31 hotels within the city.
SVP for Strategic and International Affairs, Mr. Steve Eisenhart joins us to unpack the significance and depth of the content and relationships to be experienced by military and government attendees. 
Exhibits: 241 standalone exhibits across 153,000 sq. ft. using two exhibit halls.
International Space Agencies: 15+ heads of agencies participating
Track sessions: 4 concurrent sessions: 1) Space Law; 2) Space Science; 3) Space Investment; 4) Industry Game Changers
For those in the community who love all-things space, registration is now open for a special evening: Yuri's Night - Friday, April 7 from 5:30p to 9:00p! 
https://spacefoundation.org or https://www.spacesymposium.org/ 

Economic Development Officer, Jessie Kimber - City of Colorado Springs

The City of Colorado Springs experienced more "wins" in the economic development realm in 2023, than in the previous three years combined.
Recent successes in recruitment of key industry participants such as Entegris, Invictus, Microchip Technology, Meyer Burger Solar, and more are part of a new, engaging spirit of collaboration in the region among key stakeholders who want to keep the opportunities coming for those who live, work and play in the region and those following these great employers. 
Former Naval Commander, Jessica (Jessie) Kimber is one of those key stakeholders working in partnership with the elected officials and governing bodies, utilities, land developers, educators, private industry, and a very proactive Economic Development Corporation to continue to grow the region, "smartly" and an ecosystem of industry participants that has put COS on the short list of industry leaders around the nation - the world. 
Listen in while Jessie unpacks the first year of her tenure as the City's Economic Development Officer and how things are shaping up for the months and year to come. 
https://coloradosprings.gov/ 

Paul Myers-Bennett, Vice President Marketing & Events, SO CO BBB

Paul Myers-Bennett joins us on the Business Digest Weekly on AM1460/101.1FM to discuss Small Business Week (April 29-May 3, 2024), and the the BBB's renown accreditation programs available to businesses who want to convey their commitment to excellence in customer service, experience and support. One of the most active and forward-thinking BBBs in the nation, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado serves 25 counties and thousands of businesses in the region. 
BBB of Southern Colorado serves 25 counties throughout Southern Colorado and sets standards for marketplace trust – to create a community of dependable businesses and charities – by encouraging and supporting best practices, educating consumers and businesses, celebrating business role models, and calling out and addressing substandard marketplace behavior.

Dr. William Craighead, Program Director, UCCS Economic Forum

Dr. William (Bill) Craighead reviews how the southern Colorado economic region has managed through the last several quarters, including the avoidance of a true recession. 
Dr. Craighead addresses consumer confidence, affordable housing, inflation, infrastructure tax, employer performance and more in this quarterly update. 
Click here to learn more about UCCS Economic Forum and how you can keep up with economic activity and performance and get the Economic Forum newsletter. 

Gretchen Bliss, Director of Cybersecurity Programs at UCCS & Terri Johnson, Cyber Security Management

Gretchen Bliss has an extensive background in cybersecurity, with over 25 years of experience. Before joining UCCS, Gretchen spent five years with PPCC leading Cybersecurity efforts. Her previous work experience includes 25 years as the NORAD Deputy Senior Analyst and Chief of Plans, supporting the government’s efforts in understanding the evolution of cyber since the early 1990s on cyber, information operations and warfare, and computer network defense/attack. 
Terri Johnson, is an Instructor of Cyber Security Management in the College of Business at UCCS. Ms. Johnson's students learn the various ways cyber comes in contact with specific areas of business, and how to defend inbound attacks in real time.
Learn more about all of the multidisciplinary aspects of UCCS's Cybersecurity program here: https://cybersecurity.uccs.edu/